Brown MS Weekly Update

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Dear Brown MS Community,

It is finally spring which marks the beginning of our busy sports season. (Here is a link to our game/meet calendar.) Our Lacrosse, Baseball, Ultimate Frisbee and Track Teams have begun their practices and it is great to see them outside getting ready for upcoming games and meets. We also have some new extra curricular activities for the spring (listed below on the after school extra curricular activities schedule) - please check them out.

It was a busy week here at Brown and many events are highlighted below. Of particular note is a set of "town meetings" that Assistant Principal Turner completed with our 8th graders. In my February 10 and March 10 weekly updates (click the links to view them), I shared the need for us, as a community, to address hurtful comments or actions between and among students. The focus of the town meeting was to help empower students to realize they can be the change they wish to see in the world. More specifically, they can learn how to be a positive agent for change at Brown Middle School. Students were able to discuss scenarios of incidents that have happened at Brown in a safe space and to reflect on how they respond when they are witness to hurtful remarks, especially those based on race, gender, sexual identity or religion. Mr. Turner left them with the following choices:

1. You can lead the change that you want to see in the school

2. You can follow the trends that reinforce the current culture

3. You can be a bystander and not be an agent of change

The 8th graders did an excellent job of reflecting and being honest. We will continue this work next with our 7th graders and then 6th graders in the coming weeks. I encourage you to continue to talk to your children about what they can do to help make the culture at Brown positive and safe for everyone.

I am pleased to share that NPS secondary schools will hold our second annual "No Place for Hate Walk" on May 4 immediately after school. Parents, teachers and students are all welcome. I will share more information about this in future news letters. Additionally, that evening at 7:00PM, we will hold a parent forum to discuss how we can support each other and build capacity for interrupting some of the hurtful comments and remarks that students experience in middle school. It takes a village, and we encourage all parents to be part of this important discussion.

This weekend is a long one (thank goodness!) and I plan to spend it with my husband and my dog taking some long walks and breathing the spring air. We celebrate Easter and willI be enjoying some family time and good food on Sunday. I wish those that are observing a continued happy Ramadan and Passover, and I wish a happy Easter Sunday for those that are celebrating.

Enjoy the long weekend,

Kim Lysaght, Principal

April 7: No School for the Good Friday Holiday

April 10 & 11: 6th grade ELA MCAS

April 12 & 13: 8th grade ELA MCAS

April 15-22: April vacation

Please take a look at our spring extracurricular activities. There continue to be many opportunities for students to get involved. This is a great way for them to explore new interests and expand their friendship groups. Click here to view the schedule of after school activities.

In advisory, we have been discussing hunger, food insecurity, and the importance of helping our community in order to kick off Brown Middle School’s Annual Food Drive to benefit the Newton Food Pantry.

All donations are greatly appreciated. Items that the pantry needs the most are listed below. Please note: items should be unopened and within the expiration date, and no glass please!

• Cereal: 12 – 16 oz., brand names preferred

• Hearty soups: meat, bean, veggie

• White tuna in water: 5 oz.

• Ground coffee: 1 lb.

• Shampoo

• Deodorant

• Toothpaste

• Diapers size 6

• Baby wipes

Donations should be brought to your child’s advisory any day between Monday, 4/3 and Friday , 4/14. Donations will be delivered to the Newton Food Pantry the afternoon of Friday 4/14.

Wish List: The Newton Food pantry has created the option of ordering some of the most–needed items from their Amazon Wish List. The order will be delivered directly to the food pantry—just select ‘Newton Food Pantry’ as the delivery address upon checkout.

We owe a big thank you to sixth grade teachers, Wendy Kritzer and Jen Carlisle for organizing this annual effort. Thanks to all families for your support in the coming week!

Yesterday, April 5, our 8th graders had the priviledge of having and assembly where they will heard from Hanni Meyers, a Holocaust survivor. This is a culmination of the work they have been doing in both their ELA and civics classes. Students have journaled, read novels, explored the history of the Holocaust, and learned how the lessons from this apply to all forms of racism, homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia.

