WAG Nov 23-27

November 22, 2009

Dear BCS Parents,

I had many ideas on how I was going to address the upcoming holiday break with all of you and was anxious to be creative when wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving. However, when I read the local newspaper on Friday and found the article below, I felt compelled to share it with you.

FENTON -- More than 12 hours into their 30-hour, liquid-only fast to raise money to fight world hunger, 15 students at First Presbyterian Church in Fenton said they were ready to go the distance tonight and early Sunday morning — growling stomachs and all.
“They are not complaining about hunger now, but they were about an hour ago,” said the Rev. Amanda Riley, an associate pastor at the church, where students were staying overnight Friday and Saturday in between volunteering at several spots in the community.
“They think it’s kind of cool to fast for something this important,” Riley said.
Fueled only by juice breaks, students from sixth to 12th grade raised $789 through pledges, money that’s being given to World Vision to help feed starving children around the world.
The group in Fenton, which will end its effort with a pancake breakfast this morning, is part of a larger effort nationwide in which a half million teens were trying to raise $12 million for the group.
Heidi Ritchie, 12, a Linden Middle School student, said she wanted to help others with her fast, something that made her forget about skipping breakfast and lunch today.
“As long as I’m asleep tonight I think I’ll be all right,” said Ritchie, who said the personal sacrifice was part of “learning about people who are less fortunate.”
D’onte Fetzer, 12, a student at Sherman Middle School in the Holly Area School District, said he was also ready to go the distance with his no-food pledge.
“I like the concept of helping all those kids without enough to eat,” Fetzer said. “We have choices of what we want to eat and we still complain.
“We always think we have it so bad (but) people have it way worse than me.”

This article shows exactly how we should be educating our students. Real-life applications and connections, no matter what the subject, are the only way to assure a true education.
The middle school students interviewed in this article will never forget what it is like to not have three meals a day. The teachers could have easily have lectured on world hunger, gave the students a worksheet, or asked that they research the subject. The decision to actually have the students live through a 30 hour fast, however, was a decision to become real educators.
We have many things to be thankful for here at BCS. Our parent community is as strong as ever, our students are exceptional, and our staff is second to none, but the one thing that I am most thankful for is our ability to connect everything we do here at BCS to real-life experiences.
Already this year, we have had engineers come speak to our 7th and 8th grade math students, our 5th and 6th grade students recently had a guest speaker on the topic of alternative energy, and we have had meaningful fieldtrips that continue to spark deep discussions regarding global issues. These are the quality experiences each child is receiving at BCS!
The highlighted words above are an example of how effective lessons can be when we connect them to real-life experiences. These experiences will assure that our students will leave here with an awareness of what their strengths are and how to use those strengths to make this world a better place! We can all be thankful for that!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Adam

WEEK AT A GLANCE – NOVEMBER 23 – NOVEMBER 27, 2009
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, November 23
12-2PM – 8th grade field trip to Groves High School –students MUST bring a sack lunch as no cafeteria service will be available for 8th graders
3:15 – 5:00PM –Girls swim practice
3-7PM – PIE PICK-UP- Please pick up your prepaid Grand Traverse pies in the entrance hallway.
3:15 – 4:30PM – Boys basketball teams practice
4:15 – 6:00PM – Oklahoma! play practice – full cast

Tuesday, November 24
6:35 – 8:00AM –Girls swim practice
6:45-8AM – Boys basketball teams practice
8-8:20AM – Bagel sale in front of the media center by the 8th grade celebration committee
E-Bugle published today!
11:30 – 2:30PM – 8th grade field trip to Seaholm High School –students MUST bring a sack lunch as no cafeteria service will be available for 8th graders
3:15-4:00PM – School store is open in the main hallway during choice hour
4:15 – 6:00PM – Oklahoma! play practice – full cast

Wednesday, November 25
· No School – Thanksgiving Recess

Thursday, November 26
· No School – Thanksgiving Recess

Friday, November 27
· No School – Thanksgiving Recess
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday – Beef burritos, rice, and green beans.
Tuesday – Pizza bagels, small salad or soup with cheese breadstick.

