Sunday, September 27, 2009

WAG Sept 28-Oct 2

September 28-Oct 2, 2009

Dear BCS Parents,

Hope your weekend is going well! If your child will be absent tomorrow for Yom Kippur please e-mail bcsattendance@birmingham.k12.mi.us and let us know.
Thank you!

Autumn is here and school is in full force. The beginning of the year marks a time where classroom teachers, and other educators working with your child, can begin collecting data. This data will be useful throughout the year. Doctors get to know their patients before treating them. Lawyers get to know their clients to defend them, and teachers should get to know their students before teaching them.

To that end, assessing your children is essential, and collecting data is the first step in the assessment cycle. The BCS staff will take the next couple of months to build on what they already know about our students. Gathering information to determine their interests, strengths, and challenges will help us find out how they learn best. This information will prove to be invaluable as we make thoughtful decisions and plan effective instruction throughout the year.
The BCS staff will work together to analyze the data to take the next step in meeting the academic and social needs of your children.

This is a time to reflect on our practice and ask ourselves, “Is our instruction meeting the needs of our students? Do we see progress? What are the next steps?” It will also equip us with significant information for upcoming parent-teacher conferences and/or support team meetings for students with academic and social needs. We encourage both parent and student feedback during this data collection process. As parents you can assist us by encouraging your child to question and monitor their own understanding and progress.

Hal will be writing the W.A.G. next week and will be taking it over every three weeks. We both are hoping that it continues to be a worthwhile communication tool that you look forward to each Sunday evening. Please remember to check our website, check my blog, and visit your child’s teachers’ blogs on a consistent basis as we are trying to make communication here at BCS as strong as possible.

Have a Great Week!

Adam and Hal

WEEK AT A GLANCE – SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 2, 2009
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, September 28
Yom Kippur
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
3:20 – 4:50PM – Boys soccer practice
6-7PM – Proud Dads Co-ed Tennis at Pine Lake Country Club, indoor courts

Tuesday, September 29
DUE: Math Tools order form and payment for optional math calculators, etc.
7-8AM – Proud Dads 5th & 6th grade girls basketball
Choice Hour – School store opens today during choice hour
4 PM – 7th grade girls basketball game vs. Detroit Country Day at home; 8th grade immediately following.
4 PM - Boys soccer game vs. Cranbrook at home

Wednesday, September 30
DUE: 5/6 Permission Slip for Camp Copeneconic. Download a permission slip at www.bcsonline.info
DUE: Yearbook Audition packets for 7th & 8th graders interested in Yearbook staff positions
DUE: 3/4 Summer Packet packets
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
4 PM - Boys soccer game vs. Detroit Country Day at home
Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway.
3-4PM-Market Day pick-up in the entrance hall

Thursday, October 1
7-8AM – Proud Dads 5th & 6th grade girls basketball
8:15 AM – 8th grade Farewell Celebration committee meeting – media center
4 PM – 7th grade girls basketball game vs. Cranbrook at home; 8th grade immediately following
4:05 – 5:35PM – Boys soccer practice
5-6:30PM – Proud Dads Co-ed Flag Football for 3rd – 8th graders
6:45PM – 4th Annual Flag raising ceremony with PROUD DADS followed by the PROUD DADS one and only ANNUAL MEETING in the BCS cafeteria. Come hungry because dinner is provided.

Friday, October 2
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
3:20 PM - Girls’ basketball team pictures in the Gym. Forms given to athletes at practice.
3:20 PM - Boys soccer team pictures . Forms were given to athletes at practice.
4:05 – 5:35PM – Boys soccer practice

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday – Baked potato bar, broccoli, cheese
Tuesday – Cream chicken, mixed veggies, over biscuit
Wednesday – Beef burritos, rice, green beans
Thursday – Baked chicken rings, buttered noodles & garden peas or fresh fruit w/yogurt & roll
Friday – Hot dog or chili dog with chips & green beans

To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us by FRIDAY 7AM


CONEY BINGO NIGHT for 3/4 Grades
Join in the fun for an evening of bingo and a coney dog dinner. This is one of the popular social events for 3rd and 4th graders and their families and it’s a great way to meet new friends. Advance sign-up in much appreciated…just return a flyer with payment to the office. Flyers were sent home last Thursday with students or can be downloaded on www.bcsonline.info .

8th GRADE FAREWELL CELEBRATION
All 8th grade parents are welcome to join in the planning of the end of the year celebration for the 8th grade class. It is hard to believe the end of our 6 years at BCS is near! The kickoff planning meeting is Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 8:15am in the Media Center.

TUESDAY MORNING BAGELS
Hip Hip Hooray Tuesday Morning Bagel Sales Are On Their Way. The PTSA 8th grade Celebration Committee will begin selling bagels on Tuesday, October 13th. Bagels can be purchased each week for $1.00 (cream cheese .25 cents) or can be pre-purchased for the year for $30. To pre-purchase, please download a form at www.bcsonline.info .

