BJHS | January 2023 Newsletter

HEADLINES

Student

NEWSLETTER JANUARY

BROOKWOOD

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL FAMILIES, WE HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

Our custodial and administrative staff have been hard at work over the Winter Break ensuring the school is ready for students to return on Tuesday, January 10th. The school has been given a deep cleaning to ensure students return to a clean and germ-free environment.

Jill Larson Principal jlarson@brookwood167.org

School Hours

Students’ school day is from 8:30 a.m. until 3:10 p.m.

Students should not arrive earlier than 8:10 a.m.

As the weather gets colder, there is a chance that school attendance could be disrupted due to severe weather. Please ensure your child has access to a home computer if we need to go remote due to wintry weather. Every child has access to a home computer. If your child needs a home computer, please contact the school office at (708) 758-5252, and we can arrange for an electronic device pick up. It is essential that your child is in attendance every day even on remote learning days.

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.

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

As students return to school on January 10th, our girls volleyball season will get underway! Please come out and support your child as they participate in their athletic events.

Our 8th grade boys basketball team continues to be undefeated as they compete with the goal of returning to and winning the IESA State Championship! Our 7th grade boys are also doing exceptionally well and continue to improve each week. Our Wrestling Team has also begun competing and are very exciting to watch. Please come out and support all our Brookwood Bulldog athletes!

I am honored to serve as your principal. On behalf of the Brookwood Jr. High School staff, have a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

Student Support Intervention (SSI)

We hold Student Support Intervention Meetings (SSI) all year long, before school at 7:45 a.m. or after school at 3:15 p.m. to schedule a meeting, please email Ms. Mitchell at rmitchell@ brookwood167.org, or call the school at (708) 758-5252.

COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION

Our teachers do an excellent job of communicating with families. Here is where you can stay informed proactively:

• School and District Website - www.brookwood167.org

• Bull Dog News - Weekly school newsletter that will be sent home on Fridays

• ClassDojo - It is essential that you sign up for the Principal’s ClassDojo. If you have not already joined, an invitation will be sent to you during the first week of school. To join, you will need either your phone number or email address.

• A phone call or an email is an efficient way to communicate with your child’s teacher. Please remember that our teachers are with students throughout the day and will return the call/email as soon as possible. At times, this may be the next school day.

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 MY CHILD IS SICK, WHEN SHOULD I KEEP THEM HOME?

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 of taste or smell

• Fatigue from unknown cause

• Muscle or body aches

If you answer “YES” to any of the above, your child MUST stay home. Please call the school to report your child’s absence (708) 708-758-5252 (Option 1.)

ANTI-BULLY PLEDGE...

We make a COMMITMENT to stand against bullying.

We will treat others with RESPECT and KINDNESS. We will have the COMPASSION to not be a bully.

We will have the COURAGE to not be a bystander.

It is our RESPONSIBILITY to help others and to report bullying.

ATTENDANCE

Take a look at your child’s attendance. When your child returns in January, the school year will be about half over. This is a great time to review the first part of the year and make plans for the next. Looking at your child’s school attendance should be part of this important process. Did your child attend school every day unless they were sick or there was a family emergency?

If so, congratulations! Let them know you’re proud of their strong attendance. Help them keep up the good work for the rest of the year and beyond. Strong attendance is one predictor of success in school.

If not:

• Remind your child that regular school attendance is a priority.

• Emphasize the need for rest, nutrition, and exercise to stay healthy and stay in school.

• Consider the reasons you take your child out of school. Can you make some appointments outside school hours?

• Create consequences. Let your child know that skipping school erodes your trust in them.

IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

To report absences please call the attendance line at (708) 757-2115. Please call the school before 8:30 a.m. to report your child’s absence.

Please leave the following information:

• Student’s full name with the spelling of the last name

• Reason for absence/tardy/early release

• Your name and relationship to the student

• Please call the main number (708) 758-5252 at least 45 minutes PRIOR to early dismissal.

For your student to be EXCUSED you must sign them in and out in the main office or their absence will be marked as unexcused. Official attendance will be reported every morning at 9:00 a.m. If your child joins a teacher’s classroom late, they will be marked tardy in PowerSchool, and you will be notified through the Principal’s Class dojo.

READERS ARE LEADERS

Keep Your Child Reading Over the Holiday Break!

Please have them practice for our upcoming Spelling Bee. Here is the link to access the word list: Spelling Bee Word List

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

Here’s How:

Link movies to books. Your middle schooler, like many others, 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 for gifts. If your child will receive a gift this month, consider giving her a book or a gift card toa 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 a recipe and try it out. If they like gadgets, they could read the instruction manual and put one together. If they like sports, they could check out the newspaper for a look at how their favorite teams are faring.

