BMS Parent Newsletter

Former FBI agent and safety expert, Greg Shaffer presented school and individual safety information to BISD staff on October 10 at the staff development and to parents that evening. Mr. Shaffer will be making a return trip to Blanco on Monday, November 7. He will address BMS students in two different sessions. 6th Grade at 9 AM and 7th/8th Grade at 9:50 AM. He will talk to students about:

Being aware of their surroundings

What to do in an emergency situation

Having a plan of action in advance

Simple techniques they can use to defend themselves

The threat of human trafficking

Parents who DO NOT want their student to participate in this presentation can contact Mr. Kinney or Ms. Lyons to let them know. Students who are not in the presentation will be monitored in another area of the school. There will not be additional work or consequences for opting out. Contact information for Mr. Kinney and Ms. Lyons can be found at the bottom of the newsletter.

School safety is always an important part of the BMS educational setting. Blanco MS and Blanco ISD have partnered with Stay Alert to provide an avenue for students, parents, teachers, and community members to report issues related to school safety. If you are aware of an incident, situation, activity, etc. that needs to be reported to school officials, please utilize one of the Stay Alert program avenues to report it. Those reporting can choose to remain anonymous.

You can report:

online at www.stayalert.info

by email to report@stayalert.info

by text to 206-406-6485

by phone to 206-406-6485

October is Bullying Prevention Month. Each day during announcements, we will have an anti-bullying message. These were our bullying prevention messages this week:

MONDAY - We talked about different kinds of bullying including behind the back bullying. One example of this is spreading rumors about someone. A person who spreads rumors could be a bully. People who listen to rumors are bystanders. Remember you can be a solution to a problem by refusing to listen to rumors and standing up for the victim. Don’t participate in the rumor talk. Leave a group where rumors or gossip are happening. Don’t repeat rumors or gossip that you hear.

TUESDAY - Yesterday we talked about bullying with rumors, and gossip. If you hear gossip or rumors, you can help stop the rumor by saying something like:

That sounds like a rumor to me – You don’t have proof of that

You don’t know if that is true

Maybe you should talk about this to the person involved

If you listen to rumors, you empower the bully. Most of all do not participate in spreading rumors. No one wants things spread about them that are embarrassing or worse aren’t true.

WEDNESDAY - Bullying is a learned behavior. Students who bully have probably been bullied. Sometimes students think if they bully first, they won’t be bullied. People are less likely to bully if they are included and involved at school. If your friend is bullying someone, let them know that their bullying behaviors aren’t OK if they want to maintain friendship. Don’t get caught up in bullying activity.

THURSDAY - Yesterday we talked about telling friends who are bullying they need to stop. You are not ok with that can’t be friends with someone who bullies. That doesn’t mean you are never friends with them again. If they change their behavior, and want to be friends, that is great. This reinforces to them that bullying can have repercussions. It also keeps you out of the bullying situation.

FRIDAY - The last few weeks, we have learned how to recognize bullying, how to address it, how to report it, how we can help as bystanders, and the consequences. All BMS students are important and everyone can play a role in preventing bullying from happening at BMS. Play your role and do your part to make everyone welcome at BMS!

BMS will be collecting items to donate to the GVTC Give Back program. They are requesting Thanksgiving specific canned items - such as sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, etc. Additionally boxes of stuffing/dressing are also in demand. Student Council and NJHS will be assisting with collection. Items can be dropped off at the BMS office or BMS library. Collection will begin on Monday (Oct. 31) and end Friday (Nov 11). Thank you to Ms. Preiss, Ms. Meier, and Ms. Hernandez for proposing this project and doing the work to help others in our community and county have a great holiday season.

National School Bus Safety Week was October 17-21. To show appreciation and thank our bus drivers for keeping all BISD students safe, the BMS Student Council gave each driver a bucket of goodies on Friday as they picked up students for the trip home. Veronica Hernandez is the BMS Student Council Sponsor. Pictured below are the members of the student council with BISD drivers and their buckets!

Students are BMS participated in Red Ribbon Week. There were dress up days, kindness activities, poster contests, prizes, anti-drug, and bullying prevention messages throughout the week. Some photos of the dress up days are below. Thank you to Ms. Hernandez and Ms. Blackburn for the photos.

BMS Students created posters for Red Ribbon Week related to drug and alcohol prevention and awareness. There were over 130 entries in the poster contest! BMS and select BISD staff members voted on the posters. Thank you to our counselor Ms. Lyons and our art teacher Mr. Baker for organizing the contest and providing prizes. The winners were as follows:

8th Grade

1st Place - Emma Edmondson

2nd Place - Cadence Delarosa

3rd Place - Cason Ricke

7th Grade

1st Place - Jonah Forsberg

2nd Place - Sarah King-Garza

3rd Place - Brighton Atchley

6th Grade

1st Place - Brynlee Belicek

2nd Place - Brooklyn Plahy

3rd Place - Leyla Jaimes

First Place winners received a $25 Gift Card to Subway

Second Place winners received a $15 Gift Card to DQ

Third Place winners received a $10 gift care to DQ

All winners also received art supplies and candy.

Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you to all who submitted posters!

The BMS Volleyball teams travelled to Florence on Monday, October 24. The 8th Grade A and B teams and the 7th Grade A and B teams ALL won. This was a great end to the season.

The volleyball A teams will be back on the court Saturday, October 29 at the District Tournament in Ingram to wrap up their seasons.

Records:

7A = 7-3

7B = 4-4

8A = 7-3

8B = 9-1

The BMS Football teams travelled to Ingram on Thursday, October 27. Both teams came up short in their contests.

Records:

7th Grade = 4-2-1

8th Grade = 0-7

The football teams will host Cole on Thursday, November 3. 7th Grade starts at 5 PM. This will be the final MS football games of the season.

BMS will have a pep rally on Thursday, November 3 in the BMS gym. The pep rally will start at 3:15. Parents are welcome to attend, but will need to check in at the office and will need a valid driver's license.

Check out the information sheet below if you are interested in supporting the Blanco HS FFA Booster Club.

BMS teachers, staff, and students provide shout outs to those who have gone above and beyond, provided help to another person, been a good citizen, accomplished a task/goal, won an athletic contest, participated in an activity or competition, or just need recognition for doing something nice, etc. These are our SHOUT OUTS for the week:

7th Grade A team volleyball for their win over Florence.

7th Grade B team volleyball for their win over Florence.

8th Grade A team volleyball for their win over Florence.

8th Grade B team volleyball for their win over Florence.

7th Grade football team for their win over Ingram.

The cheerleaders for their awesome performance at the HS pep rally last Friday.

Logan Reyna for helping at lunch.

Ms. Blackburn and Ms. Hernandez for photos of Dress Up Days.

Rodrigo Acosta for a perfect score on his linear equations test in Math!

Mr. Baker and Ms. Lyons for their work on the Red Ribbon Poster Contest.

Easton Marines for picking up a lunch tray left by someone else.

Ms. Fuller for providing cupcakes to teachers and staff.

If you have questions related to middle school, please contact the appropriate person at BMS:

Brad Kinney: Principal - brad.kinney@blancoisd.org

Sallie Lyons: Counselor - sallie.lyons@blancoisd.org

Cheryl Tesch: Registrar - cheryl.tesch@blancoisd.org

Paula Batey: Administrative Assistant - paula.batey@blancoisd.org

BMS Phone: 830-833-5570