Gauging the Health of a School

I've worked in many schools and each had its strengths and centers of pride but each also had weaknesses.  In schools I've worked in where athletics was an emphasis it sometimes came at the expense of academics.  In schools I've worked in where music was an emphasis it sometimes came at the expense of athletics.  Bethlehem however is the healthiest school district I've every worked in whose focus emphasized success in all domains.

Last night we celebrated our Orchestra students in our Annual Music Festival (we rotate these every year between Orchestra, Band and Choir) and there are few events that I describe to be hair-raising, goose-bump cool!  This was one!  Wow, what a performance.  To see the looks on the faces of 4th and 5th grade students as they get to play a serious piece of technically sophisticated music with high school students is incredible.

The gaping hole in my educational experience was music.  I never played an instrument and never sang in a choir (my kids will tell you why), but as a young adult I knew what I missed.  It's why my wife and I have made music a central part of our children's lives. Dave Norman, our K-12 Music Supervisor and I often resonate on our beliefs (some based in research) about how learning to play music changes a child's brain for the better.  What is clearly evident in our student-musicians, like our student-athletes, is that they learn a degree of self-discipline that can only assist their success later in life.

A special THANK YOU to our music teachers; a wonderful collection of extraordinarily passionate educators whose similar expectations for students often show our students that they are capable of far more than they thought of themselves.

AND speaking of extraordinary success, if you've got nothing to do tonight (Friday, March 20) our Varsity Girls Basketball Team competes in the NYS Final Four at Hudson Valley at 8:00 PM.

On the academic front our students continue to excel.  Bethlehem's success at getting students into 2 and 4 year colleges (greater than 90% annually) and our students' success at the High School level where stakes are highest continues to be a leader in the region.

What's most important about these successes is that our staff teaches more than they demand.  They support growth more than results.  They show students their potential by teaching them how it's possible.  Driving this disposition in our staff is the feedback we receive from parents and our own critically self-reflective nature to ask if we could be better in the way we lead students.

Evidence of our students' success is all around us in our community and it's what makes Bethlehem such a special place for our children and for ourselves.

Have a great weekend and I hope to see you at HVCC tonight!

Mr. Klugman

Have a Great Weekend ... and welcome to Spring!... I think?

End of Week Notes:

• 7th Grade Deadline Approaching
• Students interested in signing up for Introduction to Engineering and Design, and for Studio in Art have to turn in applications by March 31st.  These courses, offered in 8th grade, are High School courses and carry High School Credit.  Enrollment is determined by lottery and only those students who adhere to the deadline will be considered.  Applications are available in the house offices.

BCMS Celebrates HUMILITY, HUMOR AND PERSPECTIVE at this week's Character Lunch

• Read more here: http://www.bethlehemschools.org/quarter-character-strengths-luncheon/
• Thank you to Mr. Zadoorian for his coordination of another great event
• Congratulations to all of our recognized students
• Each recognized student is allowed to bring a friend
• In our address to students we congratulate the invited friends and tell them we started this element (bringing a friend) to honor what we, the staff, sometimes cannot see but that our students do.  

BCMS Reads

• Check out what BCMS staff are reading...

·         https://sites.google.com/site/bcmslibmedia/february-2015-picks

·         Thanks to Librarian Diane Leone for updating our list

Recycling Update - BCMS recycles Markers!

• Thanks to Mr. Pete Ruggiero and Mr. Mark Warford for their leadership
• THANK YOU for making the effort!!!!!

EVEN MORE Recycling

• Town of Bethlehem Earth Day Recycle Fest
• Saturday, April 18, 10:00 to 1:00
• Elm Ave Town Park

• Clothing & Textiles
• Document shredding
• Books
• Electronics & scrap metals

Quote of the Week...

·         “Relax, reach down in your soul, and produce that which is in it.”

Clark Terry, legendary jazz trumpeter (1920-2015), advising young musicians, quoted in an obituary in The Week, March 6, 2015

The Week that Will be:

Monday, March 23

• Studio in Art & Introduction to Engineering and Design Information Night 
• for interested 7th graders and their parents
• 6:30 PM - BCMS Auditorium

Tuesday, March 24

• 6th grade Live Theater Performance 
• 7th Grade Annual Career Day - Thank you to all of our parent presenters
• Late Buses

Wednesday, March 25

• Student PAC meeting today
• Late buses

Thursday, March 26

• Beautiful Me - Beautiful Girl Presentations
• Late Buses today

Friday, March 27

• FASS (Friday After School Support) today
• Check BCHS' Stage 700 Presentation of "Oliver"

Have a great weekend!

BCMS Assembly Feedback

On Tuesday, March 3, we had grade level assemblies with all of our students.  Guest presenters John Robinson and Doug Hamlin, from Our Ability, talked about overcoming obstacles, overcoming our own negative self-perceptions and gave us great advice on how to take responsibility for our lives.

