Family and Student Weekly News
February 24, 2020
Dear Brooklyn Collaborative Families and Students,
Welcome Back!! We hope that everyone is rested, recharged, and revved up for second semester!
As we move into the heart of second semester, we encourage you to set aside time with your child this week to discuss what is required of them to be successful academically and what supports they need? What is one area that they wish to improve and what is their action plan to accomplish this goal? To help them to achieve this goal, what do they need from you? What pledge are you able to make to them?
Your pledge might include but not be limited to the following: 1) checking and making sure your child's homework is completed; 2) encouraging your child to attend Tuesday Mastery Support; 3) reviewing Pupil Path weekly with your child to see how your they are doing; 4) communicating regularly with your child’s Crew Leader; 5) monitoring your child’s internet use, video games, and/or television/computer time; 6) reading with and encouraging your child to read; 7) attending the Parent Mastery Conference and Student Led Conferences (SLCs); 8) chaperoning an Expeditionary Thursday (ET) fieldwork trip and/or sitting on a roundtable or PBAT panel to deepen your understanding of the work your child is doing; 9) supporting your child to uphold our core values (persistent, responsible, open-minded, courageous, collaborative, and kind); 10) taking advantage of the socio-emotional resources at BCS,, and always, 11) celebrating your child’s small and big successes!
What better way to transition from our February break than to see our students and staff break bread together, play games, and enjoy quality time outside of the classroom as part of the National No One Eats Alone Day on Friday, February 14th. Staff and students ended the Respect for All Week with lunchtime festivities! Have a look at the photos below1
In partnership,
Scill & Imani (BCS School Leaders)
Tracey (BCS Parent Coordinator)
UPCOMING DATES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- EVERY TUESDAY: Mastery Support -3:15 - 4:00 p.m. (unless noted otherwise)
- 2/27: UG ET
- 3/3: SLT Meeting (4:30 p.m. - 6:-00 p.m. in Library)
- 3/3: BCS PTA Executive Board Meeting (6:00 p.m. -6:30 p.m. in room 105)
- 3/3: BCS PTA General Meeting (6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in Cafeteria)
- 3/4 : SAT School Day for Grades 10 & 11; Urban Expedition for Grade 9
- 3/5: LG ET
- 3/5 : UG Mathlympics
- 3/6: March Madness Spirit "Celebrity" Day
- 3/9-3/12 - Danish visitors
- 3/10: Middle School Picture Day
- 3/11: High School Picture Day
- 3/13 - Grade 7 trip to New Victory Theater
- 3/13 - March Madness - Middle School Glow Party (4-7 p.m.)
- 3/19: Parent Mastery Conference
- 3/20: March Madness -- Staff vs Student Basketball Tournament
- 3/25 - 3/26: LG ELA State Exam
- 3/27: March Madness - High School "Rep Your Flag" Dance Party
Check this link for weekly highlights: https://www.bcs448.org/2020/02/23/2-10-14-highlights-of-the-week/ of what's going at the school, in the classroom, in after school clubs, an at sports events.
Check this link for important dates: http://www.bcs448.org/monthly-calendar/
Contact Information: To sign up for our parent mailing list, please email scill@bcs448.org with your name, your child’s name and grade level. Note: if you are receiving this email, you are already on our parent mailing list.
If you have any additional questions, please email imani@bcs448.org and tracey@bcs448.org
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
PTA CORNER
PTA Needs Your Ideas, Volunteer Spirit, & Enthusiasm - PTA Meeting this Tuesday, March 3rd
- WHAT: BCS PTA General Meeting
- WHEN: March 3, 2020
- TIME: 6:30-8PM
- WHERE: BCS Cafeteria
- WHY: Participate. Communicate. Advocate.
FAMILY CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
Parent Equity Workshop
- On Tuesday, February 11th we had another wonderful parent equity workshop where we discussed implicit bias and culturally responsive education!
- We invite all parents to join us for our next equity workshop on March 24th.
How To File Your 2020 Taxes For Free In NYC
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Support Art Teacher Jill's Community Art Project for Fame Jr. - Amazon Wish List
- Support Jill and her art students in doing the set design by putting together the backdrop for Fame Jr.
- Go to our Amazon wish list to see how you may support. Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/WX69HNQ4TUM0?ref_=wl_share
CLASSROOM, COLLABORATION, & CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT
Black History Month & BCS Arts
- We celebrated Black History Month and honored Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech through a Grades 7-12 art collaboration on display in front of Rm 514!
- Shout out to art teacher Jill and all our student artists!
ELA 7 Roundtables
- On Tuesday, February 11th ELA 7 had their “Look Both Ways” by Jason Reynolds roundtables!
SS 8 Roundtables
- On Friday, February 14th Social Studies 8 students presented their Civil Rights Museum PBATs.
Students shared why they chose to support a civil rights museum to honor a specific group, including Native Americans, African Americans, Women, Latinx, Muslims, refugees, etc)
US History Town Hall: Statue in Carroll Garden
- On Thursday, February 13th John and Chrissy held the annual US History Town Hall about which figures in our local past deserve a statue in Carroll Gardens!
Climate Change Roundtables
MIT Tech Review Editor Visits Stephen's Crew
- On Tuesday, February 11th, writer Angela Chen, editor of MIT Tech Review, visited Stephen’s Crew to share her work on college admission tech advances.
