BMS STAR - Family Bulletin

Dear Blackhawk Middle School Families,

As we move into the fall season, I want to thank you for your continued support and partnership. Our students thrive when home and school work together, and I am grateful for the strong sense of community we are building together.

Please take a moment to review the important information and updates included in this month’s newsletter.

We also ask for your support in reinforcing these key messages at home:

• Practice and demonstrate STAR values.

• Cell phones are allowed in the cafeteria during lunch only. In classrooms and during transitions, cell phones should remain Off, Away, and Out of Sight.

• Classes begin promptly at 7:50 AM each day. Students may arrive starting at 7:30 AM.

• Chromebooks should be charged each night and ready for learning each day.

We also hope you will join us at our PTO meeting on Thursday, October 9, at 6:30 PM. Your voice and involvement make a meaningful difference for our school community.

If you have any questions, please reach out to any member of the BMS leadership team.

Thank you for staying connected, and enjoy the October Newsletter!

Hip Hawk Hooray!

#ALLIN!

Diana Vergara

Principal, Blackhawk Middle School

Parent and Teacher Conferences will be held on the following days:

• Thursday, October 23 from 12:00 - 8:00 PM (Lunch 4:00 - 4:30)

• Friday, October 24 from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lunch 11:30 - 12:00)

Parents will have the opportunity to sign up with teachers requested for a 15-minute conference. Conference sign-ups will be online. Please follow the steps below to sign up for your preferred conference date and time. Sign up is on a first-come first-serve basis and closes on October 20, 2025. If you have several children attending our school, click on “Register for Multiple Conferences” and follow the prompts to schedule your conferences. Translation support is also available and can be requested online.

To make signing up for a conference easier, we will use MyConferenceTime.com. Parents can sign up beginning on October 6 for fall conferences online using their computer or mobile device. Simply follow the instructions listed below.

To schedule online,

• Go to www.myconferencetime.com/blackhawkms (or search Blackhawk Middle School)

• Click on the name of the teacher you wish to meet with.

• Select the desired date and time for your conference by clicking on “Sign Up.”

• Submit the requested information.

We look forward to seeing our Blackhawk Middle School families and students at conference time.

We are excited to share that BMS clubs are now up and running!

• If you have any questions about a specific club, please reach out directly to the teacher listed as the club sponsor.

• Students participating in a club must have a permission slip on file.

Thank you for your support and cooperation!

Get your BMS Spirit Wear here! The web store closes on October 5, 2025!

https://cookil.destinationstores.com/bms/

To improve safety during arrival and dismissal, we will continue to block off 10 parking spots along the side of the school building in order to extend the student drop-off and pick-up zone.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our school community safe and efficient during arrival and dismissal.

Signs of Suicide (the state-mandated 6-8 suicide prevention program/screening) will take place on the following dates times:

• 7th grade: Monday, Oct. 27 during 1st period
• 8th grade: Monday, Dec. 8 during 1st period

Erin's Law Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (YWCA) will take place on the following dates during Science/Social Studies classes. The presentation will take the full 90 min. block on the first day and 45 min. on the second day.

• 6th grade: November 12-13 during SS/Sci blocks - Parent Letter
• 7th grade: October 16-17 during SS/Sci blocks - Parent Letter
• 8th grade: November 6-7 during SS/Sci blocks - Parent Letter

Take a moment to review the updated BSD2 dress code found here.

The PowerSchool Parent Portal is an online system that will provide parents access to their students’ schedules, attendance, assignments and grades.

• Powerschool/Standards Based Grading Handout English
• English - Apple & Android Device Written Directions.pdf
• Powerschool/Standards Based Grading Handout Spanish
• Spanish - Apple & Android Device Written Directions.pdf

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

Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 9.

You can translate this newsletter to any language! You can also change the size of the text and use a high contrast mode!

• If you are reading this on a computer, the feature is on the top right by the heading.
• If you are reading this on a phone, the feature is the round icon in the bottom right corner.

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

Diana Vergara - Principal

dvergara@bsd2.org

Jacquelyn LeMon-Williamson, Assistant Principal

jlemon@bsd2.org

Kim Shaffer, Interim Assistant Principal

kshaffer@bsd2.org

Mary Hamilton, Students Services Coordinator

mhamilton@bsd2.org