BCS YEARBOOK
Yearbook Choice Hour will begin on Monday October 5th and will be on Mondays and Thursday for the rest of the school year. Yearbook staff members must commit to attending the Yearbook class at least once per week. Creative, fun and hardworking 7th and 8th graders are invited to audition to become staff members of the yearbook. Returning yearbook staff members do not need to audition. Audition packets can be picked up in the main office beginning Monday September 21st and will be due by Wednesday September 30th. Thank you! Allison Macksood, Yearbook Advisor.
Coming soon…….yearbook order forms.


SEASONAL FLU CLINIC
BCS Community Ed, in collaboration with the Oakland Visiting Nurses Association, is sponsoring a seasonal flu clinic in our cafeteria on Thursday, October 22, 2009 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Flu shots are $25, Flu mist for healthy people between 2 and 49 years is $30 and Pneumonia shots are $50. No appointments needed.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Wordle of the Week

Wordle: NETS for Students

This Wordle represents the National Educational Technology Standards for students

Send me a Wordle and it may be chosen for the Wordle of the Week!
Go to www.wordle.net to create a Wordle

You are NOT ordinary

Hal and I are at a workshop today at the Oakland County School District. The premise of the workshop is wrapped around the book Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (http://www.amazon.com/reader/0316017922?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib%5Fdp%5Fpt#reader)
Our discussion of the book has prompted me to share some thoughts with you regarding our charge at BCS.


You have heard us this past few weeks continue to invite all of you to participate in one way or another in our PTSA, Proud Dad's, or other programs at BCS to maintain our positive and progressive environment. With the one and only Proud Dad's meeting coming up on Thursday, October 1st at 6:45 p.m., I wanted to give one more push to all of you (dads and moms) to be a part of something special. It is essential for us this year to build a new community of parents among the 3rd and 4th grade parents while sustaining the community we already have with our 5th - 8th grade parents. This will allow us to have continuity throughout the years and will only make our school the best place to be!


You are NOT ordinary...you hold a talent, a skill, knowledge, or the benefit of time to make a difference in your child's success! I have linked a video that sends a message that any of us can make a difference...no matter what the barriers.

We are ordinary people doing extraordinary things!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucXdmTSajnY

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Some Fun Events...

Buddy Walk
Saturday October 3rd, 2009

9:00 am – Registration & Team Photos
10:00 am - Walk Starts (1 mile)
11:00am - 1:00pm…BRING A PICNIC LUNCH and join us for family fun with music, moonwalks, carnival games, and clowns!!


Location:
Kensington Metropark
East Boat Launch – Shelter A
I-96 to exit 153, Kent Lake Rd.
Milford, MI 48380

Link to Lukes Tyrrell's Team Page::

http://buddywalk.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=315915&lis=1&kntae315915=A45B25846F5546388D3AE064767EC4FF&team=3498215

The Buddy Walk was established by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote awareness and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. It is a wonderful, heart-warming event in which thousands of people from coast to coast and around the world participate each year!

The goal of the walk is to promote understanding and acceptance of people with Down syndrome. Whether you have Down syndrome, know someone who does or just want to show your support, come and join the walk. Anyone can be a Buddy!

Please call or email Amy Tyrrell if you are interested in volunteering or participating at the Buddy Walk – amy@zeal-us.com (248) 594-2225.


3/4 Coney Bingo Night

Who: 3/4 BCS Students and family

When: October 9, 2009 6:30- 8 PM

Where: BCS Cafeteria


Please join us for an evening of fun!
Price: $5.50 per person includes Coney Dog, chips, drink and a cookie. Extra Coney Dog $1.50. Bingo Fun & Candy prizes included!
No family would ever be excluded for financial reasons. Please contact Adam Harley if you need assistance at ah07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us

Questions: contact Dawn Walton 248-855-1910 or dawnanderic@sbcglobal.net

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sept. 21-25, 2009 WAG

September 21-25, 2009

Dear BCS Families,

I would like to first wish everyone celebrating Eid-Al-Fitr or Rosh Hashanah a peaceful holiday.

The last two weeks have gone by quickly which is exactly how the rest of this year will go. I mentioned at the 3rd and 4th grade parent night that before we know it, our 3rd and 4th graders will be walking across the stage at 8th grade graduation. I invited everyone to have some sort of ownership in their child’s education. You have read letters from me and I am sure you have heard from your child’s classroom teacher on how it is important to be a part of the school experience as parents. BCS parents are not shy and have proven to be an amazing part of the success here. This WAG is not intended to continue to harp on parents to volunteer their time and it is certainly not meant to guilt any of you in calling us on Monday to ask what you can do for BCS. It is simply meant to provide some information as to why we, as educators, need to continue to encourage and welcome parents to be an integral piece to each child’s time at BCS.

I have recently read an article in the September edition of Principal Magazine that discusses research on parent involvement. The article, written by John H. Wherry, president of the Parent Institute, shows that there are connections between parent involvement and student achievement. I will be using this article to spark a discussion with the BCS staff as it relates to our efforts to improve on our MEAP scores, district test scores, and overall achievement. Two barriers listed in the article caught my attention as a building principal advocating for a great start to the year. These barriers point to parents that do not feel that the school welcomes, invites, or encourages their involvement and parents that do not believe they have the ability or knowledge to help their child. This is important as we continuously ask for you to be a part of our mission.

