Bruin Bite — 8 October

Greetings!

Wow!  The weather has been wonderful this week.  I hope you are able to get out with your family and enjoy the fall weather over the next few weekends.  The colder weather is coming fast.  It is important to spend quality time with our families and unplug from the chaos and stress of society.  Your family unit can be a safe place for your child.  The middle school years are tricky and the time passes so quickly.  Take advantage of it.  It is a perfect time to talk with your children, to ask questions and encourage their natural curiosity.  Also, next week is a short week (Fall Recess) and I will not be sending a Bruin Bite.  

• Tomorrow is our District Cross Country meet at Jordan High at 9:00.  It might be a rainy run!!  Congrats to our runners and thank you to all our students who participated.  It was a good group and they have had a good time.  Thanks to Mr. Chen as well for helping us have this activity.  
• Wild Weather Days:  The weather is changing and we will start having more inside days.  Inside Days are when the “feels like” temperature is below 22 degrees Fahrenheitor there is significant winds or wet weather.  This is the same practice that is in our elementary schools.  On those inside days, you will see signage at the front doors.  Doors/Classrooms are to be open at 7:30 AM.  Students are always welcome to go outside during lunch.  We post the air quality each day for students, and on rainy or wet days we discourage students to go outside.  They do not always listen.

• TikTok Challenges–By now, most of you have likely hear about the “Devious Licks” TikTok trend that encourages students to steal or damage school property or disrupt the school. Thank you for your efforts to discourage your children from participating in this destructive activity.  We saw some of this, but not at the level of several of the other middle schools in the district. 

There are monthly TikTok “challenges” that encourage students to participate in yet more disruptive, illegal, and even assaultive behaviors. The latest online “challenge” urges students to video record themselves slapping teachers or school staff members. To be clear, this is unacceptable. Our school will continue to ensure that students understand our expectations for acceptable behavior. The consequences for the assault of school personnel, or vandalized or stolen school property, may lead to the involvement of law enforcement or disciplinary action in line with Canyons District policies. These continued “challenges” also represent a teachable moment as they highlight the peer pressure students sometimes encounter on social media — a topic we address through our NetSmartz Assembly and lessons. This is a good opportunity to discuss with your child how to use technology safely and responsibly.  We love BMS and are proud of our Bruins. We want this to be a safe and positive place of learning and want everyone to show their GREAT Bruin pride.  Thank you for your support.  

PTSA – Thanks to our PTSA for a terrific Red Ribbon Week.  Students and staff enjoyed it.  The sidewalk art was amazing!!!!  

• Don’t be afraid to join the PTSA Gouls and Gals https://butlermiddle.memberhub.com/store
• Make sure to purchase your Memory Books before the price increase! Purchase them now through the School Office for $25.
• The last Spirit Wear order’s deadline is October 8 (TODAY) https://butlermiddle.memberhub.com/store
• Reflections deadline has been extended to October 11, 11:59pm www.utahpta.org/ref
• We need parents help with Reality Town please sign up for October 21/22   Reality Town Sign Up
• Partnership Night will be at MOD Pizza this month. Watch for more details.

Emergency Substitutes – If you have the ability and the time, we need emergency substitutes.  You can sign up with the district to be a substitute and specify you only want BMS or a specific set of schools.  You can also contact Ms. LaDena Saxey to sign up to be an emergency sub or to find out more. You will need to complete a background check.  Call the main office at (801) 826-6800 between 8:00 a.m.and 2:00 p.m. or email  ladena.saxey@canyonsdistict.org

Halloween – During the school year we have various dress up days for various reasons.  Please note that dress code is always an expectation; shoes are required; and masks are not allowed.  As for Halloween, we have had students (and staff) dress up in the past.  On Friday, October 29th, students can wear Halloween Costumes. (Thank you to all who helped me note the wrong day and date last week)  When working with your student to select a costume, please remember the dress code will still be in effect.  Here are some guidelines:

• No full face masks or full face paint.  We need to be able to visually identify students even in costumes.
• Costumes that are provocative, revealing, sexual in nature or employ questionable props are not permitted.
• Costumes that depict violence, alcohol, or drugs are not permitted.  Fake (or real) weapons are not permitted.
• Costumes that can be offensive or perpetuate a stereotype of someone’s culture, gender, heritage or religion are not permitted.
• Costumes should not hinder your ability to participate in classes, including PE or hinder your ability to move through the hallways in a safe manner.

