Burkholder: The Jag Wire
Week of April 12-16, 2021
A Letter from the Curriculum Office:
Dear Jaguar Families,
On Monday, April 12, Burkholder Middle School will begin student testing of the Smarter Balanced Online Assessment (SBAC) aka the Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT). We will begin with the eighth (8th) graders in Cohort A/ Last Name A-L Cohort C students which will start testing in science. Students will test in their testing locations from 8:10am-11:50am. All SBAC/CRT testing must be done in-person on campus. The health screening Parent and Guardian Guidance: Checking Your Student Before Leaving Home link is provided and must be reviewed prior to sending your child(ren) to school. The SBAC/CRT measures individual student achievement in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science.
Here is a breakdown of the school's testing dates:
6th grade: Cohort A and Last Name A-L Cohort C Students
ELA: Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4
7th grade: Cohort A and Last Name A-L Cohort C Students
ELA: Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4
8th grade: Cohort A and Last Name A-L Cohort C Students
Science: Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13
ELA: Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4
_______________________________6th grade: Cohort B and Last Name M-Z Cohort C Students
ELA: Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Thursday, May 6 and Friday, May 7
7th grade: Cohort B and Last Name M-Z Cohort C Students
ELA: Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Thursday, May 6 and Friday, May 7
8th grade: Cohort B and Last Name M-Z Cohort C Students
Science: Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16
ELA: Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30 *EARBUDS NEEDED
Math: Thursday, May 6 and Friday, May 7
Wednesdays will continue to be a distance learning day for all students, following the existing bell schedule. Students will receive an email notifying them of their testing rooms prior to the test date. Please see the Testing Schedule for more information.
Students will be completing the tests on their school-issued Chromebooks. Every student must bring his/her Chromebook to school every day, fully charged. Please ensure that your child’s Chromebook is being charged every night and is ready for use prior to arrival at school. Additionally, portions of the ELA exam will require students to use wired headphones/earbuds. Please ensure that your son or daughter brings headphones/earbuds to school for testing. DO NOT bring a smartwatch or airpods, as these are not allowed. Have your child bring a book or magazine to read in case he/she finishes early. A sweater or a sweatshirt is recommended.
To ensure that we assess your child’s performance accurately, we are asking for your assistance. As is true for every school day, it is important that your son/daughter have a good night’s sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, and arrive at school on time. Finally, it is a good idea to discuss the tests at home, to encourage your son/daughter to do his/her best and to assure him/her that the results are primarily used to determine where additional help may be needed. Test results do not affect current class grades. To help prepare your child for testing, please refer to the Test Taking Tips.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school at 702-799-8080 ext 4200.
Sincerely,
Melissa E. Mendoza
Assistant Principal
Burkholder Middle School
CCSD NEWS RELEASE:
The Clark County School District released the following statement regarding SBAC testing on March 11:
“Students will soon begin taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, also known as the SBAC. We know this past year has been unprecedented as our community and the world worked together to deal with a pandemic. We ask our students and staff to do the best they can. Here are a few things CCSD wants you to know about SBAC to relieve any concerns or undue stress about the assessment:
- Although we acknowledge and understand the path forward from the U.S. Department of Education requires all states to participate in federally mandated summative assessments, we want to stress the importance of safely transitioning our students back to in-person instruction as our top priority.
- We will do the best we can to administer the SBAC while on campuses, however, the focus will be on student learning and mental wellness.
- No school staff member, student, or parent should feel pressured about meeting participation requirements or accountability metrics. We encourage all schools to do the best they can for the spring administration of the SBAC.
We hope this helps provide you with a better understanding of the SBAC. Please know that our main focus is student learning and mental wellness.”
What's Happening this Week!
Monday: April 12, 2021
- Cohort A 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students on campus
- All Cohort B students and Cohort C (M-Z students) will be Distance Learning
- SBAC Testing- Science 8th grade only (Cohort A and Cohort C: A-L) from 8:10-11:50am
- Acelero Drive Thru Food Distribution, 180 N Westminster, Henderson, 7:30am
Tuesday: April 13, 2021
- Cohort A 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students on campus
- All Cohort B students and Cohort C (M-Z students) will be Distance Learning
- SBAC Testing- Science 8th grade only (Cohort A and Cohort C: A-L) from 8:10-11:50am
- Food Distribution- Fiesta Hotel & Casino - 777 W. Lake Mead Pkwy., Henderson- 8am (until supplies last)
Wednesday: April 14, 2021
- All students will be Distance Learning
- Lunch Bunch, 10:50am-11:10am
Thursday: April 15, 2021
- Cohort B 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students on campus
- All Cohort A students and Cohort C (A-L students) will be Distance Learning
- SBAC Testing- Science 8th grade only (Cohort B and Cohort C: M-Z) from 8:10-11:50am
- Food Distribution- Fiesta Hotel & Casino - 777 W. Lake Mead Pkwy., Henderson- 8am (until supplies last)
Friday: April 16, 2021
- Cohort B 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students on campus
- All Cohort A students and Cohort C (A-L students) will be Distance Learning
- SBAC Testing- Science 8th grade only (Cohort B and Cohort C: M-Z) from 8:10-11:50am
TEST-TAKING TIPS
1. Eat a healthy, well-balanced breakfast. Your brain will be geared up and ready.
2. Try to relax. Roll your shoulders and head, take deep breaths, and stretch. You will answer more items correctly if you are relaxed and comfortable.
