October is Michigan College Month!

You may be thinking why October? Why so soon? As soon as a student officially enters their senior year, everyone says to hit the ground running with applying to colleges/trade schools and working on the FAFSA.

Benefits to Applying in October

-Application Fee Waivers; In Michigan most colleges/universities waive their application fees in October to encourage and support seniors to apply early.
-Early Action Deadline; Most schools have an early action deadline of November 1st or 15th. Applying early action means that you will get an admissions decision earlier.
-Possibility of Deferment over Denial; Applying early gives you the possibility of having your application deferred. If you are just shy of the requirements for a particular school, instead of denying you the admissions committee might push your application into the regular decision pool and review it again in January or February.
-More Informed Financial Decision; The earlier you are accepted and have your FAFSA complete the sooner you will receive financial aid award letters.

Here is our October issue of Cat Tracks! Find out what's happening at Brandywine Community Schools! https://app.smore.com/n/r2ams

Students in middle school theater class practiced "blocking" yesterday for their upcoming performance with the choir! Blocking refers to the precise planning and choreography of actors' movements and positions on stage during a performance.

The class will join the choir at the Fall Choir Concert on October 21 for performances from Spongebob: The Musical!

Our third grade students are diving into The Wind in the Willows during their CKLA unit!

Students are discussing the story’s themes and thinking deeply about friendship, loyalty, and character. This week, they were also exploring an important question: Why does Mole make such a good friend?

On September 23, we sent four teachers to Berrien RESA for their first Emergent Teacher Learning Lab. Designed for K-12 educators in their first three years of teaching, this program offers professional learning focused on literacy, mathematics, and belonging.

Over the course of the program, participants worked together, watched real teaching in action, looked at how students performed, and used proven teaching methods that match Michigan’s state mentoring guidelines.

Students at Merritt Elementary love warm-ups with Miss Lee!

Right now, a spare classroom acts as an extra gym for some of our students. But this fall, our brand new Merritt Elementary gym will open thanks to the community supported Bond, passed in 2024!

Learn more about all of the Bond projects: https://www.brandywinebobcats.org/page/bond2024

Last week's Student Council sponsored Blood Drive brought in many Bobcat heroes! Thank you to all of the students, staff, and community members that donated. YOU are the real heroes.

Thank you Bobcat Nation!

Thank you to those who assisted with last night's search for the missing boy, helped spread the word, or simply said a quiet prayer for a safe return. Our Community makes us great.
https://bit.ly/4daRJEU

Our friends in Ms. Gmeiner's DK class are celebrating the upcoming Niles Apple Festival by tearing and gluing paper to make adorable apples! Tearing paper is not only a creative outlet, it’s also a powerful workout for tiny finger muscles, building the strength and pincer grasp needed for writing.

What an unforgettable Saturday at Western Michigan University for some of our band students! Not only did our band students join forces with the Bronco Marching Band for an incredible halftime performance and stand tunes, but Brandywine sent more band students than any other participating school!

Our musicians got a taste of the college marching experience, learning side-by-side with WMU students—and to make it even more special, they shared the field with three of our very own Brandywine alumni!

Last week, our fourth graders went to the theatre!

The entire class went on a field trip to see the musical "Between the Lines Jr.," presented by the South Bend Civic Theatre youth program. It was performed at the Bendix Theater in the South Bend Century Center. Our group was specifically chosen by the theatre to attend the play for free! The students loved the show!

Here's what's happening this week at Brandywine Community Schools!

View the full schedule at www.brandywinebobcats.org.

Today on #HRProfessionalsDay, we want to give a massive shoutout to our incredible HR team, which consists of one person - Mandy!

To the "team" who manages the chaos, protects the culture, and champions the human behind every job title: thank you. Your work behind the scenes keeps everything running.

Happy NINE-TWO-FIVE Day! ⏰🎶

Our students and staff at Merritt Elementary spent today celebrating the one and only Dolly Parton! From her iconic music to her incredible impact on early childhood literacy, Dolly inspires us all to dream big.

Through her Imagination Library, she has gifted over 200 million free books to children worldwide—showing our students firsthand the power of reading and giving back.

Thank you, Dolly, for helping us work "9 to 5" to make reading fun!

This morning, our CTE students had breakfast with industry leaders! Thank you to Alro Steel and Frame Products for chatting with our teachers and students!

This Week in Photos!

A special thanks to Brandywine Pop Warner for cheering our Bobcats on last week!

Dinner is served!

Stop in to Wings Etc. in Niles on Tuesday, October 6 from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. to support Brandywine Student Council! 15% of all pre-tax food and soft drink sales will benefit our Student Council. Be sure to show this flyer to support the cause!

Mrs. Brooks' fifth graders tackled volume this week!

The challenge? Replicate cubes and accurately calculate the total volume of their creations.