Brown MS Weekly Update

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Dear Brown MS Community,

I am pleased to share that we had a terrific first week of school! Our students entered with smiles and enthusiasm, and our faculty were energized by their spirit. Students spent the week learning their routines and schedules and getting to know their new teachers and classmates.

I had the pleasure of visiting many classes this week and saw:

• students sharing their favorite genre of book
• teachers listening to advice from students on how teachers can help them learn best
• students sharing their favorite numbers and writing complex mathematical expression with their number as the solution
• students planning how they will celebrate each other's birthdays in advisory
• students singing in French

• students discussing books they read this summer
• teambuilder activities where students debate what they would need if they were "lost at sea"
• teachers and students discussing "productive failure" and why mistakes are so valuable to learning

Engagement was high and there was a contagious feeling of positivity. Additionally, we were able to (finally) have lunch in our cafeteria and bring back some of our fun routines such as celebrating student birthdays and spinning for a table to leave the cafeteria first. Our amazing teachers helped to create this video that was shared with students on the first day to show how lunch in the cafeteria works.

Back at the Lysaght household, it been quiet. We are now in day 6 of being official empty nesters and are adjusting to a new normal. Our kids have been great about texting regularly about everything from laundry advice to how to remove a tick and, of course, letting us know how much they miss... the dog. Of course, for us there is a silver lining - fewer dishes to wash!

There's lots to share below. Please be sure to take a look. We are off to a terrific start - please thank your children for making Brown MS's week #1 a great success!

Best,

Kim Lysaght, Principal

• Brown PTO Family Picnic: Monday, Sept. 19 (Rain date Sept. 20)
  
• Back to School Night: Wednesday, Sept. 28 - details to follow
• Early Release Day: Thursday, Sept. 29 - students dismissed at 11:20
• School Picture Day: Friday, Sept. 30

This week we issued entering 6th graders and new students an NPS Chromebook they will use for the length of time they are in middle school.

• Families must complete the Chromebook Loan Agreement. We will not issue devices to students until the loan agreement is signed. Please also review with your child. Printable and translated copies are also available.

• Consider Opting-In to the Optional Chromebook Repair Fund. For $25 per year, all accidental damage to the device, including screen cracks, liquid spills, damages from dropping, etc. will be covered. Sign-up and payment for the Chromebook Repair Fund is done through the MySchoolBucks Portal.

In addition, we encourage you to examine some of the resources on Online Safety and Digital Citizenship posted on our website, and engage your children in conversations on these topics on a regular basis.

Our after school activities will begin the week of Sept. 19. The schedule of activities is currently being created. We encourage all students at Brown MS to get involved in our after school program. Please click here for more information.

Art Extension this year is an opportunity for students from each grade level to work on a project of their own design. Each student will propose a project that will be the focus of their Art Extension for the entirety of the term. Each grade level will meet once per rotation:

6th Grade: Day 5

7th Grade: Day 1

8th Grade: Day 3

If interested, please sign up below! Questions? - email Mr. Goldberg at goldbergje@newton.k12.ma.us.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe19dKhSbAP-KkqL08VfstCTc53jEMHo8aoh4ops67hetPYrA/viewform?usp=sf_link"

We are adding in a special drama extension elective for students in grades 7 and 8. Students will develop and exercise their theatre performance skills including:

• Actor’s tools: voice & body skill development

• Ensemble skills

• Improvisation: Foundation skills to long-form improvisation

Next week on Tuesday at the end of 7th and 8th grade lunches Mr. King will offer a short informational meeting for any interested students. The drama extension elective will begin on September 22. Questions? Email Mr. King at kingr@newton.k12.ma.us.

One of our Bear Beliefs is to "Be Here". We talk to students frequently about what this means. At the very basic level it means to be physically here in school, and it also means to be engaged in your own learning. Please do your best to help your child be at school on time each day. Of course, if your child is sick, we would expect them to remain at home. However, it is difficult to replicate the learning experience that takes place in a classroom.

