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| Welcome back and Happy New Year! We had a terrific first week back, reconnecting and learning together. This is such a special time of year for learning at all levels - where the most growth typically occurs for our students. Thank you for your continued commitment to the power of our home-school partnership. |
This Week at Brown School
Jan 14 Midyear NWEA testing begins for K-5th grades
Board of Education meeting 6pm @ Central Office
Jan 15 Hearing/Vision Screening (K, 1, 3, 5)
Student Council @ lunch
PTO Meeting 7pm in the media center
Jan 16 Hearing/Vision Screening cont.
Late Start
School Store @ first recess - $2 limit per child
Jan 17 Hearing/Vision Screening cont.
Spelling Bee in gym @ 4pm - please join us!
Spelling Bee in gym @ 4pm - please join us!
Jan 18 Student Council Fun Friday: Fluffy Friday with Flashlights!
Lory's Place lunch group
Coming Up...
Jan 21 No School - MLK Day
Jan 22 NWEA continues this week
Jan 23 No late start today!
Jan 24 Parents as Teachers playgroup in gym (9-10 a.m.)
Jan 25 1/2 day for students-dismissal @ 12:05 p.m.
We will celebrate Kindness Week January 28th - February 1st. Events this week will highlight the importance of small acts of kindness that make a huge difference to others. Details are being developed and will be coming soon.
2019 Brown School Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the following ten spellers who will be competing in our Brown School Spelling Bee!
Pihu Sahai
Albert Pham
Ezra Spira
Evan Lokey
Hadley Freer
Gavin Zelenock-Grove
Ella Pawielski
Ne'Ariee Leigh
Kailyn Hafley
Daniyah Watson
The Spelling Bee will take place after school in the gym, on Thursday, January 17th at 4:00 p.m.. The top three spellers will go on to compete in the Cloverleaf Spelling Bee on February 21st at the Mendel Main Stage at Lake Michigan College.
Congratulations and good luck, students! The parents of the top 10 students are encouraged to attend the school spelling bee; we really hope to see you there!
For further information and to register your daughter today, go to https://www.gotrswmi.org/our-programs.
FIRST LEGO League Spring Robotics session is now open for registration for any 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade Brown School student interested in participating. To learn more about FIRST robotics click here.
Please click on the link below to register your son and/or daughter.
Student Council is holding our first school store event of the year this coming Wednesday, January 16th . Students are invited to bring money to shop for pencils, erasers, and other fun school supplies. Students can shop from 10:15-10:45. Please do not send in any more that $2 per child.
Winter Weather
Ready or not, it looks like winter weather has arrived which means our lost and found is already growing. Please be sure your child's snow gear is clearly labeled with his/her name.
Students need to be dressed for the elements as they participate in three outdoor recesses per day as long as the "real feel" temperature is above 10 degrees. They also need to be warm as they wait before and after school.
Common Sense Media is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. They empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives.
The article below from the site highlights important information for parents about Fortnite - a wildly popular game that our students frequently play outside of school.
In addition, there is an abundance of other interesting and important information found on their site commonsensemedia.org.
Fortnite Secrets Kids Know But You Don't
Impress your kids (and learn to spot red flags) with our exclusive guide to Fortnite's secret underworld. 12/12/2018
Any parent with a Fortnite fiend in their house knows the struggle: How do I keep up with the game's everchanging features, customs, and lingo? And -- even more importantly -- how do I keep kids safe when scammers and bad actors sneak into the game? If you're one of the many parents who's never played Fortnite (or just one of the ones who doesn't get the hype), you might be missing out on some of the "secrets" that only hard-core fans of the game know.
Want more tips on how to handle the Fortnite frenzy?
Get the email series
Get the email series
Most of these secrets are totally harmless and simply help make the game more fun and competitive. But some of the other activities that are part of Fortnite culture can lead kids down a dark rabbit hole -- and could get them kicked out of the game. The good news is that just being in the know can help you bond with your kids and guide them toward safe and smart gaming. Here are the secrets your kids aren't telling you.
They might be playing with their favorite celebs.
The Fortnite phenomenon was jump-started when rapper Drake played with Twitch streamer Ninja, but he's not the only celebrity who's obsessed with the game. Musicians and actors like Chance the Rapper, Finn Wolfhard, and Joe Jonas are also active players (Jonas even tweeted his handle so he could play with fans).
What's the big deal? While it's a major selling point for a lot of kids, the chances of your kid actually playing with a celebrity are probably slim. However, seeing their favorite celebs play Fortnite at all hours of the day and night could make it harder for them to manage their screen time. It's also a reminder that there are millions of people playing Fortnite -- and most of them are strangers.
What to say: Ask your kid if they know any famous people playing Fortnite. Discuss how celebs balance the game with their creative or athletic pursuits. Depending on your kid's age, help them set up privacy settings and parental controls.
Kids will do almost anything for exclusive items.
Many costumes and characters (known as "skins"), as well as other items, are only available in the game for a limited time. For example, the Skull Trooper and Bunny Brawler skins are special 2018 holiday offerings. Others, like the Black Knight skin and the Reaper (aka John Wick), are only available when players reach a certain tier level on a specific season's Battle Pass (a time-bound subscription that offers players additional challenges and rewards). Players with these exclusive, rare items from earlier seasons are often idolized for being early adopters of the game.
What's the big deal? Most items don't really affect the outcomes of the games. A memorable skin is mainly a way to set yourself apart. However, these items cost real money (by way of Fortnite's in-game currency, V-Bucks), and you might not realize that your kid is racking up a serious credit card charge to attain the latest and greatest characters.
What to say: Ask which skins your kid prefers to play with and the rarest one they've seen. Discuss why people have high opinions of those who've played the game since the beginning. Is there any benefit to having played that long? Does being the first make you the best?
Those popular dances are based on real people.
If you leave a kid standing long enough, they'll start doing the floss, but that's not the only dance craze that makes an appearance in Fortnite. Players can unlock or buy hundreds of different dances (called "emotes"). And many of these signature moves have origins in popular movies, TV shows, and viral videos. Kids might recognize the Ride the Pony emote from the song "Gangnam Style," but parents might recognize Jubilation from Seinfeld or the Original Dance from Scrubs.
What's the big deal? Emotes are one of the most appealing features of Fortnite and for the most part pretty harmless. But they could introduce kids to media that might not be appropriate for them yet.
What to say: Ask which dances they recognize and where they originated. And if you're really brave, ask them to teach you to floss.
Kids are training with Fortnite coaches.
Though the premise of Fortnite is simple (be the last one standing), the controls can be challenging. And the game has gotten so big that kids' Fortnite abilities could affect their social status with peers -- or even the potential to go pro. Some parents shell out real cash for their kids to learn from an expert. Gamers are offering coaching services online and on social media sites. And it's not just kids who are getting schooled. Some parents even hire coaches for themselves to help them play alongside their kids.
What's the big deal? It may be hard to believe that kids are training to become better video gamers instead of, say, signing up for piano lessons or soccer clinics. Advanced players can make a few extra bucks by sharing their skills, especially since esports is hitting the mainstream and gaming programs are becoming more popular at high schools and colleges.
What to say: Discuss whether video games are comparable to sports like soccer or basketball or to skilled pursuits like playing a musical instrument. What is the benefit of having a coach or tutor? Ask if your kid has ever helped a friend become better at the game or benefited from the help of someone else.
You can pay someone to win games for you.
Battle Royale is a winner-takes-all game, so it's no surprise that the main bragging right in Fortnite is how many wins you have. An advanced player might get several a day. Your kid may have only a few, even after weeks of play. To boost this number, some players are turning to gaming forums, as well as sites like Ebay and Craigslist, to pay people to win for them.
What's the big deal? Not only is this cheating, but it also opens up kids to scams and privacy breaches. The only way for someone else to play for you is for them to log in with your username and password, which leaves you at risk of identity theft. And then there's no way to guarantee that the person with your information will actually win a match.
What to say: Discuss the importance of protecting your personal data and passwords. Talk about cheating and sporting conduct. Ask your kid if they think buying wins is worth it.
People are buying and selling their accounts.
The underground Fortnite economy isn't limited to buying wins or hiring coaches. Some players are even selling their entire accounts. Because Epic Games doesn't allow the trading of skins or items in the game, if you miss out on something rare, there's a chance you'll never get the opportunity again. Some gamers are capitalizing on the high demand for these items by listing their accounts on Ebay, Craigslist, and other online marketplaces. And depending on how advanced the player and how rare the items, people are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars.
What's the big deal? Buying and selling accounts goes against Epic Games' terms of service, which means you can be blocked from the game if you're caught. If that doesn't deter kids, buying accounts is also a major way to get scammed. There's no guarantee that sellers are telling the truth about the items or that they even own the account themselves. Some scammers are selling hacked or stolen accounts from other players -- who are usually quick to take them back.
But kids aren't just the buyers on these marketplaces; they're also the sellers. Depending on their time spent and skill level, kids are discovering that their accounts have real value. And some parents might have a problem if the money they've allowed their kids to spend on V-Bucks is being turned into cash from random folks online.
What to say: Ask if your kid has considered buying or selling accounts. Discuss the dangers and benefits of online marketplaces, as well as safety rules for interacting online. Talk about the importance of honoring terms of service (and ask how often they agree to them without reading them).
Community Corkboard
Looking for fall activities to enroll your child in?
Check out local offerings by visiting our Community Corkboard.
Check out local offerings by visiting our Community Corkboard.
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.
