Middle School

A Message from our Middle School

Greetings Middle School Parents and Families,

As we look toward welcoming your children into the school in just a few short weeks, we are absolutely thrilled to be returning to a stronger, if still unfolding, sense of normalcy in the Middle School. After the past two Septembers, it can honestly be a bit difficult to remember and operationalize the way school “used” to look and feel. As we begin the 2022-2023 school year, our theme within the Middle School is “Back to Basics.” As much of our community has never participated in some of the time-old traditions and experiences of the middle school program, our focus this year will be on fully living who we are and what we value most as an institution. We also have many new students and families we are welcoming to BFS this school year! Whether your student is in 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, I am sure each of you will join us in creating and maintaining the welcoming, joyful, and inclusive space we consistently strive for at Brooklyn Friends School. Whether a new or returning family, we are SO excited to begin the year with each of you!

As we welcome you to this school year, please take the necessary time to carefully read all of the details herein. Not only does it include important and pertinent information for the start of school, but many of the details may indicate a change from years past for those of you who are returning to our program. As always, we welcome families to be in touch with any questions or concerns, and families and students can find informational needs and exciting announcements on the Middle School’s Panther Central website.

Thank you, as ever, for partnering with us in this next school year ahead. We know well and deeply appreciate that sending your children to school each and every day is an exercise of trust, vulnerability, and commitment. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you!

Please remind your middle schooler that now is the time to start that final summer reading book if they haven’t already!

In warmth and friendship,

Nitya L. York (she/her) Head of Middle School Kathleen Clinchy (she/her) Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics

Welcome New Colleagues in the Middle School

In addition to our new students and families, we welcome several new colleagues to the Middle School this school year. The qualifications, skills, experiences, expertise, and educational philosophies that the following individuals will add to our already vibrant and committed colleague-body are a point of pride as we enter the 2022-2023 school year.

l Katharine Bradley, 6th & 8th Grade Science Teacher l Henry Clark, 5th Grade Humanities Teacher & 6th Grade English Teacher l Emma Cothren, 5th Grade Humanities Teacher, 6th Grade History Teacher, & History Department Chair l Julie Gibson, Lower School & Middle School Dance Teacher l Admir Ivojevic, Physical Education Teacher l Jaime Lassman, Middle School Technology Teacher & Technology Integrator l Danielle Perkins, 7th & 8th Grade English Teacher & English Department Chair l Kaila Warner-Haakmat, Middle School Counselor

We would also like to announce the following exciting changes to returning colleague roles for the 2022-2023 school year:

l Kim Allen, Middle School Spanish Teacher l Lucien Kouassi, Upper School Science Teacher & Science Department Chair l Rachel Maldonado, Lower School Psychologist & All-School Well-Being Coordinator l M’Balia Rubie-Miller, Middle School Learning Specialist & All-School Learning Support Coordinator l Katie Ryan, Middle School Librarian l Jingyi Zhang, 7th-12th Grade Mandarin Teacher & World Languages Department Chair

Start of Middle School Schedule & Events

As we return to a stronger sense of normalcy this school year, we are happy to announce several ways in which we will engage students and families before the start of school.

Middle School Visit Day: Tuesday, September 6th, 9:00AM–11:00AM

Our doors at 375 Pearl Street will be open for an informal chance to come into the building as a family, with or without your student, to meet advisors, teachers, and other colleagues in-person as well as take a self-guided tour. We recognize how limited in-person visits and events have been over the past two school years, and we’d love to have students and families come in the day before school just to say hello!

New Middle School Student Welcome Event: Tuesday, September 6th, 11:15AM–2:00PM

Students who are new to the Middle School this year, which includes all of our amazing 5th graders, are asked to attend this multi-hour educational, bonding, and community-building event. New Students will be supported in what can otherwise be an overwhelming experience on the first day of

school - finding classrooms, meeting friends, getting a student-buddy, and receiving school supplies. Students will also be receiving lunch and engaging in games, meeting their advisors and teachers, and having fun!

Virtual New Middle School Family Welcome: Tuesday, September 6th, 5:00PM, Zoom Invitation to Come

Similar to students, we hope to equip new Middle School Families - including all 5th grade families - with the information necessary to support your start to the Middle School journey at BFS. Despite all the information herein, there are often questions, wonderings, and connections that new parents and families are sitting with, and we’d love to see you on Tuesday evening to help ease the transition into the school! We are conducting this event virtually in recognition that new families will have already dropped off and picked up their students on the same day, and this event is intended for adults only.

First Day of School for All Middle School Students: Wednesday, September 7th, 8:00AM - 3:30PM

All students will have a complete and full day of school on Wednesday, 9/7/22. We have also adjusted the start-of-school to begin Morning Advisory at 8:00AM this school year. Your student(s) may arrive as early as 7:50AM each day, but they must be present upstairs and in advisory by 8:00AM.

Middle School Student Orientation: Wednesday, Friday, September 7th–September 9th, 8:00AM - 3:30PM

Given that much of the past two years has looked different for our students, we are centering the need to reacclimate to school as we once knew it before the start of the pandemic and return to basics with our students through a three-day orientation experience. The purpose of Middle School Orientation is to ensure all students know how to navigate the physical tools and spaces for learning, center connection and joy with teachers, friends, and peers, as well as teach routines and expectations. Formal classes will begin with students’ teachers and their regular schedule will commence on Monday, September 12th. Student Orientation days are mandatory for all BFS students in grades 5–8.

