March 20, 2011
Dear BCS Community,
WOW!!!!! What a Day! Thank you to everyone that attended our BLAST today! There are too many people to thank so I will simply say, if you donated, volunteered, worked, purchased items, or did anything else to make today a success- you are greatly appreciated!
We are very fortunate to have an event of such great magnitude for BCS! We were not short of volunteers and did not fall short of having an amazing time! Both kids and adults showed up and proved that when people come together for a great cause, it is truly Blastastic!
Thank you,
Adam
*See a short slideshow of pictures from the Blast at http://adamhartleybcs.blogspot.com/
“No person was ever honored for what he received. He was honored for what he gave.”
– Calvin Coolidge
WEEK AT A GLANCE – March 21-25, 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, March 21
- Auction Item pick-up 8-9AM and 3-4:15PM
- 3rd, 5th & 7th Grade Vision Screening
Tuesday, March 22
- Deadline for 8th graders to mail Panoramic Picture form. The form is available in the office.
- Auction Item pick-up 8-9AM and 3-4:15PM
- 3rd, 5th & 7th Grade Vision Screening
- 7:00-8:00AM – 6th Grade Girls Proud Dads Volleyball
- School Hours – Book Fair Preview – Media Center
- 8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
- 3:15-4:00PM – School store is open in the main hallway during choice hour
- 7:00PM Race to Nowhere screening –Seaholm Wagner Auditorium
Wednesday, March 23- Half Day- Conferences
- 5/6 Health Education Forms Due to Science Teacher
- Auction Item pick-up 8-9AM and 1-4PM
- 8:30AM-8:00PM – Book Fair – Media Center
- POPCORN Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
- 11:20AM – Students dismissed for the day- buses are provided at the early dismissal time
- 12-1:30Pm Cartooning class-( registered students only)
- 1:00-4:00PM – Conferences-Please visit the Bake sale and the Lost and Found
- 5:00-8:00PM – Conferences-Please visit the Bake sale and the Lost and Found
Thursday, March 24- Half Day- Conferences
- YEARBOOKS-Today is the last day to pre-order yearbooks
- Auction Item pick-up 8-9AM and 1-4PM
- 3rd, 5th & 7th Grade Vision Screening
- 7:00-8:00AM – 6th Grade Girls Proud Dads Volleyball
- 9:30-11:00AM – BBFA Workshop “Say Yes to No”, Gary M. Doyle Center
- 8:30AM-8:00PM – Book Fair – Media Center
- 11:20AM – Students dismissed for the day-buses are provided at the early dismissal time
- 12:30-1:30PM – Hunters of the Sky program (registered students only) Room 104
- I:00 PM Budget Committee Meeting-PTSA Office- All Are Welcome
- 1:00-4:00PM - Conferences-Please visit the Bake Sale and the Lost and Found
- 5:00-8:00PM - Conferences -Please visit the Bake Sale and the Lost and Found
- 6:30-8:00PM – 3rd thru 8th Grade Proud Dad’s Baseball
Friday, March 25
- 3rd, 5th & 7th Grade Vision Screening
- Auction Item pick-up 8-9AM and 3-4:15PM
- Trash Free Friday
Saturday, March 26
- 4:00-5:00PM 3rd-8th Grade Proud Dads Sports Tennis, Birmingham Bubble/Racket Club: http://www.birminghamracquetclub.com/contact.htm indoors
We have many important announcements this week-Please take the time to get informed. Thank you!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SCROLL TO THE END OF THE WAG FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY and COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
REMINDER-NO REPORT CARDS ARE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 3RD QUARTER
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 –Grilled Hot Dog or Beef Chili Dog, Seasoned Fries, Fresh Fruit Cup, Mexican Pizza
Tuesday –Chicken Parmesan, Toasted Garlic Bread, Glazed Carrots, Cheese Quesadilla
Wednesday –NO LUNCH SERVICE
Thursday – NO LUNCH SERVICE
Friday –Grilled Chicken or Veggie Caesar Wrap, Pasta Salad, Fresh Fruit Cup, Meat Lover’s Pizza
AUCTION ITEMS TO BE PICKED UP IN THE OFFICE
If you were a winning bidder in the BCS BLAST AUCTION on Sunday, you may pick up your items in the BCS office from 8-9AM or 3-4:15PM each day during this week. Additionally, pick-up is available from 1-4PM on Wednesday and Thursday during conferences. Types of payment accepted are: cash, check (payable to BCS PTSA Clearinghouse), and Visa or MasterCard. Thank you for making it a priority to pick items up your items no later than Friday.
8th Grade Panoramic Picture
Picture forms are available in the office to purchase either the serious pose or funny pose of the 8th grade panoramic picture taken last week. Deadline to mail your order form is Tuesday, March 22.
ATHLETICS UPDATES
Congratulations to our boys swim team for an amazing season ending the season with a second place win at Districts this past Wednesday!
Congratulations are also in order for our 7th grade girls volleyball team which took 1st place for our league with a 10-1 record and our 8th grade girls volleyball team that had an amazing season themselves with a 7-4 record!
Track and Soccer season will be starting 3/28!
Track practice will be every day from 6:45-8 AM and during Choice Hour
Soccer practices will be held from 3/28-4/15, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday from 3:15-5:00PM and Thursday/Friday from 4:05-6:00PM.
Then starting 4/18, practices will change to the following: Monday/Wednesday from 3:15-5:00PM and Tuesday/Thursday/Friday from 4:05-6:00PM. The parent meeting will be held on the 4/11.
Be sure to visit the BCS athletics website (http://bcsonline.info/Athletics.html) for online registration for the track and girls soccer seasons which start 3/28.
YEARBOOKS, YEARBOOKS, YEARBOOKS
The last day to preorder yearbooks is Thursday, March 24. Order forms are available at bcsonline.info! After the 24th , you can purchase yearbooks, while supplies last, the last week of school.
HEALTH EDUCATION PERMISSION SLIPS
Notice to Parents of 5th and 6th Graders regarding health education permission slip
Please remember to return the permission slip that was emailed, to your child’s Science teacher by March 23rd.
SPRING BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED!!
Please contact Shiva Motlagh (shivamotlagh@comcast.net) to volunteer for the upcoming Spring Book Fair!
Calling all bakers! Spring Conference 8th grade bake sale
All proceeds will go towards the 8th grade celebration.Contact us if you can bake. Susan Kaplan kaplandesign@comcast.net or Bethann Kalt bethann933@aol.com .
Drop off on Tuesday, March 22, We are wrapping up the baked goods in the PTSA office from 8 - 2 that day. Late baked donations will be welcomed on Wednesday or Thursday. Volunteers are still needed to work the sale.
SPRING CONFERENCES
Conferences will be held on Wednesday, 3/23 and Thursday, 3/24 from 1-4 PM and 5-8 PM both days. Parents of 3-6 grade students should sign up for a conference time on the sheets posted outside of the teachers’ classroom doors. The 5/6 Math teachers will be in the Media Center from 7:45 AM to 10:30 AM on 3/24 if your child has a math teacher who is not a part of their core team.
The 7/8 teachers will be available in the cafeteria. We hope to all of you there!
As some of our teachers work part time at BCS and part time in other buildings, their conference schedule will be adjusted to allow them to see all of their families. Please refer to the chart below for information on these days/times. We hope to all of you there!
| TEACHER | WEDNESDAY, 3/23 | THURSDAY, 3/24 |
| Mrs. Boudreau | 1:00-4:00, 5:00-8:00 PM | -- |
| Ms. Bultynck | 5:30-7:30 PM | 1:30-3:00 PM |
| Mr. Krempa | 6:30-8:00 PM | 3:00-4:00 PM |
| Mr. Rodgerson | 5:00-8:00 PM | 1:00-5:00, 6:00-8:00 PM |
LOST and FOUND
During conferences, the lost and found will be put out on tables in front of the media center. We have a huge number of items that have been forgotten so PLEASE set aside a few minutes to look through the lost and found. You may even find an item that you didn’t know was missing! All lost and found items that are not picked up will be donated to the BPS garage sale before spring break. Remember, it is always a good idea to put your child’s name on all possessions, including clothing.
CHOICE HOUR INFORMATION
Choice Hour reminders – please call (248-203-4625), send in a note, or email Linda Stone at ls06bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us if your child is going to be absent from Choice Hour for any reason! Students that do not have Choice Hour on any given day need to be picked up by 3:20 PM. Students that do not have a Choice Hour class and are not picked up by 3:30 PM will be charged a $5.00 fee.
Thank you for always supporting the Choice Hour program!
BCS SCHOOL STORE
The school store will close at the end of 3rd Quarter and will re-open 2nd Quarter of the 2011-2012 school year. Thank you for your patronage! Thank you also to Dawn Walton and her team of students for all of their hard work. If you would like to assist with managing the store during choice hour next year, please contact Gina Herdegen at royalherd@comcast.net or Dawn Walton at dawnanderic@sbcglobal.net
PTSA BUDGET NEWS
We need YOU to help determine next year's operating budget. March 24 at 1 PM in the PTSA Office. Everyone is welcome. No Experience Necessary! Contact your PTSA Co-Chairs with any questions.
BCS PTSA VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Please Nominate BCS PTSA Volunteer of the Year. Each year the BCS PTSA recognizes a volunteer who has committed time and effort on behalf of the BCS Community. Nomination should be emailed to PTSA Co-Chairs marnie@lewbel.net & royalherd@comcast.net. We will present all names submitted and vote at the April 14 PTSA Meeting.
