BMS Patriot Press Newsletter

Berkmar Middle School will provide students with quality, rigorous instruction that will develop critical and creative thinkers who will take ownership of their education in order to be successful lifelong learners.

The mission of Berkmar Middle School is to pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student, resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.

Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Ready!

Welcome Back, Patriot Families!

Thank you to all of our families who joined us for Open House! It was wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces as we prepared for an exciting school year. We are looking forward to seeing our scholars on Wednesday, August 5, as we kick off another great year of learning, growth, and success together.

I have included some reminders to help you prepare for the first day.

First Day of School

All students return on Wednesday, August 5.

Daily Schedule

• Arrival Bell: 8:50 a.m.
• Students are considered tardy after 9:15 a.m.
• Dismissal: 4:00 p.m.

Off and Away for the Day
Berkmar Middle School is an Off and Away for the Day school. To support a focused learning environment, all electronic devices, including cell phones, headphones, AirPods, smartwatches, and smart glasses, must be powered off and stored in students' backpacks throughout the school day.

Thank you for your partnership and support. We look forward to a fantastic first day and an outstanding 2026–2027 school year!

We are Patriots. And together, we Focus Forward!

Warm Regards,

Felecia C. Jones

Principal

Please take a moment to review the school year calendar included here. We kindly encourage you to schedule doctor’s appointments and family vacations during student holidays whenever possible, so your child can fully benefit from their learning experience. Thank you for your thoughtful planning and support—it truly makes a difference!

Berkmar Middle School Administrative Team (L-R): Mr. Brian Sinyard-8th Grade, Ms. Ashley Bolton-6th Grade, Ms. Felecia Jones-Principal, Ms. Carrie Keane -7th Grade, and Ms. Lineica Maupins- Connections

"The strength of the team is in each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
—John C. Maxwell

Orientation Agreements were sent to parents in ParentSquare on July 21st. Supporting documentation to understand the purpose of the agreements will be available. Please review and sign. These were due Thursday, July 30, 2026, so please complete this as soon as possible.

The 2026-27 GCPS Back-to-School Guide, is available on the district website and you received a direct link to the guide via ParentSquare. It included the following topics: School Registration & Enrollment, Academic and Instructional Resources, Academic Calendar & Important Dates, Handbook Information for Students and Families, Transportation & Bus Routes, School Meals & Nutrition, ParentSquare & Digital Resources for Parents, Special Education & Support Services, Communication & Parent Engagement, Community Resources & Assistance, and Student and School Safety.

The district and local school Back to School Forms went live in ParentSquare on July 21st. Sign off is REQUIRED before Open House. Orientation Agreements are GCPS and local school standard documents that parents can view and sign electronically via ParentSquare. This will be available Monday, July 21st and should be completed as soon as possible, as they were due July 30th.

Have you signed off on the GCPS Orientation Agreements in ParentSquare? When you sign off on your orientation agreement, you strengthen our home-school partnership and ensure clear, consistent communication. If you need assistance with the process, please contact Ms. Silva in the Parent Center: Email pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org / Phone 770-638-2317

Mark your calendar:

8/5/26- First Day of School for all students

8/7/26-PBIS Attendance Goal Celebration

8/8/26- Volleyball Jamboree@ Collins Hill High School

8/10/26- Volleyball: BMS at Lanier MS- 6:00 pm

8/12/26- iReady Reading

8/12/26-Volleyball: BMS vs.Twin Rivers @ home- 6:00 pm

8/13/26-iReady Reading

8/14/26-PBIS Attendance Goal Celebration

8/17/26-iReady Math

8/17-Volleyball: BMS at Crews- 6:00 pm

8/18/26-iReady Math

8/18/26 BMS Family Orientation Night 5:30pm

8/19/26-Volleyball: BMS at Radloff- 6:00 pm

8/21/26-PBIS Attendance Goal Celebration

8;/24/26-Volleyball: BMS vs. Lilburn MS@ home- 6:00 pm

8/26/26- Wednesday Help Day Begins

8/26/26-PBIS Store

826/26-Volleyball: BMS vs. Richards@ home

8/26/26- Greece Interest Meeting @ 6:30 pm

8/27/26- Curriculum Night @ 6 pm

8/28/26-Atlanta Food Bank Distribution

8/31/26- Volleyball: BMS @ Five Forks-6:00 pm

The district posted orientation forms on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Please review and sign all documents.

