Weekly Update

Join us for the Principal’s Coffee Chat tomorrow, February 28, 2025, at 9:00 AM! This month’s discussion will focus on adolescent mental health and will be led by our guest speaker, Mrs. Piper Coffee, LCSW, from Skyland Trail Treatment Center. As the Vice President of Adolescent Clinical Services, Mrs. Coffee will share valuable insights and lead an important conversation on this critical topic. Parents and community members are encouraged to attend!

Best regards,

Derrick L. Thomas

Please take our school’s climate survey and make your opinion count! This survey expires March 31, 2025. Survey participation is critical because the data will be used to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2025-26 school year. City Schools of Decatur appreciates the contributions of parents, students, and staff!

We are thrilled to announce that our 2025-2026 BHMS Teacher of the Year is Allie Nelson, our amazing 6th-grade math teacher! Ms. Nelson is an incredible educator who goes above and beyond for her students. She makes math fun and engaging, and she inspires her students to love learning. We are so lucky to have her at BHMS! Congratulations, Ms. Nelson! 🏆✖️➗➕🟰💯💥

The 4th Annual YLOE/GENTS Career Symposium was a tremendous success, thanks to the dedication of over 35 professionals who volunteered their time to engage with GENTS and YLOE mentees at Beacon Hill Middle School and Decatur High School. This impactful event provided students with the opportunity to connect with professionals who reflect their backgrounds and share relatable experiences.

Students were actively engaged, asking insightful questions in every session. A special thank you to the teachers who supported this event by allowing us to use their classrooms during planning periods. This symposium continues to be an invaluable experience for both students and volunteers, and we look forward to building on its success in the years to come!

Our 7th-grade Spanish students from Ms. Burnette's and Ms. Indacochea's classes had a fantastic time visiting Oakhurst and Glennwood Elementary Schools! They read Spanish books to younger students, sharing their language skills and fostering a love for bilingual literacy. It was a wonderful experience for both our middle schoolers and the elementary students!

Our teacher-led sunshine committee is a group of teachers and staff who work together to boost morale and create a positive atmosphere within their school. They're essentially the "cheerleaders" for the faculty and staff.Their activities are designed to brighten the school environment and foster a sense of community. Recently the committee hosted a Bake Off. We were overwhelmed by the delicious entries and the enthusiasm an djoy the event spread.

After much deliberation (and plenty of sampling!), the Sunshine Committee is happy to announce the winners!

Cookies – Kate Passin - Toffee Bits Cookies

Brownies & Bars – Sarah Nathaniel - French Butter Cake Bars

Rolls & Bread – Ragan Hudson - Pumpkin Bread

Scoliosis screening is a requirement for all students in the 6th and 8th grades who attend public school in Georgia. The Screening Schedule will be:

Please see the linked letter for details.

Parents, as the 35th state to sign and adopt Erin's law, Georgia requires public schools to provide a sexual abuse prevention curriculum to their students in grades kindergarten through 9th grade every year. Teen LuresTM Prevention is a research-based program that City Schools of Decatur uses to teach the importance of healthy relationships and its connection to personal safety by way of class discussions, student handouts, video clips and corresponding activities. Beginning Tuesday, February 25th through the end of March, BHMS school counselors will offer lessons from the Teen LuresTM Prevention program to students in grades 6-8. Please review THIS letter for additional information. Questions? Reach out to your child's school counselor.

Black History Month may be ending, but the learning doesn’t have to stop! Books are a powerful way to spark conversations, celebrate Black culture, and inspire a love for diverse stories. Here are some quick tips to keep the momentum going:

• Mix It Up: Explore historical fiction, fantasy, poetry, and graphic novels featuring Black voices.

• Make It Interactive: Start a family book club, create art inspired by books, or write a short story.

• Connect to Real Life: Visit cultural centers, attend author talks, or support Black-owned bookstores.

• Keep It Going: Set a goal to read one book by a Black author each month.

Want more ideas and book recommendations? Read our full guide at PREPProjec.org for more engaging activities and must-read books!

Thank you to our partners the Education Foundation and Beacon Hill PTA for supporting our free resources!

The 2025-2026 CSD enrollment opens on Monday, March 3, for rising Kindergarten students or students new to CSD. Registration may be completed entirely online. Find more registration information here.

New Families: See CSD's Key Contacts & Resources for Families, available in multiple languages.

REMINDER: If your currently enrolled student has a sibling who will be new to CSD for the 2025-2026 school year, you must register this new sibling via the Parent Portal.

