Lucille Brown MS Parent Newsletter

Hello, families!

Welcome to another week! Our Spirit Week is finally here, and I am excited about seeing our students demonstrate their school pride by wearing their coolest outfits! Please see below for a breakdown of each day.

Parents, please be sure to check out the resources below in reference to bullying prevention, and talk to your child about what they should do if they experience or witness bullying.

Fridays continue to be Pink Out Fridays during the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness. So, please encourage your child to show their support for this worthy cause by wearing pink each Friday for the remainder of this month!

Lastly, as we bring National Hispanic Heritage Month to a close, I'd like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the amazing contributions of Latin X Americans to politics, entertainment, sports, and medicine, etc. Thank you for contributing to our global society!

Have a great week!

Dr. Stacy Gaines

Principal

Monday, October 16th

• B Day
• Spirit Week: Sports Jersey Day

• *Basketball Practice

• *Soccer : Brown vs Franklin @ Franklin
• *Cheer Practice

Tuesday, October 17th

• A Day
• Spirit Week: Twin Day
• Specialty School Visit for 8th-Graders (8:35 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.)
• No Games or Practices
  

Wednesday, October 18th

• B Day
• Spirit Week: Wacky Tacky Day
  

• No Games or Practices

Thursday, October 19th

• A Day
• Spirit Week: Pajama Day (no midriffs showing or anything revealing)
  
• *MLK vs Brown Girls Basketball @ MLK

• *MLK vs Brown Soccer @ MLK

• *Cheer Practice

Friday, October 20th

• B Day
• Spirit Week: Pink Out Friday
  
• Amended Friday Schedule
• *Basketball Practice
• *Soccer 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.

Calling all Lucille Brown students! Show off your spirit by wearing your best spirit week outfits this week! A breakdown of each day is described below. We look forward to seeing all of our students' school spirit this week!

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.

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

Specialty School Visits: This Tuesday, October 17th, from 8:35 a.m. - 10:05 a.m., representatives from RPS specialty schools will visit us to share information about their schools and the application process with our 8th graders. The following specialty schools will present to students on October 17th:

1. Franklin Military
2. Open HS
3. Richmond Community HS

Similar presentations will be made again on October 31st from the regional high schools:

1. Appomattox Regional Governor's School
2. Code RVA
3. Maggie Walker Regional Governor's School

School Spirit: Encourage your child to participate in this week's school spirit activities! Let's all have fun together. For more information, please see the schedule above.

Hearing Screenings: We will offer free, mandatory hearing screenings for all 7th-graders October 30th - November 3rd.

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.

Maggie Walker International Language Fair: The Maggie Walker International Language Fair Committee, we are thrilled to announce that the fair will be held on Saturday, February 24th, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm at Maggie L. Walker! For more information, visit the MW Language Fair Official Website.

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