News for the Week of September 13, 2021

Our passion, our purpose.
We are Brown School. 

This Week at Brown School

9/13 Spirit Wear Kick-Off Sale

Board of Education Meeting 6 p.m. @ Upton Middle School

9/15 Late Start Day
(doors open at 9:20 a.m., school begins at 9:30 a.m. on late start days)

Coming Up...

9/20 Bucks for Brown Kickoff!

Back to School Night

ECDD, 1st & 2nd grade: 5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

3rd, 4th & 5th grade: 6:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

9/21  PTO Meeting @ 12:15 in Media Center or virtual connection by clicking here

9/22   Late Start Day

9/29   Late Start Day

          Picture Day! (Order forms will be sent home soon)

Arrival and Dismissal Routines

We want to thank you for your patience with transportation and drop-off/pick-up routines this past week. As we work to teach procedures and travel around construction, traffic hasn't been moving as quickly as it typically does.  We are confident things will be more efficient this week with a few reminders and additional practice.  As a reminder, here are the maps:

If you are picking your child up at the office entrance, please be sure to stay clear of the benches in front of the school as best you can so that we can line students up and have them move to the painted bear paws. Please also help to remind him/her to watch for your vehicle. Rear view tags are essential to keep traffic moving. If you have not signed up for one, please do so by clicking here (families who walk up to get students do not need one). 

During morning drop-off, please be sure your child is ready to hop out of the car as you approach the drop-off zone. Together, we will get everyone to where they need to be safely and more quickly.  Thank you for your assistance and patience. 

Lunch Menu for the Week of September 13th 

We would like to remind everyone that breakfast and lunch are FREE again this year to every St. Joseph Public School student. Please try to remember to preorder your student’s lunches when they are going to participate in lunch. This helps speed up the morning lunch count process. You will be allowed to order the Friday before the next week using www.sendmoneytoschool.com.

Due to the supply chain issues we are having with our vendors and food outages we will be providing a one week menu on our website and Principal blogs on the Friday before the next week. This will alleviate us having to make constant changes to a monthly menu and keep you better informed.

9/13/21 – Chicken patty sandwich, sweet potato tots, fruit choice and milk

9/14/21 – Mini pancakes, vegetable choice, sausage patty, fruit choice and milk

9/15/21 – Cheese pizza, corn, fruit choice and milk

9/16/21 – Hot Ham & Cheese, Sun Chips, carrot sticks, fruit choice and milk

9/17/21 – Macaroni &Cheese, green beans, fruit choice and milk

Back to School Night

Partnering with families to ensure a positive school experience is a top priority for our staff. We look forward to beginning this partnership on the evening of September 20th during our Back to School Night event. Important information will be presented by your child's teacher, setting him/her up for success this school year. This adult-only event is for parents/guardians of first-fifth graders & students in ECDD. Please see the schedule below for session times.

ECDD, 1st & 2nd grade: 5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

3rd, 4th & 5th grade: 6:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Please note that parking may be a challenge. We suggest that you carpool or walk, if that is an option for you. Feel free to use any parking lot around the school. All of our entry doors will be open that evening.

Job Opportunities with SJPS
We are looking for dedicated, passionate individuals to join our 

Brown School Team. If you or someone you know loves working alongside students and thrive in an environment where students are put first, please consider reaching out to Kristen Bawks (kbawks@sjschools.org) to express interest in one of the following positions:

Student Support Aide (full time - 7 hours per day, 5 days per week)

Lunchtime Supervisor (2 hours per day, 5 days per week) 

Substitute Teachers (apply through EduStaff)

Universal Masking Requirement
Our Return to Learn Plan requires that all students, staff members, and visitors wear a mask while inside the school environment, regardless of vaccination status, at this time. This includes our adult-only Back to School Night event. Thank you, in advance, for your adherence to this safety protocol. 

Please note that gaiters, face shields, and bandannas are not approved face coverings. For more information, please visit the FAQ guide from BCHD linked here for more information. 

