🐻 February 4, 2026 | Issue #25 🐻
Embedded Files
Principal's Message
Principal's Message
Dear Brown School Family,
I have wonderful news! J. Graham Brown School has been named a Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America. I believe we are the first school in Kentucky to receive this honor. A small delegation from our school will be recognized and receive a Magnet School of Distinction Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at Magnet Schools of America’s National Conference April 14-17, 2026.
To receive a national merit award, school members of Magnet Schools of America must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. These schools are judged and scored on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme. To learn more about the national merit awards program, please visit www.magnet.edu. JCPS published a very nice article about the honor; you can read it HERE.
I am so grateful to have the privilege to work with each and every one of you. You radiate excellence in all you do. Congratulations for contributing to this amazing honor!
Love,
Dr. Angela
Quick Links
Quick Links
Dates to Remember
Dates to Remember
February 6 - 4th, 5th, & 7th Grade Field Trip to Stage One
February 9 - Budget Committee Meeting
February 10 - School Climate Committee Meeting
February 11 - NAEP Testing
February 12 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Locust Grove
February 12 - Budget Committee Meeting
February 13 - Black Career Expo
February 13 - Parents Night Out
February 16 - No School
February 17 - Student Led Conference Day
February 18 - 8th Grade Field Trip to Ali Center
February 19 - Spring Portraits
February 19 - Budget Committee Meeting
February 19 - PTSA Board Meeting
February 20 - Black History Wax Museum (Grades 3-5)
February 20 - Black History Parade (Grades K-2)
February 23 - Budget Committee Meeting
February 23 - SBDM Council Meeting
February 24 - Counselor Conversation
February 26 - MS/HS Orchestra Concert
February 27 - 31st Annual Black History Program
Weekly Essentials
Weekly Essentials
NEW Procedure for Attendance Notes:
NEW Procedure for Attendance Notes:
Thank you to a parent for giving us a great idea! We now have a catch all email address for attendance notes! You can now email brown.attendance@jefferson.kyschools.us. Multiple staff members can see this inbox and this can lead to notes being updated daily even when attendance staff are out!
Impact of Current Proposed Budget Reductions
Impact of Current Proposed Budget Reductions
Yesterday our PTSA hosted a Town Hall meeting to look into the impact on the current budget reductions being proposed by the JCPS Board of Education on our school. This is the slideshow from that meeting. The losses are significant across K-12 and will reshape the student experience at J. Graham Brown School if these reductions move forward.
We Need Your Feedback: Parent Survey
We Need Your Feedback: Parent Survey
Help shape the future of our school! Please take a few minutes to complete the Comprehensive School Survey (CSS).
Since 1996, this annual survey has provided vital feedback to our board, principals, and teachers. We use your input to make meaningful improvements to our school climate and district strategies.
Currently, only 12% of our parents have responded. We want to hear from everyone to ensure our plans reflect your needs!
Click here to take the Parent Survey
Thank you for helping us improve!
Spring Portraits - Thursday, February 19th
Spring Portraits - Thursday, February 19th
Coming soon: We are getting a photo company to come take Spring Pictures for individual students and for a Class Picture. Staff, Parents, and Guardians will be able to purchase those portraits as well. We will provide more details soon.
Weekly Features
Weekly Features
Athletics
Athletics
Middle and High School Athletics
Middle and High School Athletics
****NEW TEAM: We will be offering a Middle School Boys Volleyball team starting in February. Please see registration information below for Spring Sports.
Middle School Lady Bears District Champions!- Congratulations to the middle school varsity Lady Bears for willing the JCPS North District. They improved to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the district with their win over Western. They will host a 2nd round game at Brown on 2/9 at 7pm. Check out their Instagram post here: Brown MS Lady Bears District Champions
Brown Athletics Website- For up-to-date information on Brown Athletics and everything you need to know about Brown Athletics (practices, announcements, photos, game information, how to join sports at Brown, merchandise, etc.) please visit www.brownbearsathletics.com.
