BMS Newsletter

Dear Families,

Welcome to 2024!! All of the students seemed to have a nice week back at school. Hopefully the 4 day week was helpful in making that possible. As a reminder, the next 2 weeks of school are also 4 day weeks for the children. There is a Staff Development Day on Friday, January 12. There will be no school on that day. Then, the following Monday, January 15 is MLK Jr. Day. Thus, our third 4 day week in a row.

As we start the new year, I want to share something that I read to the school on today's morning news. I thought it appropriate as a lot folks consider new resolutions and life choices for the upcoming year. I don't know who the author is but I'll paraphrase:

"No amount of regret can change your past.

No amount of anxiety can change your future.

But any amount of gratitude can change your present.

Remember, while we can't change our past or control our future,

we have the ability to shape our present through gratitude.

Embrace the power of now. Be grateful, stay present, take charge of each moment.

Your positive actions today shape the meaningful life you're creating."

Sincerely,

Ed Connor

Please be aware that we open our doors to students at 7:25, and we expect each student to be in their homeroom seat by 7:45. Homeroom is an important time for students to get settled and receive important information about goings on during the school day. Any student who arrives to homeroom after 7:45 will be marked tardy. Once a student has accrued three tardies in a term, they will be required to serve an after school detention. If you have any questions, or would like some guidance on how to help your student arrive to school on time, please contact Mr. O'Leary for help.

Please remember to send in a note with your student if they need to be dismissed early from BMS. Students can give the note to their HR teacher or drop it off in the Main Office when they arrive. Alternatively a parent may call or email (email address below) with the information and by doing so, students will then be placed on our "Daily Bulletin", and will be excused from class by their teacher at the proper dismissal time. This will reduce the amount of interruptions caused by calling into the classroom to send down students.

We realize that there are many occasions when your child may need to be dismissed. We prefer if you can please try and dismiss between classes, if possible. The optimal dismissal times for that are: 8:50, 9:45, 10:19, 11:14, 12:37, 1:32.

If you have any questions, please contact bmsoffice@walpole.k12.ma.us

Private School Application Process

On occasion, staff members are asked to complete recommendation forms for students applying to private school(s). We recognize the importance of such requests, but ask that parents and students consider the following when making their request:

• Many of the applications are completed through an online application system. If this is the case for your child, the system will send an email request for recommendations from the counselor and teachers; however, we strongly encourage you to have your child speak to the school counselor and teacher(s) directly, as well, in order to personally request the completion of the forms.

• If your child is in 6th or 8th grade, please send the School Report forms to Katie Gingras (kgingras@walpole.k12.ma.us)

• If your child is currently in 7th grade, please send the School Report forms to Leah Cayer (lcayer@walpole.k12.ma.us).

• Give teachers and School Counselors at least a two week notice when requesting recommendations.

• You must still sign the ‘Transcript Release Form’ and have your child bring it to the School Counselor in order for transcripts to be released and forms to be completed.

• If the school that your child is applying to only accepts applications by mail, please have your child bring the Transcript Release Form to school along with $2.00 to cover the cost of postage.

Vocational School Application Process

If your child is applying to either Tri-County or Norfolk Agricultural High School, their applications will be sent directly to the school counselor to be completed. For more information about Tri-County please visit https://www.tri-county.us/. For more information about Norfolk Aggie please visit http://www.norfolkaggie.org/.

Some items have appeared since we returned and some have been here since September. All lunchboxes need to be identified or they will be disposed of. Thank you to everyone who claimed their property!

• Friday 1/12 Professional Development Day for all WPS staff - NO SCHOOL for children
• Monday 1/15 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL
• Monday 1/22 Last Day of Term 2
• Wednesday 1/24 Term 2 Report Cards published in X2
• Friday 2/9 Early Release Day - Students dismissed at 11:30 am

Check out our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Collection in Destiny Discover which contains digital resources.

Unified sports will resume in the New Year. We will offer floor hockey/ dodge ball, same time, same days, same place, Tues/ Wed 2:30-3:40 in the gym.

January 9 and 10

January 16 and 17

January 23 or 24

January 30 and 31

Friday we had three of our very welcome Community Resource Dogs visit us at BMS. With the Walpole Police Department we had Rebel, Dedham Police Department we had Ruby and from Babson College we had Roger. Lots of hugs and treats for our furry friends!

As a reminder, all student meals (breakfast and lunch) are free of charge this school year. Find out what's being served by checking out the Middle School Menu.

If you have any questions or general concerns, please contact Principal Connor at econnor@walpole.k12.ma.us or Assistant Principal O'Leary at joleary@walpole.k12.ma.us.

Email: bmsoffice@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/bms
Location: 625 Washington St, Walpole, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 660-7226