Principal's Message
Dear Brown School Family,
I am very excited about the additional supports JCPS is providing to our school through the budgeting process! We are receiving these items that will be new for the 2023-24 school year.
A second in-school security monitor - this was sorely needed. This position will provide additional assistance during drop-off and pick-up, will free up our counselors/APs in the cafeteria, will provide an additional person to help our students cross the street for Peace Park, and will provide additional supervision during recess.
A lunchroom office assistant - we are trading this staffing position to fund our second library media clerk who is already on staff. This is saving our school over $22,000 in funding that can be used elsewhere.
$57,500 in funds for our elementary school to provide equity.
We are still working through our needs assessment to develop next year's budget. You can still provide feedback to our Budget Committee, SBDM Council, or directly to me. The council will be meeting at 3:00 PM on Friday, February 24th to finalize the remaining budget items, and there are three budget committee meetings between now and then. Find out more in the SBDM Update below.
Love,
Dr. Angela
Quick Links
This Week's Essentials
Coffee & Conversations
28th Annual Black History Program
Come visit us on February 27th for our 28th annual Black History Program! To help uplift and celebrate Black excellence in our school community, students will be performing and presenting their musical, poetic, and artistic acts for the entire school to enjoy! The program will be held in the auditorium from 8:00 to 9:45 AM, and we welcome any and all guests to celebrate with us. we hope to see you there!
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.
Coffee and Conversations on Fridays before school from 7:30-8:00.
4th Street Lunch on Friday
Celebration Ads - LAST DAY TO ORDER IS TOMORROW
Hey Brown School Parents,
Do you have a student in 5th , 8th or 12th grade? Then feel free to purchase a Celebration Ad! Celebration Ads are the perfect chance to commemorate your child's achievements, milestones, and new journey into the next grade level for only $20, with a 1/8-page spread! Ads can be created on both desktop and mobile devices when you sign into Jostens.com. Don't wait though, because the opportunity to purchase these memorable and celebrational ads.
TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY TO CREATE, SUBMIT, AND PAY FOR CELEBRATION ADS!
THEIR AD WILL NOT BE PLACED IN THE 2023 YEARBOOK IF THE SUBMISSION AND ORDERING ISN'T COMPLETED BY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH AT 11:59PM!
If you have any questions please call the Jostens Ad Service Customer help line at
1-800-358-0800 IMMEDIATELY, and Jostens will help you complete the online parent ad ordering process.
Costa Rica Summer Trip
Dear Brown School Families,
If you missed the meeting about Cost Rica, last week, there is still time to learn more! :)
Dr. Kat made a recording going through the meeting materials here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GQscnDwplts3prbnCo0Ck44SVM8P77Dz/view?usp=sharing
It has a lot of information that you should know before you sign up. If you have questions and want more information, please feel free to e-mail Dr. Kat at kathleen.mattingly@jefferson.kyschools.us or visit the tour enrollment page here: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2578773ZV
Thanks,
Dr. Kat
Weekly Columns
PTSA
New Phone In the PTA Office.
502-485-8216
Ext. 2712
Direct Line
502-754-4816
If we are not in - leave a message and we will return your call.
By joining the PTSA you are joining the oldest child advocacy organization - 126 year old this month.
PTSA Meeting Today
We had to move our PTSA meeting up a day due to schedule conflicts. If you want to join us in person - we will be in the libary media room. Online join us on Google Meet. Executive Board Meets at 3:30 followed by general meeting at 4:00 pm
PTSA General Meeting
Wednesday, February 8 · 3:30 – 5:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Click Here for the Video call link
Black History Month Benefit Concert!
Join us for the first Black History Month Benefit Concert.
This concert benefits the Music department in hopes to purchase a new piano.
Conference Day Lunch
Please help us feed our teachers and staff on February 20th. Student Led Conference Day is a great way to connect with your child's teacher but also a great day to help make them feel special as we make sure they have breakfast and lunch. PTSA will provide breakfast and we ask that you help us with lunch by signing up to bring an item to help feed them.
Spring Enrichment Meet & Greet
Come meet the instructors and find out about the schedule and expectations for the upcoming Spring Enrichments.
Join us Thursday, February 16th. We will meet in the Brown Auditorium 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Concession Stand Volunteers -
7 more Chances
We only have 7 more days to join us in the concession stand. Please join us as we wrap up this season!
Homecoming Sale on Polos
Enrichments Sign Ups Ends next Friday
The last day to sign up for Enrichments is Friday, February 17th. Any enrichment that does not have 10 students will be cancelled and we will refund all money paid. If the enrichment is no longer on the page - than it has been completely filled.