I would like to make sure you are always invited to participate and we value any skills, resources, or time that you may have. As I stated in the two previous parent nights, and will again discuss with the parents attending the 5th/6th grade parent night this Thursday, BCS is committed to utilizing any parent help we receive. This may be in the form of time, donations, and/or sharing your knowledge in a variety of areas. Please do not ever think we do not want or could not use your expertise, it may be just what we need to achieve greater things!

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Adam and Hal


Attendance at BCS

At the beginning of this year we sent out BCS magnets with important contact information. One of the reasons for doing this was to make sure all of you had the email address in order to email your child’s attendance. With our office staff down one person this year, our phone lines have been ringing off of the hook. It has made the attendance procedures much better to handle when we receive emails explaining the absences rather than phone calls. If at all possible, please email your child’s absences. If you do not have access to a computer, then of course call it in! Thank you for your help!

WEEK AT A GLANCE – SEPTEMBER 21-25, 2009
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, September 21
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
3:20 – 4:50PM – Boys soccer practice
6-7PM – Proud Dads Co-ed Tennis at Pine Lake Country Club, indoor courts

Tuesday, September 22
7-8AM – Proud Dads 5th & 6th grade girls basketball
4 PM – 7th grade girls basketball game vs. West Hills Middle School at home; 8th grade immediately following. Please visit highschoolsports.net for directions or pick-up a “Maps to Away Athletic Contests” packet in the office.
4:05 – 5:35PM – Boys soccer practice

Wednesday, September 23
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
E-bugle published today!
Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway.
3:20 – 4:50PM – Boys soccer practice
7:00 p.m.- Proud Dad's Executive Board Meeting -BCS

Thursday, September 24
7-8AM – Proud Dads 5th & 6th grade girls basketball
4 PM – 7th grade girl’s basketball game @ East Hills Middle School; 8th grade immediately following. Please visit highschoolsports.net for directions or pick-up a “Maps to Away Athletic Contests” packet in the office.
4:05 – 5:35PM – Boys soccer practice
5-6:30PM – Proud Dads Co-ed Flag Football for 3rd – 8th graders
5/6 Curriculum Night Back To School Night for parents of 3rd and 4th grade students
6-6:30PM Refreshments provided by the PTSA Clearinghouse
6:30PM Teacher presentations begin-5th grade parents go to Math; 6th grade parents go
to Language Arts
7:25-7:45PM Co-Curricular Teacher and BCS Principal presentations
Market Day internet orders due by midnight. If you are unable to complete your order online, please contact Lori Croad at 248-348-4390.

Friday, September 25
6:45AM – 7th & 8th grade girls basketball practice
4:05 – 5:35PM – Boys soccer practice

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
Monday – Salad Bar OR Meatballs & gravy, noodles, green beans
Tuesday – Salad Bar OR Rib-B-Ques, rice, california blend
Wednesday – Salad Bar OR Italian Subs, minestrone soup
Thursday – Salad Bar OR Taco Day with the fixings
Friday – Salad Bar OR Chicken Patty Sandwich, buttered noodles

To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us by FRIDAY 7AM

BCS YEARBOOK
Yearbook Choice Hour will begin on Monday October 5th and will be on Mondays and Thursday for the rest of the school year. Yearbook staff members must commit to attending the Yearbook class at least once per week. Creative, fun and hardworking 7th and 8th graders are invited to audition to become staff members of the yearbook. Returning yearbook staff members do not need to audition. Audition packets can be picked up in the main office beginning Monday September 21st and will be due by Wednesday September 30th.

Thank you! Allison Macksood, Yearbook Advisor.
Coming soon…….yearbook order forms.


BCS OFFICE PROCEDURES – some important changes for you to read about
Early Sign-out of students: If you are picking up your child early to attend an appointment or other commitment, please arrive 5- 10 minutes earlier than your needed departure time. The Reception Desk parent volunteers will be happy to call your child down to meet you in the office once you arrive. Due to budget cuts, the BCS office staff is no longer able to take calls for early sign outs. Please be patient as we all adjust to the new school year……the BCS office is a busy place.

Bus Notes: If your child will be going home on the bus with a friend, please send in a dated and signed note that is clear on who your child is riding home with. The note needs to be signed by the office staff (principals or secretary) and copied. Your child will then take the signed note to the bus driver as his/her “pass” to get on the bus.

Choice Hour ONLY Absense: If your child is leaving at 3:15 and is registered for a choice hour class that day, the absence MUST be reported. You may report the absence by: signing your child out in the Student Sign IN/Out Book in the office, OR email the absence to Linda Stone at ls06bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us, OR call the absence into the Choice Hour Line – 248.203.4625.

Forgotten Lunches : – If your child has forgotten their lunch and their lunch account has little or no balance, the cafeteria will provided them with a lunch that meets minimum nutritious standards. The BCS office is no longer issuing Lunch IOUs. To increase your child’s lunch account balance, checks can be made payable to BPS Lunch Program and put into the Turn-In Basket in the office. Coming soon …..you will be able to check your child’s lunch balance on the internet and add money with your credit card. Please watch for a letter from BCS within the next two weeks.

