Middle Matters

Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:

• Important Upcoming Dates
• SY23-24 School Calendar
• In-Person Curriculum Night: Thursday, September 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
  
• 8th Grade Washington D.C. Information Session
• Brooks Spirit Wear
• GBMS Library - Morning Protocol
• Lunch Options: Starship (PTO) and Dominoe Pizza (BRAVO)
• Student Lunches - no outside deliveries permitted
• Middle Matters-Sports, Clubs & BRAVO Information & Student Announcement Link
• PTO News
• Middle Matters Repeated Topics Link
• Middle Matters Community Partner News Link

If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact me at acapuder@op97.org. You can also contact my Executive Coordinator, Ms. Angel Banks, at abanks1@op97.org or (708) 524-7636.

Our Administrative Team

April Capuder, Principal (acapuder@op97.org)

Dr. Denise Gildon, Associate Principal for Teaching & Learning (dgildon@op97.org)

Roshaun Bowens, Associate Principal for School Culture, Climate and Sports/Clubs (rbowens@op97.org)

Student Success Coach Team:

6th Grade: Josh Rodgers - jrodgers@op97.org

7th Grade: Nichelle Stigger - nstigger@op97.org

8th Grade: Bernard Starks - bstarks@op97.org

• Monday, 9/4-No School; Tuesday - A day; Wednesday - B Day, Thursday - A Day and Friday - B Day

• In-Person Curriculum Night: Thursday, September 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

• No School: Monday, September 25th, 2023

• No School: Monday, October 9th, 2023

• Conferences: Thursday, October 26th from 12:45pm to 8pm

• School Pictures: Wednesday, November 1, 2023

• No School: Friday, November, 10th, 2023

• End of Trimester 1: Friday, November 17th

We will be hosting an In-Person Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. We look forward to welcoming our Parents and Guardians to this opportunity!

You will be following your student's C Day schedule. Here is the schedule and template you can use to create your student's C Day schedule by logging into your student's PowerSchool to view their schedule.

For your convenience, a personalized C day schedule for your student will be emailed to the parent/guardian#1 email in PowerSchool Wednesday, September 6th before 9pm.

Please join us at the end of Curriculum Night, September 7th at 7:50pm in the Auditorium to learn about the upcoming 8th grade Washington D.C. Trip scheduled for March 16th through March 19th, 2024. This is for all of our 8th grade families. Learn about:

• possible sites that will be visited on the trip
• the accommodations
• cost and payment schedule
• how to access need-based financial assistance
• interest survey

To learn more about the trip, you are welcome to attend in person with your student. For your convenience, there is also a Zoom option: https://closeup-org.zoom.us/j/83550526615.

Link to order: https://1stplace.sale/30601

Starts Tuesday, September 5th

• The GBMS Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
• No pass needed
• To enter, wait in-between the Kenilworth doors (by the main office)
• An adult will escort groups to the library at 8:00, 8:15, and 8:30. For example, if you arrive at 8:10 you will have to wait until the 8:15 group heads up. If you arrive after the 8:30 group has been escorted, you may not enter the library that day
• You will sign-in and stay in the library until the 8:50am
• These times are for students to quietly read, do homework, or meet as a group to study or work on a project.

We want to thank you for participating in the Brooks PTO Starship lunch fundraiser last year.

The sign ups are now open for the first half of this school year! Lunch will be served every Tuesday school is in session starting Sept 19 and ending on Dec 19 (for a total of 14 lunches). Orders must be placed by Tuesday, Sept 12.

1. More information is available here.

2. Sign up for lunch here.

3. Sign up to volunteer on Tuesdays here.

****CASH ONLY ON Friday September 8th****

Domino's Pizza Lunch on Fridays from September 15 - May 31: SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN FRIDAY PIZZA LUNCH

>> Students MUST have a Brooks Student ID EVERY FRIDAY to receive pizza <<

Pizza Lunch Volunteers Needed!

Looking for a fun & easy volunteer opportunity at Brooks? Pizza Lunch is a great way to touch base with your child at lunch as well as get to know new families. We rely on volunteers to help distribute food and keep this program going, so please consider donating your time. We can't do it without you!!! Sign up to volunteer on Fridays: Please Sign Up to Volunteer

Parent/Guardians may drop off a lunch for their student and place it on our rack in the main office for their student to pick up on their way to lunch. We always have a sandwich or salad lunch option available for your student should they forget their lunch at home.

Please note, we can not accept deliveries for students from outside delivery services. Do not order food for your student to be delivered to the school.

Let’s serve for a cause! Come get your car washed and fundraise for Brooks PTO. $10/car. Most volunteers will be students but we need at least 5 adults.

Join us with Principal Capuder to discuss all things Brooks and PTO. In addition, we are launching our Brooks Parent Book Club and will be handing out a few free books. We will be reading Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond--and How Parents Can Help .

Back by popular demand, we will be selling churros during STUDENT LUNCH periods to kick off Latinx Heritage Month. $2/churro Sign up to help here.

Sign up and SHARE to volunteer. This is an outdoor, parking lot party co-partnered with Bravo. There will be a DJ, food trucks and access to the field. This is a family event, no drop-offs.

Help us celebrate Latinx Heritage month at Taco '76. Mention “BROOKS” with your order and they will donate 25% back to Brooks PTO.

To help promote a sweet start to the school year, stop by Candycopia to get a treat — for free! Visit the store before September 30th and present/mention attached flyer for your free treat— no purchase necessary. (one treat per eligible student)

Connect with PTO

Follow us on FaceBook at @gwendolynbrookspto, or email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.