BHMS Weekly Update

City Schools of Decatur is pleased to announce the selection of Alexis Glenn as the new principal of Beacon Hill Middle School. She was chosen after a comprehensive search process that involved feedback from the Beacon Hill Middle School community, including district leaders, staff, and parents.

Ms. Glenn has served as Interim Principal of Beacon Hill Middle School since the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. She brings more than 15 years of educational experience, having previously served as the assistant principal at Beacon Hill Middle School from 2017 to 2022.

Most recently, she worked as the Director of Assessment & Accountability for the City Schools of Decatur, collaborating with school and district leaders to use data to enhance student achievement, promote equity in student outcomes, and guide instructional decision-making.

With a profound commitment to the Beacon Hill Middle School community, Ms. Glenn brings expertise in school operations, instructional coaching, and student support systems. Her unique blend of district-level insight and school-based leadership equips her to lead Beacon Hill Middle School with a steadfast focus on academic excellence, a positive and inclusive school culture, and robust partnerships with families and the broader community.

We extend our gratitude to Ms. Glenn for her willingness to serve Beacon Hill Middle School during this transitional period. Through her steady presence, thoughtful leadership, and deep understanding of the community, Ms. Glenn has demonstrated both the compassion and experience necessary to ensure that Beacon Hill Middle School will continue to thrive while maintaining a high level of support and academic standards for all students, staff and families

At Beacon Hill Middle School, our mission is to ensure every student feels Seen, Supported, and Successful. To achieve this, we rely on a strong partnership with our families. We invite you to participate in the annual GaDOE School Climate Survey, an anonymous statewide tool that measures perceptions of school safety, relationships, and our overall learning environment.

Your feedback is more than just data; we use it to revise and create our BHMS Action Plan (School 90 Day Plan). These insights allow our School Leadership Team to monitor progress and implement targeted strategies that directly enhance your child's daily experience. Please take 10–15 minutes to share your perspective and help us continue to elevate the standard of excellence at BHMS.

Beacon Hill Middle School Family Survey

City Schools of Decatur has a long-standing tradition of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King by celebrating students who embody the values of freedom, justice, democracy, and service. The opportunity is open to students currently enrolled in City Schools of Decatur, from 3rd to 12th grade.

How to Participate: All BHMS students are invited to submit an original response to this year’s prompt through artwork, video, an essay, or a poem. For full submission details, the official prompts, and a student-friendly checklist, please refer to the 2025-26 CSK/MLK Family guide linked here. We can’t wait to see your creativity in action!

Important Dates:

• Virtual Information Session: Monday, January 26, 5:00 – 5:30 p.m

• Join via Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/pfk-pvzi-fro.

• Submission Deadline: Thursday, February 12, 2026, by the end of the school day.

District Awards Ceremony: Wednesday, February 25, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m

While many students spent the last day of holiday break sleeping in, the BHMS girls basketball team was already hard at work—this time off the court—volunteering at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Their efforts helped distribute 12,000 pounds of food, providing the equivalent of 10,000 meals for neighbors in need. A huge thank you to the Yeager family for coordinating this meaningful service opportunity and to our student-athletes for showing what it means to lead with heart as well as hustle.

Our 7th-grade Spanish classes stepped out of the classroom and into the vibrant heart of the local community today! Students visited the Buford Highway Farmers Market and Plaza Fiesta, accompanied by a wonderful group of parent chaperones.

The day was designed as an immersive "cultural lab" to complement a current unit, "Cuando era niño" (When I Was a Child). As students explored vocabulary related to past experiences and childhood memories, this trip provided a tangible connection to the sights, sounds, and flavors that shape cultural identity.

Highlights of the Day:

• The Scavenger Hunt: Students navigated the aisles of the Farmers Market, identifying international ingredients and practicing their language skills in a real-world setting.

• Authentic Dining: The group gathered for lunch at Plaza Fiesta, enjoying traditional dishes and soaking in the lively atmosphere.

• Cultural Connection: Beyond the fun, students saw firsthand how the themes we study in class manifest in our local global community.

Students had a fantastic time making memories that will surely serve as great conversation starters in class next week! Thank you to Ms. Indocochea for organizing this opportunity for her students.

German language students from BHMS and DHS traveled to the 2026 Georgia State German Convention. This convention brings together hundreds of students from across the state for a weekend of immersive cultural activities and rigorous academic competitions.

Our BHMS students represented well with exceptional skill and spirit, returning home with several top honors:

Individual & Partner Achievements

🐾1st Place, Level 1 Poetry: Wren Kloth
🐾1st Place, Level 1 Vocabulary: June Schweig-Su

🐾1st Place, Level 1 Role Play: Matilda Schwin

🐾1st Place, Level 1 Partner Work: Matilda Schwin & Charlie Beezley
🐾2nd Place, Level 1 Partner Work: Owen Andrews & Wren Koth
🐾3rd Place, Level 1 Vocabulary: Wren Koth
🐾3rd Place, Level 1 Spelling: June Schweig-Su & Carson Willard

A Special Thank You

We would like to extend a big thank you to our BHMS German teacher, Trevor Smith, for his incredible work in organizing this trip and supporting our students throughout the convention. Vielen Dank, Herr Smith!

Congratulations to all the students! We are all super proud of how well our students did and will continue to do.

We are pleased to announce the return of our partnership with Decatur High School (DHS) to offer morning tutoring for all BHMS students. Research shows that peer-to-peer tutoring provides significant academic and social benefits for adolescent learners, and we are excited to bring this resource back to our campus.

How it works: Small groups of DHS student volunteers will be available every morning to assist with homework, test prep, or project research.

• When: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

• Arrival: Students should arrive at 8:00 AM and must be in the building by 8:05 AM.

• Where: Media Center

Requirement: No sign-up is necessary! Students should simply bring specific materials to work on, such as math homework, an essay draft, or vocabulary practice.

Celebrating Our Student-Athletes A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support our 8th-grade basketball players and cheer squad last night! The energy in the gym was electric, and our students truly felt the support from the BHMS community as we celebrated their hard work and dedication.

Playoff Bound! Both of our teams have fought hard this season and are headed to the playoffs. Here is the latest update on their postseason schedules:

• Girls Team Secures 1st Round Bye: The Girls' team ended the regular season incredibly strong, finishing 2nd in the region with only a single loss! Their outstanding performance has earned them a well-deserved bye for the first round of the playoffs.

• Boys' Team Update: The Boys' team finished 4th in the region and is ready to battle it out in their first playoff matchup next week.

Upcoming Playoff Games Due to weather delays, the schedule has been adjusted. Mark your calendars and come cheer on our Bulldogs!

• Boys' Playoff Game:

  • When: NEXT Wednesday, January 28

  • Time: 5:30 PM

  • Where: Home

  • Opponent: Redan Middle

• Girls' Playoff Game:

  • When: NEXT Saturday, January 31

  • Where: Home

  • Opponent: TBD (Winner of the first-round game)

Let's fill the stands and show our teams our continued support!

History was made in our Bulldog Wrestling program! On Wednesday, our Wrestling program hosted the first-ever home wrestling meet for Beacon Hill Middle School. Our BHMS Bulldogs showed out in front of a great crowd. Great job to Coach Salvador, Coach Zisook, and all of our Wrestling staff for the time and energy invested in our young Bulldogs!

Congratulations to our BHMS Wrestlers. The Bulldogs competed in the DeKalb County Championships, and out of 16 teams, our boys came in 4th overall! There was a separate girls' scramble, and Jordan Lindahl placed 6th in her weight class. The Bulldogs had several champions and placers in their respective weight classes, including Frank Waterson (1st), Anderson Kim (1st), Henry Hamilton (1st), Jason Elder (4th), Braylen Griffin (4th), and James Holbein (4th). We are proud of all of our Bulldogs, our coaches, and our parents who made this inaugural season a success!

Join us for our BHMS Cheer Fundraiser at Jersey Mike’s on January 22nd!

Ordering in store? Be sure to mention the fundraiser or show the flyer at checkout.
Ordering on the Jersey Mike’s app? Use code JMGIVES so your purchase counts toward our team!

Every sub supports our cheerleaders—thank you for showing your BHMS spirit!

Your Art, Your Impact! 🎨 The 1st place design from BHMS is headed to the big stage! Our winning school design will be printed on official DEF t-shirts and sold at the CSD Art Exhibition (3/31–4/2). Every shirt sold supports the Zara Fund, directly funding arts projects for our students. Stay tuned to see which design will represent BHMS!

As texts become more complex in the second semester, many middle school students read the words on the page but miss the deeper meaning. This is a common challenge and often comes from reading too quickly without time to think.

Helping students slow down, even briefly, can make a big difference.

Try This at Home:
Ask your child to pause after a section and complete this sentence aloud or in writing:
“This part matters because…”

That single sentence encourages analysis rather than summary. It helps students identify what’s important and explain why it matters, not just what happened.

You don’t need long discussions or written responses. One thoughtful sentence is enough to strengthen comprehension and build confidence.

Reading improves fastest when students practice explaining their thinking

For support in establishing simple, sustainable reading routines at home, 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 January 22, 2026, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

PTA sponsorships help us fund all aspects of our school outreach efforts, including teacher grants, student dances, school improvement projects and teacher appreciation events. We are so grateful for all who have shared their generosity this school year.

Are you a 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.

“Be a Beacon” donations directly support our teachers, staff and students during the 2025–2026 school year. Supporter names are displayed proudly in the school lobby in appreciation of your generosity. Thank you to all who have donated so far this year. Together, we can make a difference. Make a donation here.

PBIS BARK STORE
The PBIS Bark Store celebrates students who demonstrate Best Effort, Accountability, Respectfulness and Kindness. Volunteers are needed on Fridays during student lunch periods (which run from 11 am to 2 pm) to help distribute items students have earned through BARK points. Do you have an hour to spare? Sign up here.

BHMS STAFF APPRECIATION: SECOND SEMESTER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

A few slots remain for donating items to the teacher/staff snack cart and lounge, as well as operating the cart on snack cart days, and helping with the end-of-year staff luncheon. Please take a moment to review the available slots in our sign-up link.

NOTE: We will host a separate series of events for staff during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4 through May 8. A sign-up will be spent specifically for that major event.

Beacon Hill Middle School car magnets are a great way to show school spirit and support the PTA! They are available for $5 each through this payment link. (Please include your student’s name in the comment section.) Magnets can be picked up at the front office for pickup by you or your child.

An ongoing speaker series from DEF, Decatur Prevention Initiative and the Decatur Parents Network returns Thursday, January 22, with a documentary viewing and panel discussion on "Navigating the Changing Drug Landscape: Talking to our Kids About Dangerous Substances." This event is free and open to any adult. Find more information and register in advance here.

Thursday, January 22, 6:30-8 p.m., DHS Learning Commons (Library/Media Center). Enter the bus drop-off area off of Commerce Drive.

• 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