The Falcon Flyer
The Official Newsletter of Brown Deer Middle School
October 2021 Edition
From the Principal's Desk
Greetings Falcon Families!
Welcome to October! Each month you will receive our middle school newsletter which will have important information for you and your student. Our theme for this year in the middle school is centered around "We C.A.R.E". To ensure all students are supported socially, emotionally and academically, we will Collaborate, be Accountable to ourselves and others, be intentional about building Relationships and demonstrate Empathy in everything we do. We will C.A.R.E. for each other this year and look forward to you joining our partnership to do the same!
We are excited to have welcomed back 375 students to the middle school this year. While the last year and a half has been anything but normal, we are building connections and supporting each student in getting re-acclimated to being in-person again. We are dedicated to ensuring the safety of your student and everyone else, so the district continues to be a mask mandated district. It is imperative that your student comes to school with a properly fitted mask that covers both their nose and mouth. Students are to keep their masks on throughout the day unless they are actively eating. Please send your student with a reusable water bottle (only with water in it) that they may carry with them daily.
As part of our mitigation protocol procedures, students sit in assigned seats in their classrooms and in the lunchroom. Please remind your student about staying in their assigned seats during class/lunch as our goal remains to socially distance to the greatest extent possible.
Families, we appreciate you calling or emailing should you need to reach a staff member, as we are not able to allow visitors in the building at this time in order to limit the number of people in the building.
Thank you for reminding your students about getting to each of their classes on time, and leaving all backpacks, purses and cell phones in their lockers. We want to make sure each student is able to focus on their academics and limiting additional items/distractions in the classroom will support their own learning and growth, which I know is a priority for you as well.
We appreciate the families who attended our Falcon Family Grade Level Meeting last week. If you were unable to join us, the links to the recordings can be found below.
We appreciate you being active partners in your child's education. We value you.
Take care. You matter.
Trila Pitchford
Principal
Administration & Support Team
Ms. Pitchford
PRINCIPAL
tpitchford@browndeerschools.com
(414) 371-6900
Mr. Henderson
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
jhenderson@browndeerschools.com
(414) 371-6900
Mr. Scioli
MS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
(414) 371-6900
Ms. Reynebeau
COUNSELOR
kreynebeau@browndeerschools.com
(414) 371-6927
Ms. Spencer
SOCIAL WORKER
(414) 371-7033
Ms. Thiesfeldt
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
rthiesfeldt@browndeerschools.com
(414) 371-6714
Parent Engagement Liaison
Falcon After Set is Coming Soon!
Our new after school program, After Set, is coming soon! After Set will run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:30 PM at BDMS starting on Tuesday, 10/19.
Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, see the info flyer here, and the first semester dates are circled in blue on the After Set calendar.
You may click here to register, or by printing and returning this file to the BDMS office. There are also blank copies in the office you may pick up.
Digital Citizenship Week October 18-22!
Working together, schools and families can prepare kids to think critically and use technology in positive, creative, and powerful ways. Common Sense Media has many tools and resources that you can use as parents to help navigate the technology and information rich world our children live in today.
In a Common Sense National Survey: 56% of parents are worried their kids may become addicted to technology; 43% worry their kids are spending too much time online; 38% worry their kids are oversharing personal details; and 94% have positive attitudes about the role of technology in their children's education.
We have collected the following resources for you with help from Common Sense to give your families opportunities to discuss and explore together. Of all the resources available, two of the best we can share with you this month are the SEL in Digital Life - Family Conversation Starters Packet, which can help parents begin to have conversations about the role of technology in children’s lives, and the Family Media Agreement, which assists parents in having discussions about responsibility, care, safety, and balance in their use of technology.
Please see other resources below, and visit Common Sense Media for more tools and resources!
Self-Care is Essential!
If you'd like to capture your child's memories from the 2021-2022 school year, click the link below to learn about how to order your yearbook now!
Dates to Remember
October, 2021
12 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-8pm (in-person - more information to follow)
13 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-8pm (virtual - more information to follow)
14 Parent/Teacher Conferences 12pm - 4pm (hybrid - more information to follow)
14 Early Release 11:15am
15 No School
20 Orchestra Concert- (Gr. 7-12) 7pm MAC subject to COVID protocols
27 Choir Concert - Gr 8-12 7pm MAC subject to COVID protocols
28 Picture Retake Day 10:30am-1:30pm
29 No School - Professional Learning Day