BGMS Bulletin

Charging Into February, TOGETHER

Dear Bison Families,

As you can see from the picture above, we are charging into February with determination and optimism! Last week's ice storm certainly created havoc and gave us an unplanned week and a day away from learning. This weather has been difficult to navigate, but it reminded me that sometimes I need to pause, observe, regroup, and adapt plans.

Schedule Updates & Adaptations

The ice storm has impacted more than just our daily routines. Sports schedules and testing calendars have all been affected as well. While I typically try to provide comprehensive details in our monthly newsletter, we may need to rely on additional ParentSquare messages to keep you updated as revised plans develop.

Adapting is a powerful skill for all of us – students, families, and staff alike. We will work together to adapt to new schedules, revised timelines, and whatever adjustments need to be made. We'll figure it out together, as we always do.

Partnership & Communication

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions, concerns, or if there's anything we can do to support your family. Partnering with you is truly a privilege of working in this community. Your trust, flexibility, and collaboration make all the difference, especially during unexpected challenges like these.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate these schedule changes and for being the incredible, resilient community that makes our school so special.

TOGETHER, we are BISON STRONG!

8th grade will be hosting a fundraiser for their spring graduation dance! They will sell Orange “Crush” sodas and Grape “Fanta”stic sodas for Valentine’s Day. Sodas will be 2 dollars each and pre-sales will begin this week. Drinks will be delivered during grade level lunches on Fri Feb 13th!

We love chances for families to participate in the life of BGMS. We have many opportunities throughout the year for families to join us on field trips, supervise events and help in classrooms. If you would like the school to have a volunteer form on file, please download the attached form, fill it out, and send it back to school with your student.

As the year begins, we want to remind you that STOPit is still here to support your student’s safety and well-being. The app provides a safe, anonymous way for students to report concerns, get help, or find resources—anytime, anywhere.

With STOPit, students can:

• Submit a Tip — Share something serious without giving their name
• Crisis Text Line — Connect 24/7 with a trained mental health counselor
• Resources — Access help for needs like food, shelter, bullying, or anxiety

Your encouragement can make a difference—please take a moment to remind your student how to access STOPit:

1. Open the app or download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play
2. Search for our school in the list or enter the school code
3. Accept the terms—and they’re ready to go!

[Click here to learn more!]

Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe and supported.

Calling all parents! The Bison Community Council is our new parent organization and they need your participation.

The mission of the Bison Community Council is to:

● Support the teachers, staff, and students of Buffalo Gap Middle School;

● Encourage family and community involvement in the life of the school;

● Promote a culture of volunteerism and engagement within the school;

● Strengthen relationships between the school, families, and the greater Buffalo Gap

community.

Please consider ways you can help support our school this year. Many hands make light work!

Middle School Basketball has been delayed by weather! As a reminder, both teams practice after school on non-game days unless school is closed. Boys will practice from 3:15 - 5:00 and girls will practice from 3:15 - 4:45. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED SCHEDLING REGARDING POSSIBLE MAKE UP GAMES!

If you have questions, please reach out to our athletic coordinator, Julie Sanger, at jsanger@augusta.k12.va.us

Cafeteria Information

Breakfast and Lunch are offered free again this year for ALL students. A la carte items can be purchased during your student's lunch period. Students may either pay in cash or by having money on their account.

Safety

Students and visitors will enter the building and move through our weapons detectors daily. Just as last year, note that zippered binders are not permitted due to weapons detector procedures. Regular notebooks/binders and zippered pencil pouches are acceptable; however, some items must be removed from the backpack and reviewed by our staff at the detector stations. Items such as Chromebooks, umbrellas, glasses cases, large scissors, and certain other metal items must be removed before students are able to pass through the detectors.

Chromebook Charging

Students are asked to charge their Chromebooks each evening so they are ready for use each day.

Cell Phones/Smart Watches

Cell phones and smart watches can be a huge distraction in the educational setting. Since our students have Chromebooks, they have all the technology they need for the academic setting. Phones and smart watches must be turned off and stored in backpacks, and students are not allowed to use these during the day at school. If you need to contact your child for an emergency, please call the front office. Students may also come to the office to call home if needed.

Looking for some BGMS Gear? CLICK ON THE PHOTO ABOVE! We've got you covered! Shenandoah Awards and Apparel has created a merch store with several designs for purchase. Some designs have our HERD acronym and others contain the logo or another BGMS design. All orders can be placed online, but they will need to be picked up at Shenandoah Awards and Apparel, 220 Frontier Drive, Staunton, VA 24401. Buyers will receive an email when orders are ready. More designs and products will be added. Join the HERD and get yours today! Click the picture above to be linked to the store.