Parent Involvement

Our focus this year continues to be on parent involvement. We want to create a welcoming environment for all our parents, and we want to continue this important partnership throughout the school year. Our next Parent Teacher Conferences are on February 8th, 2023. Attending parent–teacher conferences is one way to be involved and help your child succeed.

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

I am excited to share with you that for the second year in a row, 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 contact our school office at (708) 758-5252, so we can help provide them with all necessary and needed materials.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

POWERSCHOOL

All Brookwood 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 confidential; therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s progress. If you need your username and password, please contact 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.

PARENT VISITATION DAY

Parent Visitation Day

January 12th, 2023 | March 16th, 2023 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

We are also holding three (3) Parent Visitation Days this year. If you missed our first one on October 3rd, 2022, or if you would like to come back and visit us again, we would love to have you!

Please join us on January 12th, 2023, and March 16th, 2023, for our other Parent Visitation Days!

Please come out for our parent visitation days. You can follow your child’s schedule and meet their teachers. Have some light refreshments and talk with the principal. You will also be able to pick up your child’s home electronic device and home set of school supplies and sign up for ClassDojo and PowerSchool. This is a great way to connect positively with your child’s school and keep up to date about what your child is learning each day. We hope you can come!

TECHNOLOGY HELPLINE

If your child is having any technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please contact 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.

MISSION STATEMENT

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

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 challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.

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

• 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.

VISION STATEMENT

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.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO

1. Providing students with highly qualified teachers

2. Providing our staff with professional development

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION & SUPPORTS (PBIS)

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 exactly what is expected of them and a framework of evidence-based behavioral supports and interventions in an integrated curriculum to enhance both the social behavior and academic atmosphere for our diverse body of students throughout the school. Lessons take place in a number of ways and in the environment for particular 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 quiz to review the expectations they have been learning about all week. Posters or anchor charts have been created for different areas of the building to give the students and staff reminders 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 layers of support.

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

STUDENT DRESS CODE

As the weather is getting colder, please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Brookwood Jr. High School believes that student dress and overall appearance should foster a positive and productive environment and should reflect pride in oneself as well as our school. We further believe that student dress and appearance are a shared responsibility of the home and the school. 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 articles of 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.

PAPER TUTORING | PARENT RESOURCES

• The parent & guardian’s guide to implementing Paper™ at home | Guiding caregivers in providing the unlimited support their students need.

FAMILY NIGHTS

• Family Math Night- January 17th

• Family History Night - January 26th

• Family Black History Trivia Night- February 21st

• Family Fitness Night- March 14th

• Family Reading Night- April 18th

• Fine Arts Night-April 20th

WAYS TO ACTIVATE MINDS

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 of time, 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 problem solving 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 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 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 are in need of 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, patternrecognition 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 break will help launch your students into the new semester with a refreshed and energetic mind, and meaningful memories from the weeks at home.

FOOD SERVICE

New Food Service!

Our Superintendent and Board of Education know how important proper nutrition affects our students’ learning. This year we will be purchasing our school breakfast and lunch from - QUEST FOOD MANAGEMENT SERVICE.

Quest Food Management Servic is passionate about food and they believe in wholesome, nutritious ingredients. That is why they are committed to using items that are healthier for both our student’s bodies and the planet.

Quest Food Management Service, provide communities with fresh, high-quality food, exceptional responsiveness, and intensely personal service.

By purchasing with the following standards in mind and preparing items so that they are as fresh as possible when served, they support local agriculture, increase nutrition, and intensify the flavor.

HONOR &

HIGH HONOR ROLL

Students are given a quarterly report card at BJHS.

Students who earn an academic G.P.A. of 3.95 or higher are placed on the High Honor Roll.

If a student makes an academic grade of 3.453.94, they are placed on the Honor Roll.

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

Our Quarter 2 celebrations take place this month, January 30th for 7th grade Honor Roll students and January 31st for 8th grade students.

SPORTS

Did you know?

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

Sports Physicals

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

CLASSDOJO

What is ClassDojo?

PLEASE JOIN OUR CLASSDOJO’S AND STAY INFORMED!

It is important that you sign up for the Principal’s Class Dojo. I post important information such as if a bus is running late, important reminders regarding picture day, graduation information and other important topics.

PLEASE SIGN UP TODAY!

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 Junior High School.

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. All you will need to provide is your cell phone number or email address.

GET INVOLVED AND STAY INFORMED!

FALL SPORTS

• Cross Country

• Girls Basketball

• Boys Basketball

• Cheerleading

WINTER SPORTS

• Wrestling

• Girls Volleyball

• Boys Volleyball

SPRING SPORTS

• Track

All students are welcome to join our Cross-Country Team! Athletes will compete against nine (9) other schools in our conference. After school, the first CrossCountry practice and informational meeting will occur on Wednesday, September 1st.

