BMS Parent 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

The BMS Band students tried out for Region Band on December 3. Those students selected for Region Band attend a clinic and perform a concert the same evening. The clinic and concert are Saturday, January 21 (tomorrow) at Fredericksburg High School. The program starts at 6 PM with the high school region jazz band followed by the middle school concerts.

The BMS UIL Academic teams are set to compete in the district contest on Wednesday, January 25. Students participating in UIL will travel to Brady to compete in contests that will measure a variety of skills in math, science, art, music, reading, writing, map, graph, and chart reading skills, chess, and many more. Blanco students will compete with students from Brady, Llano, Comfort, Florence, Ingram, and IDEA. Students will leave from school on Wednesday morning. There is an early bus and a later bus depending on what students are participating in and the schedule of events. One bus will return before the end of the school day at BMS. The later bus is expected to return at approximately 5:30 when all contests have been concluded. Sack lunches are available for students by request - ahead of the contest date. There will also be concessions available at Brady Middle School for students to purchase if they choose to do that. Good luck to all of the students and coaches and thank you for your hard work! Ms. Ashley is the UIL Director for BMS and is assisted by many teachers on the BMS campus to prepare students and help them do their best in their contests.

The 7th grade boys basketball team will be holding a car wash on Sunday, January 22 to raise money to donate to a team member and his family who lost their home last week due to a fire. The car wash will be at Texas Regional Bank in Blanco from 1 PM to 5 PM. There will also be a bake sale on site. Make plans to stop by and get a car wash and buy some baked goods. All proceeds will be donated. Jason Murphree is the 7th grade boys basketball coach.

With the start of the Spring Semester, planning for the 2023-24 school begins. Here is some information for 8th grade parents and students:

Monday, February 6 - Current 8th grade (going into 9th grade next year) parent meeting at BHS. This meeting will provide information and opportunities to have questions answered about HS courses and requirements. The meeting will be held in the Blanco High School Cafeteria at 6 PM.

Tuesday, February 7 - Mr. Hinson, the HS Principal, and Ms. McLendon, the HS counselor, will visit with the 8th grade during the school day at BMS. This will include requirements, and options students have for their individual pathways at BHS. They will be given some course options to choose from at that time.

February 14-16 - Ms. McLendon, the HS counselor, and Ms. Petri, the HS registrar, will meet with 8th grade students at BMS during the day to help them select HS classes for next year and discuss their individual pathway.

The 8th Grade Science Class has been studying waves and their properties. Students participated in several lab activities where they separated light into the colors it is composed of, studied waves and replicated wave motion with rope manipulating frequency and amplitude, they also used spectroscopes and spectrum tubes in their study of light. Ms. Hussion is the 8th Grade Science teacher. Thank you to Ms. Blackburn for the pictures.

The 6th grade science classes have studied forces, speed, and acceleration this year. The students put their knowledge to use as they built marshmallow catapults and tested them out in class. Ms. Ashley is the 6th grade science teacher.

The BMS Girls Basketball teams hosted Ingram Thursday, January 19. The 7th Grade B team won their game. The 7A, 8A, and 8B teams came up on the losing end of their games.

Season Records:

7A = 4-4

7B = 3-2

8A = 2-6

8B = 1-4

Combined B team = 1-0

The next game will be Thursday, January 26 at Comfort.

The BMS Boys Basketball teams travelled to Ingram on Thursday, January 19. The 7th Grade B, and 8th Grade B teams won their games. Both A teams lost their games. The next game will be Thursday, January 26 at home against Comfort.

Season Records:

7A - 4-3

7B - 5-2

8A - 0-7

8B - 7-0

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:

Creed Finch: helping another student with navigating a math website in class.

BMS School Board Members for Board Appreciation Month.

7th Grade Girls Basketball B team for their win over Ingram.

7th Grade Boys Basketball B team for their win over Ingram.

8th Grade Boys Basketball B team for their win over Ingram.

7th Grade Boys Basketball for helping out a teammate and his family.

BMS Region Band Members for their upcoming concert Saturday in Fredericksburg.

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