Barrington Middle School

“We are BMS”

BMS Connected Learning Newsletter: Week of 11.12.2023

The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Excel! 

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.

Welcome, 

Ласкаво просимо, ברוך הבא

bienvenido, benvenuto, 欢迎, Bem-vindo, स्वागत, வரவேற்பு, 

Hoş geldin, welkom, Witamy, 

добро пожаловать, maligayang pagdating, 

خوش آمدید, Bi xêr hatî, স্বাগত, καλως ΗΡΘΑΤΕ, ಸ್ವಾಗತ

Üdvözöljük, Willkom,いらっしゃいませ

歡迎, fáilte, 환영합니다

स्वागत छ

Ⲛⲟϥⲣⲓ  , مرحباً

To BMS! 

This year, we would like to celebrate and recognize the various languages spoken at Barrington Middle School. If you would like to include the language spoken in your home, please complete the following link. 

Let’s Celebrate the Languages Spoken at BMS

Important Dates:

  • No School (Veteran’s Day)- Monday, November 13, 2023

  • 8th Grade DC Field Trip Family Meeting - Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 6:00 pm in the BMS Auditorium

  • Parent & Student Meeting for BMS Girls’ Basketball - Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 6:00 pm

  • School Picture Retake Day - Thursday, November 16, 2023 starting at 8:45 am

  • 8th Grade Sports Night- Friday, November 17, 2023

  • No school (Thanksgiving Break)- Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - Friday, November 24, 2023)

Stay Connected with BMS:

Day/Date

Monday

11.13.2023

Tuesday

11.14.2023

Wednesday

11.15.2023

Thursday

11.16.2023

Friday

11.17.2023

Odd/Even

Block/Non

Odd

Block

 

Even

Block

Odd

Non-Block

Even

Non-Block

Activities or Events

No School 

Veterans Day Observed

8th Grade DC Field Trip Family Meeting  6:00 pm - 7:00 pm 


Picture Retake Day 

8th Grade Sportsnight 7:00pm - 9:00 pm 

~ BMS Current and Relevant News ~

8th Grade DC Field Trip Family Meeting:

Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 6:00 pm there will be an Information Meeting regarding the annual 8th grade field trip to Washington, D.C.  The meeting is for parents and students and will be held in the Middle School Auditorium.

BMS School Pictures:

School picture packages were handed out a couple of weeks ago.  If you have any questions at all about your order, please don’t hesitate to contact Coffee Pond at the email or phone numbers listed below.  Picture retake day will be on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

A note from Coffee Pond…

It’s always our goal to deliver the best possible images, but occasionally some customer service issues crop up. 

 

Please encourage parents with questions (about order forms, late orders, missing orders & refunds etc.)  to contact our Customer Care staff directly. They’re ready to handle all questions. The simplest and fastest resolution is for parents to communicate directly with our Customer Care team.

Customer Care

Lifeguards@coffeepond.com

508-907-6633 ext. 0

800-632-2323 ext. 0

 

Mailing Address:

 

Coffee Pond Photography

3 Speen Street, Suite 200

Framingham, MA 01701

 

One special note - some parents order a digital sharing file (and no prints)…in those instances, their photograph has been emailed to the address provided by the parents.  Again, if those parents have any questions, let them know that our Customer Care department would be happy to assist them.

BMS Fun Fall Festival: 

This Friday, November 17, 2023, we will be hosting our 1st Annual Fall Fun Festival. This will be a competition similar to “Winter Carnival” and “Wacky Olympics.” The difference will be this competition will be a head-to-head-to-head competition between teams made up of different clusters from different grade levels. 

Team 1: Yellow Cluster, Blue Cluster, Purple Cluster 

Team 2: Razz Cluster, Orange Cluster, Green Cluster 

Team 3: Lime Cluster, Aqua Cluster, Red Cluster 

We encourage all of our students to show their BMS pride and wear their cluster colors on Friday. 

2023-2024 Student Panorama Survey:

We thank you and your family for being our valued partners as we work together to educate the children in our district. BPS values input from our community – and we need to hear from your child or children! Students are essential partners as we work to improve our communication, academic program, and overall experience for everyone. 

To learn more about student experiences at school, we will ask for your child’s feedback via an online survey they will be completing during the weeks of 12/4-12/15.  We will also ask your child to reflect on their mindsets and approaches to learning. The survey shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes to complete.

The survey content will ask students to self-reflect on their Emotion-Regulation, Growth Mindset, Social Awareness, Sense of Belonging, Teacher-Student Relationship, and School Climate.

We are partnering with Panorama Education to support us in administering these surveys. We ask that all of our students in grades 6-8 participate in the survey, as their feedback will provide invaluable insights into their experiences and how we  can improve and adapt our district to their needs. If students don’t feel they have enough information to answer a question, they can skip the item altogether.

