BROOKWOOD BULLETIN

Greetings Brookwood Families,

Brookwood has so many exciting and engaging learning activities for our students. Hopefully, our weekly newsletters provide you with a snapshot of how hard our faculty and staff work to ensure your students' success at school.

On Thursday, we will be conducting our first ALICE Drill. (ALERT, LOCKDOWN, INFORM, COUNTER, EVACUATE). As detailed in previous newsletters, students at all grade levels have already received training in these drills. A letter from the district's director of security, Mr. Luke Miller, describing additional details regarding the drill, will be going out to all parents and guardians later today.

If your child is missing a coat, lunch box, water bottle, etc., please have them check the racks just outside of the cafeteria (see pictures below). We will have all our lost and found items available to parents during our Parent/Teachers conferences in mid-December. Please be sure to take a look for your children's lost items then.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community.

WE ARE BROOKWOOD!

Have a great week!

Ms. Lang

Brookwood Interim Principal

Attention Families! Our wonderful PTO members will once again be hosting their annual Holiday Shop for students from December 2nd through December 6th. Students will have the opportunity to browse and select between a variety of lovely, reasonably priced items for their families and friends! Volunteers to support this program are most welcome!

🥨Every Tuesday🥨

Every Wednesday

Wear Brookstone Paw Shirt

Every Thursday

Smencils for Sale

November

SCHOOL-WIDE BINGO & PJ DAY

Friday, November 22

Early Dismissal- 1:15pm

November 27th

🦃No School- Thanksgiving/Fall Break🦃

November 28th & 29th

December

Early Dismissal- 1:15pm

December 11th

🎵Brookwood Winter Chorus and Band Concert🎵

December 3rd at 7 pm

1st Trimester Conferences- 1:15pm Dismissal

December 12th-18th

Evening conferences- Thursday, December 12th

Full Day of School

December 19th

Early Dismissal- 1:15pm

December 20th

⛄No School⛄

December 23rd-January 1st

The world awaits for students in the library...so many places to see and read about are at their fingertips at the library. We strongly encourage students to sign-up for their cards...and it's free! l Brookwood Elementary School library card drive is all set to start on Wednesday, November 6 to Wednesday, November 20!

Thank you to Ms. Besack for taking this beautiful photo of our school!!!

Ms. Everitt’s students are learning to identify the different continents and oceans. Along with that, they are learning about the United States and the different parts of the country. The students worked in pairs to put together a map of the United States.

Ms. Tosti's 5th grade students discovered how worms help our ecosystem! They did two experiments to determine if worms prefer light or dark environments and wet or dry environments. Be sure to ask them the results when you see them in the halls! They also learned how worms can be helpful to our gardens. Then students released them back to their favorite spot… the dirt! 😊

Congratulations to our students who received Positive Referrals from Brookwood Teachers and Staff! You are the BEST!

Each week our Tiger Tech Team puts together an AWESOME news show for our students. Click the button below to catch their show!

Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day is celebrated annually on the Wednesday of American Education Week. In 2024, ESP Day will be on November 20.

The day recognizes the contributions of school support staff, including:

Bus drivers, Cafeteria workers, Custodians, Nurses, Paraprofessionals, and Office staff.

ESP Day was first celebrated in 1987 after the NEA's Representative Assembly called for the day to honor the contributions of school support staff.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and hard work of our support staff here at Brookwood.

Your unwavering commitment to the well-being and success of our students makes a profound impact each and every day. From ensuring the school environment is safe and welcoming, to providing crucial assistance to teachers and students alike, your efforts often go above and beyond. Your kindness, patience, and willingness to step in wherever needed help create a nurturing environment where are students can thrive. We deeply appreciate your contributions and the positive difference you make in our school community.

Character Strong provides research-based Pre-K through 12th grade social & emotional learning curricula and professional learning services that positively impact lives.