CARTOON CLASS DURING CONFERENCE WEEK REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.COMMUNITYED.NET CLICK ON COURSES (ON THE LEFT), CLICK ON YOUTH, CLICK ON AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES.
Neal Levin’s Learn to Draw Cartoons
- Wednesday afternoon, March 23, 2011
- BCS Gym, 12 noon-1:30 p.m.
- Open to Grades 3-8
- $17 includes lunch supervision
- Bring your lunch
“RACE TO NOWHERE” FILM SCREENING AT SEAHOLM
Join the Birmingham Community for a special viewing and discussion of
“Race to Nowhere”
Tuesday, March 22, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Seaholm High School Auditorium
“Race to Nowhere”
Tuesday, March 22, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Seaholm High School Auditorium
COVINGTON TECHNOLOGY CELEBRATION (CTC) THURSDAY, MAY 19TH, 2011.
The Covington Technology Celebration is an opportunity to showcase the work of BCS students in all of the subject areas. Exhibits can reflect work done in class or as a special project. Past and present projects or displays are welcome from competitions, groups or individuals. There is no judging of “entries”, as this is not a traditional Science Fair. We want to see all types of 21st century learning and problem solving. Get ready for the CTC! More info to come...
lan@aol.com
THINKING ABOUT SPRING BREAK
A Staycation Means Fun! Spring Recess Camps are being held on April 4 – 8, 2011 at West Maple Elementary School.
There are two different programs to choose from! High Touch High Tech Science Camp (grades K – 5; register each day individually or for all 5 days) or
Alpha Wolf Hoopmania Basketball Camp (grades 2 – 8; 5 day program)
Register on-line at www.communityed.net or call 248-203-3800.
BPS African American Family Network monthly meeting.
March 21st - 7:00-8:30 pm
Joint meeting with parents and students - open to entire district. Agenda includes Saturday school at Berkshire updates, Mentoring opportunities, update on Groves black student organization, guest speaker is Dr. Jay Marks who will have a conversation with parents on effective strategies on closing the "Achievement Gap".
Groves Junior Varsity and Varsity Pom Pon Try outs:
Open Gyms:
Mon. 3/28 6:30 - 8:00pm
Wed 3/30 6:30 - 8:00pm
Thu. 3/31 6:30 - 8:00pm
Mon 4/11 6:30 - 8:00pm
Try-Outs clinics:
Tues 4/12 6:30 - 8:30pm
Wed 4/13 6:30 - 8:30pm
Thu 4/14 6:30 - 8:30pm
Fri 4/15 6:30 - 8:30pm
Try-outs:
Saturday 4/16 starts at 9:00am
Results will be posted by 8pm.
All 8th graders planning on attending Groves and all current Groves girls can try out for Fall of 2011. Try outs are this spring. Open gym is an opportunity to learn the skills and moves for Pom. All will be held at Groves Pom Dance Studio.
Try-out Clinics is where you will learn your routine that you will do at the tryout on Saturday.
Any questions please contact Marybeth Wehbe, Booster President atmb7301@cmomcast.net.
BIRMINGHAM EDUCATION ANNUAL GARAGE SALE
The Birmingham Education Foundation's annual garage sale will be held Saturday, April 16 at Berkshire Middle School from 9 am to 3 pm, with early entry at 8 am for $1. Proceeds benefit programs throughout the school district.
Donation drop off at Berkshire:
Thursday, April 14 from 4 to 8 pm
Friday, April 15 from 10 am to 7 pm
Donations appreciated:
Clothing, furniture, toys, books, sports and exercise equipment, electronics, small appliance, pet, garden, and household items.
Tax forms available.
Questions or to volunteer please contact Jane Polan at 248 626-2231 or J5Po
CHOICES, 2011
Birmingham Bloomfield Coalition, Youth Action Board (YAB) annual student-led dialogue day, CHOICES, 2011 - Tuesday, March 22 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., at the Doyle Center, 7237 Wing Lake Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. Judge Diane D'Agostini of the 48th District Court and Dr. Drew Georgeson, Board Certified Surgeon. RSVP directly to Kelly Michaud, Youth Program Coordinator at kmichaud@bbcoalition.org.
Help Keep Our Youth Safe & Substance Free. Visit www.bbcoalition.org to make a secured contribution to support the Coalition’s efforts. Our Mission: To raise awareness and mobilize the entire community to prevent the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, with a primary focus on our youth!
KID'S HELPING KIDS 4TH ANNUAL 0NE, TWO & THREE MILE WALK
Sunday, May 1 - Dr. David Larson and his wife are the Grand Marshalls and supported by Birmingham Public Schools and Bloomfield Hills Schools. For info: www.kidshelpingkidswalk.com
LONGEST LEMONADE STAND | GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
Beverly Park - Saturday, August 20th, 2011, which also happens to be National Lemonade Day in the United States. Objectives: Provide an engaging learning experience for kids, Galvanize the community, Raise funds for education. To get involved: email lemonade@lieblergroup.com or call 313-832-4376
Please visit our website www.gnotes.com/aafn
Location: Groves Staff Planning Room
GETTING GREEN WITH THE RED WINGS
In honor of our BCS "Green" practices, DTE Energy and the Detroit Red Wings would like to invite our families to the FIRST EVER "DTE Energy Go Green Night" at Joe Louis Arena! Save $32 per ticket package as you watch the Red Wings take on the St. Louis Blues on March 30th at 7:30 PM. Ticket packages include a Dearborn Hot Dog or Slice of Little Caesar's Pizza and a Pop! There will also be a "Going Green" T-Shirt give-away for the first 5,000 fans. DTE Energy will also have information booths, raffles and prizes, and information during the game on how to be more sustainable! Tickets can only be ordered by clicking https://www.formstack.com/forms/?1039243-S1whlNKunt. Groups of 20 or more will receive an additional discount on ticket prices as well as recognition on the video screen for being "Green". Additional questions can be sent to: Justin Price at (313) 394-7154 or Justin.Price@Hockeytown.com.
COMMUNITY EVENT IN BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP
Bloomfield Township is again inviting neighborhood associations, school and community groups and residents to participate in the sixth annual Clean Sweep weekend on April 16th. Attached is the flyer for our event.
The Clean Sweep program is designed to spruce up the right-of-way areas near safety paths, throughout neighborhoods and at the entrances to subdivisions within the Township. The event is a great way to get kids involved in conservation and for students to earn community service hours.
To participate, students are asked to register with the Department of Public Works by filling out the volunteer sign up sheet on the township website www.bloomfieldtwp.org or by calling (248) 594-2800.
If you have any questions please let me know. Please be advised our office is closed on Fridays.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kimberly Sasser
Bloomfield Township DPW
ksasser@bloomfieldtwp.org (248)-594-2800 ph (248)-594-2810 fax M-Th 7AM to 5:30PM (Closed Fridays)
Elementary Science Olympiad
On Saturday, March 19th, thirty 4th and 5th grade students from BCS competed against eighteen teams at West Maple Elementary. The team worked hard and had a fantastic time. The following students brought home awards for their event.
1st Place
Tennis Ball Catapult – Lee Braisted, Nolan Grout & Alex Roma
2nd Place
Starry Starry Night – Zoha Siddiqui & Emma Lucken
Water Rockets – Ariana Afrakhteh, Fatimah Zeni & Kate Adams-Boone
Wildlife Safari – Jessica Fisher, Aliya Hakim & Ariana Afrakhteh
6th Place
Circuit Wizardry – Lee Braisted & Nolan Grout
Mystery Architecture – Claire Riddell & Susan Holtan
Tennis Ball Catapult – Max Cooper, Henry Diehl & Nate Reckker
Water Rockets – Emma Lucken, Zoha Siddiqui & Leila Owens
Overall, BCS Team 2 placed 4th in the Competition!!
GREAT JOB COBRAS!
***Girls Soccer informational meeting tomorrow at lunch, starting promptly at 12:45 in room 70, for any girls that are interested. The meeting will only take about ten minutes.***
Dear BCS,
This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Birmingham Education Foundation Annual Bash. The theme for this year was “From the heART” and it was a truly wonderful (not to mention sold out) event. It was nice to see many of our families there, all dressed up and ready to celebrate for a great cause. The BEF is such a tremendous support for our students and it was so nice to see so many giving back. From the attendees to the many amazing sponsors and donors and the student works displayed at the tables and in the entertainment, it was evident that this group reaches so many throughout the community in an effort to support our students. It was very nice to be able to have the opportunity to celebrate, fundraise, and to say “thank you” to the BEF for all of their support through the years.
When leaving the Bash, I began to think about the upcoming Blast that we will be having in just about a month. This is another way for us to celebrate together, do a bit of fundraising, and to say “thank you” to our supporters at BCS. As this will be my first official Blast as a part of the BCS family, I am really looking forward to it and want to take this opportunity to say “thank you” in advance to all of the volunteers who are working so hard to make sure that this Blast is the best ever. I cannot wait to see each and every one of you there for this Blastastic event!
