Berlin Middle School

A Message From the Principal

Greetings BMS Families!

As summer comes to a close, we are excited to embark on another wonderful school year! Our staff has enjoyed their time off while also participating in professional development, and they will soon be back, ready to prepare for the upcoming year. We are thrilled to welcome back our 7th and 8th graders and are especially eager to greet our new 6th graders!

Middle school is a time of remarkable transformation. As parents and guardians, you understand that this period includes significant physical, emotional, and mental changes. Students also begin to form strong perspectives on the world around them.

To support all learners at BMS, we are dedicated to our guiding principles:

Be Respectful

• Listen actively and communicate clearly when sharing thoughts.

• Express needs and emotions appropriately.

Be Responsible

• Utilize organizational skills and strategies to maintain focus.

• Arrive to class on time and prepared with necessary materials.

Be Safe

• Collaborate cooperatively and productively with peers.

• If you see something, say something.

We look forward to providing students with more opportunities to explore their interests, strengths, and potential career pathways through various courses and extracurricular activities.

We are excited to connect with our students and families at Open House on Monday, August 25, from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM!

Warm regards,

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• Monday, August 18: Meet and greet for fall sports | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

• Tuesday, August 19: First day of football practice

• Monday, August 25: Open House & School Photos | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• Tuesday, August 26: First day of cross country practice

• Wednesday, August 27: First day of volleyball practice

• Thursday, August 28: First Day Launch of the School Year!

• BASD Calendar of Events: CLICK HERE

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Save the dates for Berlin Area School District's Open House & School Photos!

Join us at Clay Lamberton Elementary, Middle School, and High School! This is your chance to meet our amazing teachers and explore the hallways and classrooms.

School photos will be captured by Rachel Van Den Hout Photography, so be sure to bring your brightest smiles!

Don't forget, you can pre-order your school photos right here!

https://rvdhphoto.hhimagehost.com/V2/Home/LoginConsumer...

We can't wait to see you there!

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School Supply List: CLICK HERE

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For the safety of all our students, we kindly request that drop-offs occur only at the east side entrance of the BMS building or the north side circle drive in front of BHS (as indicated by the blue arrows in the illustration above). We ask families to refrain from using the Oak Street Bus entrance during regular school hours for drop-off or pick-up, as this can create unsafe conditions for our students.

Additionally, please avoid parking on Memorial Drive or near the main office, as this can disrupt traffic flow.

In the morning, all students should enter BMS through the south side gym doors and exit through the same doors in the afternoon. Thank you for your cooperation!

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All students should enter the building through Door H on the south side of the school. This applies to all students, including those being dropped off by parents, bus riders, and walkers. Once inside, students will walk to the BHS commons, where they can pick up breakfast before heading to their lockers.

Students enjoy a soft start to the day, allowing them to drop off their belongings at their lockers and then report to Homeroom to eat breakfast and connect with their peers. To maintain a calm environment, we kindly ask that students refrain from gathering in the hallways. Thank you for your cooperation!

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Ensuring that every student reaches their fullest academic potential relies heavily on consistent school attendance and active participation from parents and guardians. If your child needs to be absent for any reason, please contact the school attendance line provided below. For absences due to medical appointments, we kindly ask that you submit a medical note when your child returns to school. Additionally, please remember to call your student in at the BMS Office line at (920) 361-2441, option 1. You can also enter your child’s absence in the Attendance Monitor PowerSchool.

Did You Know?

• Attendance is a crucial life skill that helps students graduate and maintain employment.

• Missing 10% of the school year, which is about 18 days, can significantly impact a student’s academic success.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three key indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of high school.

• The academic consequences of missing school are similar whether the absences are excused or unexcused.

• Absenteeism in the first month of school can forecast poor attendance for the remainder of the year.

Thank you for your support in promoting the importance of attendance for your child's success!

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At BMS, we are dedicated to fostering an academic environment that is safe, respectful, and responsible for all students. Research shows that cell phones can significantly affect an individual's ability to focus and concentrate. Furthermore, social media use has been linked to lower self-esteem due to instances of bullying.

To enhance the overall well-being and academic success of our students, we have decided to implement a policy that prohibits cell phone use throughout the school day. This means that students should keep their cell phones stored in their lockers from the moment they arrive until the end of the day. Phones will not be permitted during classes, passing periods, or lunch.

If parents need to contact their children during school hours, please call the office for assistance. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work together to create a positive learning environment for all.

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Each student at BMS will receive a school-issued Chromebook, which must remain on campus. At the beginning of the day, students will collect their Chromebooks from the charging cart during homeroom and return them to the cart before leaving the building. This process ensures that all devices are fully charged and ready for use in class, while also helping to prevent damage.

For students who need to use a Chromebook for academic purposes after school, they can check one out from the library to take home and return the following day. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain these valuable learning tools!

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Berlin Middle School is dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and respectful learning environment for all students, whether in the school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, or during school-sponsored events. Despite our best efforts in education and preventive measures, instances of bullying and peer conflict may still arise.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation regarding situations that involve peer conflict or bullying. It is important to recognize that there are often multiple perspectives in these situations, and responsibility may be shared among those involved.

