Bear Essentials
J. Graham Brown School Weekly Family Newsletter
September 27 | Issue #11
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Brown School Family,
As we approach an exciting and crucial event in our school calendar, I wanted to take a moment to emphasize the importance of student-led conferences and encourage your active participation in this meaningful day.
Student-led conferences are a unique opportunity for you to gain insight into your child's educational journey. Rather than the traditional parent-teacher conferences where educators convey information about your child's progress, student-led conferences put your child at the forefront of their learning experience. Here's why your involvement is invaluable:
Empowerment: Student-led conferences empower our students to take ownership of their learning. They prepare presentations, discuss their achievements, challenges, and set goals for their future academic endeavors. This process helps them develop essential skills like communication, critical thinking, and self-reflection.
Accountability: When students lead the conference, they become accountable for their learning outcomes. They learn to evaluate their own progress honestly and identify areas where they can improve, fostering a strong sense of responsibility for their education.
Communication Skills: Your child will practice their communication skills as they explain their accomplishments and challenges to you. This experience can boost their confidence and ability to articulate their thoughts effectively.
Goal Setting: Through these conferences, students set academic and personal goals with your guidance. Your input as a parent is invaluable in helping them establish realistic and achievable goals.
Stronger Parent-Child Connection: Student-led conferences offer an opportunity for you to engage in a meaningful conversation with your child about their education. It strengthens the parent-child connection and demonstrates your interest and support for their learning journey.
We cordially invite you to join us on Monday, October 2nd for our Student-Led Conference Day. Your presence and active participation will not only encourage your child but also provide them with the assurance that you are invested in their education. Please check with your student's teacher for details on scheduling your conference.
If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming event, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to seeing you and working together to ensure your child's continued success.
Thank you for being an essential part of our educational community.
Love,
Dr. Angela
QUICK LINKS
THIS WEEK'S ESSENTIALS
The Yearbook is Back!
We’re so excited to start production on the ‘23-’24 Brown School yearbook! We would greatly appreciate your support in showcasing your children. Parents of 5th, 8th and 12th graders, if you would like to see your child’s adorable baby face in the yearbook, click the link below and follow these simple instructions:
https://www.jostens.com/yearbooks/students-and-parents/yearbook-ads
Choose your ad size and layout
Add your photo(s)
Enter your text
It’s that easy, and all for the price of $20! We are so excited to recognize these graduating and promoting students! The deadline for purchasing ads is 02/08/2024.
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.
Chaperones are needed for the Juniors Walking Field Trip to Spalding University on Thursday, October 12th. Please fill out this FORM and contact Norah if you are interested.
All Seniors take a free ACT on Wednesday, Oct. 18th.
All Juniors take the PSAT test for free 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
When you become a PTSA member, you demonstrate your support for the work of National PTA on behalf of all children. You allow your voice to be added to the voices of nearly four million other members and, together, that “collective voice” enables National PTA to more successfully advocate for the next generation.
Busy Week
We had a very busy week last week and look below for some great pictures.
Thank you to the families who dropped off food for our teaches and staff who stayed after school for the open house.
Thank you to all who attended the Brown PTSA Meeting in the Courtyard before the Open House. We were very happy with the attendance and the signature we received on our petition. The following information was shared and click on the links for the handouts.
Tuesday we celebrated our students for Kentucky Kids Day. We had balloons and bubbles welcoming students when they arrived. In addition - each student was given a bear claw necklace and reminded how special and unique each of them are and to believe in themselves. Thank you to Julie Campbell for making the necklaces for all our students and to volunteers Holly Price and Rachel Abel for handing them out to students!
Fall Festival
Art Contest!
We are doing a contest during Fall Festival for all students to vote on the winning artwork that they would like to be put on an items. The theme is the Brown School. The committee reserve the right to reject artwork based on if it is appropriate. We have elementary, middle, and high school divisions. We need all entries by October 13th at noon!
Please email a digital copy of the artwork along with student name and grade and any questions to Fall Festival Committee.
Volunteers Needed
We are in need of some volunteers for upcoming events. If you are interested - please click on the link and sign up.
