Barrington Middle School
BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 5.25.2020
The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!
Mission:
Barrington Middle School’s Mission is to empower all students to excel in character, citizenship, collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking, so that they may positively impact the future.
Upcoming Events:
(Note: Please review the dates as dates are subject to change due to a number of factors from one newsletter to the next)
Cluster/Experience Preference Forms emailed home on Friday, May 22, 2020. Forms need to be completed by Monday, June 1, 2020 by 4:00 pm.
Meet the Directors of “We are BMS” on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 from 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
BMS Math Progression Presentation Released on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
BMS Math Progression Q and A on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm.
BMS Virtual 8th Grade Bridge Ceremony (pre-recorded) on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 beginning at 7:00pm.
Please visit our website to see all upcoming calendar events: https://www.barringtonschools.org/o/middle-school
Please see the link for our daily announcements:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jwaOwOZT5EgdBudGLs0_p0jomJmd6-ee1ifxFR2ySKo/edit?usp=sharing
BMS Spotlight on Learning
This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Ms. Krystal Sleboda for organizing “BMS Stays Connected” during these most difficult times. Ms. Sleboda has organized before school and lunch time activities for faculty/staff to connect with BMS Students. Thank you Krystal for coming up with this great idea and making meaningful connections.
This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on the faculty/staff leading “BMS Stays Connected” activities. Thank you, Mrs. Ouellete, Mrs. Oswald, Dr. Fernandes, Mrs. Couto, Ms. Ferry, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Van Leer, Mrs. Bannon, Mr. Tainsh, Mr. Altieri, and Mrs. Roy for leading such engaging/wonderful activities for our students!
BMS New Information
Distance Learning Schedule Week of 5/24/2020
Date | Day | Specials |
Monday May 25, 2020 | No School Memorial Day | No School Memorial Day |
Tuesday May 26, 2020 | Day 1 Block | 6th Grade Specials 7th/8th Grade Independent Practice |
Wednesday May 27, 2020 | Day 2 Block | 6th Grade Specials 7th/8th Grade Independent Practice |
Thursday May 28, 2020 | Day 3 Block | 7th Grade Specials 6th/8th Grade Independent Practice |
Friday May 29, 2020 | Day 4 Block | 7th Grade Specials 6th/8th Grade Independent Practice |
Please reach out if you have any questions.
8th Grade Virtual Bridge Ceremony:
A group of Barrington Middle School faculty/staff and members of our PTO are coordinating and planning a BMS 8th Grade Virtual Bridge Ceremony (pre-recorded) to be shown on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 beginning at 7:00 pm. Our goal is to capture all of the elements of our traditional Bridge Ceremony, and then some, to celebrate all of our 8th grade students as they transition from BMS to high school. We encourage students and their families to watch together, as well as to share the link with their extended friends and families. We are looking forward to a very special event. Please stay tuned for more information.
BMS Field Trip Update:
Please see a recent email that was sent to our BMS Learning Community regarding reimbursements for overnight field trips. Please feel free to reach out at any time if you have any questions.
“We are BMS” Video:
Please see a link to our amazing “We are BMS” video filmed/directed/produced by our very own Grant Culton, Grace Hall, and Alex Hope. We will be using this video as part of our student orientations, family orientations, website, and various social media platforms.
“We are BMS” Meet the Directors:
On Tuesday, May 26, 2020, we will be having a very special Meet the Directors/Q and A and Q of “We are BMS” beginning at 7:00 pm. If you are available to participate, please see the zoom link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89659828451?pwd=aVhlaGlmVndDT0t4bFVBMGZnWU80QT09
Meeting ID: 896 5982 8451
Password: 2rfKFY
BMS Stays Connected:
BMS is gearing up for another round of BMS stays Connected where students can sign up for a variety before school and lunchtime activities with their peers. We hope to have another sign-up list for the end of this week.
In the meantime, please see this very special BMS Stays Connected activity: Documentary Club hosted by Mr. Tainsh and Mr. Altieri.
Documentary Club will be held on Fridays at 8:15. It will be held on 5/29, 6/5 and 6/12. We ask that you please watch that week’s film sometime before the meeting, so when we meet, everyone can discuss it! The films we have chosen are:
Friday May 29th - Mercury 13, available on Netflix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpiVx2mQhKI
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/mercury-13
Friday June 5th - Spellbound, available to purchase on YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Prime for $2.99:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0lMqo53kMM
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/spellbound
Friday June 12th - Mountain, available on Netflix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxtWMOAHoiI
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/mountain
BMS Math Progression Overview:
This Thursday, May 28, 2020 we will be releasing our BMS Math Progression overview to our families. On Tuesday, June 2, 2020 we will have a Q and A session from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm based on the presentation. It is important to note that the presentation will not be reviewed during the Q and A and parents would have had to watch the presentation before the Q and A session.
BMS Math Progression Presentation Released on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
BMS Math Progression Q and A on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm.
Andrew Anderson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: BMS Math Progression Q & A Session
Time: Jun 2, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81604692540?pwd=N25PYjNyRUQza3UzaE5QQkJOZitjZz09
Meeting ID: 816 0469 2540
Password: 3TSCzn
Locker Cleanout Update:
Our BMS Custodians will be carefully going through all of the students’ lockers and bagging the contents into a bag. Each bag will have a label printed on it with the Student’s Name, Student’s Cluster, Student’s Locker Number, and Student’s Address. Beginning on June 10, 2020 we will have a schedule and process to follow where families can come to the school to collect their child’s bag. Please stay tuned for more information on an upcoming schedule. In addition, we are asking that any student that has school issued materials (ie. library books) drop them off on the day you pick up your locker materials.
