The Burgaw Beacon
Week of October 19th - Week 9
Another Great Week at BMS!
Good afternoon, BMS families,
It’s hard to believe we wrapped up our first quarter on Tuesday—how time flies! These first nine weeks have given us so much to be proud of, especially the hard work and growth of our students. We have enjoyed watching them take on new challenges, build confidence, and make progress in their learning.
We also want to recognize our teachers for the dedication, care, and effort they have put into helping students grow. Their thoughtful planning, encouragement, and commitment to meeting students’ needs have made this first quarter meaningful.
This week’s Burgaw Beacon offers a look at what’s happening across our school, along with important updates and upcoming events. Thank you, families, for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to building on this quarter’s progress together!
Important Upcoming Dates:
- All week - Mental Health Awareness Week - Anti-Bullying Week! (Wear orange)
- 10/19 - Cheer, Basketball, and Soccer try-outs begin @ 3pm.
- 10/20 - End of Quarter (Early Release)
- 10/20 - PBIS Rewards Day
- 10/21 - SIT/MTAC Meeting @ 3pm.
We will be celebrating various themes throughout the month with matching colors to support each cause!
Week #3-Alright Red Devils let's get fired up for this 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!
I wanted to share some exciting highlights from CIS this week. It has been wonderful to see our students growing as leaders, supporting one another, and getting involved in meaningful opportunities.
POWER LUNCHES | WEEK TWO with Mr. Alvin
This was our second week of Power Lunches, and our focus was bullying. We explored its harmful effects, discussed appropriate ways to respond, and encouraged students to reflect on how their actions affect others. The students offered thoughtful, poignant responses to questions throughout the discussion. I also shared a powerful story about two high school football players who stepped in to stop a fellow student from being bullied. It sparked a meaningful conversation about courage, kindness, and standing up for others.
GIRLS MENTOR GROUP | THE LIT CREW with Ms. Shena
Our Girls Mentor Group held its second session, and we have an exciting new name: the LIT Crew, which stands for Leading with Integrity and Tenacity! It was wonderful to see the girls connecting, encouraging one another, and participating in activities that build confidence, teamwork, and leadership. The attached photos capture some of that energy.
ROBOTICS CLUB with Mrs. Lawson
Robotics Club officially kicked off this week! Students had the opportunity to begin exploring robotics, collaborating, and developing their problem-solving skills. We’re excited to see their curiosity and creativity grow as the club continues.
STUDENT-LED LEARNING | 8TH & 6TH GRADE COLLABORATION
One of the most incredible moments this week came from a collaboration between our sixth- and eighth-grade teachers. We facilitated a student-led literacy lesson where eighth graders took on the role of peer mentors, guiding sixth graders through reading activities, helping them work through unfamiliar words, and supporting their reading comprehension.
Watching our older students confidently step into leadership roles while our younger students actively listened, participated, and learned from their peers was genuinely incredible to witness. It was a beautiful example of student leadership, collaboration, and meaningful learning in action. These are the moments that remind us how powerful it is when we give students the opportunity to lead.
First week of 21st Century After School Program @BMS Flaming Power Hour!
A huge shoutout to our amazing teacher tutors for a fantastic start to Flaming Power Hour! Our students were well-behaved, engaged, and ready to learn. Thank you to our incredible staff for being so flexible, supportive, and willing to go above and beyond. Your dedication makes all the difference, and we are so grateful for each of you! We served 82 students on Tuesday and 87 on Thursday!
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.
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.