And as always the costumes or dressings up is optional.  Students wearing questionable costumes will be asked to modify their costumes to make them appropriate for school. If you have any questions regarding the appropriateness of your costume idea, we encourage you to speak with a teacher, counselor or administrator.  Thank you for taking the time to help your student understand these guidelines.  

GREAT Bruins – Respect – Here at Butler Middle School our G.R.E.A.T. Bruins are Good Citizens, Respectful, Engaged, Always Safe, and Totally Responsible.   Respect is one of our GREAT Bruin characteristics.  Respect is a big deal to middle school students.  It is something that they understand in relation to how they are treated, but often they do not see it as clearly in relation to their actions and how they treat or respond to others.  It is an interesting and rewarding part of our job to talk with students and help them reflect on respect in relation to their actions. We will have this discussion time and time again.  Our students are learning and growing and trying to test their own wings. We work with them and set clear boundaries, but as they cross them, there needs to be discussion and learning beyond just consequences.  Please know that we do work on this constantly. We encourage you to take some time to talk over what Respect looks like in your family and what it looks like for your family as you move about in society. While sometimes deep discussions can be difficult or awkward with our teens, if you don’t talk about it, many times young people think that means you don’t care.  There are a lot of influences in the world, but the most important ones often come from the family.  We challenge you to take some time this weekend to talk over Respect with your student—What do they think it is?  How do they show respect for others (parents, siblings, neighbors, teachers, etc.) and how do they think people show respect to them?  Remind them that words have power and we need to use that power for good.  Name-calling and mean comments (even between friends) are not good patterns and can be quite hurtful and destructive.  Good Luck!

Parent Resources – This is just a resource that you as a parent might find interesting.  Sometimes I share my thoughts about it; sometimes I just share.  It takes a village to raise our children and to keep them safe.  I hope some of what I am able to send is helpful.  Sometimes there are repeats, but I do try to provide at least one resource each week. 

• Parenting Kids with Anxiety –This is a longer read from The Atlantic.  About one third of adolescents experience anxiety in some form.  I liked the effort to normalize and help us work through it along with the premise that there are disorders that need more help.  
• This-is-most-important-lesson-parents-need-to-teach-middle-school-students-according-to-a-school-counselor.html This is a quick article about teaching kids to take healthy risks.
• Social Development at a Glance  
• Technology Balance .pdf 
• In middle school we start to work with students to develop more independence in learning.  This is an important skill.  At this age, some students are tentative or shy about asking questions, other students ask inappropriate questions or do not know how to appropriately advocate for themselves or friends.  If your child struggles with this, just start small.  Have them ask one question to one teacher each day.  It could be about an assignment or grade or just a quick thing related to learning or what to study.  It is easier at times to stay in the background, but work with your children to develop confidence in how to advocate for themselves in small ways.  You could even role play with them.  And on a more personal reflective note, as an adult, when was the last time you let your curiosity run?  Spend some time this month with your child(ren) and explore something you are both curious about.  Help your child(ren) to see you excited about learning. 

Parent Helps: 

• Label Items–please take a permanent marker and write your child’s last name, first initial on everything–lunch containers, bottoms of shoes, tags on jackets, inside of backpack.  Every day we have items left behind.  It helps us if we can find a name.   
• Food Deliveries during lunch–we are happy to have your student come down to the office to pick up items they may have forgotten, including a lunch.  As for food items, only individual lunches delivered by a parent will be delivered to a student and should only be when a student forgets to bring a lunch.  As we have several students with serious and varied allergies, we do not allow food to be shared, so no pizza or shared items will be delivered. 
• Drop Off--As a whole, parents are doing a GREAT job with drop off!!  Thank you!!  It is an ongoing challenge.  Thank you for your patience and your care to make sure you are driving safely around our kids.  There are two things to remember:
  • Please plan for a 5 second drop off--once you turn into the school lot, be sure your child is ready to exit the vehicle on the right side.  
  • Patience–as we move into colder days and weather days, more people will be using the drop off.  Be prepared for this on those days.  The lane starts to get quite busy about 7:45.  

