Springing Forward, Slowly But Surely
Dear Families,
Last week, our chickens (Red, Speckles and La Rubia) let us know that spring was here, by surprising our first graders with the first eggs of the season! If you’re not subscribed to the ecorama blog, we highly recommend it.
But this week reminded us of the importance of moving slowly when we make changes, as the coop still needed its warming winter insulation for the chilly air that came through, reminding us of the colder weather we’re moving away from. We are on the precipice.
These last days of March also bring some scheduling changes for your children. Our BNS special programming schedule changes each year after the fourth grade musical culminates, marking the shift from semester 1 to semester 2. Those classes who didn’t yet have BAX (Brooklyn Arts Exchange) programming will now have their turn, amongst many other changes.
The schedule for our special periods are changing! Specials, or “preps,” are times of day (six per week by contract) when teachers and teaching teams meet and plan, preparing for lessons to come and reflecting on student work they’ve gathered. During those periods, the children are with our specials teachers (also called cluster teachers, citywide). At BNS, these special periods are Music, P.E., Health/Wellness Fun, Spanish, Outdoor Fun and Library, which alternate, shift and shuffle over the course of the school year. Please check out this document with bios and more information about each program to give a greater context to what students are experiencing over the course of the school year, outside of their classrooms.
Part of that special programming is our third grade immersive instrumental band program, a pilot of a grade-wide school day band program that is new to BNS this school year. Last Saturday, the band gathered in Prospect Park for a joyful time, playing music in the beautiful outdoors. This day brought beginners together with 3rd and 4th year musicians, so younger musicians were supported by their older band-mates in playing their beginner material and more advanced instrumentalists inspired us with the beautiful music they are able to play after working so hard over these past few years. Visitors shared that it was such a treat to be together with families in the beautiful springtime.
We look forward to the warm weather that’s fighting its way forward! We sure are ready for it.
D&M
Check the Konstella calendar for zoom links and the website calendar for updates:
