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Winter 2017

ExpressionsSTEAM ISSUE

VOL 15 NUM 286 GO CENTAURS!

STEAM is Coming to Brooklyn Center Community SchoolsBY MARK BONINE, SUPERINTENDENT

Last March, the Brooklyn Center School Board approved the transition from our International Baccalaureate programs to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) for the 2017-2018 school year. STEM education refers to the areas of science, technology,

engineering and mathematics. STEAM education incorporates the “A” for the arts - recognizing that to be successful in technical fields, individuals must also be creative and use critical thinking skills which are best developed through exposure to the arts.

Why STEAM?The jobs of the future are STEM jobs. The demand for professionals in STEM fields is projected to outpace the supply of trained workers. Additionally, STEM competencies are increasingly required for workers both within and outside specific STEM occupations. continued on page 2

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDTwin Cities, MNPermit No. 92976

Brooklyn Center Schools, ISD 2866500 Humboldt Ave NorthBrooklyn Center, MN 55430

School HoursPre-K 8:00 am - 2:00 pmEarle Brown Elementary

8:45 am - 3:45 pmBrooklyn Center Arts and IB World School7:55 am - 2:55 pm

Brooklyn Center Academy 7:55 am - 2:55 pm

Nearly one thousand students are enrolled in grades 6 through 12 at Brooklyn Center Secondary School. Thanks to an initiative that began last year, in partnership with the Brooklyn Center Fire Department, students in each class at the secondary school, now know what to do in case someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest.

Students in grades 6 through 12 received training in how to do hands-only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). They also learned how to use the four Automated External Defibrillators (AED) on site.

The training in CPR and AED has helped the school earn the distinction of being known as a 'Heart Safe Campus,' but more importantly, it provides the students with the knowledge that could make them lifesavers in an emergency situation. When students are with their families at home, in stores, just moving around the community and within the larger communities of the metro, they have these skills to be able to call upon, if something were to ever happen.

The school was officially honored with the 'Heart Safe Campus' designation at the Brooklyn Center City Council meeting on Monday, January 9.

Brooklyn Center Secondary School Receives HeartSafe Designation

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Uniting Communities, Eliminating Barriers www.brooklyncenterschools.org Brooklyn Center Community Schools, ISD 286 Winter 2017

EARLE BROWN ELEMENTARY

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Research indicates that as early as infancy, young children start developing and testing hypotheses for how the world works around them. Too often we underestimate the concepts our youngest learners can understand. As the most important influencers in our children’s lives, parents, child care providers, preschool and elementary teachers should support this curiosity, guide young children in their exploration, and identify natural learning opportunities to grow these foundational STEM skills.

Global and local challenges surround us. To address these challenges and move forward, we need people who know problem-solving strategies, think critically and creatively, communicate and collaborate with others, and persevere when something does not work the first time. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) empowers students with these skills – relevant to any career or role they take on – and prepares teachers to engage their students in hands-on learning. Whether designing and producing prosthetics or deploying innovative water filtration devices in developing countries, PLTW

students and the teachers who support them are empowered to make a difference in their classrooms, in their communities, and around the world.  

In grades K-8, Brooklyn Center students will be exposed to course work in Computer Science, Engineering and Biomedical Science. In grades 9-12, students will focus on Biomedical Science which allows students to see themselves in roles of Biomedical Science professionals as they solve real world challenges such as preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease.

Teaching is an art, as well as a science, and beginning in the fall every elementary student will learn through both by participating in a new STEAM program. STEAM education builds cognitive power, even in the youngest learners, by enhancing the development of the prefrontal lobe, the temporal lobe, and the occipital lobe of the brain. Students will exercise both the left and the right hemispheres of their brains by engaging in a hands-on, activity based curriculum called Project Lead The Way (PLTW).

Project Lead The Way uses science, technology, engineering, art, and math to develop critical thinking, creativity, innovation and real world problem solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

PLTW Launch taps into young children’s exploratory nature and encourages them to keep discovering. Here’s a look at what our K-5 scholars will be “launching” into next year:

Kindergarten Scholars will:• Discover engineering and the design process to create their own

paintbrushes.• Investigate pushes and pulls on the motion of everyday objects in

their world.• Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of a broken arm and work

to design and build a cast.

First Grade Scholars will:• Learn about light and create a playground structure to protect peers

from ultraviolet radiation.• Learn about animal adaptations in the environment and design the

ideal shoe for travelers to wear in extreme environments.• Explore computer science and storytelling to create short story

animations.

BY NANETTE YURECKO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Second Grade Scholars will:• Investigate properties of matter and problem solve how to keep ice

pops cold during a soccer game without a cooler.• Explore the changing Earth and problem solve how to keep a

community safe from a landslide and erosion.• Learn about numerical relationships and design a game using

computer programming.

