BMS Patriot Press

Berkmar Middle School will provide students with quality, rigorous instruction that will develop critical and creative thinkers who will take ownership of their education in order to be successful lifelong learners.

The mission of Berkmar Middle School is to pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student, resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.

Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Ready (The 3 Rs)

Greetings, Patriot Families,

Happy Friday!

We’ve had an awesome week at Berkmar Middle School, and we are excited to share some great news. Berkmar has been named a PBIS Distinguished School by the Georgia Department of Education!

This recognition reflects the commitment of our staff and students to being Ready, Respectful, and Responsible each and every day. We are so proud of the positive culture we are building together and grateful for the support of our families in making this possible.

We are also thrilled to celebrate our 2027 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Rollocks! She represents the dedication, passion, and excellence of all Berkmar Middle School teachers, and we know she will continue to make a lasting impact on our students, staff, and families.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for believing in the Power of We here at BMS!

With Patriot Pride,

Felecia C. Jones
Principal

Friday, September 5, 2025

• Progress Reports emailed to parents

Monday, September 8, 2025

• Volleyball: Berkmar vs. Duluth at Duluth MS @ 6:00 pm

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

• Attendance Family Orientation Meeting @ 5:30pm

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

• Volleyball: Berkmar vs. Coleman (Home)@ 6:00 pm

Monday, September 15, 2025 - Hispanic Heritage Month Begins

Friday, September 19, 2025

• Digital Learning Day
• Progress Reports emailed to parents

Please take a moment to review the school year calendar included here. We kindly encourage you to schedule doctor’s appointments and family vacations during student holidays whenever possible, so your child can fully benefit from their learning experience. Thank you for your thoughtful planning and support—it truly makes a difference!

Berkmar Middle School has been recognized as a Distinguished PBIS School by the Georgia Department of Education for the 2024–25 school year. BMS is one of 73 GCPS schools to earn this distinction!

This recognition is a direct reflection of the hard work, commitment, and intentional focus you have put into building a positive school culture and climate. As part of this honor, we met all state outcome measures, including reductions in office discipline referrals, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions.

Our entire staff deserves congratulations for the collective work to build the right culture, climate, and community for our students.

Welcome Back BMS Families!

Did you know that middle school counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic, career and social/emotional development? School counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set informed career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world community.

At Berkmar Middle School, we have one counselor per grade level. Joycelyn Harris is our 6th grade counselor and serves as our lead counselor. Lasha King supports 7th grade, and Jennifer Feinberg is our 8th grade counselor. As a team, we support a variety of schoolwide programs such as PBIS, MTSS, attendance and mentoring. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone, email or parent square for help throughout the school year.

This year, we plan to LEAD Through the Power of We.

We are here to Listen, Empower, Advocate and Dream for student success!

Yours In Education,

BMS Counselors

Lasha King

Lasha.King@gcpsk12.org | 770-638-2313

Joycelyn Harris

joycelyn.h.harris@gcpsk12.org | 770-279-6404

Jennifer Feinberg

Jennifer Feinberg@gcpsk12.org | 770-638-2319

We’re excited to share that we’ve started the school year strong with a 95% attendance rate in the first month—thank you, parents and guardians, for being such an important part of that success!

At Berkmar Middle School, we believe everyday matters. Whether an absence is excused or unexcused, time away from the classroom can affect your child’s learning. That’s why we work together with you to ensure students are present and prepared to succeed.

Excused absences include student illness, immediate family emergencies, legal obligations and religious holidays

Please remember to submit an excuse note within 3–7 days through ParentSquare, ParentVue, or a written note.

When schools and families work as a team, students thrive. Your involvement makes a difference, and we appreciate all you do to support your child’s education and strong attendance.

Let’s keep up the momentum—every day counts, and every child matters!

At Berkmar, we believe that healthy students are better learners. We understand that barriers to affordable healthcare can impact your child’s ability to attend school regularly, and we are here to help. Our goal is to connect families with the right support, so every student can thrive.

