Bringing PEP to the Middle School

There is nothing wrong with putting a little PEP in your step—something the BFS Middle Schoolers will be realizing this school year. Brooklyn Friends School is proud to introduce the Panther Enrichment Program—PEP for short—which will allow sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade  students to have new and exciting elective opportunities. 

The overall purpose of PEP is to expand the Middle School program to include serious enrichment opportunities that speak to students’ areas of interest and expertise. With nearly two dozen options, this program aims to contribute thoughtfully and meaningfully for the students, who will be encouraged to create and work without the pressures of feedback, grading, or reporting. Each course will be taught and led by a Middle School teacher or another BFS colleague. 

PEP time will take place for grades six through eight every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, during the last period of the day. PEP offerings will change each Marking Period and students will re-select. However, offerings and selections can remain the same for the full school year. Things got started at the first-ever PEP Rally, which was held on September 13, and introduced students to the program and the classes. The program officially kicks off on Thursday, September 22.

An example of the types of opportunities the students will have include:

• Panther Grams: Let’s uplift our entire school community, deliver messages of joy and love, and make the Middle School a more inclusive space! Create bulletin boards, decorate hallways, and other spaces, create and lead collections, deliver cards and gifts, and generally make the Middle School a better place to come to school! 
• Panther Post MS Newspaper: Are students interested in journalism, reporting, or creating the news that is most relevant to their everyday lives as adolescents? If so, BFS Middle School students can join teachers in creating the news we can use each week. 
• NewsDay Tuesday: Tired of reading the Daily News each morning in advisory? Want to hear what our students have to say instead? A brand new show with episodes being released every week on Tuesday, students can now be the voice, face, and decision-makers for our NewsDay Tuesday show! 
• Instrumental to the Max: Are students looking for extra practice time and love playing their instruments? This is a great opportunity to create jam sessions, teach new skills/works, and possibly form new bands and music groups to perform at various events, spaces, or randomly to add more music into our lives.
  
• Other classes will focus on art, dance, Sudoku, the environment, writing, singing, athletics, sewing, coding, and much more!

There are so many offerings in this first year of PEP that students will not have a problem finding one that interests them, but will have a problem choosing just one that they want to do!

Throughout the school year, we will continue to update the BFS community on the Panther Enrichment Program. Stay tuned!