BHMS Weekly Update

Join us for the next Principal's Coffee Chat, your essential guide to the upcoming BHMS Course Request Process. This is a key opportunity to understand and prepare for your student's course selections for the next academic year.

Event Details:

• Date: December 19th

• Time: 9:00 AM

• Location: BHMS Media Center

IMPORTANT NOTE: This session will focus exclusively on BHMS course information. It will not include Decatur High School (DHS) transition or 9th-grade course details.

To ensure you have access to every piece of necessary information about course selection, including timelines, course descriptions, elective option videos, and informational meeting dates, we have compiled it all into a single, comprehensive resource.

Access the Course Request Information Hub

Rising 6th Grade

Current 6th and 7th Grade Families

Students will begin to make selections during WIN time starting January 6th and the window will remain open through January 12.

Join the Webinar: Course Offerings 2026-2027: Whether you are a rising 6th grader or preparing for the transition to 8th grade, this session will clarify the pathways available.

• Date: December 18

• Time: 6:30 PM

• Location: Virtual via Zoom

• Link: Click here to launch Zoom Meeting (Meeting ID: 916 2671 6701)

We understand that preparing for high school is a major milestone. To support a seamless transition for our graduating Bulldogs, we are sharing the following information provided directly from Decatur High School (DHS) to support your 8th-grade students and parents:

• Student Visits: Students will visit DHS on January 12th or January 14th (the final confirmed date is forthcoming from DHS).

• The Agenda: During their visit, students will tour the campus and receive an essential introduction to their upcoming high school course selection options.

• Communication: DHS will release full details regarding the visit schedule and parent communication before the start of December break.

We thank you for your partnership as we guide your students through these important decisions. Together, we can make this a smooth and exciting transition!

The BHMS Orchestra, Band and Chorus invite you to a special night of wonderful holiday music at their annual Winter Concerts! This is a fantastic opportunity for all families to enjoy the festive season. Come see the current students perform and discover what it's like to be part of the BHMS music program!

Recently, the WIN classes of Ms. Beyer and Mr. Stroy combined their math and science expertise to answer a tasty research question: Does the brand of popcorn affect the number of kernels popped?Exploring dependent, independent, and controlled variables, the students mixed lab skills and math skills to discover the differences in popcorn brands.

Inspired by a real-world observation—bags of popcorn that left too many unpopped kernels—students designed an experiment to test their hypothesis. Working in small groups, they compared a store’s generic brand against two well-known name brands. By calculating the ratio of popped to unpopped kernels, students determined the percentage of popping success for each batch.

The results were eye-opening! Students discovered significant variations between the brands, with some trials resulting in only a single popped kernel out of the entire batch. After analyzing the data, the teams celebrated their hard work by enjoying the fruits (or kernels) of their labor! 🍿

We are thrilled to report that the Scholastic Book Fair was a resounding success! To add to the excitement, Mr. Bartl challenged students to a Bookmark Design Contest, and the creativity on display was truly inspiring.

We are proud to recognize the talented winners who earned a $20 gift card for their exceptional designs:

Congratulations to all our winners and participants! Thank you for supporting the fair, and keep on reading! 🐛📖

The Academic Bowl Dogs faced stiff competition last weekend at the PAGE Middle School Academic Bowl regional tournament. Following their impressive third-place state finish last year, this season presented a new challenge within a division packed with former state champion schools. Despite a rigorous bracket, the team secured three wins and fought hard through four losses, making every match a battle. Parent coach Micah Lewin and teacher coach Liz Williams are incredibly proud of the squad. The students demonstrated outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, and brilliance throughout the day. Please join us in congratulating these dedicated students:

Please join us in congratulating last year's BHMS Yearbook Team and sponsor Ms. Boswell on receiving a rating of "Excellent" from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA)!

This prestigious distinction is a testament to the hard work and creativity of our students. An "Excellent" rating signifies that the publication has demonstrated a superior level of quality in its overall content, writing, design, and adherence to professional journalistic principles. Thank you to our talented staff for capturing our school's memories with such skill and dedication. Way to go, Yearbook Team!

Congratulations to all of our students who are demonstrating excellent behavior and earning BARK Points! Keep up the great work in creating a positive school environment.