This curricula is grounded in research that focuses on fostering the Whole Child with lesson that teach SEL (social-emotional learning) and character side-by-side. Character education involves developing thoughtful, healthy, and kind humans. SEL abilities include self-awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and self-management

The focus of this month's Character Strong trait is GRATITUDE. This month's lessons encourage students to embrace the power of expressing thankfulness. The lessons will reinforce what it means to be thankful and happy for the things we have and the people who make our lives better. It's about noticing the little and big things that make us smile, like our friends who play with us, our families who care for us, or even a sunny day to run and have fun.

Here at Brookwood, we are deeply grateful to the parents of our elementary students for the support and partnership in their children's educational journey. Your dedication, whether through helping with homework, participating in school events, or fostering a love of learning at home, plays a vital role in our students' growth and success! Thank you for being an integral part of our team and for trusting us to share in this important chapter of your children's lives.

What can parents really do? What are the signs to watch for? How do you distinguish garden-variety personality conflicts between kids (which may include some mean behavior) from actual bullying? We contacted clinical psychologist John Mayer, author of Creating a Safe and Welcoming School and multiple memos on bullying and teasing, to clear up the the common misconceptions about bullying and give parents the facts.

Fun Friday Schedule for 2024-2025

December 13th: Ugly Sweater Day

January 17th: Decade Day

February 21st: Influencer Day

March 14th: Color Day (each grade level is a specific color)

April 11th: Superhero Day

May 2nd: Star Wars Day

June 6th: Hawaiian Shirt and Sunglasses Day

June 13: Flag Day (Wear red, white, and blue)

Please read the letter below in regards to the Title 1 Family Engagement Policy for 2024-2025.

Goals

1. Schedule parent/family meetings and activities

2. Survey both parents/students annually

3. Conduct conferences and parent/guardian contacts

Goal 1: Brookwood will invite families to annual Title I Family gatherings at convenient times to ensure parent/guardian involvement in the decision making for our Title 1 programs, the planning, review, and improvement of Brookwood’s Family Engagement Policy, and to provide guidance in how to support their Title I child’s academic progress.

1. Letters of invitation to Title I Family gatherings

*Invitations will be sent to Title I Family gatherings via/but not limited to: letters, emails, S’MORE newsletters, and Talking Points

2. Disseminate Title I parent/guardian information, share Title I Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent-Student Compact, and review contents annually for parent/guardian input

3. Inform families of Brookwood’s participation as a Title 1 School; and explain the requirements and rights of families to be involved

4. Ensure that parents/guardians of children with disabilities or limited English proficiency have the same access as other parents/guardians including information in a language and form that they can understand. Documents will be sent home with students and posted on the Brookwood Title 1 website. To the extent possible, documents and correspondence will be translated using the Talking Points app

5. District Family Engagement Policy will be sent via/but not limited to: letters, emails, S’MORE newsletters, and Talking Points

6. Provide parents/guardians with materials and training to support involvement in their child’s academic achievement, including inviting community resources to Title 1 Family Gatherings, for example, Bristol Cares, Kidtime, Levittown Library, PTO, Silver Lake Nature Center, Scouts

7. Enhance the awareness and continue to develop the skills of teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and staff in the value of communicating and working with families as equal partners in their child’s education

SPAC Website

8. Encourage parent/guardian participation in the schools through volunteering

9. Encourage family participation by offering scheduled activities at a variety of times

10. Provide resources for building parent/guardian understanding of child development, and academic strategies which are designed to support parents as partners in their child’s education

11. Provide a transitional plan for incoming and current students in grades K-5

Goal 2: Brookwood will conduct evaluations on all aspects of our Title I Program to

ensure that we are meeting the needs of all families in supporting their child’s academic success.

1. Survey both parents and students to assess areas of strength and identify barriers

to parental involvement

2. Continue to collect family participation data through the use of sign-ins for workshops, meetings and/or conferences

Goal 3: In order to build a strong partnership with each child’s family, Brookwood

staff will ensure open lines of communication in sharing student progress through the use of the following:

1. Allot time for parent-teacher conferences

* Parents and teachers may conduct a conference at any time throughout the year upon request. Conferences will be held in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Options for conferences will be in person, via video meeting, and/or phone calls.

2. Training workshops for families of Title I students

*These workshops will describe and explain the curriculum, various academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging state academic standards.