Have a G.E.E.K.ed Week and a Happy Valentine's Day,
Patricia
WEEK AT A GLANCE – February 14-18, 2011
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
Ø To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email mz07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us MIDNIGHT THURSDAY
Monday, February 14
· LAST DAY OF THE FOOD DRIVE
· 6:45-8:00AM 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
Valentine Day Celebration Schedule:
· 12:45-1:30PM 3/4 Valentine’s Party
· 2:00-3:00PM 5/6 Valentine’s Party
· 2:10-3:15PM 7/8 Valentine’s Party
· Choice Hour changes go into effect today
· 4:15-5:30PM 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
· 4:15PM – BCS Boys Swim vs Cranbrook at Home
Tuesday, February 15
· 6:35-8:00 AM Boys Swim Practice
· 8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
· 3:15-4:00PM – School store is open in the main hallway during choice hour
· 3:30-8:30PM SNOW CLUB bus leaves for Pine Knob. Students return to BCS at 8:30PM and need to be picked up
· 4:00PM Covington 7th Grade Girls Volleyball vs Derby White @ Derby White
· 5:00PM Covington 8th Grade Girls Volleyball vs Derby White @ Derby White
· 7:00PM Board of Education Meeting – Administration Building
· 7:00PM BBFA @ the Gary M. Doyle Center, “Listening Skills for Parents”
Wednesday, February 16
· 6:45-8:00AM 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
· Battle of the Books
· POPCORN Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
· 4:15-5:30PM 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
· 4:15PM – BCS Boys Swim vs Derby at Home
· 6:30PM Technology Committee Meeting – Media Center
Thursday, February 17
· COMMUNITY RECYCLING EVENT ALL DAY-See Green team note below
· 6:35-8:00 AM Boys Swim Practice
· 4:00PM Covington 7th Grade Girls Volleyball vs Berkshire Black @ Berkshire Black
· 5:00PM Covington 8th Grade Girls Volleyball vs Berkshire Black @ Berkshire Black
· 6:30-8:00PM – 3rd thru 8th Grade Proud Dad’s Baseball
Friday, February 18 – Mid Winter Recess Begins @ 4:05PM
· 6:35-8:00 AM Boys Swim Practice
· 6:45-8:00AM 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
· 7:00-8:00AM 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice
· Trash Free Friday
· Lunchtime - Proud Dad’s Eat & Run – Please get a nametag at the sign-in table and join your child for lunch in the cafeteria during the normal lunchtime.
Lunchtimes: 3/4 - 11:00 – 11:40 AM
5/6 – 11:55 – 12:35 PM
7/8 – 12:35 – 1:15 PM
· 4:00 PM-Deadline to make Teacher Requests-see family email dated 2/8/2011 for details
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SCROLL TO THE END OF THE WAG FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY and COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
Ø Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday –Baked Potato Bar w/Chili & Cheese (may substitute Broccoli), Steamed Broccoli, Fresh Garden Salad, BBQ Chicken Pizza
Tuesday –Chicken Parmesan, Toasted Garlic Bread, Glazed Carrots, Cheese Quesadilla
Wednesday –Chicken or Vegetable Stir Fry, Fried Rice, Oriental Blend Vegetables, Supreme Pizza
Thursday – Baked Chicken Nuggets, Au Gratin Potatoes, California Blend, Zesty Beef Burrito
Friday –Texas Grilled Cheese or Grilled Ham & Cheese, Cup of Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup, Caesar Salad, Meat Lover’s Pizza
NEWS FROM THE GREEN TEAM
The flyer for our hard drive shredding and E-waste recycling event on Thursday should have come home with the students last week. Please feel free to recycle these by posting them at your local library, grocery store etc. The Thinking Green students really think of this as a community service to prevent toxic chemicals entering a landfill and they would love the whole community to have the chance to participate-so spread the word to friends and neighbors!!
If you are not getting a hard drive shredded you can send your E-waste recycling into school with your children, there will be collection bins inside school for them to deposit electronics. The list of acceptable items is below-please remember to wipe any contact lists or messages from your cell phones and thanks again for supporting the efforts our of Green Team!
cell phones, empty laser and inkjet cartridges, laptops, iPods, PDAs, video games & consoles, scientific graphing calculators, digital cameras, DVDs and GPS devices.
2011 INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY INVITATIONAL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD RESULTS On Saturday, February 5th, our Middle School Science Olympiad Team competed against 22 schools from around the state. We came in 2nd place overall! The kids showed great team spirit and worked hard. The following students took home medals: 1st Place Awesome Aquifer – Hannah D. & Will T. Compute This – Aaron L. & Noah S. Dynamic Planet – Hannah D. & Will T. Ecology Hannah D & Aaron L. Experimental Design – Adam S., Maria R. & Alison J. Solar System – Hannah D. & Aaron L. Storm the Castle – Bogdan M. & Bryce O. 2nd Place Anatomy – Nadia H. & Noah S. Meteorology – Bryce O. & Adam S. Ornithology – Nitin K. & Bogdan M. Road Scholar – Don R. & Adam S. 3rd Place Shock Value – Nitin K. & Bogdan M. The following students took home ribbons: 4th Place Can’t Judge a Powder – Hannah D. & Will T. 6th Place Fossils – James R. & Don R. Storm the Castle – Jacob A. & Chandler R. 7th Place Disease Detectives – Michael K. & Maria R. Optics – Michael K. & Noah S. Write-It Do-It – Bryce O. & James R. ATHLETICS UPDATES Swim and volleyball pictures were taken this past Friday. If your student forgot his/her envelope to order pictures, please be sure to either mail the order to the Visual Sports Network address on the envelope or drop it off in the BCS office for Mrs. Chinn. CALLING ALL LEGOS 3/4 Engage is in need of Legos for our next project! We have some very specific pieces that we need, and if you have any of these that you no longer need at home, we’d be glad to put them to use. See the attached list for the pieces we need. Donations can be given to Mrs. Truesdell in the Media Center. Thank you http://engage.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us/file/view/LEGORequest.pdf WEST MAPLE SHUTTLE There have been some issues of safety with the West Maple shuttle pick up to BCS and students running through the parking lots to get into the bus. Transportation would like to remind all families using this shuttle to please drop off your child 5 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time and have them wait on the sidewalk to board the bus. This will hopefully avoid any students running through the parking lot when the bus arrives to pick-up. NEWS FROM THE 8TH GRADE CELEBRATION COMMITTEE Purchase Your “Geeked To Eat” Dining Cards today! By purchasing a “Geeked to Eat” Discount Dining Card for only $15 you will not only be supporting our own BCS graduating students but you will also be saving yourself 25% off your total food bill at participating restaurants when used Monday thru Thursday. This is an excellent value. The more often you use your card the more money you will save! So Get "Geeked to Eat"! Our gracious participating restaurants include Zazio's, Beau Jacks, Salvatore Scallopini (Birmingham), East Side Marios, Phoenicia and Big Rock Chop House. What a great excuse for Mom not to cook or to treat a teacher or friend to dinner! These discount cards will be valid from Feb.15, 2011 through March 15, 2011. Offer details and Order form are available on the BCS website. To order put the form in an envelope marked “GEEKED to EAT” and indicate student or postal delivery. Look for a table at athletic events and at Proud Dads “Eat and Run” VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The BCS PTSA is looking for volunteers to coordinate a BCS Box Tops effort and to manage our existing Market Day program for the 2011-2012 school year. Without parent participation, we will be unable to support these programs next year. If you (or someone you know) are interested in getting involved and willing to offer your fellow BCS parents a service that generates revenue for our school, please contact Gina Herdegen or Marnie Lewbel, PTSA Co-Chairs, at ptsachair@bcsonline.info. Thank you! !!!BLAST NEWS!!! !!!BLAST NEWS!!! !!!BLAST NEWS!!! !!!BLAST NEWS!!! !!!BLAST NEWS!!! Attention all BCS families, the BLAST PRIZE ROOM needs you to CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS!!We are currently looking for any unopened games and gadgets, toys or trinkets that you would like to get rid of for our Blast Prize room. Maybe you have a stash of never opened toys or "just in case" gifts or gift cards taking up way too much space in your closet. What a great way to do some house cleaning! Kids will be able to "purchase" these items in the Prize room with the tickets they win at the Blast. Just bring it to the big box outside the office starting this Monday Feb 7 and we will collect and distribute to the Blast prize room. Anything we do not use will be delivered to a local children's charity. The Blast carnival committee thanks you BIRMINGHAM EDUCATION ANNUAL GARAGE SALE The Birmingham Education Foundation's annual garage sale will be held Saturday, April 16 at Berkshire Middle Schoolfrom 9 am to 3 pm, with early entry at 8 am for $1. Proceeds benefit programs throughout the school district. Donation drop off at Berkshire: Thursday, April 14 from 4 to 8 pm Friday, April 15 from 10 am to 7 pm Donations appreciated: Clothing, furniture, toys, books, sports and exercise equipment, electronics, small appliance, pet, garden, and household items. Tax forms available. Questions or to volunteer please contact Jane Polan at 248 626-2231 or J5Polan@aol.com BIRMINGHAM GIRLS’ SOFTBALL LEAGUE REGISTRATION Birmingham Girls Softball registration is NOW for grades 2-8. Applications are due February 14th, and evaluations begin March 6th, and March 13th. Also, we NEED COACHES!! For more information on email: jima060166@yahoo.comor visit our website at http://www.eteamz.com/Birminghamgirlssoftball INTRODUCTION TO CHEERLEADING GRADES 3-8 Did you know that cheerleading is an MHSAA sport in the State of Michigan? Last year Seaholm reinstituted the sport of cheerleading
FRANKLIN BASEBALL & SOFTBALL LEAGUE – REGISTER ONLINE NOW - www.franklinbaseball.org <http://www.leaguelineup.com/FormPreview.asp?url=franklinbaseball&FormID=55038> Come and join the 900 or so boys and girls who enjoy one of the best local, recreational baseball and softball leagues in the area. Entering its 56thyear the league operates nine divisions, welcoming boys and girls from Kindergarten to 9th grade. Games are played on high quality fields either in or within a few miles of the historic & picturesque Franklin Village. Although the season is short the memories will last a lifetime. Space is limited, Early Registration Deadline is January 16, 2011 Fees: $150 (Tee Ball $105) includes $10 non-refundable registration fee. Post deadline, $25 late fee. No refunds after March 13 Also WANTED Umpires - if you are 13 or older by the time the season starts the league will train and hire you. Experienced umpires are also welcome. Contaco:franklinbaseball@comcast.net, Dean Googasian, President 248-514-4180 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dear Parents,
We had a fantastic day today celebrating the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and diversity as a whole. We would like to thank all of our students and their families that joined us for the packing event at Groves. What a powerful moment it was to look around at all of those people making and packing that food for such a great cause!
