Weekly Update

Are you ready for Cosmic Glow? BHMS Sixth Grade students are invited to gather for dancing and other fun activities on Friday, September 12 from 4 pm to 5:30 pm in the BHMS Cafe. Tickets are $5 per student. Snacks and drinks will be offered for purchase. Bring small bills or Apple Pay/Square-friendly payment options. Purchase tickets here.

Parents, we need your help! Please review the signup and help as you are able. If you can’t volunteer in person, then consider donating some of the drinks and snacks on the list for concessions.

Planning for your child's future? Just want to know what's available to your child? We invite all CSD parents to an information session on September 11th at 6:30 PM to learn about the incredible academic opportunities available at DHS. This is your chance to get a comprehensive overview of our advanced programs, including the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP), the IB Career-related Program (CP), Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone, and our Dual Enrollment (DE) options. Join us to learn how these programs can help prepare your student for college and beyond.

Zoom link: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/98785298538

Join the City Schools of Decatur (CSD) from September 29 to October 8 for CSD Reads Week! 📚 This event is designed to promote literacy and celebrate the joy of reading with the entire community.

Featured Events:

• Virtual Reading: CSD Superintendent Dr. Whitaker will host virtual readings on September 29 and October 7, with the latter session featuring the book Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids with Dyslexia.

• Literacy Rallies: Kick off the week with an elementary-level reading rally on September 29 hosted by former UGA and NFL player Malcolm Mitchell. Don't miss the keynote address by "Kidnote Speaker" Angie Thomas on October 3 at Agnes Scott, where she'll discuss her middle-grade book, Nic Blake and The Remarkables.

• Community Giving: On September 30, you can donate gently used books to CSD schools for Children Read Atlanta as part of the Buckets of Books drive.

• Dyslexia Awareness: The week also highlights dyslexia awareness with two key events. Students can participate in the Rock for Dyslexia Competition on October 2 by painting rocks with positive messages. On October 6, you can take part in the Dyslexia Awareness Gallery Walk to view posters displayed around the schools and Wilson Center.

The week concludes on October 8 with Go Red for Dyslexia!, encouraging everyone to wear red to spread awareness and change the narrative around dyslexia. All CSD Reads Week events are open to the public.

From Oct. 6-31, 2025, CSD will administer the Social, Emotional and Behavioral Screening (BASC-3 BESS), a brief screening tool for students in grades 3-12 that helps to identify social, emotional, and behavioral strengths and needs so schools can provide timely support. Screener results help schools strengthen classroom practices, offer small-group or individual support, and partner with families to connect students with resources. Together, we can ensure every child feels safe, seen and supported. Find out more in the Social, Emotional and Behavioral Screening (BASC-3 BESS) FAQ.

CSD invites parents and guardians to attend a Google Meet BASC-3 BESS parent workshop:

• Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Join Sept. 16 meeting here.
• Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 1-2 p.m. Join Sept. 17 meeting here.

Families wishing to opt out must complete the opt-out form by September 19, 2025.

We're excited to shine a spotlight on the incredible work happening in Mr. Peebles' class! As one of the newest members of our CSD family, Mr. Peebles has already inspired his students to dive into the powerful world of storytelling. From creating original Public Service Announcements to mastering the art of the interview, his students are collaborating and getting creative every day. They even launched their own virtual studio and recently conducted their first exclusive interview with Ms. Glenn!

Our students were also given a special opportunity to learn directly from the pros. We were thrilled to welcome two accomplished journalists, Gwen Anderson, former CNN Senior Editor Producer (now with The World from A to Z), and Maria Fisher, CNN Editor Producer, to our school. They shared their career journeys and offered firsthand insights into the world of broadcast journalism, inspiring students to find their own voices as young journalists.

Through this innovative course, students are not only building technical skills but also truly experiencing what it means to be Seen, Supported, and Successful—a core part of our school's vision. Please join us in applauding Mr. Peebles for the passion, creativity, and excellence he brings to our school community!

It was a weekend of incredible victories for Beacon Hill!

In a late-game thriller, the BHMS football team clinched their first win in over three years with a final score of 8-6! The boys showed amazing grit and perseverance to pull off the victory. Be sure to congratulate them when you see them in the halls!

Our Flag Football team also dominated, winning their first two games of the season! The girls played their best all year with a rock-solid defense, racking up three interceptions, a safety, and three touchdowns across the two games. Give them a high-five for their outstanding performance!

Both teams have three games left in the season, and they'd love your continued support. Go Bulldogs!

Our Beacon Hill Volleyball teams are off to an impressive start to their season! Both teams are learning and competing in every contest. So far, our BHMS Bulldog A-Team is 9-1 and looking forward to making a run in the DeKalb County Volleyball Championships! If you haven't had a chance to support the Bulldogs, don't miss out!

Big shout-out to Mr. Gillham's class for taking their IB Learner Profile study to the next level with an awesome poster contest and friendly competition! Students unleashed their creativity and critical thinking, using Canva or Google Slides to design inspiring and appealing IB Learner Profile posters for their classroom.

To further build classroom community, Mr. Gillham opened up the voting for the "Most Inspiring" and "Most Appealing" posters to all BHMS staff. What a fantastic way to engage the entire school community in celebrating student work!

We're thrilled to showcase the winning designs that captured the hearts and minds of BHMS staff!

Congratulations to all the students for their incredible work and for applying such fantastic creative and critical thinking, and to Mr. Gillham for fostering such an engaging and collaborative learning environment!

The winners of the "Most Appealing" poster are: Louis Van Dyck and Mars Bunting

The winners of the "Most Inspiring" poster are: Fitz Schaudies, Colin Levine, and Leo Bryksin

Vibrant works of art took shape in Ms. Sarah Nathaniel's class as seventh-grade BHMS students worked with oil pastels to complete artwork that resembles stained glass.

Each fall semester the gifted review team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and determine if further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form and turn it in to one of our Gifted & Talented Specialists before Wednesday, October 1. No additional information is needed. The Gifted & Talented Specialists for Beacon Hill are:

Laura Gary (lgary@csdecatur.net)

Jessica Nicks (jnicks@csdecatur.net)

Robyn Tibbetts (rtibbetts@csdecatur.net)

For more detailed information about the review process and to obtain a copy of the Recommendation for Review Form, please contact one of the Gifted & Talented Specialists for your school or visit the following website: https://www.csdecatur.net/our-district-5f/departments/teaching-and-learning/gifted-and-talented-services

The 2025-26 BHMS Reading Bowl is about to begin. If you love reading and enjoy competing in a "game show" style quiz competition, please fill out the Google Form below. Our first meeting is on Monday, Sept. 15th. To learn more about the Reading Bowl, click here.

To sign up click: 2025-26 BHMS Reading Bowl Sign Up Form

Email Mr. Bartl with questions!

Want to make a difference and help our planet? Join the BHMS Recycling Club and help us get our recycling program up and running again!

We'll meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:05 to 8:35 AM to collect and process the school's recycling. Once we've got that system humming, we'll explore even more cool sustainability projects.

Ready to roll up your sleeves? Fill out this interest form and our club advisor, Ms. Nicks, will be in touch with more details. Let's make BHMS a greener place together!

Poetry Club is open to all grade levels and provides a supportive space for students to read, write, and share their voices through poetry. Whether your child is already passionate about writing or just curious to try something new, this is the perfect place to explore creativity and build confidence.

📅 Tuesday, September 16 ⏰ 4:00–4:45 PM

📍 Room 2113

This first meeting is an interest meeting, no commitment required, just come and see what Poetry Club is all about! Email Ms. Braxton with questions!

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

Are you ready for Cosmic Glow? BHMS Sixth Grade students are invited to gather for dancing and other fun activities on Friday, September 12 from 4 pm to 5:30 pm in the BHMS Cafe. Tickets are $5 per student. Snacks and drinks will be offered for purchase. Bring small bills or Apple Pay/Square-friendly payment options. Purchase tickets here.

Parents, we need your help! Please review the signup and help as you are able. If you can’t volunteer in person, then consider donating some of the drinks and snacks on the list for concessions.

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!

PBIS BARK STORE VOLUNTEERS

PBIS BARK STORE SUPPLIES DONATION

Our next monthly PTA Board Meeting will be Tuesday, September 16 at 5:30 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 via Google Meet.

BHMS Spirit Night will be held Friday, October 3 from 5 pm to 7 pm at Ebster Recreation Center (105 Electric Avenue). In addition to celebrating our BHMS students and families, we will have a great view of the Homecoming Parade. We hope to see you there!

CSD’S annual Diwali Celebration will be held at BHMS this year on Saturday, October 18. The organizing committee is looking to gauge attendance. Please help them prepare by completing this interest form.

Are you a BHMS family or local business owner interested in supporting our school community? (Do you know a business that would like to help?) Then consider becoming a BHMS sponsor. Learn more about sponsorship levels here. Questions? Reach out to our fundraising chair.

• 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