Welcome to Bryan

Last updated: 7/27/23

In an attempt to help parents of incoming 6th graders (and all new-to-Bryan students), the PTA has put together this list of resources. If you think we should add or change something on this page, please contact Bryan PTA.

CONTENTS

  • School Communications

  • PTA Information

  • School and District 411

  • Transportation Logistics

  • School Supplies, PE Uniforms, and SpiritWear

  • Student Absences Information

  • PowerSchool, Schedules and Your Grade Counselor

  • Extracurriculars

  • Parent Tips

  • Bryan Glossary

Please note: We do our best to keep this page updated and correct; but in our ever-changing world we might not always have everything right. This information is not a substitute for your own due diligence (and if you see something on this page that needs to be corrected, please contact the Bryan PTA- bryanmiddleschoolpta205@gmail.com).

SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS

  • Emails: emails come from the school weekly and cover information on upcoming events, key dates, links, sign ups, etc. You will automatically get these emails when you have a student enrolled at Bryan:

    • PTA emails usually come out every other week.  There may also be grade specific emails.

    • Emails from the Principal, Ms. Discipio, are usually sent on Fridays.
       

  • Online: information can be found online in the following locations:

    • Main Bryan Website: Lots of good general information about Bryan including contact information, schedules, extracurricular activities, etc.

    • Main PTA Website: Most of the information about upcoming events, key dates, links, sign ups, etc that are included in the emails will also be posted on the main PTA webpage.
       

  • Facebook: There is a private Facebook page for the families of Bryan students called “Bryan MS 205 Parents” where updates get posted. It is also a good place to ask questions if you are wondering about something.  Please see below for the “Rules of the Road” for the Facebook page.

    • Please keep all discussions, comments and questions respectful; particularly on the Bryan Facebook page. As a reminder, this group was created, with support of the Bryan Administration, to serve as a resource for families to connect, share and clarify important information. The intention of the page is to provide additional communication support for our 600 families - sharing information sent out from D205, Bryan Middle School and Bryan PTA. The Rules explicitly state:

    • Don'ts

      • 1.) While the goal is to help each other, we ask that you refrain from listing names of teachers, administrators, staff, or students to protect the integrity and privacy of all individuals. As we all know, everyone deserves the right to form their own opinions and relationships without bias.

      • 2.) If you have a specific issue with a Bryan employee, we encourage you to take it to the Bryan Administration as the Facebook page is not meant for resolving professional and private issues.

      • 3.) Do NOT send information about any Student that could be embarrassing to any student including your own student.

      • 4.) Discussions of Sex, Religion, and Politics should NOT be posted and WILL be deleted.

      • 5.) Do not forward someone else's message or name to anyone without asking the original author if it is OK first.

      • 6.) Negative remarks about students or against each other (flaming) will be deleted without hesitation. We expect everyone to be respectful.

      • 7.) Become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. It is okay to solicit opinions, but merely complaining, harassing or belligerent behavior will not be tolerated.

    • Parental concerns should be elevated as needed and addressed to a grade level counselor, the building principal, and/or district administrators. All of their contact information is available either above or on school and District websites.

PTA INFORMATION

  • Join the PTA! Joining raises funds for PTA sponsored activities, helps keep you informed, and you will also get access to the Bryan Directory Spot App. Directory Spot is super helpful because it includes contact information for Bryan staff, teachers, and parents of most students. (Note: Joining the PTA doesn't mean you are volunteering to do anything; it just means that the PTA has your dues to help fund the activities and events that happen throughout the school year.)

  • Volunteer for the PTA - We are so grateful for our Bryan volunteers! Please reach out to Meghan Scarsella to volunteer.

  • PTA Meetings - Attend the monthly PTA meetings to hear more about what is going on at Bryan and give your input and/or have your questions answered. 

  • PTA board members and committee chairs are a good resource if you have questions.

  • In addition to the main Bryan PTA, District 205 also has parent groups for REACH and SERG - see their websites to opt in for their emails and find more information.

SCHOOL AND DISTRICT 411

Please use the links below for more information. 

TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS

  • 2022-2023 Bryan Bus Schedule

  • The FirstView App can be used to track the location of your student's bus. Your student's PIN code will be emailed to you by the district - this usually happens at the end of August or beginning of September.

  • Late Bus (~4:25 pm): 

    • Note that all after school activities do NOT always end in time for your student to take the late bus home. Please make sure you understand the activity's schedule and how late into the evening it goes - this information will be available from the adult running the activity, and will be shared with your child.

    • There is a late bus provided to students that comes at 4:30. Students tell the bus driver their stop, and it is routed based on all stops.

  • Bikes are super popular too!

SCHOOL SUPPLIES, PE UNIFORMS, AND SPIRITWEAR

  • School supply kits are usually available for purchase in the spring for the following school year. 

  • You may also purchase your own school supplies using these lists: 2023-2024 6th Grade, 2023-2024 7th Grade, 2023-2024 8th Grade

  • Spiritwear will be sold a couple different times during the year.

  • PE Uniforms:

    • Each student needs a D205 PE uniform which can be purchased at Beck's Bookstore.

    • Write your student's last name in sharpie on the big white bar on the front of the shirt. Please also label the shorts.

