BHMS Principal's Update
May 18, 2020 (Remote Learning Update)
New and Important Information
-Tentative...June 10, 2020...Video Presentation Hilighting Clubs and Activities Honors and Awards
-Tentative...June 18, 2020...Video Presentation for 8th Grade Recognition
-July 1, 2020...Fall Sports Physicals Due
-August 26, 2020...6th Grade Transition Camp (1 Day...Chaged from August 4-6)
-August 31, 2020...First Day for Middle School Field Hockey Try Outs.
-October 15, 2020...All Immunizations Due for Incoming 6th Graders
Keeping Up with What is Going on at the Hill!!!
Greetings Bulldogs and Bulldog Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. Memorial Day will be next Monday and often-times we commemorate those in the military who have given their lives in the line of duty. Lately, all across the state and the nation, flags have been flown at half mast to honor those who have died due to COVID-19. One of the things I've learned is how much I am craving getting back to eventually seeing the students and once again being a Bulldog family.
This week we would have had a short week due to the Memorial Day Holiday. Keep in mind that this holiday will still occur and as of this newsletter we will have a shortened day on Thursday 5/21 and no school on Friday 5/22 or Monday 5/25. We will return to online schooling on 5/26. While we have a couple of days off and no new assignments will take place, this is a great opportunity for those who are behind in their studies to catch up. There is still time to recover learning.
Over the weekend we had many 5th grade families from Whitman and Birches sign up for the Remind Updates. Thank you for signing up as we work on transitioning your children to entering the Home of the Bulldogs. For any of you who are new to this newsletter, I often send updates twice a month. However, since we went on Remote Instruction, I've been sending weekly newsletters as information seems to change rapidly. Therefore some information repeats in this newsletter, but I do highlight new and relevant information.
Please see the new information in this newsletter.
- Updated 5th Grade Transition to the Middle School
- Updated Sports Information
- Reminder about the Bulldog Ambassador of Distinction Applications for 7th Graders
-Teacher's Use of Schoology
- Information about obtaining belongings out of their lockers
Please see the infographic/video as small reminders as to how to stay focused the last 5 weeks of school. Bulldog Infographic Video
Take Care Bulldog Families. Be safe. If you venture out during this Memorial Weekend, please stay safe and social distance yourself.
Regards,
Mike D'Ostilio (Prinicpal)
UPDATED INFORMATION BELOW....ATTENTION 5TH GRADE PARENTS...Click the Image Below to Access Current Information Regarding 5th Grade Transition to 6th Grade
Also, the August 4-6 6th grade Transition Camp Dates have been moved to one day: August 26, 2020. This is in conjunction with the high school's effort to ensure students are safe throughout the summer and giving an extra 20 or so days should social distancing regulations change
Athletic Teams Information...Fall Sports...TAKE NOTE OF THE ADJUSTED DEADLINES
First, if your child would like to play a fall sport (at BHMS it's just field hockey, but at the high school, there are more opportunities), you have to register/create an account with the Family ID Portal beginning May 1, 2020. The link to Family ID can be found here: Family ID
Once you do that, you should download all the physical information. As of right now, this is now changed to July 1, 2020. This timeline is vital to give all principal parties like you, your doctor, school nurse, and contracted school physician to review the physical forms. This can take weeks. Please adhere to the deadline so that it provides ample time to review the forms so your child is ready to try out /participate in school sports. The date is very important.
By Clicking on this link: Participation Information, you need to download/print all relevant "physical forms" paperwork. This includes:
- Asthma Treatment Plan
- Health History Questionnaire
- Sports Physical Form.
Keep in Mind, as of right now, Middle School Field Hockey Will Begin on August 31, 2020
For questions, please reach out to our school nurse Mrs. Keane at bkeane@wtps.org
Field Hockey Information
Please see the information below that Coach Burns wanted to share with those interested in trying out. Please remember all the physical information needs to be taken care of prior to go going out for the team. It provides a step by step process to accessing the Athletics information above. If you need to contact Coach Burns directly, she is a teacher in the district and available at sburns@wtps.org
REGISTRATION PROCESS:
Parents/Guardians should register by clicking on this link:
https://www.familyid.com/washington-township-high-school
Follow these steps:
1. To find your program, click on the link provided by the Organization above and select the registration form under the word Programs.