Athletics
Elementary Athletics
Basketball is coming to a close, with just 2 short weeks left. The blue team starts their tournament this weekend. We will take on Cane Run at 11:30 at Brown. If we win, we will play Portland at 1:10pm here at Brown. The Golden Girls and the White team finish the regular season this Saturday. The white team plays Kennedy at 10:40 at Seneca, and the Golden Girls play Foster at 11:30 at Seneca. Then, they will play in a small tournament on 2/18.
Cheer is ready to cheer this Saturday. They are great, so come out and check them out.
Concession Stand Volunteers are needed for this basketball season. This will be for elementary, middle and high school basketball games. Without volunteers we will not be able to open the concession stand. This helps fund athletics and the PTSA, which provides opportunities for all of our students. Concession Stand Volunteer Sign-Up Link
Middle School Athletics
Advertising Banners for the gym can now be purchased. The banners are 3X5 and will be displayed in the gym for all of next school year. Please see the attachment for more information and if you know of any businesses that would like to sponsor/advertise with us, please pass it along. LINK
Track and Field- Any student in grades 6th-12th, that would like to participate in track and field this year, should plan to attend a brief interest meeting on Thursday 2/9 at 3:00 in room 319 (Jake's room). If you have any questions, email coach jelly at wagreenjr18@aol.com or Matt Davis at matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us
Tennis is one month away from starting practice. We are finalizing the practice schedule, match schedule and locations. For more information, email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Soccer will have an interest meeting on Thursday 2/16 in Mr. Bole's classroom at 2:50 PM. We are excited to have a great team this year and looking forward to all of our soccer players coming out. If you have a concern about schedule conflicts with club soccer, please email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Physicals and Paperwork must be completed before an athlete goes to their first practice. If you are unsure of the status of your athlete's paperwork or physical, please email us to and we will quickly look that up for you. We can also send paper copies home with your student. We ask that you do not put coaches in a bad position by attending a practice without your paperwork being completed.
High School Athletics
Advertising Banners for the gym can now be purchased. The banners are 3X5 and will be displayed in the gym for all of next school year. Please see the attachment for more information and if you know of any businesses that would like to sponsor/advertise with us, please pass it along. LINK
Concession Stand Volunteers are needed for this basketball season. This will be for elementary, middle, and high school basketball games. Without volunteers, we will not be able to open the concession stand. This helps fund athletics and the PTSA, which provides opportunities for all of our students. Concession Stand Volunteer Sign-Up Link
Archery had a great shoot at Eastern on Saturday and are working hard for our next shoot at Atherton on the 25th. If anyone is still interested in competing, please email coach Jennifer at jennbeanfest@aol.com.
Cheer is doing a fantastic job and working really hard in their game prep and performances. You must come out and watch one of their halftime shows.
Basketball is winding down the season and have shown a lot of growth this year. Last Thursday our girls got a win over the LKY Saints and this past Friday, our boys took a trip to Hoosier Gym (where the movie Hoosiers was filmed). We had a big crowd and all the players, coaches and fans had a great time. Homecoming and Senior Night. Our girls will take on Waggener at 5:00 and the boys will play Francis Parker at 7:00. Next Monday they will host Portland Christian, witht he boys at 5:30 and the girls at 7:00.
Track and Field- Any student in grades 6th-12th, that would like to participate in track and field this year, should plan to attend a brief interest meeting on Thursday 2/9 at 3:00 in room 319 (Jake's room). If you have any questions, email coach jelly at wagreenjr18@aol.com or Justin Leonard @ justin.leonard@jefferson.kyschools,us
Tennis is continuing to do fast-feed lessons through the winter months at Advantage Tennis and Fitness on Mondays at 5:30. For more information, email matthew.davis@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Swimming and Diving had a great week last week. Our swimmers did an awesome job at Regionals, with most of our swimmers posting personal bests and making it to the finals. For diving, a huge congratulations to Daphne Powell, who medaled and made it to State. Also, congratulations to Maisie Smith, who also medaled and is an alternate for State.
Elementary Counselor
What an exciting week at the J. Graham Brown School! Homecoming Week and National School Counselors' Week!!!
Please review the Upcoming/Current Events happening at the Elementary School level that include:
ACCESS Testing for English Learning students Jan-Feb
CCC Schedule / Small Group Counseling Schedule
Identification for Advance Program and all other Gifted/Talented categories (except General Intellectual Ability (GIA)) begins Jan-Feb
Also visit Miss Christy's Virtual Office to review more information related to the elementary world at Brown.
Middle School Counselor
I have SO enjoyed the Story Exchanges that have been happening in the middle school this week. Our middle schoolers have learned more about each other as we lean into empathy in action.
