Dear Brown School Family,

With the release of information regarding the Supplemental School Year Program (SSYP), there are probably some families who are interested in learning more to decide if this is the right opportunity for their child at any grade level. I wanted to share my perspective on Brown students who would potentially benefit from the SSYP program.

Is SSYP right for me?

If you think SSYP is a possible benefit for your child please read Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) SB128 document here. Particularly note the description of what SSYP means in the way of your child's schedule for next year.

Students who utilize the 2021-2022 school year as a supplemental year will be enrolled in coursework the student already has taken or in courses that are so closely related to the content and standards of previous coursework that it is supplementary in nature. The SB 128 supplemental year is not designed for students who intend to move on to the next grade during the 2021-2022 school year and enroll in coursework associated with the next grade level. Students should understand that by utilizing the SB 128 supplemental year, their graduation most likely will be delayed due to postponing progress toward necessary minimum state and local graduation requirements.

Athletes will also be affected by participation in SSYP according to the Guidance on SSYP from KHSAA.

What does that mean?

According to our understanding, the school is expected to enroll your child in all of their courses that they took in the 2020-2021 school year (or another course that is nearly identical in nature if this course is no longer offered). This is not a pick-and-choose opportunity... it's really about giving students the opportunity to retake an entire school year what they feel like they missed due to the pandemic.

Will this help improve the student's grades/GPA?

Our current understanding is that SSYP is intended to improve the student's educational experience and preparedness to move forward, not to improve the child's GPA or serve as a grade replacement for courses in which a student under-performed during NTI. We are awaiting further clarification, but this must be taken into consider if you think SSYP may be beneficial for your child.

What about College Board Advanced Placement test scores?

The SSYP is a product of the Kentucky Legislature and Kentucky Department of Education. We will need to seek further guidance from the College Board regarding future testing of students who select SSYP. However, we are certain that student scores for this current school year will remain unchanged.

Let's look at a few examples:

• Student A passed all classes, although we know that there are some gaps in the content and the student struggled learning several concepts. Much like the rest of the world of students at this grade level, this student may be behind in some areas compared to previous class cohorts at this grade level. However, this student is ready to move on keep on track to graduate. This student should NOT select SSYP.

• Student B struggled in most classes during NTI. NTI was not a good structure for this student's learning and the student ended up with Cs, Ds and Us. This student will need to repeat the classes that were failed and will progress forward beyond the classes that were passed. This student should NOT select SSYP.

• Student C struggled in most classes during NTI. NTI was not a good structure for this student's learning although the student ended up passing most classes. Despite passing most classes, both the student and the parent feel the student did not progress enough in the coursework for all classes to continue forward into the next academic level for all courses. This family should consult with their child's counselor to see if the SSYP option is a good fit for them.

What are the next steps?

If you are certain you do NOT want to participate in the Supplemental School Year Program, you do not need to take any action.

If you think the SSYP may be beneficial for your child based on the information and scenarios above, we encourage you to immediately reach out to your child's counselor by email by the end of next week. Please give counselors time to respond as they may receive several requests and we are still working with traditional student scheduling for next year. You have until May 1st to register your interest to enroll in the SSYP with JCPS here.

• Christy Teague, K-5 Counselor

• Pam Willison, 6-12 Counselor

I hope this is helpful for you in making this decision!

Warm regards,

Dr. Angela, Principal

Schedule Adjustment April 26th-30th

For the week of April 26th-30th, there will be an adjustment to our schedule. There is no school on Friday, April 30th. As a result, Wednesday, April 28th will look different for all students.

For in-person elementary students, Wednesday, April 28th will be a school day for students in blended learning group B. This is the group of students who typically report to school on Thursdays and Fridays each week. This group of students will report to school on Wednesday, April 28th and Thursday, April 29th.

For virtual elementary students, Wednesday, April 28th will follow the virtual teacher's typical Friday schedule. Virtual elementary students typically have an asynchronous day on Wednesdays, but on Wednesday, April 28th, they will have live meetings that typically occur on Fridays. Please consult with your child's teacher on any questions.

For in-person middle and high school students, Wednesday, April 28th will be a school day for students in blended learning group B. It will be a blue day. Virtual middle and high school students who typically have virtual classes on Wednesday will NOT have class on Wednesday, April 28th; instead, they will have asynchronous work to complete.

Intent for the 2021-22 School Year

To plan for the 2021-22 school year, we request that all current 8th grade families complete the intent form linked here. This will provide our staff with sufficient time to plan and prepare for our enrollment for the 2021-22 school year. Thank you for your participation.

The Bear Necessities

Please take a look at The Bear Necessities, the official newspaper of the J Graham Brown School. Featuring our wonderful students' Illustrations, Artwork, News, Editorials and more!

LG&E Assistance

There are currently over 41,000 households in Jefferson County that have past due LG&E bills totaling over $21 million.

St. Matthews Area Ministries along with The Association of Community Ministries has lunched a new online application dedicated to providing our neighbors in need with easy access to Metro Louisville's COVID relief emergency assistance for LG&E customers in Jefferson County.

Households could be eligible for up to $1,000 in aid of they have a past due mount on their LG&E bill as a result of an economic hardship related to COVID-19 and if those past due arrearages occurred between March 16, 2020 and March 31, 2021.

To determine eligibility and begin the streamlined application process, heads-of-households can visit https://www.louisvilleministries.org/ and fill out the online form available there. Within a week they'll hear back from one of the intake coordinators who can complete the application process.

If neighbors in need are not able to easily access the internet they can call Metro United Way's 2-1-1 and their operators will provide the phone number for the community ministry that serves their neighborhood.

Family Matters

• Evolve502 will be hosting a college workshop on April 24. Register your student now and be ready for college!

bit.ly/E502FAFSAHELP

• Check out the JCPS Nutrition Services Meal plan changes.

• Sign your student up now for the SummerWorks program and help them have a productive and financially positive summer. Even better, your student has an opportunity to make money while learning and working with the Jefferson County Public Schools summer program full of activities and fun.