As stated in our health and wellness guidelines, anyone entering Brooklyn Friends will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Brooklyn Friends School is currently a mask-friendly environment.

Arrival & Dismissal Times

Students must arrive at 375 Pearl Street and be upstairs in their Advisory Homeroom by 8:00 AM sharp in order not to be marked tardy. This is a change from our 8:15 AM start time last year. Middle school students can enter Pearl Street and arrive as early as 7:50 AM. As has always been the practice both before and during the pandemic, families and/or caregivers will drop students off at 375 Pearl Street, and students will enter the building on their own. It is an important right of passage for middle school students to develop and feel a sense of independence and autonomy as they navigate the school building. Middle school advisors, leaders, and colleagues will be present during arrival to support children in finding where they need to be and welcoming them warmly into classrooms.

Dismissal in the Middle School will be at 3:30 PM each day. The BFX Extended Day program is offered after school until 5:30 PM, and all middle school students are invited to participate. Signing up for BFX programs takes place via your My BackPack account. Please note that all students may utilize the Middle School Library from 3:30 - 4:00 PM each day with the exception of Fridays, and the library is available until 5:30 PM for 7th & 8th grade students Mondays - Thursdays. 5th & 6th grade students otherwise present after 4:00 PM will be sent to BFX Extended Day programming and families will be charged for the day. Please note that unless otherwise communicated, middle school students are permitted to be dismissed at the end of the school day without a parent or guardian.

Please note that outdoor park time is being incorporated into the school day this year. It will take place twice per week during an extended recess period coinciding with students’ lunch period. Therefore all pick-up locations will be at 375 Pearl Street at 3:30 PM unless otherwise communicated due to a field trip, special event, or other disruption to the typical school day.

Panthers Enrichment Program (PEP)

Another exciting change to the program this year is for our 6th - 8th grade students, who will be signing up for enrichment periods every Tuesday and Thursday during the last period of the school day (2:40 PM - 3:20 PM). Many students, families, and colleagues alike have expressed the desire for more offerings that pique students’ interests, aptitudes, and curiosities. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of our PEP Program will be the eventual introduction of parents, families, and outside partnerships to enrichment classes! While we don’t expect family involvement during the first marking period, please stay tuned in the coming months - we’d love for those who are able and available within our adult-community to offer special enrichment opportunities in their areas of expertise. PEP offerings will take place for approximately 12 weeks at a time, adjusting choices every marking period. Stay tuned for more information! We’re really excited about it!

Middle School Guidelines and Expectations

Each year, the Middle School reviews and revises its section of the All-School Student and Family Handbook. Important policies, expectations, procedures, and information are contained within the Handbook, and students and families are encouraged to read it before the start of school.

School planners will be distributed this year at the start of school to all students in grades 5–8, and all Middle School teachers will write homework and assignment information on the board and provide the time and structure for students to write important details down in their planners. We will also continue the use of Google Classroom and teachers will always post students’ homework assignments before 4:00 PM on the day it is assigned. Parents/guardians are asked to sign up for “Guardian Summaries” to receive daily or weekly updates on students’ work completion.

In accordance with our need to return to the basics in the Middle School, we will be carefully reviewing and teaching expectations and procedures to students at the start of the school year. In addition

to general expectations and rules of conduct, we’d like to draw students and families’ attention to a new section in the handbook called, “Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Community.”

Advisory Placements

Each year, an abundance of time and careful attention is given to creating advisory groups for our middle school learners. We try our very best to ensure that children have at least one peer in the advisory group with whom they have had a prior connection to or friendship with in the past, and yet, we also prioritize creating spaces that will not perpetuate exclusivity and intentionally encourage students to be open-minded and optimistic about forming new connections and friendships. Students will also go to some classes by advisory groups, although as students get older, this becomes less frequent.

For all of the aforementioned reasons, we will not accept any requests to transfer students to another advisory group or advisor. We thank you in advance for your adherence and understanding.

Supply Lists

This year, we have gathered the important supply lists into one helpful document, linked below. Please note that students should not bring all of their school supplies on the very first day of school, which makes for a very heavy and hectic backpack. Students can bring in a little at a time throughout the first week, and should have all of their supplies in their lockers by Friday, September 16th.

2022-2023 Middle School Supply Lists

Upcoming Important Dates & Events

At the start of school, there are several points of engagement for students and families. Please mark your calendars for the following important events:

l We are attempting to plan an important 8th Grade Overnight Trip in October for our class of 8th graders. We tentatively have this trip planned for the week of October 17th and will communicate details closer to the date. l The week of September 27th, the Middle School will be conducting our September Benchmark Testing. Students will take the NWEA MAP Growth Test in Reading, Language Usage, Math, and Science beginning on Tuesday 9/27/22. Attendance during these days is critical. We will send out more information and an invitation to learn more about the NWEA MAP test as we approach mid-September.

l Middle School Curriculum Nights are two of the most important events of the school year. You’ll have the opportunity to meet each of your child’s teachers, learn more about their academic studies this year, and generally experience life in the Middle School. Please save the dates for these evening events: 5th & 6th Grade Curriculum Night will occur on Thursday, September 29th and 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night will be on Thursday, October 6th. l Finally, we invite you to save the date for our first Middle School Connect & Talk on October 20th. The exact time, topic, and format will be communicated closer to the date.