Bear Essentials
J. Graham Brown School Weekly Family Newsletter
October 18 | Issue #13
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Brown School Family,
This Friday night from 6 to 9 PM is the most incredible night of the year - the PTSA Fall Festival! We're rolling out the red carpet for a night filled with excitement, fun, and unforgettable memories.
🌟 Here's why you can't afford to miss the PTSA Fall Festival:
🎪 Games Galore: Step right up and enjoy a plethora of carnival games and activities that will challenge your skills and reward you with fantastic prizes. Fun for all ages!
🎟 Raffles & Silent Auction: The chance to win some fabulous prizes awaits! Bid in our silent auction or take your shot at one of the incredible raffle prizes.
🍔 Food Truck Delights: Satisfy your cravings with a delectable array of food trucks offering a wide variety of delicious treats for every palate.
🎶 Musical Magic: Groove to the rhythm of live music that will have you dancing the night away. Our live student performances will keep the atmosphere electric!
🛍 Craft Fair: Shop for unique and handmade goodies at our craft fair. Find the perfect gifts for your loved ones and support local artisans.
🚇 Tunnel Tours: Ever wondered what lies beneath our school? Take a guided tour of the mysterious tunnels under the school and uncover the secrets within!
🎓 Alumni Events: Calling all former students! Join us for special alumni events to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate the legacy of our school.
🎉 Block Party Vibes: With 1st Street closed to traffic, the PTSA Fall Festival will transform into a lively block party! Enjoy the festive atmosphere with your friends and neighbors.
This is an event that brings our entire school community together for a night of pure magic. Whether you're a student, a parent, a staff member, or a valued member of our community, we invite you to share in the joy and camaraderie.
Don't miss the PTSA Fall Festival - it's a night to remember! Save the date, invite your friends and family, and come ready for endless entertainment, great food, and unforgettable moments.
We can't wait to see you there! Let's make this a Fall Festival to remember!
Love,
Dr. Angela
QUICK LINKS
THIS WEEK'S ESSENTIALS
Elective course fees
After a delay caused by a system wide glitch with My School Bucks, Elective Course Fees will post to MySchoolBucks over the next week. Please pay these fees as soon as you are able.
*If your student is approved for fee waiver, you do not pay unless you choose to.
*If you would like to apply for fee waiver, please complete the Educational Benefits Form.
*If you would like to save the 3.95% service fee, please see the comment on each fee for the dollar amount due and bring a check or cash to the main office. Write the student's name and fee(s) in the memo line of the check.
MS and HS Rooftop Dance on Friday, October 27th.
Spirit Week Starts Next Week
10/23 Movie Monday
Wear clothes from your favorite movie!
10/24 Shabby/Chic Tuesday
Wear something fancy or something shabby!
10/25 Witchy Wednesday
Wear your favorite witchy attire!
10/26 Sweater Thursday
Wear your coziest fall sweater!
10/27 PJ Day Friday
Wear your favorite PJs to school
10/30 Cowboy/Sci-fi Day
Dress as a cowboy or sci-fi character
10/31 Halloween
Wear your Halloween costume! (No masks)
JR / SR College Prep Visits
To stay in the loop of all of the upcoming Junior and Senior College Rep Visits, please visit the calendar linked HERE to view the current month's upcoming events.
All Juniors take the PSAT test for free tomorrow on Oct 19th as long as they are current with past college board expenses. If you are unsure, please visit your MySchoolBucks account and make sure all AP exams are paid for.
For more info about Historically Black Colleges and Universities, consider attending the JCPS event HBCU & You. See below for more info and to register!
Brown's date for HBCU & You is Oct 21! There is a make-up date April 20.
Location: Shawnee Satellite Office (4018 W. Market Street)
Time: 10am - 2pm
Lunch: 12/ noon
WEEKLY FEATURES
PTSA
This Friday!!!!
We have lots of stuff planned - to see the schedule and more information about the festival - check it out here.
NEED VOLUNTEERS
The honest truth is that we are good on volunteers from 6 - 7 but is the last two hours we have very few people and if we don't have the volunteers we will have to shut those booths down. Please consider donating an hour so that everyone can enjoy the festival.
ATHLETICS
High School Athletics
Kroger Community Rewards for Brown Athletics
Please consider adding J. Graham Brown Athletics to your Kroger Community Rewards on your Kroger account. It does not affect your fuel rewards or cost you anything. Here is how to enroll or switch your Community Rewards account to J. Graham Brown Athletic Department:
1. Go to Kroger.com and sign in.
2. Go to your account on the right side of the page.
3. Scroll down to "Community Rewards"
4. Search for "J Graham Brown School Athletic Department" (If you need to switch organizations, click the change organization option)
5. Enroll
*Feel free to add grandparents and anyone who wants to enroll!
