Badger Middle School Newsletter
January 31, 2024
Hello Badger Students and Families,
Transition events are upon us: 2nd semester has started, our 8th graders had the opportunity to visit WBHS, next year's 7th graders came here to learn about elective opportunities, and a new set of 6 week after school clubs has started. The warmer weather and a little sunshine brings optimism and an early glimmer of spring. Currently, the O'Connor family is debating whether or not it's too early to tap our maple trees to make syrup.
A quick reminder that there is no school on February 19th. Check the school calendar for upcoming opportunities to support our students. As always, feel free to contact me anytime and thanks for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Patrick O'Connor
Principal
Badger Middle School
(262) 335-5456
Students of the Week
Congrats to our most recent Students of the Week.
Students are selected based on their contributions to the school, excellence in the classroom, and their positive impact on others. They are first nominated by House teachers, then selected by elective teachers.
With great students like these in our hallways, the future is looking bright!
Staff of the Week
Staff of the Week are nominated by students. See recent staff of the week below
Facebook Highlights!
Several 7B students earned an incentive to soak Mrs. Cramer with the Science shower!
Aidan and Allison qualified for State in the Future Business Leaders of America Regional Comptetition!
Upcoming 7th Grade Field Trip
All 7th grade Language Arts teachers are planning a field trip to go see the play Little Women.
The date is 2/13.
Permission Slips were handed out in classes. It is attached below if you need to print one out. They are due on Friday, February 2nd.
PTO Event-Badger Admirals Game
Get ready to cheer on the Admirals Saturday Feb 10th at 6:00 pm.
Your ticket not only gets you into the game , you can stay after the game for a Cheap Trick Concert! Hockey game and Concert for 1 price! For every ticket sale, Badger PTO will receive $5. Order your tickets through the link provided and remember you can always share this link with friends and family! Let's represent Badger at the Admirals Game!!
Badger PTO thanks you all for supporting the students and staff.
Important Info for 8th Graders
8th Grade Transition to High School Steps
We have some great opportunities for our 8th grade students to learn about East and West High Schools!
January 17th - High School staff presented to all of our 8th grade students. They talked about skills needed to be successful in high school and opportunities available there. They reminded students to check their emails for an invite to Gearing Up Night.
January 24th - Gearing Up For High School event was held
February 2nd - High School Course selection sheets are due at Badger.
February 5th and 6th - 8th graders will register online for their high school classes in Skyward. This will take place during the school day at Badger.
February 8th - High School Counselors visit Badger. High School Counselors will meet individually with all of our 8th grade students to review their course selections and answer questions.
May 20th to May 24th - High School Tours
August - High School Registration Fair - Check your email in August for information.
If this information changes drastically, it will be updated in the Newsletter.
Mental Health Conversation Opportunity
The West Bend School District is hosting our third mental health conversation on Wednesday, February 7th. Please join us to learn strategies for supporting both your child's mental health, as well as your own.
Strategies for Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
This session will include helpful tips for parents to support their children's mental health, as well as their own. As we all know, parents will often spend all of their time and energy caring for their kids, which can leave them emotionally and physically drained. We will discuss the importance of self-care for every family member to maintain positive mental health. We will have a panel of speakers including a family therapist, a representative from Rogers Behavioral Health, a psychiatrist, and family.
Click here to register for Session 3
Click here for more information and to watch the videos from our first two sessions.
Riteway Dispatch Email
Riteway has a NEW Dispatch Email. Please email wbdispatch@goriteway.com if your student does NOT need to ride the bus/van that day and they typically do.
Second Step Curriculum Preview
Here's a Preview of upcoming Second Step Lessons:
2/7/24
Grade 7 - Reframing the Situation
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will learn ways to reframe situations to consider alternate perspectives and to recognize thoughts that are helpful versus thoughts that are unhelpful.
Grade 8 - Strategies for Managing Stress
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will learn some strategies for managing stress. These strategies include: slow breathing, reframing unhelpful thoughts, positive self-talk, and progressive muscle relaxation.
2/14/23
Grade 7 - Practicing Positive Self-Talk
Summary: This week, your child will practice a strategy called positive self-talk to help them reframe unhelpful thoughts.
