Important Dates |
- 11/20 BHS Food Drive
- 11/24 Noon Dismissal
- 11/25 & 26 Thanksgiving Break
- 12/8 Early Dismissal K-12
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Dear Brookline High School Parents, Guardians, and Caretakers,
We are a week into quarter two of a challenging and invigorating 2021-22 school year at Brookline High School. Q1 grades will be out this week.
Some Reflections on Quarter One
This has been a year of adjustments as we return to in-person schooling after a year and a half of various, evolving approaches. Recall the extended school closure in Spring 2020 and juxtapose that period with the remote learning, hybrid teaching, and whatever else we did during last year's dynamic environment remain in our recent, collective memories. And then in September of this year, we began fully in person and have not veered from this course. Change much?
Not surprisingly, our work with the Warrior youth this year has not been without challenges. Many students report high levels of stress, anxiety, and general worry as they return to school as it used to be - or never really was. Kids navigate seven hours of school in the near constant presence of others, and many then continue with extracurricular activities - sports, performing arts, clubs work, before heading home to do their schoolwork. We parents and guardians see our children as they grow into their adult selves, revealing to us - those who love them most - their stress, anxiety, frustration, and in-process-ness. We generally take what we can get, and so it goes.
I am grateful to the Brookline High School faculty and staff for welcoming students into our domain each day and trying hard to meet our young people where they are. This, too, has entailed much adjustment. Content narrows. Assessments change. Time to check in and foster community increases. The need for additional academic and socio-emotional support emerges. And so we look for time, collaborate on a schedule change to implement mid-year, and find ways to help our teachers and staff continue to adjust while offering the excellent instruction and student support Brookline High School has always offered.
This reflection is a little general. It is hard to capture this past quarter without emphasizing the widespread need to observe and gather information about students and make changes to our plans - in classrooms, in offices and suites, and across our buildings and locations.
Here's the good news: our 2080 Brookline High Students are mostly awesome most of the time. We continue to offer freedoms and opportunities based on the 90-plus percent of students who make good decisions and contribute positively to the BHS community. Yes, there has been much more vandalism this year than I can recall. Yes, some students struggle to understand that after using a lunchroom or Commons space table, they ought to clean up after themselves. Yes, there have been times when my generally patient, optimistic, humane approach has turned into intense impatience and voiced frustration. And so I adjust, too: trying to breathe, slow down, and keep in mind the long haul of our work at Brookline High School.
Other good news: the two and a half year BHS building project is nearing its end. Ninth graders will move into 22 Tappan in the middle of the year, and work on the Tappan Gym, the former science wing classrooms and suites, and all along Tappan will be complete. Our school community will be close together, wrapped around the final jewel of this renovation and expansion effort: Cypress Field. We will even have a working T station at Brookline Hills. Things are looking up. The kids are more than alright, and they have caring, committed, and incredibly competent adults surrounding them at Brookline High School.
Warrior Athletics Update
We had an incredibly positive sports weekend despite some tough losses. Here's an update from Athletic Director Pete Rittenburg:
BHS Athletics Fall sports’ recent highlights and upcoming contests include:
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Cheerleading competed in the MSAA South Regional Championships on Sunday, 11/14 at Marshfield HS.
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Boys’ Cross Country won the team title at Saturday’s MIAA Division 1A Meet, featuring top-15 individual finishes by Alex Petersen (6), Greg Auditore (11) and Kailas Ciatto (15). Andrew Cherkasky (35) and Zach Solomon (38) rounded out the team scoring for the Warriors. The team will race next in the MIAA D1 State Championships on Saturday, 11/20 at Wrentham Developmental Center.
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Girls’ Cross Country was runner up for the team title at Saturday’s MIAA Division 1A Meet, featuring a top-15 individual finish by Lucia Werner (7). Audrey Seeger (16), Anna Goldmuntz (24), Jordan Liss-Riordan (27) and Camille Jordan (40) rounded out the Warriors’ scoring. The team will race next in the MIAA D1 State Championships on Saturday, 11/20 at Wrentham Developmental Center.
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Field Hockey (9-9-2) beat Westford Academy 2-1 in the opening round of the D1 State tournament, before falling to Andover 1-0 in the Round of 32. Goaltender Olivia Sheehan and the Warrior defense played incredibly well, surrendering only a late first half goal to the #1 seed.
