ABMS Weekly News
July 29, 2022
NEW - Importance of School Attendance
As a school, our focus is on student learning. Regular school attendance is important for academic learning and creating positive school connections. As a reminder, if your child is sick and cannot attend school, parents should contact ABMS AttendanceABM@bluevalleyk12.org or call 624-2305. It is also important that our students are on time for school to maximize their class time and create positive learning habits. We recognize that there are times families may be running late, and a student may be tardy. Students who are late need to check into the front office for a pass prior to going to 1st hour. A student is considered tardy to 1st hour when they are not in their assigned seat at 7:51 a.m. ready to learn. Our focus is on consistently having students in class on time ready to learn. Listed below is how ABMS will address tardies:
Once a student has more than 5 tardies to 1st hour, administration will visit with the student.
On the next tardy to 1st hour, the student will have an assigned consequence during lunch.
Progressive discipline will occur for any further tardies.
Tardies for 1st hour reset each quarter.
Parents/Guardians can monitor their child’s attendance so they are aware of the number of tardies. Teachers will develop a tardy policy for hours 2-9 and will share their expectations with students.
NEW - Expectations with Student Cell Phones
If a student has a cell phone, it needs to be kept in their locker during the school day. If students are using their phones during the school day, then staff may ask for the phone which is brought to the office. Multiple infractions would be addressed as follows:
1st infraction - student receives phone back from main office at end of school day.
2nd infraction - student receives phone back from main office at end of school day and administration visits with student.
3rd infraction - student receives phone back from main office at end of school day and front office contacts the parents/guardians.
4th infraction - Parent/Guardian would need to pick up the phone from the main office and at that point the student would turn their phone into the front office each morning and get it back at the end of each day.
If students need to contact their parents/guardians during the school day, students can use our phones in the main office or ask teachers for permission to use the classroom phones. Students can also ask staff for permission if they can use their own student phone if they need to contact parents/guardians.
NEW - ABMS Para Educator Openings
We strive to retain our staff and hire the best applicants when we have openings to provide the best experiences for our students. As we approach the start of the school year, ABMS still has several para educator openings for this school year. If anyone has an interest in these jobs, please reach out to clegleiter@bluevalleyk12.org . The para educator role offer flexible schedules, full benefits and more.
NEW - PTO Meetings
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89427253909?pwd=L2xwdVNQYnQ4VjVSdVFiRmEzdHV5UT09
Meeting ID: 894 2725 3909
Passcode: 725485
** Our meetings will always be carried at noon on zoom. The September 2nd meeting will be in person in addition to being on zoom. Snacks will be provided.
NEW - PTO Website
Be in the KNOW with ABMS PTO! Check out our UPDATED PTO website for more information about meetings, events, and PTO Board and Committees.
While you are there, you can sign up to for a PTO position. We have lots of different options available!
Remember to INVEST IN ABMS (you can use the square above).
REVIEW - Traffic Flow Map for Drop off and Pick up
To help our families understand our morning and afternoon drop off and pick up procedures, we have updated our Traffic Flow Map. Please see attached. As a reminder, in the morning on school days our front doors open at 7:20 a.m. so we ask that families please have students wait with them in the vehicle until 7:20 a.m. before they exit the vehicle to enter the building. To ensure a safe and orderly drop off and pick up line, we need all vehicles to adhere to the following:
Please pull your vehicle all the way forward to the front of the drop off/pick up line as this allows more vehicles within the drop off/pick up zone.
Only have your child exit or enter your vehicle when you are in the drop off/pick up zone as this ensures students are going directly to and from the vehicle from a sidewalk.
Please be patient with other drivers as they follow our procedures so that we all are working together.
Please notice on the Traffic Flow Map for the AM drop off only, after our buses in the back lot (south side of building) exit by 7:40 a.m., families can also use that portion of our campus to drop off their child to enter the school. The same general procedures for the traffic apply to the drivers on the south side as well.
REVIEW - Update on Student Chromebook Filter
Blue Valley utilizes a filtering system to help protect your student online while in school and at home when using the Blue Valley issued Chromebook. This filtering system helps to minimize online distractions and promotes a positive learning environment.
This year in all middle schools, students will not be able to access the following items on their Blue Valley Chromebook:
-Social Media such as Instagram/Pinterest/Reddit
-Social Networking such as Linked In/TikTok/Facebook/Twitter
-On Line Chat Platforms such as Google Messenger/Discord/Slack/Kik/
Information on Securly Home Filter
Families can take an active role in your child’s online safety with Securly Home. We recognize that student safety and well-being in the online world is a shared responsibility between our schools and families, and with Securly - the district’s cloud-based filtering system - taking an active role in your child’s online safety has never been easier.
DOWNLOAD Securly Home Parent Portal app (oniTunes or Google Play)*: With the Securly Home Parent Portal app, families can monitor student technology use and customizefilters on district devices outside of the BV Network/IP Address.* This app is currently available to families with students who received a district Chromebook/MacBook to use at school and home. Watch the video below for instructions to download/configure the app. Securly Home accounts are tied to the email address you have listed in ParentVUE. If you need assistance adding or updating your email in ParentVUE, call the front office of your child’s school. *If parents need assistance in account setup they can put in a BV Care ticket.
RECEIVE self-harm notifications: Families who download the Securly Home Parent Portal app will automatically be opted-in to receive mobile push notifications if their child searches content related to self-harm on a district-provided device. While school personnel may monitor online activity on district devices when students are connected to the BV Network/IP Address, it is the responsibility of our families to monitor online activity on district devices in the evenings, on weekends, over holidays and during school breaks by downloading the Securly Home Parent Portal app. For resources to help talk to your child about their well-being, visit https://www.bluevalleyk12.org/studentwellbeing.REVIEW from PTO - Online Store is Now Open
The online store is now open! Go to http://bvswden.com/abms to order your PE shirt for delivery in August! Stay tuned for more spirit wear in the online store coming soon.
REVIEW - School Start and End Time
REVIEW - School Events/Dates
August 9th Wolverine Welcome - Wolverine Welcome is from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. This day is when any ABMS student and family is welcomed to attend so students find their locker, practice opening the locker, put away school supplies, and get their yearbook picture taken. Families can stop by anytime from 8 am - 3 pm. SCH Photo will be taking our student pictures for our yearbooks, and families may also order the school pictures. If students cannot attend Wolverine Welcome on August 9, then they can come between 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. on August 15 to get their locker information and put away school supplies. On September 19, students who missed August 9th can get their yearbook picture taken.
6th grade orientation is August 16 from 7:51 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. This is a required school day for 6th grade students as they will receive their class schedule, become familiar with the building and meet their teachers. The bus company will be providing busing on this day for students who are registered for the bus service. This event is for ABMS students only.
New Student Orientation is August 16th from 7:51 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. This is an optional event for new 7th and 8th grade students to ABMS for the school year. The new 7th and 8th grade students will have the chance to meet counselors, administrators and staff. They will also get the chance to become familiar with the building and learn about ABMS and how to get involved and connected to our school.
School starts for all students on Aug 17. Our school day runs from 7:51 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.. Our doors open at 7:20 a.m. for car riders and bus riders. 6th grade students will receive their class schedule on 6th grade orientation, and 7th and 8th grade students will get their schedules on August 17. The district will share when class schedules will be viewable on ParentVue for families.
Back to School Night for Parents/Guardians is August 22. Families will have the option of viewing information online about their child’s teachers that will be sent by ABMS or parents/guardians can come in person for the Back to School Event from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (tentative time). Parents/Guardians who choose the in person event will go through their child’s schedule and meet the teachers in each class period for a short period of time. More information will be shared in advance of the event.
REVIEW - Fall Sports
Football and Cross Country will start on Monday, August 15th. Specific times will be shared in the coming weeks for the practice times.
Volleyball will start on Monday, August 22nd after school.
More information will be shared about the Musical start date as we approach the start of school. ABMS will provide school clubs that are open to any ABMS student. School Club information will be shared after school starts.
REVIEW - PTO Social Media
Please follow ABMS PTO on:
ABMS PTO FACEBOOK PAGE - @AubryBendMSPTO
ABMS PTO INSTAGRAM PAGE. @ABMSPTO
ABMS PTO TWITTER PAGE @AbmsPto