Mrs. Gonzalez's Weekly Update
Hello Raiders!
Happy fall! October is full of energy on our campus, and this week’s newsletter is packed. Fall Fest is on October 23 and the Jog-a-Thon is on October 29. We also have Red Ribbon Week, basketball tryouts, and a chance to join me for coffee, so there are lots of ways for our students and families to connect and have fun together. You’ll also find reminders about Halloween costume guidelines, 8th grade health screenings, Chromebook troubleshooting tips, and upcoming days off to help with your planning.
We still need your help! Our biggest events only happen because of our amazing volunteers, and we’re still looking for more hands for both Fall Fest and the Jog-a-Thon. Even an hour makes a difference, and it’s a great way to cheer on our kids.
Sign up here:
Thank you for being such a caring and active part of our school community.
Your proud principal,
Bonnie Gonzalez
Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures
We have a new drop off and pick up procedure we hope will be helpful to all of you and keep our students safe. Thank you Mr. Sauntry for helping us come up with a plan! Below is an image to show the flow of traffic. Morning drop off and afternoon pick up by the gym will have an entrance and exit. Please pull forward so that we can get as many students in and out of the cars as possible. The main entrance for cars opens after the busses have left. Follow the signs and keep moving.
Thank You, 6th Grade Parents! 🌲
Huge thanks to everyone who has turned in the PINK camp registration form! We’re double-checking each one and reaching out if anything is missing, so getting them in on time really helps us make sure everything is complete before we send it to Camp Cuyamaca.
A special shout out to families whose students won’t be attending camp. Your forms help us plan fun activities for “Campus Camp,” and we appreciate you!
Haven’t turned yours in yet? Please send it in. Thanks for all your help!
Fall Fest - October 23, 5--8pm
Hi Black Mountain family! Last day to buy early discounted wristbands and meal deals to the Fall Fest this Friday, Oct 23 from 5-8 pm. Please join us for family fun! If you register to bid in our auction, you will be entered in a drawing for air pods! Sign up and we look forward to seeing you on Friday!
Get the whole family together and join us for an evening of FUN, GAMES, FOOD & FALL FESTIVITIES!
- October 23rd
- 5:00–8:00 PM
Volunteers needed! Please sign-up HERE
Thanks to those of you who signed up to help, don’t forget to bring the whole family!
We have something for everyone! Come enjoy:
- Laser Tag
- Photo Booth
- Dodgeball
- Games & Activities
- Food, Snacks & Drinks
- Auction Items & MORE!
WE HAVE EXTENDED THE DISCOUNT WRISTBANDS TO ACCESS GAMES, LASER TAG, and DODGEBALL! GET YOUR DISCOUNTED EVENT BRACELETS HERE
DISCOUNT on wristbands ends on Monday, Oct 19 at midnight, at which point the price will increase
And don’t forget to preorder a Meal Deal so you can keep the fun going!
Meal Deal includes:
- 1 slice of pizza
- Chips
- A drink
Bring your family, invite your friends, and come make some spooktacular memories with the EFBMMS community!
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAM!
Purchase your event bracelets and meal deals today — we can’t wait to see you there!
🎧AND YOU CAN WIN AIR PODS! Just by signing up and registering for the auction, every individual (one email address per person/family) will be entered in a drawing for a set of Air Pods! REGISTER HERE, check out our awesome auction items, and enter to win airpods today!
Click the blue button and register now!
https://givebutter.com/c/BMMSfallfest26/auction/register
More info about Fall Fest here
EFBMMS Fundraiser for our Raiders!
Donate Today to the Education Foundation at BMMS! https://educationfoundationbmms.com/donateefbmms Every $1 goes back into the school community.
Get Involved with the Education Foundation at Black Mountain Middle! The Education Foundation of Black Mountain Middle School (EFBMMS)’s vision is to empower teachers and students for a brighter future! We are a nonprofit that supports BMMS with educational and social emotional programs, mini grants for teachers, clubs like Robotics and Science Olympiad, Fall Fest, and more! We need volunteers for events and the Executive Board, contact us today!
Our next meeting is Tues, Oct 20 at 7pm! Want to come? Or have questions about EFBMMS?
Email Kari at efbmmspresident@gmail.com
Halloween Costume Guidelines
KNOWLEDGE & NETWORK & PEACE OF MIND PLANNING Webinar
Join us for an upcoming Knowledge & Network webinar featuring the Executive Director of the Special Needs Trust Foundation and the organization’s Legal Counsels. They will share helpful information about:
• 🏡 Estate planning and planning for your child’s future
• 💰 Special Needs Trusts – what they are and when they may be appropriate
• 📝 Setting up and executing a Special Needs Trust
• 💳 How funds can be used and distributed
• ❓ Common questions and considerations for families
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
🕐 Time: 10 to 11:30 am
💻 Location: MS Teams Webinar
🔗 Registration: Registration is required. Please register here.
