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Brewster Weekly
April 5, 2024
School Theme
If it is going to be, it starts with me!
We are here to do good things for our students, our coworkers, and our community.
We represent qualities such as love, hope, kindness, respect, and responsibility.
Our culture mirrors those attributes.
Let’s continue to make our school the best place to work and learn
where everyone is inspired to be the best they can be.
What we do, we do well.
Let’s keep the courage to shape a bright future for our students.
April Birthday Celebrations!
Solar Eclipse 2024
Solar Eclipse Information from RCS
Dear Rochester Community Schools Families,
Our community looks forward to participating in a variety of unique learning opportunities leading up to the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. A partial solar eclipse is expected to be visible in the Rochester area between approximately 1:58 and 4:27 p.m.
All RCS students at every level across the district will receive a pair of ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses for safe viewing. RCS educators will provide age-appropriate lessons and safety instructions before they accompany classes outside to share the viewing experience. Student supervision and safety will remain a top priority.
Please pay attention to school-specific details and communications in the coming days. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your building administrator.
Families may find additional solar eclipse resources from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/.
Calendar Updates
April 9 PTA Meeting
April 19 Professional Development Day, No School
April 29 AIA Week!
May 1 School Kit Sales Online for 24-25 Year
May 3 PTA Multicultural Night
May 7 Open House, 6pm
May 8 Bike, Walk, Roll to School Day
May 14 PTA Meeting
May 17 Professional Development Day, No School
- Brewster Carnival at VAN HOOSEN 4:40-7:00pm.
May 20 Senior Clap Out, 2:15 (All high school seniors that attended Brewster welcome to visit!)
May 27 Memorial Day, No School
May 31 Field Day (Tentative)
June 6 5th Grade Farewell 9am, Doors open for seating at 8:30am.
MSTEP State Testing
Please pay close attention to teacher newsletters and communications!
LET'S HELP EACH OTHER HAVE A GREAT ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL!
Let your Bulldog out along the curve of U shaped sidewalk marked with orange hearts on the graphic below! Thank you SO MUCH!
Please Cross at the SIDE Crosswalk AWAY from BUSES! Marked with BLUE SMILEY above!
USE SAFE SIDEWALKS!
ONE CROSSWALK IS UTILIZED AT ARRIVAL- BLUE SMILEY ABOVE.
STAY AWAY FROM BUS AREA! RED X AREA ABOVE
SUPPORT FOR ESL LEARNING!
Cheers for Champions!
Dear Brewster Elementary Parents,
As we prepare to celebrate the dedicated staff members who tirelessly support our children's growth and learning every day, I invite you to participate in our "Cheers for Champions" campaign during our annual staff appreciation week coming up in May.. This initiative aims to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding work of the teachers, paras, and ancillary staff at Brewster Elementary.
All submissions should be sent to Principal, Mrs. Kelly Dessy, at kdessy@rochester.k12.mi.us or kdessy@rcs-k12.us with the subject of Cheers for Champions by April 26th to be shared with staff through our appreciation week!. If you need more time, you may send your submission directly to the staff member the first week in MAY.
Let's come together as a community to show our appreciation for the exceptional educators and staff members who make Brewster Elementary a place of learning, growth, and care. Your participation in this campaign will make a meaningful difference and brighten the days of our school's champions.
Thank you for joining us in celebrating and sharing Cheers for Champions at Brewster Elementary!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Kelly E. Dessy
Principal, Brewster Elementary
MEDIA UPDATE FROM MRS. O'ROURKE
Authors in April is coming! Each Brewster student is invited to partake in two contests to join the fun! Please look at the attached documents to learn more about our Bookmark & Speech Contest. All entries are due April 17, 2024.
Speech Contest: Students may write a speech to introduce one of our Authors (illustrators) in April when they come to Brewster May1st.
Bookmark Contest: Students may create a bookmark, inspired by one (or more) of our Authors (illustrators) in April. Authors will autograph their bookmark.
Winners will have a chance to meet the author & win a free autographed book!
Digital Citizenship continues to be a focus in Media Class. Please ask your child what we learned this week. Many of these lessons come from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ which is a great resource to learn about safe, healthy digital practices. Our K. students learned how to Pause, Breathe & Finish Up when asked to take a break from their devices. Ask them about it 😊
Media Center Donations: We accept & appreciate donations made to our school.
