BHMS Weekly Update
This year, our school is helping students learn about mental health and how to seek help for themselves or a friend through the nationally recognized SOS Signs of Suicide program. Used in thousands of schools for over 20 years, SOS has been shown to reduce students' self-reported suicide attempts while teaching them how to recognize the signs of depression and suicide risk.
Through SOS, students will learn:
Depression is treatable. It’s important to reach out for help.
How to recognize signs of depression or suicide risk in oneself or a friend.
The ACT strategy: Acknowledge the signs of concern, show that you Care, and Tell a trusted adult.
Students will view short, age-appropriate videos and take part in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and how to get help. They will also complete a brief depression screening (not a diagnosis) and an exit slip indicating if they would like to speak with an adult. Any student who requests a follow-up conversation will meet briefly with school staff.
We encourage you to visit www.mindwise.org/parents for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn.
For more information about SOS, please access this parent/caregiver handout at http://tinyurl.com/vbwt9t47. You may also visit the CSD Decatur Student Center website at https://www.csdecatur.net/decaturstudentcenter to access local resources.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this program please contact your child’s school counselor.
If you would like to opt your child out of this class discussion, please complete and submit this opt out form.
The deadline for Opt Out is Tuesday, September 8, 2026
BHMS planned delivery dates are:
Wednesday, September 9 - 7th grade
Monday, September 14 - 6th grade
Wednesday, September 16 - 8th grade
Think of Google Classroom as your middle schooler's combined digital locker and binder. Just like a physical binder packed with color-coded dividers, loose notebook paper, and ongoing projects, stepping into your child's digital classroom without context can sometimes feel like trying to solve a mystery.
While our BHMS teachers follow specific guidelines to keep class pages streamlined and consistent across all seven periods, Google Classroom is primarily designed as an active learning workspace for students and teachers.
The Best Way to Support Your Student at Home
Take the "Binder Tour": Rather than trying to navigate the platform alone, ask your student to log into their account and give you a guided tour of their active classes. Let them explain where they access assignments, track due dates, and view teacher updates!
Set Up Guardian Email Summaries: Stay in the loop without logging in daily. You can receive automatic daily or weekly guardian summaries highlighting upcoming work, missing assignments, and class announcements. You should already be receiving these.
💡 Pro Tip #1: Always Head to the "Classwork" Tab
Skip the main Stream tab when looking for assignments! The Stream acts as a live activity feed and can quickly become crowded. Clicking over to the Classwork tab provides a clean, categorized view of all units, topics, and assigned work.
💡 Pro Tip #2: Declutter the Inbox
Help your child avoid inbox overload! By default, Google Classroom emails students every time a teacher posts an assignment or comment. Have your student open Google Classroom Settings, navigate to Notifications, and toggle off unnecessary email alerts. This keeps their CSD email inbox clean and manageable.
Looking for more ways to support your child’s digital organization? Click Here for More Google Classroom & Tech Details.
Important Information about Gifted Review
Each fall semester, the gifted review team reviews existing student data to discuss students’ needs and to determine whether further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, please complete a Recommendation for Review Form by Wednesday, September 30. No additional information is needed. For more detailed information about the review process, please contact the Gifted & Talented Specialist at BHMS:
Casey Boersma: cboersma@csdecatur.net
Jessica Nicks: jnicks@csdecatur.net
Robyn Tibbetts: rtibbetts@csdecatur.net
or visit our website’s FAQ page.
Best Effort Leaderboard
Asher Beaver
Ashly Anker
Knox Boa
Accountable Leaderboard
Paloma Anderson
Camila Aguilar
Ta' shawn Barrett
Respectful Leaderboard
Zayd Aijas
Charlotte Andreason
Lillian Babinchak
Kind Leaderboard
Jane Baker
Seva Arora
Amir Abukar
Teacher Leaderboard
Student Leadership Opportunity in CSD
Students are Invited to Apply for Superintendent's Student Advisory Council
Is your student interested in joining the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council for their age group? These councils are designed for two-way communication between students and the Office of the Superintendent. Students Advisory Council members attend monthly, after-school meetings at the Wilson Center to share their perspectives and experiences with the superintendent on a variety of issues.
Meeting dates are linked in the application below. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 11, 2026, and selected students will be notified by Friday, September 18. Learn more and apply for the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council here.
Looking to dive into a new hobby, sharpen your skills, or meet friends who share your passions? Beacon Hill Middle School offers a variety of extracurricular activities designed to help every student thrive—from creative arts and gaming to coding, debate, performance, and community service!
Explore the full list of clubs on the BHMS Website. Please note that our extracurricular catalog is a living document—sponsors, meeting times, and exciting new clubs will continue to be added throughout the school year. Bookmark the page and check back regularly so you never miss a chance to get involved!
Check out all the club and extracurricular activities on our website!
Do you have a passion for sustainability and a cleaner Earth? Join the BHMS Recycling Team!
