Week of 5/17/2021
.... It's a GREAT place to be!
Birmingham Covington Schools (BCS)
Website: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/bcs
Location: 1525 Covington Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, USA
Phone: 248-203-4444
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Birmingham-Covington-School-257853467700898/
Twitter: @bcs_cobras
5/17/2021 - Week's Events
*denotes more information provided below
Monday, 5/17
- Vision Screening: Grades 3, 5, and 7
- Vision Screening: Grades 3, 5, and 7
- BCS Diversity Committee Meetings every Tuesday 7:30-8am. Please join using this link.
- BCS Pride every Tuesday 4:15-5pm. Please email Rick Joseph at rjoseph@birmingham.k12.mi.us for details.
- Vision Screening: Grades 3, 5, and 7
- 8th Grade Walk Out Video - Taping
Thursday, 5/20
- Vision Screening: Grades 3, 5, and 7
- Material Distribution, ALL VIRTUAL STUDENTS 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday, 5/21
Coming up week of 5/24:
All School News
Greetings, BCS Families!
Happy Friday! We can hardly believe we already talking about summer learning opportunities, but here we are!
The Teaching & Learning Department has identified a collection of resources to support BPS students in Grades K-8 over the summer. All the resources can be found on the BPS Summer Learning Opportunities website. This is a great resource where all summer learning information will be updated.
One of the vetted resources we will offer all students is a digital math program called, DreamBox. The district has paid for a two month subscription (May 20th – August 19th) for all K-8 students. We are currently working to link PowerSchool rostering with DreamBox, so students can log in via ClassLink.
If you would like more information regarding our offerings by grade-level, please review the following slide decks which outline summer learning information for the following:
- Summer Learning Information -Elementary Grades K-5
- Summer Learning Information- Middle School Grades 5-8
For those interested families, we hope you find these expansive resources as valuable and worthwhile for extended learning opportunities this summer.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Yours in BCS Solidarity,
Dr. Hakim and Mr. Hill
Elective Packets for 2021-2022
Elective selections were due Friday, May 14th, by 4:00 pm. Please carefully review the appropriate grade level packet (based on your student’s grade in 2021-2022) and click on the link on the last page of the packet to make the elective selection by submitting the online form. Please submit your response as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
Please feel free to reach out to your student’s counselor with any questions you may have.
Karen Kohler (last names A-K): kkohler@birmingham.k12.mi.us
Jenny Wagner (last names L-Z): jwagner2@birmingham.k12.mi.us
5th Grade Elective Packet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/178GtN4nPgqcWci9W0pDfNBjJhqy-SyFZ/view?usp=sharing
6th Grade Elective Packet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FTrrsoiw7sngq5iDhZznGMICpNE0Rcse/view?usp=sharing
7/8 Elective Packet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rEqidhhcgK1AXHDS1D9_W4MSimAxs4pT/view?usp=sharing
Hearing and Vision Screening by OCHD
Oakland County Health will be at BCS on May 11th and 13th for hearing screening for all 4th graders. They will also be at BCS May 17th - 24th for vision screening for all 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders. Please refer to this document for more information about Vision and Hearing Screening. If you have questions or wish for your child to not be screened, please email mmittelstaedt@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Summer Bridge Registration
All families who expressed interest in the K-8 Summer Bridge Program received an email this week (on Monday and Wednesday) asking them to confirm their registration. We are asking all families who registered to complete the parent confirmation form referenced in the email whether or not your child will be participating. Families who already responded received an email confirmation on Friday, May 14.
If we do not receive confirmation of your child’s participation by Monday, May 17th at 5pm, we cannot guarantee that your child will have a spot in the program. Questions? Please contact Sara Cibor at scibor@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
BCS PTA Round Up!
Road Rally Follow Up:
Looking for Road Rally Teams named: Team CRT81 and Team Bonny. If you are a member of one of these teams, please contact Kathleen Meyers at kathleen.meyers@gmail.com.
GiftCrowd:
In response to requests from many families for a way to thank *all staff* at BCS (ie: Co-Curriculars, Principals, Support Staff) with an end-of-the-year gift, the PTA Co-Chairs have set up a GiftCrowd page to make gifting simple. The feedback from other schools in the district who have used this site has been very positive! We are excited to offer this option to you as a voluntary way to give back to all of our great staff at BCS at the end of this crazy pandemic year.
GiftCrowd will give you the opportunity to write a personal message of thanks along with your monetary contribution. It will NOT show the recipient the dollar amount that you donate. All staff will receive a message from GiftCrowd on Thursday, June 10th with instructions on how to view all of their personal thank you messages and "spend" their gift money on a wide variety of gift cards.
Please see the message from GiftCrowd for simple instructions on how to make your contribution. Our BCS gifting link: https://www.giftcrowd.com/#/event/e6D81IGonW
Contributions may be made now through Wednesday, June 9th.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Kramer, BCS PTA Co-Chair, at dkramer216@yahoo.com.
Ice Cream Truck:
Ice Cream treat for all students during their lunch period on June 3
Reenactment Art is back!
Calling all BCS students to participate in a special reenactment art project!!! Last year the art students recreated their favorite art pieces by dressing as the subject matters, setting up unique scenes or recreating a project in a different medium. As this crazy year comes to an end, we wanted to invite all students to participate and share amongst the BCS masses. Be creative, have fun and share your reenactments with us. (Please know that these will be shared on the BCS Facebook page)
BCS Choice Hour Updates
Choice Hour Quarter IV Schedules (listed by Student ID Number)
Choice Hour Quarter IV Zoom Links
There will be NO CHOICE HOUR on the following dates:
Wednesday, 5/12
Quarter IV runs Monday April 26 - Thursday June 11, 2021
Please note that BCS busses will be switching to 4:10pm - AFTER CHOICE HOUR - starting Quarter IV (April 26)
Students who plan on taking the bus MUST be enrolled in Choice Hour
Learn more online at https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/1880
Sign Ups, Drops, and Adds will be accepted through Sunday, May 2 at 11:59pm!
There is not a change form this quarter due to the class size restraints and the short quarter. Students can drop (but must be picked up at 3:15) or add/sign up late from the remaining available classes using the forms below.
How to Sign Up
To access the late sign up forms and booklet of open classes visit: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/6952
Sign ups will be taken and processed on a rolling basis through Sunday, May 2 and changes will take effect on Monday, May 3. You will be notified of your selections via email after processing!
Questions?
BCSchoicehour@birmingham.k12.mi.us
How to report a Choice Hour Absence: Call 248-203-4625 or email BCSChoicehour@birmingham.k12.mi.us
BCS Maker-Faire
Kids Read Now
Parent Pride Support Group
Early Dismissal Procedures
Please review these procedures to help keep your students and school safe.
Parents
- Buzz the front door
- Show identification to the camera
- Enter building and sign out student on blue sheet on clipboard
- Wait in vestibule for student
Students
- Will be released after the office staff calls the teacher
- Student will be sent to the office
- Student will be released to the parent through the vestibule door
STUDENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE CLASS UNTIL PARENT IS HERE. STUDENTS MUST BE SIGNED OUT IN THE OFFICE. STUDENTS CANNOT EXIT THROUGH ANY OTHER DOOR.
No Early Dismissal after 3:00 p.m
Schools Offer Support Helps BPS Families
SOS (Schools Offer Support) is helping families across the district. Pick up a week's worth of meals every Wednesday from 11-1 at Groves High School. SOS also provides food boxes the first Wednesday of every month to families with an extra need for food. If you need additional support, we can help with that too. For more information or to request support please contact Maggie Mittelstaedt, CSO at 248-203-4448 or mmittelstaedt@birmingham.k12.mi.us or visit schoolsoffersupport.org and hit the Request Support button.
Material Distribution - Thursdays 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Material distribution for VIRTUAL STUDENTS IN ALL GRADES will take place in the front vestibule of the school. This is the ONLY time we will have distribution during the week. Please confirm with your student's teacher if material will be handed out. If you cannot pick up material at this time, please coordinate with a friend or family member to do so. Not all Grades or Classes will have distributions each week. (If your student is hybrid, they will receive material in school.)
Thursdays: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Breakfast and Lunch by Chartwells
Lunch is available free of charge to all students. There will be 2 cold lunch options provided by Chartwells.
Chartwells Meals for Distance Learning
Travel Guidelines
For those requesting information regarding travel guidelines, please see the following guidelines and recommendations from the CDC:
Domestic Travel Guidelines
If your travel is within the United States, the CDC recommends that you consider getting tested when you return and reducing non-essential activities for a full seven days. The CDC also asks that you practice good social habits, stay 6 feet from anyone you did not travel with, wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and watch for symptoms of COVID-19. All questions regarding travel, including international travel, please review the CDC guidelines linked below.
Student Medications & Medical Updates
Attention to Attendance
Parents/Guardians must email the attendance line at bcsattendance@birmingham.k12.mi.us to provide detailed information regarding your students’ absence or tardiness by 8:45 am each day.
Absences or tardies not reported to the BCS attendance office will be recorded as unexcused (please note that sending a note to your child’s teacher does not excuse your child. Always contact the attendance office in the event of a student absence). Please send an accompanying doctor’s note as well (PDF format) if appropriate.
Starting March 17, 2021, Clear to Go MUST be submitted for your student BEFORE they enter school for the day.
Partnerships@Home Learning Series
The most important thing parents and caregivers can do right now is to keep a love of learning alive for their children. Parents and caregivers are essential partners in supporting learning at home, but what does this mean? Parents do not need to be teachers or content area experts. Please join our Partnerships@Home Learning Series for some ideas about fostering curiosity and a sense of wonder during everyday family life.
Please see this flyer to learn more and register for the events: https://www.smore.com/sb0xg-partnerships-home
This Series is brought to you by Oakland Schools. There is no fee, but registration is required.
BCS Student Opportunities!
Seaholm Activities Fair
BPS Saturday School
We are happy to announce that the BPS Saturday School will once again be operating throughout the school year to offer academic support and tutoring for all BPS students grades K – 12. Although we are currently operating virtually as a district, BPS Saturday School takes place every Saturday (excluding holidays and breaks) throughout the school year. Saturday School is normally hosted in the media center at Berkshire Middle School, but we are now operating virtually through Zoom from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. each Saturday on the following dates:
November: 21
December: 5, 12, 19
January: 9, 22, 30
February: 6, 27
March: 6, 13, 20
April: 10, 17, 24
May: 1, 8, 15, 22
The BPS Saturday School Coordinators will be working together with Groves’ NHS students as well as Oakland University student teachers to provide tutoring through Zoom and the use of “breakout rooms.” Our coordinators will be able to maneuver back and forth between breakout rooms to be able to monitor and support the tutorials. Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2047672482?pwd=T3pVU1REUXZTN09NM1MvSSsrVTJiZz09
Please visit the BPS Saturday School webpage to learn more and we hope to see you in this year’s virtual setting! https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/839
Register Now for Summer Camp
Summer camps are online now at www.communityed.net – Birmingham Community Education.
Seaholm Women's Swim & Dive
Calling all 8th grade girls interested in Seaholm Women’s Swim & Dive. Register here to join a community that is fun and has won the State Championship 2 years in a row https://www.teamunify.com/team/recsa/page/team-registration
Important upcoming dates
May 28; Seaholm activities night 6-8pm captains will be available to answer questions
July 10; fundraising carwash at KFC on Lincoln & Adams
July 11; team bonfire 8-10pm
August 11; 1st day of practice (in the morning with bottle drive afterwards)
August 13-15; team getaway at camp Michindoh
All new and existing swimmers and divers are welcome! Go Maples!
Groves Men's Tennis
Is your son interested in playing tennis at Groves this fall? Please fill out the below form:
https://forms.gle/AV7z4ZePS5W5LxxX7
Please note that tryouts are scheduled to begin on August 11 and are mandatory for Varsity consideration.
Families can also reach out to JV Coach Annie Moore annie.moore11@gmail.com (mobile / text810 434 8671) or Varsity Coach Dave Farmer daf222@msn.com.
Groves Women's Golf
Groves Men's Soccer
8th graders thinking about playing Groves men's soccer in the fall, please send an email to grovessoccerboosters@gmail.com to be added to the contact list for communication. We are planning a meeting for families who are new to the program, and there will also be training in June for incoming freshmen.
Nurses' Update
Shop BCS!
BCS Tumblers & Bottles
Other Helpful Resource Links...
Counseling Corner
We are here to help support your child academically, socially and emotionally during this time. If you would like to request a counseling appointment for your son or daughter, just email his or her counselor using the contact information below. Your counselor will then respond in order to set up an appointment.
Please keep us updated if we can be of any help at this time.
Your BCS Counselors,
Karen Kohler - Last Names A-K (kkohler@birmingham.k12.mi.us) and
Jenny Wagner - Last Names L-Z (jwagner2@birmingham.k12.mi.us)
Schoology Help
If students are having trouble logging in to Schoology or if they found that upon entering, there were no classes, please contact the Help Desk at HelpDesk@birmingham.k12.mi.us or at (248) 203-3123.
Schoology Parent Introduction:
You should have received more information about Schoology, our learning management system. Please review the attached district resources for additional Schoology information.
Note: Your child's teachers will provide class-specific guidance to students/families as they begin to integrate Schoology's features in their courses.
Parent & Student Schoology Reference Page
Check out the Student Schoology Reference page! This document will provide students and parents with instructions on setting up their Schoology account, navigating Schoology, and performing everyday tasks in courses. This reference sheet may provide helpful resources for you to use to help your students become proficient with Schoology.
Emotional Health & Wellness Resources
BCS Media Center Material Circulation
The BCS Library Media Center is excited to begin circulating materials for the 2020-21 school year! Until we are back in school face-to-face, we are implementing a holds-and-pickup system. All patrons are invited to find materials using our Destiny Library Catalog. If you find something you want, put it on hold! Mrs. Truesdell, your school library media specialist, will pull the materials that are available and have them ready for you by your next grade level pickup day at BCS. Please visit our library website or watch this video for more details.