Weekly Update

A Shout-Out to Da PAC: Thank You for a Fantastic Spirit Week!

We want to send a huge thank you to the Principal's Advisory Committee (affectionately known as Da PAC) for their incredible work organizing our recent Spirit Week! Thanks to their enthusiasm and dedication, the week was a fantastic success, bringing energy and school spirit to the whole BHMS community.

Introducing Your 2025-2026 Da PAC Crew

The Da PAC crew is a vital group of student representatives from each grade who work directly with the Principal to shape the future of Beacon Hill Middle School. This committee is a safe and collaborative space designed to ensure student voices are not only heard, but also actively contribute to our school's climate and culture.

What is Da PAC?

Your student representatives on Da PAC are selected for being passionate about BHMS, willing to speak openly, and ready to collaborate on solutions. They will spend the year working on key initiatives, including:

• Sharing perspectives on the school environment and student experience.

• Collaborating on ideas for school improvement.

• Brainstorming solutions to challenges faced by students.

• Contributing to a positive and inclusive school culture for everyone.

Please join us in thanking the 2025-2026 Da PAC crew for their leadership during Spirit Week and for their commitment to making Beacon Hill the best place it can be!

6th Grade PAC Representatives: Elizabeth Canter, Anora Muneer, Hasanat Ebrahim Khil Hasanat, and Michael Pope

7th Grade PAC Representatives: Betty Adams, Owen Andrews, Elanor Coblentz, and Joseph Shaffer

8th Grade PAC Representatives: Madison Deeb, Michael Philipsborn, Christophe Owusu, Lydia Robbilard, and Stella Rucker

The Principal Advisory Council organized a fun-filled Spirit Week to celebrate our return from Fall Break and get ready for DHS Homecoming. It's been a week to remember with great participation from everyone! Our final spirit week wear is tomorrow!

• Friday, 10/3: BHMS Day. It's time to show our Bulldog pride! Wear your favorite BHMS or Bulldogs gear, whether it's a shirt, hoodie, or just our school colors. You can also add Bulldog accessories, such as a lanyard, school scarf, beads, or a hat. Just a reminder: please refrain from full-face paint, but face stickers are welcome.

Don't Miss BHMS Spirit Night!

The fun continues on Friday after school! Join us for BHMS Spirit Night from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ebster Recreation Center (105 Electric Avenue). We'll be celebrating our students and families, and the location offers a great view of the Homecoming Parade. We hope to see you there! A free slice of pizza and bottle of water are available to each Beacon Hill student.

We hope to see you tomorrow morning October 3 at 9 a.m. This session is a great opportunity to learn how to check in on your child's academic performance, social-emotional growth, and overall well-being. Our school coaches will be on hand to help you understand and interpret your child's progress.

These chats are designed to:

• Provide valuable information and foster a sense of continuous learning.

• Create an open and transparent platform for us to connect with one another.

• Extend the reach of our live chats to the entire school community.

We look forward to seeing you there! Can't make it join virtual using this link.

On Wednesday, October 29th, from 8:45–11:50 a.m., all 8th grade students will take the PSAT 8/9, an assessment created by the College Board. The purpose of the PSAT 8/9 is to give students an early opportunity to practice and prepare for future college readiness exams, while also helping them identify their academic strengths and areas for growth. No grade will be placed into the gradebook for this assessment. This test is not something students need to study for. It is simply a tool to support their learning journey and guide teachers in providing the best instruction possible. We want students to feel encouraged and confident, knowing this assessment is only one step along the way in preparing for high school and beyond.

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) has recently been administered to 6th grade students and serves as one of the many tools we use to better understand how each child learns and thinks. It provides helpful insight into reasoning and problem-solving skills, but it is not the sole measure of a student’s abilities. Test results will be sent home with your child on Monday, along with a guide to help you interpret and understand the data as a parent. Our goal is to use this information to support your child’s learning journey and celebrate their unique strengths.

From Oct. 6-31, 2025, CSD will administer the Social, Emotional and Behavioral Screening (BASC-3 BESS), a brief screening tool for students in grades 3-12 that helps to identify social, emotional, and behavioral strengths and needs so schools can provide timely support. Screener results help schools strengthen classroom practices, offer small-group or individual support, and partner with families to connect students with resources. Together, we can ensure every child feels safe, seen and supported. Find out more in the Social, Emotional and Behavioral Screening (BASC-3 BESS) FAQ.

This year, our school is helping students learn about mental health and how to seek help for themselves or a friend through the nationally recognized SOS Signs of Suicide program, October 1-8. Used in thousands of schools for over 20 years, SOS has been shown to reduce students' self-reported suicide attempts while teaching them how to recognize the signs of depression and suicide risk.

Through SOS, students will learn:

• Depression is treatable. It’s important to reach out for help.
  

• How to recognize signs of depression or suicide risk in oneself or a friend.
  

• The ACT strategy: Acknowledge the signs of concern, show that you Care, and Tell a trusted adult.
  
  

Students will view short, age-appropriate videos and take part in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and how to get help. They will also complete a brief depression screening (not a diagnosis) and an exit slip indicating if they would like to speak with an adult. Any student may request a follow-up conversation with school staff.

Congratulations to all of our students who are demonstrating excellent behavior and earning BARK Points! Keep up the great work in creating a positive school environment.

Student Leaderboard Winners

The students pictured above demonstrated outstanding effort, kindness, accountability, and respect, leading the charge with the most points earned!

Teacher Leaderboard

We also want to recognize the staff members who have recorded the most BARK Points for students!

