Greetings Berkshire Families:

It's always nice to be able to recognize some of the amazing accomplishments of our Berkshire Wildcats! Therefore, please know that Berkshire 8^th grade choir student Sofia Acuna participated in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association State Honors Choir on January 19 in Grand Rapids. Sofia was selected for this opportunity based on an audition last fall. Students who make it to this level are considered to be the best of the best middle school singers in the state. Congratulations, Sofia!

Have a great week and thanks for reading the following Berkshire Family Update!

Jason Clinkscale
Principal
Berkshire Middle School

Monday 1/30
IM Volleyball starts

Tuesday 1/31
Robotics Workshop Informational Meeting, 7:30am, Room 118
Morning Math help, 7:30-8:05, room 215
Half Day, dismissal at 11:25am
Groves Charity Week - DEFY Detroit fundraiser for Vista Maria, see below

Wednesday 2/1
Kind Club 7:30am, room 120
Read it and Reap with Mrs. Sweeney, 7:40am room 217
Lego Club 7^th/8^th grade lunch/rec, room 119
Forensics 3:15-4:30pm, room 217
Art Club 3:15-4:25pm
Green Club 3:15-4:15pm
Snow Club
5^th Grade Parent Night, 7 -8 pm, Berkshire Cafeteria

Thursday 2/2
Show Choir, 7:15 am
Morning Math help, 7:30-8:05, room 115
Spelling Bee prelims 8^th grade, and finals
Forensics 3:15-4:30pm, room 217

Friday 2/3
Morning Bagel Sales

Saturday 2/4
Saturday School, 9-11am, media center
Robotics Workshop at Seaholm, 2:30-4pm, room C103

Count Day – February 8^th
Wednesday, February 8^th is Spring Count Day. Please ensure that your child attends every class, including C3, on this day.  Our school funding depends on it. Thank you for your support!

7^th Grade Vision Screening
A representative from The Oakland County Health Division will be conducting their annual vision screening of 7^th Graders on February 10, 13,14 and 15 during Social Studies classes.

Groves High School 8^th Grade Parent Night Follow Up
Groves had a great turn out at our 8^th Grade Parent Night! If you were unable to attend this event, or if you would like to look over the information that was shared in more detail, please see the links below. If you have any follow up questions, please reach out to the Groves Counseling Department. Thank you!

8th Grade Parent Night Presentation

8^th Grade Parent Night Handout

Groves Counseling- Scheduling Information

Yearbook Order
The 2022-23 yearbook is selling fast. ONLY PRE-ORDERS ARE GUARANTEED. We cannot promise there will be copies to sell the last week of school. To ensure your child gets a yearbook, order now. Please visit https://tinyurl.com/2s496my3 to purchase a book. Yearbooks are on sale now for $42, (the price is going up in February). Berkshire works with Walsworth Publishing Company to create our book, and all sales will made online through their platform. Students will receive their books during the last week of school. If you have any questions or concerns, the Yearbook Adviser, Chelsea Gacki, can be reached at cgacki@birmingham.k12.mi.us.

Students Interested in Robotics

If you are interested in Berkshire Robotics with a focus on programming, problem solving, and teamwork skills, these are the workshops for you.  The class is designed for current Berkshire Robotics students and potential robotics students trying to build up their skills in programming.  We will focus on 2 programming languages, Blocks (like Scratch), and Java, using FTCSim.org as our virtual platform.  

The first half of the workshops are designed around 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, using a virtual robot programming environment.  The final 3 classes will be designed for creating small teams to try out their skills on a real robot chassis and mentor 5th graders from BPS students interested in joining the 2023 Fall FTC season.  Some programming skill is desired, but there is enough platform support to enable self-learning between workshops for beginners.

All workshops will take place at Seaholm in Room C103.

The dates of these workshops are:

• February 4th 2:30-4:00pm (6-8th Grade)
• March 4th 2:30-4:00pm (6-8th Grade)
• May 6th 2:30-4:00pm (5-7th Grade)
• May 13th 2:30-4:00pm (5-7th Grade)
• June 3rd 2:30-4:00pm (5-7th Grade)
  There will be an informational session about these workshops on Tuesday, January 31^st at 7:30 am in Mr. Goeman’s Room 118.

Introducing Berkshire Bucks (and asking anyone who would like to help)!
This week we will roll out our Berkshire Bucks program at Berkshire. We are excited to celebrate great behavior with positive incentives! Teachers will be able to give Berkshire Bucks to our deserving students, who will then have a chance to enter our biweekly raffle. Bucks serve as raffle tickets, and can be turned in at the front office (or for some small instant gratification prizes at the school store). We will play a game on Fridays and lunch and award the winners.
A HUGE THANK YOU to families who have built up our stash of prizes!!! We are still looking for $5 gift cards to Starbucks, Target, Door Dash, etc., or anything on this Amazon wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1EGCAX3YZZFJK?ref_=wl_share
If this speaks to you, and you would like to support, THANK YOU! Items can be dropped off at our front desk, c/o Pam Lucken or Berkshire Bucks.

BYA Dog Show – Sunday, February 5^th at Berkshire
The 40^th Annual Kids’ Dog Show is coming soon! Kids ages 4-14 can compete with their furry friends. Tickets are $15/per dog and includes admission to the show for the whole family. For registration information and to register, head to https://www.birminghamyouthassistance.org/kids-dog-show . For online purchases, please use a computer - not mobile. To pay by check, print a form from the link on the BYA homepage. Registration closes on Feb. 3rd at 11:50pm. Questions? Email BYAKidsDogShow@gmail.com .

Club Pictures for the Yearbook
Club photos will be taken on Friday, February 10^th during 4^th-6^th hours. If your child is part of a club or group at Berkshire, they should plan to wear their club apparel that day for the photo. All groups will get their photos taken on this date with the exception of The Musical Cast, Ambassadors, Birbery Finalists, and Intramural Soccer (those groups will get photos taken later in the spring).

ALICE Info Night for Parents
Monday, January 30^th, 7pm, Seaholm Media Center
Join BPS leadership at Seaholm HS for our ALICE Information Night for Parents to learn more details about the district’s strategy for emergency preparedness, ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter & Evacuate).

DEFY Fundraiser supporting GSC Charity Week and Vista Maria

January 31^st, 1-4pm at DEFY Detroit (during the half day)

Participants must show a copy of the flyer (digital version on Berkshire Parents Facebook group, or on Instagram @berkshirewildcats, printed copy available in front office), fill out a waiver, and use DEFY grip socks to jump. 20% of each entry fee will be donated to Vista Maria.

Looking for a Girls Head Soccer Coach for Spring Season
Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and a resume to Michael Babcock, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Mbabcock@birmingham.k12.mi.us by 3:00 pm on Friday, March 10th 2023. 

Skate with the BU Kings
Learn more about the BU Kings. Pizza and Drinks provided. Q&A with the coaches. Monday, February 13^th, 4:45-6:05pm. Preregister at https://tinyurl.com/3szkdpkp

BPS Girls in STEM Events
Girls in STEM is back in the new year with some amazing experiences at Oakland Schools Technical Campus. Click the link below or see the attachment to find out more information.   The purpose of these events is to give girls additional fun and exciting STEM experiences outside of the school day.  Middle school girls can join these events whenever it fits their schedule, this is not a club.  No prior experience is needed.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i2Leu0v031loOR9c_JBFx5cVy4U26r4QzK3Oq-9K6Us/edit?usp=sharing

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

Unabashed Bash 2023 is almost here! 

The Birmingham Education Foundation's annual event is nearly sold out! If you are still interested in purchasing tickets, please contact BEF executive director Kathy Zanolli at (248) 203-3030 to learn more about obtaining tickets as online purchasing methods have closed.

Please note, more information will be shared in the coming days about the Online Bash Auction, which runs Feb. 5-12. 

Unabashed Bash:

Saturday, Feb. 4
The Townsend Hotel, Birmingham
6:30 p.m.-Midnight