Dear BUGS Families,
Thank you so much for attending our Family Teacher Conferences on Tuesday. It was a pleasure to see the high level of engagement and know that by partnering together we can help our students achieve their academic and personal growth goals.
If you were unable to attend Family Teacher Conferences and would like to schedule a time to meet with teachers, please reach out to them directly to arrange a mutually convenient date and time.
Please also read the Family Newsletter in its entirety as it contains important upcoming information. We especially request that if you haven’t already done so, please complete the Family Income Inquiry Form.
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS NEWSLETTER INCLUDE:
Program and Policy Updates/Reminders
Attendance Reminders & Notifications
Family Income Inquiry Form (Action Item) - complete this and you may qualify for a uniform gift card from Lands End! See below for details.
BUGS Office Hours
Fight the Flu Flier
Events
Field Study on November 18th
PTA News: December General Meeting & Potluck
Let Friends and Family Know About BUGS Virtual Info Session on December 8
Coffee & Conversation, November 22
If you would like to view the Standards Based Grading Q&A Session, you may find the recording here:
The BUGS Family Newsletters are posted on the BUGS Website and can be found here:
Friendly reminder, students should COVID test before returning to school after the Thanksgiving break. If your student needs home COVID tests, they can get them in advisory or from the main office.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at kevin.penaloza@bugsbrooklyn.org.
Best,
Kevin Penaloza
Family & Operations Coordinator
Please note that you may also view our Family Calendar on the BUGS Website found here:
*Asynchronous Days:
As a reminder, on Asynchronous Days there are no in-person classes and students will be provided with assignments on Google Classroom to complete independently. Keep in mind that teachers will be engaged in professional development sessions and can only respond during breaks in the PD schedule. Students must complete the attendance form to be marked present for the day.
Attendance Policy & Notification
The Attendance Team asks families to use the following email address, attendance@bugsbrooklyn.org, for any attendance related information, including notification of absences, early dismissal, and any documentation needed for absences. Please visit our School Attendance Page to review more information about BUGS attendance policies and FAQ.
Office Hours
All teachers hold Office Hours after school each day from 2:45 - 3:15 pm. Teachers may invite a student to Office Hours for extended learning (i.e. provide additional support, review feedback on an assessment, take a reassessment) or students may elect to go themselves. If you have questions about Office Hours for a specific class, please do not hesitate to reach out to the teacher or one of the Assistant Principals. You can find their contact information located here:
BUGS Coffee & Conversation
Please join us on Tuesday, Nov 22, 2022 for our second in-person Coffee & Conversation with Principal Wynette Caesar, Executive Director Susan Tenner, and members of the leadership team. This is a great opportunity to have an informal conversation with BUGS school leaders and meet other families..
Please see information below:
When: November 22, 2022 (Tuesday)
Time: 8:20 - 9:00 am
RSVP your spot by clicking on the link:
Limited to the first 50 people to RSVP
BUGS Field Study, Nov 18, 2022 (Tomorrow)
6th Grade Food Equity Survey: This is a Social Studies themed field study in which students will learn about food equity and take action. They will start the day by harvesting the hydroponics they planted in September and delivering the produce to community fridges in the neighborhood. They will then engage community members to complete the food equity survey they developed in class. After lunch they will analyze their survey results and think about action plans to increase food security in the community.
7th Grade Museum of the American Indian: This is a Social Studies themed field study in which students will travel to the museum with the goal of analyzing and interpreting primary sources to better understand Native American culture past and present. In addition, they will study the area and the waterways that used to exist in lower Manhattan and how the systems have changed over time.
8th Grade Green-Wood Cemetery Air Quality Study and Innovators tour: This is a Science and Social Studies themed field study in which students will experience two different lessons led by Green-Wood's educational staff. One lesson will be studying air quality in and around the area using lichens as an indicator species. The second lesson will be connected to the grade’s study of the Industrial Revolution as students tour the cemetery in the trolley using famous innovators' gravestones as a primary source of investigation into their lives and their contributions.
Students should arrive on time to avoid missing their grade’s departure from BUGS. Please avoid scheduling any early departures as students will be in different off-site locations.
In the event that there is a prior long-standing commitment that requires a student to leave early, please reach out to the IS Team at fieldstudy@bugsbrooklyn.org.
ACTION ITEM:
Complete the Family Income Inquiry Form
Please complete the online Meal Form. Completion of the form is critical to our funding, and every family must complete the form each year, even if you don’t think you qualify for free or reduced price lunch, or your child doesn't eat school meals.
If you complete the Family Income Inquiry Form and qualify for free or reduced price lunch, your Field Study/Tech fee will be waived, AND we will send you a gift card for uniform items at Lands’ End.
Department of Health Flu Flier
Please see the “Fight the Flu” flier and preventive measures you can take to fight the flu:
News from the PTA:
DECEMBER 13 MEETING AND COMMUNITY EVENT POTLUCK C0-SPONSORED WITH OSA
Please join us for our December meeting and community event, a Multicultural Holiday Family Potluck!
Tuesday, December 13th
6:00-8:00pm (doors open at 5:30)
BUGS Cafeteria
Bring a Holiday Family Dish to share with students, families, and staff!
The PTA will also be holding a mid-year uniform sale (or swap – bring any outgrown clean uniforms!)
FOLEY FIRS FUNDRAISER
If you are planning to purchase a Christmas tree this holiday season, Foley Firs is donating $10 of every tree to the BUGS PTA! Just mention our school when you purchase your tree and sign the school fundraiser list and our PTA will receive the donation! If we have over 60 participants, they will double their donation!
Foley Firs
724 8th Ave.
www.foleyfirs.com
Encourage Friends and Family to Apply to BUGS
We would love to welcome middle schoolers you care about to BUGS. Online applications for the 2023-24 school year are now open at https://brooklynurbangardencharterschool.schoolmint.net. Remember siblings of students at BUGS receive priority in the lottery.
Please let friends and family know they can also sign up for a fall Virtual Info Session on December 8 here.