Student Leaderboard Winners: The following students demonstrated outstanding effort, accountability, and respect, leading the charge with the most points earned:

Teacher Leaderboard: We also want to recognize the staff members who have recorded the most BARK Points for students!

7th Grade: Maria Indacochea

6th Grade: Kirstin Donegan

8th Grade: Amanda Brendle

Connections: Christine Kraemer

A Huge Thank You to Our PBIS Team and Volunteers!

The BARK Store is open on Fridays during lunch because of the dedicated efforts of our PBIS team and parent volunteers. Thank you to Erica Godfrey and the PBIS staff committee for coordinating celebrations and supporting PBIS. Thanks to all the parent volunteers who take time out of their day to run and work the store during lunch, allowing our students to "SCAN, REDEEM, ENJOY!"

The BHMS girls' soccer season is just around the corner. All girls interested in participating in tryouts are encouraged to complete the interest form below. Coach Herriot and Coach Collins will share relevant information about tryouts using the contact info collected.

BHMS Girls' Soccer Interest Form 2026

Friday, Dec 12th & Saturday, Dec 13th
Come shop local, discover unique handmade gifts, and enjoy delicious treats at our cozy café. It’s the perfect way to support local artists and soak up the festive spirit with neighbors and friends. A beloved community tradition awaits! We can’t wait to see you there!

December brings a different kind of busy, with schoolwork, events, holidays, and shifting routines. In the middle of that noise, reading can become something more than academic practice. It can become a pause. A quiet moment that helps your child reset, breathe, and find balance. Many middle schoolers think of reading as another assignment to complete. But when we shift reading into the category of rest, they begin to experience it differently, less pressure, more peace.

Try a “Silent 10”

Choose a consistent time each day for everyone in the home to read quietly—no phones, no background noise, no pressure. Just 10 minutes of calm together. And let your child choose what they read:

• a poem

• a magazine article

• a graphic novel

• a chapter from a favorite book

Choice builds ownership, and ownership builds ease.

Add a Touch of Reflection: Afterward, ask one gentle question:

• “What emotion did this reading leave you with?”

• “Did you see yourself, a friend, or a real-life situation in this story?”

This helps your child connect reading with self-awareness, not stress.

Reading for peace, not performance, teaches students that books can center them during the most hectic weeks.

“Stillness is not empty, it’s full of words waiting to speak.”

For more creative holiday reading ideas, reach out to Mrs. Braxton, Reading Specialist at BHMS, at tbraxton@csdecatur.net for guidance and additional resources.

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.

Read the December 11, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Please take a moment this week to make your voice heard and participate in the Georgia Department of Education climate survey for your school! Your participation and feedback are greatly appreciated. The data collected will help determine the School Climate Star Ratings for the 2026-27 school year, which will enable schools to improve or build upon their successes.

Beacon Hill Middle School Family Survey

Our next monthly PTA Board Meeting will be Tuesday, December 16 at 5:45 PM in the school Media Center. We will present committee reports and discuss upcoming activities. All BHMS families are invited to attend. Can’t be there in person? Join us through Google Meet.

The BHMS PTA-Staff Appreciation Committee is seeking volunteers to support our initiatives aimed at engaging teachers and staff throughout the second semester of the 2025-2026 school year.

On a monthly basis, our hospitality committee acts as a liaison with the staff. This involves providing refreshments for staff meetings and hosting a rolling snack cart that delivers treats to staff members across the school.

We will also host a series of events for staff during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-8. Be on the lookout for a separate sign up specifically for that major event. If you are interested in volunteering, please take a moment to review the available slots in our sign-up link. Thank you for your help!

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 are also always looking for donations to stock our store. Volunteer needs and a link to our wishlist can be found in the links below. Thanks!

• BHMS Website
• Personal Electronics Protocol
• Bell Schedule or Bell Schedule by Grade
• Bus Routes
• Free and Reduced Lunch Application
• BHMS Weekly Updates
• Attendance Routines and Procedures
• Key Contacts

• BHMS Facebook page
• BHMSPTA Facebook page
• BHMSInstagram page
• Grading Quick Facts 6-12
• CSD Grading Handbook
• Grade Level News