Friday, September 1, 2017

Welcome Back to School! September 1, 2017







Thank you for all that you've done at home to prepare for the first day of the 2017-18 school year. We value your partnership and are looking forward to developing strong relationships with you and your children. The staff and I are incredibly eager to greet all of the many smiling faces on Tuesday morning.  Below you will find a schedule for our school day.  Classroom teachers will share more specific schedules related to Art, P.E., Music, and Media Center times with you at Back to School Night on September 12th. 

8:23 Line up bell rings

All Y5-3rd grade students should line up with their class according to the signs on the playground or on the north side of the building (4th, 5th grades only).

8:25 School begins! 

Teachers will greet students on the playground (Y5-3rd grade) or at the north end of the building (4th and 5th grades) and escort them in to begin the new year!

10:15 Recess (Y5-2nd grades)

10:30 Recess (3rd-5th grades)

11:45-12:35 Lunch/Recess

We will only have two lunches this school year- Y5-2nd grade will eat from 11:45-12:10, then will head to recess from 12:10-12:35; 3rd-5th grade will enjoy recess from 11:45-12:10, then will come inside to eat from 12:10-12:35.

2:15 Recess (Y5-2nd grades)

2:30 Recess (3rd-5th grades)

3:48 Dismissal

Thank you for taking a moment to watch the quick video found here to ensure you are aware of the drop off/pick-up procedures for our school prior to the first day. 



Back to School Safety


Sheriff Bailey urges Safety when heading Back to School…

Whether they’re ready or not, Berrien County students are headed back to school!

Of the 301 school-age children killed from 2006 to 2015 in school-transportation-related crashes in the U.S., 102 were pedestrians and eight were cyclists, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

With more than 16 public school districts in the county, drivers and pedestrian’s need to put their phones away and pay attention to their surroundings, Sheriff Bailey said.

Deputies will be monitoring school zones, but here are some additional tips from the Sheriff’s Office for a safe trip back to school.

If you drive your children to school:
  • Know your districts instructions and follow the rules to make Drop-Off and Pick-Up smooth & stress free.   
  • Be Alert and Drive Defensively - Always anticipate the possibility of a child darting out in front of you.
  • Slow down and pay attention especially in school zones. Watch out for children walking, biking and waiting at bus stops.
  • Remember buses make frequent stops. It’s against the law to pass a school bus while it’s stopped on the roadway picking up or dropping off students.
  • When turning at an intersection, be sure to yield to pedestrians and cyclists.

If you’re a student riding the bus:
  • Stay out of the street while waiting for the bus and allow the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the bus from the curb.
  • Make sure you remain in clear view of the bus driver. Never walk behind the bus.
  • Look both ways before getting on and off the bus. When you get off the bus, look both ways and move immediately onto the sidewalk and out of traffic.

If you’re a student walking or biking to school:
  • Make sure to have some type of reflective equipment/material on your bike, backpack or clothing. Be Seen – Be Safe!
  • Walk on sidewalks where available and always cross at intersections.
  • Bike riders should ride on the right, in the same direction as traffic, and use appropriate hand signals. Bicyclists should also respect traffic lights and stop signs.

Please be sure your child know how he/she is getting home from school the first week of school. Bus Routes can be found here and on the SJPS website. Please note that buses typically run a bit behind the first few days of school as routes are being established. 

Easing Student Stress 

How is your child feeling about the start of the school year? Click here to read an article offering suggestions to set your child up for school success on day one. 



Sept. 12th: Packets sent home at Back to School Night

Oct. 2nd: Walk-A-Thon officially begins!

Students will walk at lunch recess on October 2nd,4th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 18th, 20th (weather permitting)

Oct. 20th: Final day to walk
                 Fun Charm Day!  


Food Service Program


National School Breakfast Program
Breakfast will be offered daily from 8:00-8:25 a.m. in the cafeteria. Meal prices are $1.75 for elementary students and $2.50 for adults. Menus are available online.

