Barrington Middle School BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 3.25.2019 The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! Upcoming Events: (Note: Please review the dates as dates are subjected to change due to a number of factors from one newsletter to the next).
Note from Dr. Anderson: I want to begin by thanking you for reading the BMS Connected Learning Newsletter each week. I do enjoy crafting the letter, collaborating on the content with Mrs. Skadberg, Mrs. Martin, and Mrs. Bulk, as well as hearing from you regarding the information that is included. Recently, I have had a few conversations with parents regarding streamlining the information. Based on those conversations, information will be presented in the following manner:
BMS Spotlight on Learning: This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Mrs. Bienkiewicz, Mrs. Thurber, and our very own BMS All-State Band, Orchestra, and Chorus. Last weekend, under the leadership of Mrs. Bienkiewicz and Mrs. Thurber, they played and sang beautifully at the Rhode Island Music Education Association All-State concert. Audience members indicated they were truly amazing. Well done teachers and students! This week we would also like to shine our BMS Spotlight on students Lily Cregan, Hannah Bairos, Ava DiMatteo, Laurie Garcia, Juliet McGee, Alexandra Hope and Clover Burke shined as greeters and guides during this past Friday’s Career Day. They introduced themselves to each speaker, showed them to their rooms, offered to carry their materials and made them feel welcomed to BMS by making conversation with them about their careers as they got them settled. They were incredibly friendly, hard-working and professional. Great work students! This week we would also like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Mrs. Trahan along with Drew Helm and Grant Culton who were amazing support with the tech needs. They responded promptly to struggling presenters and were able to troubleshoot while staying calm under pressure. And finally, we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Ms. Sleboda, Mrs. Bulman, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Poirier, and Ms. McCauley for your hard work, coordination, and dedication for making this year’s BMS Career Day such an amazing experience for our students. Well done! BMS New Information: Trimester 2 Grades: Trimester 2 grades will be posted on Friday, March 28, 2019 by 3:00pm. Parent Survey Works Golden Ticket Incentive: We have extended the Survey Works window to March 28, 2019. Currently we have just about 100 families who responded. Our goal this year is to shatter our family response rate of last year’s only 104 responses from families. As an incentive to complete the survey, we are offering 3 “golden tickets” for students/family to be the first ones to take a tour of the new middle school. Each “golden ticket” winner will be able to invite two of his/her friends, as well as invite two family members. Please see the following link for additional information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BszCr9VKq3jyvjROh0f-90wMA46X0Y41viSwq92yOlc/edit?usp=sharing’ Parent Survey Works Information: surveys.panoramaed.com/ride Access Code for BMS - 01108family BMS Community Service Club Clothing Drive: The Community Service Club will be collecting clean clothes for all ages until Friday, March 29. Donations will be given to a middle school in Providence. Collection boxes are in the BMS office. BMS Old Information: Deeper Learning Family Visit: (Note: There are a few more spots available!) On March, 28 2019, Barrington Middle School will be hosting a family Deeper Learning visit where families can see elements of Deeper Learning in action from 9:00 am - 10:30 am. The first part will be an overview of deeper learning and how it looks at Barrington Middle School, then classroom visits, and finally a debrief. We will be visiting a few allied art classrooms as well as core classrooms. Please note that families may/may not be visiting the classrooms of their children. If you are interesting in participating, please complete the following form by Tuesday, March 26, 2019. We will only be able to take 15 total visitors (first come first serve). If there is an interest of more than 15, we will be sure to schedule additional visits. Thank you in advance for considering. https://goo.gl/forms/NqbILzZxNgWFb7sL2 BMS Responds to Parent Feedback: Over the past year, our school’s BMS Leadership Council, School Improvement Team, and Administration have carefully reviewed parent feedback based on how satisfied they are with Barrington Middle School. We are proud to acknowledge that our Parent Satisfaction Data from the Studer Survey a few months back increased from 3.60 to 3.84. One of the biggest jumps in the district! Based on your feedback we have put the following items in motion to best meet the needs of our families:
