J. Graham Brown School
Bear Essentials
March 23, 2022, Issue #30
Principal's Message
Dear Brown School family,
Several parents have reached out to me this week asking about the new JCPS School Choice Proposal and its impact on our school. Principals met with JCPS leadership earlier this week to receive information about it. One of the recommendations was that the district's new Magnet Strategic Plan would align with Magnet Schools of America (MSA) national standards. (See Magnet Strategy items from the JCPS presentation.) In particular, Standard 1 is focused on Student Recruitment and Selection, "All district and school based efforts for student selection including marketing, recruitment, entrance and assignment, and transportation policies, are designed to ensure equal access for all students and reduce minority group isolation." It is unclear right now how this standard would impact our criteria-driven selection process for new middle and high school students, or our lack of school bus transportation. Principals were provided a Google Form on which we could provide feedback; I requested more information about how magnet schools would align practices to these standards. I have also been in communication with personnel from the JCPS Options and Magnets Office but have not heard anything specific. When I receive more information I will share.
I wanted to show off these gorgeous zip pullovers (see photo) that you can purchase from the PTSA Merchandise Site. (To order, scroll down and look in the PTSA section.) They are lightweight and really wash up great! They come in women's and men's fits. I am crazy about mine and want to order it in the other two colors (black and gray).
We had over 30 people receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at our clinic on Monday! Thank you to our Family Resource/Youth Services Center Coordinator Elona Mack and School Nurse Jordan Hussein for all your hard work!
Love,
Dr. Angela
Quick Links
This Week's Essentials
Introducing our New
Mental Health Practitioner!
Mental Health Practitioner!
Hello Brown students, families, and staff! My name is David Rutledge, and I will be joining the Brown School after spring break. I will be taking on the role of the Mental Health Practitioner (MHP), which is a role made to help students and staff with any mental health issues that may arise. This can include anxiety, depression, peer conflict, and many other issues. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and I have been working with children in the Louisville area both in private practice and through JCPS for over 9 years. I was born and raised here in Louisville, and I've lived and worked all over the city in many different communities. I have a dog named Luna and a cat named Perry who love to play with each other! I look forward to getting to know you all throughout the rest of this school year and into the future!
Junior Ring and Awards Ceremony
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - Junior Class Ring Ceremony has been scheduled for Friday, May 20th. Please make sure your class ring order is submitted before Spring Break to get it on time!!
5th Grade Families!
Backpack Defenses
ONLY 12 more school days left until 5th grade backpack defense presentations and we want everyone to feel confident and ready!
TIPS:
Slide #10: Long Range Plan - Help your student think about what plans they have personally, or academically over the next six months to five years. This is a great place to tell us about your goals in baseball or that family trip you have planned.
Please ask your student to practice their presentation with you on their Chromebook. Presenting out loud is one of the best ways to prepare. **Even if they don't think they are done.
All Backpack Defense presentations for 5th grade will take place on April 18, 19, and 20. If you have questions please reach out to our 5th grade Backpack Lead, Amy Thornton.
Call, Text, or Email: 502-398-3450
Louisville Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Scholarship
As a "sisterhood of college-educated women committed to public service," we strive to increase access to higher education through our scholarship fund. The Louisville Alumnae Chapter awards tens of thousands of dollars each year to graduating high school seniors and collegiate students. Each scholarship award is a minimum of $1000 to students selected based on criteria. Please see the scholarship application for details.
Community Needs Assessment
Community Needs Assessment - sponsored by the Office of Resilience & Community Services. Please complete this survey to have a voice how funds are allocated for low to moderate income families.
Lost & Found Items
IF your student has lost a personal electronic device(s) please call the school office to describe 502-485-8216.
Please ask your student to check for any lost or missing items at the Lost & Found table in the Lobby.
Any/All found electronic devices are turned into the office. If it is a school issued device we will return those to the students as soon as possible.
Any/All personal electronic devices are kept in the school's main office for the student to identify and claim.
Cultural Connections
National Geographic Kids has some excellent resources to share with your student about Women's History Month. Click HERE to check it out!
Summer Job for High School Students - Teaching Assistant!
The DePaul School has teaching positions for high school students during our Summer Program and internships during the school year with our After School Tutoring Services (beginning the 2022-2023 school year). Please find the hiring flyer, including QR Codes to our Online Applications for available Teaching positions at The de Paul School, HERE. For our Summer Program, compensation is $500 per week. Mandatory teacher training is the week of June 6-June 10.
