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Student-Family Update

2/5 – Student/Family Update

Published February 4, 2023 by Scill Chan

Dear BCS Students/Families, we hope everyone enjoyed ice skating or their campus/crew trip.  Welcome to second semester!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Upcoming Dates

  • Mon 2/20 – Fri 2/24 – No School (Midwinter Recess)

March PROSE Half Days 

  • BCS is part of a select network of schools in PROSE, which permits DOE schools to innovate with deviations from the citywide calendar and UFT contract by vote of the staff.  
  • The DOE has approved our annual PROSE half days, which allow our staff to have additional professional development. 
  • Please note these dates in your calendar – half days – dismissal at 11:15am:
    • Wed 3/1
    • Mon 3/13
    • Mon 3/27
  • In addition, there is another citywide half day on Fri 3/24 for student-led conferences – dismissal at 11:15am.

Reminder – free breakfast available daily to all students

  • Free hot breakfast available daily 7:45-8:45am in the cafeteria
  • Grab and go cold breakfast available daily 8:30-10:30am by School Safety desk at entry

BNS/BCS Parent Action Committee Meeting

  • Monday, February 6, 5:00-6:00 – Please join the Parent Action Committee meeting via Zoom this Monday, Feb 6, at 5:00 PM. Tentative agenda items include the upcoming Community and Citywide Education Council elections, organizing 2023 state testing opt out, and a new proposal for uniform D15 grading. For more information, contact Abby at acookmack@gmail.com. 

Online Phishing Scams

  • A local Brooklyn PTA reported that emails are circulating claiming to be their PTA treasurer requesting invoice payment. Rest assured that BCS’s PTA would never invoice PTA members as a practice. If you receive a suspicious email asking for payment to BCS’s PTA:
  • DO NOT click on any links in the email or call the number in the email. DO notify the PTA executive board immediately at PTA@bcs448.org. 
  • Here are other suggestions to protect you and your family from these phishing scams. 

Core Value Shout outs 

  • Share with us a student or teacher you see consistently exemplifying one of our core values using our Core Value Shout Outs form – we’ll post regularly on Instagram

DOE – New Spring School Food Menu

  • The DOE is committed to the health and well-being of every child, and continues to provide free, nutritious meals to all students every day. The healthy food provided helps students succeed inside and outside of the classroom, in alignment with Chancellor Banks’ Four Pillars to prioritize wellness and its link to student success. The DOE will continue to release monthly menu options on the School Food Menus page. As such, note that the menu for February is now available to mark the launch of the spring menu options for breakfast, lunch, and afterschool meals for students in all grades.  
  • For more information, here is a survey link for students and parents to provide feedback on menu options, make suggestions for additions to the menu, and share their dining experience in school cafeterias.

DOE – Respect For All Week

  • This year’s Respect for All (RFA) Week will take place from February 13–17. During RFA Week, the DOE celebrates, highlights, and builds upon ongoing diversity programs and curriculum-based instruction that promote respect for diversity and engage students in meaningful lessons and/or other activities that focus on preventing bias-based harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying.  More information here.

Help recent immigrants in the neighborhood

  • Red Hook Mutual Aid put out an urgent call for bikes and old phones to support folks relocated to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.  Additional items needed: clothes, underwear, coats
  • Donate new supplies for migrants at multiple drop-off locations in Red Hook.
  • Follow @redhookmutualaid on Instagram to learn about distribution and volunteer opportunities
  • Are you bilingual? Join Red Hook Mutual Aid’s Bilingual Team!
  • Join Red Hook Mutual Aid’s Buddy System for Asylum Seekers.  You will be paired with someone as an advocate and conversation partner.  This is the most powerful way to participate in mutual aid: building relationships, social capital, and self-sufficiency for new members of our community.

MS Soccer Team with YWCA Afterschool

  • Enroll in the BCS MS Soccer Team (all students Grades 6-8 welcome).  Must be part of our YWCA afterschool program to participate – join afterschool now if not already enrolled!  Get an application in Office 405 from Ashley@bcs448.org or Jaada@bcs448.org

HS Afterschool Program with Inspiring Minds

  • Enroll in our HS Afterschool Program – free programs in SAT Prep, Cosmetology, Boxing, Film, Cooking and much more!
  • Email Fox@bcs448.org for more information – join us!

Black History Month Showcase On Friday, February 10

  • Bring your families and celebrate with us
  • Doors open at 4pm in cafeteria
  • Potluck – food provided, bring food/drinks to share

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

$$$ Gowanus Green Team for Grades 10-11

  • Paid apprenticeship program held from Saturday, May 6th-Saturday, August 13th, 2023 for high school sophomores and juniors. Youth will engage in environmental stewardship, urban conservation and community work, and learn about green infrastructure, garden design, and more through hands-on experiences.
  • Email Aurelia at aurelia@gowanuscanalconservancy.org with any questions. The application will close at 11:59PM on Friday, March 3rd, 2023.  FIND THE APPLICATION HERE

$$$ Wildlife Conservation Society Opportunities for ages 14+

  • Have you ever wanted to get involved at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, or New York Aquarium? If so, register to attend the Virtual Youth JIVE (Job, Internship, and Volunteering Expo) on Saturday, February 4, 2023, from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. JIVE attendees will have the opportunity to attend professional development workshops and career panels. You will also learn about all of the paid and unpaid positions available for youth. 
  • Volunteer positions are available to youth 14+, paid jobs are available to youth 16+
  • More information here. Registration required.