Parents can see our 7th and 8th grade assemblies here:

• John and Doug with our 7^th Grade - http://youtu.be/NQnwRFrYocw
• John and Doug with our 8^th Grade - http://youtu.be/zEYLehGekOU 

As a follow up to our assemblies I sent three questions out to all students.  Here are some of their answers:

Question 1: What do you think was the most important message students should take from the presentation?

• Don't underestimate yourself or think badly of yourself, think positively. If you do, no one can put you down
• Be grateful for what you have and don’t feel sorry for yourself because of what you do not have. 
• Gifts and good news are everywhere all the time.  Sometimes we have to look harder.
• If you have a disability, it shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do.
• The message: "Never give up.  You can overcome your obstacles whatever they might be if you actually try and put effort in
• You can overcome almost anything.  Challenges aren't always problems especially if you can focus on your strengths.
• Nothing is impossible.  Dream big 

Question 2: Why do you think John is so grateful to have the body he has and to have the life experience he has had and continues to have?  ?  (Here’s a hint: John asks us all to remember that “often times opportunities are disguised as challenges.”)

• So he can educate people and show them that it's ok to be different
• Mr. Robinson's positive attitude:  "Mr Robinson is unique.  The body he was given gave him challenges he never would have had otherwise.  These challenges made him put forth greater effort.  Mr. Robinson made himself "do it" and learned that he could!"
• John is grateful for the body he has because he is able to share his story in a meaningful way in order to inspire others
• He was so much more grateful when he learned how to ride a bike than he would have been if he had arms and legs. If he was just a normal guy, it wouldn't be such a big deal. He learned something that most people with his disability wouldn't be able to accomplish. If he was just a normal guy, his whole life would be different so why would you want to trade that?
• John is grateful for the body he has and the experiences he has had because it helped him become a really good problem solver, it helped him to help others, it taught him to be thankful for all that he has and all that he has accomplished and to love himself for who he is.
• Because he was born like that and he is proud of who he is and what he has accomplished

Question 3: John gave us great wisdom and advice about dealing with harassment and bullying.  He simply stated that what has helped him most in life was ‘going with those who love you’ and ‘leaving those who don’t.’  What do you think this means and how does it remove power from kids who aren’t nice?

• I personally appreciated the message of going with those who love you.  It reminded me as a parent to keep loving those gifts I have been given.
• If there is someone that doesn't like you, you shouldn't try to impress them because they're not going to change their minds. Don't try to change yourself for others, if you don't show that you are upset by their words, then they won't have anything to bully you for--because they're not getting a response out of you.
• Bullying:  It means that when you hang out with people who like you, they are your friends and accept you.  If you hang out with your friends, people who make you feel good, bullies can't hurt you.
• You can remove power from those that are not nice by not giving them attention for their actions.  By being more involved with those that are nice, it makes everyone around you want to be a better person and may even change the behavior of the bully
• If you avoid kids who aren't nice to you, you take away their power to bully. If you stick around kids who like you, they make you feel better about who you are.
• Feel comfortable being yourself.  “Block out the haters.”  Bullies need to see you being strong to make them stop.  And your friends and family can help you feel strong.
• I think it means always be nice to people. Surround yourself with people who love you and accept you for who you are. Don't engage with mean people that way they will never have power over you.

Many students also sent comments about John's opening story about how we look at ourselves in the mirror.  Some of the student comments are here;

• He said his take away was they told him to look in the mirror and don’t see the bad parts but do see why your friends like you.  I asked my son why his friends like him and he said because he is funny, shares his lunch and his friends know he will be there to help if they are in trouble.
• When you look in the mirror every day you shouldn't think about what's NOT good, but think about all the things you have, like friends and family
• Be grateful for what you have and love yourself when you look in the mirror- see all the things that are right, not just the things that are wrong
• Your outward appearance does not compare to what your friends see
• A positive message about how you shouldn't look in the mirror and think about all the things that are wrong with you, but to look in the mirror as a friend would with kindness,compassion and acceptance......what a GREAT message
• She looked in the mirror this morning and saw something other than her forehead pimples staring back at her.  It is a beautiful thing

Thank you to John and Doug!
Thank you to all of our students who sent in their responses!
Thank you also to all of our parents for your responses and for engaging in what I hope was a great discussion with your sons and daughters!

Have a Great Weekend ... and think Spring!

