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BCS News & Notes
A newsletter for parents, students, staff and community |
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P.O. Box 10007
Birmingham, Alabama 35202
(205) 231-4610
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There is more work to be done
Now that the Birmingham Board of Education has approved Phase II of the financial recovery plan, including school closings and consolidations, there is even more work to be done.
From facilities to human resources, and parents and students, we will work diligently to prepare buildings and implement transition plans to move forward.
Several schools that will be receiving additional students must undergo renovations to be ready for the first day of classes. This also includes books, equipment and, in some cases, classroom furnishings, that must be moved to different schools.
We will get the work done in preparation for the 2013-14 school year.
While these changes are occurring, our goal has not; that is ensuring quality teaching and learning in all schools in the district.
Sincerely,
Craig Witherspoon
Superintendent
Birmingham City Schools |
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Community meeting set for Lewis and Norwood
Relocation to Kirby to be discussed
Birmingham City School System officials will meet with parents and stakeholders of Lewis and Norwood elementary schools at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, at Hudson K-8 School.
Phase II of the financial recovery plan, which the Birmingham Board of Education adopted March 12, calls for Lewis and Norwood to close and to be consolidated in the former Kirby Middle School building. Because the Lewis community had not known earlier that Lewis was on the list for closing, the board agreed to have a community meeting about the Lewis-Norwood consolidation. The board may revisit the plan if relocation to Kirby is not acceptable.
Lewis and North Birmingham Elementary School combined at Lewis in August 2012.
Click here to read more about the financial recovery plan and school consolidations.
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Huffman High inducts academy cohorts
Academy features architecture and construction tracks
Huffman High School inducted the first cohorts into its Academy of Architecture and Construction at a
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Huffman's first career academy cohorts were inducted |
ceremony March 13. Eleven students were inducted into the architecture track, while 20 were inducted into the construction track. The students heard an inspiratonal speech rom Dr. Mittie Cannon, director of workforce development or Robins & Morton, a construction and engineering company. She encouraged girls, especially, to enter construction fields. Assistant Principal Ezra Shine is academy director. |
Parent Camp draws a crowd
Health and safety were topics
The Family Involvement Program hosted its 11th annual Parent Camp March 14 at the Lincoln Professional Development Center.
The theme of the camp was healthy lifestyles. The camp attendees started their day off with breakfast, after which they heard from Charles Huffman from the Birmingham Police Department on keeping their families and community safe.
Each camp attendee had the opportunity to attend three interactive workshops conducted by Nkenge Hyter and Hazel Meadows, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Toby Richards, Birmingham Museum of Art, and Ronald Stallworth, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
Stations were set up for campers to pick up information provided by representatives from Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency, Alabama Public Television, Jefferson County Health Department/Environmental Health Services, City of Birmingham/Division of Youth Services, YMCA Youth Center and United Way/Health and Development.
More than 100 parents and grandparents participated in the camp. Throughout the day, laughter could be heard from campers. Activities were designed to give busy parents fun and practical ways to promote healthy lifestyles in themselves and their children.
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Sun Valley students study solar system
Class sets up "museum"and gives tours Patricia Kimber's second grade class at Sun Valley Elementary has been studying the solar system. To further students' understanding and knowledge of the solar system, a project assignment was given
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Sun Valley students display their solar system projects |
with the students being told to use their imagination. The class decided to create a "walk museum" that allows visitors to tour displays of student works. A student docent directs the tour and explains the many imaginative posters and displays exhibited throughout the room. Also, the Promethean board shows solar system images as a student explains them. Near the end of the tour, there is a table display with a hands-on experiment, produced by the entire class, of the earth and moon rocks from a district science kit on pebbles, sand and silt. As visitors sign out, they receive a moon rock and a solar system vocabulary word card and are asked to learn and apply them in a sentence. |
Martha Gaskins students focus on bullying
Reading assignment leads to projects  | |
Trey Evans and Rodrick Hodges showoff their bullying T-shirts and posters |
Sixth-graders in Alicia Washington's reading classes at Martha Gaskins Middle School recently read the Bluford Series Books: The Bully and Payback by Paul Langan.
After they read the books, the students were engaged in a variety of activities, including making posters, designing T-shirts and writing essays and poetry. |
Glen Iris partnership with Jones Valley Teaching Farm grows
Families visit Southern Living kitchens, farmers market coming again
Jones Valley Teaching Farm and Glen Iris Elementary have partnered for the entire 2012 - 2013 school year to design and deliver innovative programs that build a vibrant and knowledgeable school culture
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A Glen Iris family learns in the Southern Living kitchens |
around food, science and nutrition through the GOOD SCHOOL FOOD project,
In the fall, the first collaborative project launched was a farmer's market run by fifth-graders utilizing Jones Valley produce. Through the fall market, students were able to sell more than 420 pounds of organically grown produce to the Glen Iris community.
The market is starting back for the spring season from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.Tuesday, March 19, and will run on April 2, 16, 23 and 30 and May 7 at the school. The spring farmers market will include fourth-graders who will be mentored by the older students.
In addition, a new partnership with UAB's School of Business will allow the current Farmers Market Club students an opportunity to work directly with UAB students to develop a small-business plan.
Jones Valley also is part of an effort to double the size of the school's outdoor classroom.
In addition, Glen Iris families recently visited the Southern Living kitchens to learn from chefs there. |
Parent Advisory Committee meeting reset
Meeting is now March 21
The Superintendent's Parent Advisory Committee meeting has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at the Lincoln Professional Development Center.
The committee is open to all parents and guardians who want to attend. |
Coming events
The Birmingham Board of Education will have a work session at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in the auditorium of the Administration Building, 2015 Park Place. Try using case studies, success stories, testimonials or examples of how others used your product or |
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