Note to registrants:
After registration, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the webinar and an option to add the event to your calendar. Please check your Spam folder if you did not receive the confirmation email. It is recommended to add notifications@powayusd.com to your contacts or safe-sender list to prevent reminder emails going into the spam folder again.
Looking for Career Fair Volunteers
We need your help! We are looking for parents and community members to be a part of our BMMS Career Fair.
The Career Fair will be on December 11th, 2026 during both lunches (11:30am-1:00pm).
The goal is to introduce a variety of career options to students in a wide range of career fields. Please sign up to volunteer and share your career path and experiences with our students. Sign up: https://forms.gle/gb81BoMUgmdx8E2RA
Each volunteer will have a table. Tables will be set up around the perimeter of the quad and are generally grouped by career cluster (Arts/Entertainment, Health Science, IT, Education, STEM, Human Services, Business Management, etc). You can set up your table with any display or giveaways you would like. You'll also have a student ambassador assigned to you for any help you need. Our students walk up to tables to learn more about the careers at each table. They have a "passport" that your student ambassador will initial. Here's a short video with some clips of the fair from several years ago. https://youtu.be/SOT3JUh-KBU?si=q9uoPX72etjxFN5y
Please consider volunteering for the event. You can contact one of our counselors, Mr. Schafer (jschafer@powayusd.com) with any questions.
SWE Girls Day Out - SDSU
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at San Diego State University, in collaboration with SWE San Diego, is bringing back Girls Day Out on Saturday, October 24.
Designed for middle and high school students who identify as female, this free event provides an opportunity to explore engineering and STEM careers through hands-on activities, guest speakers, mentorship, and connections with university students and industry professionals.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Explore engineering and STEM-related career fields
- Participate in fun, hands-on STEM activities
- Hear from guest speakers
- Connect with current university students
- Meet and learn from STEM industry professionals
- Build confidence and learn more about future education and career possibilities
Event Details
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Engineering & Interdisciplinary Sciences (EIS) Complex Courtyard at San Diego State University
Cost: Free
Registration is required since space is limited.
Full link address for posting on school site social media or school digital communications to parents with the digital flyer
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqfcbdB99w2x9Jjj4dV7tnrAkDwxLbkmVzItIHaX-zM220lQ/viewform
Questions?
Contact Alicia Leyva, Community Outreach Officer at SWE SDSU
¡Día de las Niñas en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego!
La Sociedad de Mujeres Ingenieras (Society of Women Engineers, SWE) de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego (SDSU), en colaboración con SWE San Diego, presenta nuevamente el evento Girls Day Out (Día de las Niñas) el sábado 24 de octubre.
Este evento gratuito, dirigido a estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria que se identifican como mujeres, ofrece una excelente oportunidad para explorar carreras en ingeniería, ciencias, tecnología y matemáticas (STEM) mediante actividades prácticas, presentaciones de profesionales, mentoría y oportunidades para conocer a estudiantes universitarias y profesionales de la industria.
Las participantes tendrán la oportunidad de:
Explorar diferentes carreras relacionadas con la ingeniería y las áreas STEM.
Participar en actividades STEM divertidas y prácticas.
Escuchar presentaciones de invitadas especiales.
Conocer y conversar con estudiantes universitarias.
Aprender de profesionales que trabajan en las industrias STEM.
Desarrollar confianza en sus habilidades y descubrir nuevas oportunidades educativas y profesionales para su futuro.
Detalles del evento
Fecha: Sábado, 24 de octubre de 2026
Horario: 1:00 a 4:30 p.m.
Lugar: Patio del Complejo de Ingeniería y Ciencias Interdisciplinarias (EIS) de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego (SDSU)
Costo: Gratis
Se requiere inscripción previa, ya que el cupo es limitado.
Enlace completo para compartir en las redes sociales de las escuelas o en las comunicaciones digitales dirigidas a las familias, junto con el folleto del evento:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqfcbdB99w2x9Jjj4dV7tnrAkDwxLbkmVzItIHaX-zM220lQ/viewform
¿Tienes preguntas?
Comunícate con Alicia Leyva, encargada de Vinculación Comunitaria de SWE SDSU.
Correo electrónico: swesdsucommunityoutreach@gmail.com
¡Anima a las estudiantes a aprovechar esta emocionante oportunidad para descubrir el mundo de la ingeniería y las carreras STEM!
