Brown School News for February 19, 2018

It was certainly an exciting week at Brown School! Thank you to all of those who assisted with classroom Valentine's Day parties and to families that joined us for the first grade musical, One Big Happy Family. 

This Week at Brown

2/19  E Day

         Presidents' Day - school is in session

         Madcaps Assembly

         PTO meeting 12:00 in M.C. - please join us!

         4th grades to planetarium 1:30-2:45 p.m.

         Board of Ed meeting 6 p.m. @ E.P. Clarke

2/20   F Day

2/21   A Day

          Late start

2/22   B Day

          Parents as Teachers playgroup in gym 9:30 

2/23   C Day

          Dress Like a President Day (Student Council Fun Friday)

          1/2 day K5/K-5 only! Dismissal at 12:05 p.m.

          Pennies for Patients ends

Coming Up...

Report cards sent home midweek

2/26 Spanish Class begins 3:50-4:30 - Y5/K-2 in Media Center; 3-5 in Music Room

2/27  Cloverleaf Spelling Bee at LMC - Good luck to Yimo, Ritika, Pihu, and Kailyn!

2/28   Late start

3/1     1/2 day for conferences - Y5/K-5 only

           Variety Show Act I rehearsal - gym in the p.m.

3/2     1/2 day for conferences - Y5/K-5 only

           Variety Show Act II rehearsal - gym in the p.m.

3/5      Variety Show @ SJHS 6 p.m.

            Spanish Class 3:50 - 4:30

Welcome Back to Mrs. Nimtz and thank you to Mr. Hartman!

Welcome back to Mrs. Nimtz! She returned to school last week following a medical leave. A huge thank you goes to our long-term guest teacher, Mr. Hartman. He's done a terrific job for us and has become part of our school family. We appreciate him and all of his hard work!

Welcome Mrs. Caplea!

Mrs. McCool will take on a new title very soon: Mommy.  We couldn't be happier for her! We will welcome Mrs. Kim Caplea to our school as her long-term guest teacher this week. Kim is a familiar face around our school and we are looking forward to seeing her everyday with our Kindergarteners.  

CALLING ALL

BEAR CUBS

St. Joseph Public Schools

Kindergarten Registration

Thursday, March 8th

7:00 p.m. at Brown Elementary

(2027 Brown School Road, SJ)

For parents (only) of students who will be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2018. Meet with staff, see the facilities, learn about our comprehensive curriculum and pick up registration materials. It is important that we know your intention to register at SJ Public Schools.

If you are unable to attend, please call 269-926-3122.

Great Schools in a Great Community

www.sjschools.org

Book Donations 

Brown School is looking for donations of lightly loved books. Through a partnership with the United Way, we are working to ensure the children of our community have access to books in their homes. In addition, we are in the process of building a "Little Library" that will be housed outside of our school.  This will be a lending library for all students, accessible anytime. We would greatly appreciate your donations. 

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.

Brown School News for February 12, 2018

This Week at Brown School

Pennies for Patients Continues

2/12   F Day

2/13  A Day

Access @ 8:00 a.m. in Mrs. DeLapa's room
Skate Night 6-8 @ Lakeshore Roller World

2/14   B Day

Mrs. Nimtz returns!

Late start day

Valentine's Day parties from 2:15-3:30 (following an all-school recess @ 2:00)

2/15  C Day 

Principal's Breakfast

First grade musical 6 p.m. in the gym

2/16  D Day

Brown Bear Credit Union

Spanish Club registration forms are due by today!

PTO Movie Night 5:30-8:00 featuring Beauty and the Beast

Coming Up...

2/19  Madcaps Assembly 8:40-9:40 a.m. in gym

         PTO meeting at 12:00 in the Media Center

         4th graders to the Upton Planetarium 1:30-2:45 p.m.

         Board of Education meeting 6 p.m. @ EPC

2/21   Late start

          

2/22   Parents as Teachers playgroup from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

2/23   Dress Like a President Day (Student Council Fun Friday)

          1/2 day - dismissal at 12:05 p.m.

          Pennies for Patients ends

Kindergarten Round-Up

It is hard to believe, but we are already planning for next school year! We are pleased to host Kindergarten Round-Up  at Brown School this year. The event will be held on Thursday, March 8th, from 7-8 p.m. Current families of Young Fives students do not need to attend. Please help us to spread the word! 

CALLING ALL

BEAR CUBS

St. Joseph Public Schools

Kindergarten Registration

Thursday, March 8th

7:00 p.m. at Brown Elementary

(2027 Brown School Road, SJ)

For parents (only) of students who will be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2018. Meet with staff, see the facilities, learn about our comprehensive curriculum and pick up registration materials. It is important that we know your intention to register at SJ Public Schools.

If you are unable to attend, please call 269-926-3122.