Do you have other questions that you would like answered in future WAGs? Email your questions to nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us and watch future WAG’s.


COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

BCS Community Education, in cooperation with the Oakland County Visiting Nurses’ Association, is sponsoring a Seasonal Flu Shot Clinic here in the BCS cafeteria on Thursday, October 22 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. School age children and adults are welcome. Flu shots are $25 and flu mist for healthy individuals between 2 and 49 years is $30. Pneumonia shots are $50. Cash or checks please. No H1N1 shots available. Questions? Please contact Sue Reepmeyer at 248-203-4449.

BASCC (Birmingham Area Seniors Coordinating Council) has two fundraisers underway to help underwrite programs and services for senior citizens in our community. One involves the purchase of gift cards from America’s favorite retailers and the other is a sale of bulbs for your garden. For more information on either of these opportunities to make purchases which support BASCC, please contact the BASCC office in the Midvale Center at 248-203-5270.

Birmingham’s Historical Museum is currently sponsoring an exhibit on the History of Vernor’s Ginger Ale, which runs until October 17, 2009. The museum is open for public tours Wednesday-Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for seniors, students and members. For an extra $2, ice cream floats will be available on Saturday, September 26 between 1 and 3 p.m. A free public lecture about James Vernor and his Ginger Ale will take place on September 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Baldwin Public Library.

BASCC GARAGE SALE, September 26 9-3PM, 2121 Midvale Road, BirminghamVolunteer hours are available as follows: - anytime Thursday, September 24 from 1:30 pm to 10 pm - anytime Friday, September 25th from 9:30 am to 10 pm - Saturday, September 26th either 7:30 am to 12:30 OR noon to 4:30.To volunteer, please email the chairperson at sbricio@hotmail.com

Lunch with the Principal

Lunch with the Principal was a great time to sit down and talk about how BCS will meet your child’s needs. I appreciate the questions that were brought to the forefront and the enthusiasm all of you have in educating our future leaders! If you missed the Lunch with the Principal here are some of the topics that were discussed:

Parking Lot

This continues to be a frustration that we all feel. Two main points were brought up that I feel needs to be communicated with all of our families.

1. We have people parking or standing in the handicap accessible spaces when they are not needing a handicap space. This is not only keeping people with handicap stickers from parking, but could be keeping us from modeling respectable behavior for our students. Please do not use the handicap spaces unless you have the proper registration.


2. Do NOT park in the turnaround. This is a safety issue for our students and for you. Use the turnaround, especially at the beginning and the end of the day to drop/pick up only. The lineup is extending into Quarton Rd. which will result in both accidents and tickets from the police.

Finally, please be patient! I know that each year the beginning of the school year brings to light the things we must revisit each year. The parking lot will get better…if we all do our part.

BCS – A Model of a Greener School


We discussed the donation of the wind turbine and what that will look like for our engineering technology classes. Part of this discussion was focused on other ways to be a model school in helping save our environment. Julie Wagner shared an idea that many of us do not think about as we drive and park our cars, becoming an idle free school. This sparked many parents’ interest and made us think about the impact that so many of us have on the environment when we allow our car to run while we wait. The negative impact of our own cars idling, along with the school buses, delivery trucks, and other vehicles that travel to and from BCS, could be improved by educating our community on this topic. Julie Wagner was kind enough to send me information on this as we begin to research what we can do as a BCS community. I have included the links below

From the Idle Free Utah site www.idlefree.utah.gov

Idling for 10 seconds uses the same amount of gas as restarting your car.
They typical amount of vehicle starts per day is estimated at between 5 and 10.
Increasing the number of vehicle starts by 6-10 a day probably would not increase operating costs.
In order to balance the cost of starter maintenance with the benefits of idling reduction, the study suggested turning the vehicle off after 30-45 seconds of idling.

http://www.summitgreen.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/carsfuelsummitantiidling.ppt
There is a PowerPoint presentation created by or for a high school in New Jersey.


www.climatechangeconnection.org

Idling…
sends a confusing message to students about vehicle safety
affects local air quality
contributes to climate change
is a waste of money


As you can see the Lunch with the Principal provides a time to sit and chat in a comfortable atmosphere. Please take advantage of this time and join us (information coming soon!). I am looking forward to seeing you and remember…bring a friend!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Parent Nights

Good Afternoon!

I wanted to thank the parents that attended the curriculum night last Thursday for the 7th and 8th grade team. Please see the dates below for 3rd /4th and 5th / 6th. I hope to see all of you there! I wanted to let you know that your BCS team has worked hard in making these nights as useful as possible. It is refreshing to see everyone work together so that you walk away with a good idea of what is expected from both you and your child.

I would like to especially commend the staff of their hard work to make sure that all of the teachers, including our co-curricular staff, have an opportunity to introduce themselves to you. There have been many discussions behind the scenes to make this happen.

Please excuse any co-curricular team member that may not be here the evening of your child’s parent night. Many of our teachers are shared with other schools and they have to pick and choose which curriculum nights they will attend.

