WAG Feb 8-12

February 7, 2010

Dear BCS Community,

Over the course of the year I have used many quotes on my staff meeting agendas, emails to staff or parents, and even the WAG. These quotes are meant for to inspire, motivate, and spark reflection. Recently, I was asked by a teacher if I could share these quotes with her so she could use them with her students. As I was collecting the quotes I have used to send to her, I thought that it could be beneficial to share them with everyone. There have been many wise people before us that without these quotes, we would never have the privilege to learn from them. If you have a favorite quote, print it out and hang it on your refrigerator at home or your desk at work. I also love for you to send me a quote that I could use in my newsletters. Quotes can be a powerful way to jump start our day and remind us of our purpose in life! Enjoy!

Adam


Knowing your peace of mind is up to you, not the world, is the most powerful and secure state of mind you can achieve.
~ Dr. Lee Jampolsky

You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.
~ Zig Ziglar

You get the best efforts from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.
~ Bob Nelson

Joy is not in things; it is in us.
~Richard Wagner

Commit to taking total responsibility for everything that happens to you. This one change in thinking has the power to launch
you to the world-class level faster than any other single idea.
~Steve Siebold




If each Monday morning, you make a choice to move into the new work week with renewed commitment and passion, you can change all areas of your life. You can truly change your Mondays and change your life.
~David Cottrell

Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent and committed decision.
~Anthony Robbins

No act of kindness is ever wasted.
~Aesop

Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right, decide on what you think is right and stick to it.
~George Eliot

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
~Benjamin Franklin

Success doesn't come to you — you go to it.
~Marva Collins

I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity
~John D. Rockefeller

Just one person taking action can inspire others to do the same.
~Leslie C. Aguilar

Attitudes truly are contagious, and from time to time we need to ask ourselves, "Is mine worth catching?"
~Mac Anderson

The single best predictor of overall excellence is a company's ability to attract, motivate, and retain talented people.
~Fortune magazine





WEEK AT A GLANCE – FEBRUARY 8 – FEBRUARY 12, 2010
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)

Monday, February 8
• 9:15AM – 3/4 Room Parents Meeting
• 3:15-5:00PM - Boys swim team practice

Tuesday, February 9
• 6:35 – 8:00AM –Boys swim team practice
• 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
• 9:30 AM – BBFA Meeting – “Bottom Line: Self-Respect” at the Gary M. Doyle Center
• 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 to be picked up.
• 4:00PM –Girl’s Volleyball game vs. Berkshire @ home. 7th grade game begins at 4:00PM and 8th grade game immediately follows.
• 6:30-8:00PM – Proud Dad’s CO-ED Basketball – 3rd-6th grades
• 7 PM – BBFA Meeting – “The Importance of Dads” at the Gary M. Doyle Center
• 7PM – BLAST Meeting – Media Center

Wednesday, February 10
• COUNT DAY – please make sure absences or tardies are reported promptly
• 9:00AM- Bus leaves for Battle of the Books at Pierce Elementary school- (4th & 5th graders registered for the Battle)
• Popcorn Day – freshly popped popcorn is sold during choice hour for $1 in the main hallway.
• 4:15PM–Boys swim team meet @home versus Cranbrook
• 7:00 PM Band Concert for 7/8 grades –Cafeteria – students report at 6:30PM

Thursday, February 11
• 6:35 – 8:00AM –Boys swim team practice
• AM – Hearing Screening for 4th graders
• 5/6 Field Trip to the IMAX THEATRE at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn – all students should bring a brown bag lunch with disposable containers.
• 12:30PM – Lunch with the Principal in Staff Development I (located down 600 Hall). Bring your lunch for this informal time with the principal to ask questions and learn his perspectives.
• 1:15PM – PTSA Clearinghouse Meeting in Staff Development I-All are invited to learn about the operations of the PTSA at BCS. Bring a friend or meet new friends.
• 4:00PM DEADLINE to make a teacher request for the 2010-2011 school year. Please email your request to Tamra Nast, tn01bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us
• 4:00PM –Girl’s Volleyball game @ Cranbrook Middle School. 7th grade game begins at 4:00PM and 8th grade game immediately follows.
• 6:30-8:00PM – Proud Dad’s CO-ED Basketball – 3rd-6th grades