Great Schools in a Great Community

www.sjschools.org

Cold & Flu Season

Please help us keep our students well this flu season by closely monitoring your child for signs of illness. While we want kids to attend school every possible day, for the sake of others we ask that you not send your child to school if he/she is feeling sick - especially if they have a fever, are vomiting, or have diarrhea. Remember, your child must be fever free and have vomited for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school. For more information about cold and flu season, please see the CDC website. If your child is sick, please call our attendance line at 926-3500 and leave your child’s name, teacher, and the specific reason for  his/her absence. 

Parking Lot Safety

Thank you for your help in ensuring that all students and their families are safe during drop-off and pick-up times in our parking lots. Please help us by attending to these reminders:

• When pulling up in the line, please go all the way up to the doors so that multiple cars can load/unload at a time.
• Children should always exit on the passenger side of the vehicle.
• If you choose to park, ALWAYS escort your child(ren) to and from the vehicle. 
• While escorting your child(ren),PLEASE do not cut through the line of cars pulling up to the curb.  We ask that you walk your child in front of the line of cars to the walkway near the main school doors.
• If you are dropping your child off in the morning after 8:30, please come into the office and sign them in. School begins at 8:25. 

Book Donations 

Brown School is looking for donations of lightly loved books. Through a partnership with the United Way, we are working to ensure the children of our community have access to books in their homes. In addition, we are in the process of building a "Little Library" that will be housed outside of our school.  This will be a lending library for all students, accessible anytime. We would greatly appreciate your donations. 

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.

Brown School News for February 5, 2018

Epic Reading Corner Challenge: Maker Day 2018

This Week at Brown School

2/5    A Day
         Pennies for Patients begins today!
         Lokey and Nowicki to Upton's Planetarium

         Performing Arts parent meeting 7pm @ Upton (5th grade)

2/6    B Day
         Performing Arts parent meeting 7pm @ Upton (5th grade)

2/7    C day
         Count Day
         Late start
         Hearing and Vision re-screening

2/8     D Day
          100th day of school!

2/9    E Day 

         Popcorn Day!

         Crazy hair, hat, or glasses day (Student Council's Fun Friday)
         4th graders to Lansing

Coming Up...

Third graders using code to move a robot. 

2/13   Access 8:00 a.m.
          Skate Night 6-8 @ Lakeshore Roller World

2/14    Late start day

           Valentine's day parties 2:15-                3:30

2/15    First grade musical 6:00

2/16    PTO Movie Night in the gym                5:30-8:00

Parking Lot Safety

Keeping students safe is a top priority for all us at Brown School.  We are asking for your help to ensure that drop-off and pick-up procedures are being carefully followed so that everyone is safe in our parking lots.  Thank you for your attention to these reminders:

• When pulling up in the line, please go all the way up to the doors so that multiple cars can load/unload at a time.
• Children should always exit on the passenger side of the vehicle.
• If you choose to park, ALWAYS escort your child(ren) to and from the vehicle. 
• While escorting your child(ren),PLEASE do not cut through the line of cars pulling up to the curb.  We ask that you walk your child in front of the line of cars to the walkway near the main school doors. 

      

Maker Day 2018
Brown School would like to thank our friends from the Berrien RESA, as well as our SJ Media/Tech Departments for creating such enriching and engaging experiences for our students.  It was a day packed full of learning and excitement that will not be soon forgotten. 

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients campaign begins Monday and runs through February 25th. Money raised helps to support blood cancer research. Please encourage your child to collect spare change to donate to his/her classroom collection box. You can also make a donation online here.  

New After-School Club!

Brown School is excited to announce that we will be hosting Spanish Club on Mondays after school. Your child's participation will provide him/her the opportunity to learn a new language through conversation, music, and movement.  Registration forms will be coming home with your Young 5s- fifth grade children this week and are due by February 16th (along with payment). Scholarships may be available, please see Mrs. Bawks if interested. Classes begin on February 26th. Space is limited, so don't delay!   

Michigan's Adventure Family Trip 2018
Mark your calendars to join other Brown School families on June 11th from 10-5 at Michigan's Adventure for a day of family fun!  The cost is $25 per person and includes a lunch of hotdog, chips, cookie and drink (parking and locker fees are an additional cost). Please note that parents are responsible to transport their children and must stay with them.  More details will come soon! 

Lexia Implementation

What a fun and exciting week it has been watching our students

and staff learn the Lexia Core 5 program. We're already seeing

some rapid progress with students "leveling up" with their reading

skills! Details for at home use are coming soon. To ensure the

program is working properly to monitor your child's progress, please

do not log in from home just yet.

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.

Brown School News for January 29, 2018

 We continue to celebrate our focus on literacy throughout the day, in every classroom throughout the school. Our staff and students have recently been introduced to an amazing program, Lexia Reading Core5, which promises to be a robust solution for focused independent practice. We look forward to bringing you more information about its features and uses as we learn more about it. Click here to see some of its capabilities. 

This Week at Brown School

NWEA testing continues throughout the week

1/29 Variety Show participation forms due today! 

PTO meeting 7-8 p.m. in the Media Center- please join us!

