...words that make MS parents hearts skip a beat!
As a Middle School Parent we are often not ready for our children to move onto High School. This rite of passage is often more traumatic for parents than it is for students. As our children get closer and closer to High School and college a reality sets in for many that didn't seem possible when our children entered Middle School as 6th graders.
At BCMS we never want to make students or parents feel rushed, but in keeping with our responsibility to prepare students for all that lies ahead we want to encourage parents to begin a very important process.
Last night (Monday, May 4) our PTO had a great presentation from Gayle Moriarity, BCHS Counseling Coordinator, and Katie Cooney Lesko, Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Siena College, about the importance of beginning a student resume.
Too often High School Sophomores, Juniors, and even Seniors are NOT prepared to create their resumes for colleges and jobs because they haven't kept track of their various involvements during middle and high school.
Key elements that distinguish students are their academic achievements, their extracurricular involvement (athletics, music, club participation, etc.), and their community orientation and service. Because all of these are such an important part of students' experience at BCMS there is no better time than the present to begin recording students' involvement. Additionally, it is far harder to recall specifics of these activities (grades, dates, specific actions) far after they have occurred and this is a valuable lesson to teach students. Maintaining a resume is far easier than trying to build one through recall many years later.
Please check out the sample template shared at our meeting and please feel empowered to use this as a good start for beginning your child's resume. (All information on the sample template is fictitious.)
End of Week Notes:
Please Vote!!!
Please Vote!!!
- Our upcoming school budget vote is Tuesday, May 19.
- Too often we hear from parents that they assume our budget will pass and they therefore don't place a high priority on voting. Nine years ago our budget did not pass and this was during a year when our participation rate was the least we have had in the last 10 years!
- Please remember to get out to vote on May 19!
Congratulations to our Ensemble Band Groups - They're 'Golden'
- Each of our Middle School Bands, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade achieved Gold Level distinction in the recent NYSMMA evaluations. Bands are judged not only on the quality of their play, but on their focus, their intensity, and their decorum. Well Done to our students and to our Band Leader Ms. Burmeister
Congratulations to the members of the BC Chess Club
- In the chess tournament hosted at BCMS on May 2, BCMS came in 2nd place among teams from throughout the region and had many members achieve 3 points out of a possible 4! Well done
- Read more here: https://sites.google.com/site/bethlehemschoolschessclub/
Organization begins with a Calendar
- In families with busy children (and parents) it's hard to function without a calendar.
- A great way to teach responsibility related to organizational skill is to make children keep their own calendar.
- Children copy all the family events to their calendar
- Children can fill in around family events with ...
- time for studies
- time for extracurriculars
- time for family!!!
- Children can be held accountable to making parents aware of conflicts and be held accountable to discussing these with parents, coaches, teachers, etc. prior to the date of the conflict
- May is an overwhelming time for many families and there is no better way to minimize the stress that comes with conflict than by empowering children with these skills!
The Week that Will be:
Monday, May 4
- PTO Meet 7:00
- Late buses today
- BOE Meet the Candidates 6:30 PM BCHS Cafeteria
- Grade 6 Concert 7:30
Wednesday, May 6
- Author Kathleen Duble Visits BCMS during the day
- Late buses today
- BOE meets 7:00 @ BCHS
Thursday, May 7
- late buses today
- Grade 7 Concert 7:30 PM
- FASS (Friday After School Support) today
Have a great weekend!