Vaping: Over the past few weeks, a few parents have reached out regarding information their children reported to them at home about middle school students vaping. It was important for Mrs. Bulk and I to provide parents with information regarding vaping. Please review the linked presentation, and I encourage you to review it with your child to open up discussion/conversation. Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know Slide Presentation Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know VLOG BMS Standing Items: BMS Building Update: The new building construction is well underway. To help with communication, each week I have been releasing the BMS Building Project Blog. You can access the blog by visiting the BMS Building Project Homepage or the direct link to the BMS Building Project Blog. In addition, each Tuesday morning we will have a student volunteer give updates to our student body during morning announcements. BMS School Improvement Plan Working Draft: I encourage you to periodically review the below link of our BMS Working School Improvement Plan. (note: Student Success Goals have been finalized and presented to our School Committee). BMS SMART Template 2018 - 2019 (Working Draft) Community Information:
BPS Volunteer Breakfast: Join us as we celebrate our BPS volunteers on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 from 9:00 - 11:00 am in the Barrington Town Council Chambers (upstairs of Town Hall). Breakfast, music, door prizes and more. Click here to RSVP. HMS Tough Tiger - Save the Date!: The HMS Tough Tiger event is coming up on May 5 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Register online now! www.hampdenmeadowspto.org/tough-tiger.html Registration for Pop Warner: Registration is open for Cheer and Football. Link here for more information.
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Barrington Middle School
BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 3.18.2019 The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! Upcoming Events: (Note: Please review the dates as dates are subjected to change due to a number of factors from one newsletter to the next).
Note from Dr. Anderson: On Thursday, March 21, 2019, we will be rolling out the family feedback from the Studder satisfaction survey. All parents are invited to attend as your feedback is invaluable to our learning community. .Please see a link to the data set that will be reviewed. Looking forward to a positive and constructive conversation. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BSw2IAd1ZO-OGvuGeHKS0-jaxJ2iLUn_WwMEOW0GpWc/edit?usp=sharing BMS Spotlight on Learning: This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Mrs. Eileen Croke. Each morning, Mrs. Croke waits outside welcoming the students coming into school. She is quick to offer a smile, say hello, and make conversation with the students. Thank you Eileen for greeting the students with a warm welcome each morning. Well done! This week, we would also like to shine our BMS Spoltight on the cast and crew of Barrington Middle School’s High School Musical Jr. This past weekend they played to a pact house. Great work students. BMS News you can Use: BMS Building Update: The new building construction is well underway. To help with communication, each week I have been releasing the BMS Building Project Blog. You can access the blog by visiting the BMS Building Project Homepage or the direct link to the BMS Building Project Blog. In addition, each Tuesday morning we will have a student volunteer give updates to our student body during morning announcements. Deeper Learning Family Visit: (Note: There are a few more spots available! On March, 28 2019, Barrington Middle School will be hosting a family Deeper Learning visit where families can see elements of Deeper Learning in action from 9:00 am - 10:30 am. The first part will be an overview of deeper learning and how it looks at Barrington Middle School, then classroom visits, and finally a debrief. We will be visiting a few allied art classrooms as well as core classrooms. Please note that families may/may not be visiting the classrooms of their children. If you are interesting in participating, please complete the following form by Tuesday, March 26, 2019. We will only be able to take 15 total visitors (first come first serve). If there is an interest of more than 15, we will be sure to schedule additional visits. Thank you in advance for considering. https://goo.gl/forms/NqbILzZxNgWFb7sL2 Parent Survey Works Golden Ticket Incentive: BMS’s Survey Work portal will be open from March 11, 2019 to March 22, 2019. Our goal this year is to shatter our family response rate of last year’s only 104 responses from families. As an incentive to complete the survey, we are offering 3 “golden tickets” for students/family to be the first ones to take a tour of the new middle school. Each “golden ticket” winner will be able to invite two of his/her friends, as well as invite two family members. Please see the following link for additional information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BszCr9VKq3jyvjROh0f-90wMA46X0Y41viSwq92yOlc/edit?usp=sharing’ Parent Survey Works Information: surveys.panoramaed.com/ride Access Code for BMS - 01108family BMS Responds to Parent Feedback: Over the past year, Our School’s BMS Leadership Council, School Improvement Team, and Administration have carefully reviewed parent feedback based on how satisfied they are with Barrington Middle School. We are proud to acknowledge that our Parent Satisfaction Data from the Studer Survey a few months back increased from 3.60 to 3.84. One of the biggest jumps in the district! Based on your feedback we have put the following items in motion to best meet the needs of our families:
Vaping: Over the past few weeks, a few parents have reached out regarding information their children reported to them at home about middle school students vaping. It was important for Mrs. Bulk and I to provide parents with information regarding vaping. Please review the linked presentation, and I encourage you to review it with your child to open up discussion/conversation. Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know Slide Presentation Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know VLOG BMS Career Day: BMS Career Day- Friday, March 22nd 15 Parent volunteers needed to chaperone students in classrooms where BMS Career Day speakers will be presenting Chaperone volunteers will meet in the library at 9:00am for a brief overview. Career Day is over at 12:00pm. Please consider joining us for this great event! Sign-up on My School Anywhere or email [email protected] BMS School Improvement Plan Working Draft: I encourage you to periodically review the below link of our BMS Working School Improvement Plan. (note: Student Success Goals have been finalized and presented to our School Committee). BMS SMART Template 2018 - 2019 (Working Draft) Barrington Middle School
BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 3.11.2019 The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! Upcoming Events: (Note: Please review the dates as dates are subjected to change due to a number of factors from one newsletter to the next).
Note from Dr. Anderson: Over the past year, Our School’s BMS Leadership Council, School Improvement Team, and Administration have carefully reviewed parent feedback based on how satisfied they are with Barrington Middle School. We are proud to acknowledge that our Parent Satisfaction Data from the Studer Survey a few months back increased from 3.60 to 3.84. One of the biggest jumps in the district! Based on your feedback we have put the following items in motion to best meet the needs of our families:
BMS Spotlight on Learning: This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Mrs. Diana Ouellette, Dr. Brian Fernandes, and Mr. Jeff Blanchett for facilitating this past week’s RTI Data Day. Throughout the day, Mrs. Ouellette, Dr. Fernandes, and Mr. Blanchet met with individual clusters reviewing student data and leading data based conversations to best meet the needs of our students. Thank you for making the day fun, friendly, and focused. Well done! We would also like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Ms. Katie Hamel and Ms. Kara Scanlon for their recent work with teaching students about the dangers of opioids. Last week, Ms. Hamel and Ms. Scanlon’s class was highlighted in the Healthcheck segment on Channel 10.Great work Ms. Hamel and Ms. Scanlon! BMS News you can Use: BMS Building Update: The new building construction is well underway. To help with communication, each week I have been releasing the BMS Building Project Blog. You can access the blog by visiting the BMS Building Project Homepage or the direct link to the BMS Building Project Blog. In addition, each Tuesday morning we will have a student volunteer give updates to our student body during morning announcements. Deeper Learning Family Visit: On March, 28 2019, Barrington Middle School will be hosting a family Deeper Learning visit where families can see elements of Deeper Learning in action from 9:00 am - 10:30 am. The first part will be an overview of deeper learning and how it looks at Barrington Middle School, then classroom visits, and finally a debrief. We will be visiting a few allied art classrooms as well as core classrooms. Please note that families may/may not be visiting the classrooms of their children. If you are interesting in participating, please complete the following form by Tuesday, March 26, 2019. We will only be able to take 15 total visitors (first come first serve). If there is an interest of more than 15, we will be sure to schedule additional visits. Thank you in advance for considering. https://goo.gl/forms/NqbILzZxNgWFb7sL2 Parent Survey Works Golden Ticket Incentive: BMS’s Survey Work portal will be open from March 11, 2019 to March 22, 2019. Our goal this year is to shatter our family response rate of last year’s only 104 responses from families. As an incentive to complete the survey, we are offering 3 “golden tickets” for students/family to be the first ones to take a tour of the new middle school. Each “golden ticket” winner will be able to invite two of his/her friends, as well as invite two family members. Please see the following link for additional information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BszCr9VKq3jyvjROh0f-90wMA46X0Y41viSwq92yOlc/edit?usp=sharing’ Parent Survey Works Information: surveys.panoramaed.com/ride Access Code for BMS - 01108family Vaping: Over the past few weeks, a few parents have reached out regarding information their children reported to them at home about middle school students vaping. It was important for Mrs. Bulk and I to provide parents with information regarding vaping. Please review the linked presentation, and I encourage you to review it with your child to open up discussion/conversation. Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know Slide Presentation Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know VLOG BMS Career Day: BMS Career Day- Friday, March 22nd 15 Parent volunteers needed to chaperone students in classrooms where BMS Career Day speakers will be presenting Chaperone volunteers will meet in the library at 9:00am for a brief overview. Career Day is over at 12:00pm. Please consider joining us for this great event! Sign-up on My School Anywhere or email [email protected] BMS School Improvement Plan Working Draft: I encourage you to periodically review the below link of our BMS Working School Improvement Plan. (note: Student Success Goals have been finalized and presented to our School Committee). BMS SMART Template 2018 - 2019 (Working Draft) Barrington Middle School
BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 3.4.2019 The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! Upcoming Events: (Note: Please review the dates as dates are subjected to change due to a number of factors from one newsletter to the next).
Note from Dr. Anderson: From time to time, trends, fads, and unexpected behaviors impact our learning community. In this week’s BMS Connected Learning Newsletter, we felt compelled to address two issues, the “momo challenge” and vaping. Please see the below information, and I encourage you to discuss these issues with your children (if you feel it is appropriate). BMS Spotlight on Learning: This week we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Dr. Brian Fernandes, Mrs. Dawn August, and Mrs. Nancy Maddocks for hosting last week’s family book night. We had over 20 families sign up to discuss the book Breakout! Thank you Brian, Dawn, and Nancy for providing this opportunity for our families. Well done! BMS News you can Use: BMS Building Update: The new building construction is well underway. To help with communication, each week I have been releasing the BMS Building Project Blog. You can access the blog by visiting the BMS Building Project Homepage or the direct link to the BMS Building Project Blog. In addition, each Tuesday morning we will have a student volunteer give updates to our student body during morning announcements. Parent Survey Works: BMS’s Survey Work portal will be open from March 11, 2019 to March 22, 2019. Our goal this year is to shatter our family response rate of last year’s only 104 responses from families. As an incentive to complete the survey, we are offering 3 “golden tickets” for students/family to be the first ones to take a tour of the new middle school. Each “golden ticket” winner will be able to invite two of his/her friends, as well as invite two family members. Please see the following link for additional information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BszCr9VKq3jyvjROh0f-90wMA46X0Y41viSwq92yOlc/edit?usp=sharing’ Momo Challenge: (shared from Dr. Robert Mitchell; Superintendent of Schools, Cumberland, RI) What is the Momo challenge? Momo is a social media account that can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Whatsapp. When a person interacts with the account, they begin to receive pictures of Momo, a terrifying image of a bug-eyed toothless woman. Momo responds almost immediately with threatening messages and violent images to the user. “She” says that she knows personal things about the user and uses fear and threats to challenge the user. Momo starts with simple challenges like waking up at odd hours of the night or overcoming a fear; then the challenges take on a very sinister turn, such as asking you to post photos or videos of cutting your arms or legs, jumping off of a roof, or other dangerous and risky activities. As the challenges intensify, the last thing Momo pressures you to do is to commit suicide. If the user fails to accept or pass any of the challenges, Momo sends even more threatening and violent images and texts until the user is coerced into doing the challenge. If none of these pressuring tactics work, Momo threatens to visit you in person, or while you’re sleeping and curse you. This can be terrifying to young kids and teens. Others have reported that when they called Momo for a challenge, they heard screams in the background or other creepy noises (Foster, 2018). Why are kids choosing to do this Challenge? There are many reasons; first and foremost the Momo challenge preys on the vulnerability of our kids. The kids most at risk are those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. They may be targeted by other kids to interact with the Momo account as a form of cyberbullying and they do not possess the coping skills to deal with the pressure–both from the challenges and