Right now we need:
*aluminum foil
* small ‘bits’ like screws, nuts, bolts, buttons, feathers, etc.
(we will be ‘inventing’ items inspired by our Author in April book)
So, if you’re cleaning out your garage, toy bins, etc. we’ll take it!
*Markers! All kinds, colors & sizes!
*Feathers
*Old, random legos (or sets J)
*empty clean paper towel or TP rolls
*any kind of ribbon
*empty spools of thread
*buttons
Please send in items & note on bag or box ‘Media Center’
Thanks so much!
The Specials Team is on Facebook! Please follow us at https://www.facebook.com/people/Brewster-Elementary-Specials-Art-Library-Music-Phys-Ed/100063552367921/
News From the Art Room!
Rochester Community Schools 2023-2024 District K-12 Student Art Show is next week! We will be displaying our amazing show at the RCS Administration Building - 52585 Dequindre Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307. The show will run Monday, April 8th through Thursday, April 11th.
If your child has a piece in the art show he or she will be notified by a formal invitation postcard. All are welcome to attend and show support for our Brewster Students in the art show and for the RCS Art Program.
The designated “Opening” night for Brewster is April 9th 5:30-7:00. I will be there this night, but you are welcome to attend the art show any night or time during regular business hours.
I hope you can join us and support Rochester Community Schools’ wonderful art program!
See you there!
Mrs. McCue
Community Services for Families
Parents and caregivers are invited to a free presentation on the foundations of restorative practices from 7-8:30 p.m. on April 18, 2024, at the RCS Administration Center located at 52585 Dequindre Road in Rochester.
Bill Boyle, a certified restorative practitioner and instructor with the International Institute of Restorative Practices, will lead an evening of learning. Participants will engage in dialogue and reflection to understand how restorative practices can help cultivate community and promote positive relationships.
Click here for a one-page flyer: Restorative Practices Training for Parents and Caregivers
Positivity Project Update!
Dear Families,
This week our school communityfocused on the character strength of Humor. Humor means you like to laugh and bring smiles to other people.
Humor is a sense of playfulness and lightness. It is a way of looking at and describing the world that brings laughter to people. A person with the strength of humor is skilled at seeing the funny side of things, bringing smiles and laughter to others, and identifying and communicating the absurdities in life. People with this strength don’t specifically need to be joke tellers, although many are.
Humor plays an important role in helping groups of people rise above difficult circumstances and boost morale. It removes us from our present difficulties by easing tension and making life more fun. This is why athletic teams often need a jokester to help them get through tough losses and early morning fitness sessions. On a larger societal level, humor often helps downtrodden groups to find cohesion and strength. This is why Simon Wiesenthal said, “Humor is the weapon of unarmed people: it helps people who are oppressed smile at the situation that pains them.”
To practice and encourage the character strength of humor with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
UPDATES FROM OUR PTA!
Watch D.O.G.S.!
EXTRA EXTRA: Looking for more Dads/Gramps/Uncs to join our Watch DOGS crew! Watch DOGS is a Nationally recognized organization. We’re a group of Brewster ”Dads Of Great Students” that provide an extra set of eyes, and a lot of fun to our kids on their lunch periods. Please reach out to Justin Stevenson (jbubstevenson@gmail.com) for more information.
Brewster PTA Update
PTA Meeting
Our next PTA meeting is set for Tuesday, April 9 at 7pm via Zoom. Agenda, Meeting minutes, and Zoom link will be emailed. We hope you can join us and hear updates on the many events the PTA has planned!
PTA BOARD
The PTA Board needs your help this fall. We have a few open positions for the 2024-2025 school year. The PTA is a great group to be a part of....build relationships, have a say in matters, and MOST IMPORTANTLY be the reason why 400 students smile. The PTA events cannot happen without a Board so please consider donating your time to this worthy cause. Please email brewsterptapresident@gmail for more information.
CELEBRATION OF OUR WORLD
Brewster is hosting their first ever Celebration Of Our World event on Friday, May 3 at 6PM at Brewster. We invite all the Brewster families to participate in an evening celebrating our wonderful students, showcasing places all around the globe and learning together about the students and families who make up our Brewster community. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
- Sponsor a country showcase table where you can display items celebrating the nations of the world (showcasing artifacts from your country of origin).
- Students and adults can participate in a parade of nations during the evening wearing native dress in the parade.
- Perform (Show off a talent! Demonstrate a native dance, recite a poem, sign a song etc.
Participation form is below or use this link: Celebration of Our World Sign-Up
Any other questions please feel free to contact Stephanie Marcincavage Srbuchal@gmail.com
SPRING CARNIVAL
SAVE THE DATE for the Spring Carnival which is set for Friday, May 17 from 5pm to 7pm. There will be food trucks, bounce houses, face painting, carnival games, a magician, and so much more. Tickets will be available for sale in Membership Toolkit next week. Sponsorship opportunities available, please reach out to laurenfrances2@yahoo.com for more information. We hope you can join us for an epic night.
PAC UPDATE
- The 2024 Sparkle Awards will be held on Tuesday, April 30th at Adams High.
- The next PAC meeting will be April 23 at Brooklands Elementary at 7:00pm. PAC MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC! We hope you can join us.
- Like and follow PAC on Facebook!
- Your PAC Rep is Michelle Endres at brewsterptapresident@gmail.com
5th Grade PTA Member Night Out
Save the date of April 17th! The PTA is partnering up with Musson and Delta Kelly and hosting a PTA Member Night out. The idea is to bring parents from the 3 elementary buildings together to have the opportunity to meet ladies/parents that will also have students going to Van Hoosen next year. Event is set for April 17th at The Oakland. Price is $25 per person and includes 2 glasses of wine and appetizers. Must be a PTA member to attend. You can purchase your ticket in Membership Toolkit
YEARBOOKS ON SALE
Yearbooks are on sale in Membership Toolkit for $26. Make sure to order yours today to get the discounted pricing.
Membership Toolkit
Membership Toolkit is a website and app used by the Brewster PTA. On Membership Toolkit you can find a Brewster directory, calendar of events, and make secure purchases. You do not need to be a PTA member to use most of the features on Membership Toolkit. To create an account, you need to go the website first. Once you create your account on the website, you can download the app on your mobile device. If you already use Membership Toolkit, please log in to update your student’s information for the new school year. Use this link to create or update your account https://membershiptoolkit.com
Brewster Facebook Group
The Brewster Facebook group is a great way to connect with Brewster families and learn about upcoming events. If you are a member of the Brewster Facebook group, please send an invite to Brewster families that are not yet members. For the safety of our students, the Brewster Facebook group is private. To join, you need to be a current Brewster family and answer the questions to join the group.
Join the PTA
You can join the PTA by going to the store on the Membership Toolkit app or clicking this link Join the Brewster PTA. By joining the PTA you will have access to the Brewster directory on the Membership Toolkit website and app.
5th Grade PTA Member Night Out
Save the date of April 17th! The PTA is partnering up with Musson and Delta Kelly and hosting a PTA Member Night out. The idea is to bring parents from the 3 elementary buildings together to have the opportunity to meet ladies/parents that will also have students going to Van Hoosen next year. Event is set for April 17th at The Oakland (time is TBD but during happy hour). Price is $25 per person and includes 2 glasses of wine and appetizers. Must be a PTA member to attend. Please RSVP by April 14 by emailing brewsterptapresident@gmail.com.
Adopt-a-Book
Adopt-A-Book is back and available for purchase in Membership Toolkit. This is a priceless opportunity to have your student select a book that they would like to have available in our very own Brewster Media Center. The student's photo and a sweet message from a parent/grandparent/guardian is included in the book. Your student is also the very first person to check out the book.
Disability Awareness Workshop
Calling all 3rd grade parents! 3rd graders will attend the Disability Awareness Workshop on May 3rd, from 9:30-11:30 am. This is a fun and hands-on way for students to learn about those who have different learning abilities by trying, exploring, and engaging in tools and accommodations students with disabilities use daily to accommodate their needs. We need volunteers to make this field trip possible, so please consider signing up for one of the booth slots below. Instructions will be provided on how to run your assigned station. We hope you can join us!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C44AEA62FA5F94-47571453-brewster#/
SPIRIT WEAR!
Brewster gear is available for purchase at brewsterspiritwear.com. These would be a great gift for the holiday season.
President – Michele Endres BrewsterPTAPresident@gmail.com
Stay Connected!
Email: kdessy@rochester.k12.mi.us
Website: https://brewster.rochester.k12.mi.us/
Location: 1535 Brewster Road, Rochester Hills, MI, USA
Phone: 248-726-3300
Twitter: @BrewsterRCS