10/8 – BCS Student/Family Update – Brooklyn Collaborative

Dear BCS Students/Families, we hope you had a restful weekend.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

No School Monday 10/9

There is no school on Monday 10/9 in honor of Italian Heritage/Indigenous People’s Day

PTA Meeting – this Tues 10/10 from 6:15-7:25 PM, on Zoom

Please join the October PTA General Meeting on Tuesday, 10/10, from 6:15-7:25 PM, on Zoom. All families are welcome!
Our special guest this month is Ed Castro, Family Leadership Coordinator from the Consortium, Internationals, and NYC Outward Bound Citywide High School District Superintendent’s office.
We will also hear from school leadership, discuss upcoming activities, vote on the PTA budget, take nominations from the floor for members of our Executive Board, and have an opportunity to connect with each other.
Please use the following link to join us: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82805443270?pwd=eFVVN1YvcFc0d2NlWmQ0elFjOFNyQT09
You can always reach us, the 2023-2024 BCS PTA Executive Board, by sending an email to pta@bcs448.org. And if you can’t make a PTA General Meeting, please share your thoughts, questions, and ideas via email or by using this Google Form.

School Leadership Team open to public

If you would like to audit (join but not participate) in our School Leadership Team meeting, please email Imani at imani@bcs448.org
Following is the list of SLT meeting dates: October 24, November 28, December 19, January 30, February 27, March 26, April 30, May 28, June 18. Virtual meetings begin @ 7:00p.m.
We post the links for our SLT meetings on our website bcs448.org

Review the DOE Discipline Code

Please review the DOE Discipline Code and regularly talk with your family about citywide expectations and school rules, and check bookbags regularly to ensure that prohibited items do not come to school
In particular, please note:
- Students are expected to resolve conflict peacefully through mediation and restorative practices. Fighting and hitting/hitting back are not tolerated and will be addressed seriously.
- Possessing weapons or any items that can be used as weapons is not permitted and are subject to the highest consequences under the Discipline Code including extended Superintendent suspension.
- Smoking and vaping are not permitted in school – students who are caught smoking/vaping will have a parent conference and class removal and are subject to search and confiscation of prohibited items. All drug paraphernalia and alcohol is not permitted in school.
- Any harassing, intimidating or bullying behaviors (including in person or through social media) are not permitted and will be addressed seriously. All students and staff must treat everyone in the community with respect and expect the same treatment in return.
- Scholastic dishonesty, cheating, copying, colluding, and plagiarism is not permitted and will result in academic/grades consequences including assessments and assignments being invalidated.

Unity Fest – Sat 10/14 – join us for family fun

Please join Unity Fest in the school yards/caf on Sat 10/14 (11am-3pm)
Admission to Unity Fest is by donation. We suggest a $25 donation per family. Buy a ticket to attend or buy a ticket to donate to a student/family in need – https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=AZEKMJ5UEW5LG – your receipt is your ticket
Buy items to support Unity Fest (shipped directly to the school) – https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/352B6EDG3DQ90
Please give as much as you can for our first fundraiser!
Your ticket will allow you all access: food and activities are included!
Not included is BNS and BCS merchandise, which will be for sale.
We look forward to seeing you!

Spirit Mondays – October Lookahead

Mon 10/16 – Graphic Tee Day – wear your favorite graphic tee!
Mon 10/23 – Croc Day – wear your favorite crocs or rubber/foam flip flops or clogs!
Mon 10/30 – Fall Colors Day – wear fall colors (orange, yellows, browns, reds, etc)!
Let’s see which crew shows the most BCS school spirit and has bragging rights!
Crew leaders and staff will be taking pics – be ready to pose with your gear!

Gender and Sexuality Alliance meets every Friday during lunch

Join our GSA – all students welcome
Lower Grades – Fridays during lunch in Room 411
Upper Grades – Fridays during lunch in the Library

BCS Robosharks and all Inspiring Minds afterschool programs have started

High school students – join our Robosharks Robotics Team and/or any of the afterschool offerings we have through Inspiring Minds including Drumming, SAT Prep, Cooking, Film, Cheer, etc.
Email Inspiring Minds Director ashley@bcs448.org for enrollment and questions

Tuesday Tiers – every Tues – get help from teachers afterschool

Tuesday Tiers is afterschool from 3:05pm-3:55pm
All teachers stay afterschool – students can stay with teachers to get help, check in about assignments and grades, and resolve incompletes NCs/NXs from last semester
We invite all students to stay afterschool

Registration for the October Brooklyn PTA Fun Run (you can walk!)

