Family & Student Weekly News
November 15, 2019
Dear Brooklyn Collaborative Families,
Student Led Conferences (SLCs) are a week away, scheduled for Thursday evening, November 21st and Friday afternoon, November 22nd. Students will be dismissal at 11:15 a.m on Friday.
Your child's crew leaders sent home a SLC appointment sheet for you to complete and return. They have also been following up with a phone call. Your child must attend this conference with you.
SLCs replace the traditional parent-teacher conference and shift the focus to students being the leaders of their own learning. They provide an opportunity for students to formally present at least two pieces of their work and to engage their families in a dialogue about their learning.
The majority of the SLC should focus on student talk and on them showing an understanding of their growth as a learner rather than on their numerical grades on the progress report. Ideally, your child should be speaking about 80% of the time and their crew leader should speak closer to 20% of the time.
We look forward to seeing you this Thursday or Friday at our bi-annual tradition!
In partnership,
Scill and Imani (BCS School Leaders)
Tracey (BCS Parent Coordinator)
UPCOMING DATES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- 11/14 - LG Expeditionary Thursday (ET)
- 11/21 - Student Led Conference (SLC) evening
- 11/22 - Student Led Conference (SLC) afternoon
- 11/28 & 11/29 - No School (Thanksgiving recess)
- 12/3 - SLT Meeting (4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
- 12/3 - PTA General Meeting (5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)
- 12/5 - LG Expeditionary Thursday (ET)
- 12/8 - Family Fun Trip: Holiday Train Show
- 12/12 - UG Expeditionary Thursday (ET)
- 12/13 - College March
- 12/17 - BCS Parent Equity Workshop
- 12/23 -1/1 - Winter Recess
Check this link for weekly highlights: https://www.bcs448.org/2019/11/11/11-4-8-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
Congratulations & Kudos to the BCS Volleyball Girls Varsity for a Heartfelt Winning Season
- Our BCS Volleyball Girls Varsity Team had a undefeated regular season!
- We are sooooo proud of the team for making it to the play offs and, equally important, for modeling what champions look like!
- All season the Volleyball Team supported each other, played with heart, and championed BCS school pride!
- They demonstrated on and off the court what real winning looks like!
- Many thanks to the BCS community for cheering on our Volleyball Girls Varsity Team at every home game! You were the "X" factor in their winning season!
- GO BCS WOLVES!!! We can't wait for next season!
Join us for Annual BNS / BCS Safety Meeting for Parents
- We parents to join us for our annual BCS/BNS safety meeting.
- When: Wednesday, 11/27
- Time: 8:45 a.m. -9:30 a.m.
- Where: Auditorium
Title I Parent Committee & Title I Rep Election - Tuesday, December 3rd
- WHAT:Title I Parent Committee and Title I Rep. Please attend this meeting if you are interested in being on the Title 1 Parent Committee that will serve as the consultative and representative body at Brooklyn Collaborative regarding the Title I program or interested in running for the Title I representative on the School Leadership Team (SLT). A key role of the Title I representative on the PTA is to articulate the parent issues connected to Title I to the SLT and school administration.
- WHEN: Tuesday, December 3rd
- TIME: 6:30 p.m.
BCS Open House Admission Season Tours are Bigger Than Ever!
- On Saturday, 11/2, we had our big weekend tours of the season and toured over 500+ families interested in applying to our Grade 6 and 9.
- This Tuesday, 11/19, we have our final Open House for families interested in Grade 6
- Many thanks to our BCS student Ambassadors, staff, and parents who have kindly given of their time to speak about their experiences at BCS and to lead tours! We appreciate you!
FAMILY CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
Friday Family Morning Meet Up
- On Friday, 11/8, school leaders Scill and Imani were happy to have a Q&A Family Morning Meet Up session about the NWEA Map Growth interim assessments.
- We were joined by Math 6 & 8 grade teacher Liz.
BCS Parent Equity Workshops Series
- We invite you to join us for our monthly BCS Parent Equity Workshop Series in the Library.
- Our first two gatherings kicked off a wonderfully engaging start to this important schoolwide conversation on equity and what it means at Brooklyn Collaborative.
- We share our personal stories and our experiences with equity and school integration. We read current articles on equity, race, disproportionality, diversity and much more.
- Thank you to the diverse parent voices who participated in this conversation!
- Mark your calendars for the upcoming workshops on the third Tuesday of the month.
Our next meeting is Tuesday, 12/17 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Light supper provided.
PTA CORNER
Join us for PTA General Meeting: Tuesday, December 3rd @ 6:30 p.m.
- Who: You! All of us!
