No Students on Monday 3/16/20

Hello BUGS Families-

(la traducción al español está abajo)

No Students on Monday 3/16/20

In order to best prepare for continued learning, we have decided to close school for students on Monday 3/16/20 to allow all staff to have a Professional Development (PD) day devoted to remote learning strategies and planning time for remote lessons.  Providing remote instruction is largely new territory for us, and our team is working feverishly to design lessons for our staff that best prepare them to continue instruction with our students remotely should that be needed. Some classes are more conducive to remote learning than others, and there are a range of ways to provide this learning. It will be a fluid process and we will be learning along the way, but we are committed to providing your children the best education and supports.  Monday’s PD day is an important part of that. 

Home Technology Survey

Thanks to everyone who has completed the Home Tech survey. We still need ⅔ of our families to complete this important survey so that we can identify which students have access to devices and WiFi that can support online learning, and those who do not. All BUGS families should please complete this  Home Technology Survey by Monday March 16th 8am. This will help us with planning. Thank you. 

Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeehaVKIUthbmrVtuwD85AayAWBoXbbzMPeGxRnPdOVWatTUw/viewform?urp=gmail_link

Events Followup

• The BUGS Hornets game tomorrow, and all sports team games are cancelled until further notice. 

• The PTA Auction is being held virtually through on-line bidding on March 28th, see PTA emails for details. 

Keeping Healthy

Please continue to promote the utmost hygiene with your children and send them with extra sanitizer and/or disinfectant surface wipes for them to use throughout the day. If you have any extra hand sanitizer you can donate, please do send it in to the Main Office. This can help supplement our supply. Thank you. 

Thanks for working with us to keep our kids, families and staff safe and healthy. Please notify me promptly if there is anything we should know about.  As I said before, the Department of Health and Mental Health (DOHMH) will notify us if there are any confirmed cases related to our school. Please note (as per the New York State Education Department) that as a public school that receives public school funding, we have public accountability to provide education to all of our students. 

Thank you, BUGS community...We are in this together!

Onward, 

Susan, Wynette and the BUGS Team 

----

Hola familias de BUGS

Para prepararnos mejor para el aprendizaje continuo, hemos decidido cerrar la escuela para los estudiantes el lunes 16/03/20 para permitir que todo el personal tenga un día de Desarrollo Profesional (PD) dedicado a estrategias de aprendizaje remoto y tiempo de planificación para lecciones remotas. Brindar instrucción remota es en gran medida un territorio nuevo para nosotros, y nuestro equipo está trabajando fervientemente para diseñar lecciones para nuestro personal que mejor los prepare para continuar la instrucción con nuestros estudiantes de forma remota si fuera necesario. Algunas clases son más propicias para el aprendizaje remoto que otras, y hay una variedad de formas de proporcionar este aprendizaje. Será un proceso fluido y aprenderemos en el camino, pero estamos comprometidos a brindarles a sus hijos la mejor educación y apoyo. El día de PD del lunes es una parte importante de eso.

Encuesta de tecnología del hogar

Gracias a todos los que completaron la encuesta Home Tech. Todavía necesitamos ⅔ de nuestras familias para completar esta encuesta importante para poder identificar qué estudiantes tienen acceso a dispositivos y WiFi que pueden apoyar el aprendizaje en línea, y aquellos que no. Todas las familias de BUGS deben completar esta Encuesta de Tecnología del Hogar antes del lunes 16 de marzo a las 8 a. M. Esto nos ayudará con la planificación de contingencias. Gracias.

Enlace de encuesta: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeehaVKIUthbmrVtuwD85AayAWBoXbbzMPeGxRnPdOVWatTUw/viewform?urp=gmail_link

Seguimiento de eventos

El juego BUGS Hornets de mañana, y todos los juegos de equipos deportivos se cancelan hasta nuevo aviso.

La subasta de la PTA se llevará a cabo virtualmente a través de ofertas en línea el 28 de marzo. Consulte los correos electrónicos de la PTA para obtener más detalles.

Continúe promoviendo la máxima higiene con sus hijos y envíelos con un desinfectante adicional y / o toallitas desinfectantes para que puedan usar durante todo el día. Si tiene algún desinfectante de manos adicional que pueda donar, envíelo a la Oficina Principal. Esto puede ayudar a complementar nuestro suministro. Gracias.

Gracias por trabajar con nosotros para mantener a nuestros hijos, familias y personal seguros y saludables. Notifíqueme de inmediato si hay algo que debamos saber. Como dije antes, el Departamento de Salud y Salud Mental (DOHMH) nos notificará si hay casos confirmados relacionados con nuestra escuela. Tenga en cuenta (según el Departamento de Educación del Estado de Nueva York) que, como escuela pública que recibe fondos de escuelas públicas, tenemos la responsabilidad pública de brindar educación a todos nuestros estudiantes.