Qualifications
Must be at least 16 years of age
Should be Interested in Education, Special Education, Counseling and/or Administration Careers
Must have a Valid State ID, Student ID, or Driver’s License
Must have Successful Completion of a Criminal Background Check
Must have exemplary Communication Skills
Must demonstrate a history of responsibility, dependability, and maturity.
Must be willing to commit to contracted dates during session one and/or session two:
Session One Mathematics June 13 - July 1, 2022
Session Two Language Arts July 11 - July 29, 2022
**Must be willing to attend the below mandatory New Teacher Institute training session:
June 6-June 10
Parent-Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
March 24th Digital Safety and Citizenship Workshops
Sign up here - https://bit.ly/BrownPTSA-DS
Digital Safety Workshop for K-4th Graders: We will be focusing on setting up parental controls on tablets and apps. Safety from predators and scammers and digital citizenship. We will explore YouTube Kids and Google Family to be Internet Awesome.
March 24th— 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sign up here - https://bit.ly/BrownPTSA-DS
Digital Safety & Citizenship for 5th - 12th Graders: This workshop will focus on digital citizenship for students and social media. We encourage parents and students to attend together. We will discuss bullying, safety from predators and scammers, and the many apps available.
March 24th—5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Sign up here - https://bit.ly/BrownPTSA-DS
J. Graham Brown School Spirit Night at Louisville Slugger Field!
Join other Brown School families on Friday, April 22, at Slugger Field and cheer on the Louisville Bats as they face the Iowa Cubs! First pitch is at 7:05.
Ticket are $10 each and a portion of each ticket purchase will benefit the J. Graham Brown School PTSA. Tickets may be purchased at fevo.me/thebrownschool.
Officers and Committee Chairs Needed
We have the following openings for Officers and Committee Chairs for the PTSA.
Vice President, Ways and Means (1) - Fundraising
Vice President, Ways and Means (2) - Fundraising
Secretary
Merchandise Chair
Concessions Chair
Enrichments Chair, Spring 2022
If interested, please email Shawna Stenton or Membership VP here. New Officers and Committee Chairs will be either be appointed or elected in a special election.
NEW: Peace Park Amazon Wish List
Spring is on the way and our students are spending more time outside enjoying the Peace Park. Consider donating items through our Amazon Wish List to make their outdoor time more enjoyable. These items can be shipped directly to school (address to Doug Leonard / Peace Park, J. Graham Brown School, 546 S. 1st St., Louisville, KY 40202). Here's the link to order: http://a.co/7UFnVBj.
Join the 2021-2022 PTSA!
Parents/Guardians, Staff, middle/high school students, and even grandparents are eligible to join the PTSA and enter the drawing. Membership is only $5.00 and benefits our school in so many ways.
Click here to join.
Visit Our New Merchandise Site!
All new merchandise will be fulfilled by our third-party partners and will ship directly to you.
CLICK HERE to visit our new site.
PTSA Meetings for 2022, 6:00 PM
Our meetings are held via Zoom:
April 19, 2022 (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84578736477?pwd=WHZjaTB1Rzh2dXBHKzVDV3o0amp3Zz09)
May 10, 2022
Support PTSA fundraising efforts, read about members, etc. - CLICK HERE
Robin Cash, Middle/High School Counselor / robin.cash@jefferson.kyschools.us
Need Student Support?
To connect with a member of the student support team complete THIS SUPPORT REQUEST FORM and we will assign a student support staff member to meet with the student as soon as possible.
Counselors
STAR STUDENTS for March 11, 2022!!!!
ELEMENTARY (K-5)
Need to talk to the Elementary School Counselor? Click HERE to see how.
Visit Miss Christy's office for tons of information and resources
Click HERE to review our Student Support Team's (SST) Mid-Year Report
MIDDLE/HIGH (6-12)
The Scheduling Handbook is now available for students and their supportive adults to view prior to meeting with Robin to schedule courses for the 2022-23 school year.
Repeat info:
Robin met with the Class of 2023 on March 15th and will continue meeting with students through mid-April to sign up for classes next year.
Robin will be visiting classes into early April to discuss scheduling courses for next year. Many opportunities are available such as new electives, UPS, Dual Credit, Career Pathways, and Work-Based Learning. Start thinking about which classes and/or programs will best enhance your educational experience!
TESTING:
Students who are working towards Career Readiness will be testing beginning Monday, March 28th. Information is distributed through Game Design, AP Comp Sci, and Project Based Programming classes.
