BMS STAR - Week 17

Good Afternoon BMS Teachers and Staff,

Take a moment to review all the important information for the week ahead.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

#ALLIN!

V

• Whoever covered my homeroom today (12/5), thank you so much! -Katie Klingler
• Melissa Dresen - Thank you for picking up the pieces where I drop them! Appreciate it you more than you know! -Katie K.
• Mary Peterson - Thank you for being you! I’m so lucky to have worked with you for the last 8 years! -Katie
• John - thank you for all your help and input the past few weeks! -Katie
• V - Thank you for your support during a tough week! -Katie
• To everyone who helped me get through this week! I see you and I appreciate you! - LaPrall
• Carly - Thank you for the awesome idea and for always being there for me! -LaPrall
• Cots and Cunniff- You rock my Grinch socks! - LaPrall
• Our librarians for sharing the love of reading with our students!
• Katie Lange for letting me play monarch tag during 6th and 7th period. I had the BEST time LOL!! Next time I will make sure I have the appropriate PE shoes!!!!!!!! ;-)
• Domenica - you are social work goalss! You social work so hard everyday.
• Edith - you’re the best!! The resources you found for our family will help so much <3
• Shout out to Tania Gomez! You are a rockstar with designs!

• Mary Hamilton for all the things! I appreciate how you listen and help problem solve!

• Craig Baker for all you do for negotiations! I appreciate your intelligence and your drive to improve working conditions for teachers! You are simply amazing!
• Sara LaPrall for your heart and passion! I see how hard you work to make sure every student is safe, loved, and gets a quality education! I see you!
• This first Hip Hawk Hooray goes to the one and only Sarah Taylor. She wears so many hats and they are all lovely on her! Sarah gave up her busy morning to have a 1:1 talk/training with me and it made my whole day. Sarah rocks!
• My second Hip Hawk Hooray goes to Lia & Lauren. I adore our girl power trio and all the laugh or cry moments we have. I love the amazing memories we are making with one another and our kids!
• My third Hip Hawk Hooray goes to Marco Medina. We appreciated you jumping in during your busy day to help with 6th grade lunch.
• PSS: Snooki, Verardi & "Jack John" O'Brien - Thanks for being you! :)

Data reflects December 1-December 4.

Hello BMS Staff!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful day of learning with students.

The Department of Teaching & Learning, along with your building leaders met to continue conversations on how BMS can efficiently support teachers with Tier 2 instruction and progress monitoring.

In recognition of the great work surrounding the Universal Screening Data Meetings, we will not hold separate meetings on students not making progress for Cycle 1 in Tier 2. Instead, leadership will review FastBridge screening data and winter NWEA Growth to determine the best next steps. BMS will continue to follow the 2025 MtSS Cycle of Interventions Schedule, including ensuring Tier 2 instruction continues for MtSS Cycle 2.

Additionally, leadership will be evaluating how the Universal Screening Data meetings can be utilized to problem solve student needs and how to best support the teachers delivering the instruction. Shannon will join the Universal Screening Data meetings in the winter to further coordinate and align district and school-based MtSS efforts.

Please reach out with any questions!

Lydia, V, Jacqui, and Shannon

Happy Friday, wonderful BSD2 educators.

While this date may seem like it’s in the distant future, it will be here before we know it! Friday, February 27, 2026 is our County-Wide Institute Day. Please review this document carefully for important information about County-Wide Institute Day. Please note that there are required action items for educators that are due on Friday, December 19th.

Wishing you a positive afternoon, and a restful weekend,

- The Teaching & Learning Team

Hello BMS ELA!

The BMS PTO will be sponsoring a Book Fair on December 10 and 11 in the maker's space.

Please sign up for a time to bring your classes.

If you are scheduled for a library visit, make sure you sign up for a book fair slot as well. Both areas will be busy and we want to make sure students can enjoy both!

Amy

BMS December Book Fair SY25-26

More information coming soon!

As we welcome November, we also welcome a season of gratitude. This makes it the perfect time to launch our Those That Excel Award.

As part of our strategic plan, we are committed to hiring, retaining, and supporting exemplary staff. Recognizing those who serve as outstanding ambassadors of our district is an important part of that commitment. An ambassador of D2 is someone who represents excellence in their school and across the district. Nominees for the Those That Excel Award should truly embody the D2 Indicators of Excellence and must be nominated by their colleagues.