We will meet on Tuesday Mornings at 8:00am and Thursday afternoons 3:45-4:30 to do the paper recycling for the school. You are welcome to come to just the morning OR afternoon session or do both. There will also be other student-selected sustainability projects throughout the year. Fill out the interest form attached if you are interested in joining. We will have our first meeting on Thursday, September 24th after school.
💻Girls Who Code at Emory
Decatur High School families are invited to register for the Emory University chapter of Girls Who Code! This free program introduces middle and high school students (Grades 6–12) to computer science in a fun, supportive environment.
What They’ll Learn: Coding basics, web development, and inspiring histories of women in tech.
Community Focus: Interactive icebreakers, hands-on projects, and mentorship from Emory students.
Who Can Join: Open to all skill levels in grades 6–12.
Help empower the next generation of women in technology! Space is limited, so reserve your student's spot today.
Click Here to Complete the Girls Who Code 2026–27 Sign-Up Form
Youth Mean Business Summit
On Saturday, September 12, 2026, Youth Mean Business is hosting a youth entrepreneurship conference and $10k pitch competition for middle and high school youth and the adults who support them. It will be a day of learning, growth and inspiration.
Who should attend?
Youth Entrepreneurs in Grades 6-12
Youth in Grades 6-12 that are interested in starting a business
Parents/Caregivers of youth entrepreneurs
What to expect:
- 3 tailored tracks: Workshops for Youth Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Parents/Caregivers
- Interactive sessions led by industry leaders covering topics such as AI, Marketing, Operations, Strategy
- Inspiration from Youth Entrepreneurs
- $10k Youth Pitch Competition for Grant Funding
- Community networking
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
- Venue: Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, 504 Fair Street SW, Atlanta GA
- Time: 8:30am - 4pm
- Registration: $25 (includes light refreshments and lunch). Scholarships are available. We are able to facilitate group registrations if needed. Otherwise, students can register directly on Eventbrite here:
- Pitch Competition: Current Youth Entrepreneurs can apply to Pitch for up to $10,000 in grants here:
- Questions/Support: team@youthmeanbusiness.com
Beacon Hill Basketball Interest Meetings - September 8
All students interested in trying out for the basketball teams at Beacon Hill are invited to attend the Interest Meetings on September 8. Meetings for both the Girls' and Boys' teams will be held at 3:45. Girls should meet Coach Hood in RM# 2208. Boys will meet Coach Griffin in the BHMS Cafeteria.
Swim & Dive Interest Meeting - September 8
Calling all interested swimmers and divers! Our Swim & Dive Team interest meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 8 at 6pm in the Beacon Hill Cafeteria. ALL interested middle and high school athletes and parents should plan to attend this meeting. We will include important information such as schedules, dues, gear, & expectations. See you there!
Feedback Wanted on Pre-K Access Survey
CSD has opened a survey to examine the priorities of Pre-K families in Decatur, including location, transportation, and changing community needs. All families and community members are invited to take the survey, regardless of their children's ages.
School principals recommended parents from their respective schools to participate in a working group to assist CSD in determining how best to engage with families, staff, and the broader community about Pre-K accessibility, and how to use community feedback to inform decisions about potential Pre-K locations. This survey is the committee's first community touch point.
The committee will use survey feedback data to define the community's values and priorities regarding any potential changes to Pre-K locations. The data will be used to make a recommendation to the Board of Education at the December board meeting. Data results will be posted. Community members can follow along and view upcoming survey findings, insights, and decision outcomes directly on the Pre-K Access Project webpage.
Please take the survey here through September 16:
English: https://tally.so/r/jaA2Y4
Spanish: https://tally.so/r/jaAY5R
Somali: https://tally.so/r/VLOAaj
🐾🎉Spirit Rally - October 23rd 3:45-5:00
🐾👕 **ALL NEW** BHMS Swag 🐾👕
Get it HERE
🕯️🪔Celebrate Decatur Diwali!
Shine a light on BHMS by becoming a Family Sponsor!
Your donation directly supports our teachers, staff, and students during the 2026–2027 school year.
As a thank you, your family name will be proudly displayed in the school lobby to show your support for our community.
Together, we can make a difference—Be A Beacon today!
Click to sponsor: Be A Beacon PTA Family Sponsor Link
Help reward our amazing students!
When our kids embody the BARK attributes, they earn points from teachers and staff—and every Friday at lunch, they get to spend those points on a well-deserved treat at the BARK Store.
We need your help stocking the shelves! Drop off any of the following items to keep the reward store booming:
Mini Drinks: Small sports drinks, juice boxes/capri suns
Bite-Sized Sweet Treats: Fun-size candy bars, non-chocolate candy
Salty Snacks: Individual bags of chips, pretzels, or popcorn
Donate today and directly celebrate our students' good behavior! We are planning to kick off on August 28th! Please sign up here.
