BUGS Family Newsletter, May 5th

Message from the Family Coordinator

 

Dear BUGS Families, 

 

Hope you are well and enjoying the Spring weather. 

 

We had a successful administration of the NY State ELA and Math Tests. We would like to thank our staff for supporting our students leading up to and during the exams. 

 

Important reminder! As we quickly approach the end of the school year please remind your students to stay on task with turning in any outstanding or late assignments by June 16th for grading. 

 

Here's some news you can use  about upcoming events: 


  • May 7th: BUGS PTA Brooklyn Cyclones Family Fundraiser

  • May 8th - 12th: Staff Appreciation Week

  • May 9th: BUGS Presents Lisa Damour and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

  • May 11th- BUGS PTA General Meeting- The High School Process with High School Expert Joyce Szulfita

  • May 12th: Staff Professional Development Day - asynchronous for ALL students. 

  • May 24th - May 25th: Endline Exams 

  • May 26th: Field Study Day

  • May 29th: Memorial Day- School is Closed

  • June 2nd- BUGS Spring Talent Showcase

 

Please also review the BUGS School Calendar on our website here:

 

Please read the newsletter in its entirety, and as always if you have any questions please feel free to email me at kevin.penaloza@bugsbrooklyn.org.

 

Best, 

Kevin Peñaloza 

Family & Operations Coordinator

 

BUGS BOOK EVENT WITH DR. LISA DAMOUR!

Join us on May 9 at 6:30pm for a riveting evening of fresh insights, advice, and conversation with Lisa Damour, Ph.D., author of the newly released (and already a NY Times Bestseller) The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents.

Here’s how to be part of the program!

  1. Attend the event!! Tickets are $25 and are available at https://bit.ly/DamouratBUGS

  2. Become an event sponsor! Learn more here.

  3. Volunteer! If you can volunteer, please either email taralindiscorbell@gmail.com or sign up on the Konstella sign up sheet! https://www.konstella.com/app/school/6373d00b9b9869b0cd60d337/signups/63f0e3bfcf38fec600b62cfc

 

Friday, May 12th - Asynchronous Day for All Students

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 via email during breaks in their PD schedule. Students must complete the attendance form to be marked present for the day.

 

PTA Corner: Upcoming Events

The BUGS PTA needs you!

Please join the PTA KONSTELLA community here:

https://www.konstella.com/cd/4PDQ1S

We also need parents to join our PTA Executive Committee! 

The BUGS PTA EC helps parents stay sane and navigate family-life in NYC with friendships, guest speakers, and resources. We provide community picnics, dances, potlucks, basketball team uniforms, school uniforms to incoming 6th graders, guest speakers, and more. This is an all-volunteer thing and truly, the more the merrier.  

Donate to the PTA !

The PTA is still in pandemic recovery mode and currently operating in the red. If you have not donated your yearly dues, please donate here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3AH2WCGK9YCE8

 We’re also accepting donations of appropriate items and services to include as raffle prizes. 

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BUGS PTA FRIENDS AND FAMILY EVENT @ BROOKLYN CYCLONES!

Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Aberdeen

Sunday, May 7th @ 2PM 

Cyclones Stadium at Coney Island

Tickets $15 can be bought here: https://fevo.me/3Tialrr

Baseball season has started! Come join us for this fun (and fundraising!) event with the Brooklyn Cyclones! Bring your friends, family, and Little League teams! If we sell 250+ tickets, a lucky BUGS participant will get to throw out the first pitch!

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High School Application Overview and Process

& BUGS PTA General Meeting

Special Guest:  NYC High School Expert Joyce Szulfita

Thursday, May 11th

6:30PM-8PM

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86455864078?pwd=S0xrbzYxMmdUcXRzSE4vUVg2aDEvZz09

Suggested $5 donation for this talk:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3AH2WCGK9YCE8

 

BUGS Interim Assessments (Endline Exams)

BUGS uses Interim Assessment (Baseline, Midline, and Endline) data from core content areas  (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Sustainability) to inform instruction and curriculum implementation, For the 2022-23 school year interim assessment grades are entered as a formative grade in the gradebook.

The Endline assessment (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, & Sustainability) administration dates are as follows: 

  • Wednesday, May 24

  • Thursday, May 25

Please ensure that your students are in attendance for all of these assessments. These are the BUGS internal assessments and are not optional or “opt-in/out.” The Endline Exams are added to the gradebook as formative assessment grades. 

Please avoid scheduling any appointments or early departures on testing days.

 

Reminder for all Families in regards to Academics:

As we quickly approach the end of the school year please remind your students to stay on task with turning in any outstanding or late assignments by June 16th for grading. 

As a reminder, students may be retained in their current grade level or mandated to complete a summer plan/summer school for the following reasons: 

  • Earned a D+(1.75-1.99) average or below in core classes (math, science, social studies, reading, writing) in the 8th Grade

  • Earned a D+ (1.75-1.99) average or below in reading, writing and math in the 6th & 7th Grade. 

 

You may also find this in our Family Handbook located here: 

 

Staff/TeacherAppreciation Week

Staff/Teacher Appreciation week is May 8 - May 12. Here at BUGS, we would like to show our appreciation of our BUGS Staff with gifts, food and different activities they can indulge in for that week. If anyone would like to support us in celebrating our wonderful staff by donating food, funds, or speciality services (ex.beauty, selfcare, wellness, mindfulness)  that would be greatly appreciated. Contact me about donations or suggestions at  kevin.penaloza@bugsbrooklyn.org. 

 

Field Study on May 26th

Important Info for Families

  • 6th grade will swap field study activities and sites from April. 601/604 will visit the Sunset Park Rooftop Farm and will take an educational tour of Industry City and 602/603 will participate in native plant restoration at Greenwood Cemetery and take care of local street trees

  • 7th grade will visit the Harbor School with the Billion Oyster Project on Govenor’s Island.

  • 8th grade will take a mock Living Environment Regents test in the morning and have a Field Day at Prospect Park in the afternoon.

  • Students should arrive on time to avoid missing their grade’s departure time 

  • Please avoid scheduling any early departures as students will be in different off-site locations.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the IS Coordinators or Sustainability Program Manager:

 

June 2nd, BUGS Spring Talent Showcase

BUGS will be having our Spring Talent show on June 2nd from 6pm to 8pm in our Auditorium. Families are encouraged to attend and enjoy the various performances by our students and staff. You are also invited to volunteer, support, or perform! Please contact Ms. Jasmine at jasmine.holloway@bugsbrooklyn.org for more information!

 

BUGS COVID Update

We have had very few COVID cases at BUGS this spring. Thank you all for being a part of that! To continue that trend, please continue to:

  • Test if anyone in your household is not feeling well

  • Keep your student home if they are not feeling well 

  • Have your student wear a mask at school if they have been exposed to someone with COVID

  • Let us know at covid@BUGSbrooklyn.org if your student tests positive

Note: We have plenty of rapid COVID tests at BUGS, so encourage your student to pick up a few if you need them at home. 

 

External Resources 

Tree Giveaways Event

The New York Restoration Project will be giving out free trees please more information in the link below: 

  • https://www.nyrp.org/en/get-involved/tree-giveaways/?utm_source=nyrp%20full%20email%20list&utm_campaign=309600b9ee-newsletter_november_2019_copy_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1b630c4a5b-309600b9ee-143207458