Help raise money for the PTA and enjoy a beautiful day in the park (Sat 10/28)
https://runsignup.com/RaceGroups/118571
Join the Brooklyn Collaborative School Team
$25 per adult, $5 for ages 0-18 – come with your whole family and enjoy some fitness and fun at this fundraiser!

Support our Donors Choose projects – on Wed 10/11, all donations will be doubled

On October 11th, all BCS projects will have donations doubled. Please donate generously to our current Donors Choose projects!
- Restocking our Support Closet– Last week’s rain wiped us out of extra t shirts, socks, and hygiene supplies. We are hoping to replenish these goods so that we are prepared for winter, when many kids need warm clothes.
- Computer Science Tablets for Coding– Help our Comp Sci classroom get a small amount of upgraded technology. Overall, learning to code can provide high school students with valuable skills and knowledge that can benefit them in many ways, both in their personal and life beyond high school.
- Scholastic Subscription– Our 7th graders LOVE this subscription. They use it as a kick off for discussing current events, as well as renewing the lost love for print media and news. Help us expand this for another year.

Free COVID tests are available in 416/516

All students can get free COVID tests in Office 416 or 516
Come pick some up for yourself and your family!

If your child is absent, email crew leader

Email your child’s crew leader so they can let the Attendance Office and your teachers know the reason for your absence
Please avoid any unnecessary absences during the school year – studies show that “students who miss 2 days of school a month are 5 times more likely to fall behind in reading, writing and math, even if the absences are excused.”

DOE COVID policy for students – quarantine 5 days, return masked days 6-10

If students test positive, they must quarantine for 5 days from the date of the positive test (do not come to school) – please tell your crew leader so they can let the Attendance Office and your teachers know the reason for your absence
Students can return to school masked from Days 6-10 after testing positive
For students, there is no remote learning during the time of absence. Where possible, teachers will post some work on Google Classroom – otherwise the student is excused or will make up the work when they return to school

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity – Grade 9

SEO is a free, eight-year, academic program that gets low-income public high school students to and through college – with a 90% college graduation rate. 100% of SEO Scholars are accepted to four-year colleges, with more than 80% being first-generation college graduates.
Students begin in Grade 9 and are encouraged to apply now.

Pathfinders Computer Science/Tech Internship – High School Students

Pathfinders is a 70 hour internship focusing on the CS and tech industry.
Application now open until December 29
Here is our one pager with all program information as well as the application

Witness Theater at Selfhelp Community Services- Grade 11 and 12

The Witness Theater program starts with students meeting with Holocaust survivors once a week and getting to know each other. Once both students and survivors become comfortable and develop trust, Holocaust survivors begin sharing the stories about their experiences before, during, and after the war. Each session is being facilitated by a drama therapist, who later writes the script based on the stories told by Holocaust survivors.
The second part of our process (usually starts at the end of January) involves additional Sunday sessions from 10 am-2 pm, where students rehearse for performances based on the written original script. Students will be performing on a stage and portraying the lives of Holocaust survivors. Our theater project will culminate with 2-3 performances around Yom HaShoah in May, 2024.
We meet every Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 pm at Selfhelp’s main office located at 520 8^th Ave in Manhattan. Great opportunity to earn community service hours! No prior theater experience is required!
Please visit our website to learn more about Witness Theater process and past performances Witness Theater – Selfhelp

2023-2024 Project Bridge Youth Ambassador Program – Grade 11 and 12

The Korea Society sponsors the June Project Bridge 30th Anniversary Celebration and is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 Project Bridge Youth Ambassador Program.
This Program is frequently a life changer. Juniors and seniors in NYC public schools are eligible to apply. Deadline to apply is October 25, 2023.
For further information about the program, please visit Project Bridge Program.
To access application information on applying, please click here.

Drama Opportunity for LGBT Youth – Ages 12-18

National Queer Theater is currently accepting applications for Staging Pride: Queer Youth Theater!
FREE after school theater program for LGBT youth (ages 12-18) within the NYC public school system. Free snacks and Metro cards are provided!
Between October 11-December 13 from 4:30-6:30 pm on Mondays & Wednesdays.
Where: The Center (AKA The LGBT Center) in the West Village: 208 W 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
The program exists to give queer students a space to build community, explore identity and expression, and learn about the history of queer art and culture through theater-making and performance activities!