Schedules for Kentucky State Assessments and AP exams will be available after Spring Break. Note that AP US History testing scheduled nationally May 6th will occur locally on the make-up date May 18th due to school not being in session May 6th.
Athletics
Spring Sports:
Baseball:
Baseball had their first game against the LKY Saints on Monday night. They played a great game, but came up a little short. They will be in the All "A" Tournament on Saturday at KCD. Go Bears!!
Softball:
Softball will kick off their season on Thursday night at Southern at 5:30. These ladies have worked really hard, so we are ready to show it on the field Thursday. Go Lady Bears!
Tennis:
The tennis team is had their first match of the season against St. Francis on Monday night. Everyone played great and the boys teams and girls teams both won overall. They will be back in action next Tuesday against Walden at Stansbury Park.
Middle School Soccer:
Middle school soccer started practice this week. Coach Josh see's a lot of potential in both the boys and girls teams, and can't wait for games to begin after Spring Break!
*All student-athletes must complete weekly Covid testing and have all eligibility paperwork turned in before they can participate. Those forms can be found on the athletic page of mybrownschool.org, under eligibility documents, or in our main office.
Track:
Peyton Goodman participated in the St. X meet last week, placing 1st in discus and 7th in shot. The next meet will be next Tuesday at St. X. Go Bears Track!!
High School Spring Coaches:
Baseball (7th-12th)- Jake Amettis - jacob.amettis@jefferson.kyschools.us
Softball (7th-12th)- Amanda Gravens - amandaggravens@yahoo.com
Track- Jelly Green- william.green@jefferson.kyschools.us
Tennis (7th-12th)- Matt Davis- matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us
Athletic Director- Justin Leonard- Justin.leonard@jefferson.kyschools.us
Middle School Spring Sports:
Boys Soccer- TBA
Girls Soccer- Josh Luttrell- rja172307@gmail.com
Track- Jelly Green- william.green@jefferson.kyschools.us
Athletic Director- Matt Davis- matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us
Family Matters
Please consider supporting JCPS students this spring as you search for community projects with the Mayor's Give a Day Celebration of Service. This year Give a Day lasts the entire month of April.
We're looking for individuals, community groups, businesses, and houses of worship to donate NEW pairs of children's pants in sizes 8 through 14. Items can be delivered to CAP during April and May, and all items will go directly to Jefferson County Public Schools students in the coming year. So far the 2021-22 school year has seen the highest level of need in CAP's 51-year history. CAP has already served more than 4,500 students with new and gently used clothing since July and more than 2,600 students with new shoes.
The lack of quality pants for boys and girls in sizes 8 through 14 remains a chronic challenge. Donations this spring will position us to offer quality and quantity items to students that schools are asking us to help.
There are many worthy community partners and projects on the Mayor's Give a Day Celebration of Service website. We hope you browse them all and support several of them. Here is ours: https://volunteer.metrounitedway.org/need/detail/...
Attention graduating seniors or Grade 14 students who have an IEP: $2,500 scholarship opportunity for 2 yr or 4 yr college, training program, or other educational opportunity! Two JCPS students will be selected for this award. Nomination deadline is April 11. https://content.govdelivery.com/.../POWERED%20BY...
Family Resource Youth Service Center
Hello! I am Elona Mack, and I am Brown/Central FRYSC Coordinator. Need help? Your FRYSC is here to provide assistance. Click HERE for community resources.
Please contact me with questions or concerns.
Email: Elona.mack@jefferson.kyschools.us
Phone: 502-631-9146
The Book Fair is Here!
March 14 to March 25
The Brown School Library need LOTS of volunteers (From setup, to running it during the day, to tearing it down). Please CLICK HERE to help.
To keep crowds to a minimum, they will run things the same as in the fall, but give everyone plenty of opportunities to come visit the Book Fair.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our librarian amanda.klakamp@jefferson.kyschools.us
JCPS FRYSC's 17th Annual Summer Camp Kick-off 2022
Numerous summer camp providers will be on hand to distribute information regarding programming and activities available for your child or family during the summer break.
17th Annual Summer Camp Kick-off 2022
When: Saturday, March 26
Where: Broadway Baptist Church
4000 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY 40207
Time: 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.
This FREE Event is sponsored by JCPS Family Resource and Youth Service Centers
FREE camp scholarships will be given away as door prizes!
Families must attend the kick-off but do not need to be present at the prize drawing to win!
JCPS Family Resource and Youth Service Centers are presenting these Summer Camp Opportunities. For additional Information please reach out to our FRYSC's coordinator, Elona.mack@jefferson.kyschools.us.