*The Berkmar MS The Plan the Promise

*The Gwinnett County Public School's 2026-2027 Handbook Information for Students and Families

*The Berkmar MS Parent/Student Handbook

*Add your digital signature indicating you have received and read the documents.

For ALL rising 7th Grade Students who are entering the 7th grade must have a valid Form 3231

Students will be provided with essential school supplies, which will be available during Open House. If you were unable to attend, teachers will send home with students on the first day of school. Families will only need to provide a backpack.

Students will be provided with essential school supplies, which will be available during Open House. If you were unable to attend, teachers will send home with students on the first day of school. Families will only need to provide a backpack.

For our new families and as a reminder to our 7th and 8th grade families, this system is used during morning arrival at designated entry points. EVOLV is a state-of-the-art, touchless screening technology designed to detect potential threats while allowing students and visitors to move quickly and safely into the building.

Here’s what students and visitors need to know:

1. Entry Points: Look for clearly marked entrances with EVOLV systems.

2. No Need to Unpack: Phones, keys, and wallets can stay in your bookbags, pockets, and purses. If you enter through the FRONT entrance, you will need to unpack items that follow the BLUE acronym. (See below.)

3. Secondary Screening: If an alert is triggered, a quick secondary screening may be required.

4. Arrive Early: Please arrive early to avoid delays.

In addition to the EVOLV system, our school is staffed with a School Safety Officer (SSO). SSOs are security personnel whose primary responsibility will be to operate the EVOLV system during the school day, after morning arrival. Their presence ensures the system is used effectively throughout the day while allowing school staff to remain focused on teaching and learning, and our School Resource Officers (SROs) to continue to oversee the overall safety and security of the campus.

Families may already be familiar with the EVOLV system, as it has been successfully used at GCPS schools, football, and basketball games last year. We appreciate your cooperation in helping ensure a smooth transition as we expand its use to daily school operations.

If it's B-L-U-E, remove it before passing through the upright screener.

• Binder
• Laptop
• Umbrella
• Eyeglass case

All visitors must pass through the screener, or will not be allowed on campus.

Thank you for helping keep our school safe.

Please join us at Applebee's on Scenic Hwy on August 22nd to support our school!

Berkmar Middle School Connects over Breakfast!

Support our school!

• Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 8:00am - 10:30am
• $10 a ticket!
• 3 years and under free!
• Location: Applebee's, 1925 Scenic Hwy, Snellville, GA 30078

Breakfast includes:

• 3 pancakes
• Syrup, butter
• 2 sausage links
• Choice of coffee, tea, juice or soft drink

Fun for the whole family!

• Giveaway prizes
• Games
• Music

Good food. Great cause. Stronger together!

Buy tickets or learn more!

Thank you for supporting our students and our school!

ParentSquare is a communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:

Weather-related closings & delays

School and class information

Share pictures and files

See calendar items

Upcoming class activities

If you need help downloading Parent Square to your mobile device, please contact Ms. Pilar Silva at 770-638-2311 or email her pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

Download the ParentSquare app today!

Stay involved with your student's learning and activities at school. From anywhere.

Download the ParentSquare app

Each BMS student will receive a GCPS assigned chromebook for use in class and at home to support their instructional needs. It is the family’s responsibility to monitor the use of the device to ensure that the device is returned in the condition in which it was received.

GCPS has created a 1:1 Parent Support Site to provide further information on chromebook use as well as parent and student responsibilities.

GCPS will assess fines for lost and/or damaged chromebooks and chargers. Please note that incidents of damage or loss do not reset each school year. See the district fine chart below.

Resources:

Student 1:1 Support Site

Parent 1:1 Support Site

Parent and student rights and responsibilities

In the event your Chromebook is lost, please contact your local school. Please note that the number of incidents does not reset each school year. In the event your Chromebook is damaged, please contact your local school. Please note that the number of incidents does not reset each school year. Lost and/or damage fine amounts are listed below.

