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Student-Family Update

3/7 – Student/Family Update

Published March 6, 2022 by Scill Chan

Dear BCS Students and Families, we hope you are doing well.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Important Mask Updates

  • As of Mon 3/7, masks are optional in DOE school buildings for students in Grades K-12.  Students and staff can wear a mask or not if they choose.
  • Masks are still required for some circumstances:
    • Masks are still required for all PreK students
    • Masks are still required to go to the school nurse’s office
    • A KN95 mask is required if you test positive for COVID and return from quarantine to school on Day 6-10.  
    • Students can continue to get free KN95 masks in any office.

Complete the DOE Family Survey

  • Families, please complete the DOE survey online by going to the NYC School Survey site, enter the letter “f” (lowercase) followed by their student’s nine-digit OSIS number, and complete the survey (e.g f123456789). 
  • If you don’t know your child’s OSIS, you can look at their schedule or report card or in Pupilpath or email Tracey@bcs448.org

Middle School NY State Testing Dates – please mark your calendars

  • New York State Grades 6–8 English Language Arts (ELA) – March 29 – March 30
  • New York State Grades 6–8 Math  – April 26 – April 27
  • New York State Grades 8 Science (written) – June 6
  • LG Students will take the exams during the school day
  • UG Students will have Expeditionary Thursdays fieldwork on these days to accommodate a quiet environment for testing

Black Lives Matter School-wide Expedition

  • We are deep into our annual schoolwide BLM expedition: what does it mean to be in a community where Black Lives Matter?
  • Families can see the overview of crew lessons here – students and crew leaders have just completed two lessons on Black Joy as a form of resistance

Schoolwide ETs in the spring – please mark your calendars

  • Spring Expeditionary Thursdays and other trips:
    • LG ETs: 3/10, 3/24, 4/7, 5/5
    • UG ETs: 3/30 (Math), 4/26 (ELA), 4/27 (SS), 5/19 (Science)
    • UG Crew Trips: 3/23 (only grades 9 and 12, 10/11 have PSAT/SAT in school), 3/29 (all grades 9-12)

Amazon Wish List – more tissues and snacks please!

  • Please help purchase items off our Amazon Wish List
  • Right now, we would most like TISSUES and GRANOLA BARS 
  • Please choose Friends of Brooklyn Collaborative Studies as your charity on Amazon Smile and donate to BCS while you shop at Amazon at no cost to you!

Virtual Student Led Conferences coming up – please save the dates

  • Wed 3/16 evening and Fri 3/18 afternoon – Student-Led Conferences – more information from your crew leader soon, SLCs are virtual in Zoom

Half Days all March (dismissal at 11am for all students)

  • As part of our work as a DOE PROSE school, we were able to apply for additional staff PD Half Days.  The DOE has approved PD days for our staff so students will have a half day on March 4, 11, and 25 (dismissal at 11am for students).  This supports our ability to collaborate with staff so that we can provide the best learning experience for you.
  • Additionally, Student-Led Conferences will be Wed March 16 evening and Fri March 18 afternoon, so Fri March 18 is also a city-wide half day for all Grades 6-12 and 9-12 schools.  
  • Therefore, ALL FRIDAYS IN MARCH WILL BE HALF DAYS FOR STUDENTS AT BCS
  • Schedule (8:45am-11am):
    • Fri 3/4 – Periods 1-3
    • Fri 3/11 – Periods 4, 6, 7
    • Fri 3/18 – Periods 1-3
    • Fri 3/25 – Periods 4, 6, 7

Free COVID testing every Monday – get a QR code for your child 

  • We have arranged for a mobile van to conduct free PCR testing at the school every Monday.  Use the same QR code each week to get PCR COVID tested here at school at the mobile van so you only need to pre-register once.  
  • The van will be here weekly on Mondays 12pm-4pm except holidays for staff and students
  • The test is FREE every week.  If you have insurance, your insurance will cover it for free.  If you are uninsured, the state will cover it for free.  Results will be emailed to the email that you register with in 2-3 days. 
  • If families would like to utilize the van, please come after 2:30pm with your own QR code

Check your attendance and current grades in Pupilpath

  • Please check for your attendance and grades in Pupilpath
  • If you need login help, please email password@bcs448.org

School Food Updates – Hot Breakfast available every day, Free lunch/breakfast daily

  • Hot breakfast is available daily in the cafeteria 8:15am-8:45am
  • Cold breakfast will still be available at entry for all students to grab & go
  • For lunch, the menu will start Vegan Fridays – all food offerings on Fridays will be vegan
  • Hot lunch and breakfast are available daily and free to all students

OPPORTUNITIES

Free AA degree – earn a college degree for free!

  • If you know of anyone who wants to go to college in the city for free, please pass on this opportunity – access to brilliant faculty, fellow students, highly recommend for adults returning to school.  
  • Small, seminar-style classes; Strong, supportive intellectual community; Study with Bard professors, earn Bard credits, work towards Bard AA degrees; Students pay nothing for tuition, books, or fees
  • Bard Microcolleges are local, private, tuition-free liberal arts degree programs for students of any age in New York City.
  • Admissions now open for Fall 2022 enrollment at Bard Microcolleges in Brooklyn and Harlem!
  • Deadline April 15th
  • Bard at Brooklyn Public Library is based at the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza.  The Bard Micrcollege for JustCommunity Leadership offers a special focus on system-impacted students and those interested in social justice, and is based at the Countee Cullen Library in Harlem. 
  • Applying to the Bard Microcolleges is simple, and begins with an in-person writing session at either the Brooklyn Public Library or the Countee Cullen Library in Harlem.
  • Learn more, join the mailing list, or sign up to apply here: https://microcollege.bard.edu/ or reach out to microcollege@bard.edu with questions. 

Free Theater Workshops for students ages 11-15

  • Free series of digital theater making-workshops for students 11-15 starting this coming March with Colt Coeur Theater in Brooklyn.  Here is a flyer, workshop information and the application!

Daddying Film Festival – submit a video for a chance to win a prize

  • KIDS FIRST! Daddying Film Festival (KFDFF) is inviting students to create and send video “love letters” to their dads, father figures, or dads they wish they had. Online submissions are NOW OPEN
  • All students are eligible to submit for FREE their 1- to 5-minute short films/videos for KFDFF juror consideration. Students may submit their short films or smartphone-shot videos in MP4 or MOV format for Festival consideration by registering with parent permission and uploading to the KFDFF page: https://filmfreeway.com/KIDSFIRSTDaddyingFilmFestival
  • Awards will be presented to one winner in each of four grade-level categories at an online event on June 17, 2022.

Published in BCS News