Gracias, comunidad BUGS ... ¡Estamos juntos en esto!

Sinceramente,    Susan, Wynette y el equipo BUGS.

==================================
Susan Tenner
Co-Founder, Executive Director
Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School (BUGS)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
phone: (718) 280-9556 x430
email: susan.tenner@BUGSbrooklyn.org

High School Round One Offers

From the Office of The Guidance Counselor

Sent via TeacherEase

March 4, 2020

Dear 8th Grade Families, 

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to inform you that the NYC DOE will make offer letters available in MySchools before March 20th. The DOE will also mail hard copies to families. Letters will include Specialized High School placement information for those students who completed both specialized and traditional high school application processes. The offer letter will also include a list of programs where your child has been waitlisted. Students will be automatically added to the waitlist of any program that they listed higher on their application than the program where they received an offer. Letters will NOT be distributed at school. However, should you need access to the letter, you will be able to contact me at anali.chavez@bugsbrookly.org and I will email you your child’s letter. Once an official date for letter availability in MySchools is released by the DOE, I will send an additional email to families informing you of the date and further waitlist information. 

Much of the application process has taken place in the smaller advisory classrooms, where students developed a sense of community and mutual respect for each other’s high school selection process. On March 9th, advisors will present a short powerpoint presentation to students that will provide guidance on how to read the letter and set norms for appropriate reactions. Over the next couple of days, please take some time to talk with your child about the possible news they will receive in the letter. You may also think about discussing how they should react and talk with their friends and classmates upon learning of their offers. We will be having these ongoing conversations with students, but, particularly at this sensitive and transformative time, a conversation with family and friends can be more meaningful and impactful. Specifically, we will be talking to students about how to be a good friend and a good community member in the tricky situations that will surely arise. Some students will be disappointed at not getting their first choice, even if they got a great placement. Still others, perhaps even closest friends, will want to celebrate their placements. Navigating this mix of joy and disappointment with respect, humility, and kindness is difficult at any age, and we deeply appreciate your support in this matter.

Sincerely,

Anali Chavez

School Counselor

Estimada Familias de Octavo Grado, 

Espero que este correo electronico te encuentre bien. Le escribo para informarle que el NYC DOE pondrá a disposición cartas de oferta en MySchools antes del 20 de marzo.  El DOE tambien va enviar la carta por correo a familias. Cartas incluirán la información de ofertas para Escuelas Especializados de Escuela Secundaria para los estudiantes quienes applicaron para las escuelas especializados y tradicional. La carta de oferta también incluirá una lista de programas donde su hijo ha sido incluido en la lista de espera. Los estudiantes se agregarán automáticamente a la lista de espera de cualquier programa que hayan enumerado más arriba en su solicitud que el programa donde recibieron una oferta. Las cartas NO serán distribuidas en la escuela. Sin embargo, si necesita acceso a la carta, podrá contactarme en anali.chavez@bugsbrookly.org y le enviaré la carta de su hijo por correo electrónico. Una vez que el DOE publique una fecha oficial para la disponibilidad de cartas en MySchools, enviaré un correo electrónico adicional a las familias para informarle sobre la fecha y más información sobre la lista de espera.

La mayoria del proceso de aplicación ha tomado lugar en las clases pequeña de advisory, donde estudiantes han desarrollado un sentido de comunidad y respeto mutuo para el proceso de selección de escuela de cada uno. El 9 de marzo, advisors presentaran una presentación de Powerpoint corto para los estudiantes que va dar dirección sobre como leer las cartas y establacera normas para reacciones apropriadas. En los proximós días, por favor tome tiempo para hablar con su niño sobre la posibles noticias que recibirán en la carta. También puede pensar en discutir cómo deben reacionar y hablar con sus amigos y compañeros de clase al enterarse de sus resultados de la primera ronda. Nosotros estaremos teniendo una conversación continua con estudiantes, pero particularmente en este tiempo sensible y transformado, una conversacion con familia y amigos seria significativo y impactante. Específicamente, hablaremos con estudiantes sobre como ser un buen amigo y miembro de la comunidad cuando surgen situaciones difíciles. Algunos estudiantes van a estar decepcionado ha no reciebir su primera elección, aunque tengan un buen colocación. Aún otros, quizás incluso amigos más cercanos, quieren celebrar sus colocaciones. Navigando esta mezcla de alegría y decepción con respecto, humildad y amabilidad es dificíl ha cualquier edad, apreciamos profundamente su apoyo en este asunto.

