Dear Parents,
This has been quite a week back. The kids have been great. Learning has been good. I have been able to be in quite a few classes to see the interaction and learning. These are things I love about school. Unfortunately, as I am sure you are noticing in the news, the case counts of COVID are dramatically on the rise in our state and county. Over the course of this first week, BMS has moved from Tier One (0-5 cases) to the top part of Tier 2 (6-14 cases).
We are averaging about 125 students absent each day. While we are in Tier 2 with positive COVID cases, we do have families being quite proactive about keeping exposed students home and sick students home.
We at BMS understand and support the rights of parents and guardians to make decisions that are in the best interest of their children and families. If your child is absent, teachers are working to keep Canvas updated and supports available for students. We understand there are quite a few absences this week and likely next and we may continue to see this throughout the month. We will do our best to support our students and their learning. As this is a ongoing situation due to the numbers of students who are absent, please be patient with our teachers and we will be patient with you.
We do encourage all staff and students to wear masks to help with mitigating the spread of this virus. Students and staff will see more signage related to this when they return on Monday. We will also be encouraging students to use water bottles and fill stations to limit spread through drinking fountains. We will also be encouraging them to space more while in the cafeteria. Our custodial staff will be sanitizing the building on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and sanitizing the cafeteria tables daily.
We ask that you talk with your children about masks and social distancing as mitigation strategies and follow the recommended isolation and mask wearing for a positive case or an exposure. Updated-Guidance-on-Isolation-and-Quarantine-for-the-General-Population-12-28[1].pdf
The quarter will end on January 13. Please work with your student to be sure they are completing the starter work and assignments. You can check grades on Skyward. Also, Friday January 14, is a grading day. So it is a day off for our students. Teachers still come to the building and work on completing grades for the quarter and getting things in place for the coming quarter.
BMS Teacher of the Year—We are at that time of year to nominate our Teacher of the Year. The window is open through Feb. 4. Last year Ms. Clark was our Teacher of the Year. If you have a teacher who has had a positive impact on your child, please take the time to nominate them. The PTSA helps us recognize all our nominees. Teacher of the Year Nomination Form
Drop Off—Thank you for your patience and for keeping student safety as a priority. It is always more time when we have a larger numbers of drop offs on those wild weather mornings. Patience and deep breathing is important for all of us. I am aware of the issue with the snow removal and the pile of snow/ice that was blocking one of our east exit lanes. When they are pushing snow out to clear the road and parking lot, we have requested that they do not block that lane.
PTSA:
- Join the Memory Book Staff and help create this year’s memory book! We will meet Fridays from 3:00-4:00pm from January to April. Email bmsmemorybook@gmail.com for an application!
- Didn’t get what you wanted for Christmas? Bonus!! The Memory Book is available for only $30 for a limited time. Your school memory book is available for purchase through the school office. Get yours today!!
- What is your New Year’s Resolution? Join the PTSA
Upcoming Events:
- Jan 13 End of Quarter 2
- Jan 14 No School for students
- Jan 17 No School for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Jan 18 Start of Quarter 3
- Jan 19 School Community Counsel (SCC) 3:30
- Jan 22 District Chess Tournament, Mt. Jordan
- Feb 1 Course Registration Information Assemblies
And remember . . .
It’s Always a GREAT Day to be a Bruin!!
Ms. Paula Logan
Ongoing Items: These are items we have addressed before, but you may need the information again.
Bruins Den—January 11, 12, 13 and January 18, 19, 20.