• Chromebook
• Any lost device: $200 (No cost with a police report for stolen item)
• Damage: $25
• Any device that is damaged beyond repair: $200
• Accessories (power adapter)
• Lost accessories replacement fee: $25
• Damage: $25

Kroger offers a Community Rewards program that will allow BMS to benefit from a portion of your purchases. See the flier below and consider adding Berkmar Middle School as your Kroger Community Rewards recipient.

Support Berkmar Middle School

Please use your Kroger Account to support Berkmar Middle School!

• Go to Kroger.com or the Kroger app
• Log into your account
• Choose the 3 lines menu at the top corner of the screen
• Scroll down and choose Rewards
• Choose Community Rewards
• Search for Berkmar Middle School
• Click on Enroll
• Exit out and you are finished with the process.

We are thrilled to announce the start of the 2026-2027 school year and the activation of our PTSA (Parent-Teacher-Student Association)!

We need your help to make it happen! Your involvement in the PTSA is vital. When students see their parents engaged in school activities, it inspires them and strengthens our school community.

Together, we can support various programs that enhance our students' educational experience and create a positive impact.

For more information, please contact Ms. Silva at 770-638-2317 or via email at pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

Let's work together to make this year an amazing year at Berkmar!

#PatriotsLead

¡Noticias Importantes de BMS para el Año Escolar 2026-2027!

Estamos empcionados de anunciar el inicio del año escolar 2026-2027 y la activación de nuestra PTSA (Asociación de Padres, Maestros y Estudiantes).

¡Necesitamos su ayuda para hacerlo realidad! Tu participación en la PTSA es vital. Cuando los estudiantes ven a sus padres involucrados en actividades escolares, se sienten inspirados y se fortalece nuestra comunidad escolar.

Juntos, podemos apoyar varios programas que mejoran la experiencia educativa de nuestros estudiantes y crear un impacto positivo.

Para más información, por favor contacta a la Sra. Silva al 770-638-2317 o por correo electrónico a pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

¡Unamos nuestras fuerzas y hagamos de este año algo increíble!

We encourage all families to create a My Payments Plus (MPP) account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.

My Payments Plus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.

Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, My Payments Plus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.

Simply create a free My Payments Plus account to get started today.

https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome

If you need help downloading My Payment Plus to your mobile device, please contact Ms. Pilar Silva at 770-638-2311 or email her at pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org.

Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

We are pleased to announce that the Free and Reduced Lunch Application for the 2026-2027 school year is now available for BMS families to complete. This application needs to be completed every school year. It is important for students to have a nutritious meal throughout the day to support their learning and overall well-being.

Please use the following link to complete your application:

https://www.nlappscloud.com/District.aspx#loaded

If you need assistance, completing the application, please email pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or call her at 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

Atención Familias de Berkmar: Solicitud de Almuerzo Gratuito o Reducido para el Año Escolar 2026-2027

Nos complace anunciar que la Solicitud de Almuerzo Gratuito o a Precio Reducido para el año escolar 2026-2027 ya está disponible para que las familias Berkmar Middle la completen. Esta aplicación se tiene que completar cada año escolar. Es importante que los estudiantes tengan una comida nutritiva durante el día para apoyar su aprendizaje y su bienestar general.

Utilice el siguiente enlace para completar su solicitud:

https://www.nlappscloud.com/District.aspx#loaded

Si necesita ayuda completando la solicitud mandale un email a pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org o llama al 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva estará disponible todos los días de 9:30 AM a 3:30 PM.

Parents can use their smartphones to access ParentVUE to find grades, schedules, and more!

Please click here for more information on downloading ParentVue.

If you need assistance downloading ParentVue, please email pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or call her at 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

• Do you have access to the ParentVue?
• Do you have a MyPaymentsPlus account?
• Have you applied for Free and/or Reduced Lunch, if applicable?
• Do you know when and where your child can go to get additional instructional support?
• Do you know where you can check out materials/resources to use at home with your student?
• Do you know how to become a volunteer in our school?

If you answered no to any of these questions, please make an Appointment with Pilar Silva, our Parent Instructional Coordinator, in the BMS Parent Center.

BMS Families come learn about online resources, the importance of attendance, ELT Programs and volunteer opportunities with Berkmar Middle School. The workshop will be Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 5:30 PM in the BMS Library. Spanish interpretation will be available. If you need another language or ASL interpretation please contact Pilar Silva at 770-638-2317 or pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org 💙🤍 We look forward to connecting with our Berkmar families!

