Weekly Update

You’re invited to join us for our next Principal’s Coffee Chat tomorrow Friday, November 22 at 9 a.m. (please note the updated time). This session will focus on the critical topic of eating disorders and their effects on students’ well-being, academic performance, and overall development. We’ll be sharing important insights, resources, and strategies to support our students and address the challenges they may face around this issue.

Because this discussion is relevant to all age groups, we encourage you to invite a friend, neighbor, or any community member, even if they don’t currently have a student at Beacon Hill Middle School. This is an excellent opportunity to come together as a community to understand more about this topic, share perspectives, and explore ways to foster a healthy environment for our youth. We look forward to an engaging and informative conversation. See you there!

Thanksgiving Break!

We wish you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving Break! Take this time to relax, enjoy your loved ones, and recharge. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready to continue our journey together. Happy Thanksgiving!

Best regards,

Derrick Thomas, Principal

A big shoutout to our 518 BHMS scholars who've nailed perfect attendance from July 29 to October 4! You're all rock stars! Let's keep up the streak and aim for perfect attendance in the second term. #AttendanceGoals

K-12 students will take the STAR Early Literacy, Reading and Math Assessments during the winter assessment screening period of December 2-6 and December 9-13. CSD measures results from this winter assessment screening period against results from the previous fall screening period to track growth and adjust instruction to best meet students' individual needs. These assessments are crucial for ensuring your child's continued success.

Families may use these directions to opt-in to receive the results of the STAR assessments upon completion. For questions, please contact Sarah Coleman our testing coordinator scoleman@csdecatur.net

BHMS will be STAR testing all students the mornings of:

• Wednesday December 4th - Reading
• Friday December 6th - Math

🎨🎩 Last week, our 3rd and 4th period Studio Art students in Ms. Crockett's classes took the school by storm with their incredible paper mâché hat parade!

These young artists delved into their identities and relationships, channeling their creativity into stunning wearable art. From quirky to profound, each hat told a unique story.

#BHMSArt #StudentCreativity #PaperMacheParade

Our science teachers have been dedicated to engaging young scientists through a variety of hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences. In 6th grade, students are studying the ocean, exploring the causes of waves and currents. In 7th grade, students are finishing their unit on cells, during which they have created specialized cell models. In 8th grade, students have been investigating how energy moves and changes. Our team of science teachers is committed to equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to solve real-world problems based on a strong understanding of how the world works.

#lablife #sciencemagic #science💙💛era

Several of our staff members attended the Georgia Educational Technology conference this month. These tech-wizards learned about exciting and innovative tools to inspire the next generation of learners. We are excited for them to redelivery to all our teachers and support them in their work to use technology to enhance learning!

Pictured Below: Voshonda Bolton (CTAE), Samantha Coyle (I&S), Ian Driver (I&S), Angie Prophet (Inst. Coach), and Aliya Rashid-Austin (SELT)

Helping Your Child with Reading Challenges

Seeing your child struggle with reading can be tough. Whether it's comprehension, motivation, or simply sitting down to read, understanding the reasons behind these struggles is key.

Common challenges include:

• Lack of confidence: Not believing in their ability to improve.

• Processing difficulties: Decoding struggles can make reading frustrating.

• Boredom: Reading feels like a chore, leading to resistance.

Supporting your child with patience, encouragement, and engaging strategies can make a big difference. Your involvement can turn reading into a positive experience.

Join Young Ladies of Excellence(Y.L.O.E.) in spreading hope this holiday season! From November 18-22, Y.L.O.E. will collect perishable items to create sack lunches for those in need. Students and families can bring donations to the main office or Ms. Q's office.

• Bread
• Lunchmeat (turkey, ham, chicken, etc.)
• Cheese slices
• Small bags of chips
• Fruit (apples and oranges)
• Bottled water or juice boxes
• Sandwich bags

BHMS Jr. Beta is excited to announce a book drive to benefit Hagar's House, a local shelter serving families in our community. We're collecting gently used books for children of all ages from November 14 to December 6. Please drop off your donations in the boxes at the front of the school. Thank you for your generosity!

City Schools of Decatur appreciates the contributions of parents, students, and staff. Here are three important surveys that are open or will open prior to winter break. Please take a few moments to make your opinion count!

1. 2026-2027 District Calendar Input Survey (Expires 12/4/24)
   Thank you for your continued partnership in evaluating the academic calendar options for the City Schools of Decatur. Please review the proposed 2026-2027 Academic Calendar and provide feedback using the links below. The estimated completion time is 5-7 minutes.

2. First-Semester Teacher Engagement Survey (Expires 12/6/24; for teachers only)

3. Coming Soon! School Climate Survey (Opens 12/2/24)

CSD's School Health Team is preparing for DeKalb Public Health's immunization assessment on Friday, December 6, for all seventh-grade students.

Please ensure your child's immunization records are up-to-date and submitted to the school clinic by Thursday, December 5. If your child is missing any required immunizations, please schedule an appointment with your child's healthcare provider or visit Dekalb Public Health, 445 Winn Way, Decatur, GA 30030.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our students healthy and compliant with Georgia's immunization laws. If you plan to submit an Affidavit of Religious Objection to Immunizations (Form #2208), please remember that it must be notarized. Please contact the school nurse with questions or for assistance with immunization records.

As we head into the Thanksgiving break, the BHMS PTA expresses its appreciation to all our families and corporate sponsors who have supported our efforts so far this school year. Through your generosity, we have hosted our annual Spirit Night at the start of the school year and our fall grade level dances. We have stocked our weekly PBIS store for students. With the help of our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) committee, we have repainted the crosswalks and secured the Drop & Walk location. We organized a back-to-school breakfast for teachers, provided much-deserved treats for school staff at faculty meetings and through the snack cart, began our Teacher Wellness initiative and, most recently, funded $10,000 in teacher grants. None of this would be possible without you!

Your SRTS champions also thank you for your contributions to Crossing Guard Appreciation Week. The City hosted a breakfast last Thursday, November 14, for the 47 crossing guards that protect our students and community members every day. With your support, we collected more than $2,000 that we used to help fund gifts, raffle prizes and cash for these incredible community helpers. Thank you!

Looking to do some early holiday shopping? Visit the BHMS Spirit Wear Store to treat the Bulldogs in your pack! Proceeds help fund PTA-organized events to benefit our students, teachers and staff.

THANK YOU from Decatur Education Foundation!

Decatur, you ABSOLUTELY blew us away last Thursday! Thank you for celebrating the return of Supper & Sips with us! You helped us raise a record number in one night... more than NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS in support of Decatur’s kids! Thank you for ALL the ways you show up for DEF so that we can continue to show up for our kids. Visit our website and follow DEF on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about the important work we’re able to support in our schools and in our community, thanks to the generosity of this Decatur community of ours.

Keep it Indie-Catur on Giving Tuesday!

Giving Tuesday is right around the corner! There are countless worthwhile organizations to donate to, but when you give to the Decatur Education Foundation, your support directly impacts kids, teens, and educators right here in our community. Your tax-deductible gift provides essential needs for CSD families struggling with food insecurity, supports student mental health initiatives, provides arts infusion programming in our schools, and allows us to support our amazing educators through Teacher Innovation Grants! Through your generosity, we've been able to do so much good work in our community, and with your continued support, we'll be able to do so much more! Visit DEF's website to learn more about how you can get involved!

Do you have plans for a new garden or class project for spring? Are you full of fantastic ideas for incorporating farm-to-school principles into a teaching unit? Need funds for a "green" field trip?

The Wylde Center Decatur Farm to School Committee invites you to apply for a grant for 2024/25. Teachers, administrators, PTA members, and parent volunteers can apply on behalf of their CSD school. Please get your applications in before December 13, 2024.

2024-2025 DF2S School Grant Application

You can find more information on the following:

Social Media pages:

• CSDBeaconhllmiddleschool Facebook page
• BeaconhillPTA Facebook page
• CSDbeaconhill Instagram page
• Beaconhllmiddleart Instagram page

Other:

• Whom to contact if list
• Counseling Website
• School Website