BHMS Weekly Update
Thursday,November 3, 2022
Principal's Corner
Dear BHMS Families,
Beacon Hill Families,
I want to thank all of our parents who came out to last week's Principal’s Coffee Chat. If you missed it, please go to our webpage and find the link for the most recent chats. As a reminder, we’ll have November’s Principal’s Coffee Chat on November 11, 2022.
Next week, we ask that you avoid the front drop off if possible Monday through Thursday as we will use the front parking lot as a staging area for our charter buses for our Rock Eagle Field Trip.
We’re excited to open our basketball season with an away game this Saturday versus Arabia Mountain. Please check our athletic website for location details and up-to-date start times.
And don’t forget our upcoming play on Friday and Saturday. See our website for more information. It’s going to be a great show.
Derrick L. Thomas, Principal,
Beacon Hill Middle School
Beverly Beyer is our BHMS Teacher of the Year! Congratulations!
6th Grade Science Teacher Beverly Beyer is three words: Committed, Brilliant, Enthusiastic!
From Our PTA
Mark Your Calendars!
PTA Meeting on Thursday, Nov 10th 6pm at BHMS Media Center.
Don't forget to check out our new website https://www.bhmspta.org for updates on events and more!
BHMS PTA Donate-a-thon Campaign!
Beacon Hill families, we need your support!
We want to make it as effortless and painless as possible for families to support the school, and to that end, there is nothing for you to sell or anything complicated to organize or manage. You’re welcome. :)
BHMS PTA requires financial assistance to accomplish our goals—namely, supporting students as well as faculty and staff in meaningful and significant ways. We are launching our Donate-a-thon to run through Nov 18th, the last day of school before the Thanksgiving break.
What is our goal?
To achieve our objectives successfully, we need to raise $25,000. If each Beacon Hill family contributes around $18, we will reach our goal! If you are able to make a larger donation, that would be marvelous and greatly appreciated — and your generosity would help cover those who cannot participate in the Donate-a-thon.
Why do we need money?
With your generous support, we are able to fund efforts including but not limited to:
Teacher Grants
Family and Student engagement activities
Science projects
Cultural and performing arts
End-of-year activities
Staff Appreciation
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
And so much more
•BHMS PTA is a 501(c)(3),
•If you work for a company that offers matched giving for charitable contributions from employees, please follow the steps necessary for BHMS PTA to receive those funds.
•If you would like to send a check, please make it payable to Renfroe PTA and mail it to Beacon Hill Middle School, Attn: PTA, 220 West College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030.
•Perhaps you have family members or neighbors who would like to support BHMS? Family and friends are usually happy to support school fundraising efforts when we personalize the donation and convey that their giving ultimately improves our childrens’ educational and social experience. Please share this information and link with them.
•While this campaign runs through November 18th, we will happily accept gifts after that date and all throughout the year. We have a deadline because 1) sometimes that gives people the motivation they need to get something done, and 2) there must be a date beyond which we stop actively soliciting funds! Please know, though, that you may make a gift to BHMS PTA any time your heart desires.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for considering this request. We are grateful for the generosity of the Decatur community and know that you will help us reach our goal, ultimately benefiting #ourkids.
With heartfelt thanks,
Your BHMS PTA Board
BHMS News You Can Use
Alert- Field Trip Bus Staging- Please Be Mindful During Drop off Next Week!
Next week our 7th and 8th grade students will be traveling to Rock Eagle. We will be staging buses in the front of the school. If at all possible please drop your students off on either side street of our school instead of the front. We will have one lane open instead of two Monday through Thursday
Fall Play is this weekend!
It is not too late to purchase tickets!
Show Dates:
Friday, November 4 @ 7PM (Sold Out)
Saturday, November 5 @ 3PM
Saturday, November 5 @ 7PM
All performances in the BHMS cafeteria.
You can purchase your tickets here: https://ticketpeak.co/DHSPerforms/events
6th Graders Enjoying a Photography Field Trip
6th graders exercise their photography skills at Talley Street, capturing the "essence" of their student body so the PTO can print them for their school walls
Flu and Covid Vaccine Clinic Featuring BHMS teacher Tamara Braxton!
The community enjoyed meeting our Mrs. Georgia Continental at the districts Covid & Flu Vaccine clinic!
BHMS Club Updates
Bulldog Buddies Club In Action!
The Bulldog Buddies Club had a great time visiting a Corn Maze last week!
Decatur Robotics Dine- Out Night
Shout out... the middle school FTC team of 8 BHMS students placed in the top 10 out of over 30 teams at a league meet this past Saturday, October 29th (photos here)! They beat out mostly high school teams so we're super proud of them. come pout and support Decatur Robotics teams!
Weekly Grade Level Newsletters
Every Thursday, each grade level will publish its newsletter. Please check them out after you read the school Eblast. Here are the links:
News from the Decatur Bulldog Booster Club
Home Football Game This Friday
Come out and cheer on the Bulldogs this Friday night as they play MLK. It’s senior night, and our generous Decatur Bulldog Booster sponsor Heather Tell Realty will be lighting up the stadium with a spirit item for fans.
Celebrate Our Bulldogs with $25 Flags
Flags are available online and at this Friday’s game in the lower concession. Get them while they last!
