BJHS | February 2024 Newsletter

BROOKWOOD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

During February, BJHS staff and administration have planned several activities to celebrate Black History Month. The activities are designed to deepen our students’ knowledge of the history and achievements of African American people, both currently and historically. We hope to see you at our Black History Program on Wednesday, February 28th, at 1:15 p.m.

201

Student Safety drop-off & pick-up procedureS

Students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:10 a.m. and be picked up after school no later than 3:15 p.m.

If a student is being dropped off or picked up, the driver must adhere to the one-way sign at the entrance of the parking lot. Drivers must NEVER go the wrong way in the parking lot, as this is unsafe for students and staff. Thank you for being so cooperative!

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

--Albert Einstein

From The principal...

jill larson | principal

Now that the second quarter is behind us, we come to the most important part of our school year. It is hard to believe we have passed the year’s halfway point. Students are settled in routines and understand our school-wide expectations. Teachers have worked hard to create meaningful learning opportunities and teach school-wide behavior expectations. Consistency and predictability are key factors for student success and a calm learning environment to better focus on learning.

Our fOcus remains On cultivating a pOsitive climate and creating the best learning envirOnment pOssible high-quality instructiOn and student learning are Our highest priOrities everything we dO at brOOkwOOd Jr high schOOl is designed tO help students learn in all areas and succeed beyOnd their time at Jr high. Once again, that partnership between schOOl and hOme is a key ingredient fOr student success that said, we hOpe yOur students feel safe and suppOrted this is an interesting time in their lives, and develOpment can sOmetimes be challenging if yOu have questiOns Or cOncerns, we want tO hear frOm yOu

Our school could not be successful without your input. We are proud of our students, teachers, school programs, and community strength. Together, we will continue to educate our youth and prepare them for their academic future. As always, please reach out to your child’s teachers for any questions/concerns, or if I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me and know that my door is always open. I can be reached at the school number (708) 758-5252, by email jlarson@brookwood167.org or by cell phone at (708) 362-0115. I AM HONORED TO SERVE AS YOUR PRINCIPAL!

MISSION STATEMENT | WE BELIEVE!

BROOKWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT 167 | MISSION STATEMENT

challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.

• In the importance of staff development opportunities based on best practices and educational research.

we believe...

• Families shape their children’s motivation, confidence, and academic success by being interested and involved in their overall development.

• All students are unique and should be

• In educating our children in a safe and nurturing environment with access to state-of-the-art technology.

• The school system should teach students to think critically, enabling them to become contributing citizens in our global society.

• In continuous improvement in all aspects of the school system to foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and integrity.

• In responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” --Vince Lombardi excellence... poTenTial...

achieve...

Brookwood School District 167, in partnership with parents and the community, will create a learning environment where all students excel at becoming lifelong learners and decisionmakers.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO:

1. Providing students with highly qualified teachers

2. Providing our staff with Professional Development

BROOKWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT 167 | VISION

“Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” --Maya

Angelou

Our overall vision is to improve the achievement of all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, or ability levels (disabilities). We share the accountability of student achievement throughout the school. We believe in using research-based practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the needs of all of our students.

sTudenT dress code

Brookwood Jr. High School believes that student dress and overall appearance should foster a positive and productive environment and reflect pride in oneself and our school. We further believe that student dress and appearance are shared home and school responsibilities. The administration will make the final judgment on the appropriateness of clothing and/or appearance and reserves the right to prohibit students from wearing any clothing or other items that lead to or may foreseeably result in the disruption of, or interference with, the school environment. Please read our Parent Student Handbook for specific dress code expectations.

reporTing an absence...

Parents must call the school to report their child absent before 8:30 a.m. The number for reporting absences is (708) 757-2115.

Official attendance will be reported every morning by 9:00 a.m.

communicaTion & inFormaTion

Healthy communication between the school and home is essential, and we are working to provide numerous ways for this vital communication. To help suppress paper usage, we will continue providing information using digital communication as much as possible.

We encourage you to do the folloWing to help uS communicate With you:

• Please ensure we have an accurate email address. If you are not receiving any Dojo messages from us, then it probably means we have incorrect information on our end.

• Please sign up for the digital tools that Brookwood School District and the school have provided.

• theSe include:

- Class Dojo

- Power School Parent Portal

• Please talk with your child’s teacher about Google Classroom and how it can be used as a communication tool.