Please notify us if you would like your child to opt out of taking the surveys by completing this Panorama Survey Opt-Out form by December 1, 2023.  If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Anderson at 401-247-3160 or andersona@barringtonschools.org.

~ BMS Activity Corner ~

BMS Girls’ Basketball:

There will be an important meeting for any girl and their parent(s) wishing to try out for this year's Girls' Basketball Team on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 6:00 pm in the BMS Student Union.  Questions? Please contact Coach Topazio at ctopazio2003@aol.com.

Arts Alive! BMS:

Registration for the BMS/ Arts Alive! 2024 Play "Mean Girls, JR" will be opening on Thursday, November 16th at 6pm. Rehearsals will be held on either Mondays or Wednesdays after school until 5:15 pm at BMS or Sundays from 2-4pm in Warren. There are limited spaces in the program, so please be sure to register as soon as registration opens. Registration is available at www.artsalivebarrington.org. This show is going to fetch!

BMS Unified Theatre Lego Basket fundraiser:

Dear BMS Community,

We are proud to announce a Lego Basket Raffle to support BMS Unified Theater. All proceeds will benefit BMS Unified Theater. Raffle Tickets are 3 for $5.00. Tickets and envelopes were handed out last week in school.  Tickets may be returned to BMS in the attached envelope with the completed raffle tickets, exact cash or a check made payable to Barrington Middle School. The drawing will be held on December 8, 2023. The two baskets are on display in the Barrington Middle School office. Good luck and happy building!

BMS All-In Club:

Are you or your child looking to meet new people and friends? Have you recently moved to Barrington? Perhaps you are new to the middle school? Well if you like to have fun with others The All-In Club is for you!

The All-In Club will work to organize all inclusive events that parents, staff and students are welcome to attend. Parents are required to provide transportation, expense of the event and supervision of children attending. Under no circumstances are children allowed to be dropped off and left unattended. These are created to be family fun events that like-minded individuals can share with others from the BMS community.

For more information, click here for the full club description and list of upcoming events.  Please contact Stacy Lema - lemas@barringtonschools.org

~ BMS Spotlight on Learning ~

This week, we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Mr. Brett Kearns, Student Council Presidential Candidate Elect Ella Mackley, and Student Council Presidential Candidate Vamika Singh. Thank you Mr. Kearns for your facilitation and leadership. Great work Ella and Vamika for a well-done presidential town hall debate. I wish Ella the best of luck in her role as Student Council President. 

This week, we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Lime Cluster Student Alex Fulton. Alex is a natural at teaching! He is happy to watch his peers succeed. He walks around to his group members and helps each peer individually so the group can complete their task and earn a good grade. (Nominated by Mrs. Taglione) 

This week, we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Lime Cluster Student Jaden Varone. Jayden has helped a Lime Cluster peer by carrying his materials for him to and from class as well as guiding him through Canvas to the correct assignments. (Nominated by Mrs. Taglione) 

This week, we would like to shine our BMS Spotlight on Orange Cluster Student Sophie Halloran. Sophie Halloran is kind, generous, and selfless. When Sophie is not busy giving 150% effort in all of her classes, she uses her free time to tutor seventh-grade Orange cluster students in any and all subjects. Sophie is a wonderful role model and is well-deserving of a BMS Spotlight! (Nominated by Mrs. Place) 

Do you know of a BMS Faculty/Staff/Student member that is shining bright? If you do, please complete the form below and we can include the nomination in an upcoming newsletter. 

BMS Spotlight Nomination 

~ Monthly DEIB  Corner~

DEIB November 2023

November 1: All Saints’ Day (Roman Catholic)

All Saints’ Day on November 1 is holy in the Western Christian tradition, celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, and more. It is designed to show honor and reverence to saints both canonized and unknown, and in some faiths also to give thanks to those who have guided others to Christ, like a friend or relative. Around the world, there are many traditions woven into All Saints’ Day, from the laying of flowers on graves on November 1 to the Mexican Day of the Dead — which honors children who have passed on, on the holiday’s first day — not to mention Halloween in the U.S. and Canada, a celebration that originally was in large part linked to All Saints’ Day

November 2: Dia de Muertos

Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated November 2. On this day, it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living family members. Many people celebrate this day by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with their favorite foods, drink, and photos.

November 1: National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day, on every first Wednesday in November; 24 hours of reinforcing the fact that you’re not doing yourself a favor by stressing about situations you can’t control. In fact, according to science, chronic stress leads to impaired cognitive and physiological functions. Would you want to age before your time? Absolutely not! On this day, let’s learn together to hone our ability to choose one thought over another and let the stress ebb away.