Athletics Sports Physicals- Physicals have been snowed out again! We have rescheduled with the the nurse practitioner for Februay 10th. If you are interested, please fill out the form below and turn it into the nurse by Monday, February 9th and we will send out the date as soon as we know.
*Students cannot try out or practice w/out an up-to-date sports physical. If you need to know the status of your current sports physical, please email an athletic director. 6th grade school physicals do not count as sports physicals.
Senior Night- Senior Night will now be Thursday, February 5th vs Collegiate. It will take place between the boys and girls hs varsity games. We will line up chaperones and athletes around 6:40pm. Seniors, you have not filled out your Senior Night form, please check your school email. If you are not participating, please let us know ASAP. Senior trifolds for the lobby can be dropped off in the AD office during the school day or you can bring them before the games.
Register NOW for Spring Sports on Final Forms- If you are planning on or interested in playing a spring sport this year, registration is now open on Final Forms. If you already have a Final Forms account, all you need to do is log in and select the sport. If you have not made one yet, please visit www.brownbearsathletics.com and select the Final Forms links and fill out all of the forms. When we add new sports for the winter or spring seasons we will notify students on email and announcements.
***Spring Sports offered include Indoor and Outdoor Track (grades 7-12 eligible), Middle AND High School Boys Volleyball, Middle School Boys and Girls Soccer, High School Baseball (grades 7-12 eligible), High School Softball (grades 7-12 eligible), and Tennis (grades 7-12 eligible)
Please go through this slideshow for information on Spring Sports- Brown Spring Sports Information
Brown School Booster Club- Join the Brown School Athletics Booster Club! They are planning fun events and ways our parents and community can help support Brown School Athletics.
Booster Club Informational Flyer
Brown Bears Athletics Instagram- Please follow brown_bears_athletics on Instagram.
Kroger Rewards- Please add Brown Athletics to your Kroger Rewards Program. It does not take away from your gas points and really helps out our athletic programs.
Elementary Athletics
Elementary Athletics
Elementary Basketball- The JCPS Elementary Basketball League is planning on playing Saturday 1/31.
Brown Bears Boys team is scheduled to play one game Saturday 2/4 at Seneca.
1:00 pm vs Greathouse in the small gym
Brown Lady Bears team is scheduled to play one game Saturday 2/4 at Seneca
10:00 am vs Carter in the large gym
Double check the official schedule as game times may change between now and Saturday:
Elementary Soccer- Tryouts: We are going to have two days of tryouts. It’s not necessary to come to both.
Main tryout day will be Sunday March 1st 1-2:30pm
If people aren’t able to make that tryout we will also have an additional tryout the following day Monday March 2nd from 5:30-630pm.
Please arrive 15 mins early in order to check in and be assigned a number and tryout team.
Please bring a ball, water and have shin guards and cleats on.
We will have tryouts at Seneca park next to the middle softball field across from Rock Creek Riding Club
Please let the parents know that due to the large amount of interest we will have to make cuts to get the teams down to 15 each.
The coaches will then assign/build 3 teams.
Gold- competitive
Blue and White- developmental.
Parents will be informed by email and practices will start the following week.
Any questions have them email me rickbach72@gmail.com
Mark Your Calendars -
February 24th - 4:30 +5:30 - Brown Auditorium
We will have the real numbers from the SBDM Approved Budget
Thank everyone who attended yesterday's presentation. Dr. Angela put her presentation at the top and ours is here. We are working on talking point. Please check our Budget Advocacy Page for these shortly.
Spring Enrichments
We will have the following enrichments:
Ballet K-2nd Grade
Yoga K-2nd Grade
Beginner Fencing - 3rd - 6th Grade
Advanced Fencing 7th - 12th Grade
Drama - 2nd - 5th Grade
Chess
Monkey Warrior
Enrichments will open on Friday at noon.