Build-A-Bruin  – The following classes earned a Build-A-Bruin Bear this week:

• Ms. Bradshaw
• Mrs. Clyde
• Mrs. Dunleavy A Day
• Mrs. Giles
• Mr. Olsen
• Mr. Sanderson
• Mrs. Stanton

Upcoming Events

• October 9                                District Cross Country Meet, 9AM Jordan HS
• October 14 and 15                   Fall Recess (No School)
• October 18 – 22                       UCAW (College Week)
• October 20                              SCC Meeting, 3:30, Main Office 
• October 22                              End of 1st Term
• October 22                              8th Grade Reality Town
• October 29                              Halloween Dress Up

Current After School Activities

• Chess League                           Mondays
• Bruins Den                              Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• Math Help                               Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Robotics League                      Thursdays

DLI Intent-to-Continue – An online orientation for parents of secondary Dual Language Immersion learners will be available onCSD’s online learning portal Canvas anytime from now through November 5th. Covered in the orientation is the Intent-to-Continue process that all fifth and eighth-grade dual immersion students must complete by November 5th in order to continue with the program in middle and high school.  Read more at canyonsdistrict.org.

If you are feeling that more than normal anxiety or stress is happening with you or your child, please let us know.  If you are noticing excessive amounts of homework, please contact us.  You can contact a teacher, the counselors, or the administration.   Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  We are here to help.

And remember, 

It’s always a GREAT day. . . To be a BRUIN!!!

Ms. Paula Logan

Ongoing Items – These items have been addressed before, but you may need the information again.

• Bruins Den – October 12 (Fall Recess Week), 19, 20, 21.  The Bruins’ Den is available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 3:00- 4:00 PM in the Media Center.  This is a time for students to complete homework and/or get help from teachers.  Each afternoon, two teachers are available in the Media Center to assist with student homework.  Students can work on their own or get assistance from a teacher.  Computers are available for homework.

• The BMS Veterans’ Wall – Each year Butler Middle School puts up a Veterans’ Wall.  This is a tradition to honor the people who have served in the various branches of the military.  It can be anyone who is special to you and your family—a close friend, family, a neighbor, etc.  We will be posting the name of each Veteran, a picture, the branch of service, years of service, name of the conflict or war during which the Veteran served, and the name of the person submitting and the relationship (friend, uncle, GG grandfather, mom, neighbor, etc).  Names are submitted to Mrs. Van Haaften in the media center.  Students can talk with their social studies teachers about this as well.

We will collect names through November.  We will be putting these names up on our Veterans’ Wall throughout the latter part of October and it will stay up through Veterans’ Day, November 11th.  We also use the information to put together a slideshow and have an assembly to recognize our BMS Veterans.  For this assembly our band, orchestra and choir are learning (and will be performing) some patriotic songs.  It is a GREAT opportunity to recognize some of the people who have sacrificed for our county and for our rights and freedoms.  If you have someone in your life who has served, we encourage you to submit that information. Thank you!

• Contacting Teachers – There are two ways to contact teachers:
  • Email—firstname.lastname@canyonsdistrict.org
  • Call the Main Office and leave a message, 801-826-6800

Once you have sent an email or left a message, please allow 24-48 hours for a response.  If you are coming to the building to meet with a teacher, I encourage you to set an appointment.  This just helps everyone know when and where and why, so the meeting/appointment can address the concerns productively. There are various meetings, classes, and activities that involve teachers after school.  We tend to have our school faculty meetings on Mondays after school.  Beyond that, teachers are involved in various trainings, Bruins Den, Math Help, after school activities, student meetings, etc.  While these are not every evening, it is frustrating for everyone when a drop in meeting cannot be accommodated.