W.A.G. May 16-20

May 15, 2011

Dear BCS Community,

This year at BCS we have strived to build a community of innovators, designers, and creators. We understand the importance of providing opportunities for our students to practice the very skills that promote entrepreneurship and leadership in the work place. These skills are not limited to memorization, technology applications, or other routine tasks. They are the very characteristics that all of us hold but are not always allowed to showcase throughout our lives. Here at BCS we have been committed to tweak our lessons to allow for more creativity and autonomy. Being G.E.E.K.ed means to not just talk about creativity and innovation but to promote it and embrace it!
This Thursday, May 19th, from 6:30 p.m.-8:00p.m. in our media center, we have a group of students prepared to discuss their creations and showcase their innovations! They will be showing off not what a teacher asked them to do, or what their principal made them do, but rather products or ideas they themselves thought of! Our Covington Technology Celebration (CTC) is designed to have our students share their creations, no matter what subject or topic. Please join us as we celebrate our creativity here at BCS.
The PTSA Technology Committee has bought a number of tickets for the Maker Faire at Henry Ford this summer to give out at the CTC. Anyone in attendance will be placed in a drawing to win one adult and one child ticket. Please visit my blog at http://adamhartleybcs.blogspot.com/ to see a quick video of what the Maker Faire is.

Hope to see all of you there!

G.E.E.K.ed about the CTC,

Adam




WEEK AT A GLANCE – May 16-20, 2011
(Disclaimer:  Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
 To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email mz07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us  MIDNIGHT THURSDAY 
 Monday, May 16
6:45-8:00AM – 6th – 8th Boys and Girls Track Practice
7:15 Alumni Breakfast-Media Center
 8:00-11:00 AM-Burns/Harvath to Gleaners
4:00PM – 7th-8th Grade Girls Soccer Covington v BHMS -HOME.
Tuesday, May 17
6:45-8:00AM – 6th – 8th Boys and Girls Track Practice
7:15AM BCS Alumni Breakfast-Media Center
8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
9:10-11:00AM-Davis reading party at Sunrise @ Maple & Telegraph
4:05-6:00PM – 7th-8th Grade Girls Soccer Practice.
7:00PM-Board of Education Meeting – Administration Building
 Wednesday, May 18
POPCORN Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
10:00AM – Wallington Reading party at Woodward Hills
10:45-3PM- 8th grade to DIA-Bring a bag lunch
 11:30AM-3PM-7th grade to Gleaners-Bring a bag lunch
4:00PM – 7th-8th Grade Girls Soccer Covington v Cranbrook- AWAY
4:15PM – 6th – 8th Boys and Girls Track Meet @ Andover Covington v Cranbrook BHMS
6:30PM Technology Committee Meeting – Media Center
Thursday, May 19
 6:45-8:00AM – 6th – 8th Boys and Girls Track Practice
9:10-11:00AM-Seley reading party at Sunrise @ Maple & Telegraph
10:45-3PM- 7th grade to DIA-Bring a bag lunch
 11:30AM-3PM 8th grade to Gleaners-Bring a bag lunch
4:05-6:00PM – 7th-8th Grade Girls Soccer Practice.
5:00-9 PM Covington Technology Showcase
Friday, May 20
Trash Free Friday
Progress Reports released for 4th Quarter
4:05-6:00PM – 7th-8th Grade Girls Soccer Practice.
6:30-9PM -7/8 Blackout Dance-$ 5 at the door –snacks provided-Chaperones/Help still needed
Saturday,May 21
BCS Garden Installation-Many hands are welcome and needed
Hot Entrée menu for the week:  (subject to change, if necessary)
Available everyday: Pizza, Hamburger & Cheeseburger, Chicken Sandwiches, Nachos, Beef Soft Shell Tacos, Freshly Made Salads & Sandwiches, Garden Fresh Salad Bar
Monday –Whole Grain Pancakes or French Toast, Sausage, Fresh Fruit, BBQ Chicken Pizza
Tuesday –Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Chicken and Alfredo, Garlic Toast, Steamed Broccoli, Nacho Supreme
Wednesday –Home-style Turkey with Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Green Beans, Hawaiian Pizza
Thursday – BBQ Chicken, Side of Mac & Cheese, Flavorful Baked Beans, Beef Enchilada
Friday –Bacon Cheeseburger, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Fresh Peas & Carrots, Chicken Fajita Pizza

PLEASE REMEMBER TO SCROLL TO THE END OF THE WAG FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY and
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES

IMPORTANT REMINDER Please ensure that your student has and USES a lock on their GYM locker and that all valuables are secured there or in their SCHOOL locker. Some students have lost valuable items. Locking them is the best protection for everyone
DRESS CODE REMINDER
Warm weather is here and so are the summer clothes! Please remember that we have guidelines for our students when it comes to dress code and we will be reminding them of our expectations of dressing appropriately. If a student is in violation of the dress code, a staff member may ask them to contact a parent to bring up a change of clothing. Thank you for helping us maintain the integrity and respect that BCS has always known!
Two dress code violations that are often brought to our attention by staff here at BCS are shorts and tank tops. Shorts should be as long as your child’s fingertips when their arms are at their side and spaghetti strap tank tops are not permitted. Undergarments should not be visible at all. Hats are not allowed to be worn within the school building except for special occasions such as hat day. Thank you again for your support and help in this matter!

TWO BIRMINGHAM COVINGTON SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN A WINSTON CHURCHILL ESSAY CONTEST
The National Churchill Museum, located on the Westminster College campus in Fulton, MO, held their Winston Churchill Student Essay Contest for the third time this past school year.
The essay topic this year was “Winston Churchill: A Renaissance Man?”  Middle school and high school students from across the state submitted scholarly essays in hopes of winning one of six cash prizes.
With his essay, “Winston Churchill-Renaissance Man,” Birmingham Covington School student Joseph D., won second prize and $150.00 in the middle school division. Claire B., also from Birmingham Covington School, placed third with a $100.00 prize, for her essay “I Met a Man Named Winston: A Present Day Renaissance Man.”

TO ALL BCS FAMILIES: Gleaners “Drive Out Hunger” Food Drive!
A reminder to please have your child bring in the BAG OF FOOD (sponsored by the 7/8 team and Spirit Committee)
PLEASE FILL this bag with food from the list and bring back the bag and place in the Creative Station/Popcorn cubby ld).
*Please NO OPEN containers or EXPIRED products and NO glass, as they often break in transit.*
Tuna Fish
Canned Meat
Beef Stew
Meat Soups, Hearty Soups
Canned Spaghetti or Pasta
Beans (kidney, pinto, green, yellow, refried or black beans)
Baby Food or Formula
Ensure or other nutritional Supplements Drinks
Rice
Dry Beans
Noodles, Macaroni
Powdered Milk
Pancake or Baking Mixes
Cereal/Oatmeal
Granola Bars
Peanut Butter (in plastic jars)
Jelly (in plastic jars)

TO 7/8 PARENTS: BLACKOUT DANCE Announcement
We need chaperones for our LAST 7/8 dance this coming Friday, May 20th, the BLACKOUT DANCE. The shifts are listed below – can you please help out? If your child says they’d rather you not chaperone, tell them you can be in one of the “hallway” spots (monitoring the halls to make sure students don’t go anywhere). We also need parents at the door and inside the cafeteria to help with drinks/food.
Please email me to let me know which shift you can do!
SHIFT 1 - 6:15-7:45 - Set-up/Chaperone SHIFT 2 – 7:45-9:15 - Chaperone/Clean-up
If you cannot chaperone, we do need some help before the dance to pick up and drop off the subs, pizza for the Spirit Committee members who are decorating and setting up the dance and balloons. Please email to let me know if you could do any of those things.
Finally, please encourage your kids to come to the dance – kids have said they have had a blast at both dances this year! It is $5 at the door and students are asked to wear all black to match the theme. Please remember if your family cannot afford this cost, email Adam and he will provide on behalf of Nan’s Kids.
Thank you for your help in advance in chaperoning and/or encouraging your children to attend the dance!

BCS FORMER STAFF UPDATE
Former BCS counselor Brian Flatter and his wife Lindsay had a beautiful baby girl recently, Delaney Rose. Unfortunately her health has taken a turn and Brian has allowed us to share the following website with our BCS families that would like more information or to share your thoughts or support: www.delaneyrosefund.blogspot.com

CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS! LAST DAY FOR PHOTOS IS MAY 20!
We are in process of finalizing the 8th grade graduation/celebration DVD. If you have not sent your pictures in for the DVD, time is running out! Here’s what to do so that EVERYONE is included:
Send a baby picture (up to age 2) AND a current picture of you/your student to bcsfarewellcelebration@gmail.com. Note: We do not have access to regular school pictures, so we need the current picture FROM YOU.
If you have candid photos from any year (3rd grade to current) that feature the 8th graders, please put them on a CD or zip drive and leave them in the office in an envelope marked “Susan Davis”. Send an email to Susan at tomsmom@comcast.net to let her know that there is something for her to pick up. WE STILL NEED LOTS OF CANDID PHOTOS The deadline to send candid shots is May 20th.

CHOICE HOUR PLANNING FOR 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR:
Choice Hour planning for the first quarter of the 2011-2012 school year has begun. Several parents have already volunteered to teach some very interesting classes next year that highlight their talents and interests.
We are searching for a Forensic coach – let us know if you are interested or if you might know someone qualified to coach our team. Also, students have asked for an acting class that would culminate in some type of performance, a fashion design class and a martial arts class. You have great resources in the community – we need your help!!
If you would like to share your time and talents with a small group of students during Choice Hour please contact Linda Stone at 248-203-4625 or email her at ls06bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us for more information. As always, thank you for supporting the Choice Hour program.

