Dear BCS Students/Families, we hope you are having a great weekend – hopefully temps will warm up soon! Please stay inside and stay warm!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
This week – Thurs 2/12 and Fri 2/13 are Mathlympics
- Expeditionary Thursdays resume for spring semester
- Thurs 2/12 – HS Mathlympics (MS will have regular schedule)
- Fri 2/12 – MS Mathlympics (HS will have regular schedule)
- A day-long event of math competitions – may the most math-focused crew/cohort win!! There will not be regular classes for a special Mathlympics schedule.
No School – Winter Recess
- Mon Feb 16 – Fri Feb 20
- School resumes Mon Feb 23
PROSE Half Days – Dismissal 11:15am – upcoming calendar days
- BCS is a PROSE school, with special permission from the city to have additional in-person professional development with our staff. This year’s PROSE Half Days are:
- Fri 2/27 half day
- Fri 3/6 half day
- Fri 3/13 half day
- Students will be dismissed at 11:15am each day. MS Afterschool is available through YWCA for any students in Grades 6-8 who would like to stay.
- Additionally Thurs 3/19 is Citywide Half Day for 6-12 for Student-Led Conferences and Fri 3/20 No School for Eid
Donate from our Amazon wish list – WE NEED MASKS AND TISSUES!
- We need donations of wipes and tissues!
- Please purchase items from our Amazon wish list to send directly to BCS or send in your child with masks/tissues to Office 416
- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/WX69HNQ4TUM0?ref_=wl_share
Parents – interested in volunteering?
- We are looking for parents who are available Fridays 9am-10am to practice English conversation with some of our MLL students in the library – prompts/convo cards will be provided to parent volunteers.
- Please email Scill if interested in volunteering!
Parent Resource – Adolescent Health Workshops from Marble Health
Marble Health, an organization specializing in child and adolescent mental health, is offering free virtual parent workshops throughout February. These sessions, led by experienced clinicians, cover topics such as communication, resilience, emotional growth, and more. This is a great opportunity to gain tools and insights to support your family. For more information or referrals, feel free to reach out to your school counselor.
Upcoming Parent Workshops:
Feb 4 – Thriving Together: Improving Family Communication
Feb 11 – Demystifying Therapy: A Parent’s Guide to Mental Health Support (New!)
Feb 17 – Navigating Today’s Student Health Challenges: Vaping, Alcohol, & Other Substances
Feb 24 – Apoyo a los niños durante el duelo y la transición (en español)
Feb 25 – Supporting Students with Stress
See all workshops & register here.
| 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 |
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES – click this link for ongoing student opportunities citywide
Summer Arts Institute
Summer Arts Institute is a free, four-week arts program for New York City Public School students entering grades 8 through 12 in Fall 2026 (students currently in grades 7 through 11). This intensive program is held at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens. Summer Arts Institute is administered by the NYCDOE’s Office of Arts and Special Projects.
First Impressions Youth Legal Collaborative Summer for HS students
NYCFirst STEM Summer Internship Program (ages 16-24)
- Application closes Feb 8
Paid summer apprenticeship program for youth ages 16-19
- Gowanus Canal Conservancy has a paid apprenticeship program for youth ages 16-19 that runs from July 6 through August 14, 2025 in Gowanus, Brooklyn called Green Team. Youth gain experience in environmental stewardship, environmental justice, conservation, and community-based environmental advocacy. There are no minimum GPA requirements for this program.
- We are partnered with the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), whose applications launched and will close on February 27. If students are interested, please have them select the following providers (Center for Family Life in Sunset Park OR Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services Brooklyn) when prompted on the application, and if they are selected to SYEP and wish to work at GCC, please have them email Aurelia Casey <aurelia@gowanuscanalconservancy.org> upon acceptance into SYEP with their full name and the provider (e.g. Jane Doe, Center for Family Life in Sunset Park).
Service in Schools Leadership Institute
- Students in grades 10–12 can apply now for the Service in Schools Leadership Institute! High school students interested in becoming leaders while also serving their community can apply now for the Service in Schools Leadership Institute! The Leadership Institute is an exciting opportunity, powered by Service in Schools, for NYC public high school students in grades 10–12 to build their leadership skills and learn about issues affecting their community over the course of a five-day in-person Institute during spring break, from Monday, April 6 through Friday, April 10, 2026, and an in-person after-school session on Thursday, May 7, 2026. The Leadership Institute culminates in the planning and implementation of a day-long Youth Service Summit for elementary school students on Friday, May 22, 2026. Participants will earn valuable service hours for their efforts. Learn more and complete the application by 11:59pm on Friday, February 13. Email Service in Schools ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with questions.