End of Week Notes:

• Q3 Interim Reports are Posted
• Your student's quarter 3 interim (5 week) report is now posted on Aspen
• To access the comment code sheet please follow the directions on the Aspen main page that guide you on how to access the Middle School Home Page
• 7th Grade Deadline Approaching
• Students interested in signing up for Introduction to Engineering and Design, and for Studio in Art have to turn in applications by March 31st.  These courses, offered in 8th grade, are High School courses and carry High School Credit.  Enrollment is determined by lottery and only those students who adhere to the deadline will be considered.  Applications are available in the house offices.
• Hamlet comes to BCMS - Grade 8
• In keeping with our annual tradition, Shakespeare and Company will be joining us again next week as they present "Hamlet" to our 8th Graders on Tuesday, March 17th.  
• What is Orchestra Festival?
• Next Thursday, in what is always an inspirational event, every orchestra student in our district from elementary all the way through high school, join together to play together and it's one of my favorite events of the year
• Gym B at the High School

The Week that Will be:

Monday, March 16

• Spring Meet the Coaches Night for HS athletes (6:30)

Tuesday, March 17

• 8th grade Hamlet Live Theater
• Green Day - spirit day
• Happy St. Patrick's Day
• Late buses today

Wednesday, March 18

• Character Lunch today
• BOE meeting HS 
• Late Buses today

Thursday, March 19

• District Orchestra Festival, HS Lower Gym
• Late Buses today

Friday, March 20

• No school for students today if no snow add'l snow days are taken

Have a great weekend!

Attitude, Character, and Self-Esteem

This coming week, on Tuesday during students' homebase, we have an entire grade level assembly planned for all students.  We proactively plan events and opportunities for students to teach them how their attitude effects their self-esteem.  The way each of us approaches our day has a far greater impact on our confidence and success than many middle schoolers recognize.  Author Daniel Goleman describes "emotional intelligence" and makes a case for it having a greater impact on success than IQ.

A famous quote about attitude by Charles Swindoll perhaps says it even better:
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

As parents we all recognize that there are some things that are far easier said than done.  For example, changing the attitude of an adolescant fixated on a bad hair day seems trivial in the grand scheme of things but when we are entrenched in the moment of this crisis it can be daunting to move our child to the realization of how inconsequential this is.

We are excited for our assembly because of the PERPECTIVE it offers our students.  Our two guest speakers John Robinson and Doug Hamlin, who both have disabilities, will talk with students about how obstacles are really opportunities that can make us stronger.  

Parents who would like to join us for the presentation are welcome to.  We ask that parents attend during the same time period as your student's homebase.  Parents will sit upstairs in our balcony because our grade levels will fill our lower lever and if we have an overwhelming response from parents we will have overflow seating set up.

To RSVP to attend please use the following link that also has presentation times for each grade level: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cSUvnUd05Ml5v5cgvFicTGAa7AVjkzOtK6Fv8CZwbhI/viewform?edit_requested=true

After our assembly, we will send out highlights and discussion prompts for parents so that you will be able to have a fruitful discussion with your student that both gives you an in depth understanding of what was presented (if you are unable to attend) and that reinforces the lessons of the presentation for students.

If you can't join us Tuesday, we would love to hear from you what your student's take-aways were from the presentation.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

End of Week Notes

March Madness is Back! 

• Bethlehem Central Commmunity Foundation March Madness
• Next Friday, March 6, @ BCHS 
• 5:30 Wacky Olympics 
• 7:00 Staff Basketball Game 
• At BCMS we will be having several spirit days
• Next Thursday (3/5) - Patroon wear orange, Mohawk wear black to support our Patroon vs. Mohawk Hoops game (the game is open to students only)
•  (Next Friday) (3/6) - Western / Cowboy Day
• Friday, 3/13 - Comfy day (sweats / flannels)
• Tues, 3/17 St. Patty's Day (Green)
• 3/20 (or 3/19 if we have the 20th off) Superhero day
• 3/27 - Decade day

BCCF Grants - $1000.00 for teachers' classrooms!!!

• Thanks to the support of our community, The BCCF is once again awarding grants to BC teachers.  The support of members, our community's attendance at events like our March Madness basketball game, and alumni donations provide BC teachers with opportunities that cannot be afforded through the District's budget.  
• To see former winning submissions: www.bccommunityfoundation.org/2014---2015-classroom-innovation-grants.html

Congratulations!

Congratulations... to our Middle School Odyssey of the Mind Team that captured first place in their regional competition on Saturday, Feb. 28.  Good Luck to them as they move onto States! 

The Week that Will Be!

Monday, March 2

• Education RALLY - Capitol

Tuesday, March 3

• Grade Level Assemblies 
• Late Buses Today

Wed, March 4

• Late Buses Today
• For a list of club meetings see our Morning Announcements

Thurs, March 5

• Patroon v Mohawk Hoops Game - Orange and Black Spirit Day
• Late Buses Today

Fri, March 6

• BCCF March Madness 5:30