I wanted to take the time to let you all know that we have hired (and she has accepted) Megan McFarland to be our new Assistant Principal beginning in July! Megan comes with a wealth of middle school experience and we are extremely excited and lucky to have her!

Finally, after a long three weeks, our first year of state mandated VTCAP Testing is complete! Students worked very hard over the course of the last few weeks, not only on their tests but also managing the changing daily schedules due to testing. They should all be commended for that. Our MAPs testing dates are next week, May 23rd and 24th.

As I’m sure many of you already know, as of last Friday, the last day of school date was finalized after another change. We were forgiven for the two storm days we had in March. The last day of school for students is now Tuesday, June 20, at 11:30. The date is fast approaching!
One more reminder to all parents that the Fisher Cats game/rewards trip is coming up in less than two weeks on Wednesday, May 31st!

-Henry Bailly

Upcoming Dates:

5/31- Fisher Cats game
6/9- 5-8 Grade PTO-sponsored dance here at the Middle School (more information to come)
6/14- 8th grade class trip to Six Flags (rain date 6/15)

6/15- Last day for ASP @ BFMS
6/16- 8th grade Move-Up Ceremony at 5:00 p.m. here in the middle school auditorium
6/19- No school: Juneteenth
6/20- Last day of school for all students. Early release at 11:30.

Yearbooks are going to be sold by a paper form this year that will be going out to students soon. The form will include information about the yearbook, as well as an order form which your student can bring back along with the cash or check to either Janelle Wilfong (Art) or Ellen Boles (Music). Yearbooks will cost $20 and will be delivered on our final day of school, June 20th. If you would like to put a donation towards another student's yearbook, we will have a section to complete for donations. There will be a waitlist for families that would like a yearbook but can only afford some of the cost. This will be done on a first-come-first-serve basis. We look forward to getting these in your hands by late June!

The 6th grade is excited to embark on their Wilderness Institute. Thursday, May 18, was our first official day at the Athens Community Center and surrounding wilderness. Students spent time doing a safety assessment of the area, learning the boundaries of our outdoor classroom, and engaging in some introductory activities that set the guidelines for the coming weeks.

On Friday, May 12, 96% of the 6th-grade class celebrated their effort and respect on the VTCAP testing with a morning movie, Dari Joy afternoon, and Wells Street extended recess. We had a great time! Next week is the MAP testing. Students will be given another opportunity to earn a reward for meeting the criteria below. The details of the reward will be announced to students on Monday, May 22.

Required Characteristics

1. Follow directions (has a book, use scrap paper as needed)

2. Puts forth effort (adequate time on test, uses scrap paper, checks answers)

3. Respects adults and peers (quiet for the duration)

4. Works cooperatively (no debating, etc.)

To earn the reward, you need to earn 75% of the possible points (6 out 8).

SS-

In 7th Grade Social Studies, we are continuing to compare American life during the Civil War with American life during the Vietnam era. Student projects are due on the 24th of this month and many of them are coming along very nicely. We are all very much looking forward to seeing them! Next week, we will begin to study the modern Bellows Falls region and learn how all of the events of the past we have studied this year have helped to shape the community we live in today.

Math-

In 7th grade math, students have begun their geometry unit. Students spent a week or so learning about angles. Most recently, students have been working with circles. Students have calculated the area of circles when the radius and the diameter is given. We will soon be finding the area of compound figures.

Science-

In science class, the students are busy constructing their solar cars for an upcoming competition early next week. The winners of the competition will be invited to attend the "Jr Solar Car Competition" in Brattleboro, V T on June 1st. Regardless of the outcome of the race, all students are learning skills in engineering and it appears that they are having a great time in doing so.

ELA-

BOOK REPORTS

This week we are wrapping up our outlines for our book reports and moving onto peer reviews and editing. Peer reviews are vitally essential to learn how to work with others, as well as helping to look at your own work through the eyes of another. Today, we did peer reviews and tomorrow we will be pulling three quotes from our books to help support and back up which three literary themes we think are most present in our books! We have been spending a ton of time working on theme the last few weeks!

LORD OF THE RINGS PERMISSION SLIPS - DUE FRIDAY 5/19!

Going home with your students will be a permission slip for our June wrap-up in ELA, where we will be watching and analyzing the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

This Oscar-winning film trilogy brings to life the classic fantasy series of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth with an all-star cast, beautiful music, and stunning cinematography. Why Lord of the Rings, some of you might be asking. In many schools around the United States and outside, Tolkien's work is essential in ELA classrooms in teaching story structure and story-mapping. Now, I will be the first one to say that the Lord of the Rings books are incredibly weighty and not really that young-reader-friendly, given their very complex nature. However, the films do an amazing job of bringing the core of the books to life.

Now, if you would prefer your student not watch the films, on the permission slip there is a section for you to sign which will have them be doing an alternative assignment during those weeks we are watching the films. They will be reading a different short story each week - all varying in genre - and analyzing them for literary themes, while also adding a two-paragraph review of each short story.

Please make sure to send your student back to school with their filled-out permission slips by this Friday, the 19th!

END OF THE YEAR LESSON

Since we only have under 25 days left officially of school, we are beginning to wind down. I am asking the students what they would be interested in exploring as we wrap the year up before summer, and collecting those ideas to see what we can do as we finish up.

In 8th Grade ELA, we are continuing to read the play based on Anne Frank's diary. Last week, students evaluated conflicting sources of information and considered the role of memoirs.

In 8th Grade math, the students have been diligent on solving systems of equations and inequalities, and graphing them on a coordinate plane. They are also simplifying expressions with the rules of exponents.

In 8th Grade Social Studies, students are studying America's entrance into World War II and the macro-economic trends that it brought about. We are also exploring a darker chapter in American history: internment camps for Japanese-Americans.

In 8th Grade Science, students are researching to produce a project on dinosaurs from the various eras the dinosaurs lived in.

We have started to meet on the 2nd Monday of each month. Our next meeting is June 14th @ 5 pm.

We have elected the following officers:

Treasure- Nominations have been made, but waiting on acceptance

Secretary- Erin Johnson

Vice President- Sam Fletcher

President- Sierra Patterson

We have had a great turn out for staff appreciation items with the breakfast, mid-day treat and supply bar on Friday.

We are planning on a school-wide dance in June as a fundraiser and end of year celebration for the kids. We are in the planning stages now, reach out if you are interested in helping! We have a group page on Facebook called "Parents of BFMS" where we can post updated and the sign-up links.