Sunday, April 30, 2017

Brown School News for May 1-5, 2017

Announcements

It's National Teacher Appreciation Week.  A quick note or email telling your child's teacher how much they are appreciated is always a treat!

Ticks
I keep reading that this is going to be a bad year for ticks (actually a bad year for us, probably a good year for ticks:-)  Anyway, we have already seen a few here at Brown, here is a good article to learn more about them - http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/the-year-of-the-tick/

Mileage Club
Parents! Our Spring Mileage Club is right around the corner! For those unfamiliar with the Mileage Club, it runs exactly like the Walkathon, but it is not a fundraiser. It is simply meant to support health and fitness by encouraging our kids get outside and get active. They will still receive a foot charm for every 5 laps/mile that they walk/run. Please have them use the necklace they received from the Walkathon last Fall. If your student has lost their charm necklace from the fall, they will be available for purchase during the Mileage Club walking times for $1. If your student is new to Brown School, they will receive a charm necklace for free from their teacher the first day of the Mileage Club.
This year our walking/running days are M/W/F the first week in May and M/W the second week in May. (Friday the 12th is the annual track meet for 3rd-5th grade at SJHS.)
We have a few spots open for volunteers if you would be willing to help! Jobs include handing out charms, punching cards, helping younger students put their charms on their necklaces and encouraging the walkers and runners. Lunches run from 12:10-1:40pm. Younger siblings are welcome! Thanks so much.  http://signup.com/go/PXHjY9

Muffins with Moms 
May 9 - PTO will start serving free muffins, donuts, coffee etc... beginning at 7:15am. You are welcome to park in the main lot and the first lot off of Garden Lane.  I am sure there will be some parking along the street as well, just be respectful of our neighbors' yards please.  This is a morning when moms or ANY OTHER SPECIAL PERSON can come and have a few minutes to sit with their child and enjoy some treats to start the day.

Elementary Track Meet
Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Parents - We’d appreciate your help at the Track Meet on May 12. (Rain Date May 22)

Want to help with the Track Meet? We’re looking for parents of Kindergarten to 2nd grade so that the parents of Brown students involved in the annual track meet can participate in watching their children grades 3 to 5.

The Track Meet is an annual event at the St. Joseph High School Football Stadium where all three of our elementary schools gather to participate in track events.

What you need to know to volunteer:
-- Experience isn’t necessary. 
-- The track meet is May 12 at the high school football stadium from 10 am to 2 pm (Rain date is May 22).
-- Volunteers need to be at the high school track @ 10 am to be assigned a job and receive directions (there will be a short break, but volunteers need to be in place by 11:15 am). The track meet lasts until about 2 pm. (Some events finish slightly earlier.) 
-- If you volunteer, please be prepared to stay until your entire assigned job is finished.
-- Sorry, but no little ones. There are just too many people and a lot going on.
-- Remember to dress for the weather and layer!

Please contact Cherry Bayley to volunteer or with any questions @ cherrydbayley@gmail.com or text or call 810-335-5354. Thanks!

Save the Date! Brown School is heading to Michigan's Adventure 
On Tuesday, June 13th - Cost is $25 per person and includes lunch. Kids 2 and under are FREE. You MUST have your own transportation as this is just organized by me for the reduced ticket prices. There is additional fee for parking. You may invite anyone you wish, but they must get tickets through me. I will be taking money up until Tuesday, May 30th. Checks should be made to SJPS. Please message me at cedlefson@sjschools.org if you would like to put your name on the list. Thanks! The countdown to Summer is ON!!


Morning Help with Supervision
Hello! We need your help! The school is only able to provide one staff member each morning to supervise the playground from 8:15 am to the first bell ring. Since a lot of children start to arrive at school as early as 8 am, we need more parent volunteers to help supervise the playground in the mornings. It's a very easy task and you are welcome to bring younger siblings along.
The volunteer's job will simply be to watch the kids play and be available in case there is a need.
Please take a moment to look at the schedule and see if there are any times you can help. You may volunteer for as many spots as you want.
Thank you for your help!
1) Click this link to see our SignUps on SignUp.com:  http://signup.com/go/CCrKbin
2) Review the SignUps listed and choose the one(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.


Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.


This Week at Brown School
Monday, May 1 – B Day
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
NWEA begins for K & 2nd
M-Step Begins for 3rd and 4th
Banana Splits Meeting at lunch for 4 & 5

Tuesday, May 2 – C Day
Visit from Indian Hills Garden Club 2:47-3:07- 3rd Grade, 3:07-3:27- 5th Grade, 3:27-3:47- 4th Grade
GOTR after school

Wednesday, May 3- D Day
Late Start
Visit from Indian Hills Garden Club 1:15-1:30-1st Gr, 1:35-1:50-2nd Gr, 1:55-2:10-Delapa, 2:35-2:45-Y5s, 3:30-3:40-Wiesemes 

Thursday, May 4 – E Day
GOTR after school

Friday, May 5 – F Day
5th graders visit Upton all day
Dilly Bar Sale at last recess

Coming Up
Monday, May 8 – Banana Splits Meeting at lunch for 1 & 2 and School Board Meeting at SJHS 5:45

Tuesday, May 9 – Muffins with Moms 7:15 to 8:25am, ACCESS in Mrs. DeLapa’s Rm. 8:10am, GOTR after school and Parent Orientation for 5th graders headed to Upton, at Upton 6:30pm

Wednesday, May 10 – Late Start and Last Day for Mileage Club

Thursday, May 11 – Dilly Bar Sale at last recess and GOTR after school

Friday, May 12 – K-2 Author Visit, ECDD Parent Meeting 9-11:00am, Elementary Track Meet 11:30-2:00 and Popsicles at last recess

Monday, May 15 – 3rd Grade Swimming Week, 4th grade to Cook Visitors Center 9:40, Banana Splits Meeting for Y5, K & 3 at lunch, School Board Meeting at Central 6:00pm, and PTO at 7:00pm

Tuesday, May 16 - 3rd Grade Swimming Week and GOTR after school

Wednesday, May 17 – Late Start, 3rd Grade Swimming Week and 2nd grade to Downtown Tour 9:45-1:45

Thursday, May 18 – 3rd Grade Swimming Week and GOTR 5K after school


Friday, May 19 – 3rd Grade Swimming Week, NWEA Testing Ends and Ren Baldwin Tech Fest at SJHS in the evening

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Brown School News for April 24-28, 2017

Our last week of April!  I can't believe how fast the year has gone by.  There are 2 important activities coming up that I want to make sure you have information about:

1) Muffins with Moms on May 9 - PTO will start serving free muffins, donuts, coffee etc... beginning at 7:15am.  You are welcome to park in the main lot and the first lot off of Garden Lane.  I am sure there will be some parking along the street as well, just be respectful of our neighbors' yards please.  This is a morning when moms or ANY OTHER SPECIAL PERSON can come and have a few minutes to sit with their child and enjoy some treats to start the day.

2) The Elementary Track Meet - the track meet is for 3rd - 5th graders SO, we would like to have Y5 thru 2nd grade parents volunteer to help.  This way, your volunteering is all done when your own children participate and then you will be free to watch them.  I will be sending more information about this soon, but if your children are 2nd grade and under, please try to clear your calendar to help us on Friday, May 12.