from the bullies. This challenge is especially dangerous because of the immaturity of children and teens; their brains are still actively developing and going through immense changes. They are much more susceptible to peer pressure and feel an intense desire to keep up with their peers or prove themselves. Teenagers are often curious and can feel as if they are unstoppable; they will engage in risky behavior for attention, to gain popularity, and just for the “thrill of it”. What can you do? Talk to your kids about the Momo Challenge. Ask them if they know what it is. Have they heard of it? Have they tried it? If they don’t know about it, share the dangers associated with the challenge. Discuss a plan that includes what they can do if they receive a message with the Momo Challenge. Check your child’s phone/ Ipod/computer regularly. The Momo challenge is not the first challenge to encourage kids to participate in dangerous activities (the Slenderman and the Bluewhale challenge are similar challenges that were popular several years ago), and it will not be the last. If your child or teen is engaging in the Momo Challenge, or any other similar challenge, they will probably not volunteer that information to you. Remember you are your child’s greatest protector and you have every right to know the apps your child is using and have every right to check their electronic devices. Take social media seriously, do not downplay its power in our kids lives. Social media can be a means of building friendships and connecting but it is also where most of our kids are bullied, lose confidence, feel isolated, and are exposed to porn and other unhealthy media. Even if they aren’t sure what the Momo Challenge is, they may come upon this in the future, or other bizarre or dangerous “challenges.” Educating our kids will empower them to stay away from challenges such as this, and even encourage them to help their friends. Keep your relationship with your kids strong and solid. Spend time with them daily, allow them to talk with you about their interests, their friends and their fears. Keep the flow of communication open and consistent. Make sure they know and feel how much you love them. Have a social media contract with your kids! If your child is on social media, they need guidance and accountability. Knowing what is appropriate to share, what photos to post, and how to respond to other’s social media postings takes practice–and parents are the right people to set an example and teach their kids. Check out our free, downloadable ebook: Social Media and Teens: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Kids Safe Online. It includes a social media contract at the end! Need help talking to your kids about bullying? Read Giving a Voice to Bullying Victims or 5 Ways to Become a More Media-Savvy Parent so you can know what to say when the next social media challenge comes. Mary Bassett currently resides in Washington. She recently graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University of Idaho. She is currently an intern writer for the non-profit organization, Educate Empower Kids. She hopes to one day work as a Family Life Educator. She is passionate about educating families how important love is in the home. Citations: ANI. (2018, August 09). What is Momo challenge? – Times of India ►. Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/what-is-momo-challenge/articleshow/65318768.cms. Bergland, C. (2013, December 19). Why Is the Teen Brain So Vulnerable? Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201312/why-is-the-teen-brain-so-vulnerable. Foster, A. (2018, August 11). Story behind this creepy photo. Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/where-the-creepy-image-for-the-momo-challenge-came-from/news-story/535560edbd2ad95656216d626030fa29. Inside Edition. (2018, August 07). What You Need to Know About the ‘Momo Challenge’. Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=Jb3upXBzedc. N. (n.d.). Warning to local parents about “Momo Suicide Challenge”. Retrieved from https://newschannel20.com/news/local/warning-to-local-parents-about-momo-suicide-challenge Shaikh, M. (2018, August 6). Teen loses life as violent WhatsApp game Momo challenge goes viral. Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/teen-loses-life-as-violent-whatsapp-game-momo-challenge-goes-viral-1306646-2018-08-06. Vaping: Over the past few weeks, a few parents have reached out regarding information their children reported to them at home about middle school students vaping. It was important for Mrs. Bulk and I to provide parents with information regarding vaping. Please review the linked presentation, and I encourage you to review it with your child to open up discussion/conversation. Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know Slide Presentation Vaping 101 What Parents Need to Know VLOG BMS School Improvement Plan Working Draft: I encourage you to periodically review the below link of our BMS Working School Improvement Plan. (note: Student Success Goals have been finalized and presented to our School Committee). BMS SMART Template 2018 - 2019 (Working Draft) |