Mental Health Support

At Berkmar, we offer school-based mental health services through the Stepping Stones Program, which provides counseling during the school day. If you think your student may benefit, referrals can be made directly through your student’s counselor.

Families can also access free, culturally responsive counseling through Ser Familia. This community organization offers family-centered services in Spanish and English.
Contact Ser Familia at (678) 363-3079 or visit serfamilia.org.

Affordable Medical Care If your family needs access to low-cost healthcare, these clinics offer quality services in the local area:

Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett Phone: (678) 280-6630
Website: goodsamgwinnett.org

Four Corners Primary Care Centers Phone: (770) 806-2928 Website: fourcornersprimarycare.com

Free Vision Exams

Through a partnership with Vision to Learn, students ages five through eighteen can receive free eye exams and prescription glasses. Appointments are quick and easy to schedule at: https://bit.ly/Gwinnett_VTLDays

Free Dental Cleanings

Eastside Dental offers free weekend cleanings for students and adults. Appointments are required. Call (770) 559-6202 or visit eastsidedentalgroup.com

We know parenting comes with many responsibilities and challenges. Please know that you are not alone. When families and schools work together, students stay healthy, attend regularly, and succeed.

Warmly,
Simone Price, LCSW
School Social Worker
Berkmar High School

Applications for the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School are now open. The deadline to apply is November 20, 2025. More information is available on the flyer below.

It is with great pleasure that we announce Ms. Kelly Rollocks as the 2027 Berkmar Middle School Teacher of the Year. May your spirit and heart for educating Berkmar's students impact everyone you meet.

These student Patriots, along with Ms. Brown and Ms. Brittain, make teaching and learning at BMS a top priority during Wednesday morning help day.

These 6th Grade student Patriots work collaboratively in their Language Arts class to identify text features. #patriotsleadthroughthepowerofwe

Dr. Moran’s Science students studied cells in a creative way! Each student became an organelle and had to perform its unique function. Do you see the flashlight? That’s the mitochondria, providing energy for the whole cell! ⚡🧬

• Do you have access to Parent Square?
• Do you have access to the ParentVue?
• Do you have a MyPaymentsPlus account?
• Have you applied for Free or Reduced Lunch?
• Do you know when and where your child can go to get additional instructional support?
• Do you know where you can check out materials/resources to use at home with your student?
• Do you know how to become a volunteer in our school?

If you answered NO to any of these questions, please make an Appointment with Ms. Pilar Silva, our Parent Instructional Coordinator, in the BMS Family Center

You can also reach her by email: pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or by phone 770-638-2317.

ParentSquare is a communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:

Weather-related closings & delays

School and class information

Share pictures and files

See calendar items

Upcoming class activities

If you need help downloading Parent Square to your mobile device, please contact Ms. Pilar Silva at 770-638-2311 or email her pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

BMS Families,

We are excited to invite you to our Attendance Workshop and Family Orientation for SY 2025-2026

📅 Tuesday, September 9th, 2025

🕠 5:30 PM

📍 Berkmar Middle School – Café

This special evening will begin at 5:30 PM with a Community Resource Fair, where families can connect with local organizations including The Bright Boy Foundation, Stepping Stones, Viewpoint, and more! These community partners will provide valuable resources to support student success and family wellbeing.

During the workshop, we will:
✅ Share how regular attendance impacts student learning, academic success, and overall school performance.
✅ Review attendance expectations and provide tips to help students build strong attendance habits.
✅ Give families the opportunity to meet BMS Grade Level Counselors, ask questions, and receive important resources.
✅ Present our ELT (Extended Learning Time) plan. Our ELT block allows for academic remediation and enrichment, Tuesday-Friday mornings

We look forward to seeing you and working together to ensure our students have the best chance to succeed by being present and engaged at school every day.

For more information, please contact:📧 pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or 📞 770-638-2317

Let’s work together to help our students build strong attendance habits and reach their full potential.

💙❤️ BMS Patriots LEAD the way to EXCELLENCE!

We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.

MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.

Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.

Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.

https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome

If you need help downloading My Payment Plus to your mobile device, please contact Ms. Pilar Silva at 770-638-2311 or email her pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

We are pleased to announce that the Free and Reduced Lunch Application for the 2025-2026 school year is now available for BMS families to complete. This application needs to be completed every school year. It is important for students to have a nutritious meal throughout the day to support their learning and overall well-being.

Please use the following link to complete your application:

https://www.nlappscloud.com/District.aspx#loaded

If you need assistance, completing the application, please email pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or call her at 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

Atención Familias de Berkmar: Solicitud de Almuerzo Gratuito o Reducido para el Año Escolar 2025-2026

Nos complace anunciar que la Solicitud de Almuerzo Gratuito o a Precio Reducido para el año escolar 2025-2026 ya está disponible para que las familias Berkmar Middle la completen. Esta aplicación se tiene que completar cada año escolar. Es importante que los estudiantes tengan una comida nutritiva durante el día para apoyar su aprendizaje y su bienestar general.

Utilice el siguiente enlace para completar su solicitud:

https://www.nlappscloud.com/District.aspx#loaded

Si necesita ayuda completando la solicitud mandale un email a pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org o llama al 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva estará disponible todos los días de 9:30 AM a 3:30 PM.

Parents can use their smartphones to access ParentVUE to find grades, schedules, and more!

Please click here for more information on downloading ParentVue.

If you need assistance downloading ParentVue, please email pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or call her at 770-638-2317. Ms. Silva will be available every day from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

Starting in September 2025, the Family Advisory Council will meet monthly to advise on academics, safety, budgets, and more. All GCPS parents are invited to attend! Learn more and view meeting dates here: www.gcpsk12.org/FAC

One of the integral parts of creating a harmonious and distraction-free learning space is our "Power Down" electronic device (cell phones, airpods, headphones, etc.) policy. We understand the importance of technology and staying connected in our modern world. However, during school hours, the focus should be on learning, collaborating, and being present.

Should there be an emergency or an urgent concern to communicate with your child, please reach out to the school's main office. We will ensure your child receives the message promptly.

Gwinnett County is partnering with Vision To Learn to provide free eye exams and prescription glasses for children in our community between September and December at various Parks and Community Resource Centers.

Booking Link: https://bit.ly/Gwinnett_VTLDays

Ages: Children 5-18 (Grades PreK-12)
Appointments: are required, see above booking link

Length of Exam: 20-30 minutes

GCPS encourages families to follow these steps to resolve concerns:

1. Teacher - First, talk to your child’s teacher or a counselor at school for assistance. Most concerns are resolved at the classroom level.

2. Assistant Principal - If the concern is not resolved at the classroom level, please visit with your child’s assistant principal.

3. Principal - If working with the AP does not adequately address the issue, please meet with the school principal.

4. Cluster Superintendent - If the issue persists, please call 678-301-6000, and ask to speak to the cluster superintendent who is assigned to the school your child attends.

5. Chief of Schools - If, after following steps one through four, your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, please contact the Chief of Schools for School Improvement and Operations.

Other Resources
If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1. The GCPS Hotline for anonymous reporting of potential violence is 770-822-6513. If you have a non-emergency criminal concern, please contact local law enforcement.

Please select one of the files below for a downloadable view of this information:

• English
• Español
• Tiếng Việt

Our Annual BMS Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Friday, October 3, 2025!
📍 BMS Gym
⏰ Event starts at 5:30 PM

✨ You will not want to miss this memorable night celebrating the diversity of Latin America!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Look out for a post from Ms. Pilar Silva on ParentSquare with ways your family can get involved:

• Volunteer with decorations

• Share your favorite dish from your heritage country

• Help with clean-up

• …and more!

📅 Don’t forget to mark your calendars—we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

As we get ready to begin Hispanic Heritage Month on September 15th, I would love your support in encouraging our students and families to participate in the Voices of Strength Writing Competition, hosted by The Little Book Spot, a local nonprofit dedicated to literacy and community engagement. This special competition is held in partnership with the El Gusanito Book Festival.

This event is a meaningful way for our students and families to showcase their creativity, cultural pride, and unique voices through writing.

