October 30, 2011
Dear BCS Community,
On November 18th, our students will be attending an assembly specifically designed to communicate the dangers of social media and the internet.
It is a subject we feel is important at BCS since we value and embrace the learning environments the internet provides. I want to make sure we are not just discussing the dangers of the internet as I do not want to push parents into a sense of paranoia that will deter our learners from using a tool that is relevant in today’s world. The internet, when used safely and responsibly, can be an amazing resource for our children.
As principal of BCS and a parent myself, I ask that all parents become familiar with the social media networks our children are using and to ask them how, when, and why they are using these sites. BCS will try to provide you with the resources to assist you in discussing this subject with your children and the proper avenues in learning about the very environments your children are living in online.
Recently, I have had to discuss proper use of technology and social networks with students in isolated situations where inappropriate content was published. Content usually takes the form of video, pictures, and words shared from one student to another. The common message I give to each student includes two main points:
Wrapped around our 3 E’s (Each Other, Education and Environment), our true character is how we act when no one is looking. Making choices that are responsible and match our values is important no matter what environment we are in. Whether we are on the playground, visiting the city park, or chatting online, our good character must be a priority. That conversation always includes asking students what good character means to them. After their definition is clear, we can connect their perspectives of good character to safe and responsible internet use.
When you post something on twitter, facebook, email, wikispaces, etc... EVERYONE is looking! Our digital footprint is never erased. What we post online, the pictures and videos we send via cellphones, or messages we send through email, knows no time and no boundaries. The intended person may not be the only person to see the content and chances are, even though you have hit delete, the content remains somewhere out there for people to find. Many times we assume our young learners understand this but over time I have found it is a constant message we must give our children.
Parents and schools must continue to work together in keeping our students safe, no matter what environment they are in. Online networks have created amazing learning opportunities just as playgrounds, field trips, and other innovations our children have experienced in school. The key is to focus on collaborative ways to keep each opportunity safe for our learners and to build a culture of responsible internet users to lead the next generation. The parent wiki should be helpful to you as you begin, or continue to, discuss internet usage with your child.
G.E.E.K.ed about parents knowing what their child is doing on the internet,
Adam
WEEK AT A GLANCE – Week of October 31- November 4, 2011
(Disclaimer: Please check all your calendars and bcsonline.info in case we missed something)
Monday, October 31
- GRADES 3-6-SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES OUTSIDE YOUR CHILD’S HOMEROOM
- 7-8 AM Cross Country Practice
- 1:45 PM –HALLOWEEN PARADE and classroom celebrations
- 4:05-6PM-7-8 Boys Soccer Practice
Tuesday, November 1
- GRADES 3-6-SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES OUTSIDE YOUR CHILD’S HOMEROOM
- HALLOWEEN CANDY COLLECTING IN THE OFFICE-see below
- 7-8 AM Cross Country Practice
- 8 AM BAGELS for Sale- for $1.25 (cream cheese .25 cents)in front of the Media Center
- DUE for 7/8-Permission Slips for ByeBye Birdie to the 7th hour teacher
- 4PM Boys Soccer @ Cranbrook Middle School. Check highschoolsports.net for directions to the school.
- 7:00 PM Board of Education Meeting-Administration Building
Wednesday, November 2
- GRADES 3-6-SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES OUTSIDE YOUR CHILD’S HOMEROOM
- 5/6 Room Parent Meeting-Media Center
- Delicious Popcorn sold during Choice Hour-only $ 1
Thursday, November 3
- GRADES 3-6-SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES OUTSIDE YOUR CHILD’S HOMEROOM
- DUE- FLAMING0 FLOCKING orders due-see bcsonline.info for order form
- 8:30-9:30 AM Rising Stars Performance for 3/4
- 7 /8 going to Groves to see BYE BYE BIRDIE-return by lunch
- 3:15-4:05-7-8 Boys Soccer End of Season party during Choice Hour
- 7:00 PM Friends of Different Learners Meeting-Managing Behaviors to Improve Learning-Media Center
- End of First Quarter
Friday, November 4
- No School-Records Day
- District Wide Kids Club Program available Register at www.communityed.net or call 248-203-3800 for details
Saturday,November 5
- 6 PM Proud Dads Tennis-Birmingham Racquet Club
Sunday,November 6
- “FALL BACK” END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME-Set your clocks back!!!
Hot Entrée menu for the week: (subject to change, if necessary)
- Available everyday: Salad Bar, Hamburgers, Chicken Patties, Pizza & Cheese Breadsticks
Monday – Baked Chicken Nuggets, Baked Potato Rounds, Steamed Broccoli, Mexican Pizza
Tuesday – French Bread Cheese Pizza on Wheat,Fresh Garden Salad,Fresh Fruit Cup,Cheese Quesadilla
Wednesday – Baked Mac and Cheese, Steamed Brocoli, Whole Grai Dinner Roll, Supreme Pizza
Thursday – Baked Chicken Rings,AuGratin Potatoes,Steamed Corn,Zesty Beef Burrito
Friday –No Meal Service
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR IMPORTANT FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
ATHLETIC NEWS
Online registration is up and running for the Winter 1 season of athletics. Please visit our BCS athletics page http://bcsonline.info/Athletics.html to register for Girls Swim or Boys Basketball!
SWIM COACH NEEDED
BCS is in need of a HEAD SWIM COACH and an ASSISTANT SWIM COACH for both the boys and girls swim seasons. If you know of someone interested in this position, please have them forward their letter of interest including relevant coaching experiences to Patricia Chinn at pc02bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Mr. Johansson’s 5/6 classes as well as Brown/Fitz 6th will be swimming during the 2nd Quarter (11/7-1/27).
