10/12 – Dear BCS Students and Families, here is this week’s family email. We had a wonderful celebration on Friday evening for Hispanic Heritage Month. See Instagram for our reel!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Unity Fest
- Postponed to Sat Nov 1 – BCS/BNS Unity Fest (in-person) 11am-3pm – bring your families!
- Food, fun, clothing swap, and more! Great for all ages!
- BCS Cafeteria
- Fundraiser for both school’s PTAs
No School – Mon Oct 13
- No School – Italian Heritage Day / Indigenous People’s Day
No personal student laptops
- The 2025 NYC DOE cell phone policy requires all students to keep personal internet-enabled devices stored away from the school day, from bell-to-bell. All personal electronic devices, including smartphones and smartwatches and personal laptops, must be stored and inaccessible during the entire school day.
- Students who need laptop access must use the school laptops, available in every classroom every class period.
Open House dates – we need Student Ambassadors!
- Wed 10/22 @ 6:00PM Virtual
- Thurs 10/30 @ 4:15PM In-Person
- Mon 11/10 @ 6:00PM Virtual
- Thurs 11/13 @ 4:15PM In-Person
- Student Ambassadors will be trained to lead small groups to tour in-person or in a breakout Zoom room. Please help us recruit new students and families into Grades 6 and 9. The more students we have, the more intimate the groups can be which helps a lot! We need you!
- Please email Imani if you are interested in becoming a Student Ambassador! Thanks!
Upcoming Dates (No School – Fall Semester)
- Oct 20 – No School – Diwali
- Nov 4 – No School for Students – Election Day
- Nov 11 – No School – Veterans Day
- Nov 27-28 – No School – Thanksgiving Recess
- Dec 24- Jan 2 – No School – Winter Recess
- Jan 19 – No School – Dr. MLK Jr Day
- Jan 26 – No School – Professional Development Day for Staff
Please join us for the Brooklyn PTA Fun Run on 10/25!
- The run is a family-friendly event where Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), and community members of all ages come together to run, bike, scoot or walk around Prospect Park loop road (approximately 5K). The aim is to raise funds for Brooklyn schools with Title I status, including BCS. To sign up, click here to register – during registration, pick the Brooklyn Collaborative school team
- https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Brooklyn/BrooklynPTAFunRun2021
Homework Help Resources
- Here’s some resources for free tutoring and homework help. In addition, we have Tues Tiers with all teachers every Tuesday afterschool from 3:05pm-4pm.
- Where NYC Students Can Get Free Homework Help and After School Tutoring
- UFT Dial-A-Teacher (K–12)
- This free homework help service hotline is a collaboration between the United Federation of Teachers and the New York City Department of Education. Any New York City public school student or parent can call the phone line and be connected with a qualified teacher for one-on-one homework help. Many of the teachers are also bilingual, so they can assist in languages including Armenian, Bengali, Chinese, English, French, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Tagalog.
- Where? Contact the hotline at (212) 777-3380 or 311 to get connected.
When? Dial-a-Teacher is available Monday through Thursday between 4 and 7 p.m. when school is in session.
- Brainfuse-HelpNow
- Brainfuse is a free online tutoring service provided by the New York Public Library (NYPL) and Brooklyn Public Library. The web platform offers live, one-on-one tutoring in various subjects, including math, science, reading, and writing, for students from early elementary through high school. The one-on-one tutors can speak English, French and Spanish.
- In their website, they also have video content and other resources that walk students through topics such as math, reading and writing. There’s an online writing lab too where you can submit essays for constructive feedback.
- Where? To access this help, you have to log in to a Brainfuse account using your library card. Need a library card? Here’s how. If you need help applying, contact Ask NYPL.
When? The virtual tutors are available from 2 to 11 p.m. every day, but you can access the online resources any time.
- Learn To Be
- This is non-profit organization dedicated to providing free, one-on-one online tutoring to underserved students throughout the United States. The platform connects students with volunteer tutors for personalized academic support in math, writing and reading.
- Where? Visit their main website and click on enroll a student to fill out the online form. They will get back to you within two days.
When? Once enrolling your child, the schedule will depend on the availability of the tutors.
Expeditionary Thursday fieldwork
- Thank you to all our students for participating in our regular ET fieldwork Fieldwork ET Permission Slip 2025-26
- Our next Expeditionary Thursday ET is Thurs 10/23
Phone policy
- Middle school students – hand in their phones to Pd 1 teacher and get it back Pd 8
- High school students – show their phones at entry to staff or School Safety, pouch their phone in the provided Yondr, carry their pouch all day, unpouch when exiting the building at dismissal. Students must carry their pouches to and from school daily. Lost or damaged pouches cost $20 for replacement.
- Students who hand in fake phones or attempt to use electronics during the school day are subject to progressive disciplinary action
- Distraction-free schools without internet-enabled devices increase academic achievement, decrease mental health concerns, increase positive socialization, and decrease behavior incidents for all
Free Afterschool Programming at BCS
- Grades 6-8 YWCA – email Danielle@bcs448.org
- Grades 9-12 Inspiring Minds – email Ashley@bcs448.org
- Activities offered every day afterschool – free and inclusive to all