November 9: World Freedom Day

World Freedom Day is a federal holiday observed on November 9. On this day in 1989, the momentous event in history took place when the Berlin Wall was abolished. The wall separated families and communities for almost three decades.

November 9: World Adoption Day

The day was created for the purpose of celebrating family, raising awareness for adoption, and raising funds to support families in the adoption journey.

Today, hundreds of ambassadors from all over the world come together on November 9th to celebrate #WorldAdoptionDay by organizing events and parties, bringing together people from all walks of life to share their story and celebrating families brought together through adoption.

November 11: Veterans Day

Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, is a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Veterans Day, originally celebrated as Armistice Day, was first issued on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in service, Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us.

November 12: Diwali

Diwali or Deepawali, known as the “festival of lights,” is usually celebrated in October or November, and is on November 12 this year. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. The name of this festival is derived from ‘avali,’ which means ‘row,’ and ‘deepa,’ meaning “clay lamps.” When merged, these words mean “a row of lights.” For this reason, lights are symbolic of this festival and Indians go overboard with sparklers and fireworks to fuel the inner light that spiritually protects them from the darkness.

November 13: World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day is an international holiday that was formed in 1998, to promote kindness throughout the world and is observed annually on November 13 as part of the World Kindness Movement in many countries. On a day devoted to the positive potential of both large and small acts of kindness, try to promote and diffuse this crucial quality that brings people of every kind together. 

November 16: International Day for Tolerance

International Day of Tolerance on November 16 is a great opportunity for you to think back and recall the last time you had a different perspective than one of your friends? When’s the last time you’ve had to learn something about someone else’s culture? We’re betting it wasn’t that long ago. Look and learn the date that celebrates open-mindedness and listening.

November 20: Universal Childrens’ Day

Investing in our future means investing in our children — which is why the United Nations has designated every November 20 as Universal Children’s Day. It’s a time to promote togetherness around the world, awareness of the problems children face in every corner of the globe, and improve the welfare for all children.

November 23: Thanksgiving

America’s Thanksgiving holiday, born in the 1500s, mythologized in 1621, and observed even during the bleakest hours of the Civil War, now stands as one of the nation’s most anticipated and beloved days — celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday in November.

~ BMS Older but Current News ~

Yearbook Ordering Form: 

Linked below you will find the 2023 - 2024 Yearbook Ordering Form. 

2023 - 2024 Yearbook Ordering Form 

(Note: Order date by 5/15/2024. We are unable to accept any orders after 5/15/2024) 

Calling 8th Graders!  Baby pictures for yearbook:

It’s a tradition at BMS to include baby/toddler pictures in the BMS yearbook during their 8th grade year.

Please complete the following form and upload your child's baby photo directly through this form.To avoid confusion, please ensure only one photo is uploaded per student.

PLEASE NOTE: You need to be signed into your or your child's gmail account. If not, you will not be able to upload the photo.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2023  

Please contact Mr. Kearns (kearnsb@barringtonschools.org) in room 2221 if you have any questions. Thanks!

~ BMS Standing Items ~

BMS Procedures

  • Dropoff/Pick Up Process - If you choose to drop-off and pick-up your student from BMS, please see this map for directionsBus Eligibility Guidelines

  • Early Dismissal:  Handwritten notes brought to the office before homeroom or emails to bmsattendance@barringtonschools.org are needed every time you need to dismiss your student prior to the end of school.  Middle School level students are not allowed to bike home early, even with permission by note.  ID and a physical presence is required to dismiss your student early. Please note that the last early dismissal of the day is at 2:45 pmPlease click here for full details about dismissing your student early from school.

  • Daily Announcements:  Click this link daily to find out important information about upcoming clubs, sports, enrichment activities and more!

BMS Pride: 

This year, each week we would like to invite all of our students to join BMS Faculty/Staff in showing BMS pride and school spirit by the following: 

  • Motivational Message Monday- We encourage you to wear your favorite motivational message proudly! 

  • Wednesday College and Career Day- Faculty/staff and students are encouraged to wear their favorite university colors/names and/or support different careers, trades, and occupations. 

  • Thursday Cluster Color Day: Faculty/staff and Students are encouraged to proudly wear their cluster colors. 

  • Friday School Color Day (Formally known as Blue and Gold Day)- Faculty/staff and students are encouraged to wear blue and gold on Fridays to show our school pride. 

~ Community News ~

Events for teens at Barrington Public Library:

  • Make Pie Garland:  Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 6:30 pm

  • Open Mic Night for grades 6 - 12:  Meets every second Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm in the Barrington Library Auditorium

  • “Where have all the birds gone?”:  The Book Talk, Part 1 (with snacks!):  Monday, November 20, 2023 at 6:30 pm.