2. Next click on the green Register Now button and scroll, if necessary, to the Create Account/Log In green buttons. If this is your first time using FamilyID, click Create Account. Click Log In, if you already have a FamilyID account.
3. Create your secure FamilyID account by entering the account owner First and Last names (parent/guardian), E-mail address and password. Select I Agree to the FamilyID Terms of Service. Click Create Account.
4. You will receive an email with a link to activate your new account. (If you don’t see the email, check your E-mail filters (spam, junk, etc.).
5. Click on the link in your activation E-mail, which will log you in to FamilyID.com
6. Once in the registration form, complete the information requested. All fields with a red* are required to have an answer.
7. Click the Save & Continue button when your form is complete.
8. Review your registration summary.
9. Click the green Submit button. After selecting ‘Submit’, the registration will be complete. You will receive a completion email from FamilyID confirming your registration.
At any time, you may log in at www.familyid.com to update your information and to check your registration(s).
To view a completed registration, select the 'Registration' tab on the blue bar.
SUPPORT:
- If you need assistance with registration, contact FamilyID at: support@familyid.com or 781-205-2800.
- Support is available 7 days per week and messages will be returned promptly.
Geared for students of all fitness levels, the Running Club is for anyone who wishes to be more physically fit. We welcome:
· Cross-country runners looking for new training partners
· Athletes trying to improve their fitness for the upcoming season
· Novice runners who want to learn how to begin
· Non-runners who just want to walk and talk with their friends
We will address training plans, proper pre/post run stretching, proper fuel and hydration during a run and how to find a race in which to participate.
The Running Club is a year-long club so students are able to participate in whichever meetings fit their schedule.
Please remember, while this is not a competitive middle school sport, in order to participate, you still need proper physical paperwork. Please follow Coach Burns' (Field Hockey Coach) directions about registering and obtaining your physical.
ATTENTION 7TH GRADERS!!!!
Applications Due May 22, 2020
Dear 7th Graders
I am writing to let you know that we are now accepting applications for our Bulldog Ambassadors of Distinction. This is the only activity of its type at BHMS as it is selected based on students’ high moral character, academic achievement and involvement in the school and community. Not all students who apply will be accepted. Students are scored based on their commitment to school and community activities, academic achievement, and individual awards and achievements. To make our selection process fair, we have a panel of scorers use a rubric to assess the applications. We also check students discipline records. As applicants, you are responsible to make sure you fill out the application as fully as possible. Take your time thinking about the various sections of the application so you do not submit it before you miss a section or remember another activity or achievement. The application is on a Microsoft Form. I would suggest looking at the form and typing all your answers to the questions on a separate Microsoft Word document. When you believe your application is fully complete, copy and paste your answers into the actual form and submit.
Applications are due May 22nd. We will let students know of their acceptance in the beginning of June. Please e-mail me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Ms. Kerfoot, counselor jkerfoot@wtps.org
Some teachers have switched to Schoology as a district approved information center that houses all the students' lessons and to help reduce the myriad of emails your child receives each day. Please refer to the letter I sent on May 11, 2020 by clicking here: Schoology Letter to Bulldog Families
For those teachers using Schoology, instead of getting a daily email in your inbox, that teacher will be posting daily assignments to the Course Update feed in Schoology. Since this is a change, we wanted to reassure you that you will still be able to see all the assignments, links, and files, but in a more organized fashion than before.
Schoology is the district’s learning management system. To access this site, you can go to the district web page, select “Students” and scroll down to “Schoology”. Students can login using their Microsoft credentials and can access their updates for each course. This is where they will find their daily assignments under “Updates” on the menu for each course or on the “Recent Activity Page” They are also able to submit digital assignments, participate in online discussions, and complete online assessments all in one platform. In addition, students will be able to find links, videos, and other resources categorized by date. It is our hope that this system will ensure easier access for all. Parents, you can see the course updates when your student logs into the system.
To support your understanding of the platform, I have included 2 links in my letter to help you navigate through the Schoology program. Please open that letter and click on the links.
Attention 8th Graders
Check here for frequent updates.