Friday, February 12 – Classroom Valentine Day Parties
• 6:35 – 8:00AM –Boys swim team practice
• AM – Hearing Screening for 4th graders
• Deadline: Articles for E-Bugle due today kyraeg@wowway.com


REMEMBER - NO SCHOOL FEBRUARY 15-19 DUE TO WINTER BREAK

Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday –Baked Boneless RiB-B-Ques, Baked Potato, Wedges, Green Beans
Tuesday –Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes, Calif. Blend
Wednesday –Salad Bar Day with Popcorn Chicken or Julianne Turkey
Thursday – Cheese Ravioli, Corn, Wheat Roll
Friday –Baked Potato Bar, Choice of toppings-Broccoli, Cheese or Bacon

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

BCS 3RD & 4TH GRADE “SOUPER BOWL” FOOD DRIVE – FEBRUARY 5-12
During this next week the goal of the team of 3-4 students is to collect over 800 cans of high-protein food, which will be donated to Baldwin Center and Gleaners Food Bank. Desired canned items include: canned tuna, salmon or other fish; canned chicken breast; heat and serve canned beef; beef or chicken stew; roast or corned beef hash; canned chicken & dumplings; chunky soups; baked beans; peanut butter. Please no glass or out-of-date cans. Students are asked to bring their food donations to their 3-4 classrooms. All BCS families are invited to participate.

HEART TO HEART DRIVE
Please join the 7/8 Spirit Committee in donating gently used HOUSEWARES, CLOTHING and TOILETRIES to the needy and underprivileged people of Detroit. We are assisting the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), which is a community center and shelter that helps those who are homeless get off the streets and into a place to live. Items needed from now through February 24 are listed below and can be placed into the collection boxes in the entrance hall.
• Hats, mittens, gloves and scarves in ADULT size (no children sizes)
• ADULT X-Large/XX-Large warm coats, clothing and socks – mostly men’s
• ADULT snow boots 0 size 8 and above
• Bathroom accessories-soap dispensers, trashcans, etc.
• Pots/Pans
• Rugs,Towels, Blankets, Pillows
• Travel-size toiletries, New Toothbrushes
• Old glasses/Reading glasses

Also to coincide with our 7/8 ID theme for this year, we will be making bags of non-perishable food items to give to the homeless people at the NSO shelter. From now until Wednesday, February 10, please have your child bring in the following items according to your child’s homeroom:
• Mixon – Granola/Nutrigrain/Protein bars
• Braisted – Fruit leather/fruit snacks/dried fruit
• Muhammad – Individual cracker packs (with PB/cheese)
• Brown – Canned meat/Vienna sausages (peel-off lid only)
• Emmi – Napkins, Individually wrapped utensil sets, paper bags (equal amount of each)
• Huff – Individual snack-size chips/pretzel bags
• Cruz – Water bottles
• Share – Applesauce/Fruit cups (peel-off lid only)

Everyone – please bring in reusable bags from Kroger, Meijer, Whole Foods, etc. (not plastic bags, but the ones made out of recycled material.) We would like to donate these to the homeless because they are sturdy enough to carry their items. Thank you in advance for your donations! (As always, also remember that you are not obligated to donate items, it is only a request, as we understand that many families are hurting financially and may not be able to donate.)


VACATION ON A SCHOOL DAY
Please, please remember to let the BCS attendance office know if your child will be out of school due to an extended vacation, before or after the upcoming break. As always, absences and tardies should be emailed to bcsattendance@birmingham.k12.mi.us . If email is unavailable, please call 248.203.4444, press 2 to leave your message. Also, an Advanced Notice of Absence form can be completed and turned it into the main office. We surely appreciate your efforts to let us know when your child will be absent or tardy!

