Lucille Brown MS Parent Newsletter

Families,

If you're anything like me, you're enjoying the transition to cooler months ahead as we inch our way to holidays and much needed breaks. This month, we celebrated the phenomenal work of our nation's custodians. We're also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as supporting Breast Cancer Awareness. October, however, is also the month when we acknowledge National Bullying Awareness. As such, we will be encouraging students to participate in various activities throughout the month to recognize the importance of adopting an anti-bullying mindset, teaching students the importance of being an upstander vs. a bystander and creating opportunities to demonstrate kindness in an effort to combat bullying behavior. Please take advantage of the resources included in today's newsletter and discuss with your child what they can do to stop bullying today!

Our Spirit Week is just around the corner, October 16-20! See the flyer below for more information.

Fridays are Pink Out Fridays during the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness. Students are asked to wear pink each Friday...let's continue to show our support for this worthy cause!

Have a great week!

Dr. Stacy Gaines

Principal

Monday, October 9th

• A Day

• *Girls Basketball: Brown vs Henderson @ Henderson

• *2nd Round: Cheerleading Tryouts

• *Track Practice
  

• *Soccer: Brown vs Henderson @ Henderson

Tuesday, October 10th

• B Day

• *Girls Basketball: Dogwood vs Brown @ Brown

• *Soccer: Dogwood vs Brown @ Brown

Wednesday, October 11th

• A Day

• No Practices

Thursday, October 12th

• B Day
• Grade-level Den Meetings

• *Girls Basketball Practice

• *Soccer Practice

• *Track Practice

Friday, October 13th

• A Day
• Pink Out Friday
  
• Amended Friday Schedule

• *Girls Basketball Practice

*All practices and games from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Please meet your child at Door 19, our Bus Loop.

Parents, please use the REMIND app to receive announcements, updates, and cancellation information from our Athletic Coordinator, Mr. Rennalls.

October is recognized nationally as Anti-Bullying month. Below are several resources on bullying prevention to use with your child at home:

• Stop BullyingExternal link:open_in_new – The official anti-bullying site of the U.S. Government, StopBullying.gov offers resources for teachers and parents to help prevent and stop bullying.
  
  
• PACER’S National Bullying Prevention CenterExternal link:open_in_new – The National Bullying Prevention Center has a list of resources on prevention, facts, alternatives and different types of bullying to create a world without bullying.
  
  
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryExternal link:open_in_new – The AACAP has a broad range of resources on bullying including FAQs, facts, books, videos, training and suggestions for getting help if you are experiencing bullying.
  
  
• National Association of School PsychologistsExternal link:open_in_new – NASP has resources for families and educators on how to spot and stop bullying, frameworks for educators on how to prevent bullying in schools and LGBT resources.

• The Bully ProjectExternal link:open_in_new – The Bully Project is a film and activism site with tools for educators, parents, students, advocates and those interested in helping those with special needs.
  

• Teaching ToleranceExternal link:open_in_new – A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance has a resource list and a film kit for the film Bullied: A Student, A School and a Case That Made History.
  
  
• EdutopiaExternal link:open_in_new – Edutopia has a recently updated resource list for bullying prevention including ideas for cultivating empathy, diversity and inclusion and suicide prevention.
  
  
• Stomp Out BullyingExternal link:open_in_new – Stomp Out Bullying has created a parent resource for parents who learn that their child is being bullied complete with tip sheets, cell phone guides and help understanding bullying.
  
  
• Bully BustExternal link:open_in_new – BullyBust provides resources to help make the school climate better for everyone, including personal stories, videos, information on bullying and cyberbullying and more.

• SafeKids.comExternal link:open_in_new – SafeKids.com has a mission for safer digital citizenship, focusing their anti-bullying efforts on cyberbullying prevention and awareness, and how to increase online empathy.
  
  

Delta Academy – The Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will host two information sessions for the 2023 Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy. The academy prepares young women, ages 11-14, for full participation as leaders in the 21st Century. For more information, please email or call Shayla Holeman at (804) 690-9747.