In order to report an absence, please be sure to call our Student Attendance line (617) 559-6980 before 8:20AM and leave your child's name, reason for absence, and date(s) of absence on the voice mail. Please call each day your child is absent from school.

Students arriving after 8:20AM. will be marked tardy by their first period teacher. Being tardy is disruptive for the individual as well as the class, so please help your child to have a morning routine that allows them to arrive on time.

Students who require an early dismissal from school must bring a note signed by a parent or guardian to the main office before school. The PARENT OR GUARDIAN must sign the student out at the main office at the time of dismissal. If a student returns after a dismissal the student should check in at the main office.

If your child is struggling to get to school, please reach out to one of our counselors so that we may support them and you.

FIRST meals are free for all students. However, SECOND meals and A LA CARTE ITEMS (at middle/high school) must be paid for with cash or or through the MySchool Bucks account.

What is the cost of a SECOND meal?

The student charge for second meals is $5.50 for middle school students.

How can I pay for SECOND meals and A LA CARTE items?

Please create or check your family MySchoolBucks lunch account to ensure there are funds available if your child purchases a second meal or a la carte items.

Please note that families eligible for free or reduced-price lunch will still receive financial support based upon the federal guidelines. Please check eligibility on the NPS website under the Food Services/How to Pay for Meals/Financial Assistance tab

If you have not yet registered your child for a bus pass, please visit the NPS Transportation website for more information.

Students must have a bus pass to ride their specific bus route. Please remind students to wait safely on the sidewalk for the bus to arrive and to remain seated throughout the ride.

This is a reminder to please be cautious at pick up and drop off times. The picture below outlines expectations regarding the blues zones (see blue lines on Wheeler and Meadowbrook Roads). Please abide by these safety guidelines and remind students to exit the car on the passenger side to avoid cars that may be passing by.

Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ) is a group of diverse Newton families helping our children learn about issues of power and inequality and how to stand up for racial justice. We seek to generate understanding and curiosity about the differences in our society, and to work together towards racial equity.

FORJ is a Newton-wide organization, and you can find more information here: https://www.forj.org.

The FORJ chapter at Brown Middle School is a resource for our school community. We work to educate families, bring resources to the school, and support families and the community when racist incidents occur. Our next meeting is planned for Wednesday, October 12 at 7:30pm and we hope you will join us.

For more details, questions, or to join the mailing list, please email brownforj@gmail.com.

The joint PTOs from all four middle schools are sponsoring a talk by Catherine Pearlman, author of First Phone. This talk will be on zoom the evening of October 26 at 7:00PM. It will be a helpful presentation on how to support teens and tweens as they begin to navigate the ins and outs of having a smart phone.

Catherine Pearlman is the author of First Phone which is a book written for kids to keep them safe and teach them what is acceptable and what is not.

More information to follow.

Please note that the application for financial assistance and fee waivers is now available through the Aspen Parent Portal. Below is the process and timeline:

1. Log into the Aspen Parent Portal. If you do not remember your Aspen login, please email aspen@newton.k12.ma.us

2. Follow instructions to complete the form: Instruction to Complete Financial Assistance and Fee Waiver form.

3. Complete one form for each student.

4. You will receive a response to your application in 24-28 hours or 1-2 business days.

5. Upon approval, register for the activity or service. Select the assistance/waiver option.

6. The necessary staff will be informed of the approval to facilitate participation in the activity or service. Confidentiality will be maintained.

Once approved, your approval is good for one year. You must reapply each year. Please visit our Financial Assistance and Waiver webpage for more information.

If you have not already done so, please be sure to update your student information on Aspen. It is important that we have correct contact information for school to home communication. Click here for Student Information Update instructions.

School Hours:

8:20AM - 2:50PM - Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.

8:20 AM - 2:05PM - Wed.

Click here for the NPS 2022-2023 school calendar.

Click here for the Brown Middle School 6-day rotation calendar for 2022-2023 with early release days and days of the cycle.

To report a student absence call: 617-559-6980

Brown Middle School

125 Meadowbrook Road

Newton, MA 02459

Absences: 617-559-6980

Main office: 617-559-6900