Monday, September 30th is Orange Shirt Day - A day to raise awareness of the residential school policy and its devastating effects on generations of First Nations people in Canada. Residential schools were the same as boarding schools that American Indians in the Unites States attended.
In May 2013, First Nations people in Canada gathered to honor victims and survivors of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School.
At this event a residential school survivor by the name of Phyllis Webstad was interviewed for a short video documentary. She mentioned when she was six, she picked out a new, shiny orange shirt for her first day of school, but when she got to the school they took her clothes, as all students were forced to wear the same clothing, and she never saw her favorite shirt again.
Her shirt story resonated with others and took off on social media. As the event became an annual way to remember the residential school systems, Orange Shirt Day was created. The official tagline for the day is “Every Child Matters” reminding everyone that all peoples cultural experiences are important.
The movement spread across Canada and in more recent years the United States. Indigenous people and non-indigenous allies wear orange on that day to show solidarity and to continue to raise awareness about the lasting effects of residential and boarding schools so they are never forgotten
What were Residential/Boarding Schools?
Residential and Boarding Schools were government run schools designed to strip Indigenous youth of their culture, language, and even their name if they had a non-English name.
Children were separated from their families and communities, often by force, and lived in and attended classes at the schools for most of the year. Often the residential schools were located far from the students’ home communities.
- There were over 130 residential schools in Canada, open between 1831 and 1997. The United States had over 400 boarding schools between 1869 and the 1970s.
- 150,000 Indigenous youth attended schools in Canada and several hundred thousand in the United States
- Three years ago, 215 remains of children were discovered in an unmarked grave at one former school location. This led to discoveries of hundreds more in Canada and an investigation into former school sites in the United States.
Over 60 million people identify as Hispanic in the U.S. Between September 15 and October 15 we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage. This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, & South America. I want to honor the many students and their families who come from these countries!
As you may know, Student Led Conferences (SLCs) are just around the corner. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers, students, and their families to talk about the coming year. Teachers will have information to share and students will be sharing their goals. Very soon, you will be receiving a link to sign up for a conference time from your child's teacher. Please be sure to click on the link right away in order to secure a time for your conference. School will be dismissed Tuesday - Friday, Oct. 8th – 11th at 12:35 pm. Students will be served a sack lunch before they leave each day. Please be sure that you have made plans for your student(s) for these early dismissal days.
BUS PROCEDURES
Please be patient, the first couple days of school the busses might be running late. We have a very helpful transportation department; if you have any questions, issues about something that happened on the bus or at the bus stop, or concerns about a late bus, please call the transportation office directly at 253-298-3865. To cut down on the number of calls received in the office daily we ask that if you wish for your child to ride a bus other than the one they normally ride, or get off at a bus stop other than their normal stop, you must send a note. The same holds true if you want your child to walk rather than ride their normal bus. Without a note, we will not allow students to walk or change their regular bus, bus stop, or end of the day routine.
Please be aware that any bus-riding kindergarten student that is not met at the bus stop after school will be returned to Brookdale for parent pick-up. It is very important to meet your students at the bus stop on time!
Reminders From The Office
Please read these important reminders from the office!
Office Hours ~ 9:00 a.m - 4:30 p.m (Hours vary on early dismissal days)
- If you need to come into the building, please press the intercom button on your right as you look at the front door. This will enable the office to see and hear you and buzz you into the entry if needed.
- Please notify the office of any changes in the way your child will go home at the end of the day. We need this information one hour before dismissal so we have time to get a note to the teacher.
- Call the office if your child will be absent. If they have an appointment, please ask the doctor, dentist, counselor, etc. for a note for school. Offices that treat children are used to giving notes to students for excuses!
- If you need to take your child out of school early, please make sure to come to the office at least 35 minutes before dismissal time. On a regular school day, please be in the office by 3:30 and on an early dismissal day, be in the office by 2:00. You will want to make sure to come early enough so that we can locate your child and so you won't be trapped in the after-school pick-up line! You will need to sign your child out and wait for them to come from their classroom, so allow plenty of time. Thank you for your help!
- If your phone number, email address, or home address changes, please let us know so we have the most up-to-date contact information for you. If your child becomes ill, or otherwise needs your help, we need a way to contact you! Thank you!
Birthday Treat Reminders
Due to safety on the bus and classroom distractions, balloons are not allowed at school, please save them for your child at home.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
We are pleased that Brookdale will once again be participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program as part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.
In a CEP school, ALL enrolled students receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost during the school year, regardless of family income.
If your child brings a lunch from home and wishes to have only milk, it will cost $.60. Milk by itself is not free in a CEP school. Student meal accounts are still available in CEP schools if parents wish to put money on accounts to purchase milk.
If you have any questions concerning school meals or CEP please contact the Nutrition Services Department at 253-298-4618.