Mission/Purpose Statement

Mission/Purpose Statement

BCS is a dynamic and collaborative learning community. We cultivate an engaging environment that embraces all students and empowers them to pose questions, integrate resources, synthesize, evaluate and apply their knowledge to positively influence our diverse and ever-changing world.

September 24, 2017

Hello BCS!

It was another great week at BCS! It is so heartening to feel the energy and passion among our community. Check out a few of the pictures from the week. If you haven’t “liked” Birmingham Covington School on Facebook yet, please do so to check out some pictures from our first week. We look forward to seeing our 7/8 parents at our final Welcome Back Curriculum Night this Thursday, Sept. 28thfrom6:00-8:45 PM. Feel free to click on the letter and schedule from the 7/8 team for all the details! Also note, this Thursday marks our first district-wide Delayed Start for teacher professional learning. Classes at BCS will begin at 9:48 AM that morning, doors will open at 9:30 AM, and buses will run 90 minutes later than normally scheduled to accommodate the delayed start.

What an amazing effort of support by the BCS community for the victims of the recent hurricanes! We are excited to announce the following summary of the items donated sto Disaster Reliefat Work (DRAW), who, in turn, will deliver the household cleaning items we donated to those whose homes were hit hard by the hurricanes.

3/4: 1034 points, 688 items donated
5/6: 710 points, 476 items donated
7/8: 390 points, 291 items donated

We are thrilled at the fact that we had over 1,400 items donated to Hurricane victims. Seeing how many in Florida are still dealing with flooding and many students not able to attend their home school because of heavy damage to the schools, we are all so heartened by the amount of kindness that our community has shown over the past two weeks. I know this impact many families in Florida. Additionally, our school collected $1,217 in online donations for First Book to help rebuild the school libraries in Houston that are still closed. What a show of commitment to education from this community! Personally, I would like to offer a special thank you to our parent leaders of this effort, Jen Giroux, Andee Gorbatoff and Stephanie Showich. Thank you for your leadership and the 3/4 students will be thanking you for the pizza party they earned for being top donors! 

And finally, be sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES – Thanksgiving 2017!On Monday, November 20 and Tuesday, November 21, BCS and all elementary schools in the district will host parent-teacher conferences. That said, Thanksgiving is also the same week. Unfortunately, teachers will not be able to accommodate rescheduled conferences due to early vacations, so please plan to attend your child’s conference on either Monday or Tuesday during the 1:00-4:00 PM or 5:00-8:00 PM time frames. Specific information about and links to sign up for conferences will be shared on Monday, October 30.

BCS is a great place to be! We’re looking forward to another great week of learning together at BCS where lead with EMPATHY!

Wishing you well,

Mark Morawski

Twitter: @mark_morawski #BCSLearns

Check out my blog:

Character Connections Word of the week: RESPECT

Infuse this word into your conversations and share these quotes with your children as a character education focus. There will be a new word every two weeks.

“To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater.” – Bono
“Tolerance implies a respect for another person, not because [s]he is wrong or even because [s]he is right, but because [s]he is human.” – John Cogley
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.” – Thomas Paine

WEEK AT A GLANCE – Week of September 25-October 1

To submit an item for next week’s “WAG”, email by WEDNESDAY at 5PM

Monday, September 25

Get ready for fall school pictures – Picture Day is tomorrow!
7-8AM Cross Country Practice
6:45-8AM Girls Basketball Practice
4PM Boys Soccer Game – Home vs. Country Day MS
6:30PM-7:30PM Integrated Math I Parent Information Session (Education & Administration Building)

Tuesday, September 26

Smile…..today is FallPICTURE DAY -all students will get their picture taken today by Kaiser Studio. You can still preorder pictures online at the school code:BCS0926,or your child can bring the completed order form and payment envelope to the photographer today. Additional order forms are available in the school office.
7:45AM PTSA Bagel Sales
4PM Girls Basketball Game – Home vs. Bloomfield Hills Middle School
4PM Cross Country Meet – Home vs. West Hills MS
4:15-5:30 PM Boys Soccer Practice

Wednesday, September 27

Online ordering for Fall Pictures is still open at the school code: BCS0926.
7-8AM Cross Country Practice
6:45-8AM Girls Basketball Practice
3:25-5PM Boys Soccer Practice
5:30-6:30PM Forensics Parent Judge Workshop

Thursday, September 28

Delayed Start – School begins at 9:48AM
Online ordering for Fall Pictures is still open at the school code: BCS0926.
4PM Cross Country Meet – Home vs. Berkshire MS
4PM Girls Basketball Game – Away @ Orchard Lake MS
4:15-5:30PM Boys Soccer Practice
6PM 7/8 Curriculum Night (Click on the letter and schedule from the 7/8 team for all the details)

Friday, September 29

Online ordering for Fall Pictures is still open at the school code: BCS0926.
6:45-8AM Girls Basketball Practice
4:10-6:30PM Forensics Long Practice
4:15-5:30PM Boys Soccer Practice
Yom Kippur begins at sundown

Saturday, September 30

Yom Kippur ends at sundown

Sunday, October 1

ALL BCS NEWS

Chartwells- BPS Food Service-click -WEEKLY MENU

BE SURE AND VISIT

FALL PICTURES

Smile…..PICTURE DAYat BCS is Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. Every student will have their picture taken by Kaiser Studio!! Students were given picture order forms in their academic lab/homeroom class last Monday and were asked to bring them home.