Showcase of Schools - October 14th
We are looking for parents to come and talk with prospective parents about the Brown School. If your child is in middle or high - then we welcome them to volunteer with you.
Open House for Prospective Students - October 25th
We have two needs that night.
We are looking for parents to come and talk with prospective parents about the Brown School.
We are also looking to feed our teachers again since they will be staying after school. This time we are doing a soup and salad bar.
Fall Festival Information
Friday, October 20, 2023
Time is 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Activities will be taken place in the following locations:
Inside the Brown School including courtyard
On 1st Street between Muhammad Ali and Chestnut.
In Peace Park
Who can Attend: - Everyone is welcome to attend
Want to Volunteer - Click Here
Want to donate a silent auction or raffle item - contact Julie.
We to purchase Bear Bucks - Click Here
Want to donate a cake for the cake walk - Click Here
The Fall Festival will have games, performances, food vendors, and new this year - health vendors and possible craft vendors. The PTSA is working hard to get everything ready for this event. If you have any questions please email Fall Festival Committee.
Welcome our newest PTSA members for 2023-2024 school year: Brian G., Sarah B., Ted N., Archer N., Devon K., Nikki H., Kathleen M., Blair P., Nick P., Heather A., Amy T., Andrew P., Christi G., Grace S., Mary S., Christy T., and Andrew B.
Thank you for joining Brown PTSA! We now have 188 members!
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
had a great time at the Hillbilly Run on Saturday. A big congratulations to Lucy O'Brien for coming in 17th overall and winning a metal.
Volleyball-
picked up 3 big wins last week, beating Western, Cloverport and Franic Parker in straight sets. They will take on Valley at home tonight, 9/27 and Doss on 9/28, then they will return to action after fall break.
Swimming:
Anybody in grades 6-12 that is interested in swimming this year, please plan to attend a short meeting on Thursday 9/28 at 3:00 in room 322. Or email wmkolb@gmail.com
Cheer/Dance
Cheer has started up and we have a lot of participation. It should be a great year!!
Bowling
Bowling will begin practices soon. Please email coach Justin Young at jryoung2015@icloud.com if you are interested in joining!
Girls Soccer had a big 6-0 win over Holy Cross on Friday evening. They followed that win up with a very impressive 7-1 win over Male last night. They will take on North Bullitt tonight 9/27 and then will conclude their regular season on Saturday at 11:00am at PRP. They have secured the 2nd seed in the district tournament and will take on Collegiate at 5:30 on Monday at Assumption. Good luck!
Boys Soccer got a big win over Holy Cross last Friday, winning 7-3. On Tuesday night, for the first time in program history, our boys defeated Male with a score of 1-0. They will take on Seneca tonight at Walden at 6:00, followed by PRP on Saturday at 1:00pm. With a win over Male, they have secured the 3rd seed in district and will take on Collegiate on Tuesday at Collegiate.
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
Student Spectators are welcome to come to our games! We have been charging admission to students at a discounted price for the last three years. Our games have not been free since we were out for COVID. This money helps to support our student athletes. The student season passes are a great deal at $25 and is much lower than the JCPS recommended price. If students are staying after to watch a 4:30 game, they can report to Study Skills and come down to the game at 4pm. Students are not allowed to stay in the lobby, walk to a restaurant, gas station, etc. If games start at 5pm or later, students will need to go home and then return 30 minutes prior to game time when the gates open. If students would like to help in an official capacity (line judge, scoreboard, set up or cleanup) for free admission, please have them contact Matt Davis or Justin Leonard. Also, we want our students in the games to support our teams, so they are not allowed to remain in the lobby or go to any other parts of the school that are unsupervised. Thanks!
Cross-County JCPS Championships are this Wednesday at 6pm at Moore. Good luck to all our runners!
Volleyball JV and Varsity both tied for 3rd in the JCPS tournament. Varsity ended the season with the most wins in Brown MS history! Congratulations to Coach Amanda and the team!
Tennis played its fourth match of the season against Kammerer on Tuesday at George Rogers Clark Park. Lots of improvement this season! The JCPS tournament takes place after Fall Break.