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Football (1-8) got in the win column on Saturday with a 40-29 wire-to-wire effort v. Sharon. Sophomore QB Josh Karp accounted for 5 touchdowns (3 pass, 2 run) connecting twice with junior WR Caetano Drinkwater and once with sophomore Andrew Bamberg. Sophomore RB Chase Halfkenny rushed for the other Warrior TD. The Warriors will host Newton North on Thursday, 11/25 at Parsons Field, in a renewal of the Thanksgiving Day rivalry that began in 1894.
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Boys Soccer (12-3-6) advanced to the Final Four of the D1 State tournament with a thrilling double overtime victory over St. John’s Prep on Saturday at Nickerson Field. Sophomore Eamon Boshell’s header sealed the win and continued the Warriors’ string of late game playoff heroics. Senior Rowan Roudebush notched the winning goal v. North Andover with 8 minutes to go in the Round of 32 and, in the next round, junior Oscar Kulkarni broke a scoreless tie in 2nd half stoppage time. The #9 Boys play next in the D1 State semifinals v. #13 Lexington (14-2-3) on Wednesday, 11/17 at Manning Field in Lynn. Tickets for this game MUST be purchased online via GoFan at: Brookline High School Events and Tickets by GoFan
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#13 Girls Soccer (14-3-3) enjoyed a 3-game playoff run, highlighted by a pair of 2-0 victories over #20 Hopkinton and #4 Franklin, before falling to #5 Newton South 2-0 on Saturday. The Warriors registered an amazing 17 shutouts during the regular season and playoffs, 14 of them by senior GK Juliana Anastopoulos. This was the third straight tournament season where BHS advanced to the Elite 8 round.
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Girls Swimming & Diving placed 2nd as a team in D1 States on Thursday and Saturday. Senior Alexa Kalish got things started on Thursday, capturing 1st place in the 1-meter dive event. In the swim portion of the meet, on Saturday, the all junior 200 Medley Relay team of Katherine Henry, Hannah Lee, Bonnie Zhao and Ellie Eisenhauer took home the gold and smashed the school record in the process. Hannah Lee also won an individual gold in the 100 Breastroke, outdistancing the field by almost 2 full seconds.
Congratulations to all of our fall teams for their many accomplishments to this point and good luck to teams and individuals still competing in the postseason!
Thanks for your partnership and your support of the young people at our collective center.
Take care,
Anthony
Anthony Meyer
Head of School
Brookline High School
Pronouns: He/Him/His
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BHS FOOD DRIVE - NEXT SATURDAY, NOV. 20TH
Please support BHS families who could use extra help this holiday season. This is a teacher and student led initiative that helps many families in our community. The Food Drive will be on Saturday, November 20 with drop off times from 9:00am to Noon and delivered to families that same day! Drop off Location: BHS - In front of the main entrance - 115 Greenough Street.
We will be inside the main entrance at BHS, but please drop items at the sign out front and we will collect them to bring them inside. Some helpful items to bring are included in this list as well as Thanksgiving foods such as turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, ham, stuffing, potatoes, etc. If you plan on bringing turkey please email joslyn_vendola@psbma.org
CLASS OF '23 PARENT REP NEEDED FOR PTO
The BHS PTO is seeking an additional class representative for the Class of '23. Class reps sit on the PTO executive board and serve through the graduation of the class. Each class has three reps, so duties are shared and collaborative. If you are interested in being considered or want more information, please email copresidents.bhs.pto@gmail.com with the grades and schools of your children.
RACE REELS - NOV. 18, VIRTUAL
The next Race Reels film is "More Than a Word", a documentary about the process the Washington NFL team went through to change their name. Our speaker is Dean Harvey Young at BU who was on the committee when there was an effort made to change the name of the BU Terrier. (The Terrier's name is Rhett which comes from Gone with the Wind which has racist depictions.) He is currently the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and has done a great deal of research on the performance and experience of race. We're looking forward to hearing his experience about cultural appropriation and racism within sports mascots from a local perspective. To join the webinar, visit http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/race-reels.html. For students who are interested in BU it would be a great event to attend and then bring up in an interview!
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NEW CLIMATE ACTION LIBRARY
In conjunction with the new BHS interdisciplinary course, "Climate Science and Social Change," the BHS library is creating a dedicated "Climate Change and Environmental Justice" corner and book collection. The collection will include non-fiction, climate fiction and board games. The BHS librarians invite BHS community members to help build this collection by purchasing items from the BHS Library Amazon wishlist, making this a collection built by our community. While you're there, please choose the BHS PTO as your charity in the Amazon Smile program and every purchase you make earns money to benefit BHS students and teachers!
