Brown School News
Back to School Edition 2022
Excitement is in the air around Brown School. Our hallways are sparkling, our bulletin boards are fresh, our name tags are labeled, and now we just need our eager learners!
Our staff can hardly wait to welcome our new and returning students, as well as their families, to the 2022-23 school year. In fact, we will be hosting several family events next week to kick-off our year together. We hope that you will be able to join us (please see the descriptions and details below).
We look forward to working collaboratively as partners in your child's educational journey. Thank you for your continued commitment to our amazing school community. Look for a separate blog post coming shortly introducing our new staff to our Brown School families!
Best,
Joe Rommel
Principal
2022-2023 Attendance Times
8:10 a.m. Students Eating Breakfast Enter Building, Drop Off Begins
8:23 First Bell
8:25 Students enter classrooms
8:30 a.m. Tardy Bell Rings
3:50 p.m. Dismissal
Students enter at 9:10 a.m. on late start days
Half Days Dismissal is at 12:09 p.m.
Our 2022-23 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.This is to support the smooth transition to the start of the school day.
Students may not be dropped off prior to 8:10 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. (Procedure remains same, though maps indicate dates of previous school year)
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.
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.
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| 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 |
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!
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.
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.
Young Fives & Kindergarten Orientation is
Tuesday, August 31st!
We look forward to welcoming our youngest students and their families for Young Fives/Kindergarten Orientation on August 30 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. at Brown School. This event was specially created for our youngest learners and their families in order to provide a combined Back to School Night & Ice Cream Social experience prior to the start of the school year. During this orientation event, you will have the opportunity to explore the building on a self-guided tour together, with informational programming beginning in the gym at 6:00 for adults. At this time, your child will experience their first classroom "carpet time" with their teacher, as well as a treat on the playground and bus exploration.
Ice Cream Social 2021
New Family Meet & Greet
Prior to the start of the Ice Cream Social on August 31st, we will open our school doors at 5:00 p.m. to welcome all of our new 1st - 5th grade students and their families to tour the school and have your questions answered by our PTO Executive Board and our building leaders. We hope that you will join us!
Emergency Contact Information
Please take a moment to update and sign your child's emergency information form that was mailed to you in your Back to School packet. This should be sent to school the first day your child attends.
Please take a moment to update and sign your child's emergency information form that was mailed to you in your Back to School packet. This should be sent to school the first day your child attends.
Please note that address changes require a proof of residency. See Sara Codde in the school office if you have recently moved.
Attention Families New to Brown School:
All enrollment/registration materials need to be complete before the school year begins. If you still need to upload your child’s birth certificate, immunization record, physical, hearing/vision tests, or your proof of residency, please do so as soon as possible. Your child cannot attend school until the record is complete.
School Supplies
St. Joseph Public Schools will provide your child with all necessary materials for school. If you would like to provide additional supplies, we would suggest the items listed by grade level linked in the document below.
Attention Families New to Brown School:
All enrollment/registration materials need to be complete before the school year begins. If you still need to upload your child’s birth certificate, immunization record, physical, hearing/vision tests, or your proof of residency, please do so as soon as possible. Your child cannot attend school until the record is complete.
School Supplies
St. Joseph Public Schools will provide your child with all necessary materials for school. If you would like to provide additional supplies, we would suggest the items listed by grade level linked in the document below.
2022-2023 Meal Update from SJPS Food Service Department
The waivers for free breakfast and lunch ended on June 30, 2022. What this means for SJPS families is that your student(s) will start being charged for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast will be offered daily in your school cafeteria. Please check your school’s calendar for mealtimes. Breakfast is $2.00 at the elementary schools and $3.00 for adult meals. Breakfast meal consists of entrée choice, fruit choice and milk.
Lunch will also be offered on full school days in your school cafeteria.
Student lunch prices are $2.70 for elementary students, and $4.50 for adult meals. Lunch meal consists of entrée choice, vegetable, fruit, and milk. Ala carte milk is available for purchase for $0.75. Adults that
would like to purchase lunch please bring in exact amount to pay for your breakfast or lunch. All school menus will be posted on your school’s website.
If your student is going to eat school lunch that day their teacher will take a lunch count in the classroom. We are not preordering lunches this school year. We recommend having funds deposited into your student’s lunch account in advance. This can be done by sending cash or check with your student to school in an envelope labeled with student name. Collection and deposits will be made daily into accounts. Parents also can pay online with debit/credit card by creating an account at http://stjosephmi.familyportal.cloud.
We strongly encourage parents to fill out a free and reduced application if they feel they will qualify. These applications will be mailed home in your student’s opening packet, be available for pick up on startup days and are also available online at http://stjosephmi.familyportal.cloud.
New St Joseph Public Schools Family Portal
We have a new site that will allow you to fill out a free and reduced application, check lunch account balances, make deposits, and more, all on one site! It is very user-friendly and there are short tutorials to walk you through the process. If you have used sendmoneytoschool.com in
the past, your information will transfer over once you have set up an account. Use the link above. Breakfast and lunch are an important part of your child’s day, and we strive to make it nutritious and fun.
If you have any questions please contact the Food Service Director, Demrhy
Youngquist at 926-3127 or by email dyoungquist@sjschools.org.
Our PTO Welcomes You
To our Brown School Families,
Welcome to the 2021-22 school year! Whether you are a returning family or new to our community, please let me extend a warm welcome on behalf of the Brown Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
The mission of the Brown PTO is to support the educational and social needs of our students, partner with our teachers and staff, as well as promote communication between the administration, staff, families and the community. Accomplishing this goal takes the volunteerism of many, and we are very pleased to have a strong PTO Executive Board ready to lead and meet the challenges we find in our school and community today.
As a family with a student at Brown, you are automatically a member of the PTO. We would love for you to show your support by participating in the events and activities planned throughout the year. In addition to events, we invite you to attend our monthly PTO meetings. Your time and involvement is essential to a strong and vibrant school community.
We also encourage you to join our private Facebook group - Brown Elementary PTO and look for PTO updates in the PTO Corner of the weekly blog.
Thank you for all that you do for our Brown Bears! We are looking forward to a year of growth and excitement in learning together.
Brown School PTO Board
President - Sheri Baker
Vice President - Brandi Johnson
Secretary - Jessamyn Calderwood
Treasurer - Robin Lawrence
Contact us at:
brownelementarysj.pto@gmail.com
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!
Contact Us!
We are here to partner with you. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our school office at 269-926-3500.
When calling school to report your child's absence, please press 1. Calls related to attendance are required prior to 8:30 a.m.
The school office is open daily from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. during the school year. Please leave a message if calling after hours. You may also reach office staff via email:
jrommel@sjschools.org
Sara Codde, School Secretary
scodde@sjschools.org
Looking for fall activities to enroll your child in? Check out local offerings by visiting our Community Corkboard.
PHEW...that was a lot of information. Here's a recap of what we'd love for your family to complete 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.
