Greetings Berkshire Families:

Thank you to all of our students and families that joined us at our PTA sponsored Ice Cream Social this past Wednesday (9/28). As usual, our PTA volunteers did an outstanding job helping us come together around some delicious ice cream treats as we all enjoyed the music and dancing with DJ Tim Stanley. We look forward to more PTA sponsored events throughout the school year.

As a heads up, our Berkshire students carried home their M-STEP results today (9/30) that most students took last spring. Please check with your students or take a peek in their backpacks to make sure that you have the opportunity to read the reports. We are working very hard at Berkshire to help all of our students to continue achieving academic growth in the classroom and on these standardized assessments.

Have a great week and thank you all for reading the following Berkshire Family Update!

Jason Clinkscale
Principal
Berkshire Middle School

Monday 10/3

Bagels and Books, 7:30am, media center
Girls Basketball vs. OLMS 4pm
Girls Tennis vs. East Hills 4:30pm
Cross Country vs. West Hills 4:30pm

Tuesday 10/4
Honors Orchestra, 7am, Orchestra room
Yom Kippur begins

Wednesday 10/5
Read it and Reap with Mrs. Sweeney, 7:40am room 217
Forensics 3:15-4:30pm, room 217
Green Club 3:15-4:15pm
Yom Kippur ends

Thursday 10/6
Show Choir Open Rehearsal 7:15-8am, Choir Room
Girls Basketball @ Cranbrook 4pm

Friday 10/7
AM Bagel Sales - $1
Fun Friday- Pink Day for Breast Cancer Awareness

Sunday 10/9

SOS Run/Walk at Seaholm

M-STEP coming home
M-STEP scores were distributed in C3 classes today. Check student backpacks!

Laptop Power Bricks
Each student with a school computer was also given a power cord/brick. We don’t have any power bricks to loan at school. If your child has lost their power brick, you can order a replacement on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-65-Watt-AC-Adapter/dp/B0163TTCL4/ref=asc_df_B0163TTCL4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309833041189&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10505880633948623997&hvpone
=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009970&hvtargid=pla-569188205731&psc=1

Show Choir Open Rehearsal THIS week, 7:15-8am, Choir Room 124
This is a great way for anyone to give Show Choir a try. Come prepared to sing and dance. If you like it, you can join Show Choir as an official member. Rehearsals take place every Thursday morning from 7:15-8am in the Choir room, room 124. Show Choir is a great opportunity to fit more music and performance into your week!

Bagels (or Muffins) and Books begins this week
Join fellow reading enthusiasts for Bagels (or muffins) and Books, beginning this week on Monday, October 3^rd. Held every Monday at 7:30am, it’s a great way to start the week. Our first book is Treasure of the World, by Tara Sullivan.

Coding and STEAM Club
Coding and STEAM Clubs began last week. Stop into the media center every Wednesday and Thursday during lunch and rec to learn more and fill out the links above to join. These clubs will also be held after school one day a week (day of the week TBD).

Daily Announcements
Curious about the daily announcements at Berkshire? Bookmark this link; it’s updated daily:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe_JbJ58KvkFV_0NCK04HmZ5e-soZpwGO

Berkshire Ambassadors
5th grade run - Saturday, October 8th 8:15am-10am, Beverly Park
Volunteers (parents, Berkshire alumni HS students, Berkshire students) needed to positively represent Berkshire, pass out stickers and candy, answer questions, one to dress up as Mascot, some to cheer on course: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4CAFA62DA4FA7-5thgrade

Gettysburg-DC Trip
We plan on having a parent info session via Zoom on Monday, October 10^th at 7:00 pm.  We will go over the details of the trip and how registration works.  The Gettysburg-DC trip is from 5/22-5/26 for 8^th graders. 
Here is the Zoom link:     https://birmingham-k12-mi-us.zoom.us/my/tim.stanley

Upcoming Community Events and Volunteer Opportunities
Looking for ways to stay involved with Berkshire, to get your own kids involved in Berkshire service projects, or to find service opportunities for your Groves student? See this community service page, which will be updated with signups, and new dates as they are set.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XDxKUVHp71cJlvfxh7AM1o3WERXBK7Pds9DcfjgF_2U/edit?usp=sharing

Halloween Dance
Our 2^nd annual Halloween Dance will be held on Friday, October 28^th, from 3:15-5pm. $5 per person, and concessions will be sold (pizza, treats, drinks and snacks). There will be DJ Stanley, a costume contest, games and fun! Send in your $5 in an envelope with your student’s name and C3 teacher, or print and send in this form:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MclDfYES8RJLl4aVDbFQrqyIG6WhEGwd6B_Ts7Ahr7g/edit