• Tutoring

• Student Council

• Chess

• Art Club

• S.T.E.M. Club

• Cheerleading

• Cooking Club

• Mathletes

• Speech & Debate Club

• Video Club

• Gospel Choir

• NJHS

• Drumline

• Band

• Jazz Band

• Yearbook

• Girls Basketball

• Boys Basketball

• Girls Volleyball

• Boys Volletball

• Wrestling

• Track

• Cross Country

• Keyboarding Club

• Spanish Club

DAILY BELL SCHEDULE

SCHOOL HOURS

8:30 A.M. - 3:10 P.M.

BREAKFAST

8:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M.

SEL MEETING

8:30 A.M. - 8:50 A.M.

1ST PERIOD

8:50 A.M. - 9:45 A.M.

2ND PERIOD

9:45 A.M. - 10:40 A.M

3RD PERIOD

10:40 A.M. - 11:35 A.M.

4TH PERIOD

7TH GRADE LUNCH 11:35 A.M. - 12:05 P.M.

8TH GRADE CLASS 11:35 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.

7TH GRADE CLASS 12:05 P.M. - 1:00 P.M.

8TH GRADE LUNCH 12:30 P.M. - 1:00 P.M.

5TH PERIOD

1:00 P.M. - 1:55 P.M.

6TH PERIOD

1:55 P.M. - 2:50 P.M.

SEL MEETING

2:50 P.M. - 3:10 P.M.

DISMISSAL

3:10 P.M.

EXTRACURRICULAR

3:10 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

SAVE THE DATE

JANUARY

JANUARY 9TH

INSTITUTE DAY FOR STAFF (NO SCHOOL)

JANUARY 10TH

STUDNTS RETURN | SCHOOL IN SESSION

WRESTLING @ BOLINGBROOK | 4:30 P.M. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. MEMORIAL | 4:15 P.M. BOYS BASKETBALL @ MEMORIAL | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 11TH

LUNCH WITH THE LAW | 11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.

ACCESS TESTING | EL STUDENTS

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. HART | 4:15 P.M. BOYS BASKETBALL @ HART | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 12TH

PARENT VISITATION DAY | 9:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. BOYS BASKETBALL @ HOME VS. PARKER | 4:15 P.M. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ PARKER | 4:15 P.M.

WRESTLING @ LAGRANGE | 4:30 P.M.

JANUARY 16TH

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BIRTHDAY | NO SCHOOL

JANUARY 17TH

CLASSROOM SPELLING BEE

FAMILY MATH NIGHT | 6:00 P.M.

BOYS BASKETBALL | 7TH GRADE @ HOME VS. COLIN POWELL | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 18TH

VISION BOARD ACTIVITY | SELECT 8TH GRADERS BOYS BASKETBALL CONFERENCE TOURNMENT @ CRETE | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 19TH

WRESTLING @ FRANKFORT | 4:15 P.M. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ COLUMBIA | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 20TH

EARLY DISMISSAL @ 2:00 P.M. (EXCEPT BUS RIDERS | 3:10 P.M. DISMISSAL) END OF SECOND QUARTER

JANUARY 21ST

BOYS BASKETBALL IESA REGIONALS | (TBD)

JANUARY 23RD

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. COLIN POWELL | 4:15 P.M.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL @ COLIN POWELL | 4:15 P.M. CHESS @ COLIN POWELL | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 24TH SCHOOLWIDE SPELLING BEE

JANUARY 25TH

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ CHMS | 4:15 P.M.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. CHMS | 4:15 P.M. CHESS @ HOME VS. CHMS | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 26TH

FAMILY HISTORY NIGHT | 6:00 P.M.

JANUARY 28TH

BOYS BASKETBALL IESA REGIONALS | (TBD)

JANUARY 30TH

BJHS | BOOK FAIR BEGINS

7TH GRADE HONOR ROLL LUNCHEON | QUARTER 2

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. OBAMA | 4:15 P.M.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL @ OBAMA | 4:15 P.M. CHESS @ OBAMA | 4:15 P.M.

JANUARY 31ST

8TH GRADE HONOR ROLL LUNCHEON | QUARTER 2

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL @ HOME VS. PARKER | 4:15 P.M.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL @ PARKER | 4:15 P.M. WRESTLING @ NEW LENOX | 4:30 P.M.

BROOKWOOD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

VISITORS

If you need to come into the school for any reason, for safety reasons, you will be required to wear a mask, and 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 districtwide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/out of our buildings. This is important for safety reasons.