Brookwood Junior High
Welcome Back!
As we begin a new school year, I want to welcome each of you and your families. We are excited to reconnect and start this journey together, ensuring a year filled with growth, learning, and success for our students.
Our dedicated faculty and staff are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment where your child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
We encourage open communication and partnership between home and school to support the best possible outcomes for every student.
I wish you all a wonderful school year, and as always, please reach out to your child’s teachers for any questions/concerns, or if I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me and know that my door is always open.
I can be reached at the school number (708) 758-5252, by email jlarson@ brookwood167.org or by cell phone at (708) 362-0115.
I am honored to contInue to serve as your PrIncIPal. here’s to a fantastIc year ahead!
Sincerely,
Jill Larson, Principal
August Newsletter
Important Tips For Parents Of Junior High
School Students To Help Them Be Successful
This School Year...
• Establish CommuniCation ChannEls: Stay informed about school events, policies, and your child’s progress. Ensure you know how to reach teachers and administrators.
• EnCouragE organization: Help your child set up a system for keeping track of assignments, tests, and activities. A planner or digital calendar can be very useful.
• support timE managEmEnt: Junior high can be more demanding academically. Encourage your child to manage their time effectively between homework, extracurricular activities, and leisure.
• promotE indEpEndEnCE: Allow your child to take responsibility for their schoolwork and decisions, while offering guidance and support as needed.
• stay involvEd: Attend parent-teacher meetings, school events, and stay engaged with your child’s educational journey.
• addrEss soCial ChallEngEs: Junior high often brings social changes. Keep communication open about friendships, peer pressure, and social media.
• EnCouragE hEalthy habits: Emphasize the importance of sleep, nutrition, and physical activity to support learning and overall well-being.
• monitor sCrEEn timE: Help your child balance screen time with other activities, ensuring they have time for homework, hobbies, and family interactions.
• stay positivE: Junior high can be a period of adjustment. Encourage a positive attitude towards challenges and celebrate achievements, big or small.
• bE availablE: Create opportunities for your child to talk about their day or any concerns they may have. Let them know you’re there to listen and support them.
These tips can help set a positive tone for the school year and support your child’s academic and personal growth.
Important Attendance Information...
Daily Attendance Is Required! If your child anticipates being absent, please make sure the reason is valid. A chronically absent student is defined as a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause for more than 5% of the last 180 school days. This is a matter of concern as the [Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/26-2a] considers a truant rate of more than 5% of the last 180 days to be excessive.
Students who are frequently absent often miss important information being taught, fall behind, and lose interest in school. An improvement in attendance may help a child achieve better grades and feel better about himself/herself. Counseling services and tutoring will be provided to chronically absent students along with a check-in and check-out program of support.
If a child continues to be absent or tardy without a valid excuse, the Regional Superintendent/South Cook Intermediate Service Center will be notified, and measures will be taken to address this concern more seriously. If your child is struggling with attending school consistently, it is essential that we work together to improve their attendance as this will improve their chances for school success.
A student who misses ten (10) days is 25% less likely to enroll in college. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. I commend the families for instilling in their children the importance of being present daily.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please reach out to our Social Worker:
Ms. Watt, (708) 758-5252 extension x5331
Email: jwatt@brookwood167.org
plEasE Call thE sChool to rEport your Child's absEnCE (708) 758-5252 (option 1)
Please call the school before 8:30 a.m. to report your child absent.
plEasE lEavE thE following information:
• Students full name with spelling of the last name;
• Reason for absence/tardy/early release;
• Your name and relationship to student;
• Please call the main number (708) 758-5252 at least 45 minutes PRIOR to early dismissal.
For your student to be EXCUSED you must sign them in and out in the main office or their absence will be marked as unexcused.
If In Doubt, Please Keep Them Home And Try Again Another Day!
There are some hard and fast rules that all parents should stick to when it comes to illness and keeping your kids home. If your child has any of the following symptoms, it’s time to let the school know they won’t be at their desk:
Stay or Go? When to Keep Your Child Home From School... symptoms
• Fever (many schools require children to be fever free for 24 hours without medication before going back to school)!
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• A rough night (for example, if your child was up all night coughing or having trouble breathing)
• Listlessness, lethargy
• No appetite
• Pink eye
• Fever of 100.4 or higher
• New onset of moderate to severe headache
• Shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat
• Nausea Vomiting, diarrhea
• Abdominal pain from unknown cause
• New congestion/ runny nose
• New loss of sense of taste or smell
• Fatigue from unknown cause
• Muscle or body aches
If you answer “YES” to any of the above, your child MUST stay home!
Please call the school to report your child’s absence (708) 758-5252 (Option 1)
HealtH tip...
