Brown MS Weekly Update

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Dear Brown MS Community,

It has been another great week here at Brown MS. Our new students are beginning to "get" the schedule now that we have completed a full 6 day cycle. Thank you to all of the faculty at Brown for helping our students find their way! It has been wonderful to hear "the hum" of students engaging in their classes. In our advisories, students are getting to know each other better and determining how they will function as a group (see two of our advisories pictured above). I am proud to say this is the ninth year of our advisory program which meets for 15 minutes four mornings each week. During that time students and teachers build community - sometimes through games or birthday celebrations, sometimes through activities and discussions on special topics (like Hispanic Heritage Month this month) and sometimes focused on taking care of each other by being kind, grateful and socially aware. It is a pleasant way to begin each day!

On a completely different note, I have a request, and I am appealing to all families on this. Each year families register their children to ride our buses. The number of routes and buses are determined by our transportation department based on the number of passes issued. This week we had a number of instances where students that do not have bus passes tried to take on of our buses. This caused overcrowding which is a safety issue. In some of these cases, students were taking the bus to go to Newton Center or to get to a friends house. As much as we would like to be able to transport all students to their desired locations, it is not feasible to do so unless they have a pass for that particular bus. There is simply not enough room. Therefore, I ask that if your child has plans to go to the center of town or to visit a friends house, that you help them make arrangements to get there. If you would like to register for a bus pass, there is a link in the newsletter below. I appreciate your support in helping us to keep students safe on the bus.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend in whatever activities you do. I am heading to Maine to briefly visit the ocean one last time for the season. Enjoy the great weather that is predicted!

Best,

Kim Lysaght, Principal

Yesterday kicked off our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Our morning announcements now include students sharing about Hispanic culture and influential Hispanic Americans as we honor the contributions made by American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The celebration runs from September 15th to October 15th. To find events celebrating this month in the Greater Boston Area click here.

• Brown PTO Family Picnic: Monday, Sept. 19 5:30 - 7:30 at Brown (Rain date Sept. 20)
  
• Back to School Night: Wednesday evening, Sept. 28 - details to follow - in person!
• Early Release Day: Thursday, Sept. 29 - students dismissed at 11:20
• School Picture Day: Friday, Sept. 30

Please join us this Monday, Sept. 19 from 5:30 -7:30 at Brown for our annual back to school picnic. The PTO will be providing pizza for everyone. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy some time meeting others from our community. If it rains, we will reschedule the event for the following day, Tuesday, Sept. 20.

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.

After school Enrichment:

Some of our enrichment activities are set to begin the week of the 19th.

• Enrichment Information Link

• Direct link to view the schedule.

• There are late buses available if your child takes a bus in the morning. Seethe NPS transportation website for information

All Enrichment activities require a $60 one time fee to be paid which covers all enrichment activities for the entire school year.

• Fees can be paid through Myschoolbucks. Here is the myschoolbucks link

• Other fee information can be found using This Link

Athletics

7th and 8th grade varsity sports have begun. Rosters are being determined and games/meets will begin the week of Sep 26, 2022

• Here is the link to the Game Schedule/Calendar

6th grade varsity cross country opportunity only:

• Registration closes this Sunday, September 18 @ 7:00pm

• Registration Information

Discover the historic treasures of Nubian Square through the eyes of Boston's young scholars. Join students from METCO's suburban high schools on a walking tour highlighting stories of Black artistry, activism, and achievement you might not have learned before. The free tour culminates at METCO's brand new headquarters with an in-depth exhibit on the history of educational activism in Boston.

Where: Meet at 11 Roxbury Street, Roxbury

When: Saturday, September 24, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm

Register here: for the 10am tour or the 1pm tour.

We are excited to announce that Girls on the Run will be returning to Brown Middle School this fall. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. The season will begin Monday, 9/19 - and commence with a celebratory 5K, Sunday, November 20th.