FRIENDS OF PERFORMING ARTS
Attend the FoPA Open Meeting Tuesday, Nov. 16 @7:00pm on Zoom
All parents and caregivers are invited to our monthly meetings on Zoom! We are currently seeking media/press help and someone with bookkeeping skills to support our Treasurer; as well as one-time box office help for upcoming productions. Join in to hear what we are up to and how you can get involved.
Zoom Link: https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/91294744472
Contact us for more info: fopa.bhs.pto@gmail.com
Join our new mailing list: http://eepurl.com/hKRVLr
The BHS Improvised Music Festival Featuring George Garzone with the BHS Music Collective Friday, Nov. 19 @7:30pm
The annual BHS Improvised Music Festival features some of the most adventurous musicians performing today. This year jazz legend George Garzone will work with the BHS Music Collective students during the school day and then perform with them in the evening (funded by a FoPA grant). Learn more about George Garzone’s impact on the music world and purchase tickets at www.brooklinefopa.org. Tickets: $5/BHS Staff: Free
BHS PTO ANNUAL APPEAL
The PTO annual appeal is underway. PTO relies on donations from families like yours to fund our support of programming, resources, and teacher grants with direct impact on the learning and experiences of BHS students. If you've already donated this year, thank you. If not, please take a minute to donate now at this link or by sending a check to BHS PTO, 115 Greenough Street, 02445.
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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE
B-PEN continues to hear that Brookline families are concerned about mental health these days, especially regarding our youth. In fact, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) have come together to declare a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health, acknowledging the urgency of widespread challenges facing children and adolescents. While direct services are often limited, information and resources ARE readily available. Check out our mental health care list and Mental Health Care in Adolescents on the B-PEN webpage.
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BROOKLINE THRIVES - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Students (or adults) looking for volunteer hours? Brookline Thrives has many volunteer opportunities for adults and students ages 15+. Help pack bags, restock inventory, or deliver Thrives bags to classrooms in the K-8 schools. Learn more and sign up.
BHS-BRANDED MERCHANDISE
Show your school spirit with BHS branded merchandise! A variety of clothing styles are available at this link. Stickers and magnets (perfect for cars!) are available at in-person PTO-sponsored events. Keep your eyes open for future announcements about additional types of BHS merch.
WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATION
BHS Winter Sports registration is now open at this link. Registration deadline November 24th. Practices and tryouts for winter sports begin on Monday, November 29th. A reminder to athletes and families that physicals must be within 13 months current and the best method for expediting athlete clearance is to upload a copy of the physical exam form in the "Participant Information" section of the FamilyID registration. Payment will not be due until rosters are settled. There is no online payment option at this time.
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LOCAL COVID AND FLU VACCINE CLINICS
Weekly COVID Vaccine Clinic - Thursdays - Brookline Health Dept
Thursdays, 1 - 4pm (also available by appointment)
Brookline now has *weekly* Moderna COVID vaccine clinics on Thursdays, 1pm - 4pm at 11 Pierce St! Whether you still need that second shot, or still need your first shot, or aren't quite sure about getting it, this is your chance. You can also request an appointment for another day or time if you aren't free on Thursday afternoons! To schedule an appointment, call Public Health Nurse Elizabeth Bennett at 617-730-2320.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN POLICE CHIEF SEARCH
Virtual Forum - Monday, November 15th, 7pm to 9pm
Community Survey - Ongoing
The Town of Brookline has partnered with Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) to assist in the search for a new police chief. Residents are asked to participate in an online survey to share their priorities for the next police chief. Additionally, residents are invited to take part in a virtual forum on Monday, Nov. 15 from 7pm - 9pm. Register Here to receive the links for participation.
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AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS
The Town of Brookline and the Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) are launching a community-wide engagement process to inform potential ways the town may use the $43 million it has received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The next virtual community engagement sessions will be held on Wednesday, November 17th, 8:30am to 10am. Click here to learn more about this initiative, including links to register for community engagement events.
DISPARITY REPORT COMMUNITY SURVEY
The Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations is looking for input from Brookline residents. Please consider completing this survey to ensure that our Working Group has aligned and captured the needs and perceptions of the community in our Disparity Report and Recommendations. The survey is currently available in English, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, and Cantonese and responses are anonymous. In the coming weeks, we will be announcing several opportunities, both in person and remotely, to participate in community forums and provide feedback. Please email Caitlin Starr, Associate Director of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations, if you would like more information about this initiative or call 617.730.2345.
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Find more info on Fall sports schedules HERE.
Find more info on the Performing Arts at BHS HERE.
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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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