Community Notes

Our North Star

“When children and teachers feel engaged, safe, and supported we have room to grow and learn through collaboration and risk-taking with our peers.”

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

I wanted to let you know about a change I am planning for The Community Notes. I will begin sending The Community Notes every two weeks starting this week. So the next Notes will November 10, then two weeks later, and so on...

Why? A few reasons:

• You get A LOT of email from us and I want to help reduce the labor The Community Notes puts on families (it is a lot to read each week)
• The Community Notes take a lot of my time to write and I need that time to be in classrooms

I will continue to use this forum as my primary mode of communication, though you will still receive sporadic communication for the Main Office, PTO, and other programs like HASAP.

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Update from Conference

Last week I was able to attend the Teaching Learning Coaching conference thanks to the PSB and BEF. While there were many sessions on offer and each provided new and valuable insights, I was really excited by my time with three educators in particular: Amanda Ripley, Zaretta Hammond, and Kristin Anderson.

These conversations on high conflict and binary thinking, the many dimensions of adult wellness and the impact on students, and how to move students from cognitive dependence to cognitive independence were transformative. It is also so nice (and rare) to be able to take the time to think about my practice and our school from the 30,000 foot view, taking stock of our strengths and growing edges more broadly.

I hope you, too, will check out these thinkers!

(As the conference was in Orlando, I did spend some time at DisneyWorld. Here I am - with Remy! - at Epcot!)

“I don’t want to go to school.” “I just want to stay home.” “I don’t want to go to ___ (fill in the blank).”

Are these sentiments that your children are sharing? Are you unsure of how to help your child(ren) manage their feelings of anxiety?

Please join Ms. Ovadia (“Ms. O.”), K-2 School Counselor, and Ms. Watkins, K-8 School Psychologist, at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday November 9th in the school library for a conversation about anxiety and children.

During this presentation you will receive tips on how to talk to your child(ren) when they’re feeling overwhelmed with worry and how to talk to them about worry in general. You will also receive a list of resources and a flier with practical tips. If you cannot attend and are interested in receiving information from the presentation, please email Alissa Ovadia (alissa_ovadia@psbma.org) or Jen Watkins (jennifer_watkins@psbma.org).

A special thank you to the Heath PTO for funding Alissa and Jen’s attendance at the Lynn Lyons conference focused on supporting students, families, and educators with worry which is the basis of this presentation.

Our School Site Council held our first meeting today. Here is where you will find our Site Council members, agendas, school improvement plan (SIP), and more: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/826

Today our talking points included:

• reviewing our Braver Guidelines; reviewing our School Improvement Plan; discussing MCAS data; providing updates on enrollment, class sizes, and program expansion(s) (like RISE and/or BEEP)

I am thankful for this forum and the volunteer committee members so committed to the health of our school.

We ask that all Halloween candy stay home to be enjoyed before or after school. We have children in our school with severe allergies; the influx of candy can put them at risk for exposure to allergens. If we see Halloween candy in school, we will take it, keep it safe, and return it to kids at the end of the day.

We thank you!

Also, don't forget that the 31st is Storybook Character Day! Plan now for a great day Tuesday!

On Sunday, October 15th, our Young Scholars and their families attended a special screening of Black Panther and were honored to meet Academy Award-winning costume designer, Ruth E. Carter, at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

Following the screening, the Scholars participated in a Q & A session with Ms. Carter. They learned about her design process- each costume takes at least 6 months to create- and her favorite memory of Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman. Ms. Carter autographed posters made by the Young Scholars and gave them expert advice on how to launch a career in fashion and the arts. Wakanda Forever!

PTO 2023 Fall Grants due Monday 11/6

The PTO Fall Grant Cycle is open and we invite all members of the Heath School community to submit proposals. The deadline for submission is Monday, November 6, 2023. In addition to asking for more typical submissions (which we definitely still encourage to be submitted), we are also asking the community to submit proposal ideas for one larger project (up to a max of $8,000). This is possible because of both the generosity of our donors last year and the tireless efforts of our volunteers who led multiple fundraising campaigns (including the Ultimate Hawk Challenge, the Hawk Fund Annual Appeal, Mayfair, and more). Find additional information and the proposal submission link at:

https://heathpto.org/grants

Questions? Email the Heath PTO at contact@heathpto.org

As we have moved through our process of renaming our school, we have met with many stakeholders. These committees have been extremely supportive and appreciative of the connection. Committees on record supporting our efforts are:

• The School Committee (unanimously)

• The Naming Committee (nearly unanimously)

• The Select Board (unanimously)

• The Commission for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations (CDICR) (unanimously)

I thank David Gacioch and Miriam Aschkenasy for serving as co-petitioners on this Warrant Article and for liaising so beautifully with folks as we share the efforts here to name our school the Roland Hayes School.

Our Student Renaming Committee continues to meet again in our efforts to prepare for Town Meeting, coming up in November. Their enthusiasm (and nervousness) know no bounds! Stay tuned for the exact date where our warrant article (Warrant Article 13) will be presented and be ready to come and support the efforts and celebrate our student naming committee members!

• The copy of our Warrant Article is here: link

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Each week, we report updates on the renaming process here. Past "Community Notes" newsletters can be found here:

https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

The "School Name: History & Resources" website page is also updated regularly:

https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/renameheath

Of Particular Note:

• You will regularly see the meeting announcements for our Affinity Groups listed in this section. These sessions take place during the school day and are just for kids, but we share them so you can remind your children that they are coming up and/or ask, "How was ______ today? Tell me all about it!"

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• Monday, October 30th: Rainbow Club! Grade 5

• Tuesday, October 31st: Storybook Character Day

• Wednesday, November 1st: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, November 1st: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, November 2nd: Young Scholars, 2:30-3:30pm

• Friday, November 3rd: School Closed for Students: PD Day: Teachers and Paras Report

• Friday, November 3rd: "It Takes A Village" METCO Event, The Golden Temple, 6:00-8:30pm

• Monday, November 6th: Rainbow Club! Grade 4, 11:20-11:50am

• Tuesday, November 7th: AAPI Affinity Group, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, November 8th: K-6 Early Dismissal @ 12:40pm

• Wednesday, November 8th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, November 8th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, November 9th: Term 1 Closes for Grades 6-8 Report Cards

• Thursday, November 9th: Parent Coffee: Understanding Anxiety in Children + Strategies, 8:15-9:15am

• Thursday, November 9th: Young Scholars, 2:30-3:30pm

• Friday, November 10th: School Closed: Veterans Day Holiday (observed)

• Monday, November 13th: Rainbow Club! Grade 3, 11:20-11:50am

• Wednesday, November 15th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, November 15th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, November 16th: K-8 Early Dismissal @ 12:40pm

• Thursday, November 16th: Evening Conferences, 3:00-6:00pm

• Friday, November 17th: Picture Retake

• Friday, November 17th: Term 1: Grades 6-8 Report Cards Published

• Friday, November 17th: PEP - Perseverance Book, 8:05-8:30am

• Tuesday, November 21st: AAPI Affinity Group, 10:50-11:20am

• Thursday, November 23rd - Friday, November 24th: School Closed: Thanksgiving Break

The weekend is here which, for many of us, brings another opportunity for rest and connection. May it be so for all of us.

Be good to yourself, and to others,

~ Asa

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Ed.D. | Principal

Email: asa_sevelius@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Mr. Kirtan Patel | Vice Principal

Email: kirtan_patel@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

Website: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/Page/17
Location: 100 Eliot Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
Phone: 617-879-4570

Heath School

The Public Schools Of Brookline | A METCO Partnership School

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Principal & Mr. Kirtan Patel, Vice Principal