January Newsletter

Posted January 19, 2021

What’s Happening at Brown International? 

Newsletter for January, 2021

Message from the Principal!

Greetings Brown International Families and Guardians: 
First, I can’t begin to say THANK YOU enough for your patience and flexibility with the many challenges and changes of this school year.  I know things have been SO different, but I also know that we have all worked together to provide everything we can to help our students be successful this year and feel like they are part of a community; whether in-person or remote. 
The Choice and Enrollment window will open on January 15th. Please encourage your neighbors and friends to check out our new website that can be found here….Brown International website on Monday, January 11th, we welcomed over 340 students to in-person learning.  A huge shout out to all of the parents that waved good-bye at the entrances and watched their child walk onto the blacktop or line-up in front of the school as parents stood in the Parent Zone. Thank you for social distancing to keep our staff and students first!  Even the Kiss and Go on King Street ran smoothly.
In our remote platform, we continue to have over 230 students logging on virtually to meet with their teachers and use Google Break out rooms for small group collaboration time. Regardless of the learning platform, we continue to make the best out of both situations during this pandemic and it is due to our top-performing staff at Brown International.   
School Budget Update:  Due to our delayed start, our school budget has yet to be shared with  Administration.  Please look for the date and time for our upcoming CSC (Collaborative School Committee) which will be posted on Parent Square when we know more. During this meeting, I will share our budget and together we will discuss possible scenarios and next steps.  Your voice matters and I would like to hear from you. 
In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there is no school on Monday, Jan. 18th.  Here is a great way to attend a virtual MLK event.  Click here for MLK JR virtual event on Monday. 
As always, continue watching the DPS Homepage for the latest updates on COVID-19, and reach out with any questions and remember, there are no problems, only solutions. 
Best,
Sue Williams, Principal 

Important Dates:

  • Monday, January 18th- No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Wednesday, January 20th: Inauguration Day
  • Monday, February 1st: 1st day of Black History Month  

Refresher on Parent Help for Virtual Learning (from the teachers at Brown International):

  • Please check Parent Square daily (and “appreciate” posts so teachers know you have read them).
  • Please check your child’s Journal in Seesaw.
  • If your child is in a POD, please encourage a quiet background.  Oftentimes, kids are unmuting themselves and they are hard to hear because of the loud background noise.  
  • Please make sure your child’s work is authentic—especially when it’s an assessment. 
  • Please help students get back to their computers on time after a break. 
  • We expect students to keep their cameras on unless specific permission is given to the teacher. 
  • Please use your teachers’ office hours when you have questions, or would like to discuss your assignments. 
  • We all know it’s easy to forget when we’re not right in front of the camera, but please remember that you can also be seen and heard during remote learning.

All About IB:             

Hello Families, My name is Melissa Capozza. I am the IB PYP  (International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program) coordinator at Brown. I support teachers with implementing the program at Brown. I also work closely with the 5th grade as an interventionist. I have been at Brown for 10 years and part of the IB PYP since 1998.  I am passionate about how the PYP provides opportunities to learn about the world as well as to take action through the units of inquiry. Feel free to email  me at Melissa_capozza@dpsk12.org.

IB PYP Parent/Guardian Information Session

Thank you to those of you who attended the virtual IB PYP Parent/Guardian Information Night. Here is the recording and few resources:

From the Nurse:

Dear Brown International Families,
Welcome back! Thank you all for your patience, perseverance, and for remaining hopeful during these unpredictable times. We appreciate you for keeping your students home when they are showing any of the symptoms displayed on the daily health tracker. When your student is kept home due to symptoms please contact (720-424-9310 or 720-424-9250) for guidance on when your student may return to school. We are following the COVID-19 decision tree and must send home students who present with any of the symptoms of COVID-19. At times this may be frustrating, but we are all doing our part to help stop the pandemic by equitably adhering to the guidelines without exception to help prevent the spread within our community and beyond.
In addition to trying to prevent infection, it’s important to promote a healthy immune system. Ways to support your immune system include getting enough sleep, eating nourishing foods, incorporating physical movement, and doing healthful things to reduce stress (some examples: exercise, deep breathing, hobbies, connecting with supportive friends/family, reading, listening to music, and practicing mindfulness).  
As a reminder, all Brown International students have access to the Denver Health School-Based Health Centers for immunizations, well-child checks, illness appointments, and support for students who have COVID-19 symptoms. The closest school-based health center to Brown is at Lake Middle School.  They offer virtual and in-person appointments for many things.The School-Based Health Clinic Information Line: 303-602-8958To schedule an appointment for your student at Lake Campus please call: 720-424-0281
Thanks again for doing your part to take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and to help keep our school open!
Kristina Polizzotto, BSN, RN, NCSN720-424-9310kpolizz@dpsk12.net

From the School Psychologist & Social Worker

We celebrate the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. in January, and launch Black History Month in February.  However, we believe that the voices and history of Black people should be included and honored in school curricula every day. Unless Black history is taught throughout the year, it perpetuates an “othering” of Black Lives and Black students. Please use this as an opportunity to teach your children about the accomplishments and everyday lives of Black people, and to continue your conversations and learningthroughout the year.
Here are a few resources to get you started: 45 Books to Teach Children About Black History
Shannon Kishel, School Psychologist and Tiffany Casares, School Social Worker