The Bulldog Broadcast
🐾Keeping you "pawsitively" informed!🐾
Thank You Families! 🧡
On behalf of all members of our learning community, we wish you a joyful Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, laughter, and time with those you hold dear.
🎮E-Sports Represents BKW in Massachusetts🏆
E-Sports team members Aggelos Lefkaditis and Nathan Hopkins traveled to Foxborough, Mass. with a few members of our esports team. They dominated the brackets and made it all the way to grand finals where they unfortunately fell 4-3 in a best of 7 series. They placed second overall and were the only NY team represented. The boys did a tremendous job representing BKW in victory and defeat. Congratulations to Aggelos and Nathan on a tremendous job! We are so grateful for Mr. Dergosits for making this opportunity possible for students.
Seventh Grade ELA Students Learn About Authorship Through Project-based Learning
Students in seventh grade English Language Arts were able to embark on an incredible journey to become their own author and in some cases illustrator too. Students were given the task to create a children’s book with a strong moral (lesson) to be learned. The elementary teachers welcomed their former students with open arms and excitement while the students read their master pieces to the younger children.
ELA Students Work with N.Y. Folklore
Sixteen students from Mrs. Keyser's 9th grade Honors English class were fortunate to learn and work with Jianling Yue, a professor of Chinese culture and language at RPI, on an authentic symbolism project thanks the work of Mrs. Keyser and to the gracious assistance of NY Folklore. Students began this unit with an author study of Edgar Allen Poe, concentrating on the poem The Raven in preparation for their visit from Jianling. She brought her extensive collective of paper cuts to show students her talent while connecting to culture. She lectured on her culture and symbolism providing a window for students to make cultural connections and continued with explaining how color as well can determine meaning. Students were attentive, curious and excited. Students concluded their experience by creating paper cutouts of symbols from the poem.
🚨SRO (School Resource Officer) Section🚨
Cyberbullying
Parents and caregivers can talk with their children about their school and digital life. By asking open-ended questions, they can talk about their children’s experience and communicate expectations about appropriate behavior in person and in their digital world. The biggest challenge with cyberbullying is identifying the potential bully. It is important that the victim always saves the evidence with screenshots or photos. The easiest way to prevent unwanted behavior online is to block/remove the potential bully from the online platform.
Counselor's Corner
Mr. Amorosi will be starting his annual review process with the 7th grade students in December. Annual reviews consist of an individual meeting between Mr. Amorosi and students. The purpose of these meetings are to touch base with each student individually and give them an opportunity to share their thoughts on academics, where they feel they need more support, what they enjoy doing in their free time, address struggles with life skills such as organization, time management, communication, peer relationship, etc. The final piece of the annual review is talking about potential career interests, explaining educational requirements for specific careers after High School, and exploring options outside of secondary education if students express an interest in entering the work force or military directly after High School.
These annual reviews are a state requirement for Grade 6-12. If there are any questions regarding these meetings please feel free to reach out to Mr. Amorosi.
Attention Seniors!
You will need an FSA ID to fill out your FAFSA (Federal student aid application).
Below is information to assist you in creating and using the FSA ID.
The FAFSA should be available for families in early December.
Please contact Ms. Corso if you have any questions.
Attention 9th and 10th grade students!
Representatives from the Capital Region Career and Technical School will be coming to BKW in December to present information about the programs available at the Albany and Schoharie campuses.
School Psychologist Section
Executive Functioning Tips and Strategies for Organization
Disorganized teens have the tendency to leave their things everywhere. They need a non-judgmental place to claim as their own... kind of like the pilgrims in the new world. Not only will they know where to put their things when they get home, they will know where to find them the next day. When life gets busy, it's better to have a proactive organization system in place than running around like a turkey without its head. The system can’t be your system -- it needs to be a system the student also has stock and say in. When a student is engaged in developing the system, they are more likely to use it. Ask your student questions instead of telling them how to organize. Listen to their system and what they do before offering up other systems:
Dinner Time Discussions / Car Topics
Discuss with your student family systems for organization…
Where do we put our coats?Shoes? Backpack?
Where does Dad/ Mom/ Grandma keep track of important dates?
Where do you think we should put your backpack where we will remember it?
Encourage your student to utilize space and systems to build independence:
Have your student do their homework in the same space
Have a box with supplies they might need for homework
Have your student pack their backpack and lunch the night before school
Encourage your student to use sticky notes or phone alerts to help remember things
Encourage your student to establish their own organization system to keep track of assignments:
Offer up suggestions but let them pick their own strategies and systems. As parents we want to fix things but allowing some trial and error helps them to grow. Autonomy is very important at this age in order to help your student develop good habits.querying questions but let them be part of the process.
When your student asks where something is guide them with questions
Try helping them establish a system for reminding themselves of important dates like a white board calendar.
Books to consider:The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success: How to Use Your Brain's Executive Skills to Keep Up, Stay Calm, and Get Organized at Work and at Home by Peg Dawson, & Richard Guare
Health Reminders:
Community Reminder:
As we enter the winter months, we continue to see an increase in cold and flu-like illnesses. As
a district, we continue to review our health and safety practices daily to ensure we are doing everything we can to mitigate the spread of viruses throughout our schools.
We are asking that all families continue to remind your children to wash their hands frequently.
Proper hand washing is important to limiting the spread of illness. We ask that if your child is experiencing fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cold or flu-like symptoms that you keep them home and contact their respective health office. In addition, updated information from the New York State Department of Health can be found here.
Illness/positive COVID test
As with any infectious illness, students and staff who test positive for COVID-19, or who show symptoms, are asked to stay home from school and follow the Centers for Disease Control’s Isolation Guidance.
Someone who tested positive and has no symptoms may return to school after day 5.
Someone who is sick (has symptoms) may return to school after day 5 if they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving. People who have been sick, or tested positive, should wear a mask through day 10.
For further guidance or information, please contact our school nurse:
Alicia Lounsbury
(518) 872-1482
🎵BKW Winter Concerts:🎶
🗓️Upcoming Important Dates:🗓️
Thanksgiving Recess: Nov. 22-24
Secondary School Winter Concert: December 2, at 7PM (Secondary School Auditorium)
Winter Recess: December 25-Jan 1.