Third Grade Scholars will:• Explore stability and forces and apply what they learned to problem

solve rescuing a trapped tiger at the zoo.• Study genetic traits and create a design model for the stem color

gene in plant seeds.• Learn about computer programming language and then apply modular

function and branching logic to create a video game.

Fourth Grade Scholars will:• Study energy collision and then apply learning to develop a vehicle

restraint system for bumper cars at an amusement park.• Learn about energy conversion and develop solutions for moving

donated food from a truck to a food pantry.• Explore computer input and output and create a computer program

to diagnose brain concussions.

Fifth Grade Scholars will:• Explore automation and design remote controlled robots that can

remove hazardous materials from a disaster site.• Expand robotics learning and design an automatic-guided vehicle to

deliver supplies to a hospital without being remotely controlled by a person.

• Study detection and problem solve the outbreak and spread of infection through a school and then propose prevention methods.

Our digital native elementary students will also have classes focused on internet safety and coding. What is coding? Coding is the way we tell computers to do all the helpful things they do for us. From using an app or finding a contact in your phone so you can send a text message, to directing a rocket into space, computers follow a list of written instructions from a coder, or programmer. With technology changing every industry on the planet, computing knowledge has become part of a well-rounded skillset. But fewer than half of all schools teach computer science! Good news is, we’re on our way to changing this.

Every month at Earle Brown, Students of the Month who are exemplars in the monthly character theme, are honored with a family breakfast. In the month of January, a special edition of Breakfast of Champions recognized some of our students' greatest champions, their Dads. On Thursday, January 19th, Earle Brown hosted over 400 guests for this special breakfast celebrating our students' dads, grandpas, uncles, and other special men/parents in their lives at the Daddapalooza. 

Earle Brown Breakfast of Champions - Daddapalooza

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Uniting Communities, Eliminating Barriers www.brooklyncenterschools.org Brooklyn Center Community Schools, ISD 286 Winter 2017

Every high school scholar will participate in Biomedical specialization. Working with the same tools used by professionals in hospitals and labs, students will step into the roles of medical investigators, surgeons, microbiologists, geneticists, and biomedical engineers. They will explore realistic situations like investigating the death of a fictional person and analyzing prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease in full-year courses. Foundational courses will begin in 2017-2018 and additional courses will be added in 2018-2019.

PLTW Biomedical Science inspires students to make an impact on the lives of those around them. Here’s a look at what our grade 9-12 scholars will be doing:

Tenth Grade Scholars will:Study human body systems to build organs and tissues on a skeletal Maniken™ and then take on the roles of biomedical professionals to solve real-world cases using data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflexes and respiration.

Eleventh Grade Scholars will:Follow the life of a fictitious family as they investigate how to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Students explore how to detect and fight infection, screen and evaluate the code in human DNA, and evaluate cancer treatment options. Learning includes study of a range of

interventions related to immunology, surgery, genetics, pharmacology, medical devices, and diagnostics.

Twelfth Grade Scholars will:Build on previous knowledge and skills gained to design innovative solutions for the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century. Topics addressed range from public health and biomedical engineering to clinical medicine and physiology. During this capstone course, they have the opportunity to work on an independent project with a mentor or advisor from a university, medical facility, or research institution.

Ninth Grade Scholars will: Study and apply concepts of biology and medicine to the death of a fictional person by investigating medical history, examining autopsy reports and exploring medical treatments that may have prolonged the person’s life.

Why biomedical science? It is our responsibility to prepare our students for their futures. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics reports that persons in STEAM jobs experience higher earned wages and lower levels of unemployment. Biomedical science is projected to be the fastest growing occupational area. Preparing our students to enter a competitive workforce is central to our economic vitality. These are the jobs of their future. We want our students to be equipped with essential skills that will contribute to our technological innovation and global competitiveness.

BROOKLYN CENTER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Sixth Grade Scholars will:• Apply the engineering design process to solve

problems and create virtual images of their innovative solutions to everyday problems.

• Study mechanical systems and use the VEX Robotics platform to design, build, and program real-world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, and robotic arms.

Seventh Grade Scholars will:• Investigate energy and the environment to

design alternative energy sources for reducing consumption.

• Discover computer science principles as they create their own basic apps using MIT App Inventor.

Every middle school scholar will deepen their learning with semester courses focused on the STEAM pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. Students will be challenged to test their limits and connect what they learn in the classroom to making a real-world impact. Foundational courses will begin in 2017-2018 and additional courses will be added in 2018-2019. PLTW Gateway illuminates the range of paths and possibilities students can look forward to in high school and beyond. Here’s a look at what our grade 6-8 scholars will be experiencing:

Eighth Grade Scholars will:• Explore genetic testing and solve a medical

mystery by investigating DNA evidence found at a crime scene.

• Study and apply concepts of physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology to make ice cream and clean up an oil spill.

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Uniting Communities, Eliminating Barriers www.brooklyncenterschools.org Brooklyn Center Community Schools, ISD 286 Winter 2017

“Like Us” on Facebook at Brooklyn Center Community Schools!

Brooklyn Center Student School Board Representatives

The Brooklyn Center School Board selected two student representatives to the school board. Oluwafemi “Femi” Akindumila and Pablo Vasquez-Lopez.  

Femi has been a student at BCS since 7th grade. He’s worked diligently to establish himself at the top of his class academically and has been on the A Honor Roll every semester. Femi is one of the longest tenured BC Band members, loves Parkour and is a member of the BCS Boys Varsity Soccer team. He has participated in many GET READY! enrichment trips including St. Cloud State Summer Science Program and the Minnesota History Overnight Trip. Currently, Femi is a PSEO student and preparing for next steps in post-secondary education and training. He has left the door open to many options at the next level. Representing his fellow classmates is something that has always inspired Femi since he started at BCS. He believes in representing and serving his peers and colleagues and is very excited to get to work with the Brooklyn Center School Board to create a better future for the students and families in our community. 

 

Pablo has been a student at BCS since 7th grade. In that time, he has consistently been at the top of his class and earned a spot on the A Honor Roll. Pablo is one of the longest tenured BC Band members and is an avid guitar player. He also is currently teaching himself how to play the piano. Academically, one of his passions is science, as he is learning more about how the world works. As for next steps after high school, Pablo is debating studying in the IT world or studying the Arts. He is very excited to represent the student body so that he can help students and so that all opinions can be heard. He is a true believer that change does not happen over night, but with persistence, we can make change and that’s why he is honored to represent students at BCS.

The purpose of having student representatives is to provide the school board with direct access to students so they can provide direct input and feedback to board members and the superintendent.

Oluwafemi “Femi” Akindumila

Pablo Vasquez-Lopez

2017 FEBRUARY 20 - Presidents’ Day Holiday (No Students) FEBRUARY 28 - District-Wide Evening Conferences MARCH 2 - District-Wide Evening Conferences MARCH 3 - District-Wide Morning Conferences (No School All Day) MARCH 24 - End of Quarter 3 MARCH 27 - First Day of Spring Break (No School Mar. 27-Mar 31) APRIL 3 - School Resumes after Spring Break APRIL 28 - District No School MAY 29 - Memorial Day (Holiday) JUNE 8 - Last Day of School, End of Quarter 4 (End of Semester 2) Graduation Day JUNE 9 - District Teacher Record Keeping Day (No Students) JUNE 19 - Summer School begins, Monday-Thursday, no school July 4 or 5 JULY 27 - Summer School ends

Calendar . . . at-a-glance

DISTRICT 286 EXPRESSIONSis published for residents, employees and families of Brooklyn Center Independent School District 286. It is district policy to provide equal educational opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, and status with regard to public assistance or disability.

AdministrationMark Bonine, SuperintendentNanette Yurecko, Executive Director of

Teaching & LearningDan Krekelberg, Operations DirectorRandy Koch, BCA PrincipalMichelle Trelstad, Director of Early Learning &

Community EducationCarly Jarva, BCS PrincipalJoshua Fraser, BCS Assistant PrincipalJona Deavel, BCS Assistant PrincipalAnthony Scott, BCS DeanLamii Zarlee, BCS DeanCallie Lalugba, EB PrincipalSherrill Lindsey, EB Assistant PrincipalMaggie Vecchio-Smith, EB Assistant PrincipalTim Johnson, EB DeanPatrice Howard, Community School Director

District StaffSteve Thompson, 21st Century Program

CoordinatorNate Gautsch, Activities DirectorJody Rossi, Enrollment Center CoordinatorMichelle Auld, Community Navigator

School BoardCheryl Jechorek, ChairJohn Solomon, Vice ChairJeff Palm, TreasurerJan Thielsen, ClerkRuthie Dallas, MemberErika Schulz, Member

Photo PolicyDistrict 286 occasionally photographs orvideotapes students while in school orparticipating or attending school events.Parents or guardians who do not want their child to be identified in photographs or on videotape should notify their child’s principal in writing.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION Brooklyn Center Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, gender identity and expression, disability, age, or status in regards to public assistance in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following person has been designated to handle 504 non-discrimination inquiries:Kaylee Lundblad, LSN6500 Humboldt Ave. NBrooklyn Center, MN 55430763-561-2120 ext. 3203klundblad@brookcntr.k12.mn.us

The following person has been designated to handle all other Title IX inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Tammy Albers, Human Resources Director6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Suite 286Brooklyn Center, MN 55430763-450-3386 ext. 1002talbers@brookcntr.k12.mn.us

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.

Summer school registration information will be coming to families the week of April 3rd. The registration window will be open through May 26th for students needing bus transportation.