The Burgaw Beacon

Good afternoon, BMS families,

There is much to celebrate at Burgaw Middle School as we begin a new week! In this edition of the Burgaw Beacon, you’ll find upcoming events, ways to get involved, and highlights of the learning taking place throughout our school.

In our classrooms, teachers are making every lesson count by creating opportunities for students to share ideas, demonstrate their understanding, and receive timely guidance. Students are putting forth strong effort, learning from their peers, and taking an active role in their progress. Thank you to our dedicated staff and supportive families for working together to make BMS a place where every student is encouraged, challenged, and valued.

Important Upcoming Dates:

• All week - Mental Health Awareness Week - Anti-Bullying Week! (Wear orange)
• 10/12 - BMS Softball Finals @ PHS (4:30pm.)
• 10/13-11/19: Tutoring Begins - Every Tuesday & Thursday 3:00-4:30pm.
• 10/14 - BMS Football @ CFMS (4:30pm.)
• 10/14: National Stop Bullying Day
• 10/14: Superintendent Teacher Advisory Council

Congratulations to Mrs. King’s homeroom for having the highest attendance at BMS during September! We are proud of these students for showing up consistently, ready to learn and contribute to their classroom community. Thank you to their families for supporting daily attendance and helping make this achievement possible.

A special thank-you to BMS’s school social worker for all her hard work organizing attendance awards for our students and classes. We appreciate the time and dedication she puts into recognizing their efforts and celebrating their success. Way to go, Mrs. King’s homeroom!

A special thank-you to Junior’s Deli for partnering with us to host Burgaw Middle School Day! Through this event, we raised $148 to support our school. We appreciate Junior’s Deli’s generosity and everyone who stopped by to show their Red Devil support!

Let's come together to celebrate the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of the Hispanic community while having a little fun along the way!

Please see the attached flyer for our daily themes and encourage your students to participate. We would love to see our entire BMS family join in the celebration!

Different Cultures. Brighter Futures. Stronger Together!

Thank you for your support!

Ms. King’s math class was hard at work using whiteboards! Whiteboards are a key strategy in BMS’s new instructional focus, Explicit Direct Instruction. Teachers introduce a concept, give students time to pair-share and collaborate, and then have them display their answers. This allows teachers to quickly check for understanding and provide immediate support where needed. Well done, Ms. King and her students!

As Grade 6 wraps up Unit 1, students are putting all four Read, Write, Speak, and Think skills to work! Students will head to the media center to celebrate their independent reading by creating a book spine featuring one of their favorite books or texts from Unit 1.

After creating their book spines, students will participate in a gallery walk, exploring their classmates’ reading choices and discovering new books. Students will then work with a partner or small group to “sell” their book, sharing reasons why others should—or perhaps should not—read it.

This activity gives students an opportunity to reflect on their reading, practice speaking and listening, share their opinions, and discover new books to add to their must-read list—all while putting Read, Write, Speak, and Think into action!

We will be celebrating various themes throughout the month with matching colors to support each cause!

Week #2 - Next week we will continue Pender County Schools Awareness Month by celebrating Special Needs! Wear Yellow to support those with special needs and disabilities.

Week #3-Alright Red Devils let's get fired up for next week's Month of Awareness theme to celebrate Anti-Bullying! Wear ORANGE to show you will not stand by or support bullying! Check out your Student Support Google classroom for more information on how you can help prevent bullying.

Week #4- October is almost over, but it is time to celebrate Red Ribbon Week and scary away drugs! Wear red this week to show that you pledge to stay drug free!

Calling all storytellers! Students are invited to visit the library during their lunch times on Monday and Wednesday to work on their entries for the Spooky Story Contest. Bring your imagination and use this time to create a spine-tingling tale! All contest details are available on the Media Center Google Classroom page.

6th Grade Newsletter

7th Grade Newsletter

8th Grade Newsletter

Electives Newsletter

This new CIS initiative brings fun, meaningful conversations straight to the lunchroom on Wednesday, giving students a chance to connect, participate, and grow. From life skills and academics to relationships, and future goals, Power Lunches are all about making lunchtime count!

Our After School Program is growing! We had 90 students attend in a single day this week. Students are having a blast in clubs while also getting the homework help and academic support they need to succeed!

Communities In Schools recognizes something that those of us who work in education already know; Students can't always leave the challenges of their lives at the schoolhouse door. Some students come to school bearing burdens that most adults could not handle. Housing insecurity, food insecurity, mental health issues., transportation issues, simply feeling like nobody sees them. And sometimes the most important intervention we can provide is a relationship. A trusted adult can change the whole trajectory of a child's life." - Leanne Radabaugh, Pender County Schools Director of Student Services.

