Dear Families,

Students and staff had a great last week of term 1. Our Spirit Week was a huge hit and most of our community participated. Below you can see our awesome assortment of decorated doors and pumpkins. The students from each homeroom worked together to celebrate Fall and had fun decorating.

It's difficult to believe that we're already 1/4 of the way through the school year. Teachers will be using next week to calculate grades and work with students on any overdue assignments. Report Cards will be published during the week of November 13. Our target date is Wednesday, November 15th. If we can get them out sooner, we will.

Big thanks to the BMS Student Council who organized this week's activities. We appreciate all of the hard work that they did to make this week a success!

Sincerely,

Ed Connor

Picture retake day will be Monday, November 20. If you ordered pictures and would like new, different ones, please have your student bring the unwanted ones with them to the retake. Additionally, all students who were absent on the first picture day will have their pictures taken on retake day. Forms will be given to students during homeroom.

November is Native American Heritage Month. To learn more, Mrs. O'Malley has curated a list of books, websites, and articles which can be found at this link: Native American Heritage Month Resources

Epilepsy Awareness Month

Diabetes Awareness Month

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Movember

• 11/3 End of Term 1
• 11/9 MetroWest Adolescent Youth Survey at 10:00 am
• 11/10 No School: Veterans Day observance
• 11/14 & 15 Gr. 7 Health Field Trips
• 11/14 PAC meeting at 7:00 pm to be held at JMS with their PAC
• 11/15 Report Cards distributed to families
• 11/20 Picture Re-Take Day
• 11/22 Turkey Run
• 11/22 Early Release at 11:30 am
• 11/28 School Council meeting at 3:00 pm

Each week we will feature a new member of our community. This week we'd like to spotlight Mr. D'Attilio:

Hello,

My name is Jim D'Attilio. I am the new secretary in the Main office.

I was formerly the BMS Technology teacher for seventeen years and the high school drama director for twenty nine years. My wife, daughter and I live in Walpole and I actually was a student at Bird when it was called East Junior High School! I'm really looking forward to this new challenge but in my favorite surroundings and with my many BMS friends.

When not here at Bird, I love hiking, writing, woodworking, and restoring old tools. As a family we like to camp and search for county fairs.

Just a friendly reminder that 7th Grade Physicals are due at this time. Please submit them to the Health Office if you have not done so already.

The Health Office would like to inform you that we will begin the State Mandated Screenings at BMS this November beginning with the 7th grade height and weight on November 2nd and 6th. The following lists the required screenings by grade level:

6th: Grade: Vision, Hearing, Scoliosis

7th: Grade: Height, Weight, Scoliosis, SBIRT

8th: Scoliosis

We understand that your child might be seen by their physician regularly and may have already been screened for some of these. If this is the case, and you would like to opt your student out of these screenings, we ask that you submit a copy of your child's most recent physical to the Health Office if you have not already done so. Additionally, please respond to this email if you would like to opt your child out. Please state your child's name, grade and what screenings you are opting them out of. As a parent or guardian, you have the right to opt your child out of any or all of these screenings.

Please contact the Health Office with any concerns or questions.

Please remember that parents, not students, must give medications directly to the nurse.

If your child requires the administration of medication during the school day or the use of specific medical devices, including Epipens, please make arrangements to drop them off directly to Nurse Ludwig. She can be reached at sludwig@walpole.k12.ma.us or by phone at (508) 660-7226.

What is homework club?

Homework Club is a quiet work environment proctored by a staff member in the Media from 2:30-3:40 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s a great place for students to come after school, get work done, and maybe even not have any homework to do when they get home!

How do students sign up?

They don’t have to! Students show up immediately after school and sign in on any Tuesday or Thursday sessions they care to attend.

Do students always have to go?

No! Students can just come as needed.

How do students get home?

If they are a bus student, they can take the late bus home. If they get a ride, their ride can come at 3:40 or sooner. If they are a walker, they can walk home at 3:40, or sooner if that is ok with your family.

Who is it for? How much does it cost?

It’s for every BMS student, and it is free thanks to a donation by our PAC.