- When: Tuesday, December 3rd
- Where: BCS Cafeteria (ground floor) - Pizza provided! Kids welcome play or do homework.
- Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Why:
> To be CREW not PASSENGERS
Let's show the kids what that looks like.
>To meet each other
Celebrate our DIVERSITY as we build our COMMUNITY.
> To stay up-to-date
At PTA meetings we hear directly from the source: Principal Scill Chan and our AP Imani Matthews give reports every time..
> To make a difference
Help plan and organize the important fundraisers that support the extras (ETs, camping trips, college tours and supplies, supplies, supplies) - what makes our school special. We need every pair of hands to make it happen!
CLUB CORNER
Be Bold. Be Heard. Join BCS Choir - Directed by Jeffrey Primus
- What: Join BCS Choir, Be Bold. Be Heard.
- Who: All Singing Styles and Levels welcome
- When: Mondays & Wednesdays
- Time: 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
- Where: Room 213
- Email imani@bcs448.org if you are interested or stop by room 516
Join BCS Robosharks, UG Robotics Team, & Build Robots
- Are you interested in building a robot?
- You too can build, wire, and program robots!
- Join the BCS Robosharks and work on robots that can possibly shoot basketballs, launch Frisbees, or could even climb using 3D printers, laser cutters, and more.
- Check out this video of the action using this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=10aDUkqwZD_YK31i-pYfR0Uyd49EnWOpi
- Email Eddie@BCS448.org by Friday - meetings start next week.
Global Voices hosts bake sale to raise money, raise awareness, and to launch community activism project
- Global Voices raised $153 with homemade goodies and some fun treats!
- The group has grown into a beautiful collaboration of kids from 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade!
- They worked together and did an amazing job promoting, selling and sharing our goals with others.
- The group cannot wait to launch our next project with BCS through the crew community action contest that stems off of the Fall into the Season with Global Voices festivities!
- With the money raised, they will begin our first community activism project that will bring awareness to a cause we collaborate on as a team!
BCS launches school newspaper The The Collaborative Chronicle
- On Friday, November 1st, BCS launched its very own newspaper - The Collaborative Chronicle
- The Collaborative Chronicle showcases both photojournalism and artistic photos.The articles, photos, cartoons, op-eds, and interviews are created by BCS students!
- The Collaborative Chronicle was launched with the goal to keep the community informed of the latest news and events happening in and around the school
- If you want to be part of this new project or have any ideas about how we can make this the best school newspaper, come to Norma's room 523 or email norma@bcs448.org
Join the BCS Drama Club! No Experience Necessary! Open to High School & Middle School Students
- Spontaneity! Creativity! Improvisation!
- Let’s Act, Let’s Play, Let’s Improvise.
- All interested in acting & performing are welcome to join the BCS Drama Club.
- See Lauren S. or email her at laurens@bcs448.org
CLASSROOM, COLLABORATION, & CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT
Grade 6 American Sign Language (ASL) class create name poems
- Grade 6 American Sign Language class is working on creating our ASL name poems, building an ensemble and greeting our fellow classmates in ASL.
ELA 6 Students Present "This I Believe" Projects
- On Friday, 11/8, ELA 6 students had their publishing event for their “This I Believe” case study!
- Students proudly shared their pieces and parents joined for the event!
ELA 7 Students Present The Giver Projects
- On Thursday, 11/7, students in ELA 7 presented their posters about real-life connections with themes in the text The Giver.
Stephen and Tamika’s government class host Bengali designer Tas Tasnima
- On Monday, 11/4, Bengali designer Tas Tasnima joined Stephen and Tamika’s government to speak about how designers become political activists for immigrant and queer causes.
- Tasnima works for Time’s Up, a women’s empowerment organization.
Upper Grades Robotics students are working on 3D designs
- Upper Grades Robotics students are working on 3D designs.
- They are modeling objects, learning the different techniques in creating many types of shapes on Autodesk Fusion 360.
READING CORNER
The white flight that wasn’t: New data reveal that Brooklyn school integration is working
[ Op-Ed By BRAD LANDER, NYAH BERG and DAVID TIPSON ]
New admissions plan improves diversity in Brooklyn school district, new NYC data shows
SCHOOL POLICY REMINDERS
BCS Cellphone & Electronics 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
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.They cannot go out to lunch until after their first semester grades.
- Here is the Lower Grades: Out to Lunch Pass Contract
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. They cannot go out to lunch until after first quarter grades.
Here is the Grade 9: Out to Lunch Pass Contract
DOE POLICY REMINDER
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: http://a.co/bb5yXoj