Important Dates |
- 12/23 Noon Dismissal
- 12/24 Winter Break Begins
- 1/3 School Resumes
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Dear Brookline High School Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers,
This is the last Weekly Blast of 2021. Huge thanks to the PTO for the steadfast support of our BHS students, staff, and even us administrator types. It has been a hard year of adjustments, re-acculturation, and forging on, through, over, and around the obstacles thrust in front of us.
Fortunately, the young people we work with are mostly awesome. The other day I greeted four older students and asked what they were doing. One of them said, "Just creating the culture we want." He was being kind of a smart alec, and he employed the language we use around old BHS. I'll take that.
PTO Executive Board: Wednesday 12/15
I met with various PTO leaders on Wednesday. We discussed concerns about Work to Rule and how we are supporting students and staff through a challenging time in our schools. For my part, I will write directly to students in my weekly message today, emphasizing what we need them to hear and know: there is still academic and socio-emotional support available to students and much of their BHS experience should remain the same within this heightened labor negotiation.
Legal Studies Guest Speaker: Thursday 12/16
On Thursday, I popped in on three senior social studies classes gathering to listen to a guest speaker, Sean Ellis. Mr. Ellis went to prison at the age of 19 for the alleged murder of a police officer working a detail at the Roslindale Walgreens. He spent 22 years in prison and was finally exonerated recently. The series Trial 4 on Netflix is all about his case and uncovers a great deal of corruption in the Boston Police Department. He also volunteers with the Innocence Project, giving talks like what he offered 80 or so riveted seniors.
To see and hear our students ask incredibly thoughtful, hard questions and have Mr. Ellis share his perspective made my day. Our seniors asked about his views on community policing, prison structure and life, personal relationships before and after his exoneration, and a whole lot else. I found Mr. Ellis to be deeply empathic, clear about the work he does on himself and in relationship with others. That he spent 22 years in prison - longer than our students have lived on this earth - and chooses to share about his journey and the efforts he believes he and others must take on now - was inspiring.
Deep thanks to Marcie Miller and Jen Hanaghan, our two Legal Studies teachers who offer students experiences like this within Legal Studies. It felt like the listening, learning, and questioning everyone in our community should do together.
I hope everyone has fun and safe plans for Winter Break. Please continue to pursue vaccines and boosters for our students and for everyone in our school community. These are the highest leverage preventative measures we can take. I also advise COVID testing after traveling and in preparing to return to school after the new year. These are the steps my family and I have taken and will continue to take as we enter the holiday season amidst Omicron, rising COVID numbers, and the like.
Take care,
Anthony
Anthony Meyer
Head of School
Brookline High School
Pronouns: He/Him/His
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New WARRIOR WISH FUND
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY! Words cannot express the gratitude that we feel for all of you who have come forward to support our high risk teens this season. Our gift drive is humming along, and we will see smiles on so many kids who truly need and deserve some joy this season.
The Warrior Fund will keep this drive open for the next few days, as we still have the need for a few more donations. Click here to purchase a gift card, for our guidance department/social workers to put towards a gift for some pretty great teens.
Amazon Custom Gift List Questions? Dara Zall BHSwarriorfund@gmail.com
SCHOOL WITHIN A SCHOOL (SWS) - Applications Open
School Within a School is an alternative, democratic community for a diverse group of approximately 120 sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Goals for students include taking as much responsibility for their education as possible, sharing decision-making in running SWS, and contributing to building a caring community. For 50 years, SWS has provided students with the opportunity to participate actively as leaders in their own educations and develop meaningful relationships with teachers based on mutual respect. Admission to SWS is based on a lottery, the criteria of which are determined by the SWS Town Meeting. In addition to Town Meeting, SWS students take at least two classes in the program, including English. They take the rest of their classes in the mainstream of BHS. More information about the program and the admissions process can be found at swsbrookline.org. Deadline for applications is February 18, 2022.
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FRIENDS OF PERFORMING ARTS (FOPA)
Join Us - Next Meeting 12/21 @7pm on Zoom
The FoPA team is growing and we want you! Do you want to connect with fellow BHS parents? Do you want to make a big impact on one-quarter of the student population? FoPA is growing and we have some exciting new opportunities! Please contact us or come to our December 21 Zoom meeting to learn how you can help Thanks!
BROOKLINE PARENT EDUCATION NETWORK (B-PEN)
LEAN INTO HOLIDAY CALM
‘Tis the season for connecting with family and friends, but pandemic concerns mean holiday celebrations will probably be smaller, quieter affairs. With all of us experiencing some sense of loss, B-PEN urges families to acknowledge that and take care of each other -- slow down, encourage students to wind down from the academic pressure, and take advantage of what Katherine May describes in her book “Wintering” as the power of rest and retreat. (Here’s an excellent podcast that could make for a meaningful family listen.)
Brookline Parent Education Network wishes you all a happy, safe holiday season!
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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BHS ROWING TEAM OPENINGS
The BHS Rowing Team is looking for new rowers and coxswains. All students are invited to participate in Friends of Brookline Rowing's preseason winter training program. Come workout and learn about rowing as the team prepares for another fun and exciting spring racing season. No experience is necessary. The program is the best way for new athletes to prepare for the upcoming spring tryouts. Participants will learn the basics of rowing and get into great shape for racing in the spring. Practices for the winter preseason will begin on January 3rd and continue through February 25th. For more information and access to registration please go to this link: New Rower Winter Registration
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.
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ONGOING CONTRACT DISPUTE
Do you have questions about the ongoing labor dispute between the BEU and the School Committee?
Here are some ways to get more information:
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SHOVEL OUR SNOW
Know a teen looking to earn some extra money this winter? Join the Shovel Our Snow program through Brookline Recreation! Residents of Brookline in need of shoveling help will contact students directly to set up jobs and work out payment. This is a great way to help out our community while earning money! To sign up visit www.brooklinerec.com or call 617.730.2069.
BROOKLINE ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION - SAT TEST PREP
SmartPrograms, an initiative of Brookline Adult & Community Education running for almost three decades, is excited to announce that registration for WinterWonderland 2021 is open! There is a Winter SAT TEST PREP course for High School students. Programs will take place at UAB and Tappan St, December 27-December 30. Families may enroll by December 20 via the website or by calling BA&CE at 617-730-2700, ext 0. Morning, afternoon, and full day options are available.
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MUTUAL AID BROOKLINE - HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE
Mutual Aid Brookline and the Brookline Center are helping local families with gifts for their kids. Please click here to participate or visit the MAB website for more information or to volunteer or donate.
10TH ANNUAL COOL SCIENCE ARTWORK COMPETITION
Cool Science is a free and public art competition held each fall for all K-12 artists. Cool Science is a collaboration between the UMass Lowell, UMass Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, University of Kansas, and Kansas City Art Institute. Last year Cool Science received a National Science Foundation grant that helped it expand the project beyond Massachusetts to Kansas, Missouri, and Southern New Hampshire. For further information about the contest, please visit: https://www.coolscience.net/artwork-guidelines-rules. You can also visit the website for further information about the program (www.coolscience.net). The deadline for entries is January 15, 2022.
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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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