National School Lunch Program
Student lunches are $2.45 for elementary and $3.85 for adults per day. This includes the entrée (or alternate choice), vegetable, fruit, bread, and milk. Additional milk may be purchased for 60 cents. Students need to bring lunch money with them on the first day of
 school unless they have funds left from last year. Any food service debts from last year should be settled as soon as possible. Please visitwww.sendmoneytoschool.com to pay or sign up just to look at your student’s balance.  You may pay online with a credit/debit card, there is a $1.75 processing fee to pay online.  Menus are available online.

Free & Reduced Meals
Applications for free and reduced price breakfast/lunch are included with this mailing or can be filled out online atwww.lunchapp.com (one application per household). Breakfast/Lunch must be purchased until these applications have been received and qualification has been determined.  Parents/Guardians will be notified through mail/email when their application has been processed.  If there are any questions regarding your application or if assistance is needed filling out the form, please call Demrhy Youngquist at 926-3127.

To see the menus for the first week of school, go tohttp://sjschools.org
 and find “Food Service” under the “Our District” tab. Please be sure all cash/checks are in an envelope and labeled with your child's first and last name.







PTO News

We are excited to offer more options for meeting times this school year in hopes that families will be able to make a choice that suits their lives.  In addition to our evening meetings, we would like to also offer afternoon meetings with a light lunch for everyone who is able to attend. All meetings will be held in the Brown School Media Center. Please see the dates and times below.

Sept. 18th- 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Please visit this link to view!
Oct. 23rd- 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Nov. 20th- 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Jan. 29th- 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Feb. 19th 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Mar. 19th- 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Apr. 23rd- 12:00-1:00 p.m.
May 21st- 7:00-8:00 p.m.

We would love to have you join us!

PTO Board:
Marylin Bishop- President
Shannon Larsen- Vice President
Interim Treasurer- Becky Lokey
Secretaries- Matthew and April Soyk











Thursday, August 17, 2017

Brown School News for August 17, 2017


What an exciting time of year! Students, parents, and staff alike are full of enthusiasm and promise for what our time together will bring. We look forward to forging new relationships, creating lifelong memories, and celebrating triumphs as a team. Our partnership will be the key in your child's success. We look forward to sharing it with you all!  


Welcome to Brown School


Mrs. Kristen Bawks is honored to serve as Principal of this amazing school. She joins us from E.P. Clarke, where she worked as a teacher for thirteen years. 

Mrs. Hilary Smodic joins our staff from Brandywine Schools, where she taught Kindergarten for six years.  She is excited to join Mrs. DeLapa and Mrs. McCool in Kindergarten.

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Amber Nowicki to our third grade team. She brings with her knowledge and experience from her experience with Berrien Springs Public Schools. 

Mrs. Becky Lokey may be a familiar face to many, as she has served in many parent leadership roles and has worked as a guest teacher at Brown School as well. She will also join Mrs. Lear in third grade.

After teaching fifth grade for twelve years at E.P. Clarke Elementary, we welcome Mr. Ben Jager as our physical education teacher.  


We would like to welcome Mrs. Jen Berry to our Brown School family. She will work in the Media Center with Mrs. Bacolor this year.   

PTO News

We are pleased to welcome many new families to Brown School this year. Thank you for joining me in helping them all to feel welcomed. 

If you are new to our school, please consider joining our PTO on the playground from 6:30-7:30 on August 23rd for a "New Family Meet and Greet".



2017-2018 Attendance Times

8:25 a.m. Students Enter Building
8:30 a.m. Tardy Bell Rings
3:48 p.m. Dismissal
Students enter at 9:25 a.m. on Late Starts
Half Days Dismissal is at 12:05 p.m.

August 29th  Y5/K and New Student / Family Self-Guided Tours 5:30-6:00
An orientation video will be shard with all families new to Brown School soon. Stay posted!