Bulldog Swag Makes the Perfect Gift
PJs, hoodies, hats, tees and more – check out all our spirit wear (including Beacon Hill items) online.
Concession Help Needed
Not only is concessions a key fundraising initiative for DBB, selling food and drinks at games helps to enhance the fan experience. Please help us out (opportunities will be available in the spring too): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4BA5AD2FAA8-20222023
Run With the Dogs 5K (RWTD) 2023 Registration Now Open
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023 for a Decatur tradition now in its 19th year. This year’s race is an official qualifying event for the Peachtree Road Race!
If you think you have the perfect dog to be featured on this year’s t-shirt, please enter the Face of the Race contest. Just post a photo of your dog and why your dog should be selected as the Face of the Race to www.facebook.com/RWTD5k or on Instagram with the hashtag #RWTD5K.
All contest entrants must register for the race for their dogs to be considered. Photos can be submitted until November 7. Four finalists will be selected by the volunteer race committee, and voting on these four finalists will begin November 11. The Face of the Race winner will be announced November 18.
Click here to register. For more information, visit rwtd5K.com.
CSD Athletic News and Updates
Beacon Hill Basketball to Start Season on Saturday!
Our Beacon Hill Basketball teams will travel to Chamblee High School on Saturday, Nov. 5 to tip off their season in the Dekalb County Middle School Showcase. The Bulldogs will face Redan Middle School. Our girls will start at 2pm, followed by the boys’ game at 3pm.
CSD News and Announcements
Strategic Plan Town Halls
Dr. Fehrman will host two more town hall meetings where all community members can attend and review the information discussed at the Strategic Plan Team meeting, as well as the goals and performance objectives drafted. In addition, the town halls will provide an opportunity for the community to add their feedback and ensure we have aligned our goals with what our community wants to see achieved in our district over the next five years.
Strategic Plan Town Hall Dates / Times
November 3 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (virtual) https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/92270288945
November 3 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (in person) at the DHA Community Resource Center at 481 Electric Avenue
Special Education Meetings
Special Education Parent Meetings
Golden Steps ABA
CSD welcomes Amanda Bissonnette of Golden Steps ABA to share an overview of services and support they provide to families.
Here's more about Golden Steps ABA:
Golden Steps implements Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to assist children in overcoming behaviors that challenge their ability to navigate and flourish in social, educational and home settings. We track their progress, encourage their growth, and applaud them when they inevitably succeed.
Date: November 10, 2022
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: This is a virtual meeting.
Target Audience: Pre-K to 6th grades
RSVP here
How It Works - Assistive Technology Meeting
Yael Cohen, Assistive Tech. Specialist & Frank DeFilippo, Special Education Coordinator, will be sharing a variety of apps and Google extensions that students can access to support their learning in class.
For example if your student is experiencing:
Poor handwriting
Poor grammar
Difficulty spelling
Difficulty with Organizing writing assignments
Date: November 17, 2022
Time: 6-7pm
Location: This is a virtual meeting.
RSVP here
For questions please contact Cheryl Grant at cgrant@csdecatur.net.
News Decatur Student Center Offering - Family Meetings
Would You Like to Learn How to Conduct Family Meetings?
- Are you tired of constant family arguments?
- Are you tired of feeling as if your family is disconnected?
- Are you tired of your family not knowing the schedule for the week?
Then perhaps Family Meetings are for you! Participants will learn how to conduct effective family meetings that will benefit all family members and encourage cohesiveness. Family Meetings have been shown to increase family members’ self-esteem, communication & conflict-resolution skills, and instill a sense of belonging & resilience.
When: Wednesdays, beginning November 9th, 2022
What: 6 weekly, 45-minute Google Meet sessions from 12:00 - 12:45
How: Attend weekly interactive meetings with camera on & ready to participate!
Cost: FREE and limited to 6 families
Click here to register and learn more!
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Decatur Education Foundation
Decatur Education Foundation
It's time for an adult night out! Everyone is invited to Soiree in the City on Saturday, November 12th from 6:30-10:30pm to enjoy an evening of dinner, drinks, and dancing! It’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up and go out on the town for a great cause. We’ll enjoy a seated harvest dinner by Little Farmhouse Cafe, live music from Maxwell Street and a full array of cocktails and signature mocktail. Purchase your tickets today at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/soiree or scan the QR code. See you there!
Are you great at math, science or languages? Your skills could help a Decatur student in just one hour per week as a Virtual Pal Tutor! We pair 2nd-8th grade students with upper high school or adult tutors to help with homework, organization and motivation. It’s an easy way to give back to your community in a meaningful way (and for high school students to earn volunteer hours). Click here to apply: https://forms.gle/VJuyncb7qce6R7Jq5
Can’t volunteer but want to help out? You can donate to our Lighten the Load program which keeps the snack pantry stocked at Beacon Hill Middle School. For those families in our community experiencing food insecurity, we also have a weekend backpack program. Both have unique Amazon wish lists that are updated monthly. You can donate directly to them using these links:
Beacon Hill Middle Snack Program: /a.co/d0HJHTr
Weekend Backpack Program: https://a.co/6Etc74W