On May 7, we sent a letter outlining cancelled and occuring events throughout the year. We plan to conduct a digital 8th grade recognition and a separate leadership awards night. Most likely, a video will go out on or around June 18, 2020 for the 8th grade recognition and the middle school awards will be on or around June 10, 2020. Click "Cancellation of Events Letter" above to access the May 7th letter.
8th Grade End of Year Celebration
BHMS Staff and the BHMS PTO are working on a summer celebration/gathering should social distancing restrictions be relaxed. If we are permitted this event will be in Late July or August. We so want to see you before you go to the high school.
Not Attending WTHS in the fall?
If you are attending a private school for high school, please reach out to Mrs. Schilling in the counseling office at hschilling@wtps.org. She has information to share to help with that transiition.
Orchestra Members Interested in Auditioning for the High School Chamber Ensemble?
Click the above link for information from Mr. P about tryouts for the Chamber Ensemble in the high school. We've exteded the deadline to June 15, 2020. Contact Mr. P for more information.
If You Haven't Purchased a Yearbook, and Still Want to, There is Still Time!!! Click the Image Below
Bulldog Families...We Need Help to Make Sure Students are Keeping Up with Their Studies
Families, we need your help. Our teachers are working hard, and families are working hard as well to keep the children motivated to do the work. Since many teachers are making themselves available through video conferencing, students need to understand that they are still "in school". This means when a teacher comes on the screen or when the teacher opens a test for a specific window of time, the students are expected to show proper readiness to learn...we've noticed students talking with their peers in the background, letting the meeting be on the computer without paying attention, playing video games during the meeting, etc. We've had some students unfortunately say they can't test or do the assignment because they are napping. To be honest it's not everyone but it's enough to be incredibly frustrating as a teacher is planning the lesson and the student isn't paying attention then asks for a redo on an assignment. It's hard in the remote setting for both parent and teachers to watch over the students as we normally can in the classroom. We understand that students can't do everything at a specific time, but we do expect that if we give enough heads up that there will either be a test or a conference that the student is ready to participate. We recognize that students are finding their way as they learn email etiquette and responsibility. Any support you can give the teachers regarding reminding students of the expectations would be awesome and very much appreciated.
Information about Taking Assessments
1. The teacher may not assign your child the test until the teacher can certify that your child is ready to take it.
2. If a child doesn't do the work leading up to a test, takes the test, and does poorly, the student may ask for a retest. However, it is likely that the teacher will not provide the retest unless the student goes back to do the supportive work or redo some missed assignments.
As a principal, I support this practice because with the two examples above, we are promoting learning and acquisition of skills or standards. We're trying to get students to focus on submitting the best work they can rather than just getting the work done.
Understandably, middle school students just want to get school done with for the day. However, if we can slow them down a little to focus on the quality of what they're submitting, rather than how fast, students will be able to maintain their high marks in school.
To be truthful, a majority of the students are really trying to put their best foot forward and are meeting expectations in a stellar Bulldog-like fashion. However, there are still a large many that may need a simple reminder to slow down and really concentrate on what they are turning in.
Thanks as always for your support. I think this is incredibly difficult on everyone, especially the parents as they are trying to navigate their own jobs while providing oversight and support to their own children. While we've grown accustomed to this, it is still incredibly difficult. Hopefully, knowing our parameters will help with conversations about this (if necessary) with your child.
Thanks again.
The Final Marking Period...Click on the Picture Below to Access Very Important Information About Marking Period 4
Recurring Items From Previous Newsletters
This link includes also information on Remote Learning Tech Support and Support with Video Conferencing Sites.
Bunker Hill Middle School: Home of the Bulldogs
Sign up for Remind Notifications
--Current Grade 5...Text @BHMS2023 to 81010
--Current Grade 6 (If you weren't able to get into BHMS2022) Text @BHMS2022a to 81010 for same information as other Grade 6 remind.
--Current Grade 7…Text @BHMS2021 to 81010
--Current Grade 8…Text @BHMS2020 to 81010
Email: ddijohn@wtps.org
Website: https://www.wtps.org/bunkerhill
Location: 372 Pitman Downer Road, Sewell, NJ, USA
Phone: 856 881 7007
Facebook: facebook.com/OfficialBHMS
Twitter: @Official_BHMS