BHMS Weekly Update
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Principal's Corner
BHMS Families,
It has been another eventful week at Beacon Hill. We’re excited to wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month with a celebration on Friday, October 21, 5-6:30 in the cafeteria. There will be food, music, crafts, and more. So, come on out tomorrow and have some fun.
Tomorrow is “Pink Out” Day. We would like for all students and staff to wear pink tomorrow to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer.
Next Friday, October 28, 2022, we will host our Principal’s Coffee Chat in person in our Media Center from 9:00 - 10:00. The focus of the conversation will be on Math Pathways with a presentation by our Instructional Coach, Dr. McFaddin. Please submit any questions you may have here.
Derrick L. Thomas, Principal,
Beacon Hill Middle School
BHMS News You Can Use
Instruction and Grading @ BHMS
Here is a general overview of instruction and grading at BHMS. This information was shared at our August Parent Chat.
Infinite Campus portal has opened up for parents and students. All summative assessments and some graded formative assessments will be posted in IC. Teachers are asked to post a grade at least every other week to ensure students and parents are aware of how students are progressing with the material. Many teachers have been supporting students with getting into their portal to check grades and next Wednesday (Oct 26), our Advisement time will be used to provide instruction/information to all students.
How to log in?
Log into Parent Portal or Student Portal in your browser, or via one of the apps
If you need login assistance, see the support steps here.
Students may log in using single sign on feature.
What can I view?
Under the menu on the left you have three choices to view grades:
Grades: Here you will see a list of each course along with the standards for each course. If you click on a course, you'll be able to see each assignment/grade for that course.
Gradebook Updates: Here you will see most recent assignments/scores.
Assignments: Here you will see all assignments for all courses with grades. If an assignments has multiple standards/IB criteria, you will need to click on the individual assignment to see all of the scores. You will see both formatives and summatives listed here.
Our Students in Action!
This week our 8th grade International Perspective students went to the Career Academy at DHS as a culmination of their Child Development unit. They shared centers they created on the theme of pumpkins. They did a wonderful job engaging and encouraging 2 and 3 year olds by reading to them and learning about shapes, colors and textures.
The BSU Meets with Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson!
The BSU (Black Student Union) students had the pleasure of meeting & speaking with Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson, a true legend & icon in Decatur history! Mayor Wilson served as the City of Decatur Mayor between 1993 and 1998. Prior to serving as mayor, she served on the Decatur City Commission and played a key role in the desegregation of the Decatur public schools and libraries during the 1960s. Driven by principle and a mother of four, Ms. Wilson has been relentless in her non-violent protest against injustice and inequity in her community. She was one of the first African Americans to get a library card at the Decatur Library, and her oldest son, Richard, is distinguished by being one of the first African American students to attend the then newly integrated Decatur High School. Decatur Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson’s actions changed the course of Decatur history and ensured that every child in the City of Decatur has an equal opportunity to receive a quality education In December 2018, the school board approved renaming the Central Office of the City Schools of Decatur the M. Elizabeth Wilson School Support Center, after the city’s first woman and, to date, only African-American mayor.
Tickets On Sale Now for Beacon Hill Middle School's production of Circus Olympus!
The circus has come to town! Well… sort of. There’s no elephant on a bicycle but there are the Greek Geeks and have they got a story or two to tell! More specifically, a myth or two: Pandora’s Box, Persephone and the Underworld, King Midas, Athena and Arachne, and don’t forget the Mythapalooza Slam Jam!
Tickets are $10 (general seating) and available online at www.decaturperforms.org. Performances in the BHMS Cafeteria on
Friday, November 4 at 7PM
Saturday, November 5 at 3PM
Saturday, November 5 at 7PM
BHMS Club Updates
Join Bulldog Buddies!
The first meeting is Tuesday October 18th! Come help build meaningful friendships between students at BHMS with and without Intellectual and Developmental disabilities.
FROM THE DESK OF THE BHMS FAB LAB:
This month's FAB LAB Makerspace Workshop is set! Thank you to all who participated, making last month's a HUGE success! This month's workshop will be:
Design, Make, and Take your very own Halloween themed shirt or apparel!
When - October 26th from 5-8 pm
Where - Room 1201
Who - YOU!!!
I have the link to the registration form HERE. If you have any questions let me know!
See you in the lab,
Mr. Heuser (mheuser@csdecatur.net)
Dyslexia Awareness Month!
Mark your calendars for these meetings:
October 20, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm Virtual Meeting:
GADOE/CSD Virtual Dyslexia Q&A Meeting
CSD will provide an overview of our participation thus far in the Georgia Dyslexia Pilot Program. Followed by Dr. Jennifer Lindstrom, Statewide Dyslexia Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Education, leading a GADOE/CSD Virtual Dyslexia Q&A Parent Informational Session. Questions must be provided in advance using the form below.
Click here to register for this meeting.
Click here to submit questions for the Q&A.
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
Winter Sports Are Starting Soon - Get Your Ticket Package Now!
Join Decatur Bulldog Boosters and get your All Sports Mobile Passes (sports tickets for your student and/or family for all events all year long) online and your free Bulldog spirit Item!
Join DBB and select your membership level (the number of included tickets per level is in the description). Once purchased you have access to all of your tickets on your devices. Tickets are shareable among family members for game admittance. Spirit items will be delivered to the address provided.
Bulldog Hoodies (Kid Sizes) and ½ Zips Are Here!