Pictures of your child(ren) may be purchased by either of the following methods (please note all credit card orders must utilize the online ordering process):

Online orderingis availableNOWthrough September 29. Please go to the website: click “Order Pictures”.The BCS school code is BCS0926. You can choose from 15 different and colorful backgrounds. Online orders are easy – no form has to be returned to the school!!
Picture order form– Please send the completed picture form and payment with your child on September 26. Your child willgive the order form directly to the photographer. Order forms should NOT be turned into the office. The office has extra forms.

Pictures will arrive at school 2-3 weeks after picture day. Picture retake day is Thursday, October 26thfor students absent on picture day or for students that need to have their picture retaken.

Additionally, we are still in need of one parent volunteer to help on Tuesday. Please email Nancy you are interested in volunteering. Volunteers are on a first come basis and each receives a $20 credit towards a picture packet.

THE NEXT DELAYED START IS THURSDAY 9/28/17

On Thursday, September 28, school will begin at 9:48am. Because staff will be participating in professional development that morning, the building will not be open until 9:30am.Please do not drop your child off before 9:30am. For those of you who need child care from 8:18-9:48am, please print adelayed startformand turn it in to the office. Registration is $5/child. Registration forms are due by Tuesday, September 26.

2017-2018 BCS STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

BCS Ambassadors play an important role in welcoming visitors to our school and introducing them to all BCS has to offer. If your child (grade 4-8) would like to be a student ambassador for the 2017-2018 school year, please complete theapplicationand return it to the BCS office by Friday, October 6.

2017-18 BCS Welcome Back Curriculum Night

7/8 – Thursday, September 28
Click on the letter and schedule from the 7/8 team for all the details!
PTSA Reception at 6:00 PM in the main hallway
Welcome from Mark/Jason, Co-Curricular teachers and PTSA at 6:30 PM in the media center
Classroom Schedule as follows:
7:05 – 7:15 PM: Academic Lab/ILD (Goal Setting Sign-ups)
7:20 – 7:30 PM: 1st Hour
7:35 – 7:45 PM: 2nd Hour
7:50 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Hour
8:05 – 8:15 PM: 4th Hour
8:20 – 8:30 PM: 5th Hour
8:35 – 8:45 PM: 6th Hour

SAVE THE DATES FOR THE PROUD DADS EAT & RUNS

Friday, 11/3/17
Friday, 2/16/18
Friday, 5/11/18 (in honor of Mother’s day, Sunday, May 13)

SAVE THE DATES FOR TWO UPCOMING PTSA EVENT

Thursday, October 12 – 3/4 Coney Bingo Night at 6:30 PM (check out the flyer for all the details)

Thursday, October 26 – BCS Ice Cream Social at 6:30 PM (all BCS families)

7/8 SPANISH LONG TERM GUEST TEACHER

As you may be aware, Mrs. Toth has been due to an unexpected leave she had to take. She wants to share the following with our BCS community: “Very unexpectedly, I am sorry to say that I will have to take a medical leave for some time. I was in a car accident 3 weeks ago, and since then, I have been suffering from a concussion/post concussion symptoms, which make me unable to focus, concentrate, use technology and do all of the multiple daily functions that are required of me to teach. This makes me so sad and frustrated, but I need to heal. We are unsure of the length of the time of the leave right now, though I hope to be back for the second quarter (end of October). Thank you in advance for your understanding, patience and there’s that word again…empathy. I want nothing more than to just be better and come back to teach hopefully at the end of October.”We wish Nicole well on her recovery, thank Mrs. Abro for filling in this last week, and want to let you know that Spanish teacher Mrs. Carol Dickinson will begin with us today (Monday, 9/18/17) to take on the long term guest teacher roll. Carol’s passion for middle schoolers and the Spanish language along with her delightful personality will fit wonderfully well in the roll. Carol will be planning and communicating closely with our other Spanish teachers, Mrs. De Simone and Mr. Leibson, as well as staying in touch with Mrs. Toth as we support this unexpected leave making it a smooth transition for our students and their high levels of learning in Spanish. Please send your well-wishes to Mrs. Toth for a quick recovery.

Birthday Celebrations (no food based treats)

No need to buy those fancy cupcakes!