I wanted to take a moment in this week’s WAG to introduce a new staff member to our parent community. Starting on Tuesday morning, we will be joined by Ms. Donzella Ballard and she will be assisting us with the parking lot for the morning drop off and the 3:15 pick-up. We have asked that she be sure that students are safely getting to their cars, help to maintain the flow of traffic in the circle, and assist with overall safety issues.
This year we have had several reports of cars parked in the circle, students crossing in front of moving cars to get to their ride, cars parked in the handicap spaces, and generally unsafe conditions for our students. It is our goal to make sure that all members of our community are safe while here at BCS! I want to thank you in advance for helping to welcome Ms. Ballard and helping her as she works to make our drop-off and pick-up a safe experience for everyone.
Have a G.E.E.K.ed Week,
Patricia
November 28, 2010
November 21, 2010
Dear BCS Community,
The BCS open house is in one week! Opening our doors to the community is very important to us and there are many people to thank before the big day. Two BCS team members have taken the lead and many others are working hard to make the 2010 open house a success. Sue Reepmeyer and Cindy Balicki, our two CSO’s, have done an exceptional job getting everything ready for next Sunday. Sue, having done this for the last sixteen years, continues to hold BCS near and dear to her heart. Retiring last year, Sue decided to come back on a part time basis and works thirteen hours per week. Her dedication to BCS, and her determination to do her part in maintaining our excellent programs, continues to help set BCS apart.
Cindy, hired this fall, covers the remaining hours for our CSO position. Cindy has done a great job continuing to support our quality programs while bringing new and innovative ideas to the position. Cindy has been a part of the BCS team as a parent and volunteer and now has taken on a larger role. We are fortunate to have both wonderful people on our team.
Cindy and Sue are not alone! Our custodial staff continues to walk the grounds and make sure our facility is top notch. Their attention to detail makes BCS one of the cleanest schools I have ever worked in or visited. Many of our teachers will set aside other commitments on their Sunday afternoon and come help make the open house a true learning experience for the families that attend. Their knowledge of what makes BCS a great place to be will help educate perspective families on what it means to be G.E.E.K.ed. Our team of teachers, custodians, office staff, support staff, food specialists, and many other key players will once again work together to make BCS shine!
In true BCS fashion, while the adults play an important role in preparing for and running the open house, it is the BCS students that steal the show. Our student ambassadors provide tours for families and are ready to answer any questions that are thrown their way. The conversations between our students and the families they are guiding is what sells BCS. They provide the opportunity for our perspective families to see BCS through the eyes of our “customers”. While the staff can paint a picture of the daily routines for our visitors, people appreciate the honest, detailed description provided by the students. Parents want to see that the choice to send their children to BCS is the right choice. After spending an hour with our students, it becomes very clear, BCS is a great place to be!
I would like to thank all of you that have or will assist with our open house next Sunday, December 5th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Your dedication to BCS is a key reason our open house is so successful each year!
G.E.E.K.ed (Global Education Engaging Kids),
Adam
November 21, 2010
Dear BCS Community,
Even though we hear it all of the time, I have to start this W.A.G. by saying, “I can’t believe how fast time passes us by.” It is already the end of November and the snow will be flying soon! Many of us will be spending time with family and friends over the course of this upcoming break and hopefully taking time to reminisce about the people and the opportunities in our lives we are thankful for. Our lives are fast paced and while we should step back and enjoy the moment, it is often difficult to make it a habit. Sometimes we need a break from the daily grind, a family member, or a friend to remind us just how fortunate we are in life. Hopefully this W.A.G. will help serve that purpose.
My mother would always make me and my siblings say what we were thankful for while we sat and ate Thanksgiving dinner with our family. My sister always had amazing things to say and it always ended with her describing how she was thankful for my parents. My two brothers and I would roll our eyes and make fun of her for “kissing up” to mom and dad! The boys in the family would say something funny, or at least try to be funny, and would never take the question seriously. We were too cool.
Years passed but we continued to gather for Thanksgiving dinner with my parents. Boyfriends and girlfriends would join us and eventually turn to a husband and wives. Before we knew it, each year seemed to bring more guests to the table as my siblings and I had children. Our family of six turned into a family of twenty-two, but the question was always asked, “What are you thankful for?” My sister continued to “kiss up” and my brothers and I continued to act younger than our own children. That all changed.
My father was diagnosed with cancer one summer and it hit all of us like a ton of bricks. It was aggressive and was in a late stage. Many of you have experienced the gut wrenching feeling that comes over us when we hear news like this about a loved one. Five weeks of radiation and two surgeries later, it was becoming clear that he was winning the fight! Now he is cancer free and is as healthy as ever.
Thanksgiving was different that year. My mother asked the question all of us expected, “What are you thankful for?” My sister said her usual, but my brothers and I did not roll our eyes this time. All of us had something to say that day and we meant every word. That question was no longer taken for granted. We all have moments in life that we would like to rewind and do over, that is what makes life so amazing. While we cannot press rewind, we can continue to learn and try harder over and over again. My brothers and I know that we are fortunate every year we get to do Thanksgiving all over again with my father. In fact, my mother doesn't ask the question anymore, she doesn't have to! Happy Thanksgiving!
G.E.E.K.ed about learning and trying harder,
Adam
.WEEK AT A GLANCE – November 22-26, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
- To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us by TUESDAY 7AM
Monday, November 22
- 6:45-8:00AM - Boys basketball team practice
- 11:30-2:30PM - 8th graders visit Seaholm High School-students need to bring a sack lunch
- 3:15-5:00PM – Girls swim team practice
- 3:15PM Alice in Wonderland, Jr. audition call backs – report to cafeteria
- 3:20PM Boys Basketball Parent Meeting
Tuesday, November 23
- 6:35-8AM – Girls swim team practice
- 6:45-8:00AM - Boys basketball team practice
- 8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
- 12:00-2:00PM - 8th graders visit Groves High School-students need to bring a sack lunch
- 3:00-3:45 - Market Day orders to be picked up in the entrance hallway
- 3:15-4:00PM – School store is open during choice hour
Wednesday, November 24- Friday, November -No School-HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday – Italian Sausage & Pepper Sandwich on Wheat Bun, Potato Salad, Corn, Zesty Beef Burrito
Tuesday – Classic Roast Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Wheat Dinner Roll, Meat Lovers Pizza
"Together We Can....."
The BCS PTSA would like to invite all students to submit an entry for the 2010 - 2011 Reflections program. The upcoming Thanksgiving break is a perfect opportunity for students to work on an entry incorporating the theme "Together We Can....". Entries are accepted in the following categories - visual arts, musical composition, photography, dance, literature, and film. Entries will need to be submitted at BCS in early January, exact date to be determined. Rules and entry forms can be downloaded from bcsonline.info .
ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS
The 8th Grade Celebration Committee is looking for a Professional Photographer (or Photo Enthusiast) who can take pictures at the various sporting events throughout the year. The pictures will be included in the 8th Grade Celebration DVD. If interested or for questions, please contact Peggy Kassab at peggykassab@gmail.com
GROVES VOLLEYBALL CLINIC
Groves High School is running a volleyball clinic for students in grades 5 thru 8 on Saturday, December 4, 2010 from 1:00-4:30PM. Cost is $40.00 if you pre-register and $50.00 for walk-in (includes a T-shirt and light snack). Please send registration form & check (made out to Groves Volleyball Boosters) to:
Groves Volleyball Clinic, 41635 Tera Lane, Novi, MI 48375. Inquiries: contact Coach Peter Lau at 248-219-8639 or vbcoachlau@yahoo.com .
FALL INTO BIRMINGHAM
Fall into Birmingham is about raising money for our community's educational, athletic and charitable organizations and keeping those dollars in our local economy. We have enjoyed many prosperous years with our local businesses generously supporting our programs without question. A strong local economy readily translates into stable home values and is very attractive to new businesses looking for a profitable location. For $35 you can purchase a card to support the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition and save 20% while you shop downtown! Please visit the site listed here to learn more: www.fallintobirmingham.com
3rd Marking Period Report Card
Please note that report cards will NOT be sent home for the 3rd Marking Period. BCS is on the elementary schedule this year for card markings and will be participating in student-led conferences. Grades will be available through Powerschool. Report cards WILL be sent home after the 2nd and 4th Marking Periods.
Speak Up Survey
We now have over 100 parents that have participated in the Speak Up Survey conducted by Project Tomorrow. Please visit http://adamhartleybcs.blogspot.com/ for more information. It is essential that your voice is heard when it comes to technology integration!
