WAG Sept 8-11, 2009

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

Sincerely,

Adam and Hal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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