Buzz 2/6/26

Thank you to all who donated and participated in Bell's annual Wish Week! We raised roughy $7800, all of which will be helping Margaret get her wish of heading to Disney! A special thank you to our Student Council for your time and energy and to Mrs. Swift, Mrs. Kralik, and Mr. Krisl for all of your organization and support.

The Jeffco Listens: Annual Family Survey is now open through Friday, February 20. This anonymous survey is a valuable tool that provides us with insights into our families' experiences and only takes 15-20 minutes to complete. It will help us better understand what we are doing well and inform us how we can better support our students and families. This important feedback will direct our decision-making as we work to provide a world-class education for all Jeffco students and prepare them for bright and successful futures. https://jps.click/family-survey

Bell Middle School's PTA is excited to announce that the guest speakers for its February meeting are Jeffco Public School's Chief Financial Officer Brenna Copeland, and Chief of Schools Drew Coleman. They will be discussing Jeffco's budget outlook and its impact on our schools. All families with students in the Golden articulation area are welcome to join.

Where: Bell Middle School, 1001 Ulysses St., Golden, CO 80401

When: February 23

Time: 5:00pm

So we can plan for seating, please RSVP using this form or call Bell at 303-982-4280 by February 20. Thank you!

Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on Tuesday, February 11, from 4:00–7:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for families to connect with teachers, discuss student progress, and ask any questions they may have. We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration for Bell Middle School Soccer and Track & Field through the Middle School Sports Program (MSSP) opens on February 17. MSSP is a co-ed, recreational after-school sports league run in partnership with Skyhawks Sports.

• Soccer: April 1–May 20 (Mondays & Wednesdays after school)

• Track & Field: March 31–May 26 (Tuesdays & Thursdays after school)

Practices are approximately 90 minutes after school. Transportation is not provided.

Register by scanning the QR code on the flyer or visiting skyhawks.fun/Bell-MSSP. Space is limited, and programs may fill quickly.

Bell Middle School's budget planning for 2026-2027 is nearly complete, with a required cut of 2.6% or approximately $224,000. All schools, and to a larger extent, all central departments in Jeffco have a reduced budget due to district-wide decreases in enrollment and other funding gaps; this aligns with statewide trends, as well. Fortunately, Bell's own enrollment remains stable, meaning the only cuts we anticipate come from the 2.6% budget reduction.

Through collaboration and using survey data, the school developed a balanced budget to minimize impact on students, with major cuts coming from attrition and the elimination of one office paraprofessional position, along with smaller reductions to the operating budget, primarily affecting staff professional learning. We anticipate a minimal impact on the student experience, with only one elective offering being affected. Additionally, we expect to fill gaps for professional learning needs thanks to support from organizations like the Golden Schools Foundation and the PTA.

For a more thorough explanation of Bell's overall budget, please read this memo from Principal DeAndrea-Austin.

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about budget cuts around Jeffco and their impacts on our future, you are encouraged to join us at the Feb. 23 PTA / BAT joining meeting where CFO Brenna Copeland and Chief of Schools Drew Coleman will be presenting. The meeting will be at Bell MS and starts at 5:00.

Bell staff collaborated to create an AI and Academic Dishonesty Policy this week. Please review this policy to support your student(s) in meeting expectations.

Academic Dishonesty

Jeffco Public Schools values promoting a learning environment that upholds academic honesty. To encourage ethical behavior, we must educate all students about the importance of academic integrity.

During learning activities, students should exhibit the discipline to seek guidance from their instructors instead of resorting to inappropriate behaviors that can undermine their academic and personal growth. This responsibility is shared by students, families, teachers and staff.

Academic dishonesty is defined as a student's use of unauthorized assistance with intent to deceive a teacher or other such person who may be assigned to evaluate the student’s work in class requirements. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plagiarism - Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment.

• Cheating - Copying from another's paper, submitting someone else’s work as their own, receiving unauthorized assistance from another person, using a calculator when its use has been disallowed.

AI Policy

At Jeffco Public Schools, we encourage students to use these tools responsibly while staying true to academic honesty, building real-life skills, and keeping strong connections with teachers and classmates. We’re committed to creating a learning environment where honesty and ethical behavior are valued.

As technology evolves, the heart of education stays the same: learning through relationships, conversations, teamwork and self-expression.

