Brookside Blast 1/6/23
“Each new year, we have before us a brand new book containing 365 blank pages. Let us fill them with all the forgotten things from last year — the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show, and the charity we forgot to offer.” --Peggy Toney Horton
One word that I'm working on in my own practice in 2023 is "intention." As I took time this week to walk through classrooms, visit the lunchroom, meet with teachers and connect with students, I was keenly aware of the intentionality that is present in planning, instruction, interactions, even in the design, set-up and structure of each learning space. There is so much beauty happening inside the walls (and outside, for that matter) of our school. This week, students persisted with a difficult math problem involving 3/4 pieces of candy bars in Ms. Anderson's class, met as buddies to read and reconnect in Ms. Champlin and Ms. Greenberg's class, got pretty muddy on an icy playground and then got creative on the blacktop on Friday's recess...and so much more! Students have opportunities to use their voice and make choice about their learning on a daily basis.
This year, HUUSD administration is using a revised supervision and evaluation process. Instead of 1-2 formal, planned lessons observed by an administrator, teachers who are on a "comprehensive" year in their evaluation cycle are evaluated through a series of 10 "walkthroughs" - informal visits to the classroom on a more frequent basis followed by coaching conversations and written follow-up by their administrator. This shift in practice has been transformative in how we interact and engage on an ongoing basis, even before we've hit the halfway point in the year! Bravo to our entire staff for engaging in each day with students with intention and joy!
SEL and Allyship
Part of our overarching HUUSD focus this year is on relationships - student, family, staff and community. Positive and supportive relationships and a sense of belonging is critical to students' social and emotional safety and security. While we work to celebrate differences in our school community and beyond, sometimes what is needed more than celebration is allyship. An ally is someone who is not a member of an underrepresented group, who is active and purposeful in supporting, promoting, and advancing real change to a marginalized group through a focus on inclusion, equity, and diversity. As third and fourth graders learn more about their own identities and become interested in topics of social justice, Ms. Schoolcraft and Ms. Mosher have decided to offer a safe space for 3rd and 4th grade students to get information, share concerns, and work to support all students in having a sense of belonging at school. The group will begin in January, and will meet once a week during 3/4 recess. Please complete this form if you/your child are interested.
END of Day DISMISSAL
PLEASE ensure your child's dismissal plans are updated in Pick Up Patrol. For safety reasons, we really cannot make changes to end of day plans after 1:15pm. We have made exceptions in the past, and these exceptions almost always result in confusion or errors at dismissal time. Please don't put our office staff in the difficult position by requesting changes after the 1:15 cutoff time. We have the safety of our students as our utmost concern.
PE News
-With the absence of snow, we have been working on striking with an implement (Hockey) skills this past week and will continue next week. Think snow so that we can do a little more snowboarding in PE.
-I am also happy to let you know that Rosemary Leach will be working with your students this next semester in PE and Health. Below is a letter from Rose introducing herself.
Hello Brookside Families! My name is Rosemary Leach and the kids call me Miss Rose. I am so excited for the opportunity to be part of your learning community through June! As a current student in the Teacher Apprenticeship Program at Champlain College, I am gaining knowledge through the expertise of Carol Baitz and Nancy Robinson to add to my 30 years of experience teaching dance in public schools, private studios, colleges and summer programs. I have also recently worked as a Behavior Interventionist with elementary students, and spent 15 years co-running a business with my husband in the health and wellness field. All of these experiences have brought me to Brookside where I am so grateful to have the opportunity to practice teaching Health and PE in order to gain my Vermont Licensure in both of these areas. I love to play, move, learn and connect! Please feel free to contact me by email at rosemary.leach@mymail.champlain.edu or find me in the gym at Brookside. Thank you, Miss Rose
Nurse Notes
We wanted to take a moment to introduce a new nurse to our Brookside Community. Kristin Ramerman is working in the Health Office at Brookside with Beth Reilly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Allison Conyers is working those days at the District Office and will continue to be at Brookside on Mondays and Fridays. You may hear from one of these three nurses moving forward. If you need to email the nurse team, please use bps-nurses@huusd.org so that we will all be able to see your message and respond accordingly.
Kristin and her family live in Duxbury, Vermont. She enjoys skiing at Sugarbush mountain, yoga and cooking healthy foods. Kristin is thrilled to join the Brookside team this school year!
Upcoming Dates to note: Jan. 11th: HUUSD Board Meeting 6pm HUHS Library
Jan. 13th: First semester ends
Jan. 16th: NO SCHOOL, teacher inservice
Jan. 19th: Report cards will go home
Feb. 1st: HUUSD Board Meeting 6pm HUHS Library
Feb. 27th - Mar. 7th: February Vacation
Thank you for sharing your children with us! Have a great weekend!
Sarah & Chris
COMMUNITY POSTINGS
Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities
PTO-Sponsored Adult Education - We have a date set for the parent info night about technology - Thursday January 19th, 7-8:30pm. Bonnie Birdsall, Director of Digital Learning and Communications from Champlain Valley District and a Common Sense Media Ambassador, will be our speaker. Please mark your calendars! The CBMS library will host this event, but it will be a partner activity between the BPS and CBMS PTOs.
Come join your Harwood Girls Varsity Hockey Team on the ice! Any young skaters interested in coming to try out skating or hockey are invited to join the Harwood Girls' Varsity Hockey Team for an hour-long ice session on January 16, from 5-6! We hope to see you there!