1. Select "More" from the menu in the Parent Portal.

2. Select "Annual Data Update."

3. Select "2025-2026 New Student Registration."

As part of the enrollment process, you will also need to email residency documentation to CSD's district enrollment specialist, Patrice Moore, at pmoore@csdecatur.net, as the Parent Portal will not allow you to change or upload this field. Information about required residency proof documents is available on the CSD website. Please contact pmoore@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601 x1063 for assistance.

The BHMS Chorus will perform the national anthem on the main court of State Farm Arena before the Atlanta Hawks game against Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, February 28! Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and attendees should arrive early to see the BHMS chorus perform at 7:30 p.m.

Special ticket packages are available here. A portion of each ticket purchased through this offer will benefit City Schools of Decatur. Ticket prices are subject to increase and tickets may sell out, so grab yours now!

BHMS young poets have been writing and preparing to share their amazing voices. These young poets have been working and learning from a professional, award-winning, and teaching resident, Teresa Davis! This unique opportunity was made possible by the generosity of BHMS PTA and the Decatur Education Foundation. If you know a student interested in participating in the poetry slam, please have them reach out to their ELA teacher. There are 4 work sessions left and they need to attend a minimum of 2 sessions before the dress rehearsal.

Remember to join us for a night of spoken word and music! Free admission for all! Save the Date!

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 6:30 - 8:30 at the DHS Performing Arts Center.

Open to sixth graders only, the dance will be held Friday, March 7 in the BHMS Cafeteria after school. Admission is $5 per student. Purchase tickets here. Snacks will be sold for $1 each. (Please send small bills. Credit cards and mobile payment also will be accepted.)

As with so many PTA events, we need your help. Please look at the signup and help as you are able. If you can’t volunteer in person, then consider donating some of the drinks and snacks on the list for concessions. Thank you!

In partnership with the BHMS PTA Parent Support Subcommittee, FORM yoga is generously hosting a free 90-minute yoga and mindfulness session to BHMS parents and caregivers. The session will be a “gentle, intimidation-free yoga practice with the opportunity to explore a few mindfulness tools.” There also will be some time for connecting with other parents and caregivers and a special package offer for anyone interested in becoming a member of FORM after the event. Space is limited, so please register here.

When: Saturday, March 22, 2 pm to 3:30 pm

Where: FORM yoga, 533 W. Howard Ave., Unit D (right next to Thinking Man Tavern and Clubhouse Kid and Kraft)

Why: Because we all could use some support, connection and stress relief!

NOTE: You will have to make an account in the app in order to sign the participation waiver.

Raising middle schoolers can be hard. Would you like to talk about it...or anything else...with other BHMS parents? Join us for a casual meet-up of BHMS parents and caregivers at Waller's Coffee Shop (240 DeKalb Industrial Way) on Saturday, March 8 from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. (Our first meet-up was such a success, we decided to make it monthly!) Drop in for a few minutes or the whole time...because it takes a village.

The PBIS Store is seeking donations from our Amazon Wish List or SignUpGenius in order to stock the store for our students. We also need volunteers to work a 50-minute slot during student lunch hours. You do not need to sign up for your child’s lunch period. (In fact, they might prefer you chose another grade’s lunch instead!) We appreciate your generosity and support.

Students, are you looking for volunteer hours? Families, do want to have some local fun? Then mark your calendars for the following CSD events.

Tour deCatur Registration is Open!

Get ready, get set, get registered for Decatur Education Foundation's 23rd annual Tour deCatur! Sign up at www.tourdecatur.com!

The fun happens on Saturday, March 15, at the Decatur High School stadium. This year, in addition to the 5k (a Peachtree qualifier), the 1-Mile Fun Run, and the adorable Tot Trot (for our friends ages four and under), DEF is offering a "None-Run" for anyone who wants to support Decatur kids without breaking a sweat! This is DEF's largest fundraiser and supports programs and initiatives that remove obstacles, provide opportunities, support educators, and strengthen the Decatur community!

To prepare for the race, all K-2 elementary schools in the district are participating in the iRun program, which teaches students the fundamentals of fitness skills that make running, jogging, and walking enjoyable and safe and prepares them to run the one-mile fun run in March. For more information about DEF's initiatives and how you can get involved, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org.

You can find more information on the following:

Read recent issues of the weekly update below. Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage or on our BHMS website

• BHMS Weekly Update - February 13

• BHMS Weekly Update- February 6

• BHMS Weekly Update - January 23

Social Media pages:

• CSDBeaconhllmiddleschool Facebook page
• BeaconhillPTA Facebook page
• CSDbeaconhill Instagram page
• Beaconhllmiddleart Instagram page

Other:

• Whom to contact if list
• Counseling Website
• School Website