Familias BMS vengan a conocer más sobre los recursos en línea, la importancia de la asistencia, los programas ELT y las oportunidades de voluntariado en la escuela Berkmar Middle School. El taller se llevará a cabo el martes 18 de agosto de 2026 a las 5:30 p. m. en la biblioteca de BMS. Habrá servicio de interpretación al español. Si necesita interpretación en otro idioma o en lengua de señas americana (ASL), por favor comuníquese con Pilar Silva al 770-638-2317 o a pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org. 💙🤍 ¡Esperamos con interés conectar con nuestras familias de Berkmar!

One of the integral parts of creating a harmonious and distraction-free learning space is our "Power Down" electronic device (cell phones, airpods, headphones, etc.) policy. We understand the importance of technology and staying connected in our modern world. However, during school hours, the focus should be on learning, collaborating, and being present.

Should there be an emergency or an urgent concern to communicate with your child, please reach out to the school's main office, 770-638-2300. We will ensure your child receives the message promptly.

All student passwords have been reset for the 2026-2027 school year.

The default password will be the Student ID + the student’s Birth Month + the student’s Birth Date.

For example:

Student ID: 111111111

Birth Month: 08

Birth Date: 16

Default Password: 1111111110816

This information was shared through ParentSquare to all families on June 27. Thank you for your continued support as we work to strengthen student account security across the district.

GCPS encourages families to follow these steps to resolve concerns:

1. Teacher - First, talk to your child’s teacher or a counselor at school for assistance. Most concerns are resolved at the classroom level.

2. Assistant Principal - If the concern is not resolved at the classroom level, please visit with your child’s assistant principal.

3. Principal - If working with the AP does not adequately address the issue, please meet with the school principal.

4. Cluster Superintendent - If the issue persists, please call 678-301-6000, and ask to speak to the cluster superintendent who is assigned to the school your child attends.

5. Chief of Schools - If, after following steps one through four, your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, please contact the Chief of Schools for School Improvement and Operations.

Other Resources
If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1. The GCPS Hotline for anonymous reporting of potential violence is 770-822-6513. If you have a non-emergency criminal concern, please contact local law enforcement.

Please select one of the files below for a downloadable view of this information:

• English
• Español
• Tiếng Việt
• 한국어
• 中文

To see this information in other languages, use the language translation dropdown at the top of this page, or visit the GCPS web page for this topic and choose translation options there: Addressing Concerns at School - Gwinnett County Public Schools

We are pleased to provide you with information about Student Accident Insurance available through K & K Insurance. This affordable insurance plan can help cover costs associated with accidental injuries to your student.

This insurance plan is not intended to replace your child’s health insurance coverage. Rather, this insurance can supplement any existing insurance policies, providing a specified amount of coverage if your student should be injured at school. (For greater protection, you may select the “full time” plan, offering 24-hour accident coverage.)

To enroll, file a claim, or for more information about the plans, visit K & K Insurance at www.studentinsurance-kk.com.

If you have any other questions, please contact Zach Palmer, K & K Insurance, at 855-742-3135.

This calendar is available to download as a PDF or image in multiple languages and in an accessible version: Altruistic August | Action for Happiness

Do you want to keep up with all the exciting things happening at BMS? From school events and celebrations to important announcements, we’ve got you covered!

👉 Follow us on social media and be part of our Patriot community:

• Instagram: @berkmarms127

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkmarMS

Let’s celebrate our students, families, and staff together because at BMS, Patriots Focus Forward, leading the way to Excellence! 💙❤️

By following us, you’ll stay up to date, see the great things our students and staff are doing, and remain informed about all things BMS. Thank you for being an engaged and supportive part of our school community; we’re better when we stay connected!

💙❤️🤍

#TeamBMS#PatriotPride#WeAreBerkmar#FocusForward

Want to stay connected with BMS? Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BerkmarMS127. Follow us on Facebook Berkmar Middle. Updated communication and parent newsletters may be found on these platforms. Additionally, our school website is another great resource for learning more about our school.

Website: berkmarms.gcpsk12.org
Location: 4355 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, GA, USA
Phone: 770-638-2300