WAG 1-25-10

Dear BCS Parents,
(Written on Friday, January 22nd)
We are all aware of the situation in Haiti and the devastating events that have occurred over the past few weeks. We cannot turn on the television, listen to the radio, or search the web without seeing the unfortunate state that the country is in. Times like this can have an impact on our lives even though we are thousands of miles away from danger. Many local families have lost loved ones in the earthquakes because they had family or friends in Haiti due to business schedules or missionary work. I know two families in my hometown that lost grandparents. They were in Haiti working at an orphanage at the time the quake struck.
Our BCS community has expressed a need to help in some way. This past Wednesday, the BCS faculty advisory committee met to discuss various topics regarding our daily schedule. Each grade level was represented at the meeting and everyone was expressing their reaction to the second earthquake that occurred the day before. The team mentioned that BCS students were asking them if we could do something as a school for the people of Haiti. We all agreed that we would keep our eyes and ears open of ways to help and try to come up with an idea that would make an impact on both the people in Haiti and our students.
Things happen for a reason! That same day, my sister called me to tell me my brother in law, Joel LaGore, would be traveling to Haiti on Friday January 29, 2010 to deliver supplies to an orphanage in Haiti. She went on to tell me that there are over 250,000 orphans in Haiti and they are sleeping outside since the buildings are either collapsed or in danger of collapsing. Joel will be traveling with three others from the organization, Harvest of Haiti, to deliver mosquito nets and tents for the orphans and their caretakers. Joel and his cohorts will be taking 5 suitcases each full of items that the orphanage needs.
I surveyed the BCS staff and asked if this is a mission we would like to take on next week. Every response was an overwhelming yes and it became clear that our team wanted to gather the troops and assist in any way we could! The teachers shared that many students were asking themselves what we could do and are anxious to come together for a great cause!
My phone call to Joel resulted in a collaborative plan to support his efforts and to educate our students. We will be having a four day item/money collection drive beginning this Monday, January 25th. These items and funds will be used to help the orphanage that Joel is traveling to next week. He is flying out on Friday, so we will run the drive until Thursday afternoon. Joel will be taking pictures and video of his trip and will be documenting their efforts in Haiti. He has agreed to visit BCS and give a presentation to our students to show exactly where the items were delivered and express gratitude for their kindness. The BCS staff believes this will be a meaningful opportunity for each student as we strive to be global leaders. The details of the drive are below and if you have any questions please contact me at ah07bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us.

Sincerely,

Adam Hartley



(Written Saturday, January 23rd)

Dear BCS Parents,

My brother in law, Joel, called me early this morning and told me that his flight to Haiti has been canceled. The airline he was flying, along with many other commercial flights, is not being allowed into the country. Joel is greatly disappointed and eager to help out. He will be going to Haiti as soon as flights are allowed and his schedule opens. He said it could be next week or a month from now. I think it is important that we continue our efforts this week to help out by bringing in the items or donations listed below. We have many events at BCS in the upcoming months and now is as good a time as ever to listen to our students and help a country in need. BCS will collect items and donations from Monday – Friday this week for Harvest of Haiti. The proceeds from the drive will be delivered by me to Harvest of Haiti in Port Huron, MI. The money that is raised will go directly to the organization for the purchase of the mosquito nets and tents. The items will be delivered to the organization in Port Huron as well and will go out with my brother in law when he is able to travel or before with another group. Joel will be traveling in the next two months and will be eventually coming to BCS to share his stories. While the items we collect and the money we raise may not be delivered this week, it certainly does not diminish the fact that Haiti is in great need and our students would like to do their part!
Please read the information below!

Adam
CNN report on Haiti






BCS – Helping the Orphans of Haiti


Monday, January 25th – Thursday, January 28th

BCS will be accepting money donations to purchase mosquito nets and tents for the Harvest of Haiti Orphanage, the Reach Out to Haiti Orphanage, and their connected schools. These tents and nets will be used by the orphans and their caretakers as they continue to have to sleep outside due to the condition of the buildings.

If you are writing a check- you may write the amount to Harvest of Haiti. You may claim this donation on your 2009 tax return. (see article)

All donations may be dropped off in the BCS main office.

