Dear Brown MS Community,

The winter storm from last weekend left many of us with sore backs after shoveling so much snow! The cold temperatures over these past few days have also been tough to take. I know we are all watching the forecast for this weekend and I, for one, am hoping for minimal snow – there is simply nowhere to put it!

With the high snow piles and the resulting narrowing of the roads, we all need to be extra careful. If you are driving your child to or from school, please be extra aware and drive slowly. A child might not see you coming around a snowbank and you might not see them either. Please do not use the roundabout as a drop off location for your child. It backs up traffic and is not safe for buses to try to get around you. There are designated drop off locations along Wheeler and Meadowbrook Roads (see the diagram below). Using the appropriate drop off locations will involve your child having to walk a little bit, so think of it as their opportunity to get a little fresh air before school!

This coming Thursday is an early release day and all students will be dismissed at 11:20. Buses will run their regular routes at that time. Please remind your child that if they are intending to go to a friends house or to Newton Centre, they will need to arrange their own transportation. The buses are for students who have bus passes for that particular bus. When students without passes jump on board, it causes overcrowding and is unsafe. I appreciate your help with this.

Black History Month begins on Sunday. Some of our students are working with faculty members on ways we can celebrate at Brown including announcements and bulletin boards. Our library will have a focus display with books that highlight influential black individuals and their contributions to our country and the world.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the wonderful ensemble concerts this past week (see pictures below). Thank you for your flexibility. We had to change to the band concert date because of the missed preparation time on Monday and Tuesday with the snow. Thank you, Maggie Storm and Devon Kelly, for putting together two entertaining evenings for our community. Hats off to all of the students who performed!

Enjoy the weekend,

Kim Lysaght, Principal