3. Share information/access with parents/guardians for Infinite Campus so that

families can track their child’s grades and progress

4. Share our district website where parents/guardians can access the following information:

their child’s school, tips for helping meet the state standards, websites for reinforcement activities

5. Invite families to contribute to the development of the Schoolwide Program Plan every Spring

*Invitations will be sent via/but not limited to: letters, emails, S’MORE newsletters, and Talking Points

As we continue our journey through this academic year, we wanted to take a moment to share some valuable information about our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. This approach is at the heart of our commitment to ensuring that every child in our community has the support they need to thrive. The MTSS process is designed to use a preponderance of data to assess and understand each student’s unique strengths and areas for growth. Here’s how it works and how it benefits your child:

1. **Comprehensive Data Collection**: We gather information from various sources, including assessments, classroom performance, and observations. This helps us get a complete picture of your child's academic progress and behavior.

2. **Informed Decision-Making**: Our dedicated team of educators analyzes this data to identify trends and patterns. By understanding where each student excels and where they may need additional support, we can make informed decisions that cater to their specific needs.

3. **Tailored Support and Enrichment**: Whether your child requires extra help in certain subjects or is ready for more advanced challenges, the MTSS process allows us to implement targeted interventions and enrichment opportunities. Our goal is to ensure that every student is engaged and making progress.

4. **Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment**: We believe in the importance of continuous assessment. We regularly check in on each student’s progress and adjust our strategies as needed, ensuring that we are always meeting their evolving needs.

We are excited about the positive impact this process has on our students and are committed to partnering with you in this journey. Your involvement is crucial, and we encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding your child's educational experience.

Thank you for being an integral part of our Bristol Township community. Together, we can create a nurturing environment where every child can flourish!

Bristol Township School District TalkingPoints is a messenger tool that allows teachers to connect and communicate with parents and families across any language. Teachers can communicate with parents via text messaging or via a phone or internet-connected device in their native language.

The following video was created for our district as well; https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WFqE5ynppOz6PZa2-A7JTHoBKild3zid/view

Our "Talking Points" platform is an efficient way for teachers and parents/guardians to communicate about your students. Here is a quick presentation to help!

Copy of TalkingPoints for Families PPT - English

Family App Troubleshooting Guide One Pager.pdf

Handbook & Internet Use Agreement Acknowledgement & Signature Page

Students and parents are asked to review the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (including the Internet Use Agreement) thoroughly and in its entirety for each student attending Bristol Township Schools. Knowledge of this information is essential to the student's overall success at Bristol Township Schools. After reviewing the Handbook and Code of Conduct (including Internet Use Agreement) on the Bristol Township School District website please complete this acknowledgement form. Failure to complete the electronic form will result in implied acknowledgement.

In order to assure the school staff that all concerned persons are familiar with the information in the Student Handbook, we ask each student and parent/guardian to review the Handbook and Code of Conduct on line. If you do not have access to the internet, there are a small number of printed copies available at your child's school. Parents and students are required to indicate with their name in the answer box that the Handbook has been reviewed.

Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (including Internet Use Agreement) Acknowledgement & Signature Page Student & Parent/Guardian. Please complete one for each student.

Please click on following link to sign; Handbook & Internet Use Agreement Acknowledgement

New for the 2024-2025 School Year!

Starting the 2024-2025 school year, The Bristol Township School District will be using School Café as the management system for school meal accounts.

School Café allows you to:

• Add funds to your student’s account. As a reminder – Meals are FREE this year but you can still add funds so that your student can purchase snacks, beverages or additional lunches.
• View student transaction history – View your students purchases
• Low Balance Notification – Receive a notification when your student’s balance is low

If you would like to create an account to add funds to your student’s meal account Click here

Click below for step-by-step instructions on
how to create an account, add students, make payments and set up low balance alerts
English Spanish

Other ways to add funds to your student’s account

• Check – Please make checks payable to the Bristol Township School District.
• Cash – Cash can be applied to your student’s account at one of our registers.