If you do not meet a certain teacher during the evening, please feel free to make an appointment and they will be happy to talk with you about what their class has to offer. I look forward to seeing you on:

3rd / 4th Thursday, September 17th 6:30 p.m.
5th / 6th Thursday, September 24th 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

WAG September 14-18, 2009

September 14-18, 2009

Dear BCS Parents,

The first week of school was a wonderful start for the BCS community! First impressions are important and the impression I got was there is no other place like BCS! I again had an opportunity to meet many of you whether it was in the hallways or at the 7th and 8th grade curriculum night. Thank you for introducing yourself to me and I promise to learn every name by…well, I will leave that open!

Friday was a day that many people reflected on the events that took place in 2001 when many of us were surprised and devastated about what happened in New York City. Driving in to work on Friday, I listened to a survivor of the attacks talk about how he now lives every day to its fullest. Many of us have had moments where we feel this same way. Whether it is a close friend or family member passing away, a car crash we experienced, or another event that shook us up, it makes us think about how we take life for granted. While listening to this man’s story I thought about the tone that is set within schools and how it can become very “routine” for staff and students. Like life, education can be taken for granted and we can choose to simply go through each school year not embracing each and every day. We owe it to ourselves to take each day here at BCS and make it the very best!

This first week was busy! It flew by, just as the 2009-2010 school year will. The BCS team is committed to make every minute count. We look forward to doing this by working closely with each one of you to provide an atmosphere that doesn’t get bogged down by the same old routine. Our world is changing rapidly, and so should we! (click here to watch a 6 minute video regarding the changing world of education)

Hope all of you have a great week!

Sincerely,

Adam and Hal



Sports Physicals

Berkshire Middle School, in partnership with Beaumont Hospitals, is pleased to announce an opportunity for your district middle school or high school child to have their pre-participation sports physical on September 15, 2009. Beaumont doctors will conduct the physicals here at Berkshire in our athletic wing. Please read the details below. Please note: Students must have the front of the Birmingham Public Schools Preparticipation Physical Evaluation form filled out with a parent signature prior to being seen by the doctors.
See Letter Below
***************************************************************************************
Dear Parents,

It is time for school sports physicals again, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to care for your children. This year the date is Tuesday, September 15, 2009. The cost will be $25.00. Please make checks payable to William Beaumont Hospital. We ask that you assist us with the following details in order to make the physicals run smoothly, as well as to provide the best care for your children.

If your child has any chronic medical problems, it would be in his/her best interest to have a physical by his/her pediatrician, as we will NOT be able to give medical clearance for sports.

Example: Poorly controlled asthma
Seizure disorder/ recent seizure (in the last 6 months)
Multiple concussions
Chest pain, dizziness, or fainting with exercise

Please have your child wear his/her glasses or contacts. We will be checking vision. If your child fails the vision screening, we will NOT be able to complete the physical.

Please sit down with your child and fill out the front of the physical form. It is very important that your child is aware of his/her past medical history, as well as ensuring that the form is filled out accurately. This includes an updated list of medications.

Please refer to the following time schedule:
Berkshire Middle School students: Arrive at 3:30 pm
Derby and BCS students Arrive at 4:30 pm
High School Students Arrive at 5:15 pm
Doors Locked 6:15 pm

Please remember that this is a physical for sports participation only! This does NOT replace an annual medical physical with your child’s pediatrician.

Thank you for your participation.

Frank Martilotti, MD Julie Secrest, MD Stacey Shubeck, MD Rita Patel, MD
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Pediatrics Pediatrics



WEEK AT A GLANCE – September 14 - 18, 2009
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info just in case we missed something)

Monday, September 14
6:30-8:30AM – 7th and 8th grade Girls basketball tryout practice
9:15-10:15AM – 3/4 Room Parent Meeting in the Media Center
4:05-5:45PM – 7th and 8th grade Boys soccer tryout practice
6-7PM – Proud Dads Tennis for 3rd-6th grade –indoor courts at Pine Lake Country Club
DUE: Proud Dads Sports registration forms for Girls Basketball (5th & 6th grade) AND Flag Football (3rd-8th grade). Download forms at www.bcsonline.info…….scroll down to the Proud Dads Intramural Sports link.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
6:30-8:30AM – 7th and 8th grade Girls basketball tryout practice
· Fire Drill
4:05-5:45PM – 7th and 8th grade Boys soccer tryout practice
· 6:30PM-Technology Committee Meeting –Media Center-see comments below
· 7:00PM –BPS Board of Education Meeting at the Administration Building, 550 West Merrill Street, Birmingham. Watch it live on Comcast Channel 17.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
6:30-8:30AM – 7th and 8th grade Girls basketball tryout practice
· Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
4:05-5:45PM – 7th and 8th grade Boys soccer tryout practice

Thursday, September 17, 2009
6:30-8:30AM – 7th and 8th grade Girls basketball tryout practice
· Constitution Day
· 12:30PM – Lunch with the Principal in Staff Development II (located down the 600 Hall). Bring your lunch for this informal time with the principal to ask questions and learn his perspectives.
· 1:15PM – PTSA Clearinghouse Meeting in Staff Development II-All are invited to learn about the operations of the PTSA at BCS. Bring a friend or meet new friends.
· 3/4 Back To School Night for parents of 3rd and 4th grade students
6-6:30PM Refreshments provided by the PTSA room parents in or near your child’s classroom
6:30PM Teacher presentations in your child’s classroom
5-6:30PM – Proud Dads Flag Football for 3-8th grades-BCS fields