If you have someone in mind who reflects these qualities and would like information on how to nominate them, please click here. Nominations are due by February 13, 2026.

Additionally, if you are interested in serving on the Those That Excel Selection Committee, please click here to complete the interest form. The committee meets once to review nominations and select this year’s honorees.

And finally — mark your calendars! Award recipients will be announced at our End of the Year Recognition Event for all staff at White Pines on May 12th at 3:45 PM. It is always a wonderful celebration, and we hope to see you there!

Join us for our next PTO meeting. We meet in the cafeteria once a month and start promptly at 6:30 PM.

• President: Diana Medina
• Vice President: Marissa Jimenez
• Secretary: Mojca Anaya
• Treasurer: Michelle Juran

Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 8.

Check out the Fall Band Concert!

• December 9 - 7th and 8th grade Solo & Ensemble Groups at Castle Towers (Select 7/8 Band students)
• December 10 - 4:00: BBB/C/D - Clarendon Hills

  7th: Away

  8th: Home

• December 11 -

  4:00: BBB/C/D - Indian Trail

  7th: Away

  8th: Home

• December 11 - 7th and 8th grade Solo & Ensemble Groups at Bridgeway of Bensenville (Select 7/8 Band students)

• December 12 - Churchville Charger Tournament

• December 13 - Churchville Charger Tournament

• December 14 - Churchville Charger Tournament

• December 15 - BMS Holiday Assembly (for Grade 2 & 4 Elementary Students) @ BMS

• December 15 - BMS Holiday Assembly (6-8 Band and Chorus) @ BMS

• December 17 - 4:00: BBB/C/D - Sandburg

  7th: Away

  8th: Home

• December 18 - 4:00: BBB/C/D - Jefferson

  7th: Home

  8th: Away

• December 20 - January 4 - Winter Break

• SY25-26 BSD2 Classroom Expectations and Guidelines
• BSD2 Dress Code
• BMS Go-To Contact List 2025-2026 (Live Document - still adding to it)
• BMS Referral Flowchart Revised August 2025.pdf
• 8.18.25 Institute Day
• 8.19.25 Institute Day
• Prioritizing Student and Staff Safety

• Grounding our Work in The Opportunity Myth

  • Slide deck

  • Three Levels of Text Protocol

  • 6 Word Summary Strategy

• Attendance and Absenteeism Policies, Procedures, and Expectations
• Student Handbook
• 2025-2026 Educational Support Personnel Handbook (7/25)
• Lunch Reflection Slides
• Part 2: Examining the Research– The Opportunity Makers
• Slide Deck
• The 4 C’s Text Protocol
• 3-2-1 and Headline summary activities
• Instructional Coaches - September Newsletter
• 9.10.25 Instructional Staff Meeting
• Log entry Slides 9.12.25
• Institute Day: Middle School Professional Learning 9/19/2025
• 10.7.25 Specialized PLC - Developmental Designs
• 10.22.25 SY25-26 PLC & SLO Midpoint Review Meeting
• BMS CICO Training 25-26
• 11.4.25 Specialized PLC - Developmental Designs
• eLearning & Report Card Follow-up
• 11.5.25 Instructional Staff Meeting
• 11.5.25 Staff Meeting Exit Ticket Follow-Up

All purchases, even small ones, should be submitted for purchasing by the District or school offices. Staff should not purchase items with their own funds. Reimbursement requests are generally not accepted any more.

Please know this is different than what you may be used to. We are not able to provide reimbursements moving forward. Thank you for your cooperation.

Schools will be available the first two Saturdays (August 16th and August 23rd) as well as the last two Saturdays of the school year (June 6th and June 13th). Teachers will have access from 7:30am-3:30pm.

District 2 prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at https://www.bsd2.org/students-families/non-discrimination-title-ix-and-anti-harassment

Diana Vergara - Principal

dvergara@bsd2.org

Jacquelyn LeMon-Williamson, Assistant Principal

jlemon@bsd2.org

Kim Shaffer, Interim Assistant Principal

kshaffer@bsd2.org

Mary Hamilton, Students Services Coordinator

mhamilton@bsd2.org