One precaution to help stop the spread of germs is to not share personal items. Some of these include water bottles, lip balms, hats, hairbrushes, and EarPods.
These items should only be used by the individual who they belong to.
stop, BReatHe & tHink app
Stop, Breathe & Think is a “FREE” app to “Check in with how you’re feeling, and try short activities tuned to your emotions.”
Sometimes when we are feeling frazzled, thinking about how we are feeling is a great strategy. Check out this app!
papeR tutoRing paRent ResouRces
As a parent or guardian, you know that learning shouldn’t stop when students step outside the classroom!
With Paper™, students get access to “FREE”, unlimited, and 24/7 academic support from fully vetted tutors. All Paper tutors are experts in their own academic areas, and students can get support in over 200 subjects in four (4) languages.
As a reminder, Paper Tutoring is a resource that can be used at home to help students with their assignments.
Math is very useful in everyday life. Math can help us do many things that are important in our everyday lives.
hErE arE somE daily tasks for whiCh math is important:
• Parents can help teens connect math they learn in school and their everyday lives.
• As a parent, you could talk to your teen about how you use math in your daily life.
• You could also ask family members and friends how they use math in their daily lives.
• Please talk to your teens about these math connections to real world.
• Share with your child the examples of everyday math applications. When your teens hear how math can be used every day, they will be more likely to view math as important and valuable. They may also become more interested in mathematics. Remember that you as a parent can greatly influence how your child thinks about mathematics.
If your child is having any Technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please contact our “Help Desk” at (708) 300-3553 or email our help desk:
helpdesk@brookwood167.org
Please leave a detailed message with your name, your child’s name, phone number and the issue you are having with the device.
scHool supplies
Our Superintendent and Board of Education will be providing our students with a set of school supplies to use at school!
If your child needs any additional resources or supplies for any of their classes, please contact our school office at (708) 758-5252, so we can help provide them with all necessary and needed materials.
food seRvice
Our Superintendent and Board of Education know how important proper nutrition effects our students’ learning.
our sChool brEakfast and lunCh ComE from:
QuEst food managEmEnt sErviCE
Quest is passionate about food, and they believe in wholesome, nutritious ingredients. That is why they are committed to using items that are healthier for both our students bodies and the planet.
Quest Food Management Services provide communities with fresh, high-quality food, exceptional responsiveness and intense personal service.
By purchasing with the following standards in mind and preparing items so that they are as fresh as possible when served, they support local agriculture, increase nutrition, and intensify flavor.
dRess code
Brookwood Jr. High School believes that student dress and overall appearance should foster a positive and productive environment and should reflect pride in oneself as well as our school.
We further believe that student dress and appearance is a shared responsibility of the home and the school.
Administration will make the final judgment on the appropriateness of clothing and/or appearance and reserves the right to prohibit students from wearing any articles of clothing or other items that lead or may foreseeably result in the disruption of, or interference with, the school environment.
Please read our Parent Student Handbook for specific Dress Code expectations.
ReadeRs aRe leadeRs
kEEp your Child rEading ovEr thE summEr!
Summer is not a time just for vacation fun, your child should continue to learn. The best way is just to read a little bit every day. And that means reading more than text messages!
hErE’s how:
• Link movies to books: Your middle schooler, like many others, may enjoy watching movies during winter break. Encourage them to watch at least one based on a book--and read the book first.
• Give books for Gifts: If your child will receive a gift this month, consider giving him/her a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Suggest this to other family members as well.
• read for a purpose: Practical reading--the kind you do to learn a skill--is both fun and informative. If your child enjoys cooking, they could read a recipe and try it out. If they like gadgets, they could read the instruction manual and put one together. If they like sports, they could check out the newspaper for a look at how their favorite teams are faring.
liBRaRy ResouRces
We encourage our students to continue to read books.
thE following links offEr studEnts ElECtroniC books:
• Audible Books Library
• Project Gutenberg | Books In Children’s Literature
Please encourage your chIld to read.
remember, readers are leaders!
paRenty safety tip...
sEvEn (7) ways to protECt your kids on soCial mEdia
• Keep an Open Dialogue With Your Children
• Educate Children on the Risks of Social Media
• Follow Age Requirement Guidelines
• Set Ground Rules for Social Media Use
• Stay Up to Date on Your Child’s Privacy Settings
• Consider Products That Help You Monitor Online Activity
• Utilize Cyberbullying Resources
learn more about onlIne safety, dIgItal wellness, cell Phones and learnIng wIth technology wIth age-sPecIfIc tIPs and tools on httP://www.commonsensemedIa.org/
All Brookwood Jr. High School teachers use an online grading system called “PowerSchool” that they update every Thursday.
