Mr. Corso's Weekly Update
February 2, 2020
No School - District Recess - February 17-February 21
Mr. Corso's Weekly Message
Positive Raiders: Responsible, Respectful, Hard Working and Kind
This Week’s Positive Message: On Monday, I shared this message on the morning announcements: We want to thank everyone for your support last week. We understand that some events can be hard to understand. If you want to talk with someone, you can always reach out to any adult at school, including our counselors. Overall, middle school tends to be a time in life when kids are concerned about fitting in....they want to belong. What does this mean for you as a student? Fitting in is when you want it be part of a group. Belonging is when others want YOU to be a part of their group. What if Black Mountain was a place where everyone felt they belonged? Where everyone felt the Home Field Advantage. We are the ones that can make that happen. Treating others with kindness and consideration is so important at any stage of our lives. Please remember that cell phones can not be used on campus without permission from an adult. This includes taking pictures and videos. Sharing these pictures and videos is definitely inappropriate and can cause a lot of problems and pain for others. Thank you for doing your part to be kind, respectful and safe on our campus.
On Tuesday, we had a great assembly put on by YouSchool who followed up with a Parent University session that night. One of the main messages of the assembly related to our Home Field Advantage: kids need to be comfortable so they can be themselves, stand out for being unique and feel safe doing so. We know this is not always the case and middle school can be difficult. We thank you for partnering with us to improve our culture, make Home Field Advantage a reality and help Black Mountain Middle School be a place where each and every student can be proud of who they are.
Why Week: At the beginning of the year, I shared BMMS’s instructional focus is student engagement. Clarity of learning, the sharing of objective and purpose, is a key component of engagement. When students understand what they are learning about and why it is important, naturally they will connect with the material. This week, teachers were to clearly state on the board and share reasons why their learning objectives are important. It might be why the objective relates to prior/future learning, how a teenager might apply it to their life right now, or how it might apply to a future occupation. Some teachers asked students to create their own why. Ask your students what WHYs were shared this week. We feel that if we increase student engagement, the result will be gains in student achievement and ultimately in student learning.
Spelling Bee Champs: Congrats to all of our Spelling Bee competitors. It was a great event. 1st place: Rodrigo B. 2nd place: Wesley R. 3rd place: Amanda E. Way to go #HardWorking Raiders!
Proud to be your principal,
Scott Corso
Black Mountain Middle School
National School Counseling Week 2020
National School Counseling Week 2020, "School Counselors: Helping Build Better Humans," will be celebrated from Feb. 3-7, 2020, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February. We appreciate our Counselors!
Career Faire - We Need Your Help
Our goal is to give our students a wide experience of vocations and careers and spark interest in different career pathways. If you are interested in having a table, please contact me at Alightner@powayusd.com.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yearbook “Baby Pics”
This week in 8th grade Homeroom classes information regarding "Baby Pics" and "Parent ads" for the Yearbook was distributed to all 8th grade students on a bright Pink Flyer. If you're interested in submitting a "baby pic" or purchasing a "Parent Ad,"Look for the flyer. There are extra flyers available in the front office. The deadline for submission is February 14th. If you have any questions please speak with Mrs. Hunt in the Attendance office.
Making the Most Out of High School & College Readiness
February 5. 2020 –
Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm
BMMS Little Theater
One of our most popular Parent University seminars. This workshop, presented by Kim Bronson - counselor at Mt Carmel High School, focuses on preparing and easing the transition to high school while maintaining your sanity. She will discuss strategies to empower your student to have successful habits of mind and provide an overview of the college application process and ways to support your student’s college exploration journey.
On Tuesday, we had a great assembly put on by YouSchool who followed up with a Parent University session that night. One of the main messages of the assembly related to our Home Field Advantage: kids need to be comfortable so they can be themselves, stand out for being unique and feel safe doing so. We know this is not always the case and middle school can be difficult. We thank you for partnering with us to improve our culture, make Home Field Advantage a reality and help Black Mountain Middle School be a place where each and every student can be proud of who they are.
Cold & Flu Season
Cold and Flu season is upon us. The California Department of Public Health reports that influenza (flu) activity levels have increased over the past several weeks. As a reminder, please do not send your child to school if they are feeling sick. Keeping your sick child home will be a great benefit for the health and wellness of our students and staff. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. Symptoms of influenza can vary, but generally include a high fever, headache, chills, body aches, sore throat, and cough.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer these tips to prevent influenza:
● Get vaccinated every year
● Avoid close contact with sick people
● Frequent handwashing with soap
● Stay at home if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms
● Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
● Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.
The 2019-20 flu season has been complicated by recent reports of a novel coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Common symptoms in an infected person include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Although there have been reported cases of novel coronavirus globally, to date, there have been no reported coronavirus cases in San Diego County. The CDC has said the current risk of local transmission is low.
The Poway Unified School District will continue to monitor the situation and obtain updates from the California Department of Public Health and local health officials about the diagnosis and management of cases of novel coronavirus, as applicable. People who have traveled to Wuhan, China since Dec. 1, 2019, could have been exposed to the virus. Seek immediate medical care if you traveled to Wuhan and develop a fever and/or respiratory symptoms within 14 days of your return. If you have questions about these topics, please contact your healthcare provider. We thank you for your cooperation and support.
About Us
Email: mcordeau@powayusd.com
Website: www.powayusd.com/bmms
Location: 9353 Oviedo Street, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-484-1300