Founders of MAS Agency in Dumbo joined Tanisha and Stephen’s Internship Seminar
- On Wednesday, February 12th Mia Choi and Snuha Bhatia, founders of the MAS Agency in Dumbo, producers of all Google’s events in Brooklyn, joined Stephen and Tanisha’s internship seminar to talk about how they make their work meaningful.
NYC Pet: New BCS Internship Site
- On Wednesday, February 12th juniors Anjo and Marcela helped Tanisha and Stephen pilot a new internship site at NYC Pet on 5th Ave in Park Slope.
STUDENT CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
Middle School Camps: Ages 10 - 14 (5th - 8th graders)
- WHAT: 2020 Five to Eight Middle School Camps for Ages 10 -14 (5th - 8th graders)
- WHEN: Open House Date on March 28th
- TIME: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- WHERE: LIU Brooklyn Campus
- CAMP SELECTIONS: Rock Bank Academy, Theater Tech Camp, Game Design Camp, Moviemaking Camp, and Hackathon Camp
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 718-488-1364 or 718-488-1366; Email: Childrensacademy@liu.ed
Summer Academy for Math & Science (SAMS) at Carnegie Mellon University'
- WHAT: The Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) provides opportunities for students from underrepresented communities to explore STEM-related fields and earn college credit. This 6-week program allows students to develop deeper understanding in areas such as mathematics, biology, physics and computer programming via traditional classroom instruction, hands-on projects and engagement activities. Students will take workshops on admission college essay writing, STEM engagement field trips, standardized test preparation, leadership development, and so much more!
- WHEN: June 27th - August 8th
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to the link: https://www.cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/sams.html
NYU College & Career Lab: Summer Program for Current 7th & 8th Graders
- WHAT: NYU College & Career Lab is a free, noncredit, intensive summer program for current 7th and 8th graders attending NYC public charter, or home schools. Students will participate in exciting and interactive activities, faculty-taught courses, and gain valuable insight to prepare you for college. Lunch and transportation provided.
- WHEN: July 13th - August 7th
- TIME: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
- WHERE: New York University (NYU)
- APPLICATION OPENS: January 15, 2020
- APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 5, 2020
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to the link - https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-programs/nyu-cpcs.html
READING CORNER
Articles of Interest
- 12 Tips for Raising Confident Kids: https://childmind.org/article/12-tips-raising-confident-kids/utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=READ%20MORE&utm_campaign=Weekly-02-18-20
- How to Help Kids Learn to Fail: https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-kids-learn-to-fail/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=READ%20MORE&utm_campaign=Weekly-02-18-20
- Raising Resilient Kids Who Are Prepared for the Future: https://childmind.org/article/raising-resilient-kids-who-are-prepared-for-the-future/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=READ%20MORE&utm_campaign=Weekly-02-18-20
SCHOOL POLICY REMINDERS
BCS Electronic Policy
- During instructional time, students must put cell phones and headphones in bookbags or lockers everyday, including on fieldwork.
- During lunch, students may use cell phones to play a game on their device quietly, read an electronic book or listen to music with headphones.
- .We expect families to message that electronics are to be invisible at school. Families should not contact their children during school and expect a response. If a student is not responsible with their device during school hours, we encourage parents to contract with their child, confiscate the device, turn off particular apps/features on their child’s device, and/or work with the cellular carrier to limit internet/data access during school hours
DOE POLICY REMINDER
Out-to-Lunch Pass Contract
6th-8th Grade Out to Lunch Pass Contract
- Lower Grade students will have to earn an out to lunch pass based on their overall attendance in their classes and their positive expression of our core values.
- Out to Lunch pass will kicked off for eligible students on the first day of second semester, 1/29.
- Please have a conversation with your child about the privilege of having lunch outside.
- Here is the Lower Grades: Out to Lunch Pass Contract.
- Copies of these forms will also be available in room 405 or email to taron@bcs448.org.
- All students need school ID in order to go outside.
9th Grade Out to Lunch Pass Contract
9th graders will have to earn an out to lunch pass based on their 7th period lateness and their first quarter grades.
Out to Lunch pass will kick off for eligible students after first quarter grades.
Please have a conversation with your child about the privilege of having lunch outside.
Here is the Grade 9: Out to Lunch Pass Contract
Copies of these forms will also be available in room 516 or email to imani@bcs448.org.
All students need school ID in order to go outside
IT IS PROHIBITED FOR STUDENTS/PARENTS TO HAVE FOOD ORDERED TO SCHOOL
Attendance Matters: DOE Attendance Policy
- The DOE identifies students who are absent two (2) days a month to be "chronically absent," even if the absence is excused. This means they have less than 90% attendance.
- Please make sure your child is present and on time every day and avoid scheduling appointments and vacations during the school year.
- Any absence that your child has needs to be accompanied by an excuse note from the parent and/or doctor. Lower Grades students (Grades 6-8) should give their notes to their crew leader, and Upper Grades students (Grades 9-12) should show their notes to their teachers each period and then submit the note to Office 507.
- Statistically, students who are identified as "chronically absent" are less likely to have grade-level academic performance and to be on pace for promotion and on-time graduation.
FUNDRAISING CORNER
Brooklyn Collaborative Wish List
- We greatly appreciate you taking a look at our wish list and supporting us in whatever ways you can.
- Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/WX69HNQ4TUM0?ref_=wl_share