Question: Ask your child to explain what “negativity bias” is. Share with each other one or more good things that happened today.
Grade 8 - Changing Strategies and Getting Help
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will analyze stressful situations and decide if they need to change their strategy or get outside help to manage their stress.
2/21/24
Grade 7 - Making Better Decisions
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will share strategies for how to interrupt unhelpful thoughts and manage strong emotions with their peers by creating a comic strip.
Question: Ask to see your child’s comic strip. If they don’t have the comic strip, ask them to explain it to you.
Grade 8 - My Stress Management Plan
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will complete their own stress-management plan. It will include their own signs of stress, the situations that contribute to their stress, strategies they can use to relieve stress, and people they can reach out to for help or support.
2/28/24
Unit 4: Managing Relationships and Social Conflict
In this unit, students learn strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict. This unit’s content helps students learn to honor and understand personal and familial differences.
Grade 7 - What Makes a Conflict Escalate?
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will examine common reasons social conflicts escalate from minor to major
Question: Discuss with your child a time in your life when you were involved in an escalating conflict. What do you wish you had done instead? Ask your child if they are part of a conflict right now that they need help with.
Grade 8 - My Values
Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will explore their values and identify how behaviors that are important to them show them what they value.
Lunch/Breakfast Menus
Information below has already been communicated but is here for your reference
West Bend Optimist Club Essay Contest
This year, the West Bend Optimist Club is running an essay contest that is open to all students in West Bend under the age of 19. The theme is "Optimism: How it connects us". The contest runs now until February 1st. Essays can be collected and dropped off at Silverbrook Intermediate School, emailed to optimistclubofwestbend@gmail.com, or mailed to Optimist Club of West Bend, P.O. Box 1076, West Bend, WI 53095.
Prizes include a first place medallion and $150, and a second place medallion and $100. For more information here is the informational page and contest application.
Building Closing Info
In case of Inclement Weather, or other need to close the building, please view the information here.
Promotion Video
Mr. Schalewski is once again planning to prepare a Promotion Video. Photos will need to Be submitted by 5/10/24 to be considered. Please see more info here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ebMNy0wPwxNvP3kDDM30Da12lUXF5EZxGqfExNvnAys/edit?usp=sharing
Daily Announcements
Daily announcements are read in the mornings. You can read what is read on the announcements here.
Newsletter Archive
Missed a Newsletter, or looking for prior information? Check out the ARCHIVE.
Badger Pride
Did you know you can help support Badger Pride?
Students that demonstrate Badger Pride values (respect, responsibility, readiness to learn, and safety) can earn Badger Pride stamps to be used at our weekly store. The Badger Pride store is seeking donations for items that students can purchase with their stamps. Items can be small (candy, happy meal toys, fidgets, etc...) or they can be larger items that will be raffled off (local gift cards, team memorabilia, hobby kits, etc...). Donations can be dropped off in the main office. Please label donations BADGER PRIDE STORE to ensure they are used as intended.
Second Step Lessons
Weekly mini-lessons in social-emotional skills led by classroom teachers have started. This occurs every Wednesday during Resource. The skills and concepts are designed to help students both in and out of school. The Second Step resource includes five units:
Mindsets and Goals
Recognizing Bullying and Harassment
Thoughts, Emotions and Decisions
Managing Relationships and Social Conflict
You will receive regular communication about each lesson through this newsletter. The communications will include information about the current unit of study and specific information about each lesson to help you reinforce the language, skills, and goals taught within the lessons. If you have any questions about the social-emotional learning lessons, please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. In addition, if you prefer that your child does not participate in the lessons at all, please communicate that preference to me prior to the lesson and we will make alternate arrangements for the student during that time.
Badger Middle School
Mission: We will be respectful of ourselves and each other, work together to develop integrity, persevere in the face of difficulty, and strive for excellence.
Website: http://west-bend.k12.wi.us/BMS/
Location: 727 S. 6th Ave., West Bend, WI, USA 53095
Phone: 262-335-5455
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadgerMiddleSchool/