BHMS Weekly Update
Thursday,November 3, 2022
Thursday, December 1, 2022
Principal's Corner
Dear BHMS Families,
I hope last week was restful as we are in full swing at BHMS with so much going on! December is filled with opportunities to engage and enjoy many activities here at BHMS. We have winter concerts, a family movie night, the 6th grade dance, basketball games to attend, and some opportunities still exist to celebrate the swim team as they wind down the season. In addition, many learning activities and engaging lessons are filling the weeks ahead at BHMS, while clubs are providing many exciting after school experiences. We are grateful for you and the support of the PTA who help make all these events and experiences happen. We have so much learning that is happening through December 20th, including winter MAP testing this week. We want to make sure we minimize check outs and absences during such a busy time!
Derrick L. Thomas, Principal,
Beacon Hill Middle School
MAP Testing Continues! 12/1-12/8
Students will continue Winter MAP testing next week.
Math MAP has begun administration during your child's Science class on Thursday (12/1), Friday (12/2) and Monday (12/5).
ELA MAP will be administered during your child's I&S class on Tuesday (12/6), Wednesday (12/7) and Thursday (12/8).
Please make an effort to minimize checkouts and absences during these Winter Benchmark assessments.
From Our PTA
BHMS News You Can Use
The BHMS/ Little Shop of Stories Book Fair December 6th-9th!
We need volunteers for this event! We thank you for helping us make this event happen!
- We still need a few more volunteers to help with sales, so please consider signing up for a shift by clicking here.
- For questions about volunteering contact Courtney Sollie at courtneysollie@gmail.com or Lauren Brown at laurenbrown216@gmail.com.
Details about the fair:
- The BHMS Book Fair is a partnership with Little Shop of Stories
- The fair is open Tuesday, December 6 through Friday, December 9th
- Visit the BHMS Media Center between 8:30am and 4:00pm to shop. Cash and Cards accepted
- Families can purchase Book Fair Bucks for their teachers to spend on new reading material for their classrooms. Click here to contribute.
- You can also make a donation to buy books for an RMS student in need by visiting this website.
Book fair from lynch https://youtu.be/XFXYSe-CTIM
Band Performances and Celebrations
Winter Band Concerts coming up!
Thursday, December 1 - 6th grade Winter Concert with the Honors Ensembles @7:00 PM in the Cafeteria
Tuesday, December 6 - 7th and 8th grade Winter Concert with the Honors Ensembles @7:00 PM in the cafeteria.
Save The Date Family Movie Night December 16th!
We are hosting our first annual Family Movie Night at Beacon Hill! On Friday, December 16th at 6:00pm we will be offering a variety of movies to choose from for families to come and enjoy together.
- Tickets are $10 each and concessions such as drinks and snacks will be available.
- All tickets will be pre-sold as there is a limited quantity.
- Tickets are going on sale in the lobby starting Monday morning in the front lobby and in the cafeteria during lunch.
- Please note that all students must be chaperoned by an adult. We are looking forward to sharing a night at the movies with our Beacon Hill community!
International Perspectives Holiday FUNdraiser!
- Orders and payment are due Thursday, December 8th and can be brought by students to Ms. Johnson or dropped off in the front office attn: Ms. Johnson. Payment can be made in cash or check made out to BHMS with International Perspectives in the notes.
- Items are available to be taken home Friday the 16th.
- Cookie Decorating Event! We are hosting an evening event for families to come decorate their own cookies from 5-7pm on December 14th. RSVPs and money accepted through December 8th.
7th Grade Science Have- a- Heart Presentations with GSU!
Georgia State Neuroscience Professor Kyle Frantz and her graduate and undergraduate students taught students about the anatomy of the heart and blood flow throughout. Students then examined preserved cow hearts.
Attendance Procedures Reminders!
How do I report my child's excused absence?
- On the day of the absence use the google form to report an excused absences. You do not need to call or email, doing so slows down the process of verifying your child's absence. Please DO NOT complete the form prior to the date of absence.