BMS Student Chromebooks:
Our current 6th Grade, 7th Grade, and 8th Grade Students will be hanging onto their Chromebooks over summer vacation. 6th and 7th graders will be using their device during the next school year (2020 - 2021). Our 8th graders will be returning their Chromebooks for the start of the next year, and will be getting a new Chromebook for their high school career. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to Dr. Anderson.
Fastbridge:
This week we will continue to be administering FastBridge Screening Assessments during our Distance Learning. This assessment is completed online with an internet-connected computer or tablet. In addition, your child will need headphones for the computer-based directions. Please see the below link for additional Fastbridge information that was communicated to families last week.
BMS Virtual Spirit Week:
This week we will be holding another virtual spirit week next week! Please see the flier below. We are asking students to share pictures of their participation, students that share will be entered into a raffle for a gift certificate to Barrington Books. Please encourage your students to participate!
BMS Virtual Spirit week 5/25-5/29
From BEF:
Please click here for a chance to recognize BPS faculty and staff from the BEF with the S.T.A.R program.
Old Information:
Motivational Messages to BMS Students:
Over the past several weeks, our BMS Faculty/Staff have been creating motivational messages for our students! If you have a moment, please see the video that was put together from our faculty/staff to our amazing students!
Motivational Messages for BMS Students
Incoming 6th Grade Families Orientation:
Please see a few links below to our 5th Grade Parent Orientation, as well as our incoming 6th Grade Parent Q&A nights (by alphabetical order). I look forward to partnering with you in the future:
8th Grade Celebration:
Last week, a group of 8th grade teachers and representatives from the PTO met to begin to plan our 8th Grade Celebration. Although we will be unable to have our traditional in person celebrations (Bridge Ceremony, Dinner Dance, etc), the team is working hard on being creative to celebrate our 8th Graders as they transition from our Middle School to the High School.
BMS Cluster/Experience Preference Forms:
This year, we will be emailing the BMS Cluster/Experience Preference Forms home on Friday, May 22, 2020. We are requesting forms to be completed by Monday, June 1, 2020 by 4:00 pm.
High School Jazz Band Auditions:
Any 8th grader who would like to audition for next year’s Barrington High School Jazz band should contact Mrs. Barbara Hughes at the High School. Email: Hughesb@barringtonschools.org
BMS Teacher Appreciation Video:
Please see a link below to view last week’s BMS Teacher Appreciation Video! Last week, we had nearly 130 students submit a picture to show thanks to our BMS Faculty/Staff! A special thanks to Jack Culton for putting the video together!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZtApHWmtVRRH0qlUhRNgsIT4gor3jczJ/view?usp=sharing
BMS Student Distance Learning Expectations:
This week, we have asked our teachers to remind our students of our BMS Student Distance Learning Expectations. We have provided more examples/specifics for each area. Please see a link below for our updated expectations. We are also asking families to help remind their students to check into the BMS Homeroom google classroom daily. Students should check into the Homeroom google classroom by 8:42 am and complete the attendance form. Your help in reminding students about this important step each morning is appreciated.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s7NxJr_V6clITFy8vCMjmBf95XqnYhIUFUJ_XOvZwCA/edit?usp=sharing
Student Schedule Video’s and Student Communication:
Ms. Silveira and I have been using our BMS Homeroom Google Classroom as means of communicating to our students on a daily basis. We have found this platform to be successful due to all of the students needing to access this page to sign in for the day.
Included in Monday’s message, we will be including the following videos that Ms. Silveira recorded to help students strengthen their understanding of our distance learning schedule. Great work Ms. Silveira for putting these videos together!
Student Attendance:
Students are expected to check in to the BMS Homeroom Google Classroom by 8:40 am each day and to attend all of their classes throughout the day. Attendance will be taken each period. We understand that there may be times when students are participating and completing their work, but cannot attend a session. In this instance, they will receive credit but will need to email the teacher before the end of the day. If your child is tardy please help to remind them they should check into the BMS Homeroom Google Classroom before they log-in to their scheduled classroom.
If your child will be absent or tardy, please send an email to bmsattendance@barringtonschools.org to report this. In the subject line please put your student(s) First and Last Name. Please report absences or tardies by 8:30am. The attendance email will be monitored daily by the office staff. Please see the linked document for our complete Daily Attendance protocol.
BMS Family/Student Distance Learning Questions:
We have provided you with an abundance of information related to Distance Learning. As questions come up please submit them using the BMS Family/Student Distance Distance Learning Questions form. Please check the BMS Family/Student Distance Learning Questions and Answers document for updates and answers to your questions.
IEP, 504 and Parent Meetings:
If you had a previously scheduled IEP, 504 or Parent Meeting we will be rescheduling these with you soon. Mrs. Bulman will begin reaching out to parents to reschedule IEP and parent meetings starting this week. Meetings will take place with parents via Zoom. If you have questions about IEP or parent meetings please reach out to Mrs. Kathy Bulman: bulmank@barringtonschools.org. Mrs. Nelson will be reaching out to reschedule 504 meetings starting this week. Meetings will also take place via Zoom. If you have questions about 504 meetings please reach out to Mrs. Kelly Nelson: nelsonk@barringtonschools.org.