May 2019
Dear Friends of the Brooklyn City Schools-
The month of May is a time of celebrating a wide variety of student and staff successes in the District, and this month’s edition of my regular outreach to the community will share some unique accomplishments and activities in the Brooklyn City Schools.
Brooklyn High School Alumnus, and recent Academy Award Winner®, Patricia DeHaney, returned to her alma mater on Friday, May 10, 2019, to speak with student members of the Drama Club, as well as those enrolled in the Cosmetology program at Polaris Career Center. Ms. DeHaney won an Oscar® for Makeup and Hairstyle, as part of the style team who worked on the 2019 film, Vice. During her remarks, Patricia shared about being a member of the inaugural Cosmetology Class created in the Brooklyn City Schools, and credited her courses, led by former Hurricane instructor, Mrs. Aynik, as a major contributor to a career as a professional hairstylist. She has worked alongside such A-list celebrities as Clint Eastwood, Christian Bale, Tom Hanks and Amy Poehler, and working on movie and TV productions such as Dunkirk, Parks and Recreation, American Sniper and Sully. Though a full-time resident of San Francisco, California, Patricia still maintains close ties with friends in the Brooklyn community.
While speaking with BHS students, Patricia emphasized the importance of taking responsibility to motivate themselves and to be resilient in pursuing what they are most passionate about. Students were given the opportunity to engage in an in-depth Question and Answer session, as well as hold the actual Oscar® award given to Ms. DeHaney. The visit was inspiring for both the students and Ms. DeHaney, who expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the Brooklyn City Schools, as well as for the opportunity to provide encouragement to students regarding their future endeavors.
A major word of congratulations is extended to the Middle School Robotics Team, who recently won the “Mad Grab” event at the 1st Annual Polaris Palooza Robotics Competition of nearby schools. Specifically, the MS Robotics teams were tasked with designing a robot that could scoop up balls of various sizes and then place them in containers. In addition, students were required to answer questions from judges about their robotics designs. Our Brooklyn Middle School Robotics team won amidst a field of 8 teams from the 6 schools that belong to the Polaris Career Center consortium. The members of this winning team include Katrina Gaspar, Logan Mulvey, Melaine Fernandez and Joey Dennis. They are advised by Mr. Ron Goodwin. Congratulations to all involved!
Finally, students are currently participating in a creative and exciting school-wide initiative, the One School, One Book program, where over the next month, classrooms will be reading and incorporating children’s literary classics in a wide variety of learning activities. Thanks to a partnership with Ridge Park Square, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, City of Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL), students will receive their very own copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and can participate in a community scavenger hunt at Ridge Park Square! The Brooklyn City Schools wishes to thank all our community partners for generously supporting this year’s One School, One Book program. As the 2018-2019 winds down, the Brooklyn City Schools will continue to keep the community informed about important and exciting events to showcase our students’ special talents!
GO HURRICANES!
Dr. Mark Gleichauf
Superintendent of Schools