Phoenix Community Update

We will have MAP testing make-ups this week.

Tuesday - Periods 1-3 in cafeteria for MAP-R

Thursday - Periods 1-3 in cafeteria for MAP-M

Activity Buses will start running on Tuesday this week. They will be available for students who are participating in extracurricular activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The buses leave campus at 4:30 p.m.

Athletics Info Night Recording

Thank you to everyone who attended our NBMS Athletics Info Night. If you were unable to attend, or would like to review the information again, the recording of the meeting is now available.

The presentation covers important information about NBMS Athletics, including registration, participation requirements, eligibility, tryouts, and general expectations for student-athletes.

Athletics Info Night Recording:

26-27 NBMS Athletics Info.mkv

The recording, along with other helpful resources, will also be available on the North Bethesda Middle School website under the athletics information section.

If you have any questions after viewing the recording, please contact jordan.t.baucom@mcpsmd.net.

Jordan Baucom

Health & Physical Education

Athletic Coordinator

Fitness Club Intramural is starting September 17th and will meet on Thursdays after school until November 19th. Fitness Club is an Intramural club where you will be working on all areas of fitness and learning the fundamentals of weight lifting technique and safety. Permission slips can be found in the P.E. locker rooms, and can be turned in to Mr. Junghans.

We are looking for a parent/caregiver to sponsor our Math Team this school year!

When: Wednesdays, 3:00–4:30 PM

Dates: September 23–February 17

Stipend: $1,710

If you enjoy working with middle school students and have an interest in math, we would love to hear from you! Please let Amy Watkins know by Friday 9/11 if you are interested. Amy_Watkins@mcpsmd.org

On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, all Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Grade 8 students will participate in the PSAT™ 8/9 and Grade 11 students will participate in the PSAT/NNMSQT during the regular school day at no cost to students or families. Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, MCPS is expanding the College Board suite of assessments to provide students with earlier access to nationally recognized college and career readiness resources. The PSAT 8/9 establishes an early academic benchmark to support instructional planning and high school course planning, provides students and families with early access to College Board college and career planning resources, establishes a baseline for measuring academic growth throughout high school, and provides one common academic measure that may be considered, alongside multiple indicators, as part of the comprehensive review process for criteria-based regional academic programs. Administering the assessment during the school day removes financial and scheduling barriers and ensures equitable access for all students.

More information regarding the PSAT will be sent directly to all eighth grade families.

Many students were having issues signing into their Chromebooks or with their passwords. As a parent/caregiver, you have the ability to reset your child's password. Please follow the instructions linked here.

• Be at your stop on time and wait safely away from the road.
• Wait for the bus to stop and the driver to signal before approaching or crossing.
• Board safely—no pushing, shoving or horseplay.
• Listen to the bus operator and follow directions just as you would from a teacher or school administrator.
• Stay seated, keep the aisle clear and keep hands, feet and belongings inside the bus.
• Be respectful of others—no bullying, harassment, fighting, inappropriate language or disruptive behavior.
• Respect neighborhoods and property around bus stops and help keep buses clean.
• Ride your assigned bus unless you have permission to do otherwise.
• Speak up about unsafe behavior and tell the bus operator or a trusted adult if there is a problem.
• Remember: Your choices matter. Safe, responsible behavior helps everyone get to and from school safely.

Ride by the Rules: Be Respectful. Be Responsible. Be Safe.

Students please ask an adult prior to dismissal time if you are unsure of which school bus you will need to ride home in the afternoon. The buses will leave campus promptly at 3:07 p.m. in the afternoon. All routes for North Bethesda are linked here.

North Bethesda Middle School is continuing to embrace the appropriate use of technology for students throughout the school day to enhance students’ learning experience. Please review the information below as it relates to the NBMS use of personal mobile devices (PMD’s). PMD’s are defined as cell phones and personal listening devices, including earbuds, headsets, ear accessories, etc.

Cell Phones/ Personal Mobile Devices: If you choose to send your child to school with a personal mobile device to include smartwatches, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the device is turned off and locked away in their locker during the academic day. Moreover, students must turn off and refrain from using their phones once they enter the school building in the morning (this includes while they wait in the cafeteria, Media Center or gym for school to begin) until they exit out of the building to go home. Any cellphone seen by staff during the instructional day may be confiscated. NBMS is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen cell phones.

Please note: recording eyeglasses and smart glasses are also prohibited and unauthorized.

CONNECT WITH THE PTSA

💻 Kick Off the Year with the PTSA — Sept. 8!

Join us for our first PTSA meeting of the year on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 PM on Zoom! Meet the PTSA, hear what’s planned for the year, learn about ways to get involved, and help us approve this year’s budget. Whether you’re new to NBMS or a returning family, we’d love to see you!

Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 387 815 9468

GET INVOLVED

🙋 Help Make Our Favorite PTSA Events Happen!