Sinceramente,

Anali Chavez 

Consejera de Escuela 

Community Event: Raising Resilient Girls with Crystyn Wright, Girls Leadership

Join us for Raising Resilient Girls with Crystyn Wright of Girls Leadership and learn about the pressures unique to girls today and how you can help them navigate these challenges. Whether you are a parent, guardian, or friend, you will want to attend this acclaimed talk and Q&A and gain the tools and strategies to help the girls you care about become more confident, courageous, and resilient.

Bring a friend or grab your spouse for this adults-only evening of insights and practical, actionable advice. Your ticket includes hors d’oeuvres from favorite Brooklyn vendors and cash bar, served up with heaps of wisdom.

When: Thursday, March 5, 2020, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Where: Shapeshifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Place, Park Slope, Brooklyn 11215

Tickets: $25 each or $40 for two. 

Click here to order your tickets. This must-see presentation is expected to sell-out. Tickets may not be available at the event.

This event is open to the community! All proceeds benefit Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School (BUGS).

BUGS would like to thank event sponsors IDB Bank, Shannon Insana at the Corcoran Group, and ShapeShifter Lab.

We are also grateful for in-kind donations from Whole Foods and Baba's Pierogis.

For more information, email admissions@BUGSbrooklyn.org. To learn more about Girls Leadership, please visit girlsleadership.org.

BUGS Hornets Open 2020 Basketball Season!

We are excited to announce that the BUGS Hornets boys and girls basketball teams are competing this year in the New York Scholastic Athletic Association (NYSAA) League. Every home game will also feature the one and only BUGS Cheer squad to rally the crowd to support our players.

Make sure to be there on Friday, February 7 for the home opener double header! The girls game begins at 4:30 and the boys at 5:30 p.m.

Fans are always welcome to attend home games. The policies regarding spectators are decided by the away school. If you have any further questions please contact after-school director Valencia Kirnon at afterschool@BUGSbrooklyn.org. 

BOYS MARCH SCHEDULE 

http://nysaasports.org/team/team/bugs/

Wednesday, March 4, 5:00 P.M. BUGS vs Covo, at Covo

Friday, March 6, at 4:15 P.M, BUGS vs Brooklyn Prospect, Home at BUGS

Monday, March 9, at 5:15 P.M, BUGS vs P.S. 147, at P.S. 147

Friday, March 13, at 4:15 P.M, BUGS vs I.S. 366, location TBA

GIRLS MARCH SCHEDULE 

http://nysaasports.org/team/brooklyn-urban-gardens-school-bugs-girls/

Monday, March 2 at 4:15 P.M. BUGS vs. P.S. 206, at P.S. 206

Wednesday, March 4 at 4:00 P.M. BUGS vs Covo, at Covo

Monday, March 9, 4:15 P.M, BUGS vs P.S. 147, at P.S. 147

Click here for the game schedules and stats.

Girls: :http://nysaasports.org/team/brooklyn-urban-gardens-school-bugs-girls/

Boys: http://nysaasports.org/team/bugs/

Go Hornets!

BUGS Launches “Artists Lead! BUGS Community Market" Matching Gift Campaign

BUGS Awarded Matching Gift from ArtPlace through IOBY to Fund
“Artists Lead! BUGS Community Market" and Creative Community Change

During this season of giving, BUGS is thrilled to announce an end-of-year matching gift campaign from ArtPlace through IOBY to launch our student-run and artist-led Community Market. The Market will feature student designed sustainability-themed projects and performances as well as local produce. Open to the public in May and June, the Market will provide meaningful opportunities for students to connect more deeply with neighbors to grow an equitable, healthy, and sustainable community.

Contributions to the “Artists Lead! BUGS Community Market"  will be doubled up to $1,000 per donor. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to all participating campaigns, so BUGS encourages friends and families to donate as soon as possible at https://ioby.org/project/artists-lead-bugs-community-market.

Support of any amount will help: 

• Fund artists to build our students' art and activist muscles!

• Underwrite student art and design projects to motivate our community to consider the economic, environmental and social impact of the choices they make about what they eat, wear, and purchase.

• Support our student-run “Community Market” that will be open to the public in May and June.

Students will be guided and inspired by our in-house team of teaching artists under the leadership of our Lead Artist and Director of Sustainability Jess Norris Khawaja, as well as guest artists.

“Myself and BUGS would love the opportunity to expand upon our Community Market and Farm Stand project this year and engage other community artists. Last year the Market was open all day on Fridays in June. This year, we hope to open in May and run through June. The Market will also include performances and additional opportunities for art making and exchange. We are seeking funding to make this vision a reality,” explained Jess Norris Khawaja, Project Lead Artist and Director of Sustainability.

“We are so grateful for all our families, friends, board members, and alumni who have already contributed to the challenge. Thank you for your support of BUGS and our students who will change the world,” said Susan Tenner, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School.  

Donate now at https://ioby.org/project/artists-lead-bugs-community-market.