Basketball Info Meeting 10/19 @ 3pm
Basketball Try-Outs 10/23 @ 3:15-5:00pm
BMMS Fall Band Concert - 10/21/26 @ 6pm
8th Grade Hearing & Vision Screening 10/27 & 10/28
Jog A Thon, 10/29
Digital Citizenship - Tech Tips and Tricks
BMMS Chromebook Troubleshooting Quick Guide
Virtual Coffee with the Principal, November 13, 2026
We hope you’ll join Ms. Gonzalez for our next Virtual Principal Coffee on Friday, November 13, at 8:15 a.m.
This is a relaxed opportunity for families to connect with our principal, ask questions, share thoughts, and stay informed about what’s happening at Black Mountain Middle School. From time to time, our counselors and Assistant Principals may also join us as their schedules permit.
Have a question for Ms. Gonzalez? Please submit your questions by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, so we can help make the most of our time together.
- RSVP: Click here to RSVP
- Submit a Question: Click here to submit your question
Once you RSVP, the meeting link will be emailed to you the afternoon before the Coffee.
We look forward to connecting with our BMMS families!
Filipino American Heritage History Month
Red Ribbon Week, 10/26-10/30
My Kid Isn't Bad: Understanding What Your Teen is Really Saying
PUSD Parent Workshops
We have several NEW course offerings and parent educators. The course description, information, and the cost for the course can be found on-line at the link below. Parents are able to enroll and pay online at Poway Adult School for the classes they are interested in attending.
Visit our website at https://powayadultschool.powayusd.com/apps/pages/parenting-classes-education and search for the course of interest to enroll.
November Parent Education Courses: NEW courses are highlighted yellow
- My Kid Isn’t Bad: Understanding What Your Teen is Really Saying – Grades 6th-12th
- Raising Pre-Teens in Immigrant and Multicultural Families – Grades 5th-8th
- Calm in Chaos: Helping Parents Stay Regulated During Challenging Moments – Grades 4th-12th
Please note, scholarships are available to parents who may be in need. Parent can contact the Caring Connections Center for more information.
SPED IA Hiring
Calendar
10/19/26 - ASES Basketball Informational Meeting, 3pm, Little Theater
10/20/26 - Orchestra/Choir Concert, 6pm
10/21/26 - School Site Council Meeting, 2:45pm
10/21/26 - All Bands Concert, 6pm
10/22/26 - Flag Football Game BMMS vs. OVMS @ 3:45pm
10/22/26 - Cross Country BMMS @ BHMS, 4pm
10/23/26 - Basketball try-outs, 3:15pm
10/23/26 - EFBMMS FALL FESTIVAL, 5pm-7:30pm
10/26/26-10/30/26 - Red Ribbon Week
10/26/26 - Red Ribbon Week - Wear Red and say no to drugs
10/27/26 - Red Ribbon Week - Wear sunglasses to "shade" away from drugs
10/28/26 - Wear Pj's or cozy clothing - dreaming of a drug free future
10/29/26 - Wear Video Game Gear and run with us (in the jog-a-thon)
10/29/26 - Jog-A-Thon
10/29/26 - Flag Football Game BMMS vs. BHMS @ 3:45pm
10/30/26 - Wear your Halloween costume and say "BOO" to Drugs
10/30/26 - Cross Country BMMS @ Home, 4:00pm
10/31/26 - Halloween
*Subject to Change
Thanksgiving Break - 11/23/26-11/27/26 - No School
Native American Heritage Month
Fall Food Drive continues until 11/19
11/2/26 - Basketball Game @ MBMS, 3:15pm
11/4/26 - Breakfast of Champions, 7:15am (by invitation only)
11/4/26 - PTSA Executive Board Meeting, 7:00pm
11/5/26 - Flag Football Game @ MBMS, 3:45pm
11/5/26 - PUSD Board Meeting, 6pm
11/6/26 - ASB Dance
11/6/26 - End of 1st Trimester
11/11/26 - Veteran's Day, No School
11/12/26 - Flag Football Championship Game
11/13/26 - Coffee with the Principal, RSVP required
11/13/26 - 1st Trimester Report Cards available on-line
11/13/26 - PTSA/ASB Movie Night
11/16/26 - Professional Growth Day, No School for students
11/19/26 - Basketball Game @ OVMS, 4:00pm
11/23/26-11/27/26 - Thanksgiving Break, No School
11/30/26 - Return from Thanksgiving Break, P1-7, 8am start
EFBMMS Spirit Wear
BMMS SPIRIT Wear, NOW available! T shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and pj pants can be ordered and delivered to the school. Gear up and support our school at https://www.mymbrandwear.com/bmms