This Week at Brown School
Monday, Apr. 24 – C Day
John Proos visits 5th grade 9:45-10:45
Banana Splits Meeting for Y5, K & 3rd at lunch
NWEA Testing for 3rd

Tuesday, Apr. 25 – D Day
GOTR after school
NWEA Testing for 3rd and 4th while M-Step continues for 5th

Wednesday, Apr. 26 – E Day
Late Start
Secretaries Day!!!
NWEA Testing for 4th while M-Step continues for 5th

Thursday, Apr. 27 – F Day
GOTR after school
NWEA Testing for 3rd while M-Step continues for 5th

Friday, Apr. 28 – A Day
4th Grade NWEA Testing
Dilly Bar Sale at last recess

Coming Up
Monday, May 1 – Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!,  NWEA begins for K & 2nd, M-Step Begins for 3rd and 4th and Banana Splits Meeting at lunch for 4 & 5
Tuesday, May 2 – GOTR after school
Wednesday, May 3- Late Start
Thursday, May 4 – GOTR after school
Friday, May 5 – 5th graders visit Upton all day and Dilly Bar Sale at last recess
Monday, May 8 – Banana Splits Meeting at lunch for 1 & 2 and School Board Meeting at SJHS 5:45
Tuesday, May 9 – Muffins with Moms 7:15 to 8:25am, ACCESS in Mrs. DeLapa’s Rm. 8:10am, and GOTR after school
Wednesday, May 10 – Late Start
Thursday, May 11 – Dilly Bar Sale at last recess and GOTR after school
Friday, May 12 – K-2 Author Visit, ECDD Parent Meeting 9-11:00am, Elementary Track Meet 11:30-2:00 and Popsicles at last recess

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Brown School News for April 17-21, 2017

Announcements
We have started our spring testing which includes the M-Step for grades 3-5 and NWEA MAP testing for grades K-5.  Please be sure your children are getting a good nights sleep and eating a healthy breakfast so they can perform their best.

Lunchroom News
Please check for notes for balances due on lunch accounts.  Contact Mrs. Punches, spunches@sjschools.org with any questions.


Student Placement for 2016-2017 
As we begin to plan for classes for next year, I want to share the following:
We try to use our best professional judgment to create balanced classes. We consider the following factors when making class lists:
An even distribution of students according to ability;
A fair balance of boys and girls in a classroom;
A fair distribution of students who demand care and attention from the teacher; and,
The mixture of students’ personalities and probable“fit” as a class.
Parents may submit written information about their child for staff to consider for student placement. Specific requests for teachers are not accepted.

You can access all approved flyers for activities and events at the Community Corkboard on the district website: http://www.sjschools.org/sjps-parents/community-cork-board-district 

This Week at Brown School
Monday, Apr. 17 – D Day
5th Grade M-Step Testing
Banana Splits Meeting for all grades
School Board Meeting at Brown 6:00pm
PTO at Brown 7:00pm

Tuesday, Apr. 18 – E Day
5th Grade M-Step Testing
4th grade program at 2:50 and 6:00pm
Dairy Queen Night
Quiz Bowl Competition in McFall’s Rm. 4-5:00pm
Girls on the Run after school

Wednesday, Apr. 19 – F Day
LATE START (One hour delay)
Title I Parent Meeting 8:30-9:30 in the Title I Room
Last School Store of the year before school in the crosshall
5th Grade M-Step Testing

Thursday, Apr. 20 – A Day
Skate Night from 6:00-8:00pm
5th Grade M-Step Testing
Girls on the Run(GOTR) after school

Friday, Apr. 21 – B Day
Popcorn Day
Kdg. To Sarett 9:30-11:00am
2nd grade to Sarett 12:10-2:30pm
Brown School Family Movie Night 6:30-9:00pm

Coming Up
Monday, Apr. 24 – NWEA Testing for 3rd and 4th while M-Step continues for 5th
Tuesday, Apr. 25 –GOTR after school and NWEA Testing for 3rd and 4th, M-Step continues for 5th
Wednesday, Apr. 26 – Title I Parent Meeting, Late Start, Secretaries Day!!! and NWEA Testing for 3rd and 4th while M-Step continues for 5th
Thursday, Apr. 27 – GOTR after school, NWEA Testing for 3rd and 4th, M-Step continues for 5th

Friday, Apr. 28 – 4th Grade NWEA Testing