3. If you listen to and read all of the directions, you are sure to be a successful test taker. Knowing what to do is half the battle! It's easy to assume that you know what the directions say. Listen carefully, and read them over just to be certain. Answering two or three more questions correctly will improve your score.
4. Don’t focus on one item for too long. If it stumps you, move on and come back to it later. You've worked hard, and want your score to show it.
5. Answer options to multiple-choice items are often alike. Some are only partly correct. Read all the choices, eliminate ones that cannot be supported, and reread the question. Stumped? Go with your first impulse; it’s usually correct.
6. Read the question and try to figure out the answer BEFORE looking at the choices. If your answer is not there, try reading the question again.
7. Double check your answers. Don’t get a lower score due to silly mistakes!
8. Once you’re done with each section of the test, relax, stretch, and think about something fun. Bend over to tie your shoe or touch your toes. Get some blood back in your brain, so you’ll be ready for the next section.
9. And remember…be gritty and show your tenacity!Reminder: STUDENT ARRIVAL
Students should not arrive to school prior to 7:50 AM. Adults dropping their child off on campus are asked NOT to pull into the parking lot to drop students off, but to stay within the drive through lane to ensure safety for all. Dropping students off in between parking cars is dangerous. Again, please stay in the drive through lane in the front of the school.
Students are returning to school everywhere across the United States, and since school zones, crosswalks, and school buses are most frequently used during the school months, it is important drivers remember the laws involving them. Keeping students safe should be everyone’s priority.
Schools and Speed Limits
Areas surrounding schools often experience heavy amounts of traffic around school start and end times. With so many children walking home or running to vehicles, it is important to drive at a slower speed. Pay special attention to the following areas:
- School Zones: Often marked by flashing lights on a speed limit sign, you should slow down. Most areas require driving no faster than 20 miles per hour, but there are areas that require you drive under 15 miles per hour.
- Neighborhoods: Remember that a speed limit is the fastest you should be going, not the required speed. In neighborhoods and other areas outside of the marked school zone, go slow and watch out for kids. It only takes a small distraction for the child to not pay attention and step into traffic.
School bus drivers are tasked with getting children to and from school safely. They stop at designated areas to pick up and drop off students. When a school bus stops, they pull on a lever that opens the door and starts signals on the front and back of the bus. A stop sign also extends out by the driver. These signal to other drivers that they need to stop. This helps keep students safe who may be running to catch the bus in the morning or crossing the street to get home in the afternoon.
Safety and Enforcement
Keeping students safe is a community responsibility. While you may be in a hurry to get to school, take your own kids to school, or get to work, it is important to slow down and pay attention to the laws. Since the consequences for breaking these laws can lead to serious injury and death, they have stiffer penalties. Plan to leave a little early and drive at a slower speed. Being a little late is better than causing serious injury or death to someone else, getting in a crash, or having to pay an expensive ticket.
Hybrid Schedule
CCSD 2020-2021 Calendar
Teen Scene:
Trying to juggle hybrid learning and work? We can help!
Battle Born Kids and Teens are all-day recreational programs that support distance learning. Held at five recreation centers, the programs provide dedicated time for distance learning and planned activities.
Safekey and Teen Scene are before- and after-school recreational enrichment programs that provide homework time, activities and a snack. Safekey is held at every Henderson elementary school and Teen Scene at every Henderson middle school.
All programs follow the Clark County School District calendar.
Classroom Highlights:
ELA
Computer Science
Library Lounge
Book Recommendation of the Week:
Join Professor Astro Cat and the gang as they take a deep dive from the sea shore all the way to the darkest depths of the ocean floor!
Class Code: xki6528
Counselor's Corner
Ms. Julia Bush
Ms. Marisa Cady-Burkhardt
UNLV Summer Camp:
UNLV will host the Girls in Ubiquitous Computing and Intelligence (GUIC) summer camp for secondary female students between May 31 to Jul. 2 at UNLV. They are recruiting 40 female students from CCSD middle to high schools. Attached is the flyer for the GUIC summer camp. The application deadline is Monday, Apr. 12. Please see the attached flyer and the website http://nsil.sites.unlv.edu/Partners.html for additional information. Contact Mei Yang mei.yang@unlv.edu with any questions.
Future Basic High School Wolves:
If you did not attend Basic High School's pre-registration, this will provide you with the information that you need in order to submit your pre-registration form.
1. The pre-registration link is below. This is where you will select the classes that you want to take next year. If you do not submit this form by Wednesday, May 26th, the Basic Academy counselors will select your classes for you.
https://forms.gle/1MEHJaKt8wQP6Kcy5
2. Also attached, is the course catalog which gives descriptions of the electives/CTE programs that Basic Academy offers.