We love to see our students at our District athletic events! For safety reasons, please be sure your elementary-aged child sits with adults to enjoy the game.  Thank you!

Parent-Teacher Conferences are being scheduled throughout the month of October and into November. We have 4 half-days dedicated to conference time, however, your child's teacher may schedule a conference with you anytime between October 10th and November 8th. You will have the option to schedule this conference as a face-to-face meeting or a virtual connection using Google Meet. Please feel free to contact your child's teacher with any questions. 

Our students enjoyed learning with Mrs. Bacolor
in the Media Center this week.

 All students will spend time during daily morning meetings intentionally working to build their 24 character strengths through our partnership with the Positivity Project.  Please check out the video below to learn more about this amazing program.

We are looking forward to kicking off the week with our first P2 character strength of the year "curiosity". We encourage you to visit the P2 Family Site to learn more and to discuss the weekly strength focus with your child(ren). The password is "P2". Additionally, the character strength calendar for the year is linked here.

PTO Corner

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Find out more about the PTO, including a list of planned events for this school year and how to volunteer, on our PTO Site.

Thanks

Thank you for all the donations of snacks, beverages, and serving ware for the staff lounge - it is much appreciated by all!

Announcements 

Art room

Due to the loss of some supplies over the summer, the art room could use donations of yarn.  There are no restrictions on color, texture, weight or even length - anything will do.  If you are a crafter or knitter and need to thin your yarn collection, consider sending your remnants to the art room!  While yarn is the biggest need right now, they could also use Kleenex, Clorox Wipes, baby wipes, small paper plates (leftovers from the holidays are fine, and Q-tips.

 

Bear Wear Sales

Bear Wear sales will start Monday September 13 and run through Monday September 27.  Visit the online sales page here https://bes2021fall.orderpromos.com/. Orders will be delivered to the school at the end of October.  Let’s go Bears!

 

Thank you for supporting our school through Box Tops! 

Volunteers Welcome!

We are looking forward to welcome volunteers back into our learning environment this school year. You have been missed! In order to visit our classrooms, you must have a background check on file annually. If you anticipate joining us throughout out the school year, please complete the form linked here and return it to our school office. 

Please note that it may take up to 30 days to allow for approval prior to working with our students. Thank you!

Summer Learning Challenge 2021

Last call for Summer Learning Challenge sheets! Please have your child return his/her signed Summer Learning Challenge paperwork during this week. We can hardly wait to pass out medals again this year!

Looking for fall activities to enroll your child in? Check out local offerings by visiting our Community Corkboard.

It is the policy of the St. Joseph Public School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to, discrimination during any program, activity, service or in employment.

News for the Week of September 6, 2021

This Week at Brown School

9/7   First day of school! 

        Y5/K Phase-In: students A-K

9/8   Y5/K Phase-In: students L-Z

9/9   Y5/K Phase-In: students A-K

9/10  Y5/K Phase-In: students L-Z

Coming Up...

9/13 Spirit Wear Kick-Off Sale

Board of Education Meeting 6 p.m.

9/15 Late Start Day
(doors open at 9:20 a.m., school begins at 9:30 a.m. on late start days)

9/20 Back to School Night

ECDD, 1st & 2nd grade: 5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

3rd, 4th & 5th grade: 6:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

9/22   Late Start Day

  

News from the Lunch Room

We would like to remind everyone that breakfast and lunch are FREE again this year to every St Joseph Public School student. Please try to remember to preorder your child’s lunches when they are going to participate in lunch.  This helps speed up the morning lunch count process.  You will be allowed to order the Friday before the next week using www.sendmoneytoschool.com.  

Due to the supply chain issues we are having with our vendors and food outages we will be providing a one week menu on our website and Principal blogs on the Friday before the next week. This will alleviate us having to make constant changes to a monthly menu and keep you better informed.

Lunch Menu for the Week of September 7th

9/7/21 – Chicken Tenders, muffin, steamed broccoli, fruit choice and milk.  

9/8/21 – Cheese Pizza Crunchers, Corn, fruit choice and milk

9/9/21 – Hot Dog, Baked Beans, Baked Cheez its, fruit choice and milk

9/10/21 – Turkey Sub, Carrot Sticks, Pretzels, Fruit Slushy and milk 

2021-2022  Attendance Times

8:20 a.m. Students Enter Building

8:30 a.m. Tardy Bell Rings

3:50 p.m. Dismissal

Students enter at 9:20 a.m. on late start days

Half Days Dismissal is at 12:09 p.m.

Our 2021-22 Family Calendar was included in your child's Back to School packet and is also available here for your reference.

Drop-Off Times & Procedures

Like last school year, students will enter the building according to the maps below and head directly to his/her classroom, no earlier than 8:20 a.m. (9:20 a.m. on late start days). This is to support the smooth transition to the start of the school day. Please note that we will not gather on the playground before school begins. 

Students may not be dropped off prior to 8:20 a.m. (9:20 a.m. on late start days) as there will not be before school supervision available. 

If you have children in multiple grade levels, please determine which location is best for your family. You will only need to go to one spot for drop-off and pick-up. 

 

*Families of 4th & 5th Graders, please note the change in drop-off/pick-up location along Yukon Drive. This reversal was made to both drop-off and pick-up procedures in hopes to elevate traffic problems along Garden Lane. Thank you for your attention to this. It is imperative that traffic moves in one direction in order to keep our students safe.  

* Due to federal mandate, all students and staff must wear a mask while riding on the school bus/van. 

Road Construction Information for the First Week of School

We learned that Washington Avenue road improvement and resurfacing work resumes after Labor Day. Here is the message we received:

At approximately 7 a.m. on Tuesday, 9/7/2021, the public should be aware of possible delays or seek alternative routes on Washington Avenue between Hilltop Road and Maiden Lane in St. Joseph Township.

 

For full details please visit: http://bcroad.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1819

Universal Masking Requirement
Our Return to Learn Plan requires that all students, staff members, and visitors wear a mask while inside the school environment, regardless of vaccination status, at this time. Please keep in mind that all masks must cover the face from the the top of the nose to under the chin. Masks must be taken home and washed daily. Thank you for your cooperation. 

PTO Corner

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What does the PTO do?

Whether you are a new or returning Brown family, you may be wondering what the PTO does, who it is made up of, and what it spends money on from our big fundraisers.

 

To start, the PTO is made up of all the Brown School parents and teachers.  Having a student at Brown makes you a member.  All members are welcome to join our monthly meetings!

 

Some of what the PTO Does (why we fundraise):

• Provide fun events for students such as Popcorn Fridays, popsicles on hot days, the ice skating enrichment day, donuts/muffins with our superheroes, ice cream social, Lego night, spelling bee, spring picnic, the variety show and more.

• Provide additional funds to the media center for the purchase of books and other educational materials.

• Provide each teacher with a classroom fund.

• Supplement fees for enrichment activities such as author visits.

• Provide special grants as needed.

• Provide occasional lunches for teachers and staff.

• Maintain our teachers lounge as a calm, relaxing space (we all need breaks!)

• Save for major expenditures not fully covered by other district funds

• … and more!  This is not an exhaustive list of ways in which we support our teachers, staff, and students.

 

Find out more about the PTO, including a list of planned events for this school year and how to volunteer, on our PTO Site.

Announcements 

Art room

The art room could use donations of yarn.  There are no restrictions on color, texture, weight or even length - anything will do.  If you are a crafter or knitter and need to thin your yarn collection, consider sending your remnants to the art room!  While yarn is the biggest need right now, they could also use Kleenex, Clorox Wipes, baby wipes, small paper plates (leftovers from the holidays are fine), and Q-tips. Thank you!

Reminders

Attention all virtual students!! We love seeing what you have been learning in your virtual classrooms! 

Please continue to share your pictures with us on our Facebook page in the Brown Bears Virtual Learning album. 