Hats, tees, polos, flags and more – check out all our Bulldog spirit wear online.
Run With the Dogs (RWTD) 2023 registration is now open!
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023 for Run With the Dogs, a Decatur tradition now in its 19th year.
We’ll be back at Beacon Hill Middle School for the 5K and Pup Trot, and we are pleased to announce that 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, plus a blurb about 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.
Run With the Dogs 5K is an annual fundraiser of the Decatur Bulldog Boosters and supports the athletic programs at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. All race participants will receive the coveted long-sleeved T-shirt designed by local artist Adam Pinsley.
Click here to register. For more information, visit rwtd5K.com.
CSD Athletic News and Updates
Beacon Hill Cross Country Performs Well at State!
Congratulations to our BHMS Cross Country team who finished their season this past weekend on a high note! Our student-athletes walked away from the GA Middle School State Cross Country Meet with LOTS of PRs and some medals.
Congratulations to these athletes for placing in the Top 25 of their race and receiving a medal:
Girls 2 mile Division 4 Varsity MS Championship Race:
21st place - Anna Lothridge
22nd place - Sage Chatham-Stephens
Girls 2 mile Division 4 JV MS Championship Race:
17th place - Meagan Shahriari
21st place - Katelyn Frank
Boys 2 mile Division 4 JV MS Championship Race:
2nd place - Alex Clement
22nd place - Ethan Williams
Thank you to Coach Rabold and Coach Frazier for all their hard work, time, and energy guiding our runners to these impressive achievements!
Beacon Hill Basketball Tryout Information
All students interested in trying out for the basketball teams at Beacon Hill Middle School should attend to the information below.
All students must have an updated medical profile in DragonFly prior to participating in tryouts. Please see the information linked HERE for information and instructions.
Tryouts Dates:
BHMS Girls Tryouts: October 10-12, 4-6 pm, BHMS Gym
BHMS Boys Tryouts: October 26, 27, 4-6 pm, and October 29, TBD, BHMS Gym
Basketball Coaches
Girls: Coach DeLoach (ndeloach@csdecatur.net)
Boys: Coach Philippi (wphilippi@csdecatur.net)
Flag Football Fundraiser
Show your support for the DHS Flag Football team by purchasing a beautiful poinsettia plant here. You will have the choice of purchasing an 8” or 6” poinsettia in a foil-wrapped pot. Once purchased you will receive an email by November 15, 2022 detailing the instructions for pick up in December at DHS.
CSD News and Announcements
Superintendent Search - Virtual Input Meeting
Thank you to all of the community stakeholders who participated in the community engagement session that was held on September 28 for the superintendent search. GSBA will conduct a virtual community input meeting via Zoom on October 24 from 6-7:30. The information for the meeting is below:
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcuutrT8uH93BsKyIlb33Ifd0lpA_qi5b
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Meal Balance Updates
The nutrition Department will start sending negative meal balance communication to Parents and Staff on Friday, October 21, 2022. These efforts to send the low-balance communications will continue weekly through the automated infinite campus messenger. Some accounts may have had outstanding balances prior to being approved for free or reduced meal benefits.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Nekee Mathis at nmathis@csdecatur.net. or (470) 237- 0368 ext 7607.
Note: A free and reduced lunch application can be completed anytime during the school year. Currently, the district policy allows students to receive meals, not extra items, for example, i.e. bag of chips. However, a child's negative meal balance will continue to incur debt as they receive meals.
Special Education Meeting ~ Family Support Program
Ms. Nicole Brickhouse, Family Support Manager for InCommunity, will share information about Family Support Funding and an overview about InCommunity Organization. The City Schools of Decatur's Special Education Department is excited to welcome this wonderful well-established organization to our district.
Who is eligible to access funding?
Individuals ages four and up with a diagnosed developmental disability living in Georgia at home with their families, and are not currently receiving a NOW/COMP Waiver, are eligible for Family Support Services. *Funding is disability based, not financial needs based.
Target Audience: Parents of students with an IEP Pre-K through 12th Grades
Date: October 20, 2022
Time: 6-7 pm
Virtual Meeting RSVP here or email Cheryl Grant at cgrant@csdecatur.net
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Season of Giving
A Season of Giving/Christmas Decatur is back to its traditional method of neighbors purchasing gifts directly for local children and seniors!
To apply for assistance, please complete an online application at https://aseasonofgiving.org/application/ by October 28th.
aseasonofgiving@decaturga.com or leave a message on our voicemail (404.378.8068).
If you do not need assistance, we would love your help!
Donors will purchase gifts from an individual wish list specific to a child (through 8th grade) or senior citizen.
- If you would like to be a donor, please complete our online form.
- If you would like us to do the shopping for you, please donate directly at https://legacydecatur.org/give/ and select A Season of Giving!
Decatur Education Foundation
We are having a big party to celebrate our 20th Anniversary, and everyone’s invited to enjoy an adult evening of dinner, drinks, and dancing! Mark your calendar for Soiree in the City on Saturday, November 12th from 6-10 pm, and purchase your tickets today at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/soiree. 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 mocktails. See you there!
Meaningful volunteer opportunities are available! DEF is seeking volunteers to be tutors and mentors. Tutors are needed to help students from 2nd – 8th grades for one hour per week. We are also gearing up to re-launch our AIM Scholars mentoring program in January for which we need 20-30 adult volunteers. If you would like to learn more about these programs and sign up, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring.