Week of 11/2/2020
.... 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
11/2/2020- Week's Events
*denotes more information provided below
Monday, 11/2
- No School for Students Grade 5-8, PD for 5-8 Teachers
- No School for ALL Students, Election Day
- Quarter II Choice Hour Sign up due at 11:59pm
- No School for Students Grades 5-8 - PD for 5-8 Teachers
Thursday, 11/5
- First day of Hybrid Learning for Grades 5-8
- ALL GRADES Materials Distribution Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Friday, 11/6
- ALL GRADES Materials Distribution Time: 11:15 am - 12:15 pm
- V2 (2.0) Schedule for ALL Students
Coming up...
- Quarter II Choice Hour Begins November 9
- Picture Retakes November 11
Greetings, BCS Families!
As we continue to progress forward with our hybrid model, we would like to remind families with BCS students in Grades 5-8, we will transition to our half-day hybrid model on Thursday, November 5, 2020. Please see the updated arrival map for all 3-8 families - UPDATED ARRIVAL MAP FOR 3-8 BEGINS 11/5.
Please note that November 2 and November 4 will be planning days for teachers; students in Grades 5-8 will not have school or asynchronous assignments. Dr. Hakim and Mr. Hill will provide an asynchronous assembly activity for BCS students Grades 5-8, and it should not take more than 45 minutes to complete. The assembly will review our new schedule as well as safety procedures & protocols for an in-person return.
For 5-8 families choosing an in-person return, please see the following MUST-DO PARENT CHECKLIST. As always, thank you for your ongoing support and partnership!
Yours in BCS Solidarity,
Dr. Hakim & Mr. Hill
All School News
BCS Loop Etiquette
- Please have students exit the car on the sidewalk/passenger side of the car to avoid any accidents.
- Please make sure student is wearing mask before exiting the car.
- Please pull forward around the loop at dismissal. Your student will walk to your vehicle.
Reminders for Bus Students
If you have any questions regarding your route, please contact Durham Transportation at 248-203-3940.
If your student is riding a different bus home, please send a note with your child including name, name of student/friend they are riding bus with (if necessary), reason for a change, bus number, and date. A principal will sign off on the note, then the student will give the note to the bus driver.
Quarter II BCS Choice Hour
Quarter II Choice Hour will run VIRTUALLY and will begin Monday, November 9 (please note that the quarter begins on Wed Nov 4 but Choice Hour will begin the following week) and run through January 15, 2021.
Sign up is live and due by Tuesday November 3 at 11:59pm. Choice Hour for quarter II will be offered during two timeslots, one at 10:55am and one at 3:25pm in order to accommodate both of our cohorts.
Find all the sign up information including course descriptions and sign up forms here: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/6952
Please direct all Choice Hour Questions to Courtney Bassett at cbassett@birmingham.k12.mi.us or 248-203-4625.
Battle of the Books
Dear Fourth & Fifth Grade Families,
Battle of the Books 2020 will begin on Monday, December 7, when the six Battle Book titles are announced at the BPS elementary schools and BCS. On this day, students will have the opportunity to view a video about Battle and check-out the books. We are once again looking forward to partnering with Baldwin Public Library to support this program. During Battle season, multiple copies of each Battle title will be available in the BCS Library Media Center for circulation among 4th and 5th graders. Baldwin Public Library will also have multiple copies of the six Battle titles available.
Students who wish to own copies of the books may purchase a Battle Book Bundle to bring home with them following the announcement of the titles. The price of the Battle Book Bundle is $48.00, which includes 6% MI sales tax as well as a bundle discount. This is a fundraiser that will benefit our library and is not a requirement to participate.
If you would like to pre-order a Battle Book Bundle so that your child may own a personal set of Battle Books to be distributed the day of Battle Launch, December 7th, please complete this Battle Bundle Order Form by Friday, November 13. Payment may be made with checks payable to BCS or eFunds. (For more information about how to pay using eFunds, please visit our BCS eFunds information page.)
Questions? Please email Mrs. Truesdell at atruesdell@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Veterans Day Thank You Note Collection
Although we are unable to meet in person, Birmingham Public Schools continues to reach out and support our local Veterans.
This year, we are asking our community to create cards, whether from scratch or using an available template, and drop them off at your local school or the BPS Education and Administration Center. Printed copies are available at the EAC for pick-up.
These cards will then make it to the hands of the many local Veterans to let them know that the BPS community is thinking of them this year on Veterans Day.
Veterans Day: the 11th Hour, of the 11th Day, of the 11th Month
Deadline for drop-off: Friday, November 6th
Updated Materials Distribution Process
Going forward, materials distribution for ALL GRADES will be:
Thursdays: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Fridays: 11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Because we will have students in the building throughout the day, materials distributions are limited to the above days and times. If you cannot pick up during these times, please coordinate with a friend or family member to do so. Not all Grades or Classes will have distributions each week.
Hybrid students will receive material IN CLASS. No pick up is necessary.
Student Medications & Medical Updates
PTA Reflections
The National PTA Reflections Art Contest is up and running for this year! The theme is “I Matter Because...” Please have your student submit art work based on the theme in visual arts, photography, music composition, literature, dance choreography, or film production!
Please take a look at this video to see what the Reflections Art Contest is all about!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sQ6TrKdOdsoN1huP9jgKoJCyCoI1Wdo9/view?ts=5f8882de
Due date: Wednesday, 11/11!
For more details, go to the BCS Homepage>PTA>Reflections:
https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/1845
We are excited to see what our BCS students can create!!
Attention to Clear to Go and Attendance
If you have a Hybrid Student, the Clear to Go screener must be submitted for your student BEFORE they enter school for the day.
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.
Announcing this year's BCS Play Production!
The BCS Production will be produced and performed virtually this year. The majority of rehearsals will run primarily through the Choice Hour program. We will be offering two productions: The Big One-Oh! (produced during the AM timeslot) and Dear Edwina, Jr. (produced during the PM timeslot).
Auditions will take place once Choice Hour begins, during Choice Hour. All students will receive a role, no one will be cut from the production. As we approach the end of quarter II, there may be additional rehearsals outside of Choice Hour (all virtual). The performance will be offered in a virtual format for friends and family! More information and a parent meeting announcement are forthcoming. There is a pay to participate fee for this year’s production of $75.
Questions? Contact Courtney Bassett cbassett@birmingham.k12.mi.us
Plot overviews:
Dear Edwina Online Edition follows the adventures of plucky advice-giver-extraordinaire, Edwina Spoonapple, as she directs the neighborhood kids in a series of buoyant production numbers for the latest edition of her weekly "Advice-a-Palooza.” Edwina and her friends share wisdom on everything from trying new foods to making new friends, through clever, catchy and poignant songs.
The Big One-Oh! Charley Maplewood has never been one for parties – that would require friends, which he doesn’t have. Well, unless you count his monster friends, but they’re only imaginary. But now that he’s turning ten—the big one-oh—he decides to throw a birthday party for himself, complete with a “House of Horrors” theme. Of course, things don’t work out as he plans. Will Charley be able to pull it together before the big one-oh . . . becomes the big OH-NO!?
BCS Sports
Registration and a Current Sports Physical are needed to receive a Student Participation Receipt (Orange Slip).
REGISTRATION: Please register your student athlete using the following website: https://secure.infosnap.com/family/gosnap.aspx?action=21004&culture=en
SPORTS PHYSICAL: A sports physical dated April 15, 2019 or later is valid with a completed health questionnaire found here: https://www.mhsaa.com/portals/0/Documents/health%20safety/healthquestionnaire.pdf If you have any questions regarding the validity of your student's physical, please email Joni Say Gan at JSaygan@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
CHOICE HOUR SIGN UP: In addition to completing the athletic registration linked above, families must also complete the choice hour sign up for sports, as well. Boys Basketball students will sign up for the Monday/Wednesday Boys Basketball team Choice hour (it runs from 3:25-4:10pm). Girls Swimmers will answer the question in the choice hour form that asks them to declare which timeslot they will attend practice (AM or PM) and then allows them to sign up for more choice hours, if interested, during the other timeslots. Choice Hour sign up can be found here: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/6952
Coach Johansson wjohansson@birmingham.k12.mi.us
Coach Brown mbrown@birmingham.k12.mi.us
BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM - 6th, 7th and 8th grade: Tryouts will take place on Monday, November 9th at 6:45-7:50am an Tuesday, November 10th at 6:45-7:50am. Team announcements will be made Tuesday after school via email. First team practice is Wednesday, November 11, 2020 from 3:25-4:10pm. Please contact Coaches Braisted and Burdick for more details, or check out the Boys Basketball Team page on the BCS Website. https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/7962
Coach Braisted lbraisted@birmingham.k12.mi.us
Coach Burdick rburdick@birmingham.k12.mi.us
INTRAMURAL BOYS BASKETBALL - 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade: Practice time is 6:45-7:50am and will only run with 10 or more participants. Please contact Coach Burdick with further questions. Practice dates are noted on the Boys Basketball IM page on the BCS Website: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Page/8309
Coach Burdick rburdick@birmingham.k12.mi.us
BCS Picture retake day
BCS Picture Retake Day is coming soon! Tuesday, November 11th.
Order Pictures in advance at www.kaiserstudios.com. Use code: 2020BCS. This code is active until 11/14/20 - 3 days after retake day.
Students attending in-person in Cohort A or Cohort B will have the opportunity for a picture retake while they are at school.
Virtual students will be able to come to BCS to have pictures taken during the following times:
Tuesday, November 11th
11:00-12:30
3:30-4:30.
If you are not able to make these times, Kaiser Studios also offers studio time at its Troy location. Please contact them for more information at:
e-mail: cs@kaiserstudio.com
CUSTOMER SERVICE HOURS
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
STUDIO LOCATION
Kaiser Studio
1825 Birchwood Drive
Troy, Michigan 48083
T: 248-619-9119
3/4 News
3/4 Gym Schedule
Wednesday, October 14 through Friday, November 13:
Butzin, Davis (Bates), Coletti, and Wallington will SWIM.
Frishman, Seley, Maliszewski, and Parkin will be in the PE5/6 News
Looking for a way to help our 5-6 team?
Check out the 5/6 Donors Choose Proposal for the OWL Pro Video Conferencing System. The organization will donate matching funds up to $50 for the next 7 days. This means we can fund our entire project for half the actual cost!
If we have 130 donors donate $50 we can cover the entire project.
To receive matching funds from the organization, you need to include the code LIFTOFF at checkout.
Here is the link to the proposal page: 5/6 Donors Choose Proposal for the OWL Pro Video Conferencing System
7/8 News
High School Virtual Open Houses
Groves High School Virtual Open House
Monday, November 2, 6:00-7:00pm
Groves is excited to offer families the opportunity to virtually tour the campus, meet staff members and current students, and ask questions in a comfortable and safe manner. Anyone interested in the Virtual Open House should complete the Groves Virtual Open House Interest Form by October 30 to receive a formal email invitation.
Shop BCS!
2020-2021 Yearbook
Yearbooks for the 2020-2021 school year can be purchased for $35 with the given link.
https://yearbookforever.com/schools/birmingham_covington_school_buy_yearbook_308378/
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.