Many of the events NBMS students look forward to each year are organized by parent volunteers—and we’re looking for families to help make them happen this year! We already have resources, information, and experience from past years to share, so you won’t be starting from scratch. Grab a friend and help with one event, or let us know where you’d like to pitch in!

We’re looking for volunteers to help with:

• 8th Grade Fall Social

• 7th Grade Fall Social

• 6th Grade Social

• 7th Grade Spring Social

• March Madness

• 6th Grade Spring Social

• Cupcake Wars (May)

• 8th Grade Celebration

Interested? Fill out this quick form and let us know how you’d like to help. These events are only possible because of our amazing parent community!

🏪 The CARE Store Is Back — First Opening Sept. 25!

The NBMS CARE Store is back for another year! Our first opening will be Friday, September 25, during lunch, followed by biweekly Friday openings throughout the school year. To kick things off, students will even be able to use their CARE stamps to buy Munchkin donuts!

New to NBMS? The CARE Store is a fun way to recognize students for demonstrating our school’s CARE values: Communicate Positively, Be Accountable, Treat Everyone with Respect, and Keep Our Environment Clean and Positive. Teachers give students CARE stamps throughout the school day, which students can save and spend at the store on candy, games, toys, collectibles, cosmetics, accessories, crafts, stickers, tech items, and more.

The PTSA supports the CARE Store, but we need family donations and volunteers to keep it stocked and running!

Donate: New or gently used items that middle schoolers would enjoy are welcome. Label donations “CARE Store” and drop them off or ship them to NBMS, or shop our Amazon Wish List.

Volunteer: Help during lunch with setup, student shopping, checkout, restocking, and cleanup. Volunteer for your child’s grade or stay for all three! As a thank-you, your child gets to skip the line, shop first, and receive a free bag of chips and Gatorade.

Sign up to volunteer here.

Returning students, start earning and saving those CARE stamps—we’ll see you at the store!

HAVE FUN & SUPPORT NBMS

🍔 Dine Out for NBMS at Shake Shack — Oct. 8!

Take a night off from cooking and support NBMS! Stop by Shake Shack at Cabin John on Thursday, Oct. 8, anytime from 10 AM–10 PM, and 25% of your meal purchase will be donated to NBMS.

Just mention Donation Day when ordering at the register, or use promo code DONATE when ordering through the Shake Shack app, website, or kiosk. Grab lunch, dinner, or an after-school treat and support our school at the same time!

🏃 Run, Walk or Volunteer at the Kensington 8K — Sept. 19!

Did you know the Kensington 8K is a fundraiser for the NBMS PTSA? Last year, our community’s participation helped raise thousands of dollars for NBMS!

Join the fun on Saturday, Sept. 19 by running or walking the 8K, 2-mile or 1K race—or volunteer as a course marshal or with registration, setup, or parking. It’s a great community event and an easy way for the whole family to support our school.

Visit kensington8k.org to register, volunteer, or learn more.

FOR STUDENTS

🎓 Fall PTSA-Sponsored Clubs Are Open for Registration!

Looking for something fun and enriching after school? Registration is now open for our fall PTSA-sponsored clubs for grades 6–8!

Debate Club — Wednesdays, Sept. 23–Nov. 11, 3:15–4:15 PM
Students will build confidence and communication skills while learning to develop arguments, respond with rebuttals, and consider different points of view. Register for Debate Club

Real All About It — Thursdays, Sept. 24–Nov. 12, 3:15–4:15 PM
Students become the staff of their own newspaper, learning interviewing and writing skills while covering local news, writing opinion pieces, and managing a digital publication. Register for Real All About It

Find these and other after-school activities at the NBMS PTSA Activities page.

Greetings 6th Grade Families,

We are so excited to share that our preparations for the NBMS Outdoor Education program have begun. Students will receive an information packet regarding the details of the trip during the first week of school. Below you will find the session dates. Students have been assigned their session based on the first letter of their LAST name.

• SESSION ONE (October 5-7) - A E H K Q T W Z

• SESSION TWO (October 7-9) - D G J M P S V Y

• SESSION THREE (October 12-14) - B C F I L N O R U X & All ARS Students

We have one more information meetings coming up in September.

• PARENT CHAPERONE MEETING - Wednesday, September 9 at 7:00 PM at NBMS (in cafeteria)

• This is for caregivers interested in chaperoning the trip to review responsibilities of the role and requirements to ensure eligibility.

We need 16-20 parent chaperones per session! If you are interested in chaperoning, please first complete the interest form. The interest form also includes important information regarding the three major requirements parents must complete in order to attend. Once you have completed the requirements, you will then need to apply to show proof of completion. As our trip is very early in the school year, the sooner you begin this process, the greater likelihood that you can join us. We cannot do this without you - thank you so much for considering!

This is one of the most memorable events in 6th grade! We are so grateful for all of your support.

Sincerely,

Chris Pichola

Christopher_M_Pichola@mcpsmd.org

Outdoor Education Organizer