BNS Makerfest needs Student Face Painters!

  • Calling all Makeup Mavens, Brush Bros and generally artsy-fartsy types! We need a solid crew to rock the FacePainting table at this year’s MakerFest. This is a wildly popular offering at every BNS event, and we need you to make it a success.
  • Prep meetings by Zoom with instruction on Sunday Feb 12, Saturday Feb 25, and Sunday March 12- pick one, or come to all!
  • We will also have at least one in-person meeting so you can get your hands on the materials and practice banging out the pre-made designs on a model, or on each other. Just as important: we will learn proper sanitation practices to keep everybody safe and healthy. 
  • Contact fundraising@bns146.org to sign up!

Resources at the Door 

Computer Science Summer Immersion Program for current 9th-12th graders

  • In our two free virtual programs, you will learn the computer science skills they need to make an impact, meet inspiring professionals across diverse industries, and tap into lifelong college and career support to help them succeed in their first interviews and jobs. All high school girls and non-binary students are welcome to apply! 
  • Students will participate in our brand-new game design course to learn the fundamentals of game design, UX, the iterative design process, and more. By the end of the program, they’ll build a suite of short games using p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding. Eligible students can even apply for laptop or hotspot access and grants of up to $300 for financial support!
  • In our 6-week Self-Paced Program for current 9th-12th graders, participants will learn to code through independent study and real-world projects. By the end of the program, they’ll earn beginner-level certificates of completion in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript for web development or intermediate-level certificates of completion in Python for cybersecurity or data science.
    For more information on our virtual Summer Programs, check out our website or attend a webinar.

Siblinghood Academy 

  • Phenomenal after school program offering for young women and gender expansive young people in the 9 – 12 grades. The goal of Siblinghood Academy is to foster a safe space for young people to explore identity, our current world, and build community rooted in joy and liberation!Throughout this program, our participants will have a safe and brave space to challenge the world, hold discussions about identity, building healthy relationships, and so much more. They will also be able to participate in additional activities and events within the Sadie Nash community such as Sibling Circles, Workshops, Fun Trips, Webinars, and more.
  • Siblinghood Academy will be taking place weekly on Monday and Wednesdays from 4 – 6 P.M. This Fall, Siblinghood Academy will be entirely IN-PERSON at the SNLP Office that is nearest to you! Our NYC Siblinghood Academy will be meeting at our SNLP Office at 4 W 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 *Suite 502*. Our NWK Siblinghood Academy will be meeting at our SNLP Office at 31 Mulberry St. Newark, NJ 07102. We are also offering a VIRTUAL Siblinghood Academy that will be taking place once a week on Saturdays from 12- 2 P.M. on Zoom!
  • All participants of the Siblinghood Academy program will be eligible to receive a $200 stipend based on their attendance in the program! 
  • Siblinghood Academy Application

NYC Youth Leadership Councils 

  • Students ages 14-21 currently enrolled in high school or an equivalency program can join a YLC to partner with peer leaders and adult allies and take action on the issues that matter to youth most. NYC YLCs, powered by NYC Service, offers a chance to share ideas, create solutions, and put them into action. Youth can team up with peers from their neighborhood or school, meet new people who share their interests, and get support from adults to make their voices heard.
  • Learn more about YLC’s and NYC Service here.

Audubon New York’s Youth Leadership Council 

  • Audubon New York seeks motivated, creative youth who are passionate about the environment and who are looking to investigate environmental justice issues in their communities through the lens of birds. Youth will work collaboratively to research an environmental justice issue of their choice and create a climate action plan that the group will be presenting at Audubon’s Youth Climate Summit. Meetings will take place in a hybrid format and will take place on either a weekly or biweekly basis. 
  • Apply to Audubon New York’s Youth Leadership Council here

PACT: Power Action Change for Teens (Grade 7-9)

  • Thursdays, February 16 – March 16, 4:30 – 6:00 PM EST
  • PACT is a FREE 5- session program for teen girls (cis and trans) and all youth on the trans and gender non-conforming spectrum in 7- 9th grade. 
  • PACT will meet every Thursday from 4:30 – 6pm February 16th – March 16th 2023. We will have the program kick-off VIRTUALLY on February 9th!
  • PACT will meet in-person at 30 3rd Ave Brooklyn, NY 11217
  • Questions?  Please reach out to youth@caeny.org or Jasmín at jasmin@caeny.org.

Published in BCS News