We encourage you to check your child’s progress regularly. This program is completely confidential; therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s progress.
If you need your username and/or password, please contact the School Office at (708) 758-5252.
There is a PowerSchool app available for your cellular phone that makes it easy for parents to stay updated on their child’s progress.
paRent involvement
our foCus ContinuEs to bE on parEnt involvEmEnt!
We want to create a welcoming environment for all our parents, and continue this important partnership throughout the school year.
Thank you to all our parents and guardians who attended ParentTeacher Conferences. We appreciate your continued support!
Attending Parent–Teacher Conferences is one way to be involved and help your child succeed.
a parEnt–tEaChEr ConfErEnCE is an ExCEllEnt opportunity to:
• Discuss your child’s progress
• Share your child’s strengths and needs
• Work with the teacher to help your child do well in school
Conferences focus on learning, although behavior and social concerns might be discussed. The teacher will review your child’s progress, including strengths and areas needing improvement.
If you cannot attend our Parent-Teacher Conferences, please contact our Assistant Principal to set up a meeting with your child’s teachers.
We hold Student Support Intervention Meetings (SSI) all year long, before school 7:45 a.m. or after school 3:15 p.m. To schedule a meeting, please email Ms. Cobbs at ccobbs@brookwood167.org or call the school office at (708) 758-5252.
student safety / dRop-off
& pick-up pRoceduRes
Students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:10 a.m. and be picked up after school no later than 3:15 p.m.
If a student is being dropped off or picked up, the driver must adhere to the one-way sign at the entrance of the parking lot.
drIvers must “never” go the wrong way In the ParkIng lot as thIs Is unsafe for students and staff.
thank you for your cooPeratIon!
HonoR Roll |
HigH HonoR Roll
Students are given a quarterly report card at BJHS. If a student earns an academic G.P.A. of 3.95 or higher, he/she is placed on the High Honor Roll.
If a student makes an academic grade of 3.45 - 3.94, he/she is placed on the Honor Roll.
Students earning those honors will be invited to a special “Student Recognition Luncheon” each quarter.
7th grade students who make the High Honor Roll all four (4) quarters will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at our awards assembly in May!
daily Bell...
bJhs sChool hours | 8:30 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.
Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
instruCtion bEgins:
SEL Meeting
8:30 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.
1st Period 8:50 a.m. - 9:43 a.m.
2nd Period 9:43 a.m. - 10:36 a.m.
3rd Period
Math Matters | 10:36 a.m. - 11:08 a.m.
7th Grade Lunch | 11:08 a.m. - 11:38 a.m.
8th Grade Class | 11:08 a.m. - 12:01 p.m.
7th Grade Class | 11:38 a.m. - 12:31 p.m.
8th Grade Lunch | 12:01 p.m. - 12:31 p.m.
4th Period 12:31 p.m. - 1:24 p.m.
5th Period 1:24 p.m. - 2:17 p.m.
6th Period 2:17 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.
SEL Meeting 3:05 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. Dismissal 3:10 p.m. extra-currIcular actIvItIes 3:10 P.m. - 4:30 P.m.
If you need to come into the school for any reason, you will need to have a current Driver’s License that will be checked in our Raptor Security System.
Raptor® provides a line of sight as to who is always in our school. The system provides school and Districtwide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/out of our buildings.
thIs Is ImPortant for safety reasons.
classdojo / a fRee communication tool foR scHools & paRents
plEasE Join our ClassdoJo & stay informEd!
Healthy communication between the school and home is essential; we are working to provide numerous ways for this vital communication. To help suppress paper usage, we will continue providing information as much as possible using digital communication.
wE EnCouragE you to do thE following to hElp us CommuniCatE with you:
• Please ensure we have an accurate email address. If you are not receiving Dojo messages from us, it probably means we have incorrect information on our end.
• Please sign up for the digital tools that Brookwood School District and the school have provided.
• thEsE inCludE:
• Class Dojo
• Power School Parent Portal
• Please talk with your child’s teacher about Google Classroom and how it can be used as a communication tool.
• Please follow us on Facebook
• Please visit our website at www.brookwood167.org
• Please feel free to email us or call us at (708) 758-5252
We are almost at 100% and are asking that every parent sign up for the Principal ClassDojo. This is an excellent way for parents to stay informed about important events and information throughout the school year. Don’t hesitate to contact the school office if you need help signing up for this excellent “FREE” communication tool!
positivE bEhavior intErvEntion & supports
As a part of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports), teachers, administrators, and support staff have the responsibility to “TEACH” positive behavior expectations to our students. This education results in students knowing exactly what is expected of them and a framework of evidence based behavioral supports and interventions in an integrated curriculum to enhance both the social behavior and academic atmosphere for our diverse body of students throughout the school.
