Important Dates |
- 9/01 Staff & Faculty Return
- 9/15 9th grade Student Orientation
- 9/16 First Day of School
- 9/19 Special Education Rights Webinar
- 10/04 College Essay Workshop
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Dear Brookline High School Parents, Guardians, and Caretakers,
I join the Brookline High School PTO in welcoming you to the 2020-21 school year at BHS. While there is much still to work on and work out in preparation for the year, I know our faculty, staff, and administration is excited to see and work with students again after a long spring of school closure and remote learning. For this first Weekly Blast, will describe the collaboration between the PTO, our faculty, staff, and administration, and the larger BHS community.
First, this Blast is an essential read for high school parents. The PTO solicits, organizes, and shares important information about school events, issues, and supports for students and families. I try to include an introductory note each week, similarly sharing information and often reflecting on particular events, issues, and, most importantly, the sacred work of learning and teaching at PTO. Sara Stoutland edits the Blast, carving masses of information down to the pith.
Behind the scenes, Asst. Head of School Hal Mason and I meet every two or three weeks with our three PTO co-presidents: Jamie Costello, Jennifer Hunt, and Jennie Roffman. They then share updates and organize Executive Board meetings along with efforts to align student and faculty needs.
The PTO is fortunate to have a large, committed Executive Board with representatives from each grade level, various programs, and faculty. We convene monthly and, for now, these meetings occur via Zoom. Last Wednesday (8/26) Dean of Students Lisa Redding, Dean of OLS Jenee Uttaro, and Guidance Coordinator Darby Neff-Verre met with the PTO Executive Board. Parents and guardians asked smart questions about our opening of school. We provided answers where we could and outlined when more information would be coming. It felt good to be together, listening, talking, and laughing.
Grade level PTO representatives meet regularly with deans and guidance in order to organize class meetings and share perspectives, concerns, and updates. Grade-level PTO meetings will be held as school opens in mid-September. We welcome families, share class-specific messages and updates, and answer the many questions that a year like this one will entail. These grade-specific teams also work with our awesome Brookline Parent Education Network (B-PEN), student peer leaders, and larger school community to provide programming throughout the year that helps us work across and between school and home to support the awesome young people at our center.
While our students may fight us on this endeavor, adolescents need our collaboration, communication, and solidarity. This can be hard to remember, much less practice, at fraught times like these. I hope we can all find the patience, grace, and sense of determination we must model for our kids while so much seems uncertain in our school year, in our nation, and so much more. Our faculty, staff, and administration will begin the year checking in with and on our students. We know many have experienced stress and anxiety, loss and trauma, and a sense of isolation over the last six months. As we say at BHS, “relationship before task.”
Lastly, the PTO raises funds to support important grants to our teachers and staff as well as a variety of annual events for students, staff, or parents. The PTO also supports faculty and staff through an Amazon Wish List with items requested by staff. All of this PTO assistance augments our students’ learning, sense of belonging, and overall school experience. I am incredibly grateful for the PTO support in these concrete ways and in their overall collaboration with BHS parents, guardians, caretakers, and staff.
See you soon at a PTO class meeting near you on Zoom,
Anthony Meyer
Anthony Meyer
Head of School
Brookline High School |
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BHS TEACHER AMAZON WISHLIST
Thanks to everyone who purchased items from the BHS Teacher Amazon Wishlist! Over 55% of the items on the list have already been purchased.
Yet 45% of these teacher requests remain unfulfilled! You have until Sept. 7 to make a purchase and support BHS. This year, teacher selected many items that assist student learning in a hybrid mode. Every bit helps!
The BHS Teacher Wishlist is available here. When checking out, please have items shipped to: BHS PTO - c/o Andrea Parzen, 318 Walnut Street, Brookline, MA 02445.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COLLEGE ESSAY WORKSHOP
Announcing the 17th Annual Brookline High School College Essay Writing Workshop
Sun., Oct 4 : 12 PM - 4:30 PM (sessions at 12 PM or 2:30 PM)
Parent/guardians/caregivers/community volunteers are needed for the Brookline High College Essay Workshop, which will be delivered this year on Zoom.
Sponsored by the BHS PTO and led by BHS faculty, this annual event helps seniors craft essays for college applications. Please sign up here to assist students with their writing or provide logistical support, including administering Zoom breakout rooms. No experience necessary.
BHS teachers will provide a volunteer orientation on Oct. 4. This one-day opportunity really benefits BHS seniors as they start preparing college application. Please consider joining us. Questions? Contact abbycox@yahoo.com or emily.dolbear@gmail.com
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THE BHS PTO NEEDS YOUR HELP!
Interested in strengthening the BHS community and supporting the incredible teaching and learning at BHS? Join the BHS PTO board. For the 20/21 school year, we are looking for:
1) Website and Family Directory chair.
2) Weekly Blast (you're reading it now) co- or assistant editor.
3) Fund-raising/Communication Committee members
Interested in any of these terrific opportunities? For more information, please reach out to Jennifer, Jamie, or Jennie at copresidents.bhs.pto@gmail.com or check out the BHS PTO website.
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SAVE THE DATE: WEBINAR ON SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS DURING COVID
On Thurs, Sept. 19 from 3-5 p.m., please join Brookline's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for a webinar with Special Education attorney, Dan Heffernan, who will discuss special education rights during the COVID pandemic. Zoom link will appear in next week's blast..
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GUIDANCE UPDATES
For this week's guidance updates and information go here. Student interim progress reports can be viewed on the Aspen Portal.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
On Mon. Aug. 31st at 6 p.m., the School Committee will hold a meeting, remotely. For agenda and information on connecting, go here.
100 BOOKS BEFORE GRADUATION
Calling all high school students! The Public Library of Brookline is excited to announce the launch of a brand new program: 100 Books Before Graduation (for grades 9-12). Read 100 books of your choice and enjoy fun perks, such as monthly raffles, a grand prize upon completion, expert book recommendations from our Teen Librarian, and major bragging rights!
For more information, visit our website at brklib.com/100books or come chat with us at our virtual info session on Wed, Sept. 23 at 4 PM. Learn more about the info session here.
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GIRLS WHO CODE IN BROOKLINE
Join us to find out more about Girls Who Code at the Public Library of Brookline - coming to you via Zoom this fall. Our meet and greet on Wed. Sept 16th at 6:30pm is for anyone who is curious how the clubs work and would like to meet this year’s club facilitators. More information is here. (Attendance at this meeting is not required to participate in the club.)
This year our club will meet on Wednesdays starting September 23 at 6:30 PM via Zoom until June 2021. This club is open to girls in grades 5 to 12.
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Sports and Extracurricular Events
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| FALL SPORTS: To be determined |
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Support BHS
The Brookline High School Parent Teacher Organization is committed to supporting important communications between school and home. It sponsors a variety of events each year designed to show support of the school and to keep parents informed about how to help their children make the most of the BHS experience.
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