Reporting Process

Students should report any incidents of bullying or peer conflict to a BMS staff member, which could be a teacher, counselor, or administrator. Since staff members may not always witness these incidents, we encourage you to talk with your child about this. Students are also welcome to visit the office to file a written report, which will be forwarded to administration for further action.

Process
Once a report is submitted, the information is shared with the administration, who will begin the investigation process. This may take some time, depending on the number of individuals involved. The investigation may include conversations with all parties, including adults, and reviewing video footage if available. Throughout the process, the administration will communicate with the parents or guardians of all parties involved, based on the duration of the investigation.

Outcomes
At BMS, we adopt a progressive approach focused on addressing behaviors and providing opportunities for students to grow. These outcomes align with the BASD Code of Conduct. While the results may not always meet everyone's expectations, we appreciate your trust and support as we take further steps if peer conflict or bullying arises. We also recognize that, due to privacy laws, we cannot disclose information regarding the outcomes related to other students.

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The Following Items Are Not Allowed at School:

• Hoods or hats (including those clipped to pants)

• Costume attire, unless permission has been granted for a special event

• Undergarments that are exposed or not adequately covered by outer clothing

• Items displaying gang affiliation, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or that provoke violence, disruption, hate speech, or target specific groups/protected classes

• Blankets or similar items

• Jackets or coats worn indoors

If any adult feels that a student's clothing is inappropriate or disruptive to the school environment, the student may be kindly asked to change.

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• Headphones: Wireless headphones are not permitted during the school day. Students may use wired headphones at the discretion of their teachers.

• Backpacks and Personal Bags: All backpacks, string bags, and purses should be stored in students' assigned lockers throughout the school day. Students are not allowed to carry these items from class to class.

• Personal Items: We kindly ask that personal items, including toys and stuffed animals, be kept at home and not brought to class.

• Food and Beverages: Students may only drink water during classes, unless otherwise specified in an individual plan. All other food and beverages should remain in students' lockers.

• Caffeinated Beverages: Caffeinated drinks are not allowed at Berlin Middle School. We kindly request that parents and guardians refrain from providing these beverages to students during the school day.

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Changing: Students are required to change for class, which includes a complete change of clothing from head to toe: tops, bottoms, and appropriate athletic shoes. Please encourage students to bring a change of clothes, including layers such as shorts, pants, and tennis shoes, as well as deodorant. These items should be stored in their physical education lockers. It’s also a good idea for students to take their clothing home regularly to be washed.

Make-ups: Similar to other subjects, if students miss class, they will have the opportunity to make up the physical education activities they missed. This ensures that everyone stays engaged and up-to-date with the lessons.

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• At Berlin Middle School, we utilize letter grades, grades, in conjunction with rubrics to showcase proficiency towards standards. Below are the metrics that will be used for points to translate to letter grades.

• All assessments will have rubrics using these metrics and detailed descriptors to help students understand their level of proficiency.

• Students' grades will be more heavily weighted on summative assessments over formative assessments. 

  1. Summative will account for 80% of a students grade (end of unit tests, performance tasks to show proficiency on standards for unit)

  2. Formative assessments will account for 20% of the grade (progress throughout unit- quizzes, short responses, etc)

• Below is the grading scale uses at BMS that will be reported in PowerSchool for you to see as parents/guardians

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We will continue to provide feedback through grades on our Professionalism Skills. These skills are essential for our students at BMS to thrive as learners now and in the future. We believe that these skills play a crucial role in the overall development of students, and offering feedback will empower our learners today to become tomorrow's leaders.

• Express needs and emotions in a respectful and appropriate manner.

• Practice active listening and clear communication when sharing thoughts and ideas.

• Arrive to class on time and come prepared with necessary materials.

• Utilize organizational skills and strategies to maintain focus.

• Collaborate effectively and productively in group settings.

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Each day, students receive assignments designed to enhance their learning and provide valuable practice opportunities. If a student is unable to participate or falls behind, they will be assigned to an after-school program called "Performance Time."

Performance Time will take place from 3:30 PM to 4:40 PM. Our staff will reach out to parents if their student is assigned to this program. Please be aware that students attending Performance Time may arrive late or miss any other after-school activities they are involved in. This time is intended to be constructive, allowing students to receive support from a BMS staff member and stay on track with their assignments.

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We are excited to offer a variety of after-school events throughout the school year, including dances and activity nights!

These events will take place from 3:45 PM to 5:45 PM. Please arrange for transportation to ensure that staff members are not required to stay at school for extended periods.

Our after-school events are designed to foster connections, provide fun, and help students build social skills in a supervised environment. To maintain a positive atmosphere, we kindly ask that students adhere to BMS expectations. If a student does not follow these guidelines, we may need to ask parents or guardians to pick them up.

Please note that if a student is absent due to illness or leaves early on the day of an event, they will not be permitted to attend. This policy also applies to students facing school-based disciplinary actions, such as suspensions.

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