River Hawk Updates
Week of December 16th - 20th
Belmont Ridge Middle School
Email: katie.johnson@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/Page/124256
Location: 19045 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne, VA, USA
Phone: 571-252-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BEMRiverHawks/
Twitter: @BelmontRidge
Updates from the Admin Team
From our RiverHawk Family to yours, have a happy, healthy, and restful Winter Break!
At Belmont Ridge, we value Academic Excellence, a Culture of Equity, and a Safe, Supportive, and Positive Learning Environment. Thank you for all you do to support us as a school!
- Please see below for Spirit Wear days!
- RiverHawk Squawk Video Announcements are back for Mondays and Fridays. Please see our website https://www.lcps.org/domain/278 to access these videos and important updates.
- For student safety, please remind your child(ren) to exit the main office doors or the "kiss and go" doors at the end of the day. Any students meeting staff before 8:00 am must enter through the main office doors.
- Tuesdays and Fridays are spirit days. Encourage your child(ren) to wear Belmont Ridge or Riverside gear on those days!
BEMS Important Dates
December 2019
December 16 - Flannel Day- Get Festive for Winter
December 16 - PTO Meeting at 8:45 am
December 17 - Shine Bright and Wear NEON
December 17 - Chorus 7 & 8 Concert at BEMS at 7:00 pm
December 18 - What does your HAT reveal about you Hat Day
December 19 - Wonder Twin Power Activate Twin Day
December 20 - Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Sweat Day
December 20 - Holiday Concerts (during the school day for students)
December 23 - January 5 - Winter Break
January 2020
January 6 - Classes Resume
Belmont Ridge Book Fair- EXTENDED!!
Belmont Ridge Families,
The Scholastic Book Fair will be extended until noon on Monday, December 16th. If you like to shop online, the online fair is available until December 16th. See you at the fair!
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/belmontridge
Monday, Dec 16, 2019, 08:30 AM
19045 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne, VA, USA
Belmont Ridge Minority Student Association
Belmont Ridge would like to invite you to consider joining our newest initiative, the Belmont Ridge Minority Student Association (MSA), in which students can more actively connect and have an impact on the BEMS community.
Racial identity development is based on the theory that people of all racial groups go through a series of steps in a cycle, with each step deepening an understanding of who we are racially, how racism impacts our lives, and how we view ourselves and other races. People with strong racial identities have a greater sense of comfort with relating to and working with all types of people. This awareness of others' cultures is often referred to as cultural competency. People with heightened senses of cultural competency and racial identity have a greater ability to be proactive (rather than reactive) when dealing with issues related to racism and diversity.
Affinity Groups are voluntary associations of people who share common interests or who have an identifier in common, e.g. race, gender, religion, family status, etc. Affinity groups are for individuals who identify as members of the group and can speak to the experience of being a member of the group from the “I” perspective. Affinity groups play a vital role in articulating, promoting and supporting the needs and goals of their various communities. Their primary focus should be to develop and improve the campus climate by increasing morale, providing insight into diverse areas, building bridges to the community and spotlighting the achievements and accomplishments of the school.
The mission of MSA will be “To Promote Diversity and Inclusion, Not Exclusion at Belmont Ridge Middle School.” MSA will focus of 3 core priorities which include:
· Create an environment where everyone can feel safe, welcome, respected and excited to take part in the school.
· Ensure that consistent, timely and accurate communication is occurring between families and the school including faculty, staff and school leadership.
· Provide opportunities for the families to engage with the school in ways that are meaningful and support the school’s goals.
Our goal is that the Belmont Ridge MSA will provide an opportunity for students in our community to connect around shared identities or interests and to develop a stronger sense of connection and belonging. More specifically, MSA will offer an exploration of one's own identity, the celebration of shared identity, and debriefing of the common challenges and experiences that members of that community face. Businesses, colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools and elementary schools across the country who have made a commitment to diversity, and in particular, to building strong communities, offer affinity group members a greater sense of belonging in the school community.
For additional information or to express your interest in participating, please contact Mr. Damien White at Damien.White@lcps.org.
Volunteers Needed for 8th Grade Events
Belmont Ridge tradition calls for 8th graders to close our their middle school years in celebratory style with a Field Day at Evergreen Sportsplex and the semi-formal 8th Grade Dance, held here at the school! Volunteers are needed for both. If you are interested in helping out with these fun events, please follow the link. If you have questions about this, please contact our Parent Liaison, Susan Ferguson at Susan.Ferguson@lcps.org. Thank you!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZKTFbzLexA7YeqA3zm3dUokVbkJ-pqQ5_sPuHCBPrqbRF_Q/viewform
BEMS PTO
There will be a PTO general meeting this Monday morning, December 16th at 8:45 am. Hope to see you there!
If you're a Facebooker and haven't "liked" our BEMS PTO page yet, please take a minute to do so! It's a great way to stay up to date on all the fun, educational, and most importantly, student-centered things that happen at our school. Belmont Ridge PTO!
Smile Kits
Belmont Ridge is partnering up with Riverside High School to have a Smile Kit drive for the local Barnett- Searing National Cancer Foundation. We will be collecting fuzzy blankets, fuzzy socks, lip balm, adult coloring books and colored pencils from now through December 12th. Please drop off any of these items in our designated collection bins located in the main office as well as by the Kiss n’ Go doors. The “Smile Kits” will be assembled at Riverside HS in January by the Riverside and BEM Sources of Strength peer leaders.
Teacher and Staff Kudos
The Positivity Project
This week's topic -> Humility
Belmont Ridge will again partner with the Positivity Project to foster character building and social-emotional learning.
The Positivity Project is thinking big. We know that powerful aspects of the civilizing process, like empathy, are in retreat. Yet, we believe that armed with a deeper understanding of character and an #OtherPeopleMatter Mindset, together, we will create citizens and leaders who will enhance our communities and country.