JANUARY 2016 PARENT NEWSLETTER
*CREATING A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS*
FROM THE DESK OF MRS. HARRISON
Happy 2016!!! I hope all of our families got much needed rest, relaxation and quality time with each other over the holidays. I wanted to personally thank all of our parents who were so supportive of our Christmas program and helped with decorating, organizing, and offered so many words of encouragement to our staff members. It was bigger and more beautifully decorated than ever!
As a new year begins, and as a principal, I have reflected on what was done well, and what needs to be improved within all areas of the school. With that being said, as we head through the rest of winter and into the newness of Spring, I encourage everyone as a team to remain positive, energetic, and use all the resources available to us. STEM is a "hot-button" topic that has been floating around in the news, on campuses, and throughout the business world. It is also something that is near and dear to my heart as it relates directly to my own personal philosophy of how education should be approached, and how effective resources can be utilized. We have reached out to the UGA Extension office, our county Science consultant, and have toured several stem-certified schools so that we can incorporate STEM in a more meaningful and constructive way here at Brooks.
One of those ways is incorporating an herb and pollinator garden within our beautiful campus. It is important to remember, however, that the design, as well as the upkeep, is to be student-driven, and student-focused. With that being said, I have opened up a "Garden Design contest" (see the link below) which is open to all students. Different grade levels are approaching it differently, so please make sure that if you have any questions, direct them to your child's teacher. The project is due on/before January 20th, and will be judged from an outside committee of educators. I cannot tell you how excited I am as we head into this together. It will be more than a garden -- it will open up resources to us, and allow us to build bridges and use outside resources in the community. More importantly, it will allow further exploration of standards, and deepen understanding through hands-on learning. It will also coincide with "Georgia's Pollinator Project" that I hope will encourage everyone to think about, cherish, and maintain our environment.
Make sure to look at the dates of events for our school at the bottom of this page :-)
Mrs. Amy Harrison, Ed.S
GARDEN DESIGN CONTEST FOR STUDENTS
LEARNING AT BROOKS....
FIELD TRIP TO THE CAPITOL!
Fun with Mrs. Bonner
Arts Integration with Mrs. Camp
Technology in Mrs.Terrell's
FROM THE COUNSELOR'S DESK....
KINDNESS WEEK:
We will take part in Kindness Week in support of the Abby’s Angels closet that is located at Brooks. Some of our students visit the closet throughout the year to choose needed school supplies. In return, we will observe Kindness Week Feb. 22 - 26. Classroom guidance lessons during February will address how we can show kindness to others.
ADVOCATES:
At Brooks, we want each student to know that they have a staff member who will serve as their advocate during the school year Our students are taught that an advocate is someone who cares about and supports another person. Each student has chosen their advocate for the school year. Advocates and students meet during advocate advisory sessions regularly to complete a self-care plan. We want each student to know that they have an advocate who cares about them and who is interested in helping them achieve academic success.
CHARACTER WORD FOR JANUARY: HONESTY
Mrs. Penny Jones,
Counselor
Media News
Happy New Year everyone! Mark your calendars! We are getting ready for our spring book fair which will be the week of February 1st-5th. The book fair is always an exciting time for everyone!!
In the past we have typically had French toast for Families in the mornings on the week of the spring fair but this year we thought we could try something new. We will be having our K.I.S.S. (Kids invite someone special) Luncheons the week of the book fair. More information will be sent home with students soon so be on the lookout for this information. We will also still have our Valentine Gift Bag Promotion the week of the book fair like we have done in the past. The students are always so excited when they receive their specials surprise for Valentine’s Day.
Students who have joined the birthday club for this school year will be able to choose their book donation and receive their goodie bags in March. I will send more information home once an exact date is decided. It is still not too late to sign your child up for the Birthday Book Club. Forms are available on the Brooks website or you can drop by the media center.
The Six Flags Reading forms have been sent with students and will be Due March 1st. There is still plenty of time for your child to read the required six hours and earn a FREE ticket to Six Flags to use over the summer.
Thank you for your continued support of the Brooks Media Program.
Sherry Copeland
Media Specialist
From COACH ROSS:
Running club starts back Monday, January 11th. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades on Monday's and Wednesday's; 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades on Tuesday's and Thursday's.
EVENTS & HAPPENINGS AT BROOKS:
JAN 18TH: MLK DAY/SCHOOL HOLIDAY
JAN 19TH AND 27TH: SCHOOLWIDE STEM DAYS
JAN 20TH: GARDEN DESIGN IS DUE
JAN 21ST: 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL and PICKLES & POPCORN FOR SALE :-)
JAN 28TH: SKATE NIGHT
JAN 29TH: YEARBOOK ORDERS ARE DUE!
FEB 1ST: CLASS SPRING PICS
FEB 2ND: ADVANCED VISIT TO BROOKS
FEB 1ST - 5TH: BOOK FAIR
FEB 3RD,4TH AND 5TH: K.I.S.S. LUNCHEON
FEB 15TH - 19TH: WINTER BREAK
MAR 18TH: TEACHER WORKDAY
MAR 22ND: CHIK-FIL-A SPIRIT NIGHT
MAR 24TH: PICKLES & POPCORN
MAR 29TH: TRACK MEET AT ECHS
MAR 31ST: 5TH GRADE PLAY
APR 4-8: SPRING BREAK
APR 18- 28TH: MILESTONES TESTING FOR 3RD, 4TH AND 5TH
APR 18 - 28TH: STUDENT GROWTH ASSESSMENTS FOR K - 2ND GRADE
APR 28TH: SKATE NIGHT
MAY 13TH: WAX MUSEUM - 4TH GRADERS
MAY 23RD: SLIP-N-SLIDE