Antonio Ramiro Romo, or as you may know him, Tony Romo, is the former starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He is also a second generation Mexican American. Tony Romo believes in the value of education and hard work.

The IB learner profile trait for the month of October is INQUIRER. Students who are inquirers are curious about the world. They can conduct research independently. They love learning and discovering new things and will carry this love of learning with them throughout life. How can parents help to develop students who are Inquirers at home?

1. Encourage areas of your child’s interest by visiting the library to borrow books that explore these topics.
2. Develop an understanding of the Internet. Work with your son or daughter when the Internet is being used and try to instill the understanding that some Internet sites are not reputable.
3. Model being an inquirer. Admit when you don’t know the answer to a problem or a question and seek out answers in front of your child

COVID-19 Communication Protocol: With COVID-19 cases on the rise, we anticipate this will impact our students as well. If your child is diagnosed with COVID-19 or has any of the symptoms, please notify our school nurse, Karen Davis, immediately.

Monthly Drills & Crisis Preparedness: We will conduct monthly safety drills, including fire and/or lockdown, during the month of October to be in compliance with local and state regulations. The following links in English and Spanish also provide information about crisis preparedness and procedures we will follow in the event of an emergency at school.

Spirit Week: Encourage your child to participate in our upcoming Spirit Week events the week of October 16th! See the flyer below for details.

New Protocols for After-School Events- New security protocols are in place, effective immediately, for all after-school academic and athletic activities. Please review the new protocols on the RPS website at rmd.me/UEanyGgeHKL

• Teacher Advisory Council (TAC) – Apply by October 24
  

Parent Access to Student Records- We are thrilled to inform you about two data platforms that will provide you with easy access to your child's academic records with just a few clicks. Follow the link to access the instructions to access your student's portal accounts. rmd.me/qdCgwZEGM5s

Student Wellness and Mental Health Support – As we prepare to kick-off the 2023-24 school year, I want to remind everyone – students, staff, and families – that your mental health continues to be a top priority. Please note the resources below and remember that we love you here and you are not alone.

• Students who need emergency mental health support should call the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority at (804) 819-4100 or the ChildSavers Immediate Response line at (804) 305-2420 (or send a text to 741741).
• Latinos in Virginia Empowerment Center provides education, advocacy, and support to Spanish-speaking individuals affected by violence. The 24/7 hotline in Spanish is (888) 969-1825.
• The Trauma Healing Response Network is a coalition of grassroots, community-based organizations and mental health partners that provide support services to families and communities impacted by gun violence. The network can also facilitate the distribution of emergency relief funds to help those in crisis. For more information, email traumahealingresponsenetwork@gmail.com.
• RPS employees in need of emergency support should contact the Cigna 24/7 Crisis Line at (833) ME-CIGNA, or (833) 632-4462. Additional counseling and support services are also available through the Cigna Employee Assistance (EAP) program by calling (800) 544-6931.

Student success for ALL is our goal here at LMBMS. I believe with our dedication to high quality instruction, rigor, relationships, and student engagement, every student will learn to his or her full potential. I ask that you please recognize that in order for your child to be successful in school, we need your support in the following ways:

• Expect your child to attend school daily, arrive on time, and be ready for the day’s learning experience. Please provide a written note for all absences. Also, call the school so we are aware of the absence.
• Ensure your child completes all homework and other assignments and reads for pleasure 15-20 minutes daily.
• Ask your child to share school experiences with you daily so that you are aware of his/her school life.
• Inform the teacher if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject.
• Honor instructional time in each class by limiting interruptions during the school day so instructional time is maximized.
• Please read your child’s course syllabi for each class.
• Review the RPS Student Code of Responsible Ethics S.C.O.R.E. It is also listed on the district webpage.

It is important for caregivers to receive real-time information from our school and division. Please use the following links to stay in the know!

• RPS 2023-24 Calendar
• RPS Direct-Sign up for the Superintendent's daily community messages.
• REMIND-Sign up to receive Dr. Gaines's weekly Sunday newsletter and RPS messages.
• RPS Website
• Lucille Brown Middle School Website