Dear BCS Students/Families,
Hope you had a wonderful and safe weekend, with some treats with no tricks! Seeing all the early voting turnout warmed our hearts, including learning about this organization Pizza to the Polls, an initiative to incentivize voters to stay in line and cast their votes. Pizza pies come from New York favorites like Two Boots and Adoro’s!
And remember today is Fall Back! Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteries. In conjunction with Daylight Saving Time (11/1), the FDNY reminds you to replace the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home.
In other news, COVID testing on Friday in the building was a success even though the testers came an hour late and had a dysfunctional device. We tested 35 students and 20 staff in 2.5 hours before the testers had to leave. Results come back in 2-3 days.
BCS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Election Day Tues 11/3 is All Remote for All Students
- There is no blended learning on Tues 11/3 – all students/staff are remote on that day
- If you are an all-remote student, then your schedule will stay the same that day. Use the Zoom links you have been using.
- If you are a blended learning student in Group A who usually has in-person classes on Tuesdays, then follow your Friday Zoom schedule for Math and Social Studies. Use the B Pod link posted in Google Classroom to enter the Zoom.
DOE window for opting back into blended learning is Mon 11/2 – Sun 11/15
- Families can opt back into blended learning using this DOE form (same one to request all-remote). The form is only open Mon 11/2 through Sun 11/15.
- There is only one opt-in window available instead of three, as previously indicated by the DOE. Families who do not opt back into blended learning now remain in all-remote for the rest of the year until June.
- Please also complete our internal BCS opt-in survey to indicate that you would like to opt back into blended learning, in addition to filling out the DOE form.
- Families who newly opt into blended learning during this window start the week of 11/30 in school. More information will follow once we know you are interested in opting back in.
- As always, blended learning students can opt into all-remote at any time.
- Families who are already in blended learning do not need to do anything to remain in blended learning.
- If you have any questions about blended learning, please email Scill@bcs448.org
Please fill out your lunch form to help BCS get much needed $$$!
- To receive the federal, state and city funds we are entitled to, we need every student to fill out your School Lunch Form here (also called the Family Income Inquiry Form)
- Our school is 15K448
- Every family needs to fill this form out, regardless of whether your child eats school lunch or home lunch
- If you need help or if you would like a paper copy of the form, please email Tracey@bcs
Students/Families Feedback survey
- Let us know how we’re doing by completing the 5-min feedback survey.
- Talk to your child’s teachers about what they’re learning at Curriculum Night. Teachers will email you the link/date/time for your child’s grade. Stay tuned to your email!
If you are sick
- Please read this important reminder about what to do if your child is in blended learning and feels sick: https://www.bcs448.org/2020/10/31/blended-learning-students-if-you-feel-sick/
Student-Led Conferences are coming soon
- SLCs are Thurs 11/12 (evening) and Fri 11/13 (afternoon). Fri 11/13 is a half day for all students.
- Your child’s crew leader will contact you for a 15 min appointment to facilitate a conversation where your child discusses his/her progress in school
- The student and parent participate in these conferences TOGETHER with the crew leader. Your child will prepare for his/her SLC via his Crew Google Classroom.
- More information will follow from your child’s crew leader.
Ask your child about the election expedition in Crew
- As a continuation of our beginning of year expedition (What does it mean to belong to a community?), we will have a crew-based election expedition (What does it mean to belong to a democracy?)
- Students will have crew-based lessons in Zoom and in their Crew Google Classroom based on the following topics. Ask your child what they thought of last week’s lessons!
DOE ANNOUNCEMENTS
DOE Grading Policy
- No students will receive failing grades this year, and absences will not penalize a student’s grade if they miss instruction but otherwise complete all their Google Classroom work. Read the DOE’s letter to families about 2020-21 grading and attendance policies.
- The BCS grading scale for final grades is number grades from 65-100, reflecting the mastery grading scale. If a student does not show mastery of learning targets to reach 65 by the end of the semester, students earn a NX (incomplete) and will have additional time to turn in work to show mastery.
- Students in middle/high school will have the option to convert any passing number grade from 65-100 to a “P” (MS – pass) or “CR” (HS – credit) at the end of the semester so the number grade will not negatively impact your child’s GPA.
P-EBT Benefits extended
The federal government extended P-EBT food stamp benefits through September 2021 to help families cover the cost of meals that are normally served at school. Families will receive the P-EBT card for this school year in January at the earliest.