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

Mark your calendars for Nov. 23rd 7:00pm - Community Forum with your Legislators
Due to the ongoing financial crisis facing public schools, BPS is hosting a community Q & A with area legislators on Mon., Nov. 23, 7pm. at the Groves Auditorium. This important meeting will allow community members an opportunity to address their questions and concerns regarding Michigan public school funding directly with your legislators. At this time, the following have confirmed attendance: Sen. Gilda Jacobs, Sen. John Pappageorge, Representative Marty Knollenberg, Representative Vincent Gregory and Oakland County Sherriff, Mike Bouchard. Other legislators have been invited but have not yet confirmed their attendance.

To view a narrated PowerPoint presentation entitled, "Facing the Michigan School Funding Crisis.", please go to the BPS Homepage – www.birmingham.k12.mi.us

SNOW CLUB
There are only 4 seats left on the bus for this year’s SNOW CLUB!! Mom's and Dad's - we are obviously very close to sold out status so don’t delay…turn your forms in TODAY. Please check out the Snow Club flyer and Sports Waiver forms on our BCS Website. Please turn in your forms to the main office.

Unleash Your Artistic Talents with this year's REFLECTIONS Contest!
The theme is “Beauty Is…” and the possibilities are endless. All BCS students are eligible to submit their creative works. There is a category for everyone… so all artists, dancers, photographers, musicians, writers and filmmakers - get creative! Turn in your entry between November 30th and December 8th, and be entered in a drawing for a great prize. Also, the first 100 entries get a cool early bird gift! Thanksgiving break is a great time to get started. For rules and entry forms, go the BCS Website and click on Reflections. Pay special attention to the entry rules, particularly dimension requirements. Questions? Please contact Rita Brown at ritabrown001@comcast.net


THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR SUPPORTING THE FALL BOOK FAIR!!
Once again we would like to extend our appreciation to the BCS community for their strong support of our Fall Book Fair. We made a little over $2,000 in cash, $750 books and $480 in catalogue credit for the Media Center. We really do have wonderful families! We would especially like to thank the many parent and student volunteers who worked throughout the Fair. We couldn’t have done it without you!!
Ann Truesdell – Media Specialist and Linda Weitzel – Parent Chairperson


REDUCING TRASH AT BCS-TRASH FREE FRIDAYS
The Joseph/Roberts (“Joberts”) fifth graders are entering the Siemens We Can Change the World challenge this year. For their project, they are trying to reduce the amount of trash we generate at BCS, focusing particularly on the cafeteria. They would like to initiate “Trash Free Fridays” at BCS and they are asking for your help. Each Friday they will be collecting data after lunch about the amount of trash we generate in the cafeteria. They would like the students to think about packing a Trash free lunch and have put together the following 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.

Disposable lunches can create between 4–8 ounces of garbage every day.

That can add up to as much as 100 pounds per year! With your help, the Joberts kids believe that we truly can become agents of change!!

If you buy lunch, please buy only what you believe you can eat and try not to have any waste!!


EIGHTH Grade Families
Please provide a BABY PICTURE and a CURRENT PICTURE of your student for the class DVD. Remember to write your name on the back of the pictures so we can return them to you at the Farewell Celebration (and identify your child). The class DVD is a HIGHLIGHT of our year-end celebration; please make sure YOUR STUDENT IS PART OF THE FUN by ensuring their pictures are submitted to the Photo Box in the Main Office by December 18. If you would like to submit high-quality digital images, please send them to BCSFarewellPhotos@gmail.com. Don’t forget to provide your student’s name!





Attention all Poets and Writers!

The Baldwin Library is hosting a Poetry Slam Competition for poets grades K-adult on Tuesday December 1st from 7-8pm. Come and recite your own poetry in dramatic, exciting fashion. Top prizes given in elementary, middle, high school, and open categories. Questions?
Email Mr. Joe at rj04bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us