Weekly Update
A Back to School Newsletter Template 25-26
Join the Principal's Coffee Chats! ☕
Our last Principal's Coffee Chat was a great success! We had an engaging discussion with families about understanding your child's academic progress, covering grades and assessments. If you missed it, the recording is available on our website under the Family and Student Resources tab.
Upcoming Chat: Supporting Digital Learning at Home
Mark your calendar for October 31! Our next chat will focus on how parents can partner with us to monitor and support safe, focused technology use. Learn how to ensure your child's school-issued device remains an effective tool for learning while at home.
All Our chats are designed to:
Provide valuable information and foster ongoing learning.
Create an open and transparent platform for connection.
Extend the reach of our live chats to the entire school community.
8th Grade PSAT October 29
On Wednesday, October 29th, from 8:45–11:50 a.m., all 8th grade students will take the PSAT 8/9, an assessment created by the College Board. The purpose of the PSAT 8/9 is to give students an early opportunity to practice and prepare for future college readiness exams, while also helping them identify their academic strengths and areas for growth. No grade will be placed into the gradebook for this assessment. This test is not something students need to study for. It is simply a tool to support their learning journey and guide teachers in providing the best instruction possible. We want students to feel encouraged and confident, knowing this assessment is only one step along the way in preparing for high school and beyond.
Robots, Rivers, and Responsibility: Tracking Pollution with Precision
Our 7th and 8th grade STEM students in Ms. Nicks class are linking classroom concepts to the real world! They explored the Decatur Watershed by programming Sphero robots to travel through its terrain. To make the journey successful, students had to rigorously apply math skills, measuring angles and calculating speeds to ensure their robot moved with precision. They then transitioned from programmers to public educators, crafting and presenting a powerful story about nonpoint source pollution and explaining how local pollutants affect the health of our environment.
8th Spanish Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
8th-grade Spanish students in Ms. Brendle and Mr. Hamilton's classes recently engaged in an experiential learning trip to finalize their Fine Arts unit. This immersion, which aligns with the IB Global Context of Personal and Cultural Expression, featured artist Marissa Ardila of the Decatur Art Alliance, helping students to reflect critically on the artistic inspiration and cultural significance of her Latine-inspired textile works.
Yearbook prices are going up!
Last week to buy and 8th Grade dedication add!
🚨🎨 Calling all Georgia K-12 students! 🚨
The 2025-2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Poster Contest is now open. This year’s theme is:
“Online Safety is No Game – Play It Smart”
Deadline: October 31, 2025
First-place winners will receive a prize and get the chance to meet State School Superintendent Richard Woods!
Learn more and access contest rules, forms, and resources here: https://url.gadoe.org/tx40x
Let’s work together to keep Georgia students safe online.
Rock for a Reason: Join the Dyslexia Awareness Challenge! 🎨🪨
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Want a super creative and fun way to make a difference in your community? We're inviting you to participate in the International Dyslexia Association's (Georgia) Rock for Dyslexia Awareness 2025 Competition!
Learn & Create: Get involved with some cool, in-class activities to learn about dyslexia.
Paint a Rock: Use your artistic skills at home to paint an awesome, eye-catching rock with a dyslexia awareness theme.
Spread the Word: Hide your painted rock in your community to raise awareness! (The competition concludes October 31, 2025!)
Get Featured: If you participate, share your work: https://ga.dyslexiaida.org/rock-for-dyslexia/
Nonfiction That Builds Curiosity
By middle school, students read more nonfiction than fiction, and that shift can be tough. Articles, reports, and textbook passages require focus, but they also open doors to curiosity. Help your child practice reading for information and insight this fall.
Start a “Headline Habit”
Once a week, pick a short, credible article from Newsela, Tween Tribune, or National Geographic Kids.
Ask three questions afterward:
What surprised you?
What’s one fact worth remembering?
Why does this matter today?
Make It Interactive
Ask them to find a word or phrase they’d use if they wrote the headline.
Have them create a 60-second “news recap” for the family, spoken summaries reinforce comprehension.
When nonfiction feels relevant and discussion-based, it builds the stamina and background knowledge students need for every subject.
Remind them: reading nonfiction isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about connecting the dots between what they read and the world around them.
👉 Want a list of grade-level nonfiction sources your child will actually enjoy? Reach out to Mrs. Braxton Reading Specialist at BHMS at tbraxton@csdecatur.net for recommendations.
This article was written in collaboration with the Decatur PREP Project (Parent Reading Engagement Program) and made available through our partnership with the Decatur Education Foundation the Beacon Hill Middle School PTA and the BradAlTon Foundation for Family Elevation.
BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The BHMS Scholastic Book Fair will be held November 11 through 14 during the school day in the Media Center. Volunteers are needed the day before (November 10) to set up. (Be prepared to lift and open boxes!) Then we need volunteers to help each sale day to assist students in shopping and completing purchases.
EIGHTH GRADE DANCE
Friday, November 14 from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. Details to come!
SUPPORT THE PBIS BARK STORE
The PBIS Store is officially open! Please volunteer to help run the BARK store. It is an easy process, and experienced parents will be there to guide you if you have not volunteered before. We also are always looking for donations to stock our store. Volunteer needs and a link to our wishlist can be found in the links below. Thanks!