“Welcome Back!”  Ice Cream Social
The PTO invites you to attend the Welcome Back Ice Cream Social on Tuesday, August 29th, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on our school playground.  This is an opportunity for students to visit with old friends and meet new classmates. School staff members will be there to welcome you back. All Brown School families are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Class lists will be posted that evening.  Please consider carpooling to the event to help with parking lot congestion.
September 5th   First Day of School - FULL DAY (Y5-5th)

September 12th Back to School Night
5:45 - 6:30  Session #1    ECDD, Y5, Kdg & 1st Grade
6:30-7:15    Session #2    2nd & 3rd Grade
7:15-8:00    Session #3    4th & 5th Grade

Media Center Volunteers
We need volunteers to assist in keeping our Media Center running smoothly. Please visit Mrs. Berry's table at Back to School Night to learn more and sign up!

Attention New Families
All enrollment/registration materials need to be complete before the school year begins.  If you still need to bring in your child’s birth certificate, immunization record, physical, hearing/vision tests, or your proof of residency, please do so as soon as possible.  You can bring them with you to turn in at Ice Cream Social or drop them off at the office anytime before then.

Contact Information
Our school phone number is (269) 926-3500. The school office is open Monday- Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Please leave a message if calling after hours. You may also reach office staff via email at:

kbawks@sjschools.org (Kristen Bawks, Principal)
kmartin@sjschools.org (Kathy Martin, Administrative Assistant)

Indoor Shoes
Students are encouraged to keep a pair of athletic shoes here at school.  This helps for days when students have Physical Education class, as well as in the winter when they wear boots.

Emergency Contact Information
Please update and return the emergency information form for your child that was sent home in your welcome packet as soon as possible.  Families returning completed forms at our Ice Cream Social on August 29th will be entered in a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card.

Class lists will be posted on Friday (August 18th) at the end of the day.  Feel free to come and check them out!

Thank you for reading along! Please check in next week for updates related to food service, drop off and pick up routines, and bus routes.




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.






Sunday, June 4, 2017

Brown School News for June 5 - 9, 2017

Announcements

Sign up for Bird and Butterfly garden this summer!
We're using SignUp.com (the leading online SignUp and reminder tool) to organize watering and light weeding in the bird and butterfly garden at Brown School this summer.

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp.com: http://signup.com/go/pJwYJat
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(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.
Thanks much, Dr. Ann (algaewiz@hotmail.com)

Lost & Found
Please try to find a few minutes to come into the school and go through the Lost & Found.  Any items left after school is out will be donated.

Lots of Summer Activites have been added!
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 

Looking for Summer Tutoring?
Here is contact information for 2 of our teachers that are tutoring this summer.

Caroline Danapilis - cdanapilis@sjschools.org 
Math & Reading/Language Arts
My home or the Public Library
Summer Months and onward
$40/hr — $25/30 min.

Mary LoPresti - mlopresti@sjschools.org
This summer I am offering tutoring in math, reading, writing, as well as introductory French lessons. Tutoring sessions will focus on reading comprehension, writing, and math; unless a specific area of focus is requested.   French lessons will be fun, enriching, and focus on basic vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation and the French culture.
What:  One-on-one tutoring or small group (2-3 kids)
Where: My home: 2507 S. State Street SJ
When: Tuesday and Thursday mornings, between 9:00-11:30
Sessions: 45 minute sessions, starting June 20-August 3
Cost:  One-on-one: $20/45 minutes or 6 sessions for $100.
Small Group: $15 / per person or 6 session group rate TBD
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns and to set up sessions. 

Our last week!
Monday, June 5 – B Day
3rd Grade to Charlton Park all day
BOGO Book Fair 8:00-5:00

Tuesday, June 6 – C Day
Classroom Party Day (teachers should communicate details with parents)  
Young 5, Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 4th Grade will eat at 11:50 today

Wednesday, June 7 – D Day
All School Picnic

Thursday, June 8 – E Day
½ day dismissal at 12:05pm
Kickball rain date

Friday, June 9 – Non-Letter Day
5th grade breakfast at 9:00
Awards in Gym at 10:35
Walk-Away at 11:45
Dismiss at 12:05 – Last Day of School