The team will meet at Brown on Mondays and Thursdays 3-4:30. You can register and select our location (Brown Middle School) directly HERE on a lottery basis. If needed we will run the lottery on 9/14, at which time you will be notified by email of your registration status and any program fees ($225) will be due at that time.

If you have any questions, please email Rachel Heep (heepr@newton.k12.ma.us).

This month, your child will participate in the fall administration of the i-Ready Diagnostic reading assessment. This is a formative assessment of reading skills that we began in 2019 district wide to learn more about our students’ literacy skills in order to inform our instruction. Given the many obstacles to teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to have a clear sense of students’ strengths and challenges as readers as we start the school year. Please reach out to your child's ELA teacher if you have questions.

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.

This is a reminder to please be cautious at pick up and drop off times. Cars should not drive up the driveway between 7:30 and 8:30 and also between 2:30 and 3:30. Only buses are permitted in the driveway during those times.

The cafeterias are returning to pre-pandemic normal this year as students relearn or learn the standard processes. Thank you to the Newton students who are being patient in line, patient with Whitsons team - many who are learning to use the registers this year - and patient with each other as each student keys in their student number.

What is free - and what is not

Please note that first "reimbursable" meals are free for all students. However, second meals and a la carte items are fee-based and must be paid for with cash or with MySchool Bucks.

What does a "reimbursable" lunch mean?

As part of the National School Lunch Program, a lunch must have a minimum of three of five of the required meal components - a meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit, vegetable, or fluid milk, with a fruit or vegetable as a necessary component. We strongly encourage students to take all five of the meal components; however, they must have three - one being a fruit or vegetable - to be considered reimbursable and therefore free under USDA meal requirements. Your student may be asked to grab a missing component if their lunch does not have three required components so that their meal can count as free.

Is milk free this year?

Milk is free if part of a reimbursable lunch. However, if a student brings their lunch from home but would like milk, there is a charge for the milk. As of today, 9/13, we have reduced the price of a single milk to just $.40. If a student wants to purchase milk, they need to have money in their MySchoolBucks lunch account or have cash on-hand.

A la carte items

With the return of the registers this year - necessary for Newton to claim both the federal and state reimbursements that fund the program - we are also able to offer students different food options to purchase. An individual milk, just an entree (i.e. a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger ), baked chips, juice, water bottles, granola bars, cheese sticks, yogurt, and other healthy options are all examples of a la carte items that require either cash or funds deposited into your students MySchoolBucks account that can be drawn from at the register for a cashless transaction.

It is causing some confusion for students given that not all food is free this year. This is definitely an issue at the middle schools as this is a new option for them. Please talk to your children about these paid options and decide whether you do or do not want them to purchase a la carte items.

Paid Meal Pricing for Second Meals

The student charge for second meals is $5.50 for middle school students. If a student purchases just an entree, the cost is $3.50.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) FAQ

Please review the National School Lunch Program FAQ found on the Free and Reduced Price Documents tab on the NPS Food Services website for more information about free and reduced-price eligibility.

Questions or Support

If you have questions or require support, please contact Amy Mistrot, Director of Business Operations at 617-559-9038 or mistrota@newton.k12.ma.

All students are issued a Chromebook from NPS. However, families must complete the Chromebook Loan Agreement prior to students receiving the Chromebook. Printable and translated copies are also available. Please be sure you have completed this form. You may also consider 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.

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.

Registration is OPEN now for the Fall series 2022!

Healthy Kids Running Series in Partnership with Musselman’s is offering a 50% rebate on runner registration excluding taxes and processing fees.

Race Dates: September 18, October 2, 16, 23 and 30.

Race Time: 4:00PM.

To register and for rebate details click here: Newton, MA | Healthy Kids Running Series

The joint PTOs from all four middle schools are sponsoring a talk by Catherine Pearlman, author of First Phone. Click here for more information about this book that is written for tweens and teens about how to be safe and appropriate with their first phones.

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.

Details and zoom links 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