High School Counselor
TEST PREP: Neysa & Andrew are going to do an after school ACT Prep as part of our ESS after school program. These are the dates we have picked:
Feb 27th
March 6th
March 13th
Sessions will run from 3-4. They will split the kids and switch after 30 minutes.
Repeat Info:
JUNIORS-All juniors are automatically enrolled in the state mandated ACT test for this March. The test will be at Brown and students will receive more info in Jr. Seminar with Norah. Please complete the permission form and return it to Norah ASAP so that your student can send their scores for free to colleges!
BESS Mental Health Screener: Starting the week of January 23rd and going through February 3rd all 6th-12th graders at Brown will participate in a district mandated health screener. Click this link for more information and passive permission or to opt out for your child.
Mental Health Practitioner
When talking with students, a lot of the time I hear over and over again that kids feel "tired" and can't focus in class. Being a night-owl myself I understand this tendency to stay up later than we should to watch one more show, or spend just a little more time on our favorite game/app. However, with kids it is very important to get a proper amount of sleep for optimal school performance, but also mental/emotional well-being. Studies show that children who do not get an adequate amount of sleep (which for children averages from 8-12 hours a night) can make children moody, irritable, and unable to focus. It is recommended for everyone, but especially children, to turn off electronics about an hour before bed, keep a normal bed time routine, and avoid eating meals shortly before going to sleep. Following these guidelines should help most finicky sleepers to rest easier, and hopefully feel better the following morning. If you have any questions, or would like some help with setting up night-time routines please feel free to send me a message!
Connections
SBDM Update
Here's what happened at last night's SBDM Council Meeting.
Dr. Angela shared a Good News Report.
Stacy Pendleton is being recognized at the “Teaching No Greater Call” Awards Night for being someone who has significantly influenced, supported, or encouraged a student.
Caroline Gallagher, Nico Greenwell, Katy Nguyen, and Natalie Sato participated in All-County Orchestra.
Evangeline Condra, Juniper Meridith Bibelhauser, Claire Stivers, and Jillian Wolf Waggoner participated in All-County Choir.
High School Quick Recall placed 2nd in the KAAC District Governor’s Cup and qualified for Regionals.
Kris Watts was named to the 7th Region All “A” Tournament Team.
We received approval and funding from JCPS Athletics to have our gym floor and east wall bleachers replaced this summer. Our gym will not be accessible for most of the summer.
We received approval and funding from JCPS Athletics to install a new sound system and speakers in our gym. The installation should occur this semester.
The installation of the projector and screen in the auditorium is underway.
Our new graphics arrived and were installed in our fitness center, locker rooms, and over our concession stand.
Baltimore City Public Schools has heard that we have an awesome SBDM Council and they would like to come visit us! They will be attending our March 7th meeting.
IT3, Advanced Learning Project, and Dell spent ½ day in our school on January 25th visiting classrooms and touring our Ursa Innovation Lab. Andrew Paige graciously agreed to host. The visitors said:
"Blended Learning and Self-Directed Learning was evident in every classroom we went into today. Students had complete ownership of their learning."
"We saw all of the Backpack of Success Skills and the Brown School students displayed how technology is a tool to make their learning more seamless."
"Students and teachers were productive collaborators with one another and all effectively communicated how technology is used for learning."
During Public Comment, Ms. Heather read a letter from teacher Ms. Terrilyn regarding the lack of equity of teacher planning time and a desire for the bell schedule for the 2023-24 school year to solve this issue.
The council reviewed the Vital Signs Analysis:
The council received these budget reports:
Flexible Budget Summary
Activity Accounts: District-Based; School-Based
The council heard reports from these committees:
Ms. Stephanie shared a report from the Budget Committee (2/6)
Dr. Kat shared a report from the Curriculum & Instruction Committee (1/11 and 2/1)
Dr. Angela shared a report from the Professional Development Committee (1/19)
Dr. Angela shared a report from the Racial Equity Committee (1/25)
Dr. Angela shared a report from the Safety Committee (2/1)
Ms. Heather shared a report from the School Climate Committee (1/18)
The council took action on these policies:
Review of Admissions and Program Standards Policy
1st Reading of Assignment of Students to College Level Courses Policy
The council approved the FY24 ESS Budget
The council approved the FY24 Sections 4 & 5 Staffing Change Request
The council approved the FY24 MS/HS Staffing Positions from Equity Funds
Two in-school security monitors
5.41 Middle School Teachers
Full-time STC Resource Teacher (Digital Innovation Coach)
Transition Center Teacher
The council scheduled an additional meeting at 3:00 PM on Friday, February 24th for the purposes of the remaining FY24 budget approval items. HERE is the tentative agenda.
Family Matters
Be sure to like the JCPS Family Engagement Facebook page to stay up to date on events and services for families.