We want to continue to celebrate and recognize birthdays of our students as we know they are important events for children of all ages. In an effort to recognize our students’ birthdays in a healthier and more lasting way, we are asking parents/guardians not to send in food treats as part of your child’s birthday celebration at school.Therefore, in the spirit of general health with celebration, if a family wants to recognize their child’s birthday at school, they can bring a non-food based treat that can be used and shared by everyone in the classroom that day and throughout the year. Some examples of these birthday gifts for the classroom include: a favorite book for the classroom library, the media center birthday book club, board games, fun pencils, erasers, decks of cards, bookmarks, stencils/rulers, rubber bracelets, pencil toppers or other classroom gift. Each teacher will continue to celebrate and recognize the students birthdays in the classroom as we have always done in the past. We appreciate your support!

BCS 3-8 CHESS CLUB IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!

We are pleased to let you know that our award winning chess club will reconvene this fall on September 27th.Encourage your child to flex their mental muscle, make new friends and compete in a safe and fun arena.Players of all talent levels are encouraged to join in the excitement.For a flyer with practice information, costs and how to sign up clickBCS 2017 Chess Club. It’s your move; spots will fill up fast so sign up today!

FUNDRAISING FOR BCS

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

Please collect and submit your Box Tops for Education to the box marked with the Box Tops logo in the office on the credenza. This program is a great way to raise funds for BCS. Each one is worth 10 cents when our school redeems them. We collect throughout the school year. Last year we earned close to $600! The fall submission deadline is a few weeks away, so please send in whatever you have saved to date. Thanks so much!

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR AMAZON SMILE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BCS!

There is no cost to you. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. Happy Shopping!!

Go tosmile.amazon.comand registerBirmingham Covington 3-8 PTSAin Bloomfield Hills, MI as your charity on your Amazon account
Whenever you shop Amazon, go to thesmile.amazon.comwebsite. It has the same merchandise at the same prices as the regular Amazon website

BCS SPIRIT WEAR

New BCS Spirit Wear is available to order. Check out the fabulous new designs and return theorder formand payment to the front office by November 1st! Make checks payable to Bloomfield Sports Shop. If you have any questions contact Alicia Acey().Click on theBCS Spirit Wear flyerfor all the details and the order form.

BCS SCHOOL PLAY – HELP NEEDED

The BCS School Play is for grades 6-8 and runs during the second quarter (November 7 – January 26). The Play is looking for an interested parent or community member to take on an advisory role this year! Responsibilities would include producing, organizing, and promotion assistance. Please contact Courtney Bassett at if interested!

YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALENOW

Purchase your 2017-18 BCS Yearbook Now! For a limited time, the purchase price of the BCS Yearbook has been reduced $10 to just $35, with a free icon!More information on ordering your yearbook may be found on theJostens Yearbook Flyer.Purchase your yearbook online by following this link toJostensYearbooks.com. 8th Grade Parents: Make sure to think about ordering an ad for your graduate! Questions? Contact Michelle D'Orazio .

INTEGRATED MATH 1 MEETING FOR PARENTS

Monday, September 25, 2017, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Birmingham Education and Administration Center(31301 Evergreen Road, Beverly Hills, MI 48025)

Birmingham Public Schools is pleased to announce an opportunity for parents and guardians to learn more about theIntegrated Math 1course that replaced Algebra 1 and Advanced 8thGrade Math this fall. An informational meeting highlighting the course content, instructional approach, and assessment will be held next week. During the first two weeks of the school year, Integrated Math 1 students were engaged in mathematics through hands-on problem-solving activities, discourse, and application of skills. Students consistently interacted with others to construct explanations from evidence, communicate and justify their thinking, and critique the reasoning of others. Teachers facilitated learning for all students by working with students individually, in small groups, and as a whole class. These types of learning experiences will continue throughout the integrated mathematics course sequence. Those attending this meeting will participate in a learning activity to become more familiar with the instructional approach, as well as the roles played by students and teacher during instruction. A program overview, including course content and assessment, will be presented. In addition, teachers of the program will share their experiences with the course thus far. We hope that you will join us for this informational meeting as we work together toward your child’s success. Please reach out to us if you have any additional questions.

CHOICE HOUR UPDATE

This is a “better-late-than-never” announcement…With our Choice Hour coordinator, Linda Stone, retiring last spring and Courtney Bassett transitioning into the roll by working with Linda much of last year, please note that we are thrilled to let you know that Courtney is now, officially our Choice Hour Coordinator.

Students Who Don't Have Choice Hour Must be Picked-up by 3:30 p.m.

REPORTING A CHOICE HOUR ABSENCE

Call 248-203-4625 to leave a message
You can send a note to the office with your child
Send an email toCourtney Bassett
You can stop in the office to sign them out

If your child does not have a Choice Hour class on any given day but needs to stay please contact Courtney Bassett so that proper arrangements can be made. There is a $5.00 fee for this service!

If you will be picking up your child during the choice hour period, please come into the building to sign them out in the front office. You will be given a pink sheet to take to the Choice Hour desk where the 7th and 8th grade Choice Hour assistants will be happy to locate your child. Students will not be released without the pink form.