Barrington Middle School 

BMS Connected Learning Newsletter 6.1.2020 

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. 

  • BMS Math Progression Q and A on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. 

  • BMS PTO Meeting on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 from 7:00 pm - 8:00 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 our 8th grade students Grant Culton, Grace Hall, and Alex Hall, as well as our TV/Studio teacher Mr. Eric Altieri for their efforts in creating “We are BMS” for our BMS Learning Community. We could not have been more thrilled with the outcome of the project, and we look forward to using the film for years to come. Great work students! 

BMS New Information

Distance Learning Schedule Week of 5/31/2020

Date

Day 

Specials 

Monday

June 1, 2020

No School 

State PD Day 

No School 

State PD Day 

Tuesday

June 2, 2020

Day 5

Block

8th Grade Specials 

6th/7th Grade Independent Practice

Wednesday

June 3, 2020

Day 6

Block

8th Grade Specials 

6th/7th Grade Independent Practice

Thursday

June 4, 2020

Day 1

Block 

6th Grade Specials 

7th/8th Grade Independent Practice

Friday 

June 5, 2020

Day 2

Block 

6th Grade Specials 

7th/8th Grade Independent Practice

BMS Math Progression Overview and Q and A: 

This past Thursday, May 28, 2020 we released our BMS Math Progression overview to our families. Please see link below: 

Barrington Middle School Mathematical Progressions 2019 - 2020 (Video) 

Barrington Middle School Mathematical Progressions 2020 - 2021 (Slide Deck) 

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. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81604692540?pwd=N25PYjNyRUQza3UzaE5QQkJOZitjZz09

Meeting ID: 816 0469 2540

Password: 3TSCzn

ELA Summer Learning: 

Incoming students in grades 6-8 will have personal choice for their summer learning, reading from the RIMSBA (Rhode Island Middle School Book Awards) list.  Grades 6 & 7 students will select two books from the list to read.  Grade 8 students will select one book from the list and read the first 71 pages of Dry to be prepared for the new school year. All students will also complete a brief response to literature activity for each book read. All BMS ELA teachers will share the reading expectations with students by June 12.

Math Summer Learning: 

For students entering grade 6 math, grade 7 math, and grade 8 Pre-Algebra:  Students will be given a code to a Google Classroom page for Summer Learning prior to the end of the year. This will include recommended assignments through Khan Academy.  

 For students entering Algebra:   Students entering Algebra will receive a code to a Google Classroom page for Summer Learning, which will include the mandatory grade 8 Geometry practice assignments.  These will be through Khan Academy and GoFormative.  

Common Sense Media: 

Our district and school continues to embrace the importance of teaching digital citizenship to our students. During the time of distance learning, we have come up with creative ways to substitute the typical CSM lessons with online digital citizenship activities. Over the next coming weeks, students during FAST will be completing various activities.

Old Information: 

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 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. 

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 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. 

Reimbursement Email

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: 

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! 

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

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.