Here is a video of how to do this: Adding Brown Athletics to Kroger Community Rewards
If you have any questions, please email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us or justin.leonard@jefferson.kyschools.us
Gym Ad Banners
Advertising Banners for the gym can now be purchased. The banners are 3X5 and will be displayed in the gym for all of the next school year. Please see the attachment LINK for more information, and if you know of any businesses that would like to sponsor/advertise with us, please pass it along. We can have designers create the banner for you, or we can use your current design.
For prices and more information, please email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us
Brown School Merchandise
Purchase Brown School merch and swag: Brown School Merchandise Store
Student Season Passes on Sale Now
Student season passes are on sale now- good at events Brown hosts (may exclude some baseball and softball depending on venue): Student Season Passes
Required Paperwork
Cross Country is ready for regionals on Saturday! We feel both teams are going to do very well and have a great chance of making State. Lets run fast Bears!
Volleyball season ended with a tough loss to a very good Male team on Monday night. We are so proud of all of our volleyball players for their hard work this year. Every player has improved and we finished with the best record that we have had in 4 year. Great things ahead!
Archery will have interest meetings on 10/23 and 10/30 after school in room 322.
Wrestling- We are considering starting a wrestling team at Brown. Any high school student that is interested in wrestling, should attend a short interest meeting on Tuesday 8/24 in room 322 at 3:00. If you cannot attend this meeting, please see Justin before then.
Swimming tryouts will start this week at the YMCA on Wednesday and Thursday. Email wmkolb@gmail.com for info.
Bowling will begin practices soon. Please email coach Justin Young at jryoung2015@icloud.com if you are interested in joining!
Girls Basketball (HS) are finishing up tryouts and are really excited about the season ahead!
Boys Basketball (HS) are finishing up tryouts and are really excited about the season ahead!
Middle School Athletics
Brown School Merchandise
Purchase Brown School merch and swag: Brown School Merchandise Store
Student Season Passes on Sale Now
Student season passes are on sale now- good at events Brown hosts (may exclude some baseball and softball depending on venue: Student Season Passes
Basketball
Tuesday, October 17th (3:00- 4:15 PM)
Wednesday, October 18th (3:00-4:15 PM)
Location- Brown Gymnasium
Please have all required forms completed before tryouts. Players will not be able to try out unless paperwork has been completed.
JCPS Required Athletic Paperwork
If you have already completed the sports physcial/paperwork for this year, you do not need to fill them out again.
*Just a reminder to 6th grade parents- the 6th grade physical is different from the athetics physcial.
If you are unsure about the status of your physical/paperwork, feel free to email me (matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us) or Justin Leonard (justin.leonard@jefferson.kyschools.us).
Archery will have interest meetings on 10/23 and 10/30 after school in room 322.
Bowling- Any students in grades 7th-12th that is interested in bowling, should email jryoung2015@icloud.com
Cheerleading is currently looking of a coach for this season. We need to hire a coach as soon as possible so we can start the process. We need a coach in place by the second week of October in order to have a team. If you know of anyone interested, please email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Swimming: tryouts will start this week at the YMCA on Wednesday and Thursday. Email wmkolb@gmail.com for info.
Elementary School Athletics
Cross Country has had some awesome meets and will have one more on 10/22 for the St. X Halloween Hustle.
Basketball and Cheer coaches are currently meeting for tryout dates. These teams will be for students in 2nd through 5th.
MUSICAL NOTATIONS
Music Department and Fundraiser Updates
FALL FESTIVAL PERFORMERS
Fall Festival October 20, 2023 [THIS FRIDAY]
High School Jazz Combo
7:15 pm in the lobby
4th Grade Recorder Ensemble [all 4th graders are invited to perform]
6:45 pm in the lobby
World's Finest Chocolate Fundraiser
Please continue turning in your money as we end our chocolate selling. If you are a parent or guardian who would like to sell the remainder (50 boxes) of our chocolate at your office or place of business reach out to amy.noon@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Poppin' Popcorn sale going on now!
BAND AND ORCHESTRA Poppin' Popcorn online fundraiser is beginning this week! Students have registered online for their own store to keep track of their sales. We must be aggressive with our popcorn sales in order to meet our fundraising goal for the spring trip. Reach out to your child's respective teacher Amy Noon, Band amy.noon@jefferson.kyschools.us or Tamika Carr, Orchestra tamika.carr@jefferson.kyschools.us
Butter Braid sale is going on now!
