Bookcliff Middle School

Dear Bookcliff Middle School Community,

This month's newsletter includes upcoming events, along with more detailed information about some of those events. There's current news about our school, and some important items from last month's newsletter that are worth repeating.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Brian Dickes, BMS Principal

brian.dickes@d51schools.org

970-254-6220

• August 18--Panorama Wellness Survey for 6th Graders
• August 19--NWEA Math testing. (alternate schedule)
• August 20--NWEA Reading testing. (alternate schedule)
• August 21--NWEA Science testing. (alternate schedule)
• August 25--Panorama Wellness Survey for 7th Graders
• September 1--No School. Labor Day
• September 2--No School. Parent-Teacher Conferences, 7:30-7:30
• September 3--Panorama Wellness Survey for 8th Graders
• September 5--Student Picture Day
• September 8--PIT/SAC meeting, 3:30

We will be administering the student Panorama Wellness Survey over the next three weeks. Please refer to the dates above to see when each grade level will be taking this survey. Communication was sent out last week with details about this survey.

Every Fall, Winter, and Spring, D51 students in grades 2-11 take NWEA Assessments. Our school uses an alternate schedule and assesses the entire school at the same time. This year, on the testing dates listed above, the testing window will be 1:15 pm-3:15 pm. Lunch waves will be slightly different on these testing days.

This entire day is set aside for parents and teachers to meet and discuss student progress. As we get closer to the date, watch your inbox for more details about the day, including its schedule.

Every Quarter, our Parent Involvement Team/Student Accountability Team meets in the school library at 3:30 for about 45 minutes to discuss academic initiatives, school performance, and upcoming opportunities for parents to support our teachers. All are welcome. Please join us!

D51 School Security Officer Kaufman is seen here showing off several backpacks, each loaded with school supplies, that were very generously donated by Karoline Valdez. Thank you so much for your support of our students, Karoline!

Our message to students that will be repeated and reinforced often this year is "Contribute to an environment where everyone will learn." These posters are posted in several places around the building and the message greets every student at every classroom door.

The school district has added an additional layer of security in order to help keep our students and staff safe. Pictured here, on the right next to the white sign, is the new intercom that was installed this summer. When visitors arrive, they push the button to be greeted by office staff, who will assist the visitor as needed.

A major focus for our school and the entire school district is the importance of habitual student attendance. Please refer to the email you received on Monday for details.

If you have a question about your student's classes or assignments, there are two good ways to get your question answered:

1. Check Schoology for information about your student's progress and assignments. If you don't know how to log into Schoology, your student does! They log in almost every day, and they can log in at home and show you what's going on in their classes.

2. Email the teacher. They are the best source of information about all things happening in their class.

We have a lot of students traveling to and from school by car and we appreciate everyone's patience every day. Please refer to the Loops map below for ideal drop off and pick up locations.

Please take a look at the map below, which shows the ideal drop off/pick up zone for each grade level. The colored circles indicate the grade level entrances/exits, and the nearby colored sidewalk areas indicate the safest drop zone for each grade level. Families are encouraged to use whichever loop is most convenient for them. Students dropping off musical instruments in the morning may prefer the 6th grade loop.

At Bookcliff, we encourage our students to strive to show HEART every day. HEART stands for Honesty, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, and Trust. This school year, our staff will honor students who make good choices by giving HEART tickets. It is our hope that your student will bring home many HEART tickets this year, showing how they demonstrated HEART at school that day.

The D51 Board of Education policy regarding student dress code reads, in part:

A safe and disciplined learning environment is essential to a quality educational program. District-wide standards on student attire are intended to help students concentrate on schoolwork, reduce discipline problems, and improve school order and safety. The Board recognizes that students have a right to express themselves through dress and personal appearance; however, students must not wear apparel that is deemed disruptive or potentially disruptive to the classroom environment or the maintenance of a safe and orderly school.

Any student deemed in violation of the student dress code must be required to change into appropriate clothing or make arrangements to have appropriate clothing brought to school immediately. In this case, there will be no further penalty.

Unacceptable Items

The following items are not acceptable in school buildings, on school grounds, or at school activities:

1. Any manner of grooming or apparel, including clothing, jewelry, emblems, and/or badges which by virtue of color, arrangement, trademark, or other attribute is associated with, or denotes membership in or affiliation with, any gang, is not allowed;

2. Sunglasses or dark glasses, absent a verified medical condition, worn inside the classroom;

3. Inappropriately sheer, tight, or low-cut clothing (e.g., midriffs, halter tops, backless clothing, tube tops, garments made of fishnet, mesh, or similar material, muscle tops, etc.) that bare or expose traditionally private parts of the body including, but not limited to, the stomach, buttocks, back and chest;

4. Any inappropriate or disruptive clothing item or accessory that causes or may cause a substantial disruption to or material interference with school safety, personal safety, and/or the learning environment may result in discretionary intervention by school administrators;

5. Any clothing, paraphernalia, grooming, jewelry, hair coloring, accessories, tattoos, apparel, head coverings, or body adornments that are or contain any advertisement, symbols, words, slogans, patches, or pictures that; a. Refer to drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or weapons; b. Are of a sexual nature; c. Are obscene, profane, vulgar, lewd, or legally libelous; d. Threaten the safety or welfare of any person; e. Promote any activity prohibited by the student code of conduct;

6. Tattoos displaying any of these must be covered at all times;

7. Soled shoes or sandals must be worn at all times; or,

8. No exposed undergarments.

If students violate the dress code policy, BMS has a supply of clean, appropriate clothing for students to change into or with which to cover up, insuring minimal loss of classroom learning time. Historically, the most violated aspects of this updated district dress code are related to #3 above, particularly midriff-baring tops.