BMS | June Newsletter

ISSUE: 010 / JUNE YEAR: 2022

BROOKWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL We made it to the end of the 2021/2022 school year. The beginning of the month was filled with the 1st Annual Spring Olympics, Field Day activities, and grade level celebrations.

Although this year was different from years past, we want our students and families to know how much we care and appreciate all the hard work you have done throughout the school year.

CONGRATULATIONS! LaShawn Stewart | Principal

TECHNOLOGY HELPLINE 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 What is ClassDojo?

Reporting of Absence(s): Parents must call the school to report their child absent before 8:30 a.m. The number for reporting absences is (708) 757-2110. Official attendance will be reported every morning at 9:00 a.m.

If your child joins a teacher’s classroom late, they will be marked tardy in PowerSchool, and you will be notified through the Principal’s ClassDojo.

PLEASE JOIN OUR CLASSDOJO’S AND STAY INFORMED! It is important that you sign up for the Principal’s Class Dojo. I post important information such as if a bus is running late, important reminders regarding picture day, graduation information and other important topics. Please sign up today!

ClassDojo is actively used in 90% of U.S. K-8 schools.

ClassDojo is a free app that helps build amazing classroom and school communities. Teachers give feedback to students for any skill, like “Working Hard” and “Being Curious.”

From the mobile app, parents view their

child’s feedback, and can message directly with teachers and school leaders.

Please join my ClassDojo so you can stay informed on what is happening at Longwood School.

If you would like to join, please accept the invitation that we emailed to you or texted you, or contact the school at (708) 7585350, email, lstewart@brookwood167. org.org. All you will need to provide is your cell phone number or email address. Get Involved and STAY INFORMED!

VISION Our

overall

Vision

is

to

improve the achievement of all students, regardless of

becoming lifelong learners

to state-of-the-art

and decision makers.

technology.

We Believe: •

race, socio-economic status, gender,

or

ability

levels

(disabilities).

of

student

achievement

throughout the school. We

•

believe in using researchbased practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the

them to become

confidence, and

contributing citizens in

academic success by

our global society.

•

In continuous

involved in their overall

improvement in all

development.

aspects of the school

All students are unique

system to foster a

and should be challenged

culture of excellence,

to the highest level of

accountability and

called “PowerSchool” that

academic and artistic

integrity.

they update every Thursday.

•

In responsible

In the importance of

stewardship of financial

staff development

and physical resources.

on best practices and educational research.

We are Committed to: Providing students with highly qualified teachers •

children’s motivation,

opportunities based

needs of all of our students.

•

should teach students to think critically enabling

excellence.

•

The school system

Families shape their

being interested and

We share the accountability

•

•

We

encourage

you

to

check your child’s progress regularly. This program is completely

confidential;

in a safe and nurturing

an access username and

environment with access

password to see your child’s progress. If you need your username and/or password,

development

please contact the school

MISSION

office at (708) 758-5350.

There is a PowerSchool app

Brookwood School District partnership

an online grading system

therefore, you will need

with professional

in

All Brookwood teachers use

In educating our children

Providing our staff

167,

POWERSCHOOL

available for your cellular

with

parents and community, will

phone that makes it easy for

create a learning environment

parents to stay updated on

in which all students excel at

ABSENT FROM SCHOOL?

their child’s progress.

Parents did you know that if your child is absent, you can request a recorded version of their teacher’s lesson? We want to keep students on track, and this is a great way for ensuring students don’t fall behind if they miss a class. You can also request a recorded lesson if your child is struggling and they need to see the lesson again. Please reach out to your child’s teachers and take advantage of this great resource.

DESK OF THE PRINCIPAL...

As we enter the summer months learning does not have to stop. Below are some suggestions/resources to keep your child learning and engaged over the summer.

• Read, Read, and Read Some more: “If anything is correlated with academic success and knowledge retention over the summer, it is reading. In this day and age with technology at our fingertips, sometimes I forget about public libraries that make finding children’s books easy. Make sure to find topics that are of interest to your child, as they are more likely to read if they are interested in the material.

• Keep A Journal! Whether you are at home, or on a vacation, have your child keep a daily journal about daily happenings, new experiences, new things they learn, and the list goes on!

• Smithsonian Institute for Kids: Explore online exhibits about art, science, nature, history and culture.

• Math Practice: There are so many great online resources for Math practice and skill building. Khan Academy is a great online resource to keep up on skills and learn new skills. (This website isn’t only for math. It also has science, arts & humanities, computing, engineering, test prep, and the list goes on!). In addition to Khan Academy there is DreamBox Learning and Study Island.

UPCOMING...

June 19th | Father’s Day June 20th | Summer School Begins July 4th | Independence Day, District Buildings Closed July 14th | Last Day of Summer School August 19th | 1st Day of School

CHALK POETRY Room 209 Does Chalk Poetry

By Brooke Pisciotto (Miss P.) On May 11th, 2022, the 5th grade English/Language Arts Enrichment class took their poetry to the sidewalks in front of BMS! After a week of learning about metaphor, repetition, and sensory language, each student had produced a polished poem using all three of the techniques.

We studied the poem “Cotton Candy” by Edward Hirsch as an example of these techniques in action (which I highly recommend reading). Once students demonstrated their ability to identify metaphor, repetition, and sensory language, they were tasked with writing a poem that reflects on a special moment with a loved one, with “Cotton Candy’’ as their example.

The students’ first poem was a creative challenge that required them to consider word choice and syntax as well as develop and strengthen their writing using feedback from peers and myself. As a result, each student ended up with a well-crafted and impactful poem — and what better way to celebrate their accomplishment than with a little fun outdoors?

Students brought their written poems outside as they pondered which line in their poem was their favorite, or how they might create a visual image to represent their poem using chalk. Some students chose to draw a picture and wrote their favorite line.

Overall, I was impressed with their creativity throughout this entire assignment, and I hope each student will continue to find joy in reading and writing and poetry. The other four sections of 5th grade ELA students will take their turn with chalk poetry on May 26th, so keep your eyes peeled!

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME If My Child is Sick, When Should I Keep Them Home?

If a child has any symptom listed below, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

When a child can return to school is based on the specific symptom they have and whether it’s considered a COVID-19 symptom: • 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 your child has been in close contact with someone with a known or suspected case of COVID-19 within the last fourteen (14) days. (Close contact is defined as someone who was within six (6) feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of fifteen (15) minutes or more over a twenty-four (24) hour period, starting from two (2) days before illness onset.)

If you answer “YES” to any of the above, your child MUST stay home! Please call the school to report your child’s absence.

+1 708-758-5350 +1 708-757-4528 www.brookwood167.org

200 E. Glenwood-Lansing Road

Glenwod, IL 60425

VISITORS If you need to come into the school for any reason, for safety reasons, you will be required to wear a mask, and you will need to have a current Driver’s License that will be checked in our Raptor Security System.

STUDENT SAFETY DROP-OFF & PICK-UP PROCEDURES Students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and be picked up after school no later than 3:15 p.m.

If a student is being dropped off or

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.

BROOKWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL

This is

important for safety reasons.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES I am excited to share with you that this school year, Brookwood School District 167 will be providing students with a set of school supplies to use at school and a set to use at home! If your child needs any additional resources or supplies for any of their classes, please contact our school office at (708) 758-5350, so we can help provide them with all necessary and needed materials.

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!