THINKING Green Team News
The thinking Green Team has two main aims for the remainder of the year:
1)      Bottle Cap Mural
We are hoping to complete our mural before the year is out and we need help!!If you have any left over latex paint please send it in so we can use it to paint the background-any amount can be put to good use, the brighter the better! On June 6th we will be inviting all the students to come and screw the lids onto the mural. We really need adult volunteers to supervise so if you can join us for an hour or two during that day please email Mrs Roberts pr05bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us
We will also need battery powered drills, if you would like to loan us your drill for the day please label it with your name and homeroom teacher so we can return it to you ASAP! Thank you helping us with this “Flip Your Lid “event.
2)      Jeans Gone Green!!
Jeans Gone Green is a Michigan Company that upcycles jeans to create sandals and bags .Any material they don’t use gets donated to Habitats for Humanity to be shredded and used for insulation. Jeans Gone Green have agreed to give a donation to school for any jeans we can collect so as we move into the season for shorts please consider donating your outgrown, ripped or torn jeans to our collection-the bin is outside the main office.
Thanks again for your support of all our Green efforts and for helping us to achieve Evergreen Status for the second year running as part of the Michigan Green Schools Initiative!!
7/8 SPIRIT COMMITTEE NEWS
For the rest of the year, the 7/8 Spirit Committee will be making fleece tie blankets to donate to Project Linus. Please help our effort by donating FLEECE, FLEECE BLANKET KITS or a NEW HANDMADE BLANKET made by a student, parent or someone you know to the blue bins by the office.
All blanket styles are welcome, including quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors. Always remember that blankets must be homemade, washable, free of pins, and come from smoke-free environments due to allergy reasons. (Project Linus donates blankets to children, infants through teens. Many sizes are appropriate depending on chapter need. For example, blankets could be as small as 36" X 36." The majority of Project Linus blankets are about 40" X 60", or what is called “crib size.”)The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."This company and its volunteers and supporters have distributed over three million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.Please visit www. projectlinus.org for more information, blanket patterns, to learn more about this organization, etc. (The FAQs page is very helpful)

BCS Organic Garden/Proud Dad Day - May 21
On Saturday, May 21, the PTSA and Proud Dads are going to start the process of installing the BCS Organic Garden. This is an update, resurrection, of the previous garden. This will be a full day effort and will require all hands on deck. The schedule for the day will be from 9:00am until 6:00pm.  Our goal is to work in 3 hour shifts (9-12, 12-3, 3-6)
We need Dad's, Mom's, BCS students, and siblings, to help in this effort.  It's a fantastic opportunity to invest some time to help BCS by building an Organic Garden that will be a teaching/learning tool for the school.  It will also will include opportunities for vegetable gardening, flower gardening and natural succession. 
Please be prepared to do some digging, weeding and fence installation.  We'll need yard rakes, garden rakes, weed eaters and gloves, if you have them. Refreshments will be on hand as will some soccer balls and basketballs for the kids.
If you can join us please send your availability to Proud Dad Mike Anderson (mike@mccanco.com). HELP THE
BCS BAND SPRING BAND CONCERTS
The 5th & 6th grade bands will perform their spring concert on Wednesday evening, June 1st in the BCS cafeteria. The performance will begin at 7:00pm. The 7th & 8th grade bands will perform their spring concert on Wednesday, June 8th in the BCS cafeteria. The starting time for the 7th & 8th grade band performance is 7:00pm.
The 8th grade band members will also be making a guest appearance with the BCS orchestra on Thursday, June 2 at 7:30 pm. Specific details for the 8th grade performance with the orchestra will be sent to parents as the concert date gets closer.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help the Birmingham Education Foundation support our students!Find out about the Birmingham Education Foundation spring fundraiser at Toast on May 19, 2011 at www.supportbef.org

VINTAGE HAT FASHION SHOW & TEA
Wear your favorite hat and plan to attend the Spring Tea and Fashion Show at the Birmingham Area Senior Center (BASCC) on Thursday, May 19 from 12:30-2:30 pm. Hat collector Lori Hoffman will present a fashion show of 100 vintage hats out of her collection of over 400 hats from the 1850’s to the 1950’s. Tea sandwiches from Mrs. Maddox Cake Shop will be served along with delicious desserts and a variety of teas. Pre-register and pay by calling BASCC at 248-203-5270. BASCC is located at 2121 Midvale Street, Birmingham, east of Cranbrook Road and South of Maple.


Groves Volleyball

PARENT MEETING
 
There will be a parent meeting on May 16th from 6:30-8:00 PM at Groves High School in the Commons area. 
 
 SUMMER TRAINING
 
Summer training will begin the week of June 28th and end the week of July 28th. There will be NO training the week of July 4th (Summer Dead Period).
 
TRYOUTS
 
Tryouts this year will take place on August 9th, 10th and 11th. More information will be coming soon! It is recommended that you attend ALL sessions.
 
Please mark all these important dates on your calendars.
 
Peter Lau
Varsity Head Coach
Birmingham Groves Volleyball
248-219-8639
www.eteamz.com/grovesvb

Covington had 5 students participating in the 2011 Math Pentathlon, Division III for grades 4 and 5: Stephanie Green, Laya Kumar, Taylor Moilanen, Leila Owens, and Alberto Whitmer. Additionally, Laya was awarded a silver medal and Bear was awarded a gold medal for their performances in the games. Emilia Askari devoted much effort to preparing the team over the course of the year in her choice hour - no mean (median or mode either) feat! The kids all demonstrated good sportsmanship, cooperation, and mutual support.