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Student Family Update

BCS Student/Family Update – 11/16

Published November 15, 2025 by Scill Chan

Dear BCS Students/Families, hope you had a good weekend!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fri Nov 21 is a half day – dismissal at 11:15am

  • Fri is all crew celebration of Crewsgiving – crew students will discuss items to bring to show gratitude to crew!
  • The afternoon will be Student-Led Conferences – please arrange a conference time with your child’s crew leader
  • Electronics policy will be followed on half day – students will need to pouch their phones and/or place in the lockbox

Coming up – Crew – SLCs, 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
  • 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

Donate from our Amazon wish list – WE NEED MASKS AND TISSUES!

Middle school boys basketball team tryouts

  • Will be held on Thursday, November 20th @ 3:15pm to 4:30pm in the BCS gymnasium. 
  • Students can obtain a permission slip from the gym during recess periods. 
  • On the day of tryouts, students must have the following: Permission slip, Shorts, Sneakers, T-shirt, Water Bottle
  • Any questions, email Coach Brandi@bcs448.org

Community food resources and please donate to our food drive

  • 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)
  • Here is a list of community food resources – Community Food Resources. Please send L2@bcs448.org any resources to add to the list.

Families in need – please reach out for resources

  • We have resources and food available for families in need – we are crew!
  • Please reach out to Tracey@bcs448.org or stop by Office 128
  • In addition, here is a list of community food resources – Community Food Resources. 

Restocking our BCS Giving Closet

Upcoming Dates (No School – Fall Semester)

  • 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

Study a New Language with Rosetta Stone

  • Want to study a new language for free?  Open to all BCS students for enrichment and for MLL students learning English.  Open to all BCS staff.
  • To sign up: Please email Chloe@bcs448.org from your BCS email address with the language you want to study.  Chloe will send you an email from Rosetta Stone with your log in and password.  Note: All Rosetta Stone accounts from previous years are still active, and you DO NOT need to email Chloe for a new login.
  • All study is done online – you need a BCS email address, Internet connection, a computer with speakers, and headphones to take the course independently.  
  • Brooklyn Collaborative emphasizes cross-cultural competence for success in the 21st century and encourages all community members to strive to be multilingual.  BCS is committed to developing students and staff who are kind, openminded, persistent, responsible, and courageous.  At BCS, students learn to apply their intellect and effort to benefit themselves and their community.
  • Languages Offered through Rosetta Stone:
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Dutch
  • English (UK)
  • English (US)
  • Persian (Farsi)
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hindi
  • Irish
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latin
  • Polish
  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Russian
  • Spanish (Latin American)
  • Spanish (Spain)
  • Swedish
  • Filipino (Tagalog)
  • Turkish
  • Vietnamese

Expeditionary Thursday fieldwork

Free Afterschool Programming at BCS

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES – click this link for ongoing student opportunities citywide

High school job opportunity for ages 15+ at Sprout Brooklyn Summer Camp

  • Sprout Brooklyn is a Hebrew-infused day camp for Pre K- 5th graders in Red Hook Brooklyn. They are currently seeking general counselors.  This is a great opportunity to learn leadership skills and gain impactful experience in childcare, teamwork, and organization.  For more information contact samantha@sproutbrooklyn.org and click this link to apply! 
  • Application Link: https://sproutlakebrooklyn.campintouch.com/ui/forms/application/staff/App

‘Health Hacks: 5 Weeks to level up’ (Grades 8-12)

New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy (ages 13-17)

Applications open for the 2025-2026 Challenge Cycle starting on October 30th through January 6th!  We are recruiting students ages 13-17 from select countries to participate in our award-winning virtual STEM mentoring program: The Junior Academy. We look forward to welcoming students who are passionate about making a difference in their communities and across the globe through STEM!

Please note: this application period is open for students from select countries. Please visit our website to view our eligibility criteria. We will be opening our global recruitment in March 2026.

The Junior Academy is an online community of eager problem solvers composed of students, STEM experts, and industry leaders. Members of the Junior Academy are dedicated to designing inventive solutions to real-world challenges! This program uses The New York Academy of Sciences’ own online collaboration and mentoring platform, Launchpad. Students who are accepted into the Junior Academy and participate in an Innovation Challenge can expect to:

  • Build a STEM network with expert mentorship from professionals, scientists, and international peers
  • Build vital 21st century skills like leadership, collaboration, and communication
  • Strengthen academic readiness by introducing exercises related to key research skills used in STEM
  • Expand critical thinking skills
  • Create deeper appreciation for other cultures and perspectives
  • Expand their organization and time management skills 

Check out The New York Academy of Sciences Innovation Challenge Evaluation Report from the Education Development Center (EDC).

This is an incredible and free opportunity– we’d love your help in spreading this message to students in your network. Students ages 13-17 years old from around the world are encouraged to apply and can learn more about the program and start their application by visiting the Junior Academy website.

If you have any questions about our programs, please contact the Education Department at the New York Academy of Sciences at EDUCATION@nyas.org. 

2026 YouthWorks Program (ages 8-18)

  • See 2026 YouthWorks program information 
  • Free program for all creatives ages 8-18!  We kick off December 7 with our informational session/orientation for curious participants, parents/caregivers, and volunteer coaches. The program continues in the New Year with Sunday rehearsals throughout January and culminates with a performance featuring original student work in the BAX Theater (live and livestreamed) on Sunday, February 8! 
Join Us for Our November PTA Meeting & Crewsgiving – Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 PM!BCS Holiday Bazaar – Sat Dec 6 – open to all
You’re warmly invited to join us for our combined November PTA Meeting & Crewsgiving Potluck on Tuesday, November 18, at 6:30 PM, in person at 610 Henry Street!Let’s gather to share a meal, reflect on what we’re grateful for, and add to our PTA gratitude chain.​​ Please let us know what you’ll bring: Potluck Signup. While we strongly encourage everyone to join us in person, you can also participate virtually via Zoom,  whichever works best for you.​​ Zoom Link: Click here to join the meetingYour voices, ideas, and presence truly strengthen our community,  we’d love to see as many of you as possible there!​​ Meeting Resources​​ Please review the October minutes: Click here​​ Please also take a moment to look over the proposed budget we will be reviewing and approving for this school year – You can view the budget here:  October’s PTA Approved Budget ​​ Upcoming Event – Save the Date!Holiday Bazaar – Saturday, December 6Come explore our festive holiday marketplace featuring local vendors, crafters, and artists selling handmade goods and unique gifts, you just might find that special gift you’ve been looking for!​​ IIf you’d like to rent a table to sell your handmade or homemade goods, please complete the vendor application here:​​ BCS PTA Holiday Bazaar Vendor Application​​Help us make this one of the most festive and memorable events of the year! From setting up the space to helping the event run smoothly – every role plays a part in creating a joyful experience for our students and families. Your contribution will make the day better and brighter!Please sign up on the Holiday Bazaar Volunteer Sign Up Sheet.​​We are also seeking volunteers to help with all other upcoming events as we have several exciting opportunities for you to get involved and support our school next year.If you’d like to get involved, please email us at pta@bcs448.org.We look forward to seeing many of you in person on Tuesday, November 18 at 6:30 PM!Thank you for your continued support and participation.
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