6th Grade: Ashton White

7th Grade: Maria Indacochea

8th Grade: Amanda Brendle

Connections: Erin Crockett

A Huge Thank You to Our PBIS Team and Volunteers!

The BARK Store is open on Fridays during lunch because of the dedicated efforts of our PBIS team and parent volunteers.Thanks to all the parent volunteers and staff who take time out of their day to run and work the store during lunch, allowing our students to "SCAN, REDEEM, ENJOY!" Your support makes a real difference in rewarding positive behavior!

Today, on National Custodian Day, we pause to recognize and celebrate the dedicated members of our BHMS custodial team who work tirelessly behind the scenes daily to keep our school clean, safe, and welcoming for students, staff, and families.

Their efforts enable us to teach, learn, and thrive in a positive environment from early mornings to late evenings. Whether preparing our spaces for significant events, keeping our hallways safe, or tackling unexpected challenges with patience and care, our custodians embody what it means to support our BHMS community.

To our custodial team: THANK YOU for your hard work, dedication, and the pride you put into caring for our school. You help us live out our BHMS vision of being Seen, Supported, and Successful every day.

Basketball season is almost here! Tryouts for Beacon Hill Middle School will be held in October:

• Girls: October 6–7, 4:00–6:00 PM

  • (All grades each day)

• Boys: October 13–15, 4:00-6:00 PM

• (Stay tuned for more details on which grades will try out on specific days.)

Make sure your DragonFly profile is updated with current medical forms.

We’re excited to see our Bulldogs hit the court!

The high school Decatur Robotics team is hosting this event where you will learn about designing and folding paper planes. The event is free of charge and will take place October 18, 2-3:30pm in the BHMS cafeteria. Participation is limited to the first 25 students. Please register here. For questions, contact us at outreach@decaturrobotics.org.

Want to make a difference and help our planet? Join the BHMS Recycling Club led by faculty advisor Jessica Nicks and parent volunteer Laura Willard, from our PTA Sustainability Committee. The club will meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:05 am to 8:35 am in Room 2105. Once a basic recycling collection and processing system is up and running, the group will explore even more cool sustainability projects. Ready to roll up your sleeves? Fill out this interest form. Let's make BHMS a greener place together! Email Ms. Nicks with questions.

As the school year settles in and the air turns crisp, fall is the perfect time to nurture reading habits at home. Just 20 minutes of daily reading can boost vocabulary, improve comprehension, and build stronger focus, all skills that carry students through every subject.

Here are a few fall-themed ways to keep reading engaging:
🍁 Family Reading Night: Pick a short story, light a candle, and enjoy reading together.
🍁 Fall Book Basket: Rotate seasonal books (mysteries, adventures, autumn stories) to spark excitement.
🍁 Talk & Walk: After school, take a walk and ask your child to retell a story or article they read that day.

Reading is like raking leaves, you see the results pile up over time.

👉 Want more strategies to support reading and study habits at home? Reach out to Mrs. Braxton | Reading Specialist at BHMS at tbraxton@csdecatur.net for guidance and additional resources.

This article was written in collaboration with the Decatur PREP Project (Parent Reading Engagement Program) and made available through our partnership with the Decatur Education Foundation the Beacon Hill Middle School PTA and the BradAlTon Foundation for Family Elevation.

Read the October 2, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Be part of the global movement on Wednesday, October 8 by using a non-motorized method of getting to school. Students who participate will receive a raffle ticket. The class with the most tickets will earn a Chick-fil-A breakfast!

Seventh grade students are invited to gather for great music, snacks and photo opportunities at our fall dance next Friday (October 10) from 4 pm to 5:30 pm in the BHMS Cafeteria. The cost is $5 per student; purchase tickets here. (Add your student’s name in the “Comment” section when you donate.) Snacks and beverages will be sold for $1 each. Please send small bills. We also accept credit cards and most payment apps.

Volunteers/Donations Needed! View our sign-up form here. Purchased items may be dropped off at the Front Office (labeled “Seventh Grade Dance”), or you may ship donations directly to BHMS (marked, “Attention: Seventh Grade Dance”). We appreciate your time and generosity.

Purchase your tickets by clicking here.

Take a night off from cooking and support BHMS by ordering from Universal Join Decatur on Tuesday, October 14. Ten percent of all sales will be donated to our school. Please mention BHMS when ordering. Thank you!

The annual Diwali Celebration organized by the City Schools of Decatur PTA/PTO DEI committees will be held Saturday, October 18 from 5 pm to 7 pm at BHMS. All are invited to attend the event, which features food, drinks, crafts and music. RSVP here.

Are you a BHMS family or local business owner interested in supporting our school community? (Do you know a business that would like to help?) Then consider becoming a BHMS sponsor. Learn more about sponsorship levels here. Questions? Reach out to our fundraising chair.

The PBIS Store is officially open! Please volunteer to help run the BARK store. It is an easy process, and experienced parents will be there to guide you if you have not volunteered before. We also are always looking for donations to stock our store. Volunteer needs and a link to our wishlist can be found in the links below. Thanks!

• BHMS Website
• Personal Electronics Protocol
• Bell Schedule or Bell Schedule by Grade
• Bus Routes
• Free and Reduced Lunch Application
• BHMS Weekly Updates
• Attendance Routines and Procedures
• Key Contacts

• BHMS Facebook page
• BHMSPTA Facebook page
• BHMSInstagram page
• Grading Quick Facts 6-12
• CSD Grading Handbook
• Grade Level News