Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you and your families in good health and enjoying a wonderful summer break. As we gear up for the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year, I wanted to take a moment to share some important updates about our school.
First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and trust in our school. At BMS, we are dedicated to creating a safe, nurturing, and intellectually stimulating environment for your children, and we are genuinely excited about the possibilities that the upcoming school year holds.
One of our main objectives for this year is to continue fostering a strong sense of belonging and community among our students. To achieve this, our dedicated staff will be introducing enhanced Social-Emotional Learning programs with strategies that will empower our students to navigate the middle school years with confidence. We remain committed to ensuring that all students benefit from a safe and supportive school environment, guided by the systemwide Student Code of Conduct implemented by FCPS. This document outlines our commitment, how we will address challenges, and the consistent support we offer across all our schools. We will share more details about the Student Code of Conduct during the first week of school.
Our team is thrilled about the updates to the middle school elective course offerings. Now, students can choose from both year-long and semesterized options, ensuring that they get at least one of their top three elective choices. This flexibility has opened up opportunities for mixed grade level electives, something we've been successfully implementing at BMS for several years, particularly in Chorus, Art, and World Language classes. Our students can expect even more exciting mixed grade level elective options this year, allowing them to explore subjects that truly interest them.
Throughout the summer months, we have been busy working on school improvement and hiring staff. I am happy to introduce the following new BMS staff members:
- Chuck Thatcher: School Psychologist
- Joe Thompson: User Support Specialist
- Derek Frazer: Special Education
- Marcie Clagett: Special Education
- Marilyn Greenfield: School Counselor
- Katelyn Parker: Mathematics
- Kaitlin Stevens: Mathematics
- Kendra Blatzheim: Special Education Instructional Assistant
- Megan Wolfe: Special Education Instructional Assistant
At BMS, we firmly believe that a strong partnership between home and school is fundamental to your child's academic success and personal growth. To keep you well-informed, we will continue using Find-Out-First, Schoology, email, and our monthly newsletters to share important updates and upcoming events at BMS.
Additionally, please take note of the following key dates and events for the start of the school year:
- By 8/7, student schedules will be available electronically in Schoology. Be on the lookout for an email from FCPS with information about the Schoology password. Your schedule is based on your preferences as indicated on your registration sheet. Schedule changes will only be possible where an error has occurred with academic placement. Students are assigned to counselors as follows:
- 6th grade: Ms. Greenfield
- 8th grade: Ms. Pearre
- 7th grade: Ms. Greenfield (last names A-K) and Ms. Pearre (last names L-Z)
- On 8/14, we will be holding our Open House with two time slots: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM for 7th and 8th-grade students, and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM for 6th-grade students only. Students are welcome to pick up a hard copy of their schedule and school map and take a self-guided tour to locate classes and walk through their daily schedule. Please note that teachers will not be present during this event.
- Mark your calendars for Back-to-School Night on 8/19 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Families can drop in anytime between these hours for the opportunity to informally tour our building and "meet and greet" with teachers and other staff members. It would be helpful if you bring a copy (paper or electronic) of your child's schedule for reference.
- Finally, we are excited to welcome everyone on 8/21 for the first day of the 2024-2025 school year! We are looking forward to embarking on this educational journey together and creating a year full of learning and growth.
FCPS provides a Chromebook to all students and there is no fee for its usage. All FCPS students are required to use the Chromebook provided by FCPS. Chromebooks will be distributed to our incoming 6th graders and those new to our school during the first few days of school. It is important to note that the previous FCPS BYOD program has ended. All FCPS students are required to use the chromebook provided by FCPS.
For parents who require bus information, on 8/10, initial bus details will be available on the FCPS website. Simply use your child's ID number to look up the bus information.
Thank you for your continuous support of our school community. We eagerly look forward to collaborating with you to ensure a memorable and successful year for your child. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me or any member of our staff.
As the summer days wind down, we eagerly anticipate welcoming you back to BMS. Enjoy the remaining days of this beautiful season, and we can't wait to see you soon!
Everett Warren Judith Hale
Principal Assistant Principal