3. The link below is a video that explains the ROTC program.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZitRZASplyBF6qax2Jvs-0fSdzRsadPS/view?usp=sharing
4. Check out the website for sports and up to date information.
basicacademy.org
Mrs. Gutierrez (Last Name A - J) gutiekl@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Marchon (Last Name K - Z) marchsl@nv.ccsd.net
8th graders attending Foothill High School:
Course Planning:
Mrs.(Cady) Burkhardt and Mrs. Bush visited all 6th and 7th grade ELA classes and did a Course Planning and Career Exploration lesson with students. If you missed the lesson, it is imperative that you turn in your Google form for your elective choice. Here are the Google codes for your elective choices:
6th graders going to 7th grade- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdb4cdQzDNABMYtc5erPFgTHvXCKyi9RtAu1RMA4h0lW5A2tw/viewform
7th graders going to 8th grade-https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS5C52QNYSWt7pPdwzl4Qq9rr0uaP0Zc8_jDz0QPtSB7LG0g/viewform
Students that do not turn in an elective form will be assigned an elective and NO CHANGES will be made in the FALL when schedules are already developed. Also, be sure to review your transcript on Infinite Campus, under reports, and unofficial transcript to see if you met the promotion requirements. Here is a link to the CCSD promotion/retention policy: https://ccsd.net/departments/guidance-counseling/graduation-and-promotion
If you did not complete your course selection for high school, and need assistance, please contact Mrs. Burkhardt. Here is the link for the Moving On Guide https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/?authuser=0&usp=slides_web.
Please feel free to reach out to your School Counselor with any questions or concerns about courses for next year or academic standing. Mrs. Bush can be reached at bushjl@nv.ccsd.net for all current 7th grades and 6th graders A-L and Mrs. (Cady) Burkhardt at Cadymj@nv.ccsd.net for all current 8th graders and 6th graders M-Z.
Lunch Bunch!!
Students!
Please join us, virtually, for "Lunch Bunch" every Wednesday from 10:50 am to 11:10 am.
This time to chat and hang out will be hosted and monitored by Mrs. Bush, Ms. Cady, and Ms. Groth during your lunch time.
Bring your lunch! Bring your pet! Just hang out! Students are expected to have cameras on during this time for maximum participation! Drop in for a few minutes to say hello or stay the whole time.
We know how much our kids miss socializing, so come hang out with us!
Please email Mrs. Bush at bushjl@nv.ccsd.net for the Google Meet Link
Attention all students ages 13 and up. Here is a free resource for you:
Counselor Assistance
Ms. Julia Bush
Students: 6th Graders A - L & ALL 7th Graders
(702) 799-8080 X 4301
Ms. Marisa Cady-Burkhardt
Students: 6th Graders M - Z & All 8th Graders
(702) 799-8080 X 4302
Need our Social Worker
Do you need assistance with mental health, emotional support, family issues, or community referrals? Please click the "Social Worker Assistance" button below to fill out the form and Mrs. Groth, our School Social Worker, will contact you.
Ms. Alexis Groth
702-799-8080 X 4351
Food Distribution:
Special Ed Facilitator (SEIF)
If you need assistance or have questions regarding Special Education Services, please click the "Special Ed Facilitator Assistance" button below to complete the form and Mrs. Perez will contact you.
Ms. Eliza Perez
702-799-8080 X 4032
Need Chromebook repairs or have permanent connectivity issues?
If you are in need of Chromebook repairs or have permanent connectivity issues, please fill out the Google Form at burkholderms.org on the main page header "tech needs 2.0" button or click on the link here for assistance: Technology Needs 2.0
YEARBOOKS: WE HAVE 25 LEFT! ORDER YOURS TODAY!!!!!!
Important Numbers and Contact Information
Mr. Hermes, Principal -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4100 or hermecl@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Morlacci, Office Manager -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4100 or morlaja@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Mendoza, Assistant Principal -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4200 or mendome@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Smith, Assistant Principal Secretary -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4200 or villaba@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Maleskey, Assistant Principal -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4202 or malesjl@nv.ccsd.net
Mr. Nagy, Assistant Principal Secretary -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4202 or nagyzk@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Claessens, Registrar -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4065 or claesjr@nv.ccsd.net
Mr. Gongos, Computer Tech -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4015 or gongodj@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Little, Nurse -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4021 or littlpm@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Allman, FASA -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4022 or allmacr@nv.ccsd.net
Ms. Deputy, Attendance -- 702-799-8080 ext. 4202 or deputk1@nv.ccsd.net
Burkholder Middle School
Burkholder Middle School focuses on being an exemplary learning community through rigorous academic experiences to enhance knowledge. We build the foundation of this learning community through meaningful relationships, relevant and engaging learning, empowering student successes, and effective communication. We challenge students to advocate for themselves to become lifelong learners, inspire a love for learning, and utilize technology in today’s world.
Email: nagyzk@nv.ccsd.net
Website: https://www.burkholderms.org/
Location: 355 West Van Wagenen Street, Henderson, NV, USA
Phone: (702) 799-8080
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burkholderms/
Twitter: @burkholderms