New Parent Wiki
Parents- How would you like to use the tools your children are using to build a learning community that shares the same G.E.E.K.ed mindset we hope all of our students embrace?
Visit http://geekedmindsetforparents.wikispaces.com/ and click the “join this wiki” button. Once you are accepted, go to the Growth vs Fixed mindset page and complete activity #1.
November 14, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
I have a few G.E.E.K.ed (Global Education Engaging Kids) items to discuss this week:
Wiki page
In the spirit of being G.E.E.K.ed, I have created a wiki page for us to post articles, videos, and most importantly discussion forums. These forums can be used to discuss various topics on education and allow us, the adults, to practice what we expect our students to do...become global learners!
Please visit my blog at http://adamhartleybcs.blogspot.com/ where you will find a video showing how to access the G.E.E.K.ed mindset wiki page. In the video, I show you how to become a member and explain our first “assignment”!!
Last month’s lunch with the principal proved to be beneficial when we had an opportunity to read an article, share our thoughts, and connect it to our daily lives. I am hoping this wiki page creates an environment where parents can stay abreast of educational issues, have an opportunity to discuss these issues, and use the very tools their children are using at BCS!
China
I have an amazing opportunity to practice what I preach regarding a G.E.E.K.ed mindset! The Confucius Institute from Michigan State has invited me, along with sixteen other educators from Michigan and Illinois, to visit Beijing, China. The week long trip, paid for by the Confucius Institute, includes opportunities to visit schools in Beijing and Chongqing. I will also discuss educational topics with local business personnel and higher education faculty.
I will be away from BCS from Dec 2nd-9th. I want to make sure my time in China will benefit BCS and our community. While I know many BCS families have visited or lived in China, we have many students that have never made the long flight overseas. I will be posting blog posts, pictures, and videos to my blog while I am there. I will also be connecting to a few classrooms via Skype! I have asked the staff and students to email me questions they would like me to ask while I am on this amazing journey and hope to make it worthwhile for everyone!
Time vs Achievement
Look around schools and everything about them is defined by time. We start at a certain time and end at a certain time. Our classes are framed by time and we eat lunch at a certain time. School calendars consist of four marking periods, semesters or trimesters, and run from September to June. Students have a specific number of weeks to achieve a specific number of goals. Time is our constant in education while achievement is our variable. Father Time holds an enormous amount of power in education!
What if we looked at achievement as our constant and time as our variable? What would happen if time was fluid, flexible and used to focus on the constant factor of learning?
Being G.E.E.K.ed means we are using our time more wisely. While making sustainable changes in education to make time the constant factor would be an enormous undertaking by both the state and federal government, we can make small changes within our schools.
BCS continues to look at time vs achievement in order to allow our students to grow at their own pace. This is never an easy task when we are operating in an educational system within the state that places time on the forefront. We have taken measures to make the best use out of our time and to place achievement on top of our priority list.
Our multi-age classrooms are a great example of how we are pushing back against time and allowing students to work at a more fluid, autonomous pace. Our classrooms allow teachers to focus on achievement rather than time constraints set out by state and federal regulations. While rigor and relevance are still present, time can take a back seat!
Continuing actions, large or small, that move away from the status quo, will continue to fuel the movement to move education into the 21st century.
Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
Tomorrow is America Recycles Day!!
http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ARD_Overview
WEEK AT A GLANCE – November 15-19, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
• To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us by FRIDAY 7AM
Monday, November 15 – REPORT CARDS RELEASED FOR MARKING PERIOD 1
• 6:45-8:00AM Boys Basketball team tryouts
• 3:15-5:00PM – Girls swim team practice
• 5:15-5:45 BCS Girls Swim Team Parent Meeting
Tuesday, November 16 – BOOK FAIR PREVIEW – MEDIA CENTER
• 6:35-8AM – Girls swim team practice
• 6:45-8:00AM - Boys Basketball team tryouts
• 8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
• 3:15-4:00PM – School store is open in the main hallway during choice hour
• 7:00PM BBFA @the Gary M. Doyle Center, “Eating Disorder”
• 7:00PM Board of Education Meeting – Administration Building
Wednesday, November 17
• 6:45-8:00AM - Boys Basketball team tryouts
• 8:00AM Snow Club Applications being accepted
• 8:30AM-8:00PM Book Fair in Media Center during conferences
• 3:15-5:00PM – Girls swim team practice
• 5-8:00PM CONFERENCES – Students attend full day
• POPCORN Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
Thursday, November 18 –
• BCS 8TH grade high school visit permission slips due (HOMEROOM TEACHER)
• 6:35-8AM – Girls swim team practice
• 6:45-8:00AM - Boys Basketball team tryouts
• HALF DAY – Students dismissed at 11:20AM
• 8:30AM-8:00PM Book Fair in Media Center during conferences
• 9:00AM BCS Special Education Coffee with Mr. Hartley, Ms. Kelly Lovik - Executive Director, and Wendy Albanese - Supervisor
• 1-4:00PM CONFERENCES
• 5-8:00PM CONFERENCES
• 5-8:00PM Technology Exploration Open House, Career Expo-Oakland Schools, Technical Campus S.E., 5055 Delemere, Royal Oak
• Market Day Orders Due
Friday, November 19
• Trash Free Friday
• 3:15PM 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Students - Auditions for Alice In Wonderland-Cafeteria
• 6:35-8AM – Girls swim team practice
• 6:45-8:00AM - Boys Basketball team tryouts
Saturday, November 20
• Jingle Bell Run
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
• Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday –Bacon Cheese Burger, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Green Beans, BBQ Chicken Pizza
Tuesday – Beef Burrito or Chicken Quesadilla, Refried Beans, Mexi-Corn, Vegetarian Pizza
Wednesday – Choice of White or Wheat Penne Pasta with meat or Marinara Sauce, Hot Breadstick, Carrots, Cheese Quesadilla
Thursday – ½ Day of School No Lunch Service
Friday – Grilled Turkey or Corned Beef Reuben, Baked Potato Rounds, California Blend Vegetables, Chicken Enchilada
NOTES:
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Mr. Johansson’s PE classes will be swimming during the 2nd Quarter. (Mr. Manchester’s PE classes will be swimming during the 3rd quarter.) Would the following classes please be sure to bring swim suits, goggles, towels, etc.?
PE Elective 7th
PE Elective 8th
PE Concepts
Fitz/Mali 5th & 6th graders
Brown/Burdick 5th & 6th graders
Bishop/Cook 6th graders
BCS CONFERENCES
BCS Conferences are on Wednesday, November 17 from 5-8PM and Thursday, Nov. 18 from 1-4 & 5-8 PM. There is a half-day for students on Thursday. Conference sign-up sheets are posted for 3-6th grades. Conferences for 7-8th grades are held in the cafeteria on a first come, first served basis for each teacher.
Schedule for Mr. Rodgerson-Band are in Room 50 on the following dates and times:
Wednesday, November 17 from 5-8:00PM
Thursday, November 18 from 6:30-8:00PM
LEARN TO DRAW CARTOONS!
Students can learn to draw cartoons, even if they are beginners. Neal Levin’s Cartooning Workshop will teach them how through simple instruction and games.
When: Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010
Where: BCS gymnasium
Time: *12:00-1:30pm
Cost: $17 (checks payable to BCS Community Education)
*Lunch supervision will be provided in the cafeteria from 11:20am-12:00pm.
Flyers went home with the students. Please complete the form and return to the office.
Additional flyers are available in the office.
BCS 8TH GRADE HIGH SCHOOL VISITS
8th Grade students will be visiting Seaholm on Monday, November 22, 2010 and Groves High School on Tuesday, November 23, 2010. Please have your child return the permission slip to their homeroom teacher by Thursday, November 18, 2010.
GOT CANDY?
Do you have leftover Halloween candy and want to get it out of your house and into the hands of someone who will really appreciate it? Did your child come home with more Halloween candy than they can possibly eat and would like to donate their extra candy to someone in need of a treat? Then, please consider participating in the BCS Halloween Candy Collection taking place over the next two weeks, Monday, November 8th thru Friday, November 19th. Bring your extra Halloween candy (individually wrapped candy or bags of candy are fine) to the office, put it in the collection box, and it will be distributed to Gleaners Food Bank. Questions, please contact Becky Bachand at bachandfamily@att.net. Thank you for your support!
2ND QUARTER CHOICE HOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
2nd Quarter Choice Hour classes begin Monday November 8th. Choice Hour 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 will be Friday November 19th by 4:00 PM. Choice Hour class change request forms will be available in the main office after 4:00 PM on Friday November 12th. Classes with openings will be 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 the new quarter. ALL Choice Hour changes that are approved will go into effect on Monday November 22nd. 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 November 19th. No refunds will be processed after the Friday November 19th 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 at the front desk in the office.
There are still several families that have not returned their student’s QII selection sheets. We understand that you may have sent a selection sheet and payment to school with your child but the choice hour office has not received them.
Choice Hour is not optional! Students are required to attend Choice Hour three days per week. If you are requesting that your child is waived from the Choice Hour program then visit www.bcsonline.info for a waiver form. Waivers require signature approval from Mr. Hartley or Mrs. Chinn.
Thank you for supporting the Choice Hour program!
BCS GARDEN CLUB
BCS is starting a lunchtime garden club and could use your help! We're collecting any garden gloves, small shovels, or other tools that could be used by our 5/6 students. Items don't need to be new...just any extras that are lying around your garage. A collection box is in Mrs. Roberts' room. THANK YOU!
