Dear Bulldog Families:

It’s hard to believe that we are in the month of April with just over 2 months left in school. There are a few changes BHMS is making to various procedures as we get closer to the end of the year to assist students in going back to expectations from pre-pandemic. Also, there is information regarding 5th grade transitioning to 6th grade as well as 8th graders moving to the high school. This is a very exciting time for all students and families and we hope these last few newsletter keep you informed as much as possible. As always, if you have any questions, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Mike D'Ostilio

In this Newsletter:

New and Important Information:

• Backpack and cell phone procedures
• Disability and Autism Awareness Month and Wristband Sale
• 5th to 6th Grade Parent/Guardian Information Session
• Dress for Success Day
• Courtyard Clean-Up
• Grab and Go Breakfast
• 25th Anniversary Information

Recurring Information:

• COVID-19 Update
  
• Notes from the Counseling Office
• Reminders (General Information and Code of Conduct Awareness)
• Bulldog Bash
• What it Means to Be a Bulldog
  
• Building Better Bulldogs Mission and Vision
• PTO Information
• Signing Up for Remind Text Notifications, Facebook, and Twitter

Summer Information:

• Boys Gloucester Catholic Basketball Camp

All of April...Disability Awareness, Autism Awareness, and Wristband Sales

April 4-8...Carnation and Card Sale for Students in the Play (email Ms. Kuni kkuni@wtps.org for more information

April 5...8:30 AM...8th Grade Principal's List Breakfast...by invitation only

April 5...6:30PM ... 5th to 6th Grade Parent Orientation

April 6...Dress for Success Day...Dress in your best outfit for a day and look polished and sophisticated.

April 6...8:30 AM...6th/7th Grade Principal's List Breakfast...by invitation only

April 7, 8, and 9...7pm....Spring Musical

April 9...9-11am...Courtyard Clean-up

April 11...WTHS Counselors help 8th graders plan for 9th grade.

April 14...3pm...Spring Fling

April 15-April 22...Spring Break

April 25…Students will be expected to keep backpacks in lockers (see below for more information)

April 25-April 29...25th Anniversary Spirit Week

Bulldog Families, from now until Spring Break, we are going to be working with students to move to a change in habit. In middle school, students prior to March of 2020 were not permitted to wear back packs. This helped in many ways. Students were not jamming their backpacks in lockers, students were focused more on organization, and we could expect students to keep their phones in their lockers.

As the pandemic has relaxed some restrictions for us, this backpack protocol has been the last one to tackle.

For the last 25 years in the middle schools, students have been expected to come into school, empty their backpack and get out the books they need for certain classes and work with teachers on organizational strategies that ensure they have the proper materials for class. Students stored their lunch, jackets, and cell phones in their lockers and just navigated the halls/classrooms with essential information. Students went to their lockers prior to lunch and pe and between a few classes.

We will be working with the students to get back to this practice and will begin having the full expectation after Spring Break. In the fall, the expectation is that students in grades 6-8 will no longer be carrying their backpack or cell phone on them during the school day. Those will be stored in their lockers.

I just want to reiterate that this is not a new procedure, but one we relaxed during the pandemic for contract tracing and social distancing reasons. We are just moving back to some of the past procedures that proved advantageous for helping to manage a middle school. Thanks as always for your support as we slowly phase this back in.

Download and print out the image below and return it to Mrs. Finn if your child is interested in participating.

Since 1997, Bunker Hill Middle School has been proud to serve members of the community. After Spring Break, we will have a Spirit Week commemorating the anniversary. More information to follow. Check out the T shirt and water bottle image for the anniversary. The design was drawn by Mr. Murro. Check out the order form for T shirts and/or water bottles. Money for those items goes to your child's homeroom teacher.

Students are to bring their IDs daily to school. The ID will look similar to the one above. However, the student ID card will have a bar code associated with it. This card will be used to scan when in the hall to use the restroom or when to sign in to the IMC. Be sure to get into the habit of bringing it to school and displaying it on a lanyard or by clipping it to your clothes.

This procedure promotes safety and the preservation of instructional time for the students. This allows to keep track of students, how long they are out of class, and the frequency by which they are out of class. This new program allows us to sort using an excel spreadsheet and then address only those individuals who are frequently out of the classroom.

Everyone, we have a massive end of the year festival during the school day for students who represent the epitome of being a Bulldog. We provide a day of fun and food as we celebrate the students who work hard on their grades, are involved in activities, and give back to the community. See the information above or ask any teacher what is needed to be part of this celebration in May. START PLANNING NOW!!!!

Some community service opportunites at school can include: helping clean and landscape campus/courtyard, participating in school sponsored community cleanup days, participating in future acts activities, etc. If you need ideas for 2 hours of community service at the school, please reach out to the counselors, administrators, team leaders, Mr. Cabrera, Mrs. Finn, or Mrs. Lyons.

During the summer for 2020, a team of teachers and community members got together to discuss what we should affirm as a school in order to provide student voice and acknowledge that student voice and provide them an opportunity not only to be heard but for us to truly listen and learn from what the students are telling us.

This pandemic has created so many questions and concerns for students that are well beyond academics. We are committed to providing a safe environment where students can express themselves as they question the ebb and flow of their world around them. Please see below our affirmations about Buidling Better Bulldogs and the people we as Bulldogs aim to be.

Click on this link for our Affirmations and Guiding Principles

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