Mr. Manchester’s classes as well as Cook/Wilkie 5th & Joberts 6th will be swimming during the 3rd Quarter (1/30-4/13).
CONFERENCE SIGN UP FOR MATH
Due to our flexible math scheduling at BCS, math conferences are organized differently. If your child has a math teacher who is not a part of their core team, you will have an opportunity to meet with their teacher on Thursday, November 17th. The 5/6 Math teachers will be in the Media Center from 7:45 am to 10:30 am. There will be no sign-up sheet. The teachers will meet with you on a first come, first served basis, so please feel free to drop by anytime that morning .
We look forward to seeing you! The 5/6 Team
DIGITAL BCS UPDATE
We are currently making the switch from DigitalBCS.com to www.BCSonline.info for all of our teacher websites. Please go to www.BCSonline.info and reset your teacher bookmarks from that page as they will no longer be correct with the DigitalBCS
DO YOU NEED TO CARPOOL FOR QUARTER II-????
We now have a private, unlisted Google map for BCS families who wish to find carpool partners. To be included on the map and receive your link to the map, please email bcscarpool@gmail.com with your Family Name, Contact Person, Address, Phone, and Email. This carpool map is only for the use of BCS families who would like to carpool.
Fall Book Fair Volunteers Needed!! Helping at the Fair is lots of fun and 25% of the proceeds go directly to the Media Center to buy books, audio books, ipods, cameras, subscriptions, materials, and furnishings.!!
If you love books and have 2 hours to spare, please contact Shiva Motlagh (shivamotlagh@comcast.net) to volunteer for the upcoming Fall Book Fair! Upper class high school students who need community service hours are welcome.
2 hour shifts are available during the following times:
Monday, November 14 - book fair set up - please e-mail Shiva at shivamotlagh@comcast.net for the hours
Tuesday, November 15 - student preview times - 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Weds. & Thurs. November 16 & 17 - student preview/public sale - 8:30 am to 8:00 pm
Thursday November 17 - book fair pack up - 7:50 pm to 9:00 pm
“Wii” NEED YOUR HELP!
The LINKS program is looking to acquire a Wii game system and age appropriate video games to use with the 5/6 grade students during lunch time in the game room. If you have a Wii system, Wii accessories (nunchucks, remotes,etc.) or any Wii games that you are looking to donate to a good cause, please drop them off in the office for Mr. Bodle! We are also happy to accept any handheld gaming devices (PSP, DS, etc.) that you are look to donate to the game room!
Geography Bee is coming to BCS
BCS is going to hold a Geography Bee this year. Students in grades 4-8 are eligible to participate. The school-wide bee will be held on Tuesday, January 10th. The winner of the school bee will take a written test to qualify for the National Geographic State Bee. Any 4-8 student who wishes to compete in the GeoBee can sign up for the GeoBee in the Media Center starting November 1.
The National Geographic Society runs the National Bee and provides the materials for the school bee. The website National Geographic Bee - National Geographic has a wealth of information and activities for students interested in the “Bee”. There is also a very fun GeoBee Challenge app available for iPad, iPod touch, and other mobile devices that students can use to quiz themselves
NEWS FROM THE 8TH GRADE CELEBRATION COMMITTEE
8th Grade Celebration Committee wants to remind you this week is the deadline for Flamingo "flocking". Do not miss out on the fun.Go to bcsonline.info for order forms.
GOT CANDY?
BCS will be collecting Halloween candy again this year to donate to a local charity. If you have leftover Halloween candy, or if your child comes home with more Halloween candy than they can eat and would like to donate their extra candy to someone in need of a treat, then please donate that candy to the BCS Halloween Candy Collection. Bring your extra Halloween candy (individually wrapped candy or bags of candy are fine) to the BCS office and put it into the collection box. We will be collecting candy in the office from Tuesday, November 1st through Friday, November 11th. If you have questions, contact Becky Bachand at bachandfamily@att.net. Thank you for your support.
BCS is joining forces with Gleaners Food Bank
to battle hunger All BCS families are being offered the opportunity to help package food for those in need. Each session can accommodate 40 people. If you would like to start your Thanksgiving break by giving back to others, please sign up in the BCS office. Please make sure you include the total number from your family who will be attending. Sessions will be closed once the maximum number of 40 is met.
Date: Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Time: 9:00-10:30am, 11:00am-12:30pm, or 1:00-2:30pm
Location: 120 E. Columbia Avenue, Pontiac MI
District Wide Kids Club Program available
Nov. 4 - Super Sleuths at Bingham Farms
Register at www.communityed.net or call 248-203-3800 for details.
Make a Splash!
Community Open Swim at Groves from 1 – 3pm on Sundays
All ages are welcome! Lap lanes available. Children 10 and under must be supervised by an adult.
Pre-purchased entry cards are required. Register at www.communityed.net or call 248-203-3800 for details.
Bye, Bye, Birdie at Groves!
Groves Performing Arts Company proudly presents Bye, Bye, Birdie
as this year’s musical extravaganza! Come see over 120 Groves students on stage, in the orchestra and on the crew sing and dance their way into your heart in the main auditorium.
Tickets available in the main office. Student:$10, adults $12.Dates and times are: FRI, Nov 4 at 7:30 pm; SAT, Nov 5 at 7:30 pm; SUN, Nov 6 at 2:30 pm; FRI, Nov 11 at 7:30 pm; SAT, Nov 12 at 7:30 pm; SUN, Nov 13 at 2:30 pm Become a member of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club at http://tinyurl.com/3oc3hf5 Location: Groves auditorium
STUDENT JOURNALISM CONFERENCE
Are you interested in journalism? Come to the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s Middle School Conference 2011 Friday, 11/4 at MSU! For more information, please visit http://mipamsu.org/middle-school-conference-2011/
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