News for the Week of May 9, 2022

 

💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛

We trust you felt loved all week long. Please know that while we intentionally pause to recognize your passion and dedication the first week in May, you are loved and supported every day of the year.  

💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛

#ONE 

This Week at Brown School

5/9     P2 Character Strength: Other People Mindset (final week)

          Maize & Blue Monday!

          Y5-5th grade: show the sensory path video (information found below)

          Third grade TRAILS meets at lunch

          SJVS M-STEP testing in M.C. 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

          GOTR group 1 meet after school         

          BOE meeting @ 5:45 - SJHS

5/10  5th grade book club @ lunch

         GOTR group 2 meets in gym after school

5/11  Late Start Day (Team Time)

         4th & 5th grade TRAILS groups @ lunch

         GOTR group 1 meets in gym after school

         After school art class meets

5/12   Brown Elementary Art Show 4:00 - 5:30 Please join us!

          GOTR group 2 meets in gym after school

        

5/13   Brown Bear Credit Union 8:20 - 8:45 a.m.

          IEP Day

          Popsicle Friday!

          3rd - 5th grade track meet today (11:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.)

          3rd - 5th graders eat early and depart for SJHS @ 11:15

Coming Up... 

5/16     Maize and Blue Monday 

            3rd grade TRAILS @ lunch

            GOTR Group 1 meets in the gym after school

5/17    Morning with my Main Character Donut Event on the playground from 7:45 - 8:30 a.m. - please join us!

           PTO Meeting @ 12:15 p.m. in media center - Grimm & Mathey

          GOTR Group 2 meets in the gym after school

5/18   Late Start Day (Team Time)

          4th grade book club meets @ lunch 

          4th & 5th grade TRAILS @ lunch

          GOTR Group 1 meets in the gym after school

          After school art class meets

5/19    4th grade to Lansing today!

           GOTR Group 2 meets in the gym after school

5/20    Brown Bear Credit Union 8:20 - 8:45 a.m.

           Kindness Club meets @ lunch recess

5/23   GOTR Group 1 meets in the gym after school

5/24    Student Council meeting @ lunch

           Girls on the Run 5K Celebration!

5/25    Late Start Day (Team Time)

           First Grade to Sarett (p.m.)

           Lory's Place group meets (a.m.)

           5th grade musical performance for school (a.m.)

5/26    Tech Team field trip to Fab Lab @ LMC

5/27    Brown Bear Credit Union 8:20 - 8:45 a.m. 

           2nd grade field trip downtown SJ

           3rd grade field trip to Potawatomi Zoo  

           5th grade TRAILS meets @ lunch

5/30   No School ECDD - 12th grade: Memorial Day

Sensory Path

Thank you for talking to your class about our new sensory path on Monday (5/9). Below are a few talking points to address during your class meeting.

Common Language

It will be important to have common language and understanding about the path's purpose & use. Using the path is not about "getting the wiggles out" or burning energy.  It is about re-energizing for learning. 

Common Procedure

Every classroom will have one lanyard (it will say, "I'm using the sensory path"). This is for one student to use at a time per class. 

Your class's lanyard will be in your mailbox (one per Y5 - 5th grade classroom, one for MC, one for art room, one for music room, and one for gym). 

You will want to discuss when it is appropriate to use the path (like you do with bathroom use). This likely won't be during mini-lessons, but rather during independent work times and/or on a schedule (for specific students).


Sensory Path Expectations 

(Gen. Ed. classroom teachers, please share directly with all students Monday)

*Use the path quietly and by yourself. If others are using the path from a different class, continue moving forward without a voice at your own pace.

*Begin anywhere on the path and move through it one time.
The path is to be used during "empty hallway time" - not while classes are transitioning (after recess, on the way to a special, etc.)

*Students will wear the class lanyard while using the path.

*At the end students should have a cool down breathing moment where they ask themselves, "Am I ready to learn?"

Please click here for the demonstration video to show to your students on Monday. It explains the use and expectations of our newly installed sensory track. Thank you for leading this work, Stephanie and Tech Team students!

Brown School Art Show - message to parents

In appreciation of our beautiful student artwork, we will hold the first Elementary Art Show at Brown Elementary School!  You, your family, and your friends are invited to the opening reception Thursday, May 12th, from 4:00 – 5:30 PM.  The opening reception is a celebration to mark the start of the show.  You may stop in ANY TIME during the opening to see both your child’s artwork and artwork from other elementary students in our school.  We hope to see you there!  

This art show will be on display at Brown School until Wednesday, June 1st.  If you are unable to come to the opening, please make sure you stop by to see your child’s work before the 1st of June during after school hours.  Thank you for all your hard work.  We are very proud of YOU and your success in art!

Why Teachers Matter There is beauty in diversity, but only if we seek it. Helping students appreciate differences creates a stronger classroom, school, and world.

Reason #90: Teachers help us see the beauty in our differences.

Shannon remembers Miss Gallant:   "I was a junior in high school when I took Miss Gallant’s history class. We often talked about the racial unrest in our nation’s history and the ways we could still see racial tensions in our country. Although I attended a diverse school, students from different backgrounds rarely interacted. Because of our discussions in Miss Gallant’s class, we noticed the segregated way students often gathered in the lunchroom or out in the courtyard. When we brought this up in class, our teacher challenged us to find opportunities for students from different backgrounds to work together. With Miss Gallant’s help, we decided to start a dance team. Because the dance team members had different cultural identities, each brought a different style of dance to the team. We learned from each other, and our choreography became a mix of our different styles.  I have such happy memories of my time on the dance team. Working collaboratively with different kinds of people was a formative experience for me. I still connect with my former teammates, especially when I need a diverse set of perspectives. I am grateful to Miss Gallant for helping me appreciate the beauty of diversity, in dance and in life." Keep going. You may not be able to see the impact you have, but for one student, it might just last a lifetime. For even more inspiration, check out Safe, Seen, and Stretched in the Classroom, available now. Copyright © 2022 Chalk & Chances

Staffing Updates

We are happy to share the following staffing updates for the fall. 

Ashley Hooker will be teaching 3rd grade at Clarke School next fall with Darby Yoder.

Becky Lokey will also be moving to EPC to teach 5th grade with Jason Huber and Kaylee Gray. Kristi will rejoin Stephanie in 3rd grade here at Brown School. Erica, Elizabeth, and Morgan are looking forward to welcoming the following new teammates:

In addition, we are delighted to welcome the following talented educators to our Brown School family in the fall!

Karen List, 1st grade

Sam Miller, 2nd grade

Mandy Mileham, Music

We look forward to sharing additional staff updates as information become available. 😊

Let's Get a Jump Start on Summer Break!

As in past years, we will "chunk up" EOY tasks so that June doesn't feel quite so overwhelming. Here are our first "to dos". 

Due to the office by May 13th:

Fall 2022 Welcome Letters  

Grade Level School Supply List Edits

*Please plan to share electronic versions of each with Sara and Kelly. 

Honor Credit Union would like to say thank you to teachers!  Every teacher is eligible for a "Hall Pass" at Round Barn Winery that is good for the entire 2022 season.  There is an easy registration link and then you get a pass that unlocks a free glass of wine, craft beer or sangria, compliments of Honor Credit Union, all summer long each time you visit.  Details below!

 

Cheers To Our Local Teachers!   Cheers to you, our local teachers, and happy National Teacher Appreciation week! Your long-awaited summer break is right around the corner, and that means two things: you've completed another school year of educating our future leaders, and it's almost time to relax in the sun over at Round Barn Estate with your Teacher's Hall Pass!   We can't begin to show our gratitude and appreciation enough for the time and energy you poured into educating our youth this past school year! Because of that and to say a HUGE thank you, we’re once again bringing you something extra special with our friends over at Round Barn Estate in the way of our Teacher’s Hall Pass.   When you request a complimentary Teacher’s Hall Pass, you’ll gain access to all sorts of exclusive benefits all summer long, including:   ·    Free First Glass of Wine, Beer, or Sangria ·    Each time you visit, show your Hall Pass at the host stand to receive a drink token, and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, craft beer, or sangria.   ·    15% Off Wine, Beer & Merchandise ·    Enjoy 15% off all packaged wine, beer, and merchandise, including apparel at all Round Barn locations.   Request Teacher's Hall Pass   Toast 2 Teachers Celebration You can’t kickoff summer vacation without a proper celebration, right?! Grab your colleagues and join Honor CU on Thursday, June 9th from 3:00pm – 6:00pm for a little R&R and enjoy some delicious wine, food, and great live music! Your first drink (wine, craft beer or sangria) is on us!   This celebratory event will be held over at the Round Barn Estate (10983 Hills Road Baroda, MI) as we Toast 2 YOU! Be on the lookout for more information, including some fun prizes as this event gets closer! Cheers!   All Round Barn Events

Summer Learning Opportunities

We are gearing up for summer and that means extending learning options to all learners. Please see the information below and be sure to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions. 

Summer Learning Challenge 2022

We are planning to challenge our learners throughout the summer again this year with the brilliantly paired P2 and SLC format we offered last year. 

Please take a moment to add ideas for suggested tweaks (just to make it new and fresh for our students who participated last year) as a comment to the DRAFT doc linked here by May 20th. Thank you! 

Please plan to send home Scholastic take-home book packs with all ECDD - 5th grade students on June 8th. We will make arrangements to attach the Summer Learning Challenge sheets (just like last year).

Summer Reading & Math Camp

The posting for interested staff and the student recommendation document will be coming soon. We are looking forward to offering a consistent and engaging option to our students in need this summer. More to come very soon.

End of the Year Party @ Pratleys!

Our EOY staff celebration will be hosted by Kristen & Andrew Pratley at their home (3035 McLin Rd. in SJ) on Thursday, June 2nd beginning at 5:30 p.m. We will use social funds to cover the dinner. BYOB and mark your calendars, friends!