The Bulldog Blast
BCMS Community Newsletter
Happy New Year!! We are excited to be back in school and we are looking forward to having a great start to the new year. The end of term 2 is January 16th so please check with your student(s) to make sure they are staying on top of their assignments before the end of the term.
Any students who have semester long electives will be moving to their new elective on January 19th. Many students will also be moving into Health and/or PE at the start of the new term. We will be providing each of the students with a copy of their 2nd semester schedule before the start of term 3. Please reach out to your student(s) grade level counselor if you have any questions.
6th Grade Counselor Mr. Ledyard David.ledyard@fcps.org
7th Grade Counselor Mr. Webber johnny.webber@fcps.org
8th Grade Counselor Ms. Reese Rebecca.reese@fcps.org
Mathematics Department:
7th Grade: Students will be finishing up Module 4 (Operations with Rational Numbers), which focuses on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals, fractions, and whole numbers. In the later part of this module, students are focusing on decimals and fractions rather than whole numbers alone.
7ACC: Students will be finishing up Module 4 (Exponents and Scientific Notation) and continuing to Module 5 (Real Numbers). In Module 5, they will be identifying rational and irrational numbers, estimating irrational numbers, and comparing rational and irrational numbers.
8th Grade: Students will be finishing up Module 4 (Linear Relationships and Slope) and beginning Module 5 (Functions). In Module 5, students will be learning to identify, construct, and compare linear and nonlinear functions.
Algebra: Students will be finishing up Module 5 (Creating Linear Equations) and beginning Module 6 (Linear Inequalities). In Module 6, students will review how to solve one-step and multi-step inequalities along with learn how to graph inequalities in two variables.
Students should be completing weekly ALEKS topic goals in Math. Students should be checking their Math Schoology pages to see their specific weekly goal. Students can monitor their own progress by checking their topic reports in ALEKS. For questions about ALEKS topic goals, please reach out to your student’s grade level math teacher, our school Math Specialist, Ms. Moffitt (Maleita.Moffitt@fcps.org), or our school Math Department Chair, Ms. Dickson (ashley.dickson@fcps.org).
Students should be checking their grade reports on Schoology weekly to see updates regarding missing/re-do work. If there are any questions regarding student grades, please reach out to your student’s grade level math teacher.
Advanced Academics
Dual Enrollment:
Dual Enrollment (DE) courses allow students to earn college credits before they graduate from high school. These courses are offered through a partnership between Frederick Community College (FCC) and Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS).
For more information, visit the DE website: https://www.frederick.edu/admissions/dual-enrollment.aspx (there are three upcoming information sessions) and to get an idea of the current course offerings, view the slideshow: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1IyUhzmObvNVVaFCMyK3LcKTG3YbvxpIupJFxJtwH0BE/edit?slide=id.g2b28bc03c83_0_0#slide=id.g2b28bc03c83_0_0 ;
Science
Are you interested in participating in the Frederick County Science and Engineering Fair this spring? This is a chance to explore a scientific question or engineering challenge, present your project, and possibly earn recognition and awards. Check out the FCPS Science & Engineering Fair Homepage for more detailed information.
Top middle school winners qualify to enter the national Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Competition (JIC)!
300 semifinalists are selected from across the nation and the top 30 compete in Washington DC!
Fill out the Science Fair Interest Form 2026: here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3IK7wHVtQI2j41AT9RFEinthITcq9F_FUdIC4AbMeNo1UzQ/viewform
For more information about the Science Fair click the link and see the flyer below.
Media Center And Technology
Please use the following link for updates and information regarding the Media Center and Technology: https://secure.smore.com/n/7pd81
- Jenn Lungociu
Fellowship Of Christian Athletes
Our school is only as good as its volunteers, so if you want to be a part of something bigger than yourself and helpful to the school, think about joining the PTSA, Membership is $10 for the year. If you are interested please contact ballengercreekms.ptsa@gmail.com.
BCMS VOLUNTEERS are needed!
Interested family and community members should be directed to the FCPS Volunteer Webpage to follow the new onboarding process found below:
· Complete a registration form.
· Complete one training module on Unified Talent.
· Await school approval on application.
· Once approved, sign-up for volunteer opportunities facilitated by individual schools.
**Please note, this is an annual process and must be completed every school year. To avoid delays, volunteer applicants should only apply once and can be added to multiple schools AFTER initial building approval. Additionally, we are advising all prospective volunteers that they must complete the registration form and training using the exact same full name and email address each time. Using nicknames, abbreviations, hyphen variations, or alternate spellings or email addresses will create delays in import.
FCPS Parent Education Program
To the families of FCPS
Happy New Year families!! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. We are preparing for the start of our Winter session on February 3, 2026, we are about helping parents and caregivers strengthen relationships and build healthier families in our communities.
Program Highlights:
Offered three times per year: Winter (February), Spring (April), Fall (October).
Available in Montgomery County, Frederick, Dorchester, and other Maryland regions.
Delivered via Zoom or in person, based on community needs.
Each group is offered in one language: English, Spanish, or Amharic
Facilitated by trained parents who have completed the program.
Families who attend at least five sessions and complete the final evaluation receive a $50 gift card (one per household).
