Brown School students have certainly enjoyed the "spring-like" weather this week. They have especially been celebrating the installation of our new teeter-totter, which was a gift from last year's fifth grade class.
This Week at Brown
5th grade M-STEP continues
April 16 Muffins with "Moms" 7:30-8:15 a.m.
Student Council meeting @ lunch
April 17 Late Start Day
April 18 Mrs. Nowicki's class to Calling All Colors (a.m.)
April 19 Good Friday - 1/2 day of school - 12:05 dismissal
Coming Up...
April 22 Release Time Bible Class 2:20-3:35 p.m.
April 23 School Store @ first recess
PTO Meeting @ 7 p.m. in the Media Center
April 24 Late Start Day
2nd graders to Heritage Museum 10:15-2:00 p.m.
April 25 Y5 Hearing and Vision Screening
Kindergarteners to Sarett 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Parents As Teachers playgroup 9:30-10:30 a.m.
4th graders to Cook Plant 9:30-11:30 a.m.
April 26 Movie Night @ Brown 6-8:30 p.m.
April 29 3rd & 4th grade M-STEP testing begins
K-5 NWEA testing begins
Spring Mileage Club begins!
April 30 Lory's Place group @ lunch
May 1 Late Start Day
Mileage Club @ lunch recess
May 3 Mileage Club @ lunch recess
May 6-10 Teacher Appreciation Week!
May 6 Board of Education Meeting @ SJHS 5:45 p.m.
Mileage Club @ lunch recess
May 8 Mileage Club @ lunch recess
May 10 3rd-5th grade track meet @ Upton 11:00
Ren Baldwin Technology Festival @ SJHS
Spring Mileage Club
Our Spring Mileage Club is right around the corner! We will begin the fun on April 29th. 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. 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. If you were a Walkathon volunteer, be on the lookout for an email from SignUp to help with Mileage Club. And of course, parents and siblings are always welcome to come walk with us!Please bring your child(ren) for a special morning treat in celebration of the special role mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, family friends, etc. play in our students' lives. The doors will open at 7:30 a.m., but you are welcome to arrive anytime before 8:15 a.m..
Fundraising Update
Our Brown School Student Council is so thrilled to announce that our school community collected $1,675.80 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and over $300 for the African village school in Arnoldine. Thank you, students and families, for your generosity and kindness!2019-2020 Enrollment Surveys
Thank you for taking a few moments to help us plan for next year's grade level sections by completing one of the surveys linked below by Wednesday, April 17th.
Resident Survey - intended for families that live within St. Joseph Public Schools boundaries
Non-Resident Survey - intended for families that live outside of St. Joseph Public Schools boundaries
Student Placement
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 more care and attention from teacher; and,
- The mixture of students’ personalities and probable “fit” as a class.
Parents may submit written information for staff to consider for student placement. Specific requests for teachers are not accepted. All placement requests must be filed with Kristen.
It looks like spring has sprung! With the fluctuation of temperatures throughout the day, please be sure your child is prepared to participate in three outdoor recesses daily. While there is not student handbook language related to exact temperatures appropriate for students to wear shorts, a good rule of thumb is 60 degrees, though we trust that you know your child and his/her needs. It is always a good idea to dress your child in layers this time of year. Please be sure to label all jackets with your child's name.
Fifth Grade Fundraiser
We will be having popsicle sales starting next week to raise money for the fifth grade gift to the school. Students can purchase a popsicle treat for $0.50 during third recess on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April.
M-STEP Testing
Students in grades 3-8 all across Michigan will be taking the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) assessments this spring. Like last year, the M-STEP will be given online. The fifth graders were the first to test and are in the process of completing the assessments. The third and fourth grade windows for testing begins April 29th.
The M-STEP measures current student knowledge of Michigan’s high academic standards in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies. A robust set of resources related to the M-STEP is available online at www.michigan.gov/mstep. The resources linked below were specifically developed for parents.
- Student Testing, What Parents Can do to Help Students Prepare
- Michigan's System Education Assessment, What It Is, What It Means, and What It Offers
Field Trip Chaperones There are many field trips coming up on the Brown School calendar. If you plan on chaperoning, volunteer forms must be on file and processed before the trip. Please allow at least a week for processing. You may pick up forms in the office or call us to have them sent home with your child.
Community Corkboard
Looking for after school activities for your child? Our Community Corkboard is your source for information about all kinds of happenings around town. Take me to the
Community Corkboard now.
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.