BPS Board of Education Candidate Forum
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 7-8:30 PM, SEAHOLM HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
Please join the Seaholm and Groves PTAs as they host a Board of Education Candidate Forum. Get to know all six candidates running for two open BPS Board of Education spots on this November’s ballot.
The forum will take place on October 11th in the Seaholm High School Auditorium from 7-8:30 PM. It will be co-moderated by Mr. Mike Wicker (Seaholm Assistant Principal) and Mr. Geoff Wickersham (Groves Teacher).
Parents, students, and all community members are invited to submit suggested questions for the candidates via this form by October 6 at midnight: https://forms.gle/QCV7G6DcrmjxA8h7A
As we expect to have more questions than time will allow, a committee of Groves and Seaholm Government Class students and teachers will select a set number of questions to be presented to the candidates during the forum.
We look forward to getting to know the candidates with the community on October 11th.
Note: This forum will be recorded and available for viewing within 48 hours after the event.

Middle & Elementary School Students Attending High School Football Games
For the safety and enjoyment of all spectators, the following guidelines for all BPS middle and elementary school students in attendance at Groves or Seaholm home varsity football games must be followed:

• Students must be accompanied by an adult/guardian. 
• Students must remain under the supervision of that guardian while at the stadium.
• Students must remain seated with their parent/guardian in the bleachers.
• Middle school students must also have their IDs at all times while in attendance at the stadium.
• Standing, loitering or horseplay under and/or around the bleachers or any other area is prohibited.

Again, our goal is to make sure that that we create a safe environment for all students and families.  Thank you very much for your support and cooperation.

Schools Offer Support
SOS – Schools Offer Support – can offer financial assistance to families in our district that are struggling. If you know of a BPS family needing support, they can fill out the Request for Support: 2022-2023 SOS Request for Support. Be specific with requests (pay electric bill, pay gas bill, need Meijer gift cards for food, pay for Kids Club at one of our BPS schools).

Third Annual Strides for SOS 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk
The Strides for SOS 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk is happening October 9, 2022. It's the biggest SOS fundraiser of the year and a fun event for people of all ages! Click on the link below to register or to become a family sponsor.
SOS assists families in the BPS Community with financial needs and volunteer services. Your participation in Strides for SOS will help ensure that SOS can continue supporting families throughout the year.
https://runsignup.com/.../SOSMilesforMeals5kand1MileRace

Beverly Hills Lions Club Fall Festival – Sunday, October 9^th, 2-5pm, Beverly Park Pavilion
You are invited to this free family event featuring cider, donuts, face-painting, a visit from Leader Dogs for the Blind and more!

Halloween Hoot – Saturday, October 22, 2022, 6-8pm, Beverly Park
Wear costumes and bring a flashlight for trick-or-treating around the friendly Halloween Hoot trail at this extremely popular event.

Are you a Harry Potter fan? Join Mrs. Lucken and Mrs. Baran and help us pass out candy to 1200 trick or treaters at our Berkshire station. Super responsible, great ambassadors to Berkshire only (Berkshire students, Berkshire alums, and parents welcome, but limited spots). Email Mrs. Lucken for more info and to sign up.

BPS Girls in STEM Jimu Robot Event, Saturday, December 3^rd from 1-5pm, Derby Middle School
This one day event is for any BPS middle school girl interested in building, coding, and taking home their very own Jimu Robot by UBTECH Education. There is no cost for the robot ($120 value). $10 registration fee. Middle school girls partner with a high school or college girl who will assist in this robotics experience. To participate, an iOS mobile device (iPad or iPhone with iOS 10 or greater) is required for the device to communicate to the robot. A Chromebook is ok as long as it is on Chrome OS 53 or greater with a touchscreen. Pick up registration forms in the front office.
(Berkshire’s Coding Club codes on these same robots, with our own Mrs. Greer-Jefferson, at Berkshire, and is open to all Berkshire students. We are including this Girls in STEM opportunity because a one day event might appeal to busy families.)

Support the BEF
Each year, the BEF typically grants upwards of $100,000 towards projects that enrich and enhance education for all BPS students. If every family in our district gave just $35, we would start the year with more than $175,000 to grant, allowing teachers to provide innovative experiences and opportunities that go above and beyond for our kids.  Please visit https://www.supportbef.org/make-a-gift.html and make your donation today.