BMS Patriot Press Newsletter
August 14, 2026
FlapJack Fundraiser
The Applebee's Flapjack (pancake) Fundraiser is for everyone!!! Please help spread the word to your families & friends! Come out and have some fun playing games, winning prizes, eating, and most importantly building relationships.
You can purchase your ticket in person with Ms. Bellamy or with the link provided here Successfund: BMS Flapjack Fundraiser.
All proceeds will go to building the culture and climate at Berkmar Middle School, for staff and students.
Get your ticket and be part of this fun event🥞🍵🎉
Book Appointments with Ms. Silva, Parent Involvement Coordinator
- Do you have access to the ParentVue?
- Do you have a MyPaymentsPlus account?
- Have you applied for Free and/or Reduced Lunch, if applicable?
- Do you know when and where your child can go to get additional instructional support?
- Do you know where you can check out materials/resources to use at home with your student?
- Do you know how to become a volunteer in our school?
If you answered no to any of these questions, please make an Appointment with Pilar Silva, our Parent Instructional Coordinator, in the BMS Parent Center.
BMS Celebrations
Ways Families Can Volunteer
Hand out treats
Decorate event space
Assist with setting up / cleaning up
Organize stations
Examples of Events
PBIS Celebrations
Grade Level Award Celebrations
Cultural Events
BMS Athletics
Field Days
End of Year Celebrations
Ways Volunteering Contributes to BMS
When you volunteer to support positive behavior initiatives, student recognition, and schoolwide celebrations, you help make Berkmar Middle School a place where students & families are seen, appreciated, and encouraged to do their best.
Food Distribution
Ways Families Can Volunteer
Unload and organize food
Prepare food boxes/bags
Distribute food
Restock tables
Assist with lines and traffic flow
Help with clean up
Examples of Events
Atlanta Food Bank Distribution
Ways Volunteering Contributes to BMS
By volunteering at the Food Distribution event, you are actively supporting local families in need and cultivating a stronger sense of community within the school.
Family Nights and Workshops
Ways Families Can Volunteer
Help ahead of events by copying, cutting, and distributing flyers
Sharing community contacts or by donating snacks and drinks for staff and families.
Examples of Events
Literacy Night
Multilingual Night
STEAM Night
Math Night
Ways Volunteering Contributes to BMS
Supporting events designed to engage, educate and connect BMS families with school helps foster a warm, positive partnership between home and school.
MyPaymentsPlus
Paying for school meals, fees, exams and activities online helps speed up lines, ensures the safety of your payment and is convenient and easy whether using the MyPaymentsPlus website or App.
All parents are encouraged to create a MyPaymentsPlus account in order to:
• View student cafeteria balances anytime, from anywhere.
• See what your student is purchasing in the cafeteria.
• Set up alerts so you know when the balance is low.
• Make payments to your student’s cafeteria account.
• Pay school fees or purchase a yearbook.
• Register for AP Exams
• Access important school information
• Complete forms and applications
No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.
Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.
Sign in to MyPaymentsPlusIf you need help downloading My Payment Plus to your mobile device, please contact Ms. Pilar Silva at 770-638-2311 or email her pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org.
Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
Reminder: Berkmar Middle is a Power Down School
One of the integral parts of creating a harmonious and distraction-free learning space is our "Power Down" electronic device (cell phones, airpods, headphones, etc.) policy. We understand the importance of technology and staying connected in our modern world. However, during school hours, the focus should be on learning, collaborating, and being present.
Should there be an emergency or an urgent concern to communicate with your child, please reach out to the school's main office, 770-638-2300. We will ensure your child receives the message promptly.
GCPS encourages families to follow these steps to resolve concerns:
1. Teacher - First, talk to your child’s teacher or a counselor at school for assistance. Most concerns are resolved at the classroom level.
2. Assistant Principal - If the concern is not resolved at the classroom level, please visit with your child’s assistant principal.
3. Principal - If working with the AP does not adequately address the issue, please meet with the school principal.
4. Cluster Superintendent - If the issue persists, please call 678-301-6000, and ask to speak to the cluster superintendent who is assigned to the school your child attends.
5. Chief of Schools - If, after following steps one through four, your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, please contact the Chief of Schools for School Improvement and Operations.
Other Resources
If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1. The GCPS Hotline for anonymous reporting of potential violence is 770-822-6513. If you have a non-emergency criminal concern, please contact local law enforcement.
Please select one of the files below for a downloadable view of this information:
To see this information in other languages, use the language translation dropdown at the top of this page, or visit the GCPS web page for this topic and choose translation options there: Addressing Concerns at School - Gwinnett County Public Schools
Stay Connected with BMS and Follow Us on Social Media
Do you want to keep up with all the exciting things happening at BMS? From school events and celebrations to important announcements, we’ve got you covered!
👉 Follow us on social media and be part of our Patriot community:
Let’s celebrate our students, families, and staff together because at BMS, Patriots Focus Forward, leading the way to Excellence! 💙❤️
By following us, you’ll stay up to date, see the great things our students and staff are doing, and remain informed about all things BMS. Thank you for being an engaged and supportive part of our school community; we’re better when we stay connected!
💙❤️🤍
#TeamBMS #PatriotPride #WeAreBerkmar #FocusForward