Meal Account Information

New for the 2024-2025 School Year! Starting the 2024-2025 school year, The Bristol Township School District will be using School Café as the management system for school meal accounts. If your student(s) had funds on their My School Account, the positive balance will be transferred to their School Café account!

launchbristoltwpsd.org

Exciting News: No-cost meals continue for the 2024-2025 School Year!

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are pleased to inform you that the Bristol Township School District will be continuing the provision known as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) in 2024-2025 school year.

This program is available to schools and districts that are participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

All enrolled students of Bristol Township School District are eligible to receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch each school day at NO CHARGE to your household. A La Carte items will still be available to purchase.

No further action is required of you. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in this meal program without paying a fee or submitting an application.

If you have a student who attends Bucks County Technical High School or another school outside of our district, please reach out to that school for information on program benefits and eligibility.

If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us at the telephone number or e-mail address below.

Sincerely,

Brandon Lang | Food Service Director | 267-599-2037 | Brandon.Lang@bristoltwpsd.org

Bullying Prevention

Bristol Township School District is committed to providing a physically safe and emotionally secure environment for all students and staff. Local school policies assist school personnel in identifying bullying, intimidation, and harassment, and provide a framework for an appropriate response that reinforces positive conduct. The district defines positive behaviors as those which evoke non-violence, cooperation, teamwork, understanding, and acceptance toward all students and staff in the learning and teaching environment. It takes a community to prevent bullying of children--stopping bullying behavior needs a team of school people, students, and families. Together we can intervene to stop bullying behaviors.

In September 2023, Bristol Township School Board of Directors approved three new elementary Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialists. These staff members focus on putting practices and approaches in place that prevent bullying and build positive relationships for the district’s youngest students.

The main role of the Anti-Bullying/School Culture Specialists is to lead the investigation of incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in each school; and to act as the primary school staff member responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the school.

They are also responsible for coordinating and strengthening the school’s policies to prevent, identify, and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students, and help establish a positive school culture.

Reporting Procedures

Anyone who is the victim of or has witnessed bullying please submit the incident form to the Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialist, Erin Krusen, (erin.krusen@bristoltwpsd.org ) and building administration. Students can also report bullying to guidance counselors, teachers, or any other adult in the building.

To access the bullying form please click on the attached form below.

Title 1 Teachers:

Karen Madden

Karen.Madden@bristoltwpsd.org

Megan Repko

Megan.Repko@bristoltwpsd.org

What is Title I?

Title I is a project funded by the federal government under the Every Child Succeeds Act. The purpose of this Act is to provide all children with fair and equitable opportunity to succeed and close achievement gaps. Money is allocated by the federal government and distributed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to the Bristol Township School. District.

Title I funding is based on a complex formula. These funds are allocated to the states who in turn allocate a portion of that money to the individual school districts within each state. The school district’s share is based on the economic need within a school area, that is, by the number of low income families living there. In our district the number of free and reduced lunch students is used to determine the economic need of a particular school.

For more information please visit; https://www.bristoltwpsd.org/administration/state_and_federal_programs_/title_i .

Counselors:

Angela Ensig

(Grades 1,3,5)

Angela.Ensig@bristoltwpsd.org

Jenna Pederson

(Grades K,2,4)

Jenna.Pedersen@bristoltwpsd.org

Social Worker:

Stephanie Tobey

Stephanie.Tobey@bristoltwpsd.org

Erin Krusen

Erin.Krusen@bristoltwpsd.org

Katie Mayer

Certified School Nurse

Katie.Mayer@bristoltwpsd.org

(215) 599-2421

Barbara Hoon

Staff Nurse

Barbara.Hoon@bristoltwpsd.org

(215) 599-2421

Sandy Lynch

Staff Nurse

Sandy.Lynch@bristoltwpsd.org

(215) 599-2421

Christina Lang

Interim Principal

Christina.lang@bristoltwpsd.org

Ken Melton

Assistant Principal

Ken.melton@bristoltwpsd.org

Jennifer Connolly

Principal's Secretary

Jennifer.Connolly@bristoltwpsd.org

Nicole Matthias

Assistant Principal's Secretary

Nicole.matthias@bristoltwpsd.org