Friday, September 18, 2009
· 6:30-8:30AM – 7th and 8th grade Girls basketball tryout practice
DUE: Please turn in Sally Foster order forms to the office by the end of the day today. Online orders can be placed all year long!!
DEADLINE: Choice Hour Class change requests for Quarter I are due by 4:00PM today. Forms are located in the front office. Refunds are issued for classes that are dropped by September 18.
· Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown


Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
Monday- Salad Bar OR Steak sandwiches, diced potatoes, broccoli
Tuesday – Salad Bar OR baked chicken tenders, buttered noodles, peas
Wednesday – Salad Bar OR Sloppy Joes, chicken soup
Thursday – Salad Bar OR Pasta primavera with or without chicken
Friday - Salad Bar OR Grilled cheese, tomato soup, carrots & celery


CHOICE HOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
1st Quarter Choice Hour classes are up and running. Choice Hour student selections are posted on the Choice Hour board in the main hallway and in each homeroom.

The deadline for requesting a Choice Hour class change is Friday September 18th by 4:00 PM. Choice Hour class change request forms are available in the main office. Classes with openings are listed on the back of the Choice Hour class change request form. Please read the change form very carefully! Students requesting a change must attend their originally assigned classes for the first 2 weeks of this quarter. ALL Choice Hour changes that are approved will go into effect on Monday September 21st. You will receive timely notification if your Choice Hour change request is denied. Choice Hour drop refunds will be processed for classes dropped during the Choice Hour change period which ends at 4:00 PM on Friday September 18th. No refunds will be processed after the Friday September 18th deadline.

No Choice Hour drops, adds and/or changes will be accepted over the phone or via email. All Choice Hour change requests require a parent’s signature. Please pick up the proper paperwork in the front office.

Questions regarding the Choice Hour program should be directed to Linda Stone at 248-203-4625 or ls06bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us. Questions regarding Choice Hour scheduling should be directed to Donna Feldmaier at 248-203-4522 or df02bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us .

Thank you for supporting the Choice Hour program!


TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
BCS has always embraced technology. The Technology Committee is "Think Tank" of parents and staff working together to promote technology at school. We help connect teachers, parents, students, technology and the community. Past projects of the committee have included: online registration forms, " How to Facebook", Engineering week, Weatherbug station, Engage curriculum ideas including PicoCricket and Future city, and tech choice hours. We are currently working on a web site redesign and a wind turbine. This committee meets once a month on a Tuesday evening. Meetings are informal and full of lively discussion. Please join us!

Committee chairs are Pam Graham, Ross Kaplan and Jon Rivard. Send an email to tech@bcsparent.com and you'll contact all 3 of us!
BCS BACK-TO-SCHOOL REGISTRATION
We now have every BCS student registered for school! A huge THANK YOU to all parents, students, and BCS alumni who volunteered to help with registration!!! So many of you were very generous with your time! Do you know we had 50+ volunteers who spent over 500+ hours processing 6,480 forms?! Volunteers helped with packet preparation and stuffing, working registration tables, sorting and alphabetizing forms, and popping popcorn so we all had something to snack on. With less office staff this year, everyone's help was especially appreciated! This is a wonderful example of the BCS community modeling this year’s theme for our students - Me2We: This I Believe. This coming week, the registration popcorn drawing will be conducted and two lucky families will win popcorn for the year!

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

THE WEB AND PARENTS- Are You Tech Savvy? - SEPTEMBER 30, 2009, 7:00 PM
Join Judy Hauser for a brief introduction to Web 2.0, including podcasts, forums, graphic generators, photo storage, wikis and more. Parents will get a sense of how each tool or resource works, how they might use them in their personal or work life, and the role each plays in current K-12 education and in the lives of school-age children. With this crash course on today's Internet, the Web becomes a place where families come together, not drift apart. Presentation is in the BCS Staff Development Rooms. Please contact kf05bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us with questions.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Great First Week!

A quick note on the first week of school...It was a GREAT week!

Again thank you for attending the ice cream social, the 7th and 8th grade curriculum night and other events here at BCS.

One event I would like to extend a personal invitation to is Lunch with the Principal. This will be on Thursday, September 17th at 12:30 p.m.

This is a great opportunity to sit down, relax, and talk with other parents from BCS. It is also a time where you can discuss ideas, tell stories, or just reflect on your child's experiences here.
Please consider joining me on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in the BCS staff development room.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

First Day of School!


Rain rain go away…actually I am glad it rained today!
The BCS Team proved that through rain or shine, this year will be fantastic! Hal Heard stated that this is the first time in his school career that it has rained the first day of school! That got me thinking about the many “first” we have been through in our lives and the “first” time experiences our students will go through this year. For example, today is my “first” first day at BCS. Like the students, I was nervous yet excited but knew that it would go well. My “first” day was a tremendous experience because of all of you, the BCS staff, and most of all the students!
I am sure that when your child returns home and you ask…”So how did school go?” he or she will say “fine, we didn’t do much.” Don’t let them fool you! Students had a full day schedule that was broken up by town hall meetings, lunch, and bus families. We kept them busy and they stepped up to the challenge! Be proud, you have sent us the best!

