WAG- from Hal

Dear Parents

On tomorrow, we as a nation will observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, for many it is a day off or used as a day of service to others. At BCS, we have used the day to be reflective on the topic of diversity that face not only ourselves but that of our students. Our focus over the years has touched on many facets of diversity and this year we will touch on religious diversity.

I personally believe it is always important to take time out to reflect each day. We often ask our students to take to time reflect on such things as their assignments, their goals and their behavior. We have even infused this message of reflection into our 3 E’s of Education, Environment and Each Other as we ask students, “How are you valuing each of the 3 E’s?” One of my favorite education minded blogs is the “The Thinking Stick” by Jeff Utecht and he of wrote on the topic of reflection. In the blog post, Jeff posed the question “Do you give yourself permission to reflect?” He also went on to mention that reflection is hard work. Whether you are sorting out emotions and discerning personal values and attitudes, or discovering the shaky underpinnings of contemporary truths, reflection takes work. It seems as though in life we get so busy with rushing here and there that we don’t set aside time to reflect. I for one have been guilty of becoming to busy to take time to reflect and recently have tried to set a time each day no matter what to reflect. So hopefully, you and your children have a point in the day set aside for reflection whether it be on school, work and or family.

I hope that you will have wonderful week!

Hal




WEEK AT A GLANCE – JANUARY 18 – JANUARY 22, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, January 18
• No School – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• 3:00-6:30PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast

Tuesday, January 19
• 6:35 – 8:00AM –Girls swim practice-7th & 8th graders only
• 6:45-8AM – Boys basketball teams 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
• 3:30PM – 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
• 6:30-8PM – BCS Technology Committee Meeting – Media Center
• 7:00PM - BPS Board of Education meeting at the BPS Administration building, 550 West Merrill Street, Birmingham. Watch it live on Comcast channel 17.
• 7 PM – Seaholm Academic Night – for 8th graders and their parents planning to attend Seaholm-Wagner Auditorium

Wednesday, January 20
• 7-8AM – Proud Dads 6th grade boys basketball
• 9:00 AM - Superintendent’s Coffee with the Community – Starbucks at Maple & Lahser
• Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway.
• E-Bugle published today!
• 4:00PM – Boys basketball game @ East Hills MS – 7th grade game at 4PM, 8th grade game immediately follows. Maps to away games can be found on highschoolsports.net .
• 4:15-7:00PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast
• 5:00PM –Girls swimming League Meet @ Groves – 7th & 8th grade only
• 7:00PM-Public Lottery for 2010-2011 School Year-BCS Staff Development Room

Thursday, January 21
• 4:00PM-Lottery results published for the 2010-2011 School Year
• 4:00PM – Boys basketball game @ Norup MS – 7th grade game at 4PM, 8th grade game immediately follows. Maps to away games can be found on highschoolsports.net .
• 6:30-8:00PM – Proud Dad’s CO-ED Basketball – 3rd-6th grades
• 6-8:00PM – Battle of the Books Social – cafeteria
• 7 PM – Friends of Different Learners Meeting – Camp Fair, Groves high School – Commons Area

Friday, January 22
• 4:15-7:00PM – Oklahoma! play practice for the full cast

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday – No School
Tuesday –Pizza Bagel, Small Salad, Carrots and Peas
Wednesday –Spaghetti, Garlic Bread and Broccoli
Thursday –Baked Chicken, Nuggets, Cheesy Potatoes and Corn
Friday –Grilled Cheese, Tomato soup

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


We are excited to announce BCS Family Night on Friday, January 22nd @ The Palace! BCS Family Night includes tickets for both the BCS versus Bloomfield Hills Middle School games and the exciting match between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers! What a great family outing for a Friday night!

Each year our 8th grade boys basketball team and this year our 7th grade team has a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete in a game at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In order for the students to participate, BCS is responsible for selling 200 game tickets. The tickets are normally priced at $65 (lower level seats) but we are able to sell them at a discounted price of only $35 each. The BCS games begin at 2:00 p.m. with the 7th graders and followed by the 8th grade game at 4 p.m. The Pistons game will begin at 7:30 p.m. Since the BCS game is close in time to the professional game, the kids and your family will have a better chance of meeting players from the Pistons and/or Pacers.

We really need your help in hopes of making this event happen. The BCS boys’ basketball team can achieve their dream if you can buy or sell tickets to your family, friends and/or colleagues. The ticket order form is attached to this email. Thanks for all of your support. We truly appreciate you!

Also anyone who purchases three or more tickets will be entered into a drawing for two courtside seats ($400 per seat value) at a future Pistons game.

BCS BAND PARENTS of 7th & 8th graders: The BCS winter band concert for the 7th & 8th grade bands will take place on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. The concert will be held from 7:00-8:00pm in the BCS cafeteria. Students should arrive at BCS no later than 6:30pm.

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.

MEDIA CENTER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 2010
Welcome to the BCS Media Center! We are currently in need of volunteers on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. As a media center volunteer, you will work directly with the Media Specialist on a wide array of projects including reading and locating books, checking materials in and out, shelving materials and pulling materials for class assignments. Volunteers are extremely important because they allow the media center to remain open to students throughout the day.

Morning shifts are flexible. Work from 8:30 - 10:30, 9:00 - 11:00, or 10:00 - 12:00 once or twice a month. Media center volunteering is a great way to get involved and work with BCS students, including your own. No experience is necessary but reliability is helpful and appreciated!

If interested, please email Gina Herdegen, 2009/2010 Media Center Volunteer Coordinator at royalherd@comcast.net or 248-562-7559 with: Your Name, Days and times available to work, Email address, and Phone Number.


BCS STUDENTS ARE BRINGING OKLAHOMA! TO THE STAGE WITH A SPECIAL STUDENT/STAFF PERFORMANCE! - Friday February 5th at 3:30pm in the BCS cafeteria
Tickets for the student/staff performance will be on sale this week during all lunches on Weds thru Friday January 20th - 22nd in the BCS cafeteria! Ticket price is $5 per ticket. The performance will end at approximately 5:30pm - Students will need to arrange their own transportation home after the play!!

Tickets will NOT be available at the door on performance day. Ticket order forms were sent home with students and are also available on the BCS website. Payment will be accepted by check (payable to BCS PTSA) or exact cash only. Maximum purchase of 2 tickets per student sold on a first come, first served basis.


SPECIAL EDUCATION COFFEE WITH ADMINISTRATION
January 27, 2010 - 10:00-11:30am at the BPS Administration Building. The speaker, Ernest Bauer, Ph.D.
Director of Research, Evaluation and Assessment Programs, Oakland Schools, will present assessment data of MEAP and MME comparing students with and without IEP’s across the district, county and state. Dr. Bauer will discuss the distribution and variables on the data and will be able to answer questions. The presentation will be followed by open discussion with BPS Administration about the data and achievement gaps shown in the data.


FRIENDS OF DIFFERENT LEARNERS (WWW.FRIENDSOFDIFFERENTLEARNERS.ORG) CAMP AND RESOURCE FAIR
Thursday, January 21, 2010 7 – 9 pm, Groves High School (enter building from west parking lot)
Summer and year round programs for children with special needs!
Friends of Different Learners is pleased to sponsor their annual Camp and Resource Fair 2010 on Thursday evening, January 21, 2010. This year’s Fair is an information vehicle servicing families seeking programs accepting children with special needs. Participants this year include service providers who offer camps or programs in the summer and throughout the year for children in both self-contained and inclusion environments, local therapists and tutors, and others offering specialized products and services. Free admission and everyone is 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.