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:
Anybody in grades 6-12 that is interested in swimming this year, please plan to attend a short meeting on Thursday 9/28 at 3:00 in room 322. Or email wmkolb@gmail.com
Elementary School Athletics
Cross country will be back in action Friday at the Louisville XC Classic at Tom Sawyer. Good luck runners.
Basketball and Cheer sign ups and try outs will take place soon. Be on the lookout for more information in a few weeks.
MUSICAL NOTATIONS
Music Department Fundraisers
The band and orchestra fundraiser with World's Finest Chocolate has been very successful! Thank you for your support. We are down to the last 80 boxes of chocolate and will continue selling until it is all gone! Turn your money into AMY NOON in the band room.
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, if you have any questions.
THIS IS AN ONLINE ONLY SALE!
Band Announcements
At Home Practice:
The beginning band and 7-12 grade bands should be bringing their instruments home to practice. It is important to have good practice habits early on so that when the music gets harder, students don't get discouraged. A good rule of thumb is about 20 minutes of practice per day. If you have any questions about band class, please contact amy.noon@jefferson.kyschools.us
STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM
Click HERE to request Student Support and a member of our team will reach out!
Family Resource/Youth Services Center Coordinator
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.
The Palm Room is sponsoring a coat giveaway this Saturday, September 30, from 1-3 pm. The Palm Room is located at 1821 W. Jefferson St., 40203.
Kendall Vision Ministry will be hosting a glasses clinic on October 6, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Fern Creek Baptist Church. Form more information call 502-640-2227.
The Salvation Army is now taking applications for this holiday season. To sign up for the Salvation Army Angel Tree, click here.
Mental Health Practitioner
This semester is flying by and we are already to Conference day! I just wanted to drop a reminder this week that if you would like me to be present at your parent-teacher conference that you are able to request me to be there either via email or through your teacher. Please feel free to reach out to me if you ever have any questions about resources that are available to your student, or if you have questions about my services for your student!
High School Counselor
SENIORS will be taking the ACT for free at school Oct 18th. If they typially sign out for UPS, Dual Credit, or Work-Based Learning, they need to make arrangements with those entities to arrive late or miss that day. Although unlikely, a standard time test taker could go as late as 1 p.m., extended time could go as late as 4 p.m.
JUNIORS and sophomores that signed up will take the PSAT. This is a practice exam and is not college reportable, but can give insight into areas for growth to prepare students for college reportable exams in the future.
Middle School Counselor
I am so proud of our middle school darlings and the way they have shown up for this first 6 weeks! Couple of reminders:
I am still looking for Peer Mediators. If your child is interested they should complete this form as soon as possible. We get started with training on the Tuesday we get back from fall break!
I am starting small group counseling sessions for students who have had a family member or friend that has been affected by cancer. If you would like your child to participate, complete the Student Support Request Form.
I posted in my Google Classroom information about Future Ancestors, a youth lead advocacy group. Their informational session will be held on Wednesday, October 11th from 5-7 at the Muhammad Ali Center. Email ryan.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us for more information.
On Wednesday, October 25th all 8th graders will attend the JA Inspire Career Fair at the Kentucky Expo Center. Permission slips will be going home after fall break.
Elementary School Counselor
This month we are kicking off our KINDNESS Challenge! 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
SBDM UPDATE
The SBDM Council met on Monday and approved the following funding from Equity funds:
$8000 library
$7000 software
$2000 field trip buses
$2000 supplies for PBL
$6000 technology supplies for PBL
$18,000 certified staff extra service
The council will be meeting Thursday morning at 7:30 AM to do a consultation for hiring a part-time 9th grade ELA teacher and a full-time Spanish teacher.
The next regularly scheduled SBDM Council meeting is Tuesday, October 10th at 4:00 PM in the Student Support Center.
FAMILY MATTERS
This Saturday is Family STEAM Day from 11am-3pm at the South Central Regional Louisville Free Public Library. Visit https://www.lfpl.org/events/6362 for more details.