Another “first” for me were the town hall meetings we held with each grade level. During the team meetings, Hal and I discussed our theme: me2WE: This I Believe and asked the students to finish this sentence for us…I believe that this school year will be….
We called on volunteers and heard some great answers. Fun, great, exciting, all of these are what we love to hear from our students on the first day! One student was being honest when she said, “tiring”. She is right, when we have fun, work hard, and exercise our minds, we will be very tired at the end of the year!

The BCS team showed off our new shirts today thanks to Joe and Kara Faris! Parents here at BCS, Mr. and Mrs. Faris designed the shirt with our theme in mind. We believe many things here at BCS but one thing that we strongly believe in is showcasing our parents’ skills! All of you have skills and talents that our students will benefit from.
See picture above! (Nancy Best, Hal Heard, Sue Reepmeyer)

Have a good night and we are ready to wake up and have another great day at BCS!

Adam

Monday, September 7, 2009

WAG Sept 8-11, 2009

“Week At a Glance”
September 8 – September 12, 2009
WELCOME BACK!
Welcome back to BCS! I have had the opportunity to meet many of you over the course of the past month and look forward to meeting more parents in the first few weeks of school. I have been impressed with the people I have met and can see why Birmingham is proud of our school. The “WAG” is a weekly newsletter that I, or Hal Heard, will send via email. It will include important dates and information that we hope you find useful and meaningful. The “WAG” is something that has been a part of BCS since its onset, and we believe that it is important to continue the tradition!
I apologize in advance if this “WAG” or future “WAGs” include information that you have already received from us through emails, blogs, or our website. We are hoping that we are successful in communicating with our BCS families and if we duplicate information, we feel that it is better than not communicating at all!
Registration:
Registration went very smoothly as Nancy Best and her team made sure everyone completed the process with ease. BCS is committed to be family friendly and our registration process proves that we have your best interest in mind! If you have yet to register your child, please see Nancy Best in the front office on the first day of school.
Lockers:
It is 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night and I think Hal is still at BCS working on the locker list! We appreciate how each family has handled the locker issues they may have encountered and thank you in advance for your patience. Please remind your child that if there is a problem on the first day to please let their homeroom teacher know.
Bus Families:
We will continue making sure that our youngest students here are comfortable both at BCS and on the bus ride to and from school. The Bus Families program groups students by their bus numbers and pairs them up with older students that ride the same bus. Activities such as “Get to know you” will allow for our older students to become familiar with the younger students that ride the same bus so they can help us make the first week of school as easy as possible for our 3rd and 4th grade students. The BPS Transportation Department has been working hard on the bus lists but has been experiencing difficulties with the new software program that was purchased this summer. Karen Sivwright and Tamra Nast have been working on our list and will be communicating with the transportation department right up to the end of the school day on Tuesday. We will be using every resource and staff member we have to make sure our students are on the right bus!
Allergies:
I have sent out emails regarding allergies at BCS but would like to reiterate how important it is that we know about the allergies your son or daughter may have. An email sent out on Friday asked to be careful when sending in snacks with your child and to check to see if the snack contains nuts. I have had phone calls from parents in all of the grade levels that have expressed concerns due to their child’s nut allergies. We are not a nut free school but have taken many precautions so all of our students can feel safe. BCS does have nut free tables at lunch and we have allowed classrooms to be nut free if they include students with severe nut allergies. If you have a concern, please call me or email me so we can work together to assure that your child is safe at BCS.
Thank You:
Over the course of the summer, when many of us are relaxing and being recharged, there are team members that are here working hard and preparing for the upcoming school year. I would like to thank the office staff and our custodial staff for making sure our first week goes so smoothly. The building looks great, even though we hosted summer school well into August! Nancy Best, Mary Baughman, and Donna Feldmaier have done a phenomenal job in breaking in a new principal! I would also like to thank Hal Heard for his help in making my first month at BCS a successful one!
A Final Thought…
We celebrate Labor Day today and have in America since 1882. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day)
As we reflect on this Holiday and take time to rest, I would like to recognize our teachers. I have heard many times throughout my career from both family members and friends that I have the best job in the world because I get summers off. I am sure many of you have heard this saying and while it is true that teachers get a few months off, they put more time and energy into their jobs during the 9-10 months they are at school to make up for that short break and some! It is very common to come up to school at night and see your child’s teacher still in his or her room. As a parent, I am amazed at the time my own children’s teachers spend working at school or at home for their classroom. Education is not a 9-5 job and our team at BCS understands that. A holiday such as Labor Day allows us to reflect on the American dream and what that means to us. What is so great about teachers is that not only are they reflecting on what their dreams are, but they work each day to help young people realize theirs.
As we wrap up summer and look back at the hard work we have done throughout the year, let’s celebrate Labor Day with our teachers in mind. They are retiring from that “vacation” everyone talks about and will be laboring everyday to make sure our future leaders are learning, being creative, and most of all, are having a successful year again at BCS! I heard a quote once that sums it all up…
“Teachers make every other profession possible”.
Thank you Teachers!
Let’s have a GREAT year!

