Welcome to a new year! Brooklyn Charter School is excited to kick off 2018.

Important Note: Report cards are issued Jan. 26. If you were unable to attend a parent-teacher conference, please call the main office to update your home address or arrange a time to pick up the report card.

Our after-school programs start this month. The SUMMIT After-School Program provides age-appropriate programming, and parents can choose from the following options:

• Homework Help – Students receive assistance with their daily homework assignments.
• Community Building Activities – Our students participate in positive community activities to jump-start their day. The hours spent in our program are very productive; each group works toward community initiatives and culminating performances for families to enjoy
• Healthy Snacks – A variety of nutritious food is provided to each child that meets the guidelines of the Federal Government Food Program.
• Favourable Student to Staff Ratios – These smaller ratios ensure that students get the support and attention needed from our experienced and trained role models.
• Recreation and Enrichment Activities – Activities will build self-esteem, positive communication skills and promote physical fitness, leadership skills and working as a team. These activities include performing arts, visual arts, science, and sports and group games.

Parents can learn more about these programs during the after-school orientation day. Pick up an application in the BCS office and direct all questions to summit[at]brooklyncharter.org.  

Important Dates

Jan. 2 – Back to school!
Jan. 3 – 5 p.m. – Parent After School Orientation – Parents of the students who will participate in our new afterschool program can learn what to expect.
Jan. 8 – After School Programs begin
Jan. 9 – 2nd grade Field Trip to the Museum of Natural History – Students should wear their school uniforms and bring a bag lunch.
Jan. 12 – End of 2nd Quarter Marking Period
Jan. 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No School
Jan. 24 – School Board Meeting (5:30PM)
Jan. 26 – Report Cards Sent Home
     – School Spirit Day! – Wear your camouflage!

Jan. 30 – ELA Interim Assessment #2 – Day 1
Jan. 31 – ELA Interim Assessment #2 – Day 2
Feb. 6 – Math Interim Assessment #2 – Day 1
Feb. 7 – Math Interim Assessment #2 – Day 2

BCS Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes – Nov. 6, 2017

Members Present
Henry A. Lambert, Chair
Michael A. Catlyn, Vice Chair
Tony Betaudier
Diana J Lee
Mark David
Joanne Hunt (ex-officio non-voting)

Others Present

Pamptata Sanders
Mary Kate Boesch
Colathur Janardhanan
Robert Morales
Roger Redhead
Anna Toma
Stephanie Rivieccio

The meeting was held on November 6th at the Brooklyn Charter School. The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. The minutes of the meeting held on October 5th, 2017 were approved.

Enrollment
The school currently has 202 students, one student left and moved to Connecticut last week. A group of faculty members is working on a strategy for our marketing effort and to attract more children to the school.

The importance of the After School Program is recognized by all. This works well for parents as the timing allows them to pick up their children from the school.

BCS is currently conducting a parent survey to better understand what made them choose BCS for their children. It will also explore what the families would like to see provided by the school. BCS will charge the families around $50 per week for the After School Program, which is about the cost of running this, with exceptions for those who cannot afford to pay this. The results of the survey will be available in advance of the next board meeting.

Currently, 50% of the school’s population comes on buses from neighborhoods where there are fewer charter schools. We would like to understand the risks of other charter schools expanding into these neighborhoods. In order to attract more children locally, BCS will be reaching out to local daycares and will be setting up day trips for those children to visit the school. During these day trips, the children will participate in a class, such as a dance class, to gain a better sense of the experience of attending BCS.

Continue reading the meeting minutes.