If you are interested in donating items- These items are needed to assist the orphanages:

Baby formula
Diapers
Baby clothes
Baby food
Freeze dried food
Medical kits
Tylenol/Motrin (children’s pain medication)
Children’s vitamins

These items may be placed at the front entrance in the labeled boxes created by the BCS Spirit Committee.















20010 Bishop Foley Invitational
Science Olympiad Results

On Saturday, January 23rd, our Middle School Science Olympiad Team competed against 11 schools from around the area. We placed 1st overall! Almost every team member took home a medal or ribbon in one of their events!! The kids worked hard and had a fantastic time
The following students took home medals:

1st Place
• Elevated Bridge – Maria Roma & Aaron Levett
• Physical Science Lab – Maria Roma & Bassel Salka
• Trajectory – Bogdan Manga & Bryce Owens
• Bio – Process Lab – Natalie Kozak & Lillian Lu
• Road Scholar – Bogdan Manga & Adam Smith
• Dynamic Planet – Hannah Diehl & Will Trask
• Ecology – Aaron Levett & Lillian Lu

2nd Place
• Junkyard Challenge – Noah Smith & Will Trask
• Wright Stuff – Nadia Hakim & Nicole Floyd-Stancil
• Write-It Do-It – Hannah Diehl & Lillian Lu

3rd Place
• Battery Buggy – Trevor McMahon & Chandler Roberts
• Disease Detectives – Maria Roma & Natalie Kozak
• Experimental Design – Maria Roma, Nitin Kumar & Bassel Salka
• Fossils – Graham Ross & Adam Smith
• Meteorology – Hannah Diehl & Adam Smith
• Physical Science Lab – Jack Felch & Maximilian Campbell
• Wright Stuff – Lillian Lu & Hannah Diehl

4th Place
• Shock Value – Noah Smith & Nitin Kumar
• Solar System – Hannah Diehl & Aaron Levett

5th Place
• Battery Buggy – Adam Smith & Graham Ross
• Bio-Process Lab – Maximilian Campbell & Jack Felch
• Pentathlon – Nicole Floyd-Stancil, Chris Kompus, Clark Kingston & Brianna Williams
• Solar System – Jacob Anderson & James Rivard

6th Place
• Can’t Judge a Powder – Aaron Levett & Will Trask
• Road Scholar – Jacob Anderson & Trevor McMahon
• Science Crime Busters – Shounak Vale & Nitin Kumar
• Trajectory – Jacob Anderson, Michael Kmiec & James Rivard




WEEK AT A GLANCE – JANUARY 25 – JANUARY 29, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, January 25
• 7-8AM – Proud Dads 6th grade boys basketball
• 4:15-7:30PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast


Tuesday, January 26
• 7:30-8:00AM - BCS Diversity Committee meeting in Room 505 – All are welcome
• 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
• 3:30PM – SNOW CLUB bus leaves for Pine Knob. Students return to BCS at 8:30PM and need to be picked up.
• 6:30-8:00PM – Proud Dad’s CO-ED Basketball – 3rd-6th grades


Wednesday, January 27
• 6:45-8:00AM –8th grade Girls Volleyball Try-outs
• 7-8AM – Proud Dads 6th grade boys basketball
• Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway.
• 3:15-5:00PM - Boys swim team practice
• 4:14-5:30PM –7th grade Girls Volleyball Try-outs
• 4:15-7:30PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast

Thursday, January 28
• 6:45-8:00AM –8th grade Girls Volleyball Try-outs
• 6:35 – 8:00AM –Boys swim team practice
• Market Day internet orders due by midnight. If you are unable to complete your order online, please contact Lori Croad at 248-348-4390.
• 3:15-6:30PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast
• 4:15-5:30PM –7th grade Girls Volleyball Try-outs
• 6:30-8:00PM – Proud Dad’s CO-ED Basketball – 3rd-6th grades

Friday, January 29
• 6:45-8:00AM –8th grade Girls Volleyball Try-outs
• 7-8:00AM - 7th grade Girls Volleyball try-outs
• HALF DAY OF SCHOOL – Dismissal at 11:20AM. Busses are provided at the early dismissal time.
• 4PM – BCS Wait List for 09-10 School Year expires
• 4PM – Deadline for acceptance of Lottery Enrollment for 10-11 School Year

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday –Soft Taco Day with Choice of Toppings and Corn
Tuesday –Make a Sub- Turkey or Ham, Carrots and Peas
Wednesday –Baked Potato Bar-Choice Toppings Broccoli, Cheese, Bacon or Chili
Thursday –Cook’s Choice
Friday – Half day of school. No lunch provided.

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

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS IS COMING
PTSA is looking for parent volunteers to facilitate book clubs at lunchtime in the next few weeks. This is a fun and easy way to work with students and have enlightening lunchtime conversation. If you would like to volunteer for this great opportunity, please email Sarah Neal at solsonneal@sbcglobal.net.

YEARBOOKS
Don’t forget to pre-order your YEARBOOK for the 09-19 School Year. The yearbook is always popular at the end of the year and could sell-out!! You wouldn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to capture the school year in a keepsake yearbook. The order deadline is this Thursday, January 28. Order forms are located in the brochure rack in the main hallway or can be downloaded from the website.

ENGINEERS WEEK CELEBRATED BY BCS ON FEBRUARY 25 AND 26
We are recruiting engineering and technology professionals to speak to 7th and 8th grade Engage students. It’s an opportunity for engineers to talk about the profession and inspire kids to consider engineering as a career option. It takes dozens of volunteers to make this day a success. We need not just engineers, but scientists, web designers, architects, programmers, doctors, builders, and more. Why do you do what you do? What advice do you have to future talent? How have things changed? What does the future hold?
Do you want to volunteer for an hour? A day? Do you want to help us recruit volunteers and plan the
events? To volunteer, please send an email to tech@bcsparent. National Engineers Week Foundation sponsors national events and they have a website specifically for middle school students to learn more about engineering, technology, math, and science: www.discoverengineering.com. There are interactive games and some entertaining videos about engineers making a difference.


CHOICE HOUR REQUEST
The 3-4 Cookie Baking and Desserts Choice Hour class and its future bakers and taste testers are looking for donations for their class! They are in need of:
• Mixers, rolling pins, mixing bowls, microwave safe bowls, spatulas, wooden spoons and baking sheets
• Flour, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt
• Zip-loc baggies, paper plates, paper towels, napkins, hand soap and wipes
Your contributions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for always supporting the Choice Hour program!


BCS – HELPING THE ORPHANS OF HAITI - Monday, January 25th – Thursday, January 28th
BCS will be accepting money donations to purchase mosquito nets and tents for the Harvest of Haiti Orphanage, the Reach Out to Haiti Orphanage, and their connected schools. These tents and nets will be used by the orphans and their caretakers as they continue to sleep outside due to the condition of the buildings.

If you are writing a check- you may write the amount to Harvest of Haiti. You may claim this donation on your 2009 tax return. All donations may be dropped off in the BCS main office.

If you are interested in donating items- These items are needed to assist the orphanages:

• Baby formula
• Diapers
• Baby clothes
• Baby food
• Freeze dried food
• Medical kits
• Tylenol/Motrin (children’s pain medication)
• Children’s vitamins

These items may be placed at the front entrance in the labeled boxes created by the BCS Spirit Committee.

BCS BLAST
The 2010 BCS Blast committee is hard at work putting together another fun-filled evening for the largest fundraiser for our school. Please mark your calendars with these dates: Friday, March 19th (3:30 – 5:00) and Sunday, March 21st from 3:30 – 7:30. Friday is the Auction Preview which allows you to get a glimpse of the silent auction items and to possibly “grab” one of the closed bid items, and then the actual event for the whole family is on Sunday is when there are games, food, prizes, the silent auction, and a wonder raffle drawing with three amazing prizes! This year’s theme is “Blast to the Future.” You will be receiving more information in the next few weeks via Blast emails. However, you can take action now by donating to the silent auction, volunteering your time, and/or becoming a patron family (which has special privileges including valet parking!) You can find these forms on the BCS website www.bcsonline.info listed under the “Blast” tab.


PROUD DADS CO-ED BASKETBALL – 3rd- 6th GRADE
Mom’s and Dad’s the Co-Ed Basketball program at BCS is underway….and it is not too late to sign up. Training is from 6:30 – 8:00pm Tuesday and Thursdays. Our next session is January 26, from 6:30pm – 8:00pm. The folks from Tweaked will be filming the kid’s technique for dribbling, lay up’s, and set shots…should prove to be a riot!! J Please encourage your son or daughter from 3 – 6th grades to come out and get some good exercise, learn the basics of basketball, and have fun at the same time. Regards, Proud Dads

BCS STUDENTS ARE BRINGING OKLAHOMA! TO THE STAGE - FEBRUARY 4TH AND 5TH
All remaining tickets for all performances will be sold this week on Tuesday & Wednesday, January 26th and 27th in front of the BCS office from 8 to 8:30 am and from 3 to 4:15 pm. Tickets will not be available at the door on performance day! Payment will be accepted by check (payable to BCS PTSA) or exact cash only.

Public Performances: Thursday, Feb. 4th @ 7:00 pm
Friday, Feb 5th @ 7:30 pm
Ticket Price is $8

Student/Staff Performance: Friday, Feb 5th @ 3:30 pm
Ticket Price is $5
The student performance will end at approximately 5:30pm - Students will need to arrange their own transportation home after the play!!

CARPOOLING STAND
Does your child carpool, ride the bus, walk or bike to school? Be sure they check out the carpooling stand in front of the media center run by Maria Graham, Claire Foxworth, and Rachel Herster. Every week your student can enter for the chance to win a carpooling, biking, walking, or bus riding T-shirt. If your student does not carpool or ride the bus, or walk to school, give it a try! Did you know that by carpooling once a week you can save 105 pounds C02 emissions per year! That’s more than recycling all of your plastic and magazines for one year!

WINTER II SPORTS
Boys Swim Team (grades 6-8) and Girls Volleyball (grades 7-8) are the Winter II sports. Students who want to participate must have all athletic paperwork (including physical evaluation and fee payment) submitted before they can practice.

• Athletic paperwork can be picked up in the front office or downloaded from www.bcsonline.info
• Athletic paperwork and fees can be turned into the front office immediately. It is strongly suggested not to wait until the day before practice starts to turn in paperwork.
• Once all paperwork is complete and the fee is paid, the student will be issued a slip of eligibility, referred to as the “orange slip”. It is the responsibility of the student to give the “orange slip” to the coach at the first practice attended. The slip is essentially an admission ticket to the student’s first practice. The student will not be allowed to practice without an eligibility slip.
• Try-outs for volleyball begin on January 27. 7th grade volleyball coach is Leon Braisted. 8th grade coach is Angela Geisler.
• Swim practices begins on January 27. Swim coaches are Bill Johansson and Mat Brown.

FRIENDS OF DIFFERENT LEARNERS
ADHD? BIPOLAR? WHICH IS IT? Please come to the presentation on February 4 at 7:00PM in the BCS Media Center. At this Friends meeting BCS teacher Rick Joseph and his wife Mary Beth Seefelt, an art therapist and stay-at-home parent, will discuss the challenges and opportunities that they have encountered while raising a child with Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. Their son’s psychologist, a respected author and expert in the field, Dr. Ira Glovinsky, will offer insight as to how parents can recognize the signs of ADHD and Pediatric Bipolar Disorder in their child. All are welcome.

FEBRUARY BREAK - SPORTS SHORTS CAMP –February 15-19, 2010
Visit the BPS Community Education website (www.communityed.net) to get details and registration information of the Sports Camp offered during February break , or call 248-203-3800. Registration deadline is 12:00 NOON on February 11.

PARKING LOT
Scott Feldmaier is patrolling our parking lot and doing a nice job of policing the East area where many of our students cross. It is important that when picking your children up from school that you are not parking in front of the handicap spaces and blocking cars from leaving. We have made some improvements in our parking lot but have a long way to go if we are truly going to make a difference for our students. Patience, common sense, and team work- we can do this!!