ATTENTION PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS:
Proud Dads is once again sponsoring the ever-popular Snow Club this year! There will not be a lottery this year; students will be accepted on a first come first served basis for 54 spots. Applications will be accepted beginning at 8:00AM on Wednesday, November 17, 2010.
BAKE SALE DURING CONFERENCES:
Calling all bakers! The first bake sale of the year will take place during conferences on November 17th and 18th. We are asking for donations of homemade cookies, brownies, crispy treats, cupcakes, granola, dipped pretzels, etc. We are also looking for donations of water bottles, washed apples and grapes and baby carrots. Don’t worry about individually wrapping your treats. Please drop off your baked goods to the carts located in the front office on Tuesday night, November 16th or first thing in the morning on Wednesday, November 17th.
BAKE SALE STAFFING NEEDED
8th grade parents and students are needed to sell baked goods during conferences in the main hallway and in the cafeteria. Two hour shifts are available are detailed below. Proceeds from the bake sale benefit the 8th Grade graduation celebration. Please email Susan Kaplan at kaplandesign@comcast.net or " bethann933@aol.com if you and your child are able to volunteer.
Time slots available:
Wednesday, Nov. 17: 4:30 – 6:30 & 6:30 – 8:00
Thursday, Nov. 18: 12:30 – 2:30, 2:30 – 4:30, 4:30 – 6:30, 6:30 – 8:00
FALL BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!
If you love books and have 2 hours to spare, please contact Shiva Motlagh (shivamotlagh@comcast.net) to volunteer for the upcoming Fall Book Fair!
If you have an upper class high school student who needs community service hours, we would welcome their help too!
The following times are still available:
Tuesday, November 16 - student preview times - 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Weds. November 17, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm to 4:30pm
Thursday November 18, 11:30 am to 6:30 pm and book fair pack up - 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Helping at the Fair is lots of fun and 25% of the proceeds go directly to the Media Center to buy books, ipods, materials, and furnishings!!
SPECIAL EDUCATION BUILDING COFFEE AT BCS – Thursday, Nov. 18 at 9AM
You are cordially invited to meet with Mr. Hartley and Special Education Administrators, Ms. Kelly Lovik - Executive Director, and Wendy Albanese - Supervisor. Join us for coffee, meet other parents who have students receiving special education services in our building, and ask questions. This is a great opportunity to network within our building community! The coffee is hosted by BCS in collaboration with Friends of Different Learners.
JINGLE BELL RUN
Save the Date! On Saturday, November 20 the Arthritis Foundation will be hosting its 23rd annual Jingle Bell Run. The run will start and finish at BCS. Chris Manchester and BCS Proud Dad’s are working together to get the BCS community involved – their goal is to have 150 members of the BCS community sign-up. To register for the event, go to www.bcsonline.info. If you are interested in helping you can contact David Stone at DSTONE1@US.IBM.COM.
Any student interested in helping out with this event can earn community service hours. Please contact Chris Manchester for more information.
ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS:
The 8th Grade Celebration Committee is looking for a Professional Photographer (or Photo Enthusiast) who can take pictures at the various sporting events throughout the year. The pictures will be included in the 8th Grade Celebration DVD. If interested or for questions, please contact Peggy Kassab at peggykassab@gmail.com
BCS ATHLETICS UPDATES
Please visit the website for more information about Athletics and Proud Dad Sports: http://bcsonline.info/Athletics.html .
Boys basketball try-outs will not start this week as originally stated on the website. Try-outs will start 11/15 at 6:45 AM and will be held all week. The parent meeting for boys that make it onto the team will be held Monday 11/22 at 3:20 PM.
Girls swim season starts on Monday 11/15 at 6:35 AM. Practices will be held Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 6:35-8:00AM and Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15-5:00PM.
CAREER EXPO
Technology Exploration Open House, November 18, 2010 from 5:00-8:00PM at Career Expo – Oakland Schools, Technical Campus S.E., 5055 Delemere, Royal Oak, MI. Students and parents will take advantage of this opportunity to understand how career technical education can help students prepare for college and transition into the world of work.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND, JR. ANNOUNCEMENT
Attention all 6, 7, 8th Grade Students. The BCS PTSA and Project Daydream are excited to announce the 2011 Musical production: Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr. Join Alice’s Madcap adventures in Wonderland!! Audition held on Friday, November 19 at 3:15 in the BCS Cafeteria. Please pick up a packet in the office or in the hallway by the Media Center for more information.
FALL INTO BIRMINGHAM
Fall into Birmingham is about raising money for our community's educational, athletic and charitable organizations and keeping those dollars in our local economy. We have enjoyed many prosperous years with our local businesses generously supporting our programs without question. A strong local economy readily translates into stable home values and is very attractive to new businesses looking for a profitable location. For $35 you can purchase a card to support the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition and save 20% while you shop downtown! Please visit the site listed here to learn more: www.fallintobirmingham.com
Dear Parents,
This week I had the pleasure of attending a day of 5/6 camp with your children. Students had the opportunity to hold snakes and frogs, create art projects and plays, climb the rock wall and the ropes course, and swing through the forest on a zip line. Each of the kids trooped through the trees and swung through the air to push themselves outside of their comfort zone. The level of support given through clapping, cheering, and positive words shouted to each other as some students faced their biggest fears was truly amazing!
Unfortunately, kids are not always this supportive of each other. Sometimes students tease each other by making comments that may be unkind or hurtful. Many of these situations are one or two-time events that while painful, do not reoccur and can be handled through a conversation. In some instances these situations occur again or repeatedly and may require further intervention. There is a difference between a student teasing another and a student being bullied by another student. Teasing can turn into bullying when the behavior is repetitive and is done with the intent to hurt the student.
As parents and educators we encourage the supportive and caring words that we hope our children will use at all times and when they do not, we are scared that they have been hurtful or are being hurt. We need to continue to model for our children those words and behaviors which we want to see from them and encourage acceptance of all people regardless of who they are. When we empower our children to problem solve these situations, including asking for our help when necessary, we give them strength that will stay with them for years to come and allow them to face their fears with confidence.
Have a G.E.E.K.ed week,
Patricia
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
October 31, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
Having a voice can be empowering for people of all ages. BCS firmly believes that by giving our students and their families a voice, we are advocating for a true community school. An environment where all stakeholders have a voice is an environment where true learning occurs.
As principal of BCS, it is both my desire and responsibility to make sure all of you have a voice in framing our vision for the future. I have registered BCS for the Project Tomorrow Speak Up Survey conducted nation wide each year. The survey is created to allow students, staff, and parents to assess the use of technology in schools and will allow us to gauge where we are in comparison to other schools in order to be on the cutting edge. It is essential to gain feedback from our families, and the speak up survey is a great tool to collect the necessary data to move forward.
to access the survey. You will click on the parent tab and use BCS as the secret word. The survey is approximately 25 questions. Our goal is to have every family, parents and students, participate in the survey to give us a clear picture of how we are doing in incorporating technology and what we must focus on in the future. Your results will be included in the nation wide survey but will also be available for us to specifically look at data connected to BCS.
I would like to encourage all of you to participate and thank you in advance for having a voice here at BCS. Our staff and students will be receiving a separate letter to participate. If you have any questions regarding the Speak Up Survey, please contact me atah07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
October 24, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
I spent Saturday at Kettering University to attend TEDx Flint. TEDx is an independently run conference that is connected to TED.com (http://www.ted.com/)
There were 16 speakers that all had some connection to Flint. Some live there now, like Mayor Dayne Walling, or some have moved away and returned to connect with others. The day was filled with excitement, ideas, and a sense of movement toward a sustainable future. The key was that a group of people came together to share ideas and to share their passion.
Out of the 16 main keynote sessions, one really opened my mind to how technology has transformed our lives. This session on technology was different from the normal “look at the cool things technology does”, it touched on not only the capabilities of the technology tools, but the enormous growth that has occurred within communities due to how these tools are used.
This caught my attention since this is exactly the conversations that we have at BCS and it reflects our charge to be G.E.E.K.ed by using the tools we have to connect to a bigger and broader world.
Dr. Steve Livingston, professor of media and public affairs, at George Washington University spoke on how cell phones have transformed communities in 3rd world countries. His work across the globe has helped transform a number of villages that were once remote, to villages that communicate with the outside world. The applications of a mobile phone continues to save lives, assist in building new schools, and continues to benefit everyone within these villages. The examples Dr. Livingston gave showed just how powerful a tool can be when we connect with people that would not be possible without the technology we have now.
Villagers use cell phones to warn of volcanic eruptions and dangerous animals they have spotted near the village. They keep tabs on the number of mosquito nets they have and communicate when they need more. Cell phone technology has TRANSFORMED cultures. Whether it is a cell phone, laptop computer, or an i-pad, it is important that we understand the power we have to transform how and why we do the things we do in educating our students.
It isn't enough to say we have laptops and computer labs for our students. We, the school community, need to continue to grow ourselves and allow the tools that are at our fingertips transform what we are learning, why we are learning, and how we are learning! Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
WEEK AT A GLANCE – October 25-29, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
• To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email nb01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us by FRIDAY 7AM
Monday, October 25 – MEAP TESTING MAKEUP
• 6:45AM Girls Basketball Practice
• 4:05-5:45PM Boys soccer practice
• BCS Car Decal – Cast Your Vote
• District Wide Battle Launch-Monday, October 25, 1010 Battle Team Qualifying Date – TBD based on camp dates District wide.
