BEATRICE MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
April, 2022
PRINCIPAL POINTS....BY ANDREW HAAKE
Parents and Guardians,
It's hard to believe that April is among us and as they say......April showers bring...........testing season! All jokes aside, I wanted to key you in on some important changes to this year's testing season as well as highlight our testing dates so we can be diligent on attendance those days.
In previous years, students would take the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) one time per year in April/May. In the Fall and Winter, BMS students would take the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test. The Department of Education has now combined NSCAS and MAP into the test we will take this Spring, NSCAS Growth.
Students will take NSCAS Growth in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. The amount of testing will not change at all. However, students will now have the opportunity to showcase proficiency of their grade level standards in the Fall, Winter, or Spring as opposed to a one-time high stakes test at the end of the year. This test will also allow our teachers to evaluate what standards students are proficient on and which standard(s) students are struggling with to better inform our instruction.
Attendance throughout the year is important, but especially important this time of year. The more your child is at their desk with a teacher in front of them, the better chance of academic success they will have. If your child misses the day of the test, we will have to pull them out of class on a day they are present to test, adding more missed class time.
Please look at the testing dates below and if you have medical appointments or other appointments, please consider adjusting them if possible!
- April 7th - ELA
- April 12th - Science
- April 21st - Math
- April 22nd - April 29th - Make Up
HOUSE LEADERBOARD AS OF APRIL 4
MARCH MADNESS HOUSE COMPETITION!!
COUNSELORS QUIPS!..........ANGIE VOGEL, COUNSELOR; JILL RICE, COUNSELOR
NOTES FROM THE NURSE......JENNIFER ZIMMERMAN
PHYSICALS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR
We are quickly approaching the end of the school year. As we near the end of the year, we need to get a head start on the 2022-2023 school year. The following are requirements per NE Law (79-444) for physical examinations.
* All current 6th grade children will need a physical by a doctor BEFORE entering 7th grade next fall. Please make your appointment soon as we will need these on file no later than the first day of school. If we do not have a physical on file for your child after the first full day of school, your child could be excluded from school until this is completed. Please schedule an appointment time as soon as possible as spots fill up fast the closer we get to summer.
* Every child that would like to participate in a sport will need a pre-participation physical evaluation (sports physical) before participating in chosen sport. All sports physicals must be dated after May 1 to count towards any sports played during the 2021-2022 school year. If your child will be a 7th grader, their sports physical will also count as their 7th grade physical. Your child must get a new sports physical done every school year if they are playing a sport.
* If your child has asthma or allergies, please remember to have the examining doctor fill out or update your child's current asthma/allergy action plan during their physical or before next school year starts. Your physician should have copies of the form, if not the form is available in the nurses office or online. This form must be updated every school year. If your child has an epi-pen, please make sure to supply one to the school on their first day of school so we do not have a lapse in treatment.
VACCINE REMINDER
All students enrolling in 7th grade next year must provide evidence of having one booster of Tdap vaccine given on or after 10 years of age. If you have a 6th grade student this year, they will be required to show proof of the Tdap vaccination before they will be able to enter 7th grade. Once vaccinations are received, please send a copy to the school nurse so it is on file and your child is up to date before the start of school next fall.
GAGE COUNTY IMMUNIZATION CLINIC
1110 Jackson St, Beatrice
Call 223-2366 - for an appointment
*Must show insurance card at time of appointment*
Every Monday, 12-4 p.m. Every Tuesday, 3-7 p.m.
Every Thursday, 12-4 p.m.
DRESSING FOR SPRING
During the middle school years, students are going through their biggest growth spurt. What may have fit during the fall could be too short or tight when springs arrives. If the shirt that is worn does not have capped sleeves and cover the student's midsection, both in the front and back, students will be asked to put on a different shirt. A good test to check to see if the shirt is of appropriate in length is to raise a hand and if the child's midsection shows, the shirt it too short. Secondly, if the student sits down and the shirt pulls up in the back, the shirt is too short. Shorts that are worn to school must be of appropriate length to ensure modesty.