• Please follow us on Facebook

• Please visit our website at www.brookwood167.org

keep Them home...

if my child is sick, when shOuld i keep them hOme?

If a child has any symptoms listed below, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

if you anSWered “yeS”...

When a child can return to School iS baSed on the

Specific Symptom they have:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher

• New onset of moderate to severe headache

• Shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat

• Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain from unknown cause

• New congestion/runny nose

• New loss of sense, taste or smell

• Fatigue from unknown cause

• Muscle or body aches

If you answered “YES” to any of the sympthons, your child MUST stay home!

Please call the school to report your child’s absence (708) 758-5252 (Option 1).

health tip...

One precaution to help stop the spread of germs is to not share personal items. Some of these include water bottles, lip balms, hats, hairbrushes, and EarPods. These items should only be used by the individual who they belong to.

visiTors...

If you need to come into the school for any reason, you will need to have a current Driver’s License that will be checked in our Raptor Security System.

Raptor® provides a line of sight as to who is always in our school.

The system provides school and District-wide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/ out of our buildings.

This is important for safety reasons.

Keep your child reading...

readers are leaders

Holiday break is not a time just for worksheets and textbooks; your child should continue learning. The best way is to read a little bit every day. And that means reading more than text messages!

here’S hoW:

• Link movies to books. Like many others, your middle schooler may enjoy watching movies during winter break. Encourage her to watch at least one based on a book--and read the book first. Give books as gifts. If your child will receive a gift this month, consider giving him/her a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Suggest this to other family members as well.

• Read for a purpose. Practical reading--the kind you do to learn a skill--is both fun and informative. If your child enjoys cooking, they could read and try a recipe. They could read the instruction manual and assemble one if they like gadgets. They could check the newspaper to see how their favorite teams are faring if they like sports.

imporTanT aTTendance inFormaTion

Daily attendance is required. If your child anticipates being absent, please make sure the reason is valid. A student that is chronically absent is defined as a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause for more than 5% of the last 180 school days. This is a matter of concern as the Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/26-2a considers a truant rate of more than 5% of the last 180 days to be excessive.

Students who are frequently absent often miss important information being taught, fall behind, and lose interest in school. An improvement in attendance may help a child achieve better grades and feel better about himself/herself. Counseling services and tutoring will be provided to chronically absent students, along with a “check-in and check-out” program of support.

Suppose a child continues to be absent or tardy without a valid excuse. In that case, the Regional Superintendent/South Cook Intermediate Service Center will be notified, and measures will be taken to address this concern more seriously. If your child is struggling with attending school consistently, we must work together to improve their attendance, as this will improve their chances of school success.

I commend the families for instilling in their children the importance of being present daily. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please reach out to our Social Workers.

Ms. Adams | (708) 758-5252 extension 5320 | ladams1@brookwood167.org

Ms. Watt | (708) 758-5252 extension 5331 | jwatt@brookwood167.org

We celebrated (32) students with PERFECT attendance for September, (51) students with PERFECT attendance for October, and (81) students with PERFECT for November!

A student who misses ten (10) days is 25% less likely to enroll in college. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs.

parenT involvemenT

our focuS thiS year continueS to be on parent involvement!

Our focus this year continues to be on parent involvement. We want to create a welcoming environment for all our parents and continue this important partnership throughout the school year.

Our next Parent Teacher Conferences are on February 15th, 2024.

Attending Parent–Teacher Conferences is one way to be involved and help your child succeed.

a parent–teacher conference iS an excellent opportunity to:

• Discuss your child’s progress

• Share your child’s strengths and needs

• Work with the teacher to help your child do well in school

Conferences focus on learning, although behavior and social concerns might be discussed. The teacher will review your child’s progress, including strengths and areas needing improvement.

If you cannot attend our Parent-Teacher Conferences, please contact our Assistant Principal to set up a meeting with your child’s teachers.

To schedule a meeting, please email Ms. London at slondon@brookwood167.org or call the school office at (708) 758-5252.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parent/Teacher Conferences

QueStionS for parentS to aSk during parent/teacher conferenceS...

• What is your preferred method of asking a question about my student: email, phone, or a note in the planner?

• What can I do to support you and make your job easier as we work as a team for my child’s growth this year?