Enrichments will start the week of February 23rd - and run through the week of April 20th. There are no enrichments during spring break.
The PTSA website will have more info and all the links to purchase the enrichments.
Student Support Team
Student Support Team
Mental Health Practitioner
Mental Health Practitioner
If you are interested in mental health services for your student outside of the school setting, we are able to make referrals for you through Care Solace. If you are interested in my services with your student to start off the school year please reach out to me via the student support form and I will be happy to talk with you and find the best services for your student. I am hoping to do more groups this year, so if you have an idea that you think would benefit your child feel free to reach out!
I am also excited to announce that we have gotten approval to have a makeup day for our Mental Health Fair! The event will take place on March 13 (3/13) fro 9-2. Families are welcome to attend. We will have a good amount of groups attending this year, and I am excited for all of these resources to be available to our students!
Family Resource/Youth Services Center Coordinator
Family Resource/Youth Services Center Coordinator
Our mobile dentist team from Big Smiles dental company will be here on March 17. If you have not signed up your student yet and would like to, click here to register. This will save you from missing a day of work and yours student missing school!
Great opportunity for 4th grade boys:
Elementary Counselor
Elementary Counselor
What's up in the ES World? Check out Miss Christy's ES Counseling Corner to stay up-to-date on your child's school activities.
Also, mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Black Expo College and Career Fair which will be held next Friday, the 13th, from 9-2 in our gym. Students in grades K-12 will have the chance to engage and interact with over 25 different career fields and have the chance to win cool door prizes.
Middle School Counselor
Middle School Counselor
Hi all!
Please click the link above to see what we've been doing in middle school this week.
Also, mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Black Expo College and Career Fair which will be held next Friday, the 13th, from 9-2 in our gym. Students in grades K-12 will have the chance to engage and interact with over 25 different career fields and have the chance to win cool door prizes.
High School Counselor
High School Counselor
In advisory, High School students in grades 9-11 have started planning for next year and beyond in advisory by completing a graduation planner linked below by graduation year and following along on THIS SLIDE PRESENTATION.
Classes of 2026-2028 Graduation Planner
Classses of 2029+ Graduation Planner
Currently the Scheduling Handbook for next year is under construction, but some things to think about over the next few weeks include:
Do I want to challenge myself and earn additional credit and a GPA boost by opting for AP or Dual Credit Classes?
What credits do I have to have to graduate high school? What additional classes do I want to have?
What credits do I have to have to complete the Computer Programing Career Pathway?
What senior year experiences such as Dual Credit and Work-Based Learning or UPS School to/at Work will I want to pursue and what do I need to do in grades 9-11 to prepare?
Those interested in Dual Credit need to look over THIS INFO and watch for info in Google Classroom Class of 20##. We want all students to have an opportunity for advising and JCTC typically visits in March. You can attend another college, but you will need to contact that school directly for their process.
After we complete the Scheduling Handbook and project next year's opportunities, Robin will meet with all students first as a group, then individually, to help them on their path to success!
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Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Black Expo College and Career Fair which will be held next Friday, the 13th, from 9-2 in our gym. Students in grades K-12 will have the chance to engage and interact with over 25 different career fields and have the chance to win cool door prizes.
Music Department
Music Department
Orchestra Announcements
Orchestra Announcements
The orchestra Domino Fundraiser just began. Please click here to purchase a Slice the Price discount card. The cards allow you purchase a large pizza and get one free.
Upcoming Orchestra Performances:
Middle and High School PreKMEA Concert- Feb. 26, 2026 at 7:00 pm
High School KMEA Large Ensemble Performance- March 3 at 2:55 pm at Ballard HS
Middle School (7/8th grade only) KMEA Large Ensemble Performance - March 5 at 10:50 m at Ballard HS
Connections
Connections
SBDM Update
SBDM Update
The next SBDM meeting is scheduled for February 23rd!
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