BHMS Principal's Update
November 19, 2019
Keeping up with what is going on at "The Hill"
Hi Bulldog Families,
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Additionally, the new marking period has recently begun. Please make sure you're helping to keep your children up to speed on their grades and monitoring the Unified Classroom. If you're having trouble navigating it, you may access a myriad tutorials at the following link (PSUC Tutorials) Keep in mind your children are proficient in getting on Unified Classroom. They can show you even if they don't want to. Winter sports are starting. We have a very important information session for parents regarding some new and developing apps going on for teen use that you may want to learn about. Please consider coming to OVMS on 11/21 at 7pm to learn more about how to stay abreast of your child's social media presence. You can see the information flyer below. Also, please come out to support all the hard work the performers and the stage crew have been doing to put on an awesome show. Please see "Upcoming Events" for showtimes this Friday and Saturday (11/22 and 11/23). As always click here for a video message that summarizes the content of this update.
Sincerely,
Mike D'Ostilio (Principal)
New and Important Information and Events
What Parents Need to Know About the Digitally Social Teen
No Tolerance in New Jersey When Students Threaten or Joke About a Threat of School Violence
Furthermore, you should know how a school must respond. It is important to know that if any student makes a threat of harm to someone or threatens mass violence to the school, we as a school must immediately call the police and we must enact security protocol, which first dictates that we protect our students and then assess the threat.
It is incredibly irresponsible to make such threats, whether joking or not because that induces fear and anxiety in the students and in the public. Actual or transient threats meet with law enforcement protocols where the school or police sign complaints and possibly criminal charages; there are suspensions and possibly removal from the general population of the school. This creates an incredible strain on the family and takes a long time for the student to recover from this and can possibly affect their opportunities moving forward. We at BHMS are not immune to this as we have had transient threats to our school in the past and have had to enact threat assessment protocols.
This is such a huge thing our students need to understand, and it can never ever be ignored by police or school administration. Please help us educate the students because we don't want students to get caught up in a grave error. Let's help them think before they post words or images.
Paranormal High School
Come support your peers and view our 2019 Fall Play
11/22 and 11/23
Tickets sold at door
Boys' and Girls' Basketball Tryouts
Middle School Wrestling
Winter Sports Are Coming
Keep in mind it is mandatory to have a sports physical to be able to participate. Please get that in as soon as possible. That is a long process and sometimes the root of a lot of frustation. Click here for links to the athletic page.
Extra Curricular Activities - Join Any Time
Many of the clubs have started. Please listen to the morning announcements or view them on the website. If you don’t hear your club on the announcements, please view the club list in the main hallway or in the cafeteria to see who the teacher is to contact. You can also visit this link: https://www.wtps.org/Page/6860.
Please keep in mind that in all three middle schools there are clubs that are the same and clubs that are different. We try to have a wide assortment of clubs for all students to enjoy.
It is also important that families know about the prep clubs. Prep clubs are in place to provide homework assistance and study assistance. If your child needs to attend or receive extra support, please see this link so you know when your child’s grade level prep club meets. https://www.wtps.org/Page/26254.
New Marking Period
Fall Edition of the Bunker Hill Times
National School Folders
Bricks Fundraiser. SALE IS ONGOING
Upcoming Events
- Thurs...Nov 21...Middle School Social Media Parent Night at OVMS (for BHMS families as well)
- Fri...Nov 22...Fall Play (7pm)
- Sat...Nov 23...Fall Play (7pm)
- Wed...Nov 27...Early Dismissal
- Thurs/Fri...Nov 28/29...No School...Thanksgiving Break
- Mon...Dec 2...3pm...Girls' Basketball Tryouts
- Tues...Dec 3...3pm...Boys' Basketball Tryouts
- Tues...Dec 3...3pm...First Wrestling Practice
- Wed....Dec 4...3pm...Girls' Basketball Tryouts
- Thurs...Dec 5...3pm...Boys' Basketball Tryouts
- Fri...Dec 6...3pm...Boys' Basketball Tryouts
- Thurs...Dec 12..3pm...Holiday at the Hill
Wellness
Important Information About the Vaping Epidemic
Breakfast Grab and Go
School Lunch Information
Other information you can obtain by clicking on the photo. This includes lunch menus, health information, free and reduced lunch information.
Safety and Security
Safety Procedures at BHMS
Student Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures
Bulldog Bike Safety
- Wear Helmets
- Ride your bike on the far right side of the road and obey traffic rules
- Lock your bikes at school
Recurring Items
Middle School Code of Conduct
The code of conduct for the middle level was revised last year. It reflects a concentration on purposeful discipline aimed at shaping behavior. It incorporates restorative practices and categorizes infractions based on tiers. Students will be briefed in the first couple of days on the minor changes to the document. Click here to access the full document.
Child Abuse or Neglect Hotline
A new law was recently passed that mandated schools inform parents and students of the NJABUSE hotline. We have posted signs around the building and would like to inform you. Please, if you suspect the abuse or neglect of a child, report that to this hotline. School personnel are familiar with this service and have used it. We have a duty to report credible suspicions for the sake of a child.
Resources for the Teen and Adolescent Child
These resources can be found on our webpage in the “Parents” tab. We will work to update information for you to help your child have a safe and healthy pre-teen and teen experience while in middle school. As a middle school administrator for many years, and in talking with Dr. Muscelli and the counselors, we see trends that have surfaced at the middle level. We’ve included links on three important topics so we as a community can educate ourselves about what your child may be experiencing or engaging in. You most likely are aware of some of the information in these resources, but we feel they are important to share. We will update and add to these resources throughout the year. Right now we’ve included information on Vaping, Social Media, and Anxiety. Please view these resources at https://www.wtps.org/domain/3013 or go to the Bunker Hill Web Page and click on the “Parents” tab then scroll down to the bottom of the list.
Partnership with Jake's Pizza on Greentree Road
Through the help of the PTO, Jakes has agreed to give us pizza at a discount price and fundraise for us all year. In return, we agree for all our school-based events (involving pizza) to order from Jake's. Click on the picture to see specifics.
“The Bunker Hill Times”…This is a student created newsletter that comes out quarterly. To view the most current edition please click on this link: Bunker Hill Times Fall 2019 Final Edition
Bunker Hill Middle School: Home of the Bulldogs
Sign up for Remind Notifications
--Grade 6…Text @BHMS2022 to 81010
--Grade 7…Text @BHMS2021 to 81010
--Grade 8…Text @BHMS2020 to 81010
Email: ddijohn@wtps.org
Website: https://www.wtps.org/bunkerhill
Location: 372 Pitman Downer Road, Sewell, NJ, USA
Phone: 856 881 7007
Facebook: facebook.com/OfficialBHMS
Twitter: @Official_BHMS