ENGINEERS WEEK CELEBRATED BY BCS ON FEBRUARY 22 (MONDAY) AND 23 (TUESDAY)
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.

Attention all BCS families, the Blast needs you to CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS!!
We are currently looking for anything you would like to get rid of for our Blast Prize room. Maybe you have an unopened game or some trinkets and trash that are taking up way too much space in your closet. What a great way to do some house cleaning - just bring it to the clear plastic bin inside the office and it will be put into the Blast prize room. If for any reason we are unable to use your item, it will be delivered to a local children's charity. The Blast carnival committee thanks you!

BLAST OPPORTUNITIES
Attention all BCS Families: the BLAST is right around the corner and we are excited to offer these wonderful opportunities to our community:
• Corporate Sponsors - donations with a value of $250 - $499 will receive advertisement on the Corporate Sponsor banner to be displayed in the cafeteria during the Blast. Corporate sponsors will be mentioned on the www.bcsonline.info website and is listed in the 2010 auction booklet and on the Blast T-shirt.
*Donations with a value of $500 or more will receive advertisement on the Platinum Corporate Sponsor banner to be prominently displayed in the cafeteria during the Blast and in the school for the remainder of the school year. Platinum Corporate Sponsor receives a one year advertisement on the www.bcsonline.info home page and is listed in the 2010 auction booklet and on the Blast T-shirt.
• Family Patron - $100 gets you valet parking, priority auction checkout, and a t-shirt.
• We are also looking for donations to our auction:
1) Tickets to sporting events you, or your company, or vendor(s), have access to always work well at the auction.
2) Your company’s product or service.
3) Golf or hunting outings are very popular
4) Sports memorabilia.
5) Access to Houses / Condominiums / Timeshares in resort areas are a huge auction cash generator!

Please email Laura Meso at laurameso@comcast.net or Therese Fortney at therese521@comcast.net with any item you would like to donate to the 2010 Blast auction.

Thank you all for your continued support to BCS and your children!
You’re the best! From your Blast co-chairs, Karen Best & Ken Gilbert

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.

Remember Trash-Free Fridays!!!!












2010 International Academy Invitational
Science Olympiad Results

On Saturday, February 6th, our Middle School Science Olympiad Team competed against 10 schools from around the area. We tied for 1st place overall! The kids showed great team spirit and worked hard.
The following students took home medals:

1st Place
• Junkyard Challenge – Chris Kompus & Clark Kingston
• Trajectory – Bryce Owens & Bogdan Manga
• Elevated Bridge – Brianna Williams & Alison John
• Experimental Design – Maria Roma, Natalie Kozak & Bassel Salka
• Bio-Process Lab – Lillian Lu & Natalie Kozak
• Road Scholar – Adam Smith & Bogdan Manga
• Dynamic Planet – Hannah Diehl & Will Trask
• Ecology – Lillian Lu & Aaron Levett

2nd Place
• Shock Value – Maria Roma & Nitin Kumar
• Anatomy – Noah Smith & Bassel Salka
• Wright Stuff – Nadia Hakim & Nicole Floyd-Stancil
• Battery Buggy – Adam Smith & Graham Ross

3rd Place
• Elevated Bridge – Maria Roma & Aaron Levett
• Physical Science Lab – Maria Roma & Bassel Salka
• Write-It Do-It – Hannah Diehl & Lillian Lu
• Can’t Judge a Powder – Hannah Diehl & Will Trask
• Disease Detectives – Maria Roma & Natalie Kozak
• Fossils – Graham Ross & Bryce Owens
• Compute This – Aaron Levett & Lillian Lu
The following students took home ribbons:

4th Place
• Compute This – Michael Kmiec & James Rivard
• Ornithology – Nitin Kumar & Bogdan Manga
• Pentathlon – Bryce Owens, Noah Smith, Aaron Levett & Graham Ross

5th Place
• Junkyard Challenge – Noah Smith & Will Trask
• Meteorology – Adam Smith & Shounak Vale
• Wright Stuff – Hannah Diehl, Lillian Lu & Will Trask