- NO! If a student is going to have a planned excused tardy do not call ahead or email. The student/family member will turn in the excuse once they arrive and the absence will be updated.
Where do I turn in an excused doctors note or other documentation?
- A folder is located by the kiosk in the front office that is checked to update attendance. When students return or check in they can turn in the note at the check in/check out kiosk
What if I need to check my child out early?
Check-outs must occur before 3:15. It is not necessary to contact the main office ahead of check out time. Please ring the buzzer for assistance and be prepared to show a photo ID to our front office staff.
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Valerie Jackson our school registrar(vjackson@csdecatur.net).
For more detail on absences, tardies, residency, and tours click here
Save the Date! REACH HIGHER Week Dec 12-16
Reach Higher week is intended to promote and bring awareness to the many post-secondary opportunities our student will have after high school. Activities will include a college sweatshirt/t shirt day, door decorating contests, college student guest readers, and much more! To find out more visit about this initiative visit the Reach Higher website, and look for details in our next newsletter!
BHMS Club Updates
FROM THE DESK OF THE BHMS FAB LAB
November's Workshop was a big success! We had another double digit turn out for the Kitchen Calculator Workshop!
Weekly Grade Level Newsletters
Every Thursday, each grade level will publish its newsletter. Please check them out after you read the school Eblast. Here are the links:
News from the Decatur Bulldog Booster Club
Shop Decatur Swag for the Holidays
Give the gift of Bulldog spirit this holiday season. We've got something for everyone on your list -- from hoodies and hats, to PJs, flags, t-shirts and polos. Shop HERE and order by December 7 to receive in time for Christmas.
Need Service Hours? Help with Concessions
Students, get your service hours and help DBB raise money for Decatur Athletics by selling food and drinks at games. Opportunities will be available in the spring too.
Register TODAY for Run With the Dogs (RWTD) 2023!
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023, for Run With the Dogs, a Decatur tradition now in its 19th year.
We’re back at Beacon Hill Middle School for the 5K and Pup Trot, and we are pleased to announce that this year’s race is an official qualifying event for the Peachtree Road Race!
We are also pleased to announce that our Face of the Race winner is Tuck the Pug! Thank you to everyone who submitted your dogs for the contest, and thanks for voting. Register TODAY to make sure you get a long-sleeved T-shirt with this adorable little guy.
Run With the Dogs is an annual fundraiser of the Decatur Bulldog Boosters and supports the athletic programs at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. For more information and to register for the race, click here.
CSD Athletic News and Updates
Decatur High School Boys Soccer Program organized a Thanksgiving Soccer Camp
Our Decatur High School Boys Soccer Program organized a Thanksgiving Soccer Camp and hosted 67 campers with attendees ranging from 1st-8th grade. The camp was directed by our Varsity Staff and current varsity players coached and demonstrated skills for attendees to replicate. We cannot think of a better way to start the Thanksgiving holiday week than connecting with the community. We are looking forward to more camps for our young soccer players in the future.
Check the video below for a glimpse of the fun and hard work that happened at the first annual DHS Thanksgiving Soccer Camp.
BHMS Girls’ Soccer Tryout Information
Spring sports are rapidly approaching! Please see the information below and click the link HERE regarding to tryouts for the girls' soccer team at Beacon Hill Middle School.
When: Week of January 23, 4pm-5:30pm
Where: Field at Oakhurst Recreation Center
Contact Coaches Herriot (htrenovations@earthlink.net) and Altizer (daltizer@csdecatur.net) with any questions.
Please complete this INTEREST FORM so that coaches have your information!
REMINDER: All students planning to participate in tryouts must have an updated medical profile in our DragonFly system. See the link HERE for instructions.
Track & Field Parent Meeting (Dec. 14)
A Parent Meeting for all students interested in participating in Track & Field this Spring will be held on Wednesday, December 14. The meeting will be in the DHS Cafeteria beginning at 6 pm. Please contact Coach Souther (msouther@csdecatur.net) with any questions.