Fourteen Brown Middle School students competed last Saturday in the International Academic Competition. They competed in a variety of subjects including geography, science and history. The students received certificates this past week from Mr. Winkler and Mr. Alford, who led the group practices these past few months. Congratulations to all participants!

Below is a picture of an autism awareness board put together by some of our students along with Jessica Hoover, Behavior Therapist. Students can learn more about Autism as they move from class to class this month by reading the information here. Thank you for the terrific display!

This past Monday Assistant Superintendents Ayesha Farag and Toby Romer presented to the school committee the impacts on elementary and secondary education based on the NPS budget . With the failure of the operating override, there will be significant cuts for our school district. You can view the presentation by clicking on the link below.

• Budget Presentation Recording (NewTV)

Term 2 report cards were printed and sent home with students last week. They are also available to view on Aspen. Just click here to login. We encourage students to not only look at the letter grade, but also look closely at the comments from teachers. These are meant to help students determine what their goals should be for the remainder of the school year. Please talk over the report card with your child.

5th Grade Parent visiting at Brown - May 3 at 8:20 - 9:00

Brown Principal and Counselor Visit Elementary Schools:

Monday, May 8 - Williams (8:20 - 9:00 parent meeting, 9:30 meet 5th graders)

Friday, May 12 - Mason Rice (8:20 - 9:00 parent meeting, 9:40 meet 5th graders)

Friday May 19 - Angier (8:20 - 9:00 parent meeting, 9:15 meet 5th graders)

Friday, May 26 - Countryside (8:20 - 9:00 parent meeting, 9:30 meet 5th graders)

Step Up Day (5th graders visit Brown) - Friday, June 9

GELF opens international doors to students, many of whom have not left the United States, some of whom have never been on a plane and none of whom would be able to participate in these programs without financial aid.

We would like to invite you to come to the GELF Fundraising Dinner at 6:30pm on Saturday, 4/29, at the Wilson Chapel. It will be a fun night celebrating international travel experiences with families who share the same passion. The evening also highlights food from local restaurants, performance by Newton South Jazz Band, as well as stories from former GELF recipients and NPS administrators.

With your participation, we'll be able to provide financial aid for more students to go on future trips.

Tickets are selling fast, and please get yours HERE.

May 21, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Horace Mann Housing Complex

Along with our partners at the Newton Housing Authority and Newton Community Farm, Newton Neighbors is launching a project to plant container gardens for eligible seniors at the Horace Mann Housing Complex (corner of Watertown and Walker Streets, Newtonville).

This project is a great way to get outdoors, meet your neighbors, and help beautify the space at the Horace Mann Complex. It is also a great project for kids! We welcome volunteers of all ages and experience levels.

The project will take place on May 21, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Volunteers can sign up for two-hour shifts at https://www.tinyurl.com/NNcontainergarden.

Please contact Susan Vaughn at susanv@newtonneighbors.org with any questions.

Newton Community Education is looking to offer students some wonderful after school activities this fall. We would love to hear from you as we prepare. Please complete this linked survey so we can best support you!

Newton S.P.A.C.E. (Summer Program for Academic and Creative Endeavors) is a four-week summer enrichment program run by the Newton Public Schools from July 5th through July 28th. Students entering kindergarten through 9th grade in the Fall of 2023 are eligible to attend.

We offer two programs - an upper camp (entering grade 5-entering grade 9) and a lower camp (entering kindergarten-entering grade 4).

Visit the S.P.A.C.E.website for more information or REGISTER NOW!

Questions? SPACE@newton.k12.ma.us

Dates for the administration of the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) have been set as follows:

English Language Arts:

This past week our 7th graders took the English Language Arts MCAS. I want to commend them on their efforts to do their best work on this state wide assessment!

April 10 & 11 - 6th grade

April 12 & 13 - 8th grade

Math:

May 15 & 16 - 8th grade

May 17 & 18 - 7th grade

May 22 & 23 - 6th grade

Science & Technology/Engineering:

May 24 - 8th grade only

NPS is committed to preventing discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Here is a link to a document that gives an overview of the process and how to report incidents. If you experience an incident that you feel should be reported, you can contact the school directly or you can fill out this Online reporting form.

• What is discrimination?

• What is harassment?

• What is retaliation?

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