Last year, Walpole Public Schools began using a new mass communications system for attendance. This system allows for improved messaging between schools and families for automated notifications of school absences as well as for more time-sensitive alerts like unscheduled school closings.

If your child is absent and we have not received a phone call or message from you regarding that absence, then an automated attendance call will activate in order to alert you about the absence.

If you find that the system contacts incorrect phone numbers or email addresses, please contact the school’s main office with updated information.

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar and is also known as the "Festival of Lights". It is celebrated every year in October or November. Diwali lasts five days, with the main celebrations being held on the third day of the festival. This year Diwali will begin on November 12th.

The Walpole Middle School Cross Country program is designed for athletes to get a preview of High School Cross Country. They will learn about the sport of running and experience competition against other middle school runners. Join coach Antonietta O'Toole on Tuesdays and Thursdays for this seven-week Cross Country Program. This program will focus on strength, flexibility, endurance, technique and speed. Click here to sign up.

BMS and Incoming BMS parents .......... we just wanted to reach out and let you know that there is a way to contribute to the school, we are looking to raise more funds by direct donations, so we can prepare for the 2023-2024 school year!

PAC continues to support BMS activities, including: 6th, 7th and 8th grade field trips, homework club, 8th grade year end dance, staff appreciation, student appreciation, field day, recess equipment and school supplies for students in classrooms. We are continuing to work with BMS to bring in more events to the school this year and next for the teachers and kids, but funding is needed! Please consider donating this year through Venmo or sending in a check with your child to give to the office , payable to BMS PAC. Lets try to beat last years direct donation total of $3900! We have raised $955 so far! The PAC appreciates all that contributed so far this year.

Please be aware that we open our doors to students at 7:25, and we expect each student to be in their homeroom seat by 7:45. Homeroom is an important time for students to get settled and receive important information about goings on during the school day. Any student who arrives to homeroom after 7:45 will be marked tardy. Once a student has accrued three tardies in a term, they will be required to serve an after school detention. If you have any questions, or would like some guidance on how to help your student arrive to school on time, please contact Mr. O'Leary for help.

Please remember to send in a note with your student if they need to be dismissed early from BMS. Students can give the note to their HR teacher or drop it off in the Main Office when they arrive. By doing so, students will then be placed on our "Daily Bulletin", and will be excused from class by their teacher at the proper dismissal time. This will reduce the amount of interruptions caused by calling into the classroom to send down students.

We realize that there are many occasions when your child may need to be dismissed. We prefer if you can please try and dismiss between classes, if possible. The optimal dismissal times for that are: 8:50, 9:45, 10:19, 11:14, 12:37, 1:32.

If you have any questions, please contact bmsoffice@walpole.k12.ma.us

This year Mrs. O'Malley is splitting time between Bird Middle School and Johnson Middle School. Below are the days and times students can see Mrs. O'Malley to check out a book, ask for a book recommendation, or receive extra help with research.

Days 1,2,3 - Mrs. O'Malley is at BMS

Days 5,6,7 - Mrs. O'Malley is at JMS

Day 4 - Mrs. O'Malley alternates the two schools.

• Before school Days 1,2,3: Check out a book, read, do homework, study. 7:20 - 7:45 am

• X block Days 1&3: Visit the library to check out a book.

• Working lunch Days 1 & 2: Bring your lunch & read a book, do homework, or study

Remember eBooks & audiobooks are always accessible through SORA on the Chromebook.

Students spend some time outside during lunch for 10 - 12 minutes every day, with the exception of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and extreme temperatures. Please be sure to send your student in with appropriate outdoor clothing so we can all enjoy their time outside after eating lunch.

As a reminder, all student meals (breakfast and lunch) are free of charge this school year. Find out what's being served by checking out the Middle School Menu.

If you have any questions or general concerns, please contact Principal Connor at econnor@walpole.k12.ma.us or Assistant Principal O'Leary at joleary@walpole.k12.ma.us.

Email: bmsoffice@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/bms
Location: 625 Washington St, Walpole, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 660-7226