Tuesday, October 26 – MEAP TESTING MAKEUP
• 7-8:00AM Proud Dads 5/6 Girls Basketball @BCS Gym
• 8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
• 3:15-4:00PM – School store is open in the main hallway during choice hour
• 4:00PM 7th/8th Girls Basketball BHMS @Covington
• 4:00PM 7/8 Boys Soccer game @ Home against Bloomfield Hills MS
• 4:15PM Cross Country Party
• BCS Car Decal – Last Day to Cast Your Vote
• PICTURE RETAKE DAY
Wednesday, October 27 – MEAP TESTING MAKEUP
• 6:45AM Girls Basketball Practice
• Market Day Orders to be Picked Up
• POPCORN Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway
• 10-11:30AM Special Education - Coffee with Administration - Meet with Dr. David Larson – BPS Superintendent, Ms. Kelly Lovik – Executive Director of Special Education and other Central Administrators. Meetings held at the Administration building, 550 W. Merrill. Boardroom BC
• 1:30PM Assembly to celebrate Siemens Challenge
• BCS Winner of Car Decal Contest to be announced
• 4:05-5:45PM Boys soccer practice
Thursday, October 28 – MEAP TESTING MAKEUP
• 7-8:00AM Proud Dads 5/6 Girls Basketball @BCS Gym
• 9-11:00AM 3/4 Parent coffee with Principals
• 12:30-1:15PM Seaholm Leadership Class Partnership Program / G.E.E.K.ed about Leadership
• 4:00PM 7th/8th Girls Basketball Kingswood @Covington
• 4:00PM 7/8 Boys Soccer game Away @ West Hills MS
• 5-6:30PM Proud Dads Co- Ed Flag Football 3-8 @BCS Fields 1,2,3 (not soccer field)
• 7:00-8:00PM 5/6 Overnight Camp Parent Meeting
• 7:30-9:00PM Seaholm Drama Club’s Haunted Theater
Friday, October 29 – MEAP TESTING MAKEUP
• BCS Halloween Activities
• Trash Free Friday
Saturday, October 30
• 6:00-7:00PM Proud Dads Co- Ed Tennis 3-8 @Birmingham Racket Club
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
• Available everyday: Pizza, Hamburgers & Cheeseburger, Chicken Sandwiches, Nachos, Beef Soft Shell Tacos, Freshly made Salads and Sandwiches, Garden Fresh Salad Bar
Monday –Chicken Parmesan Sliders, Potato Wedges, Small Salad, Hawaiian Pizza
Tuesday –Classic Meatball Sub, Steamed Veggies, Parsley Potatoes, Nacho Supreme
Wednesday –Sweet & Sour Chicken, Breaded or Diced Chicken or Vegetarian Egg Roll, Steamed Rice, Fortune Cookie, Chicken Fajita Pizza
Thursday –Grilled Turkey or Corned Beef Reuben, Sweet Potato Fries, Mixed Veggies, Chicken Enchilada
Friday –Creepy Crispy Nuggets or Graveyard Burger, Spider Legs (fries), Earthworm Oreo Devilish Dessert
NOTES:
Apology
BCS Families- Please accept my apology for sending an email a few weeks ago that advertised an event run by a private company. This was a mistake and will not happen again. BCS has, and always will, advertise and encourage participation in BCS and BPS events only. It is not our place, nor our intent, to advertise for businesses. We will continue to do this through our Blast event in the spring.
Please know this was a mistake and that I apologize for any concern this may have caused.- Adam
Handicap Parking
There are number of reports that we have parents parking in handicap parking spaces. Please know that these reports come from other parents but most importantly from our students. BCS strives to be a school of character that shows both respect and empathy. We MUST model this for our students. Thank you for NOT parking in the spaces clearly designated for families with a handicap sticker.
BCS Car Decal Contest **VOTE NOW**
A big thank you to all students who submitted entries for the BCS car decal contest. We're G.E.E.K.ed about your creativity and enthusiasm! Picking our five finalists was not an easy task. It's time to visit www.bcsonline.info to check out our top designs and to cast your vote for the official car decal of BCS. One vote allowed per e-mail address. Students, parents, and staff members are encouraged to participate. Voting ends 10/26/2010.
DIRECTORY CORRECTION
There was an error in the BCS directory. The home phone number for Annette Blitstein should be 248-647-5279.
PARKING LOT REMINDERS
Drop-off: Please remember when dropping off your child in the morning that the west circle by the playground is for busses ONLY.
Pick-up: Please remember when picking up your student after school that the west circle is for busses ONLY. Also, please DO NOT pick-up your child in the space at the front of the building that is marked for handicap accessible parking.
COFFEE WITH ADMINISTRATION
Meet with Dr. David Larson – BPS Superintendent, Ms. Kelly Lovik – Executive Director of Special Education and other Central Administrators. Meetings held at the Administration building, 550 W. Merrill. October 27, 2010, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Boardroom BC
TERRACYCLE
BCS is recycling Caprisun juice pouches and Frito Lay Chip Packets. Collections bins are on the tables in the cafeteria and in the entrance hall. We send these to teracycle. They give BCS 2 cents for every item and they make recycled products with the items. Check out the website for more details- HYPERLINK "http://www.terracycle.net/" \t "_blank" http://www.terracycle.net/
TFF (TRASH FREE FRIDAYS) GOES ON!!!!
Trash Free Fridays will continue this year since it was so successful last year and helped BCS take second place in the National Siemens We Can Change The World Challenge-
http://siemens.discoveryeducation.com/elementary-school/about-challenge/challenge-winners/3-5-winners/
TFF Tips:
Use a lunch box or reusable sack.
Pack a cloth napkin and reusable utensils.
Put food in reusable food and drink containers.
If you must use a disposable plastic bag, wash it out and keep reusing it.
Purchase your snacks in bulk size and repack into individual reusable containers.
Pack fresh fruit since it doesn't require any additional packaging.
RECYCLING
We will no longer be recycling household batteries as the volume we receive is too difficult to recycle. Householders in Birmingham and Beverly Hills can take their batteries to SOCRRA (South Oakland County Resource & Recovery Authority) on Coolidge between 14 and 15 Mile Rds.
The Green Committee will be focusing recycling efforts on one project every few months to try and ensure greater participation and success. This month we launched our Reuse-a-Shoe Campaign. A collection bin is in the entrance hall, so please send in your old athletic shoes. The guidelines are: athletic shoes only; no shoes containing metal; no cleats or dress shoes; and no wet or damp shoes. Our focus for next month will be
The GREEN COMMITTEE thanks you all for your support with each of these efforts!
SEAHOLM DRAMA CLUB
The Seaholm Drama Club will be presenting a Haunted Theater in the Seaholm auditorium on Thursday, Oct 28th from 7:30-9pm This event will be a combination of a show and two haunted houses: one house for ages 5-12 and one for 13 and older. Admission is $5 and parents who accompany their children are free.
JINGLE BELL RUN
Save the Date: On Saturday, November 20 the Arthritis Foundation will be hosting its 23rd annual Jingle Bell Run. The run will start and finish at BCS. Chris Manchester and BCS Proud Dad's will be working together to get the BCS community involved. More information will be provided soon. If you are interested in helping you can contact David Stone at DSTONE1@US.IBM.COM. Any interested students who would like to volunteer and earn community service hours should email Mr. Manchester (cm16bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us) to schedule a time to help out!
ATHLETICS UPDATES
Basketball: Our Lady Cobras took on Country Day and Berkshire Middle Schools last week! The 7th grade played an incredible game to beat Country Day at the last minute and our 8th grade ladies beat cross town rival Berkshire! We finish up our season with 7/8 games on Monday against Bloomfield Hills and an 8th grade game on Thursday against Cranbrook.
Cross Country: Our Cross Country team completed its first official season last week with a 4-way meet against BHMS, OLMS, and Abbott Middle School, the 6th Grade Invitational, and the 7/8 League Meet. Please congratulate these boys and girls on a great inaugural season!!
Soccer: Last week our soccer team took on Country Day both home and away. We will take on Bloomfield Hills and West Hills next week for the final games of the season.
Our next sports season begins 11/15. Please watch the WAG and online (http://bcsonline.info/Athletics.html) for more information about the upcoming Boys Basketball and Girls Swim season as well as upcoming Proud Dads sports opportunities!
SALLY FOSTER IS BACK
BCS offers Sally Foster products as a service to our families. You can place online orders at www.sallyfoster.com. BCS earns 40% of the sales on all gift-wrap, unique gift items, bath & body products, Harry London® gourmet chocolates and Sally’s Home Bakery. To place an order, go to www.SallyFoster.com Input the BCS account # 43930 so our school receives a share of the profit. Free Shipping to your home on orders over $60.00! Order online all year long. Please tell your friends and family members! They can place their own online orders, and BCS will get credit for their purchases, if they enter our BCS account number.
