BPMS PARENT NEWSLETTER
March 2021
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL
Hello BPMS Families!
With much excitement and anticipation, we welcome hybrid 6th grade students to our brick-n-mortar Hive this week. Schedules, lists, protocols, and spreadsheets have been checked repeatedly and we are ready to go. Details about the hybrid transition have been sent out several times in a Connect Ed message over the last week and hopefully any remaining questions have been answered.
A message for our virtual Bees ~ Please know you remain just as important to us as those students transitioning to the building. We ask for your patience this week as there may be more questions of teachers than usual and that you check for messages posted in your classroom streams.
Parent Conferences are set for this Wednesday, March 10th. School is closed for students and parents may sign up for a time slot by opening the attachment below or contacting BPMS at 410-636-2967. All conferences are virtual and held via Google Meet with translation available as needed.
Take care, Bee Families!
Mrs. Shakan
Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences
IMPORTANT DATES
IMPORTANT INFO
- Interims will be distributed via Parent Portal on March 5th.
- March 10th is Parent/Teacher conferences. No school for students.
- March 1st-5th is Academic Week.
- On March 8th, 6th grade hybrid students will return to the building. On March 22nd, 7th & 8th grade hybrid students will return to the building.
Beginning March 8th, BPMS school hours will adjust slightly. Instructional day begins at 8:25am for all students. At 2:55pm Virtual students sign off/Hybrid students dismissed.
Wed school hours: 8:30am-10:40am.
- Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:30 to 12pm are Clubs. Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30 to 12pm is now Office Hours. Each teachers office hours links can be found in their Google Classroom.
Preparing for Hybrid Learning Newsletter
PARENT PORTAL
Directions for registering for and accessing your Parent Portal account are found on the AACPS Student-Parent Portal Webpage and are also linked below. If you are creating an account for the first time, please call the school at 410-636-2967 to get the user ID and access code for your child. (This is not the same code they use for instruction daily).
We hope you find Parent Portal to be a user friendly tool for monitoring progress as we approach mid-marking period and throughout the school year.
Counseling Corner
Change is hard enough to navigate as adults, children and teens have an even more difficult time with the inevitable uncertainties of life’s journey.
I’m returning to school for the first time in a year, will I make any new friends?
I’m not returning to the physical building this year, will other’s move on without me?
My mom just got a new job, will I burden her if I ask for help?
I am going to be able to achieve to the standards other expect of me during this pandemic?
The presence of unknown has the potential to disturb even the most grounded among us. For teens, unwanted or unanticipated change may lead to feeling out of control and overwhelmed. Prolonged feelings of stress can have dangerous consequences on the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of our children and teens. By fostering a responsive, rather than reactive approach to coping with change, children and teens can learn how cope effectively while navigating the inevitable obstacles of life.
Below are some strategies that can help your teen cope with change:
1. Acknowledge their emotions – Give your child permission to feel the way they do.
2. Focus on values - Who and what are most important in their life right now?
3. Reflect back - What positive life experiences can you bring to remembrance where a change happened but there was a positive outcome?
4. Shift perspectives - How can this new experience be a benefit?
5. Be self compassionate - Encourage your child to give themselves grace.
As always, your Student Support Team is here to support your student. Please visit http://www.aacps.org/crisisresources for mental health resources or reach out to your student's school counselor, school psychologist or school social worker for extra support. You are not alone in this and we are here to help you.
Contact your grade level School Counselor with any questions or concerns:
Ms. Falzarine 6th Grade – afalzarine@aacps.org GV (301) 892-6569
Mrs. Santiago- Fecht 7th Grade – bsantiagofecht@aacps.org GV (786) 322-6121
Mrs. Grandy 8th Grade – tgrandy@aacps.org GV (302) 314-3874
Danielle Saad School Social Worker – dsaad@aacps.org Phone (301) 531-4018
Family Link
Pop-up Food Pantry
Sponsored by Child Hunger Outreach Program
Friday March 19 from 4:30pm-6:30pm at Brooklyn Park Middle School
Bagged food available to everyone in the community for pick up. Please wear a mask.
**Please follow CHOP on Facebook for updates and information**
https://www.facebook.com/chopmaryland/
Next Pop-up Pantry at BPMS is April 23rd
Morgan State University event – March 17th – 2pm
- Are you thinking about your future? Can you picture what you will be doing after graduation? Students in the Next Generation Scholars Program will have the opportunity to “Picture Your Future at Morgan State University” during a virtual visit on March 17th at 2:00 pm. Learn about the history of the campus, campus life and activities, as well as academics in this visit led by Morgan State University’s Peer BEARS Program. Contact your NGS and/or GEAR UP coordinator to register for this event. (I’m checking into a registration link – none listed.) Peer Bears info: https://bit.ly/3rezKDE
- STUDENTS MUST REGISTER to receive the link to the virtual event: https://forms.gle/NQ3RJkU6o9Bphc6Z7
Parent Kudos for BPMS Staff
Spring Club List
LETTER FROM READING INTERVENTION
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Please ensure that your child attends all assigned classes. I realize this is a challenge for parents and guardians that leave for work before school starts. However, if your child can attend classes on time each day, their educational experience will be richer and more rewarding. Incentives such as a favorite treat at the end of the week might motivate your child to attend all classes on time. Most teachers would not mind verifying your child's attendance upon request. We want your child to be successful. That success starts with attending all classes on time and doing all assignments in a timely manner. There will be computer problems, illnesses, and family emergencies. We understand when these circumstances prevent your child from attending class. Thank you for letting us know when these things occur. It is a pleasure working with you to do all we can to promote your child's academic success. Take care.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Watkins
BPMS Reading Intervention
NEWS FROM THE BPMS LIBRARY T. A. L. E.
The most awesome icon on your student's ClassLink page is the one for Mackinvia!
MackinVia is an online collection of eBooks, eAudiobooks, databases, and more! Students simply login to ClassLink, click on [MackinVIA] and suddenly, students have access to over 1,700 digital resources for their academic needs or personal interests.
Learn more about it (and how to login) on the Library T.A.L.E. website. Remember: reading 20 minutes a day at home will expose your learner to 1.8 million words per year.
BPMS PTA
BPMS PTA Fundraiser
Family, Friends, and Supporters of Brooklyn Park Middle School PTA,
As much as we enjoyed our yearly Yankee Candle fundraiser which is discontinued, we found another online Fundraiser we think you might enjoy!
On February 16th - We are officially kicking off our fundraiser with Charleston Wrap® – and we need YOUR help! To reach our goals and make this fundraiser a success, we need everyone to do their part. Luckily, it’s super easy! Below, you’ll find a flyer with detailed instructions about how you can register online and support our goals. We appreciate all of your support and encourage you to spread the word to your friends & family, near and far! The more people who shop, the more money we can raise for BPMS! Together, we can ensure our PTA reaches its goal – and even surpasses it!
The Charleston Wrap fundraiser ends March 10th in time for Easter Delivery.
Thank you for your help! - Brooklyn Park Middle School PTA
Congrats 2020-2021 BPMS PTA Executive Board!
Thank you for volunteering your time for our Bees.
President - Stacey Arthur
Vice Pres - Heather Watkins
Secretary - Kyle Curran
Treasurer - Shantel Dillon
Thanks to all who volunteered for our 2020-2021 PTA.
PTA News:
- Join us for our virtual PTA Meeting on February 11th, 2021 at 6:30pm. Meeting details linked below.
- Support us by becoming a member (form link below)
- Even if not a member, follow us on Facebook @ Brooklyn Park Middle School PTA for important upcoming dates/info
Brooklyn Park Middle School's Carrabba's Night
DATE: Wednesday, March 10th at 10am to 10pm
LOCATION: 8030 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD 21122
DETAILS - Come for lunch and/or dinner. Carry-out or dine-in qualifies towards the fundraiser. When ordering please don't forget to mention supporting BPMS! Thank you and we appreciate your support!
Passcode: bees
SCHEDULES
RESOURCES
Attendance Note
Tutoring Available
Parents/Guardians who have students that are struggling with classes - Tutoring is available check it out:
School Psychology Virtual Office
Please feel free to visit the School Psychology Virtual Office for a variety of information and resources for our BPMS students, parents, and staff! If anyone finds that their student is really struggling and could use a check-in, my contact information is here too!