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Student Family Update

BCS Student/Family Update – 11/9

Published November 8, 2025 by Scill Chan

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS

No School on Tues Nov 11

  • There is no school on Tues Nov 11 for Veterans Day.

Tuesday Tiers Support Afterschool – moved to Monday Nov 10 this week

  • 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
  • We are moving Tues Tiers to Mon 11/10 this week since there is no school on Tues

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.

Grades emailed on Fri 11/7, will be mailed this coming week

  • On Fri 11/7, students and families were emailed a detailed progress report from our grading system JumpRope. Please keep in mind that you can access updated grade information anytime online at jumpro.pe with your login.  As a reminder, at Brooklyn Collaborative, all core classes utilize a competency-based grading system with this scale. The minimum score to pass a course is (BE) 65 (Tier 1).  Please note: since our elective classes only meet 2 or 3 times weekly, students are still only in the beginning stages of showing evidence of their learning and growth (only Tier 1 or 2).  (Work for Tiers 3 and 4 may not have started yet in classes that only meet 2-3 times weekly.) Your child’s crew leader can explain this more during their SLCs. Also, feel free to contact your child’s teachers directly with any questions about their academic progress.  Current grades are not final yet; final grades will be determined in Jan 2026.
Not YetNY (N)55%Beginning BE (B)65-69%Competent CO (C)70-79%AccomplishedAC (A)80-89%Exemplary EX (E)90-100%

Codes in JumpRope:

  • E = Exemplary
  • A = Accomplished
  • C = Competent
  • B = Beginning 
  • N = Not Yet
  • M = Missing Assessment
  • X = Excused Assessment

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

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

Upcoming Dates (No School – Fall Semester)

  • 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

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

DOE – Share New Privacy Resources with Families

  • NYCPS has two new student privacy resources for families:
    • Privacy Rights 101 Flyer: A one-page flyer that summarizes families’ nine most important rights. 
    • Privacy Packet: A downloadable packet that includes:
      • A family letter;
      • Privacy Rights 101 Flyer;
      • The annual Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notice;
      • The annual Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) notice; and
      • The Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security.  

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

Expeditionary Thursday fieldwork

Free Afterschool Programming at BCS

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES – click this link for ongoing student opportunities citywide

‘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!
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