School Hours for 2009 - 2010

Earle Brown Elementary    8:25 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  (Monday through Friday  NO FAME)

Brooklyn Center Junior/Senior High     7:50 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.

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District Happenings

Health Resource Center Opens in Brooklyn Center!

The new health resource center is NOW OPEN!  Brooklyn Center School district is providing FREE medical, dental, and mental health services for all children in the district and community.  Consent Forms can be located on the Family Resources page.  More information about our Community Schools initiative can be found on the Community Schools page.  Links to TV news, newspaper, and blogs that mention the new Health Resource Center can be found on our District 286 News page.

BCHS wins "Magnet School of Excellence" Award!

Brooklyn Center High School has won the national Magnet School of Excellence Award for 2009 AND 2010!  The MSA website states,"The Magnet Schools of Merit Award recognizes magnet schools that show a commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful desegregation/diversity efforts, and the consistent delivery of quality services to all school stakeholders.  Two categories of awards have been established by MSA: The top category given to a group of select magnet schools is the Magnet School of Excellence Award and the second category of awards is the Magnet School of Distinction Award. Schools recognized must be members of Magnet Schools of America and must submit an application that is scored by a panel of educators."  Congratulations to the hard-working, dedicated teachers, staff, and students of BCHS that have made this possible!

BC is Awarded the Ed Tech ARRA Grant! Congratulations Brooklyn Center!

The Ed Tech ARRA grant will provide funding for the Student Achievement Through Technology project at Brooklyn Center High School (grades 7 - 12).  This project provides technology resources and staff development along three primary strands:  multimedia, videoconferencing, and web publishing.  As a result of this project, students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the curriculum through the creation of multimedia content, demonstrate complex communication and expert thinking, connect globally with other schools, institutions, and experts around the world, and publish meaningful work online. Students will gain greater access to computers and will have multiple opportunities for videoconferencing.  Teachers will be provided with a rich, comprehensive professional development program and multimedia tools (i.e., cameras, video cameras, microphones) to use in their classroom.  In addition to on-campus training, conferences, and off-campus workshops, staff will also have access to a new online Staff Development Academy that will include forums, wikis, blogs, and a repository for samples of lessons, assessment tasks, rubrics, and samples of student work.  

Congratulations BC DECA Students!

Congratulations to the following DECA business students who stepped out and competed against 450 of the area’s top students in various business-related skills on Saturday in Mound. This is truly a competitive academic test for our students who compete in a District against some of the biggest schools (e.g. Minnetonka and Edina)…there are no class divisions for size of school like in sports!

Eight students with an asterisk(*) qualified to compete at State in March. Go BC!

Queenella Cornormia

*Andre DuBose (Sports Marketing Team Decision Making)

*Sam Gordon (Sports Marketing Team Decision Making and Public Speaking-3^rd place)

*Matt Hatle (Business Services Role Play-1^st place and Employment Interview)

*Aaron Joles (Principles of Hospitality and Tourism Role Play)

*Pao Lee (Principles of Marketing Role Play)

Xeng Pha

Dontae Tart

Fuechi Vang

*Malvin Jay Vue (Hard Line Sales Demonstration)

Funttine Xiong

*Grace Yang (Public Speaking-2^nd place and Retail Merchandising Role Play)

*Larsa Yang (Principles of Hospitality & Tourism-3^rd place)

H1N1:  Free Vaccines

Hennepin County and Minnesota Visiting Nurses Agency will be providing H1N1 flu shots to all children, youth and adults.  Download the MVNA Flyer for times and locations.

School Board Recognition Week
February 22-26, 2010

The Brooklyn Center Independent School District #286 will join school
districts throughout the state to salute their local education leaders
during Minnesota¹s annual School Board Recognition Week February 22-26.
 
The commemorative week is designed to recognize the contributions made by
Minnesota¹s  school board members, including the Brooklyn Center Independent
School District #286 School Board, who are charged with governing public
education under state law.
 
Minnesota school board members are chosen by their communities through
election or appointment to manage local schools. They oversee multimillion
dollar budgets which fund education programs for more than 825,000 students
in approximately 2,000 schools. Their personnel decisions affect more than
52,000 teachers and thousands of administrators and support workers.
 
These volunteer leaders also are responsible for formulating school district
policy, approving curricula, maintaining school facilities, and adhering to
state and federal education law. Legal concerns and the complexities of
school finance, including budgeting and taxation, require them to spend many
hours in board training programs and personal study to enhance their
understanding of these issues.
 
Our deepest appreciation is extended to the dedicated men and women who make
it possible for local citizens to participate in education in our community.
We salute the public servants of the Brooklyn Center Independent School
District #286 School Board whose commitment and civic responsibility make
local control of public schools in our community possible: Arneuwell
Benifield, Cheryl Jechorek, Kimberly Pearson, Thomas Shinnick, Gregory
Thielsen, and Jack Wiborg.
 
Please join us by saying thanks to our school board members during
Minnesota¹s School Board Recognition Week.

Expect the Best!

I recall, many years ago, growing up in a Brooklyn Center neighborhood (BC was a village back then) we referred to fondly as “Tangle Town.” Judy Lane was the name of the street – but it was more than a street. It was a place where everyone knew everyone else – where I knew I had many “safe” places to play and many watchful eyes looking after me and my neighborhood playmates. My mom would bake cookies and we’d all be the food testers. I remember running across the street to ask Ethel Myers if I could use her Encyclopedia to do my school projects. (You didn’t need your own set when “The Myers” had one!) Without fail, she not only let me use the encyclopedia, she helped me with my project. That’s how it was back then. Those were the good old days.

You don’t have to go too far back in history to find that American education was founded on two premises: “that the purpose of schooling is to educate youth for democratic citizenship, and that schools and communities are inextricably intertwined and interdependent.” Rev. Samuel M. Crothers, a popular essayist at the turn of the 20th century, put it this way, “The present movement for using the schoolhouse of a city for the promotion of neighborhood life is one that has a long history—as long as democracy.”

What you see happening today at Brooklyn Center Schools is something that looks like education was intended to look – back then. That seeks out the best from the “good old days” and brings them together with the present and the future. We are a Community School District dedicated to working to help all children succeed in academics – to learn –(that is our primary charge) while we work with our partners to reduce the many barriers to learning our children bring to school every day.

You will be hearing much more about Community Schools, what they are, how they work and the many partners with whom we are working. The bottom line for you, your children, your grandchildren, and your neighbor’s children is that we are working harder everyday to make sure they learn and are prepared for the present and for the future.

And, as usual, “Expect the Best!”

P.S. See the page on Community Schools: Frequently Asked Questions.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Keith Lester

Phone:  (763) 561-2120

Email: klester@brookcntr.k12.mn.us  

Apply to Brooklyn Center Schools

If you are interested in applying to Brooklyn Center schools, the following information must be provided:  copy of student birth certificate, previous school transcript, up-to-date immunization record, guardianship form (if student does not live with legal parent), and verification of address (ID, rental or purchase agreement, mail with current address). 

Enrollment forms can be picked up at the elementary school office (1500 59th Ave. N., Brooklyn Center) from 7:30 - 4:00, or at high school office (6500 Humboldt Ave. N., Brooklyn Center) from 7:00 - 3:00. 

If you have any questions on the application process please contact Betty Engdahl (763-561-2120, ext. 4002) at Earle Brown or  JoAnn Gabrick (763-561-2120, ext. 2003) the high school.