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Student Family Update

BCS Student/Family Update – 10/26

Published October 25, 2025 by Scill Chan

Dear BCS Students/Families, hope you had a good weekend.  Thanks to all the staff, students, and families who participated in Saturday’s PTA Fun Run – what gorgeous weather!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Community food resources and please donate to our food drive

  • We are thinking proactively about how to support our families who may be impacted by the potential pause in SNAP benefits this November due to the government shutdown.
  • We will be updating this list of community food resources – Community Food Resources. Please send L2@bcs448.org any resources to add to the list.
  • We are also collecting limited food donations to redistribute to our families.  We are accepting donations of these specific items below – please check expiration dates and drop off in Office 128.  We also appreciate any extra tote bags/Fresh Direct bags.
    • Canned goods (canned vegetables, canned beans, tuna) 
    • Pasta and pasta sauce
    • Peanut butter (or other nut butters)

Halloween – Fri 10/31

  • Students are permitted to wear costumes in school on Friday 10/31 – we’ll be photo ready for yearbook!
  • However, masks or coverings over the whole face are not permitted.  Also faux weapons or other props that are inappropriate for school are not permitted.

Unity Fest – Sat 11/1

  • BCS/BNS Unity Fest (in-person) 11am-3pm – bring your families!  BCS Cafeteria 
  • Food, fun, and more!  Great for all ages!  Bring new or gently used items for the clothing swap.
  • Fundraiser for both school’s PTAs – Our PTA also created a Pay It Forward ticket and an option to add a donation to their tickets.  Please contribute generously!
  • Here is the link code for the Unity Fest Welcome Table and for advance sales.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/unity-fest–2025

Parents – Volunteer at Unity Fest (Sat 11/1)

  • We’re looking for enthusiastic parent volunteers to help with everything from set-up to activity stations. Whether you can give an hour or stay the whole time, we’d love to have you involved!
  • Sign up here: Volunteer Sign-Up Form

Upcoming Dates (No School – Fall Semester)

  • 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

Monday Nov 3 – Photo Day

  • Individual photos for Grades 6-11 and crew group photos for all students Grades 6-12
  • All Grade 8 students will take a picture, even if families do not pre-pay.  This is the yearbook photo for Grade 8 students.
  • All other students in Grades 6-11 only take a picture if families pre-pay.
  • Here is pre-pay photo information for families:
    • www.YearbookInnovation.com
    • Click on Order MYPHOTO
    • Enter Keycode (Pre-pay code): BCSUC26
    • Parents can click on the active gallery to view and purchase our picture packages and items.
    • Please print the receipt of the online order or write the confirmation number on a piece of paper and send it in with the student to present to the photographer on picture day. 
  • There is a separate photo day for Grade 12 individual photos (Mon Nov 24).  Grade 12 students will only take crew group photo on Mon Nov 3.
  • Contact Tracey@bcs448.org in Office 128 if you have any questions.  

Absence notification to crew leader

  • If your child is going to be absent, please notify your child’s crew leader.
  • The crew leader will notify teachers and the attendance office to mark the absence as excused.

Evacuation and lockdown drill resources for students and families

Coming up – Crew – SLCs, Report Cards, Crewsgiving

  • Student Led Conferences (11/20 evening, 11/21 afternoon) – crew leaders will contact families to schedule a conference time – students lead their conference by sharing with families how they are doing in school and their goals
  • Report card grades will be downloaded on Fri 11/7 – students check Jumprope in crew
  • Crewsgiving (11/21 half day, all crew day – dismissal at 11:15) – Crews have gratitude reflections and celebration – crew leaders will discuss with students about what food/paper goods to bring

NYCPS – Charter School Informational Mailings Notice Opt-Out Form

  • NYCPS is offering all parents the ability to opt out of receiving charter school informational mailings produced by Vanguard. You can inform your school’s students and their families that they may refuse mailings by submitting the online Charter School Informational Mailing Notice and Opt-Out Form by October 31. Note that to complete the survey, families will need their student’s OSIS number.

Electronics policy – no phones, no personal laptops, and no headphones/earbuds

  • 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. 
  • Middle school students – hand in their phones to Pd 1 teacher and get it back Pd 8 – here is the Middle School Electronics Policy
  • High school students – pouch their phones at entry 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.  Here is the High School Electronics Policy.
  • Students who hand in fake phones or attempt to use electronics during the school day are subject to progressive disciplinary action.
  • No personal student laptops are permitted and no video games.  Students who need laptop access must use the school laptops, available in every classroom every class period.  Additionally headphones and earbuds are not permitted.
  • Distraction-free schools without internet-enabled devices increase academic achievement, decrease mental health concerns, increase positive socialization, and decrease behavior incidents for all

Tuesday Tiers Support Afterschool 

  • We have middle school clubs every Tuesday afterschool
  • We have Tuesday Tiers Support afterschool Grades 6-12 for all teachers – stay afterschool from 3pm-4pm with all teachers to revise assessments and make up missing work

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
  • 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

Free Afterschool Programming at BCS

IMPORTANT LINKS Calendar for NYC Public SchoolsCalendar on our school website (specific to BCS)Instagram — upcoming events and fun recapsSTUDENT OPPORTUNITIES – click this link for ongoing student opportunities citywideCONTACTS Important Staff Contacts – Brooklyn Collaborative

Published in BCS News