1/30 5th graders to travel to SJHS for performing arts concert 12:45-2:15

1/31  Not a late start day!
Instrument Petting Zoo for 5th graders in Media Center 1:30-3:00

2/1  Mrs. McCool's class to Upton's planetarium (p.m.) 
     
2/2   Maker Day @ Brown 



Coming Up

2/5   Pennies for Patients drive begins 

2/7   Late start day
        Count day

2/9   Fourth graders to Lansing 
        Hearing and Vision re-screening
        Popcorn day!

2/13   Skate Night 6-8 @ Lakeshore Roller World

2/14   Late start day
          Valentine's Day parties 2:15-3:30

2/15   First grade musical @ 6:00 p.m.





Maker Day at Brown School
We are excited to partner with Berrien RESA's Technology Integration Consultants to offer a day packed full of interactive sessions that will provide opportunities for our students to have hands-on S.T.E.M. (Science Technology Engineering Math) experiences. From stop motion animation to coding a MicroBit, it is sure to be an extraordinary day of learning at our school!


FIRST LEGO League Registration
Fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to get involved in our Brown School Robotics Team through the FIRST LEGO League.  This amazing club experience meets in the media center on Wednesdays from 3:50-5:30 beginning on February 7th.  Registration forms were sent home Friday and are due by February 1st. Please contact Denise Clark at deniseclark12@yahoo.com, or by phone at (269) 262-6141, with any questions. 

Media Center News
Please click here to see all of the exciting happenings in our elementary media centers!

Michigan's Adventure Family Trip 2018

Mark your calendars to join other Brown School families on June 11th from 10-5 at Michigan's Adventure for a day of family fun!  The cost is $25 per person and includes a lunch of hotdog, chips, cookie and drink (parking and locker fees are an additional cost). Please note that parents are responsible to transport their children and must stay with them.  More details will come soon! 


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.

Brown School News for January 22, 2018

Brown School is proud to partner with other
St. Joseph Public Schools in participating in this week’s
Great Kindness Challenge - an international event focusing
on the power of kindness.  

Join in the fun by doing the GKC Home Edition.

Kindness Week Activities

Monday:  "Burst of Kindness" celebration- notecards distributed to all students to leave behind after performing an act of kindness. 

Monday & Tuesday: "Good luck" notes created in the Media Center during recess for middle and high school students taking finals

Wednesday: "Burst of Kindness" reminders with special treat in cross halls

Thursday: Students will write a kind card for a Caretel residents

Friday: Dream of Kindness- pajama day!


*Students will bring home Kindness checklists on Monday. Complete as many challenges as you can this week and
bring back the checklist on Monday, January 29th, to be entered for a
chance to win an invitation to Mrs. Bawks's Celebrate Kindness luncheon.


This Week at Brown School

1/22 Great Kindness Challenge begins today!
          Midyear NWEA begins for all K-5 students
          Mrs. Lear's class to Calling All Colors 9:00-11:15 a.m.
          Board of Ed meeting 6 p.m. @ Central

1/23  Lockdown Drill 10 a.m.

1/25  Parents as Teachers playgroup in gym 9:30-10:30 a.m.               Learn more about the playgroup here.
          3rd grade to Sarett (a.m.)      
       
1/26   School spirit orders due today!
           Pajama day- Dream of Kindness Day
           Y5/K-5 half-day- dismisal at 12:05 p.m.


Coming Up...

1/29  PTO meeting 7-8 p.m. Media Center- please join us!

2/1    Mrs. McCool's class to Upton's planetarium      

2/2   Maker Day @ Brown 

2/5   Pennies for Patients drive begins 

2/7   Late start day
          Count day

2/9  Fourth graders to Lansing 
         Hearing and Vision re-screening
         Popcorn day!


2/13  Skate Night 6-8 @ Lakeshore Roller World

2/14  Late start day
          Valentine's Day parties 2:15-3:30

2/15  First grade musical- 6:00 p.m.

Lexia Core 5 Comes to Brown School!

We are excited to announce that Lexia Core 5 is being implemented

at our school.  This program offers a comprehensive platform

for practicing key reading skills in a self-leveling and engaging way

for students.   Lexia promises to be a key component of our ongoing

focus on reading - especially helping our students grow individually

toward their goals.  A few students got to try it out last week at our

school and they report really liking it.  Teachers will start their training

this week and it will be in every classroom before long.  
We can’t wait to get started!

Field Trip Funds

The costs of field trips at our school are covered through
donations from the SJPS Foundation, PTO, and our families.
If you haven't contributed yet this school year, it's not too late!
Please send in $5/student or $10/family as cash or check
(payable to SJPS). Thank you for your help!

Registration deadline extended!   Please be sure to enroll your daughter before 1/29/18. Register NOW

Food Service Part-Time Positions Available

3 Hour Permanent Position at the High School

On Call sub position for all buildings

If interested please contact Demrhy Youngquist at 269-926-3127 or dyoungquist@sjschools.org

The Brown School Spirit Sale is going on now! Orders are due by January 26th.  

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.