Free Winter Filmmaking Workshops
- Apply Now! Reel Works’ free filmmaking labs give New York City youth the skills, mentors, and tools to create festival-worthy films and launch careers in media. Students receive hands-on training, work with professional filmmakers, and use industry-standard equipment — all at no cost. Winter Supported Lab – The Winter Supported Lab is a FREE experimental week-long filmmaking intensive that provides community, support, and resources for neurodivergent NYC students ages 15-21 as they explore storytelling through filmmaking. Reel Works focuses on individual needs to provide multiple entry points to expression. https://www.reelworks.org/afterschool
NYC Votes Opportunities: Civics Week training series
- NYC Votes is writing to share two upcoming opportunities for NYC high school students. Civics Week Training Series – Calling all students and teachers! Join NYC Votes and Civics For All for interactive Civic Engagement and Voter Registration trainings this February. Students and teachers will learn how to spread the word about voting. You will be trained on how to plan and host a voter engagement event during Civics For All’s annual Civics Week (March 9-13). This is an opportunity to engage your school and community ahead of an important election cycle. If you’ve been wanting to get more involved but weren’t sure where to start, this is the perfect opportunity! You could also earn service hours for the training and for planning/hosting the event. We are offering in-person and virtual sessions (see below). For questions, please contact the NYC Votes Youth Programs Team at youth@nyccfb.info
Training Dates and RSVP Links
| Name | Date + Time | Location | RSVP |
| Virtual Training #1 | February 4, 5-6:30pm | Zoom | RSVP Here |
| Manhattan Training | February 5, 4-6:00pm | Campaign Finance Board Offices, 100 Church Street, 12th Floor, NY, NY 10007 | RSVP Here |
| Staten Island Training | February 5, 4-6:00pm | St. George Library Center, 5 Central Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10301 | RSVP Here |
| Bronx Training | February 11, 4-6:00pm | South Bronx United814 River Avenue, Suite 3, Bronx, NY 10451 | RSVP Here |
| Brooklyn Training | February 12, 4:30-6:30pm | Brooklyn Public Library – Central Branch10 Grand Army Plaza, Upper Programs Room, Brooklyn, NY 11238 | RSVP Here |
| Virtual Training | February 25, 5-6:30pm | Zoom | RSVP Here |
| Queens Training | February 26, 4-5:30pm | Queens Public Library at Long Island City37-44 21st, Queens, NY 11101 | RSVP Here |
NYC Votes Opportunities: Youth Ambassador Program
- The 2026 NYC Votes Youth Ambassador Program application is officially live! We are looking for New Yorkers ages 14-18 who are passionate about civic engagement, voting, and democracy to join our 2026 NYC Votes Youth Ambassador team! Ambassadors will earn up to $500 per month for 10-15 hours of work. Read the full job description here.
- Learn More – On Monday February 9 @ 6pm we will host a Zoom Information Session about this year’s program. You can register for that Q&A session here. APPLY HERE – For questions, email youth@nyccfb.info!
Applications are now open for NYC’s 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program (ages 14-24)
- https://application.nycsyep.com/
- The deadline to submit applications is 2/27/2026.
- BCS is listed under Brooklyn Secondary School for Collaborative Studies (15K448)
- If you need working papers, please see these directions: https://www.bcs448.org/working-papers/ and see your counselor in Office 510
Midwinter Recess workshops for Middle School girls and High School girls
Girls Inc NYC is offering three separate workshops over the span of three different days, and you are welcome to join any that interest you! Please note: Each workshop will have two separate time slots for MS and HS!
Day 1| Feb 17th: Learn what is Credit? How to manage credit cards and build credit?
Day 2| Feb 18th: Learn how to Manage Money FOR & IN College
Day 3| Feb 19th: Learn about Future Planning & setting yourself up for success financially!
Middle Schoolers are expected to join from 9:30 am – 10:30 am
High Schoolers are expected to join from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Zoom Link will be provided once you register.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email nroy@girlsincnyc.org.
Summer Opportunity: 2026 School Construction Authority High School Summer Internship Program
The School Construction Authority High School Summer Internship Program is a six-week paid internship program (July 6th – August 14, 2026) with SCA departments and NYC business partners. The program is designed to recruit & provide talented NYC public high school students grades 9-12 (preference given to 11th & 12th grades) with exposure & experiences in the construction industry, including but not limited to:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Construction management
- Business & public administration
Take a look at a preliminary list of things you will need during the process
- Official HS Transcript
- Up to date resume
- Summer Internship Recommendation Form (attached)
- Take a look at the attached flyer and learn more about the program, eligibility, how to apply & application deadlines here.
Application Process Timeline
Application Window: January 2nd – March 6, 2026
Deadline to Submit Documents: March 6, 2026
Interviews: February 17th – Mid-March
Notifications: Interview Process February/March
Notifications: Summer Internship Program April 3, 2026
| FAMILIES – Please Join Us for the February BCS PTA Meeting, Tuesday, February 10!Dear BCS Families:With February marking Black History Month – a time to honor the rich history and contributions of African Americans, American Heart Month – encouraging us to care for our hearts and health, and Valentine’s Day – a celebration of kindness, connection, and friendship, we’re excited to come together as a school community this month.Please join us for our next BCS PTA Meeting on Tuesday, February 10 at 6:30 pm via Zoom! Meeting Details Date & Time: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 6:30 pm Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88456776627?pwd=cgbM8GIzBtUPUDZabrDN7unaChwpVi.1 We hope you’ll take part as we share important updates, discuss plans for upcoming events, and continue working together to support our school community. Your participation truly makes a difference, and we value having your voices at the table. |