The smiling faces that walked into the building this week filled our buckets! We couldn't have asked for a smoother return to school this week. Thank you to our custodial staff for helping the building to look its best, thank you teachers for getting everything ready, setting up classroom and office spaces with students in mind, and welcoming your students this week with open arms. Thank you support staff, office staff, food service and nurses for being flexible, supportive, anticipating and responding to any tricky spots. Thank you families for getting your students here happy, healthy and on time for school. Finally, thank you students! Having you back brings our building to life and there is such a positive hum back in the hallways and classrooms!
Our first weeks of school are dedicated to connecting with each other as a classroom and school community, and then to establishing and practicing routines, rituals and expectations for working, learning and playing together! Morning meeting is a key component of our social-emotional learning, and we start (and continue) the year with intentional practices school-wide.
THANK YOU so much for trying out our new morning drop-off routine! We've been really pleased with the way its helped traffic to flow, we will continue to tweak things as needed. Please continue to refrain from parking on Stowe or High streets at pickup and dropoff times.
Bus Updates:
Please see the revised routes published here; these will be in effect Tuesday AM, 9/6.
While all routes are likely to see minor time changes and bus stop additions, some stops on Brookside buses 2, 3, and 8 have shifted between routes. Timing has remained very similar.
Music Notes:
Step Afrika! - 9/28 at the Flynn in Burlington
Over the last few years, Brookside students have loved learning Stepping from guest artists Marlena Fishman and Natasha Giles. Stepping is more than just dancing. It is a dynamic performance that uses body percussion, full body movements, creative expression, chanting, rhythmic choreography and much more. “Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping.” You can catch them at the Flynn on Wednesday, September 28th in Burlington as part of their student matinee series. More information at https://www.flynnvt.org/Events/2022/9/step-afrika-sms
Volunteers Needed for Nature Education Program
Brookside Primary School's Four Winds Nature Education program is seeking volunteers to help teach kids about our natural world. Get kids outside to experience hands-on standards-based science education concepts. This year the theme is “Earth” and we will be teaching 6 different lessons on topics including sunlight & shadows, erosion, rocks & minerals, air, wind & clouds, and the water cycle. If you’ve been a volunteer in the past please join us again this year. You do not need to be a parent of a BPS student. We have had excellent volunteers that were grandparents, aunts/uncles, neighbors, and interested community members that just want to help introduce the splendor of our natural world to young minds. We offer all the training and supplies to get you started. Please email us at fourwindsbps@gmail.com to let us know if you are interested in volunteering this year or if you have any questions about the program.
Walk and Bike to School Wednesday, September 21st
Meet at Rusty Parker Park from 7:00-7:20am for a light breakfast, then walk or bike to Brookside at 7:20am.
In continued partnership,
Sarah & Chris
Community Postings
"How to Talk to Young Children About Race, Racism and Anti-Racism" Join The Children’s Room and Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition for a hybrid 5 session workshop on how to talk to young children about race, racism and anti-racism with Emma Redden and Grace Aldrich of The Full Story School (https://www.thefullstoryschool.org/). We will meet over 10 weeks to start building a practice of talking with kids about race and racism grounded in their own lives. We will learn some history of the creation of race, consider how that history has impacted our mind and body, and to build language to use with young people. For parents, relatives, care providers and early educators...all adults with young children in their lives. Sliding fee scale $50-250. Priority and free registration given to BIPOC. Professional development credits available for early educators and administrators. Contact Heather LaRocca at childrensroom@huusd.org for information and to register. Dates below: Session 1: Virtual, Tuesday September 6th, 5:30 to 7:30 pm Session 2: In person, Sunday, September 18th, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, Camp Meade in Middlesex Session 3: Virtual, Tuesday, September 27th, 5:30 to 7:30 pm Session 4: In person, Sunday, October 16th, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, Camp Meade in Middlesex Session 5: Virtual, Tuesday, November 1st, 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Brookside After School Karate
Karate Kids (ages 5-10)
The Karate Kids Program is designed specifically for children ages 5 through 10. The emphasis is on gross motor skills and activities that are developmentally and age appropriate. Students engage in physical activities that work on balance, coordination, fitness, flexibility, speed, timing, and power skills, along with traditional martial arts movements. Mount Mansfield Martial Arts students understand that the goal of self-defense is to prevent harm, not hurt others. We emphasize that our program uses martial arts techniques to teach social skills such as cooperation, taking turns, sharing, listening, and teamwork. Through training, students work on goal setting and achievement by progressing through our curriculum and obtaining colored belts and stripes. We also integrate a character development program into our classes that reinforces respect, self-control, self-discipline, focus, courtesy, integrity and confidence. Through positive feedback, overcoming challenges, mastering responsibilities and achieving goals, students at Mount Mansfield Martial Arts can become the leaders of tomorrow.
Jr. Adult Class (All Ranks – ages 10+)
This class follows the Adult Solid Belt system. The class is faster paced and more technically and physically challenging than our Karate Kids program. While the emphasis is primarily traditional martial arts students also delve into Wude (Martial Ethics), modern Self-Defense and physical conditioning. Most importantly, it is still fun.
Tuesdays - At Brookside Primary School, Waterbury
- Dismissal to 3pm Students meet in the gym, get changed in karate uniform and have circle time - Karate Kids (White-Brown Stripe) 3:00 - 3:45 P.M. - Jr./Adult (Solid Belts) 4:00 - 4:45 P.M.
Fridays - At Central Valley Gymnastics Academy, Waterbury
- Karate Kids (White-Brown Stripe) 4:00 - 4:45 P.M.- Jr./Adult (Solid Belts) 5:00 - 5:45 P.M.
Scott Graner
Owner - Mount Mansfield Martial Arts Director - Flow Academy LLC Sdgdragon@aol.com (802)-760-7094 www.MountMansfieldMartialArts.com www.FlowAcademyLLC.com