📚 Competition Categories

• Grades 3–5: Heroism

• Grades 6–8: Hope

• Grades 9–12: Vision for the Future

• Adults (18+): Heritage and Strength(open to teachers, parents, and community members!)

🗓 Submission Deadline: October 11, 2025

🏆 Awards & Prizes: Scholarships, monetary awards, and other great prizes.

🎉 Winner Announcement:
Winners will be announced at the El Gusanito Book Festival & Mercado Navideño on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at Plaza Las Américas (733 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn, GA).

👉 How to Submit:

Anyone can submit their stories by scanning the QR code attached or through the provided submission link: Writing Competition 2025 .

Please help spread the word and inspire students and families to participate as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and uplift literacy across our community.

Please reach out to Ms. Pilar Silva if you have any questions: pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org or 770.638.2317.

BMS Families,

Join our community at Plaza Las Américas in 733 Pleasant Hill Rd, Lilburn for Noche Mexicana, a night full of culture, music, and fun as we kick off the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sunday September 14, 2025 starting at 4:00PM! ✨

As we enjoy and support events like Noche Mexicana in our community, we also look forward to celebrating together Hispanic Heritage Month at Berkmar Middle School. 🌎💃🎶

📅 Save the Date:
👉 Friday, October 3, 2025
📍 BMS Gym

This is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the traditions, stories, and contributions of our diverse families as we come together as a school to celebrate the diversity of Latin America among our students and families.

More details will be shared soon by Ms. Silva, so stay tuned!!

💙❤️ Let’s celebrate culture, heritage, and community, because at BMS, Patriots LEAD the way to excellence!

Our students are gearing up to participate in the 6th Annual Día de La Raza Fútbol Tournament!

📌 Event Details

• Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025

• Location: Berkmar Middle School Back Field

• Time: (Time TBD – flyers will provide details in September)

📌 Tournament Information

• Since the tournament takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month, teams will represent a Latin American country to celebrate our Hispanic community.

• Each team must have 5–7 players.

• Cost: $5.00 per player

• Deadline to pay: Friday, September 26, 2025

📌 What can families do now:

• Encourage your student to:

  • Start forming a team with friends.

  • Choose a Latin American country to represent.

  • Start looking for uniforms that represent the colors of the country picked

• Look out for flyers in September with more details!

📌 Contact Information

• Coach Hastings: stephanie.hastings@gcpsk12.org

• Ms. Silva: pilar.silva@gcpsk12.org

Let’s celebrate teamwork, culture, and community at this exciting event! 🎉

#bmsleads

Want to keep up with all the exciting things happening at BMS? From school events and celebrations to important announcements, we’ve got you covered!

👉 Follow us on social media and be part of our Patriot community:

• Instagram: @berkmarms127

• Facebook: Berkmar Middle

Let’s celebrate our students, families, and staff together because at BMS, Patriots LEAD the way to excellence! 💙❤️

#BMSPatriots #WeAreBerkmar #PatriotsLEAD

Each BMS student will receive a GCPS assigned chromebook for use in class and at home to support their instructional needs. It is the family’s responsibility to monitor the use of the device to ensure that the device is returned in the condition in which it was received.

GCPS has created a 1:1 Parent Support Site to provide further information on chromebook use as well as parent and student responsibilities.

GCPS will assess fines for lost and/or damaged chromebooks and chargers. Please note that incidents of damage or loss do not reset each school year. See the district fine chart below.

Resources:

Student 1:1 Support Site

Parent 1:1 Support Site

Parent and student rights and responsibilities

Our Patriots are kicking off the school year with excellence—showing everyone what it means to be Ready, Respectful, and Responsible! Their outstanding behavior earned them Berkmar Bucks, and they cashed them in for a cool and tasty reward… popsicles!

Want to stay connected with BMS? Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BerkmarMS127. Follow us on Facebook Berkmar Middle. Updated communication and parent newsletters may be found on these platforms. Additionally, our school website is another great resource for learning more about our school.

Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=2086
Location: 4355 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, GA, USA
Phone: 770-638-2300