Congratulations to our Pender Patriots girls’ softball team on their semifinal win Thursday! For the first time in many years, our team is heading to the finals! The Patriots will face Topsail Middle School on Monday at Pender High School. The game starts at 4:30 p.m. Come out, show your school spirit, and cheer our team on as they play for the championship!

Burgaw Middle School’s PTO is currently inactive as a result of not having enough volunteers available to fill the required officer roles needed to operate the organization.

We are working to revitalize the PTO and are seeking interested parents and community members to serve on the PTO Board and help get the organization up and running for years to come. If you are interested in being part of this effort, please email Principal Mortensen at jeremy_mortensen@pender.k12.nc.us.

Thank you for your interest and support as we work to revitalize our PTO. We also extend our sincere appreciation to all current and former PTO members for the time, dedication, and countless contributions they have made to Burgaw Middle School throughout this year and in years past.

Burgaw Middle School’s Rewards Day will be held on October 20! Students who meet the eligibility expectations below will have the opportunity to participate in this special celebration.

To be eligible, students must have:

• No more than one D

• No more than three minor referrals

• No more than one office referral

• No ISS or OSS suspensions

• No more than five unexcused absences

Say cheese, BMS! Fall Picture Day is Thursday, October 15, 2026. A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be on campus to photograph students.

Please review the attached price flyer, digital poster, and QR-code flyer for ordering information. Families can scan the QR code to access the picture-day ordering gallery and select a photo package. Strawbridge also offers an online code-lookup option if families need help accessing an ordering gallery.

The Pender County Health Department will be at school on Nov. 4 from 9:30 am until 10:30 am to administer the flu vaccine to students who have a completed consent form. If you would like your student to have a flu vaccine at school please complete the online consent form by Oct. 17. See links for the consent form:
Flu Vaccine Consent Forms:
2026-2027 Pender County Schools Permission Form for Flu Vaccine -
2026-2027 Formulario de autorización de las escuelas del condado de Pender para la vacuna contra la gripe

If you cannot complete the online consent form, paper forms are available in the main office.

Please CLICK HERE for October's lunch menu!

2026-27 Established Student Beginning of Year Information Update Application is ready to go! This Beginning of Year Information Update is a requirement so your student will be approved for a Chromebook and more.

If you have your Infinite Campus Parent Portal Log In already set up, please log in and there should be a pop up to guide you through. If you need any assistance please let me know. You can use the App or the web link: Infinite Campus Parent Portal

If you do not have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal Account yet please contact our office and I will help you get it set up to save you time. Parent Portal Access Needed Click Here

School Calendar:

Here is a copy of our 26-27 Calendar and links to items that might help you through the school year!

• Hours: Our regular school days begin at 7:30am each day. We expect students to be in their seats on time daily. If they are not in class on time they will need to be brought into the main office to be checked in at the tardy kiosk at the front desk. Our day ends at 2:45pm.
• https://www.pender.k12.nc.us/page/school-bell-schedule

We are so excited that our students receive free breakfast and lunch here at Burgaw Middle School. Please see the link below to access menus and more information.

• https://www.pender.k12.nc.us/page/dining
  

• Bus Riders (Here Comes the Bus App):
  
• Step 1: Pender County Schools offers the Here Comes the Bus app for tracking your child's bus location. To get started, you'll need our district code: 29081. This five-digit code is essential for registration, so keep it handy.
• Step 2: Once you have the district code, click here to begin your registration. You can complete this process using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
• Step 3: If you're using a smartphone or tablet, download the Here Comes the Bus app from the Google Play Store or App Store. The app provides added convenience with features like push notifications when the bus is near and, if available in our district, alerts when your child scans in using Student Ridership.
• Car Riders: Students may be dropped off each morning starting at 7:10 am in the parking lot by the gym & cafeteria.
• Walkers: Please make sure that you have completed the Walker Permission form for your student.

This is your go to spot for attendance, grades, updates, and more!

• Keep us up to date on any phone number and email address changes so you don't miss anything.
• Are sick notes getting lost in the bookbag? Use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal App to keep absence excuse notes from disappearing! Here's how!
• Here are some more tips and tricks about the Infinite Campus Parent Portal!

Steps to Activate your Account:

• Step 1: Get your student’s activation code here: Lookup Activation Code
• Step 2: Use your code to create your account here: Infinite Campus Login

We have got you covered!

• All student supplies (paper, pencils, binders, glue and more) have been purchased!
• Bring your own book bag and be ready to learn!