Please download the Box Tops for Education app by visiting https://www.boxtops4education.com/.  

 

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Save the date for these upcoming hybrid PTO meetings.  We will meet in the media center as well as offer a virtual connection option:

September 21 at 12:15pm

October 19 at 12:15pm

November 16 at 7pm

January 18 at 12:15pm

February 15 at 7pm

March 15 at 12:15

April 19 at 7pm

May 17 at 12:15pm

Getting to Know Our Learners

We want to learn about your child in advance of beginning our year together. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey linked below prior to the start of the school year. Thank you!

Getting to Know Your Child Form 

First Week of School Transportation Plans 
Please share your child’s after school plans for the first week of school with us by clicking here and completing a brief form. This will help our staff make sure that your child gets to the right locations safely.

If plans change during and/or after the first week of school, please communicate changes with your child’s teacher and the school office. If your child will be riding a bus, please make sure you complete the Transportation Department Form linked below as well.

Thank you for your help!

Phase-In Plan for Young Fives & Kindergarten Students ONLY

We will have a phase-in schedule for our Young Fives & Kindergarten students during the first week of school. This approach will afford us the opportunity to practice routines and procedures in a smaller group and with more specificity. Additionally, it will provide the opportunity to offer additional support to our youngest students in their transition to school. 

Transportation Arrangements for Dismissal

If your child is planning to ride the bus this year, please be sure that you complete the Transportation Ridership Survey as soon as possible. We will not have families complete the yellow ridership cards this year. 

Bus Routes are posted on our Brown School page of the district's website.

You will need to determine the stop closest to your home for pick-up and drop-off for all students in Young Fives through 5th grade.  If you have additional transportation needs, please contact Sara Petrosius, SJPS Transportation Director, at spetrosius@sjschools.org or 269-926-3900.

Your child’s safety is a top priority for us! Backpack bus tags will be distributed at both the Y5/K orientation and the Ice Cream Social events (if the above form was completed in advance). Thank you for your patience the first few days of school as our drivers work to welcome new riders, establish routines, and double check student names. Also, please note that  routes tend to run a little longer the first few weeks of school. 

If you or another adult plans to pick your child up from school at least once per week, click on the link below to register for a rear-view mirror tag. Tags will be required for pick-up ONLY in our main office parking lot this year. If you pick your child up at the Y5/K door or the 4th/5th grade door, you do not need to complete the form. 
Pick-Up Mirror Tag Form

Playground Update

Great news! Our walking track and blacktop areas around the playground have been resurfaced. It is looking great out there! Sadly, our main equipment has not arrived yet as the company is experiencing supply chain issues. We look forward to its arrival soon. 

Crosswalks for Safety 

For everyone's safety, please use extra caution as you approach the crosswalks in the school parking lot. In effort to keep the traffic flowing, DO NOT park along the grass next to the parking lot as indicated by signage.

Volunteers Welcome!

We are looking forward to welcome volunteers back into our learning environment this school year. You have been missed! In order to visit our classrooms, you must have a background check on file annually. If you anticipate joining us throughout out the school year, please complete the form linked here and return it to our school office. 

Please note that it may take up to 30 days to allow for approval prior to working with our students. Thank you!

Summer Learning Challenge 2021

We have enjoyed seeing the many posts of our summer learning champions hard at work, exhibiting their many  character strengths, posted on our Brown Elementary Facebook page throughout  the summer. Please have your child return his/her signed Summer Learning Challenge paperwork during the first week of school. We can hardly wait to pass out medals again this year!

Looking for fall activities to enroll your child in? Check out local offerings by visiting our Community Corkboard.

Please complete the following forms as soon as possible:

• Transportation Ridership Survey (daily or occasional bus riders only)
• Pick-Up Mirror Tag Survey (main office pick-up car riders only)
• First Week of School Transportation Form (all students)
• Getting to Know You Form (all students)
• If applicable, please complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application linked here.

It is the policy of the St. Joseph Public School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to, discrimination during any program, activity, service or in employment.