Thank you for helping keep the environment at Beatrice Middle School focused on learning in the classroom.
DRIVERS EDUCATION..... By: Mike Policky
My name is Michael Policky and I am a retired Beatrice Middle School teacher. For many years I spent my summers detasseling corn, but for the past four years I have been driving with young men and women teaching them the basic skills of safe and responsible driving for the Nebraska Safety Council of Lincoln. I work out of Beatrice and all driving is done in the Beatrice and Lincoln area.
I invite you to register your child for driver's education classwork through Triple AAA (American Automobile Association AAA) by going to the Nebraska Safety Council website. Follow the following instructions to register: On the right hand side, you will need to select "online" as the Beatrice location rather than selecting "Beatrice" to begin registration. You will be taken to "Teen Driver Education - Online" and will need to choose "Beatrice-online".
On average, students take about 25-35 hours to complete the classwork and successfully pass the exams given throughout the course. You are expected to complete the coursework before you drive this summer so it is best if you sign up as soon as possible to get this done. You are given 60 days to complete the class which would be working 1/2 hour per day. Parents, please see to it that your child has completed their coursework before their drive time. If the coursework is not done you run the risk of cancelled drive time and a penalty payment for leaving that spot open in the summer. It is critical that all classwork is done before you drive. You are allowed to work a maximum of five hours per day before the class will shut off and lock you out until the next day.
Once you are registered and have been given your passcode, I will be given your information from the Nebraska Safety Council of Lincoln and will call you to set up a drive time this summer. Those signed up first have the first choice of drive times for the summer. Driving will begin in late May once I return home from my trip with 8th graders going to Washington D.C. and Gettysburg. The projected start date for driving is Monday, June 6, 2022. The driving time options you will have to pick from are as follows:
- Option #1 - Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 7:00 A.M- 11:00 A. M.
- Option #2 - Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 11:30 A.M- 3:30 P. M.
- Option #3 - Thursday and Friday from 7:00 A.M- 1:00 P. M.
In July there may be some adjustment to driving due to the 4th of July holiday and a family wedding that month. You are not allowed to miss any driving time or be late for any drive time. You have five hours of time behind the wheel and five hours of observation time from the back seat. It all concludes with a driving test over familiar roadways that lasts approximately 35-45 minutes.
I must tell you that drivers education is offered by other companies in this area, but I am reaching out as an educator who knows many of the students already and who cares about the safety of the people on our roadways. I invite all of you to please seriously consider making this investment for your child's education and safety on the roadways. You could save money on your insurance premiums by having your child take the class and that in itself will pay for the class over time and more importantly it could save a life.
***No one 18 years of age or turning 18 during the class may take this class.
***You must have a valid school permit or learners permit in order to register for this class
If you have questions, please feel free to email or call me at mpolicky@bpsnebr.org, 402-228-4642. This article will also be sent to Lewiston, Southern, Diller-Odell, and Tri-County schools. Classes will be limited to the first who sign up for the class so please do not put this off thinking you may be able to get it done later as I do not know what the demand will be this year for driver's education. I am once again going to be able to drive about 60 students over the course of the summer and the past two summers have been filled to capacity for me.
On behalf of the Nebraska Safety Council of Lincoln and myself, Michael Policky, I would like to welcome you and thank you for considering having your child take driver's education through us, The Nebraska Safety Council of Lincoln.
DETASSELING
Over 13 years old and looking to make some money this summer? Apply to S & J Detasseling!
Detasseling season starts in July and goes for a few weeks. For more information or to apply go to S&J Detasseling or find them on Facebook at S&J Detasseling.
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Beatrice Middle School
215 North 5th Street, Beatrice NE 68310
(402) 223-1545
BMS Messenger Editor: Laurie Bloomquist