• What can I do at home to keep academic and behavior expectations on track?

• How can I best stay on top of what is happening at school? In the classroom?

• What do you suggest we do if we are at home and my student gets “stuck” on homework?

• What is your teaching style, and how can we be consistent with those methods at home?

• What are your suggestions for limiting online time and social media for this age?

• Does my child have too many extracurricular activities from your vantage point? How do I know if he/she is overbooked?

• How do I help my student gain middle/high school independence?

• How can I stay aware of any behavior issues that may arise at school?

• What is your policy on late homework and make-up work? How does that influence grades?

Parent/Teacher Conferences

QueStionS for parentS to aSk during parent/teacher conferenceS...

• How do you handle absences and missed tests or homework?

• What will have the biggest impact on my student’s grade in your class?

• What modifications might you make if you saw a child struggling with your area of expertise?

• What are some tools we can use at home to help my child grow in his understanding of the basic math concepts you are teaching in your class?

• Is my child at a point where you would suggest additional help, such as a tutor or enrichment at home? Can you suggest any resources?

• How can I support literacy when my student is at home?

• My student struggles with spelling. How do I help them without humiliating them (especially if they are older)?

• What books do you think my student would enjoy if she doesn’t like reading?

• What have you observed, negative and positive, regarding my child’s response to classroom behavior expectations? Are they polite and respectful to teachers and students?

• What behavior modifications can we make at home to reinforce expectations at school?

school supplies

Once again, our Superintendent and Board of Education have decided to provide our students with a set of school supplies to use at school and a set to use at home!

If your child needs any additional resources or supplies for any of their classes, please get in touch with our school office at (708) 758-5252, so we can help provide them with all necessary and needed materials.

Technology help desk

If your child is having any technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please get in touch with our help desk at (708) 300-3553 or email our help desk

helpdesk@brookwood167.org

Please leave a detailed message with your name, child’s name, phone number, and the issue you are having with the device.

CLASSDOJO

ClassDojo is a global community of more than 50 million teachers and families who come together to share kids’ most important learning moments, in school and at home —through photos, videos, messages, and more.

CLASSDOJO IS ACTIVELY USED IN 90% OF U.S. K-8 SCHOOLS

ClassDojo is a “FREE” app that helps build amazing classroom and school communities. Teachers give feedback to students for any skill, like “Working hard” and “Being curious.”

From the mobile app, parents view their child’s feedback, and can message directly with teachers and school leaders. Please join my ClassDojo so you can stay informed on what is happening at BROOKWOOD JR. HIGH.

If you would like to join, please accept the invitation that we emailed to you or texted you, or contact the school at (708) 758-5252, email, jlarson@ brookwood167.org, or cell phone, (708) 362-0115. All you will need to provide is your cell phone number or email address.

GET INVOLVED & STAY INFORMED!

Kids have always learned together in physical spaces. Today, they learn in virtual spaces, too. Now that ClassDojo has connected a worldwide community of teachers, kids, and families, we’re building that virtual space for everyone...

As a part of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports), teachers, administrators, and support staff have the responsibility to TEACH positive behavior expectations to our students.

This education results in students knowing precisely what is expected of them and a framework of evidence-based behavioral supports and interventions in an integrated curriculum to enhance the social behavior and academic atmosphere for our diverse body of students throughout the school.

Lessons take place in several ways, and the environment for the expectations. For example, teachers will do short lessons each week on a specific expectation, the staff on lunch duty will discuss lunchroom expectations, and on Fridays, students complete a Kahoot or Blooket quiz to review the expectations they have been learning about all week. Posters or anchor charts have been created for different building areas to remind the students and staff about the expected behaviors.

While these strategies may not eliminate all problem behaviors, they create consistency, predictability, and a more positive atmosphere. They teach new skills to help children get their needs met. The solid foundation will help even if challenging behaviors persist by creating a bedrock for additional support layers.

here are placeS to Seek additional information:

• Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: A Practical Guide to Resolving Your Child’s Difficult Behavior

• Home and Community Based Positive Behavior Support Facebook Page

• Home and Community PBS Website

• Parent Center Hub Positive Behavior Supports Resource Collection

• Intensive Intervention: An Overview for Parents and Families

• The Association for Positive Behavior Support

• Getting Behavior in Shape at Home

• Family Resources for Challenging Behavior

• The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Resource Library, articles in multiple languages

Set Home Expectations

If your child is in a school that uses PBIS, the school will have a chart with desired behaviors, including a description of how those behaviors will look like in each setting.