CSD News and Announcements
DHS Cheer Parent’s Night Out Fundraiser
The DHS Cheerleaders are hosting a Parent's Night Out to raise funds to support the DHS cheer program.
If your child is in grades Pre-K - 5 and you would like a few hours to have dinner, shop, and/or meet with friends, let us help! Sign up today for the parent’s night out!
Night Out date: December 16, 2022, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: DHS Media Center, Commerce Drive entrance/Bus Loop
Drop-off begins at 4:50 pm
Pick-Up is from 7:45 - 8:00 pm
Cost: $40
Payment Information (we apologize for the inconvenience, but we are unable to accept credit cards):
Option 1: Please bring cash, check, or money order to the Wilson Center (125 Electric Avenue) Thursday, December 1st - Monday, December 12th, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm.
Option 2: Drive up option. Please bring cash, check, or money order to DHS (driveway under the spaceship on McDonough St.) on December 8 from 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm.
Click here to sign up. Please contact Ashaki Stinson (astinson@csdecatur.net) or Saadia Foy (sfoy@csdecatur.net) if you have any questions.
Help CSD School Nutrition
CSD Nutrition is asking parents to check their online meal accounts in infinite campus (Parent Portal). We have several families that have negative balances that need to be cleared.
For the last two years, the USDA offered school districts waivers to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. Unfortunately, those waivers have now expired which means City Schools of Decatur no longer offer all students a free meal.
The traditional free & reduced lunch program does still exist for those who qualify. If you think your family qualifies for federal free or reduced lunch please reapply for the federal free & reduced lunch program today. Please visit, https://campus.csdecatur.org/campus/portal/parents/decatur.jsp to complete the online application. Paper applications may be picked up at the schools. You only need to re-apply one time each school year. Only one application per family needs to be completed.
Supply Chain Update
Menus are subject to substitutions based on availability. We are facing unprecedented issues with the supply chain that will cause us to alter our posted menus with little to no notice. Currently, we may be replacing our deli turkey with chicken ham when deli turkey meat is listed on the menu. Please bare with us as we manage these changes.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
F.Ave PTO Summer Camp Exposition
F.Ave PTO is excited to announce our first ever Summer Camp Exposition!
Join us Saturday, December 10th from 10a-2p in the Multipurpose room at F.Ave to learn about the summer camps offered from several vendors in the Decatur area. Featured camps include options for kids from Pre-K through 12th Grade!
This event is free for the public. There will be a raffle for some fun camp prizes and a digital Summer Camp Planning Guide will also be available for families
Decatur Education Foundation
Are you great at math, science or languages? Your skills could help a Decatur student in just one hour per week as a Virtual Pal Tutor! We pair 2nd-8th grade students with upper high school or adult tutors to help with homework, organization and motivation. It’s an easy way to give back to your community in a meaningful way (and for high school students to earn volunteer hours). Click here to apply: https://forms.gle/VJuyncb7qce6R7Jq5
Can’t volunteer but want to help out? You can donate to our Lighten the Load program which
keeps the snack pantry stocked at Beacon Hill Middle School. For those families in our community experiencing food insecurity, we also have a weekend backpack program. Both have unique Amazon wish lists that are updated monthly. You can donate directly to them using these links:
Beacon Hill Middle Snack Program: /a.co/d0HJHTr
Weekend Backpack Program: https://a.co/6Etc74W
GaDOE Posts New ELA Standards for Public Comment
Based on the recommendation of State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the Georgia Department of Education has posted new K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) standards for a 30-day public comment period. If approved, the standards will be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year, following teacher training.
Click here to review the draft standards and provide feedback.
The draft standards leverage the insight and expertise of thousands of Georgians to support ELA instruction that is Georgia-developed, age and developmentally appropriate, and provides a strong foundation beginning in the early grades. Drafted by Georgia ELA teachers with input from educational leaders, parents, students, business and industry leaders, and community members, the standards are designed to be clear, understandable, and present a balanced amount of content to cover in each year – so that students can truly master concepts rather than simply being quickly exposed to them.
The survey will close at 5:00 PM EDT on 12/5/2022