    • Students should bring uniforms home over the weekend to be laundered.

    • Students need closed-toed athletic shoes for PE. They are welcome to bring a pair to keep in their PE locker, or they may just wear the same shoes they wear to school (as long as they are closed-toed athletic shoes).

STUDENT ABSENCES INFORMATION

Bryan has a 24 hour attendance line number.  The number, 630-617-8222, is located on the Bryan Webpage. Please consider saving this number on your cell phone for easy access. 

It is important to call the office as early as possible to report a student absence.  When students need to leave school early, either email the school nurse, Michelle Pinedo, or send your child with a note to school stating what time the student needs to be picked up.  The student should bring the note to Bryan's front office and they will create a pass for the student to exit the classroom at the desired pick up time. This minimizes disruption in the classroom. 

Note: If your student is marked for an unexcused absence from any class, you will get a recorded phone message and an email sometime in the early evening on the same day. You can see which class they were marked absent for in PowerSchool. If you believe that your student was marked absent in error (which happens sometimes), please reach out to the class teacher to resolve the issue.

POWERSCHOOL, SCHEDULES AND GRADE COUNSELORS

  • PowerSchool is the system that allows parents to see a student’s schedule, attendance, grades and missing assignments. When you register for school, you should get a login for PowerSchool. In grade school, PowerSchool is only used for registration and to see report cards, but in middle school PowerSchool will show your student’s schedule, attendance, current grades, missing assignments, and report cards. Here are a few PowerSchool tips and tricks for middle school:

    • Schedules are usually updated in PowerSchool the week before school starts.

    • Your student's locker # and bus assignments (if eligible) are both found in PowerSchool.

  • Each grade (6th, 7th & 8th) has its own counselor. Your counselor is a great resource for most Bryan school related questions. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your grade counselor with questions or concerns. The grade counselor will stay with your student’s grade all through middle school. Find out who your counselor is and how to contact them from the Bryan Counseling Department webpage.

  • Parents should be aware of the following opportunities to connect with your child's teachers:

    • Curriculum / Back to School Night - this is a night where you can see the school, walk a short version of your student's schedule, and meet teachers. It usually takes place in the evening at the end of August. Watch for emails from the Principal for the details at the start of the school year. 

    • Parent/Teacher Conferences - these usually happen at the end of October, see the current D205 Calendar for specific dates for each year. You sign up for conference times via PowerSchool; watch for emails from the Principal for the details.

    • You can also reach out to teachers at any time throughout the year; contact information can be found in the Bryan Staff Directory.

EXTRACURRICULARS
PARENT TIPS

Here are a few tips from seasoned Bryan parents!

  • Know where their School ID is and take a picture of it on your and kid’s phones.  It will often be required for PTA activities.

  • The schedule will have their locker combination and bus schedule (if you are on the bus route).

    • Small Locker shelf (option in school supplies) is popular.

    • Consider a small plastic school box to keep on the top locker shelf to keep extra school supplies.

  • Buy TWO Gym uniform sets so you can have your child switch out uniforms weekly for washing.

  • Let your student email teachers first or initiate conversations themselves if there are issues or concerns, and then do parent follow up if needed.

  • It is good to be familiar with PowerSchool, but let your student resolve issues you may find themselves (eg. missing assignment).

  • Cross Country is BIG in 6th grade and tons of kids do it. If your child is on the fence, encourage them to just try it out, as they will probably have a friend doing it already.

  • There are two teams per grade to maximize student support (Blue and White).

    • The same group of teachers per half of the class.

    • Their grade level Counselor stays with them the entire time at Bryan.

  • Parents/PTA don’t organize nor attend most school functions/events.  There are a few ways to get involved.  Attend PTA meetings for information about chairing a committee, grade level socials and book fair.  There are not room parents nor team parents.

  • How do sign ups work for clubs, sports, intramurals, drama?

    • Bryan Announcements Only - Bryan School Announcements

    • No flyers sent home. You’ll have to rely on kids to communicate these sign-ups

    • Clubs are sponsored and organized by teachers and staff, not parents

BRYAN GLOSSARY

Just like everywhere else, Bryan has its own words and abbreviations.  Here are some common ones:

  • BOC = Band, Orchestra & Choir

  • D205 = Elmhurst IL School District 205 (the school district that Bryan is part of)

  • E Block = Elective Block, which is a block of time at school where the student takes an elective class (like Unified Arts, World Language, BOC and PLTW)

  • Late-Start = There are many Wednesdays throughout the school year when Bryan runs on a late-start. On late-start days, school starts at 10 am (arrival at 9:45 am). You can see the current late-start days on the D205 School calendar.

  • MAP = Measures of Academic Performance, a standardized test

  • PE = Physical Education

  • PLTW = Project Lead the Way, a STEM elective class focusing on engineering and computer science.

  • PTA = Parent Teacher Association - all are welcome to join!

  • SBR = Standards Based Reporting, a grading system

  • SERG = Special Education Resource Group

  • UA = Unified Arts, a year-long rotation of four classes; students choose four of these five options: Art, Creative Technology, Family & Consumer Sciences, Industrial Technology, and Music.