September 19, 2010Dear BCS Families,This weekend we had friends from high school visiting from out of town that we haven't seen in several years. We spent a lot of time reminiscing about the past, sharing funny stories, and lamenting how time went by so fast without our seeing each other and talking about what we can do to make sure that we don't miss out on so much time together in the future. It was comforting to think about all of the great times that we spent together and refreshing to have a plan to be able to see each other more often in the future.Winston Churchill once said, "the farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see." This summer parents and staff took time to come in to share with me some very valuable history about BCS. Having this information has helped me tremendously to be able to work towards a seamless transition to BCS. On Friday Adam and I had an opportunity to reflect with several of our parents during Lunch with the Principal. It was a great opportunity for us to hear from you about your thoughts on the year thus far. As we close out the second week of school, I have been spending some time in reflection mode myself. I have been focusing on the things that have gone very well thus far and reflecting on those things that may require some change to become as successful in the future.Asking ourselves to evaluate the things that we are a part of on a daily basis gives us a chance to make positive growth and move forward. As you sit down to plan for this third week of school, be sure to take time to evaluate and reflect on all of the wonderful things that have been a part of the BCS history. Doing so will give us the opportunity to continue to grow and move forward together!Have a G.E.E.K.ed week!Patricia
September 12, 2010
October 3, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
This week we wrapped up our curriculum nights and other key events for the beginning of the year. The BCS staff would like to thank everyone that attended an event or two (or three) and thank everyone that helped with these important gatherings. I personally, am always amazed at what we can accomplish when we work together. Our curriculum nights were once again a success and our Proud Dad’s annual meeting was a great way to start the year! These events reinforce how important people are to a school’s success.
If you read about education, you find that much of the focus is on the things that make up a quality school or school district. Things, such as technology tools or the curriculum are important and should be paid attention to. Without a rigorous curriculum or the right tools, then delivering a quality education may not be so easy. It’s the people, however, that make the difference.
The events we have hosted at the beginning of the year are important to communicate pertinent information, set the tone for the year, and to allow parents to ask questions. The real benefit though comes from the energy that is always present when a group of people get together for one purpose. The purpose has always been, and will always be, to continue to provide the safest and most creative environment for our students to learn. The only possible way to foster this environment is to continue working together in order to gain perspectives from all stakeholders.
Whether you are a parent at BCS, a staff member, or you are connected in another way, your continued support and energy is needed. Your partnerships will allow us to use our technology, focus on our curriculum, and work together as people to better utilize the things!
Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
October 24, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
I spent Saturday at Kettering University to attend TEDx Flint. TEDx is an independently run conference that is connected to TED.com (http://www.ted.com/)
There were 16 speakers that all had some connection to Flint. Some live there now, like Mayor Dayne Walling, or some have moved away and returned to connect with others. The day was filled with excitement, ideas, and a sense of movement toward a sustainable future. The key was that a group of people came together to share ideas and to share their passion.
Out of the 16 main keynote sessions, one really opened my mind to how technology has transformed our lives. This session on technology was different from the normal “look at the cool things technology does”, it touched on not only the capabilities of the technology tools, but the enormous growth that has occurred within communities due to how these tools are used.
This caught my attention since this is exactly the conversations that we have at BCS and it reflects our charge to be G.E.E.K.ed by using the tools we have to connect to a bigger and broader world.
Dr. Steve Livingston, professor of media and public affairs, at George Washington University spoke on how cell phones have transformed communities in 3rd world countries. His work across the globe has helped transform a number of villages that were once remote, to villages that communicate with the outside world. The applications of a mobile phone continues to save lives, assist in building new schools, and continues to benefit everyone within these villages. The examples Dr. Livingston gave showed just how powerful a tool can be when we connect with people that would not be possible without the technology we have now.
Villagers use cell phones to warn of volcanic eruptions and dangerous animals they have spotted near the village. They keep tabs on the number of mosquito nets they have and communicate when they need more. Cell phone technology has TRANSFORMED cultures. Whether it is a cell phone, laptop computer, or an i-pad, it is important that we understand the power we have to transform how and why we do the things we do in educating our students.
It isn't enough to say we have laptops and computer labs for our students. We, the school community, need to continue to grow ourselves and allow the tools that are at our fingertips transform what we are learning, why we are learning, and how we are learning! Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
October 10, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
I spent Saturday at Kettering University to attend TEDx Flint. TEDx is an independently run conference that is connected to TED.com (http://www.ted.com/)
There were 16 speakers that all had some connection to Flint. Some live there now, like Mayor Dayne Walling, or some have moved away and returned to connect with others. The day was filled with excitement, ideas, and a sense of movement toward a sustainable future. The key was that a group of people came together to share ideas and to share their passion.
Out of the 16 main keynote sessions, one really opened my mind to how technology has transformed our lives. This session on technology was different from the normal “look at the cool things technology does”, it touched on not only the capabilities of the technology tools, but the enormous growth that has occurred within communities due to how these tools are used.
This caught my attention since this is exactly the conversations that we have at BCS and it reflects our charge to be G.E.E.K.ed by using the tools we have to connect to a bigger and broader world.
Dr. Steve Livingston, professor of media and public affairs, at George Washington University spoke on how cell phones have transformed communities in 3rd world countries. His work across the globe has helped transform a number of villages that were once remote, to villages that communicate with the outside world. The applications of a mobile phone continues to save lives, assist in building new schools, and continues to benefit everyone within these villages. The examples Dr. Livingston gave showed just how powerful a tool can be when we connect with people that would not be possible without the technology we have now.
Villagers use cell phones to warn of volcanic eruptions and dangerous animals they have spotted near the village. They keep tabs on the number of mosquito nets they have and communicate when they need more. Cell phone technology has TRANSFORMED cultures. Whether it is a cell phone, laptop computer, or an i-pad, it is important that we understand the power we have to transform how and why we do the things we do in educating our students.
It isn't enough to say we have laptops and computer labs for our students. We, the school community, need to continue to grow ourselves and allow the tools that are at our fingertips transform what we are learning, why we are learning, and how we are learning! Have a great week!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
October 10, 2010
Dear BCS Families,
This week we will begin our MEAP testing, just as all public schools in Michigan will do, and use a good portion of the school day to assess various benchmarks that we expect our students to reach. I was inclined to write about the MEAP and our mindset during this testing window but decided to focus on another topic. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to stop by the Buddy Walk https://owa.birmingham.k12.mi.us/OWA/redir.aspx?C=5fa97f25f1c84c9bb435ad184436dcbe&URL=http%3a%2f%2fbuddywalk.kintera.org%2ffaf%2fhome%2fdefault.asp%3fievent%3d425305on Saturday to visit two BCS families that were participating and volunteering. It occurred to me that this important event was a huge success not due to test scores or state standards, but due to the great character that these families, and so many others exhibit. Their work with the Buddy Walk will ultimately help frame their children’s view on the importance of helping others.
Adults (i.e. parents and educators) who exhibit the qualities of good character will often times transmit their values by modeling actions that are important to being a person of good character. Signs of good character, such as honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, compassion, and respectfulness were all present at Saturday’s event. The two BCS families, along with the many other families present, are a part of a greater purpose. This purpose includes being empathetic to others which connects with our G.E.E.K.ed mindset. Taking on a global perspective means to be empathic and realizing that we can make a difference in others’ lives. When adults are empathetic, children can learn from them and mirror their actions.
Looking around the Buddy Walk, it was evident that the adults were determined to work together and help. However, it was the children's actions that stood out. The parents worked hard to put the event together and I am sure they had a long night of cleaning up, but without bringing their children, all of their hard work would have not made such an impact. It was evident that their actions translated into their children's great character!
The MEAP, while responsible for stirring much controversy over the years, does serve a purpose in today's schools. It can be one of many indicators of how we, as adults, are performing in our responsibilities to educate our students. BCS has historically performed well on the MEAP and we intend on continuing placing academic rigor first on our priority list. These academic achievements are even more valuable when our character is considered outstanding. This week, while we administer the MEAP to our students, academics and achievement will be on our mind, but character will not take a back seat!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
Dear BCS Families,
We all know that being involved in your child’s school is important and can make a huge difference in a child’s academic and social success. In many schools across our nation, however, that involvement comes mainly from mothers. While having mothers involved is and always will be important, there are many opportunity for fathers to be a part of some of the most important years of their child’s life.
Research shows that children of involved fathers are more likely to enjoy school, have better grades, and enjoy positive peer relationships. When fathers are involved with a child’s education, they are sending their child an essential message - school is important.
Students are not the only ones who benefit from a father’s involvement. Research also finds that men who are “Proud Dads” feel more self confident and effective as parents, find parenting more satisfying, and feel more intrinsically important to their children.
The time needed to be at work can place limited involvement during school hours, but BCS has created an environment where being involved doesn't have to mean attending a PTSA meeting or helping out in the classroom. Individuals that are Proud Dads here at BCS have recently led the donation efforts to install a turbine, help design an amazing website, and continue to provide time and resources for programs that would not exist without their leadership. Everyone is important here at BCS, including our DADS!
September 29, 2010 (6:30 p.m.) marks the one and only Proud Dad’s meeting at BCS. This meeting will be a crucial gathering as the core group of our Proud Dads will be “retiring” in the next few years. As their children leave us to attend high school, they will be leaving with them. It is imperative that a new group of fathers transition into leadership roles and continue the work that the Proud Dads have done for BCS over the years.
If you are a father, it is important for you to attend the meeting on Wednesday and support what the research tells us-
Involved fathers=Successful kids! If you are reading this and you are a BCS mother, encourage the fathers to attend the meeting. After all, a Proud Dad means a happy kid and a happy kid= a happy mother!!
David Keihle, Proud Dad Co-Chair, and I continue our quest to encourage all dads to get involved and make a difference at BCS. You can do your part by attending the meeting and finding out that getting involved may actually be the best thing you ever did for your child! See you on Wednesday!!
G.E.E.K.ed,
Adam
