Brandywine Community Schools -

Sixth grade students met for a lunchtime Chess Club last week!

Merritt Elementary has been honored by the Michigan Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MiMTSS) Technical Assistance Center for its outstanding work meeting the needs of all learners during the 2024–2025 school year.

This recognition highlights Brandywine’s dedication to using data to guide instruction and to building strong systems of support that help every student succeed.

Merritt Elementary earned recognition in two categories:
* MTSS Data Utilization Award (Behavior): For effectively collecting and using data to guide decisions and improve student outcomes.
* MTSS Implementation and Impact Award: Silver recognition for both Tier 1 Behavior and Tier 2 Behavior, celebrating evidence-based practices that create a positive, proactive school environment.

Well done to our staff at Merritt Elementary!

Step into the magical world of storytelling with Superintendent Travis Walker and a lively group of second graders as they dive into their latest adventure exploring tall tales and fairy tales! From larger-than-life heroes to mischievous tricksters, these young storytellers share what they’ve learned, imagined, and loved in their most recent knowledge unit.

Listen here: https://sites.libsyn.com/497938/season-3-episode-5-tall-tales-fairy-tales-with-second-grade

This morning we welcomed local Veterans to a special breakfast in their honor. Our second graders proudly led the Pledge of Allegiance, the choir performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, and the band played the Armed Forces Medley to celebrate all who have served. 💙❤️🤍

Thank you to our Veterans for your service and sacrifice—you are our heroes!

Today we pause to honor and thank all the brave men and women who have served our country. Your courage, sacrifice, and dedication protect the freedoms we hold dear.
We are grateful for your service—today and every day. ❤️🤍💙

Our annual Veterans Day breakfast is this morning at 9:30 a.m. at the BACC.

Reminder: Wednesday, November 12 is a two hour late start!

The Board Meeting is still happening tonight at 6 p.m. at the Brandywine Innovation Academy.

The Culver's Give Back Night benefiting the Brandywine Band is still a GO tonight! Stop in!

🐾Character Trait of the Week: TEAMWORK🐾

Teamwork as a character strength means working well with others to achieve a common goal. It involves cooperation, respect, communication, and responsibility.

The Great Principal Can Off has come to an end at Brandywine Middle/Senior High School! Bobcat Nation collected over 300 non perishable items for the Redeemer Church Food Pantry. The middle school crew won so now, Mr. Hood has to wear a turkey onesie! Stay tuned for pictures.

Bobcats, it’s official, our first snow day of the year has arrived! School is closed today, Monday, November 10, so enjoy sleeping in, sipping hot chocolate, and maybe building a snow fort (or two).

Yesterday, Mr. Hood mentioned he’d be building a statue of me if I called a snow day… so if you’re looking for something to do, be sure to contact Mr. Hood to lend him a hand!

Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the snow, Bobcats! ☃️

Check out the VIP Lunch Bunch! Some of our second grade students spent the classroom money they earned to buy lunch in the classroom with their friends and teachers! Students participate in the "classroom economy," meaning they earn money for good choices, turning in homework, their classroom job, and more!

Students in third grade attended the South Bend Symphony yesterday at the Morris Performing Arts Center!

This Week in Photos!

Heading into the weekend like...

It's Friday! Treat yourself to a coffee at 2nd & Main this morning and be sure to grab a coffee sleeve for $1 designed by one of our elementary students! The coffee sleeve sells for $1 and local businesses match your donation, turning $1 in to many. Proceeds benefit Partnership for Children, Brandywine's PTO.

Beetlejuice Jr. opens in just two weeks! Come check out our Bobcat talent on November 20, 21, and 22 at the Brandywine Elementary gym!
https://www.leaderpub.com/2025/11/06/brandywine-musical-program-to-perform-beetlejuice-jr-nov-20-22/

On Tuesday night, we hosted a Social-Emotional Social 💙
Families joined us for an evening of learning, playing, and crafting focused on building important social-emotional skills.

Students and families explored topics like:

🧠 Zones of Regulation
🚶‍♀️ Trails
💬 Social-Emotional Learning

It was a wonderful night of connection, creativity, and growth!

Students in all four sixth grade homerooms faced off in a spooky math competition last week featuring Halloween-themed multiplication, division, fractions, and estimation challenges! Teams earned points for completing IXL assignments, turning in work on time, checking accuracy, keeping rooms tidy, volunteering, and showing kindness. Bonus Halloween sheets with sudoku and logic puzzles added to the fun—while points were deducted for any “tricks” like being too loud or off-task!

This year’s teams were:
🛸 Anderson’s Alien Asylum
🐺 Horter’s Haunted Howlers
🤡 Krotzer’s Krazy Klowns
🧟 Zellers’ Zealous Zombies

Anderson’s Alien Asylum came out on top! 👽 They celebrated with snacks, Ghirardelli brownies, bubble tea, and cider. Congratulations to all our mathematicians for making learning frightfully fun!