For example, your child’s school might ask students to “Be Respectful” (what’s expected) in the classroom (where it’s expected) by raising their hand before speaking (the desired behavior).

Often these charts can be found on the school’s website homepage.

Schools that actively use PBIS might have an orientation on what behaviors are expected and where, and set a time in the beginning of the year to teach students and staff the specific behaviors.

These can be adapted by families to fit the home setting. Examples of an expectations table for home and school are below.

-school example-

• Be Respectful

Classroom Cafeteria Dismissal

Raise your hand before speaking

Throw your food away when done eating

• Be Responsible

Classroom Cafeteria Dismissal

Turn in your homework when it is due

Bring your lunch money to lunch

Listen to teachers instructions

• Be Safe

Classroom

Walk when holding scissors

Cafeteria Dismissal

Keep feet on the floor

Walk in the hallways

Have your backpack ready

-home example-

• Be Respectful

Virtual Classroom

Keep background noise to a minimum when engaged in lesson

Mealtime

Be kind to family members during conversation. Put your dishes in the sink

Bedtime

Be polite when reminded about bedtime

• Be Safe

Virtual Classroom

Keep open drink away from the computer keyboard

Mealtime

Keep feet on the floor

Bedtime

Wash your hands before brushing your teeth

• Be Responsible

Virtual Classroom

Do your best work. Turn in your homework when it is due

Mealtime

Wash your hands before helping with meal preparation and/or eating

Bedtime

Go to bed on time

• Be Respectful | Example: Kind Language

Teach

Describe what kind language does (and does not) sound like in your home. Demonstrate kind language and ask children to practice kind language with you.

Remind

At the start of the day and each new activity where kind language is expected, remind kids to be kind. For example, “Playing games together is fun, and let’s remember to be kind with our words.”

Reward with Positive Feedback

When your child is kind, provide specific praise. For example, “Thank you for being kind when your sibling was having a hard time.”

• Be Responsible | Example: Do Your Best Work

Teach

Describe what “doing your best” means in your home. Examples might include focusing on your work, reading/listening to all instructions before beginning, asking for help when needed, and sticking with it until done. Discuss what this looks like (and does not look like) across the types of learning activities.

Remind

At the start of the day and at the beginning of new or difficult activities, remind children to “do their best work.”

Reward with Positive Feedback

When you see your child doing their best, provide specific praise. “It’s great to see you doing your best! I think you’ll be proud of your work!”

• Be Safe | Example: Wash Hands

Teach

Describe and demonstrate how to wash hands (using various posters available from CDC). To ensure your children wash their hands for 20-30 seconds, have them pick a portion of a favorite song to sing.

Remind

Before meal preparation, before eating, after using the bathroom, or after touching their face, remind children to wash their hands.

Reward with Positive Feedback

When you see your child washing their hands, provide specific praise-for example, “Awesome handwashing! Thanks for keeping our family safe.”

Ways To Activate Minds Over Winter Break...

the Juice: building tomorroW’S Strong readerS and critical thinkerS With today’S current eventS.

Breaks from school of any length can contribute to minor academic regression or the loss of learned skills. After spending time away from school, students often struggle transitioning back to a regimented schedule, sitting for long periods, and staying focused. Skills that involve factual and procedural knowledge, like vocabulary definitions or an algebraic equation, are more vulnerable to being forgotten in the winter slide; at the same time, it’s harder to forget conceptually based skills, such as problemsolving and reading comprehension.

Incorporating short, daily activities can help students avoid regression during school breaks and soften the difficult transition back to their school routine. “Learning” can look different during a break. For example, it can focus more on thought-provoking conversations, outdoor activities, and connecting with friends and family.

These activities can be as brief as fifteen (15) minutes per day or become an evening of fun with the whole family. Instead of focusing on school content, try some of the following activities to get your students’ minds turning and make the world their classroom.

fOr students in middle Or high schOOl, yOu might:

• Challenge your student to cook a meal for the whole family.

• If you need a new house appliance, include your student in the process. Let them compare different prices, features, and functions of competitive brands. This is a great opportunity to practice computer and research skills in real-life scenarios.

