BCMS Counselors Corner
The latest news from your BCMS counselors!
BCMS PAW Pride News
4th Marking Period Begins March 30th
April Events
4/6: Holiday (Easter) Schools and offices closed
4/7-4/10: Spring Break4/14: Report Card Distribution
4/20-4/22: 6th Grade Outdoor Education Parent Information Night (Pathfinders team)
4/22-4/24:6th Grade Outdoor Education Parent Information Night (Trailblazers team)
Attention 7th Grade Parents! NEC High School Choice Meeting
Get ready for College and Career Exploration Week! May 4th-May 8th
Monday: “Then & Now” Career posters
-College and Career Scavenger Hunt: half sheet with 5 questions they will answer throughout the week. Submit on Friday and a name from each grade level will be drawn to win a raffle prize!
Tuesday: “We Appreciate You!” In honor of teacher appreciation day, we will leave appreciation notes on every teachers desk Monday night so they will come in today and see them! Students will be asked to tell their teachers what a great job they do!
Wednesday: When we Grow Up Class of 2019, 2020, 2021: Dress to Impress Day!
-Wear an outfit or t-shirt that represents what you want to do when you grow up and participate in a photo shoot during lunch in front of a “college and career week backdrop. Polaroids will be taken and hung up for the rest of the week.
Thursday: College and Career Expo Night: Helping your child plan for their future From about 6-7:30 pm, parents and students can come to a meet and greet event with college reps present to discuss majors and career paths. Also enjoy student performances, light refreshments, and our guest speaker, Ms. Ann Goode. She is an educational consultant for college and career planning!
Friday: Career Day- Community professionals to speak to each grade level about their career path during school.
Summer 2015 Fun in the Sun!
Montgomery County Summer Camp Registration
- MC offers plenty of outstanding options for your student during the summer break! Below is a link to the MC Recreation and Parks website. There is a PDF version for their spring guide of activities on the homepage.
- Student's can also spend time earning SSL (student service learning) hours needed toward their future high school graduation. Click on the link below to view MCPS approved volunteer opportunities.
Click the links below to look at programs available through Montgomery Parks, Montgomery College and Green Acres School in Bethesda, MD.
Student Service Learning Opportunities
Click the link below to search through current opportunities approved by MCPS
http://www.montgomeryserves.org/volunteers/student-service-learning-ssl
ACADEMIC & PERSONAL/SOCIAL SUPPORT
WHAT TO DO?? What Stresses Your Middle Schooler Out???
Middle school is a great time to develop strategies of dealing with stress and finding a balance between their social time and academics.
Click the link below for a great article from Kids Health on what the average middle school student is worrying about and ways to help them deal with it.
Middle school is the best time to help students develop their organizational and time management skills! Note taking can be complicated so we have included a YouTube video with wonderful tips and visual examples of how to take good notes in class. Check out the video below!
1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)
2. Tell me something that made you laugh today.
3. If you could choose, who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?)
4. Where is the coolest place at the school?
5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.)
6. If I called your teacher tonight, what would she tell me about you?
7. How did you help somebody today?
8. How did somebody help you today?
9. Tell me one thing that you learned today.
10. When were you the happiest today?
11. When were you bored today?
12. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed someone up, who would you want them to take?
13. Who would you like to play with at recess that you've never played with before?
14. Tell me something good that happened today.
15. What word did your teacher say most today?
16. What do you think you should do/learn more of at school?
17. What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?
18. Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to?
19. Where do you play the most at recess?
20. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny?
21. What was your favorite part of lunch?
22. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you do?
23. Is there anyone in your class who needs a time-out?
24. If you could switch seats with anyone in the class, who would you trade with? Why?
25. Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school.
This list is provided by Huffingtonpost.com
CHECKING GRADES & AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION!
Procrastination is a leading cause to stress and feeling overwhelmed. To be proactive and stay on top of their school work student's should develop the habit of checking their grades and assignments at least once a week. This will decrease the likelihood of falling behind in school and Edline is the way to do that!
- Check grades
- Contact your student's teachers/counselor
- Check assignments turned in and missing
We encourage all student's and parents to sign up for Edline! An activation code is required and can be retrieved by emailing the media specialist Ramona Justice Ramona_W_Justice@mcpsmd.org. Please include your full name, your student's full name and that you are requesting your activation code to setup your Edline account.
Once you are provided your activation code, follow the link below to set up your account!
https://www.edline.net/InterstitialLogin.page
One More Thing: All students receive a print out of their grades every 3 weeks in addition to 24 hour access to Edline to help keep track of their grades and assignments.
TAKE A BREAK & HAVE SOME FUN!
- an incentive for student's to get motivated to complete their homework
- a way to develop critical social skills with peers and adults
- great way to work off stress!
Montgomery County offers great activities and programs. For more information click here
Go for It! Setting goals for your student!
Setting goals can be fun! A sheet for your student who loves sports!
It is important to complete the entire sheet! This sheet can be used at the beginning of each marking period!
Great activity to do together! Once complete, place the worksheet somewhere the student can see it everyday (bedroom, bathroom door, front of binder)
THE ZERO ZERO CAMPAIGN
-Talking to teachers about how and when they can make up work (during lunch lab or after school)
-Check Edline! Review progress in each class and encourage your student to makeup assignments with a letter Z in the grade column.
Encourage your student to join in on this year long campaign to promote academic excellence!!
Student's receive daily tips via the morning announcements!
Does your student need academic support outside the classroom?? No problem!
- Tutors offer support in both math and science; Saturday school focuses on reading, language arts and math
- Paint Branch High School National Honor Society students volunteer as tutors and are available every Tuesday from 4pm-6pm at Paisner Library 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866. No need to sign up!
Your BCMS Counselors!
7th Grade: Ms. Beru
8th Grade: Mrs. Harris
Counseling Secretary: Mrs. West
Counseling Office Direct Line: 301.989.6010