Topics:
- Parents of School-Age Children
- Navigating Change & Transitions
- Raising Motivated and Cooperative Kids
- Responding to Strong Emotions
- Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-Being (two-week module)
- Setting Healthy Limits
- Managing Parental Anger
- Pre-K Family Resiliency Program (Private Groups Only)
For parents and caregivers of children ages 0–5, topics include:
- The Power of Connection
- Tantrums & Meltdowns
- Firm and Respectful Limits
- Rhythms & Routines
- Raising Cooperative Kids
- Managing Parental Anger
- Helping Young Children Handle Strong Emotions
- Culminating Session & Program Evaluation
*Accurate Registration Is Essential*
To ensure smooth enrollment and timely gift card distribution, families must provide:
- Full name of the parent/caregiver
- Valid phone number and email address
- Number of school-age children and their current school(s)
Incomplete or incorrect information may delay registration, placement, or gift card fulfillment.
Groups are designed as confidential spaces for parents and caregivers only. To support open discussion, individuals in positions of authority or oversight should not attend sessions.
We also strongly encourage families to begin with Week 1, as early sessions establish trust and foundational concepts that are not repeated.
Thank You!
Contact: Kathy Hedge, Executive Director, kathy.hedge@PEPparent.org or Mindy Chong, Associate Director, mindy.chong@PEPparent.org (#202-810-3403)PEP - Parent Encouragement Program - PEPparent.org - office@PEPparent.org - 301-929-8824
MSDE Courses Offered
MSDE is pleased to offer “Rights and Services for Children and Youth With Unstable Housing", asynchronous online courses for FCPS staff. Participants can register for the module that is appropriate for their role by visiting this link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=4umvYM1JsUmIUWTfAnai6CBaOLeY-zxEnuT_vlveZidUMklXUEdWNlhQQVEwQ0FKWUMyS0E3R0pNSC4u
A Canvas account is required to access the course, and the first cohort will run from January 5, 2026 through March 31, 2026. Canvas accounts are free to create.
Production Dates Pushed Back
This year BCMS will present a production of
The Mysterious Murder at Manchester Manor.
Play dates have shifted and are as follows:
Friday, February 20th, 7pm
Saturday, February 21st, 1pm
Saturday, February 21st, 6pm
Please make a note of new dates and times.
Come support our Bulldog Basketball teams throughout the 2026 season!
Games are a great opportunity to build school spirit, encourage our student-athletes, and connect as a community.
Check out the schedule below and come cheer on the Bulldogs!
Troubling Social Media Trends
Parents and guardians, please be aware that social media users are participating in the “Picked my Date” trend on Tik Tok to post their suicide date.
The state’s attorney shared that there is a 200% increase in online sadistic exploitation, where people are telling kids to harm themselves, others, younger siblings, etc.
Youth are being targeted through SnapChat, Instagram, Discord, TikTok, Reddit, WhatsApp, YouTube, and video games with messaging options, like Roblox.
Please take some time to monitor your child's social media accounts and to talk with them about their mental health and wellbeing.
School Year 2025-2026
As we begin the school year, we wanted to provide a reminder about school meals.
In 2025-26, the price for meals is $1.75 for breakfast and $2.80 for lunch for elementary school students and $2.00 for breakfast and $3.05 for lunch for middle and high school students.
To apply for free and reduced-price meals, Visit the FCPS Food Service online parent portal at www.linqconnect.com and click on School Services and then select Free & Reduced Meal Application.
BCMS Spirit Wear Is Here!
Our BCMS Spirit Wear Store is finally OPEN!
Click the link below to see the store.
https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/stores/ballenger-creek-middle-school-spiritwear-2724241
If you are looking for a specific item and can't find what you want, let us know! We can try to add more items if there is demand, and if our vendor offers that option.
-The BCMS PTSA Board
Volunteer Registration And Training Now Available
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is thrilled to partner with family and community members who are interested in joining efforts to support our students and schools with their time and talents by way of volunteering.
Last year, we welcomed over 12,700 volunteers into our school system contributing over 76,550 volunteer hours.
THANK YOU!
This year, FCPS collected the feedback from our volunteers and staff to modify the volunteer process, while prioritizing the safety and security of our students, staff and community. As a result, we have streamlined the process of registration and training to be completed by all volunteers across the county. All volunteers will be equipped with the necessary information they need to partner with our schools.
Family and community members interested in volunteering should begin the volunteer process by visiting our FCPS Volunteer Webpage. Applicants will be directed to:
Complete a registration form.
Complete a training module on Unified Talent.
Await school approval on application.
Sign-up for volunteer opportunities facilitated by individual schools.
*Complete only ONE registration form per person. Additional school selections may be added after original approval.
Please note: To avoid delays, you must complete the registration form and training using the exact same full name and email address each time. Do not use nicknames, abbreviations, hyphen variations, or alternate spellings or email addresses.
The volunteer registration and training process is completed annually for each school year. Volunteers must complete the process before being signed up for volunteer opportunities. FCPS encourages family and community members interested in volunteering to complete the process early as processing times can vary.
For technical support in Unified Talent, volunteer applicants may contact unifiedtalent@fcps.org. For all other volunteer related questions, volunteer applicants may contact: FCPSVolunteers@fcps.org. FCPS is grateful for the generous support from our family and community volunteers.
Click here for the FCPS Volunteer Webpage.
Be sure to consult the Frederick County Public Schools parent handbook and calendar for important dates and observances.
For a copy of the FCPS 2025-2026 SY Calendar, click here.