• Have a family game night. “The Settlers of Catan” is a challenging, strategy game that will get everyone’s minds going. “Codenames” is an easy to learn, word association card game that takes creativity and imagination. “Rummikub” is a fast-paced, pattern-recognition game that reinforces STEM skills, such as sequencing and planning.

• Watch a movie together and follow with a thoughtful conversation.

• Read The Juice’s daily newsletter and discuss current events.

• Listen to a podcast like “Hidden Brain” or “Stuff You Should Know.”

Incorporating daily activities to stimulate students’ minds during the break will help launch your students into the new semester with a refreshed and energetic mind and meaningful memories from the weeks at home.

All Brookwood Jr. High School teachers use an online grading system called PowerSchool that they update every Thursday.

We encourage you to check your child’s progress regularly. This program is entirely confidential; therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s progress.

If you need your username and/or password, please get in touch with the school office at (708) 758-5252. A PowerSchool app for your cellular phone makes it easy for parents to stay updated on their child’s progress.

honor roll n

high honor roll

Students are given a quarterly report card at BJHS. If a student earns an academic G.P.A. of 3.95 or higher, he/she is placed on the High Honor Roll.

If a student makes an academic grade of 3.45 - 3.94, he/she is placed on the Honor Roll.

Students earning those honors will be invited to a special Student Recognition Luncheon each quarter.

7th grade students who make the High Honor Roll all four (4) quarters will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at our awards assembly in May!

sporTs

Any student planning on participating in a sport must have a current physical on file (good for one (1) year).

did you knoW?

We do not have tryouts for any of our sports teams. If your child wants to participate, they just need to show up for practice! Please encourage your child to get involved!

Fall sporTs

croSS country girlS baSketball boyS baSketball cheerleading

winTer sporTs spring sporTs

track

geT involved...

All students are welcome to join our Sports Teams!

Athletes will compete against nine (9) other schools in our Conference.

WE BELONG TO THE SOUTH SUBURBAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (SSJHSA) & THE ILLINOIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (IESA)

February 1st

Boys Volleyball @ Lansing Memorial | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ Home Vs. Lansing Memorial | 4:15 p.m.

Chess @ Lansing Memorial | 4:15 p.m.

February 2nd Advisory | Black History Activity Packet

February 5th

February 6th

February 7th

February 8th

February 9th

Boys Volleyball @ Hart | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ Home Vs. Hart | 4:15 p.m.

Chess @ Hart | 4:15 p.m.

Virtual Fieldtrip | Historical Perspectives | MLK & Wilma

Rudolph in Science Classes

Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Columbia | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ Columbia | 4:15 p.m.

Chess @ Home Vs. Columbia | 4:15 p.m.

Lunch with First Responders | 11:30 a.m

Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Parker | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ Parker | 4:15 p.m.

Chess @ Home Vs. Parker | 4:15 p.m.

Candor Health Human Growth & Development Presentation | 7th Grade

District Spelling Bee

Candor Health Human Growth & Development Presentation | 8th Grade

February 12th Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. CHMS | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ CHMS | 4:15 p.m.

Chess @ Home Vs. CHMS | 4:15 p.m.

February 13th Fieldtrip | Museum of Science & Industry

Boys Volleyball @ Huth | 4:15 p.m.

Girls Volleyball @ Home Vs. Colin Powell | 4:15 p.m.

February 14th 11:30 a.m. Dismissal | School Improvement

February 15th Parent/Teacher Conferences | 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

February 19th President’s Day | NO SCHOOL!

February 20th Erin’s Law During Science Classes

February 21st Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Memorial | 4:15 p.m.

February 22nd CPR Training | 8th Grade | During Sciences Classes

Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Hart | 4:15 p.m.

February 23rd CPR Training | 7th Grade | During Science Classes

February 24th IESA Wrestling Regionals | TBA

February 26th Girls Volleyball @ Obama | 4:15 p.m.

Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Colin Powell | 4:15 p.m.

February 27th Boys Volleyball @ Parker | 4:15 p.m.

February 28th Balck Histroy Program | 1:15 p.m.

Boys Volleyball @ Home Vs. Crete | 4:15 p.m.

February 29th Boys Volleyball @ Columbia | 4:15 p.m.

sTudenT engagemenT

Brookwood Junior High