Student Expectations:

• Follow your teacher’s expectations carefully

• Don't just accept what AI provides, question and evaluate it

• Compare AI responses with reliable sources

• Take notes on what is learned from AI interactions

• Try applying what has been learned without AI assistance afterward

• Ask if you’re unsure about using AI for an assignment

• Be open and honest about how you use it (cite it as a source)

• Every teacher sets their own rules for AI use, so make sure to ask first.
• Using AI without proper permission or attribution may be considered academic dishonesty.
• Technology is a tool, not a replacement, for learning, connection and growth.

Teacher Expectations:

• Teachers must state clearly the level of AI that can be utilized for each assignment as applicable. If it is not clearly stated, it is assumed AI is not permitted without explicit permission.
• Technology is a tool, not a replacement, for learning, connection and growth.

Accountability Measures

Offenses are accumulative for all classes, not per class.

• First Offense - Documented and the teacher will contact home, with the option to redo the work on the student’s own time - grade is up to teacher discretion

• Second Offense - Referral to admin, Admin contacts home, with the option to redo the work on the student’s own time with a maximum of 50% of grade

• Third Offense - Referral to Admin. Unable to redo the assignment for a grade.

Teachers must be clear with students regarding AI use in their classroom for each assignment as appropriate. If it is not clearly stated, it is assumed AI is not permitted without explicit permission.

These offenses do not carry over year to year.

Yearbook Wants your Photos!

We'd love your photos. Share with your Bell basketball photos. What activities do you do outside of school? Share your photos with us. Share your photos here!

• February 11 In-Person Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00 - 7:00 pm

• February 13 NO SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF

• February 16 Presidents’ Day – No School

• February 23 PTA & BAT Combined Meeting with Special Guests! - 5:00-6:30 Virtual (link will be sent)

Here are this week’s Bobcats of the Week, as nominated by teachers and staff members weekly from each grade. Students are nominated based on consistent or exceptional R.O.A.R. (Respectful, Optimistic, Accountable, Responsible) behavior. 😊

6th GRADE: Brayden Maslowsky for being Optimistic and Nyah Wilhelm for being Optimistic.

7th GRADE: Stiven Pay Salgado for being Optimistic and Sean Gorman for being Responsible.

8th GRADE: Harper Blake for being Respectful and Mimi Bohem for being Responsible.

Did you know School Counselor Advocacy Week

was from Feb. 2-7?

Our days are filled with academic, social/emotional and career learning and support.

Our wondering staff, students, PTA and community spoiled our mental health team ALL week with doors decorated, thank you notes from students, Lunch from Jason's Deli, burritos, snacks, administrators even covered our lunch duty giving us a rare time to eat together during the day. We are so blessed to work in a community that is caring, supportive and it's a joy to receive that love from you all. With a FULL heart, THANK YOU! Ms. Jelinek, Ms. Leigh, Ms. Harrison, Ms. Costello, Ms. Swanson and Ms. Cochran

Upcoming Career Fair for 7th grade:

• Save the date! 7th graders have been invited to attend a Career Fair at Evergreen Middle School on 2/25/26. If you wish to opt your student out of this field trip, please contact Counselor Lindsey Leigh at Lindsey.Leigh@jeffco.k12.co.us
• Interested in sharing your career to spark middle schoolers interests? We need passionate companies to host a table at Evergreen Middle school on 2/25/26 to make the career fair a success!

• If you are interested, click here ----> Event Options and Sign Up
• If you need more information click here -------> Event flyer

Questions? Contact Lindsey.Leigh@jeffco.k12.co.us or Mark.Mizelle@jeffco.k12.co.us

CLUTTER CLINIC

WHAT: Get Organized & New Supplies

WHEN: WIN time (1st Wed of Each Month)

WHO: Available to All Students

HOW: Students sign up for WIN time or parent/guardian can email their grade level counselor directly

🔆SUMMER CAMP FOR GIRLS🔆

Career Week for GIRLs

3 Weeks in June that can change a lifetime!

The HOYA Foundation started Career Week for GIRLs to encourage more young women to pursue careers in transportation and construction. Why? Because only 11% of the construction workforce is women. That fact carries economic implications and substantial opportunities.

Five Days Can Change a Life

There are three weeks in June: June 1-5, June 8-12 or June 22-26

There is no cost to those girls that are selected.

The application is open online

HERE

OTHER RESOURCES

Self-Regulation Here is quick video worth your time about co-regulation!