Lessons take place in several ways and in the environment for the expectations. For example, teachers will do short lessons each week on a specific expectation, the staff on lunch duty will discuss lunchroom expectations, on Fridays students complete a Kahoot or Blooket quiz to review the expectations they have been learning about all week. Posters or anchor charts have been created for different areas of the building to give the students and staff reminders about the expected behaviors.
While these strategies may not eliminate all problem behaviors, they create consistency, predictability, and a more positive atmosphere. They teach new skills to help children get their needs met. The solid foundation will help even if challenging behaviors persist by creating a bedrock for additional layers of support.
hErE arE plaCEs to sEEk additional information:
• Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: A Practical Guide to Resolving Your Child’s Difficult Behavior
• Home and Community Based Positive Behavior Support Facebook Page
• Home and Community PBS Website
• Parent Center Hub Positive Behavior Supports Resource Collection
• Intensive Intervention: An Overview for Parents and Families
• The Association for Positive Behavior Support
• Getting Behavior in Shape at Home
• Family Resources for Challenging Behavior
• The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Resource Library
using pBis at Home
sEt homE ExpECtations
If your child is in a school that uses PBIS, the school will have a chart with desired behaviors, including a description of how those behaviors will look like in each setting.
For example, your child’s school might ask students to “Be Respectful” (what’s expected) in the classroom (where it’s expected) by raising their hand before speaking (the desired behavior).
Often these charts can be found on the school’s website homepage. Schools that actively use PBIS might have an orientation on what behaviors are expected and where, and set a time in the beginning of the year to teach students and staff the specific behaviors. These can be adapted by families to fit the home setting. Examples of an expectations table for home and school are below.
sChool ExamplE
• Be Respectful
Classroom
Raise your hand before speaking
• Be Responsible
Throw your food away when done eating
Listen to teachers instructions
Have your backpack ready Classroom
Turn in your homework when it is due
• Be Safe
Walk when holding scissors
Bring your lunch money to lunch
Keep feet on the floor
Walk in the hallways
using pBis at Home (cont...)
homE ExamplE
• Be Respectful
Be polite when reminded about bedtime Virtual Classroom
Keep background noise to a minimum when engaged in lesson
• Be Responsible
Be kind to family members during conversation. Put your dishes in the sink
Bedtime
Go to bed on time Virtual
Do your best work. Turn in your homework when it is due
• Be Safe
Keep open drink away from computer keyboard
Wash your hands before helping with meal preparation and/or eating
Keep feet on the floor
Wash your hands before brushing your teeth
did you know?
• We do not have tryouts for any of our sports teams. If your child wants to participate, they just need to show up for practice! Please encourage your child to get involved.
• Any student planning on participating in a sport must have a current physical on file (good for one (1) year).
• “All” students are welcome to join our Sports Teams!
• Athletes will compete against nine (9) other schools in our Conference.
We Belong To The South Suburban Junior High School Association (SSJHSA) & The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA)
fall sports
Cross Country Girls Basketball Boys Basketball Cheerleading
wintEr sports
Wrestling Girls Volleyball Boys Volleyball
spring sports
Track
afteR scHool activities
save tHe date...
upComing important datEs
August 14th
District Back to School Bash at Brookwood Middle School
August 21st First Day Of School
August 26th Early Dismissal | 2:00 p.m.
Open House/Curriculum Night BJHS | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
August 28th Early Dismissal | 2:00 p.m.
Open House/Curriculum Night BMS | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
September 1st Labor Day | No School
September 4th Early Dismissal | 2:00 p.m.
Open House/Curriculum Night LWS & HB
mission statement
Brookwood School District 167, in partnership with parents and community, will create a learning environment in which all students excel at becoming lifelong learners and decision makers.
wE bEliEvE:
• Families shape their children’s motivation, confidence, and academic success by being interested and involved in their overall development.
• All students are unique and should be challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.
• In the importance of staff development opportunities based on best practices and educational research.
• In educating our children in a safe and nurturing environment with access to state-of-the-art technology.
• The school system should teach students to think critically enabling them to become contributing citizens in our global society.
• In continuous improvement in all aspects of the school system to foster a culture of excellence, accountability and integrity.
• In responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources. brookwood sChool distriCt 167
ouR vision
brookwood sChool distriCt 167
Our overall Vision is to improve the achievement of all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, or ability levels (disabilities).
We share the accountability of student achievement throughout the school.
We believe in using research-based practices to achieve our goals.
We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the needs of all our students.
wE arE CommittEd to:
• Providing students with highly qualified teachers
• Providing our staff with professional development