October 10-October 24. Students have registered for an online store and can be found at this link: https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/5cecf7f2-25d1-4c25-bea1-56cf2a2beab2
Click on the seller's name to enter their online store. Pay online and pick up on November 9, 2023, after school in the band room. All students have also been given a paper order form with an envelope. All orders are due October 24, 2023. (money due at time of order)
STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM
Click HERE to request Student Support and a member of our team will reach out!
Family Resource/Youth Services Center Coordinator
Hope to see everyone at the fall festival on Friday! Comet will be in the kissing booth - stop by for a wet, sloppy kiss!
The Louisville Free Public Library has many resources for our students. They offer clubs and activities for all ages and they offer tutoring - free to families! Click here for more information.
St. Augustine Church Hall are taking applications for Thanksgiving Baskets from now through October 26, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am - 2 pm. You will need to provide proof of address. For more information, call 502-584-4602.
Mental Health Practitioner
Do you need help finding mental health services for your student? JCPS has teamed up with Care Solace to provide referrals for JCPS students to find mental health service providers. This program allows us to make specific requests for services for students based on preference as well as need (provider fees may vary). Many mental health service providers are also able to meet during the school day, although they must have a contract with JCPS to do so (please ask your provider if this interests you). So if you are interested in any services please feel free to reach out and we will be happy to put in a referral for you!
In addition, if you are interested in my services for one-on-one meetings with your student please fill out a student support form and I will be sure to reach out to you within 3 school days!
High School Counselor
SENIORS: All seniors have been taught multiple times during Junior Seminar how to request transcripts via parchment and how to request letters of recommendation from Robin in Google Classroom Class of 2024. Requests are processed in order received to keep the process fair and equitable. Please encourage students to self-advocate and manage their own requests. Parchment orders are processed on Mondays and Fridays. Letters of Rec require 10 working days notice.
JUNIORS: Juniors are all taking the PSAT on Thurs, Oct 19. Please get a good night's sleep and eat a good breakfast that day so you can focus on doing your best. Remember, this is a PRACTICE test and is not reported to colleges, etc. unless you share it. We want you to do your best, but also, you are so much more than a test score 💙💛
💰EVERYONE: After a delay due to a system wide glitch, Elective Course Fees will post to MySchoolBucks over the next week.
*If your student is approved for Free/Reduced Lunch, you do not pay unless you choose to.
*If you would like to apply for fee waiver, please complete the Educational Benefits Form.
*If you would like to save the 3.95% service fee, please see the comment on each fee for the dollar amount due and bring a check or cash to the main office. Write the student's name and fee(s) in the memo line of the check.
Middle School Counselor
I have to give a HUGE shout out to the middle schoolers who have been participating in the Peer Mediation Training through Peace Ed this week and last week. They have done a fantastic job and it has been a lot of work. Thank you for letting your child have this wonderful opportunity. I can't wait to see what a positive change this creates in our school!! Also, if anyone has a connect in the t-shirt making world, please drop me a line. I would love to have cool shirts for our mediators made.
Also wanted to point out that I've put the schedule for High School Open Houses on my Middle School Darlings google classroom. Of course I want ALL of my darlings to stay for high school, but the information is there if you need it:)
I had to reschedule the NNAT3 Gifted and Talented Test due to health reasons. While I was out some changes were made to who is now elegible to take the test. New permission slips and further information will be sent out early next week.
Hope to see you all at the FALL FESTIVAL this Friday at 6. Take care.
Elementary School Counselor
Come one come all to our Annual Fall Festival happening this Fri, Oct 20 from 6-9 pm! Lots of fun to be had! Hope you can join us!
We are in the middle of our Kindness Challenge. Miss Christy's favorite quote is "In a world where you can be anything, be kind." Check out my Core Counseling Curriculum (CCC) lesson schedule to see when I'll be in your child's classroom.
Also check out my virtual office filled with tons of information and resources helpful to parents/guardians/families of elementary students (K-5), including
There are several ways to contact me:
Email me at christy.teague@jefferson.kyschools.us
Call me at 502-233-2741.
Thank you for working as a team to ensure that your child has the best experience possible as a Brown Bear/Cub!
CONNECTIONS
FAMILY MATTERS
The JCPS Diversity, Equity, & Poverty Department will host a college fair on Nov. 4 at noon at the JEB Enrichment Center (2041 River Road, Louisville, KY)
Register online at https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdn7FIJ6nO1X4.../viewform