Community Resources

Extensions & Contest Opportunities

Hazel Health

Your School Counseling Team:

• 6th grade: Linda Jelinek- Linda.Jelinek@jeffco.k12.co.us
• 7th grade: Lindsey Leigh- Lindsey.Leigh@jeffco.k12.co.us
• 8th grade: Kathy Cochran- Kathy.Cochran@jeffco.k12.co.us
• SELS: Danielle Swanson - Danielle.Swanson@jeffco.k12.co.us

We are here to help! If your student would like to make an appointment with their grade-level counselor or the SELS, they can submit a request form found on Bell's website, under Counseling. Counselors will call the student to their office as soon as possible.

Q: What’s your favorite spirit day to dress up for?

Ms. B: For this year there are two. Both tutu-Tuesday and Disney Day.

Q: What was your dream job as a kid and why?

Ms. B: My dream job as a kid was a dancer because I really liked ballet. I was not coordinated no matter how much I tried though and I didn’t have the grace my other friends had and it was really upsetting.

Q: If you have to eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Ms. B: Philly cheese steaks! They are amazing - the real ones not the fake ones and it has to have provolone cheese.

Happy February! This month in our Tuesday SEL lessons we are learning about Thoughts, Decisions, and Emotions and how they affect our bodies and minds in different ways. This is Unit 3 of Second Step.

Our Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data has come back. We have some great numbers and a lot to be proud of!

• 93.4% of students say they usually or always feel safe at school (increase of 0.8%).
• 12.3% increase in the number of students who felt confident about their body image in the last 30 days.
• ~6% increase in the number of students participating in physical activity for an average of 60 min 5x/week.
• Overall decrease in the number of students reporting to have ever used alcohol, tobacco, and/or marijuana.
• Overall reported decrease in suicidality and increase in positive mental health.

These are just some quick snapshots. Here is a snapshot put together by our district team on Bell-specific numbers.

Please click on the link below to read the newsletter for this month.

As always, please reach out with any questions!

Infinite Campus Parent App allows you to gain access to student schedule, grades, attendance and fee payment. It allows you to set notifications for missing work or attendance issues like tardies. See the Jeffco Infinite Campus page for login information.

Did you miss the Screenagers, NEXT CHAPTER Movie Showing?

TWO Screenagers Movie Showings will be on Wednesday, March 11th

Mark your Calendars!

All Bell families and staff are encouraged to attend. Movies will be shown in the Bell Auditorium. You are welcome to come to both movies or pick one. These are the last planned movie showings for 2025-26.

• 5:30-6:30pm -Screenagers - Growing Up in the Digital Age Movie Showing
• focus on setting healthy screen time limits for your family
• 6:30 -7:00pm - Discussion, break
• 7:00-8:00pm - Screenagers, Next Chapter Movie Showing
• focus on managing student anxiety and mental health
• 8:00-8:30 - Discussion

• There are youth, adult, and ladies sizes. They have several styles of shirts, hoodies, fleeces, flannel pants, hats, and more. ORDER HERE. All orders are processed when the store closes on March 20, 2026. Orders will be delivered to Bell the week of April 10, 2026 for distribution to students. Email us at BellPTAPres@gmail.com to arrange alternate pick up.

• Items have been added recently to the Teacher Amazon Wish List. Thank you so much for your continued support.

The Bell Middle School PTA and Golden High School PTA are seeking new board members for the upcoming school year.

• No prior experience needed—just a willingness to support students, staff, and school community.
• Interested (or just curious)? Reach out to bellPTApres@gmail.com for Bell Middle School and president@goldendemonspta.org for Golden High School.
• Not ready to sit on a board but want to be involved?
• GHS is also seeking committee members for their virtual Silent Auction (sets our budget for the year and allows the PTA to function) and After Prom committees.
• Bell PTA is also seeking committee members for Fall fundraising and Teacher Appreciation.
• We will not be able to have these events without volunteers!

Bell Students are encouraged to participate in the ENC Writing and I Love to Read Challenges. Student winners win cash prizes! And, if enough Bell students participate Bell could win up to $500. The deadline to submit entries is February 20th, 2026. Entries should be mailed to: PO Box 688, Golden, CO, 80402. More information for each challenge on the flyers.

• 2025-26 Jeffco Writing Challenge Entry & Permission Slip
• 2025-26 "I Love to Read" Entry & Permission Slip