BMS STAR - Week 2 | Smore Newsletters

Good Afternoon BMS Teachers and Staff,

We did it! We had a successful first week with arrival, the new schedule, transitions, and dismissal! We didn’t just survive the first week – we thrived!

By Monday, it’s not about students “knowing it.” The reason it worked is because of what you did every day. That effort is the expectation all year long, not just the first few days.

(Teach - Model - Practice - Reteach)

Our collective responsibility is what makes Blackhawk thrive. When we all take responsibility for every student, we create belonging, consistency, strong relationships, and better outcomes for all students.

We will review this more together during the Wednesday instructional meeting. Take a moment to review the morning arrival roles below.

Morning Arrival – Three Roles

1. Assigned Homeroom Teacher

Stand outside your classroom, greet students by name.
Help with hallway flow.
Always teach, model, practice, and reteach STAR expectations.

2. STAR Member (Morning Post)

Be at your assigned post, greet students by name.
Help with hallway flow.
Always teach, model, practice, and reteach STAR expectations.

3. No Homeroom Assignment

May be assigned by me (V) and communicated through Helen to cover as needed.
If not assigned, post outside your space.
Greet students by name and support the flow.
Always teach, model, practice, and reteach STAR expectations.

Blackhawk, we are ALL IN!

V

"We change the culture by changing the nature of conversation. It's about choosing conversations that have the power to create the future." - Peter Block

BMS Hawk Hooray! Shout out a staff member!

Thanks to the custodians for helping me get my salon ready. Thanks for all your help!
Amy Rezulak for jumping right into her new roll this year as special education co-teacher and IEP case manager! She is doing an amazing job of learning this new position, assisting staff in getting to know her caseload students, and making students feel welcome and comfortable. Hawk Hooray!
Shout out to the talented 6th grade teams for welcoming me to their world... everyone has been amazing to collaborate with.
Shout out to Jenn McGraw for problem solving with me and being my mentor, you rock!
V - Thanks for holding it all down, you are an amazing leader who takes on many hats and I can feel how much you care for our school and everyone in it
From: Amy Ryann Rezulak
Hawk Hooray to our admin team for keeping us informed about changes to procedures and policies and starting the year off smoothly!
Katie Colon- Welcome to BMS!
Tina Sisto, Carly Boeing and Katie Colon- Thank you for helping me sort through the boxes of math supplies!
Angela Campanile & Tina Olakowski: Thank you for getting 8th grade the info we need to help our students who need extra support so quickly. We appreciate you!
Ms. V for being not only an incredible leader but also a truly inspiring and caring person. Your support and positivity make such a difference every day. Here’s to a wonderful new school year—Hawk Hooray !
Helen – for being the foundation of our BMS. Your hard work and engagement never go unnoticed. You bring stability, and dedication. We are truly grateful to have you.
The staff at BHM for making me feel like part of the team from day one. Whether it was offering advice, answering questions, or just being friendly and approachable, I appreciate every bit of your help! Thank you again for your generosity, patience, and support :)
The sixth grade team for being flexible and positive amidst all the craziness! It's great to know we can have each others' backs.
Adam Long and Maddie--Happy first birthday!
Jacqui LW--Thanks for your organization, support, and positivity. Great job rolling out the HMH curriculum.
Hawk Hooray to Daniela Assenato! Welcome to our team! It has been a pleasure to have you and I hope we can create a lot of collaboration for our newcomers. 🎉
Thanks to Mrs.Godawski, one day you’ll learn Spanish, and then I’ll finally look “normal”. 😅
STAR team, for helping start the kids days smoothly
All admin, teachers and staff for a great first three days of being ALL IN!
Jesse- Thank you for running all over the place to help everyone all the time!
The entire front office staff! This is my first year at BMS so I have had tons to learn. Everyone has been so kind, welcoming and helpful. Feels like a home away from home! I can't express my appreciation enough <3 (Nurse Sarah)
I want to shout out Carly for being an INCREDIBLE mentor! I would not have survived this week without her! <3 Katie Colon
Hawk Hooray, 6th Grade Team!
A huge shout‑out to you all for creating such a safe, well‑structured, and welcoming climate for our new 6th graders. Your dedication in helping them feel supported, confident, and excited about this New Year and New School, truly makes all the difference. You’re a strong and efficient team.
Amy Kasper for being an amazing team member and for all of the help and support she is providing to the new library assistant.
Katie Klingler - for organizing our team to set us up for an excellent start to the school year!
The entire blackhawk staff- For your thoughtful introductions to the helpful guidance with school procedures and classroom setup, your support has made a meaningful difference. I’m especially grateful for the time many of you have taken to answer my questions and share your experiences—your generosity and professionalism have not gone unnoticed.
I’m truly excited to be part of such a dedicated and collaborative community, and I look forward to contributing to our shared goal of helping students learn and grow TOGETHER :)
A special Hawk Hooray to Ms. McGraw and Ms. Cunniff! A special shout‑out for your kindness and for checking in on me. Being the new "kid" can be challenging. But thanks to your support, I already feel welcomed and comfortable. I’m excited and look forward to joining forces and contributing as part of the 6th grade team!
Melissa Glynn for being an outstanding mentor. Thank You!
Shoutout to Monika P, Z, and Jeff S- my amazing co-teachers! I am so excited to have you guys in my room this year. You guys make my life easier. Here's to you all! -Alberico
Paula Stevens for being an amazing team member. We are so happy to have you join our Blackhawk library staff!
To the Entire Blackhawk staff for being so warm and welcoming for our students and for me. It feels like we're already "soaring" together!
A Hawk Hooray to Ms. LaPrall, Thank you for your kindness when it mattered most. I truly appreciate you being my partner during our summer work — getting to know you made my transition to 6th grade smoother and more fun. I'm so grateful for your smile, and your support. Thank you!
Thanks to Helen for coordinating the desks for students.
Jesse DeLaCruz for his hard work and dedication!
STAR Team: This week was great! Thanks for all your hardwork and planning.
New staff - the first week in a new place can be tough. We see you and are glad you're here!
Nancy Barca for being such an organized leader! Your efforts helped 6th grade run smoothly this week!
Jack and John for taking are of and educating my amazing students from last year! ❤️
Emma, Angela, Alejandro, Deanna, Jackie, and Dave for coaching soccer and cross country! I know you are amazing coaches and this will be an amazing season! Everyone, come support your coach peers and watch a game or meet!
Elyssa Klein for being a supportive and proactive mentor!

Good afternoon, everyone.

The first draft of the library schedule for class visits is ready. It is available here. We will update the master schedule as changes occur. There are still a few classes that need to select times.

Link to the live document with the schedule

Information for ELA teachers and co-teachers:

Classes begin on Monday, August 25.
We need to see the classes two weeks in a row for orientation. (Monday, September 1st is a holiday so we will see those classes both on the 8/25 and 9/8.)
If there are issues with your time slots or if you would like to change your times, please let us know. At this point, any cell on the schedule that is blank is an available slot.
If you would prefer to have your students visit on a biweekly basis, we will make that change during your second library class visit.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Have a great day,

Catherine, Paula, and Amy

Interested in joining our PTO? We meet in the cafeteria once a month and start promptly at 6:30 PM.

President: Diana Medina
Vice President: Marissa Jimenez
Secretary: Mojca Anaya
Treasurer: Michelle Juran

Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 4.

BMS HUB

Blackhawk Library Schedule

K-8 Assessment Calendar 25-26

BSD2 MtSS Cycle of Tier 2 Intervention Dates

Cross Country Calendar

All purchases, even small ones, should be submitted for purchasing by the District or school offices. Staff should not purchase items with their own funds. Reimbursement requests are generally not accepted any more.

Please know this is different than what you may be used to. We are not able to provide reimbursements moving forward. Thank you for your cooperation.

Schools will be available the first two Saturdays (August 16th and August 23rd) as well as the last two Saturdays of the school year (June 6th and June 13th). Teachers will have access from 7:30am-3:30pm.

Saturday 8/23

Blackhawk: Sara Varela 630-402-1385

District 2 prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at https://www.bsd2.org/students-families/non-discrimination-title-ix-and-anti-harassment