Sincerely,

Adam and Hal

WEEK AT A GLANCE – September 8 - 11, 2009
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info just in case we missed something)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 – FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
The cafeteria is offering full lunch service today.
If you are uncertain which days your child is signed up for choice hour, please check the choice hour board located to the right of the media center (300Hall) for his/her choice hour schedule.
8-9:30AM - PTSA Welcome Back Coffee for parents in the Media Center

Wednesday, September 9, 2009
· A great day at BCS

Thursday, September 10, 2009
Smile…..it’s PICTURE DAY at BCS. Every student will have their picture taken today. If you would like to purchase pictures, they can be ordered by one of two methods - online or the picture order form.

Online ordering is available 24/7 beginning right now. Please go to the website www.schoolpictures.com and follow the prompts. The BCS school code is AA0201. You will select the background, picture packet and submit payment all on the website – there is nothing your child has to bring to school. If online orders are placed before picture day, the photographers will know your background selection. The online ordering period is open through midnight, September 11.

The picture order form was provided in the packet picked up at registration. Extra forms are available in the office. Please send the completed picture form and payment in with your child. Your child will give the order form directly to the photographer.

We are in need of 5 – 10 parent volunteers to assist the photographers. We need volunteers for 2+ hour blocks or for the entire time. The blocks are 8:20-10:30AM and 10:30AM-1 PM. Volunteers will receive a $22 credit towards one portrait package. Please contact Nancy Best with your availability at nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us or 248-203-4426 if you would like to volunteer.

11AM - 1PM - PTSA Management Team Meeting at the home of PTSA Co-President Marnie Lewbel
7/8 Curriculum Night- please bring your child’s schedule with you to visit his/her classrooms
6-6:30PM Refreshments provided by the PTSA room parents
6:30PM – 8:20PM Teacher presentations in your child’s classrooms or the cafeteria
8:25-8:50PM – Adam Hartley, Hal Heard, PTSA & Proud Dads in the cafeteria

Friday, September 11, 2009
We will be honoring those injured and killed in the 9-11 attacks with a moment of silence during morning announcements.
6:30-8 PM BCS Family Ice Cream Social –ice cream is served in the cafeteria.
MIDNIGHT – Deadline to order FALL PICTURES online. Go to www.schoolpictures.com and use the school code AA0201.

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
Tuesday – Salad Bar OR Baked chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables
Wednesday – Salad Bar OR Baked popcorn chicken, buttered noodles, corn
Thursday – Salad Bar OR Spaghetti, peas, garlic bread
Friday - Salad Bar OR Cheese ravioli, green beans, bread stick

NOTES
Ramadan…if your children are fasting during the day and need any type of support, please let Adam Hartley (ah07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us) or Hal Heard (hh01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us) know.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Registration 2009

BCS Families



I would like to thank all of you for participating in the BCS registration last week and tell you that we appreciate the turnout we had! The registration process can be long for both staff and parents but we all know it is an important part of starting the year out right. BCS continues to find new ways to be efficient and family friendly when we ask you to attend registration. We are always looking to improve on everything we do. Please take a minute and complete the surveys to the right so we can better understand what it is we need to work on for next year's registration. If you have any suggestions on how we might make registration easier for you, please feel free to comment on this page or email me at ah07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us



I would like to again thank Nancy Best for heading this up and putting an enormous amount of time and energy into the registration process.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

BCS Teams in Training!



The BCS staff began training for the BCS 2009-2010 Marathon! The marathon begins September 8th when our students walk through the doors! We are very excited about the upcoming year and have been training for the past two days to prepare our minds. In order to be prepared, we went through a series of trainings that pushed us to reflect on why we are educators and what we believe in. Hal Heard, BCS Assistant Principal, and I wanted to begin the year on a positive note and embrace the creativity that BCS holds. The BCS staff went through three training sessions that focused on our three E's; Education, Environment, and Each Other. Each training session included creativity, collaboration, and reflection. These are the same skills that we believe our students should be exposed to.


Education-


Using Dr. Marzano's nine strategies for effective classroom instruction, the BCS staff discussed each strategy, watched a video that reflected that strategy, and answered questions regrading classroom instruction and student achievement.


http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/marzchat1.html



Environment-


The BCS staff watched a speech given by Ben Zander, author of the book The Art of Possibility. His book, and keynote speeches, conveys the importance of looking at life in a positive way. He states that life is simply what we put into it! We believe here at BCS that by modeling this, our students will learn from our positive behavior!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LCwI5iErE



Each Other-


The BCS staff was asked to create a video that reflects what their beliefs are about education, their responsibilities, and other aspects of their position. This proved to be an effective tool for us to realize that there is more to school than academics. We believe in rigor and high standards but also know that to achieve this we must have trust in one another, challenge each other, and have fun!


The video above is an example of the 3rd and 4th grade team video recorded this morning.


The training sessions proved to be beneficial as we continue to prepare for the 2009-2010 BCS Marathon!