On Wednesday, March 16, fifty-six middle school students were surprised to learn they were being treated to a special pizza lunch and a “Pit Party” after being selected by teachers for demonstrating one of the following character traits: Humor, Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence and Perspective. The best part of the celebration? They each got to bring along a friend.

While the students at BCMS represent a myriad of positive characteristics, every three months, as part of the school’s Character Education Program, students are honored for specific observed character traits outlined in the BCMS Pillars of Character. At the beginning of every month, students will highlight a certain Pillar of Character on the morning announcements. At the end of a three month period, each team nominates students who have demonstrated each of the the particular character traits for those months.

Congratulations to our students! 

6-P1

• Abby Nautel
• Sasha Levin
• Dewey Mongue
• Emma Haertel

6-P2

• Anna Bradford-Rickard
• Eva Mane
• Maggie Bryngelson
• Corey Knuth

6M

• Gianna Giglia
• Elizabeth Mullen
• Joanne Somide
• Mason Rowe
• Tao Xie
• Daniel Zhou

7-P1

• Avery Daggett
• Kira Duffy
• Jack Bronk (John)
• Maggie Cartwright
• Tyler Dammeyer
• Peter Klisiwecz

7-P2

• Aislinn Edmunds
• Haley Peckham
• Jane Reagan
• Celiann Soto Davila
• Cooper Patschureck
• John Janeski
• Liam Whelan
• Ryan Jeffers

7M

• Caitlyn Dubin
• Abby Thomas
• Constance Lalor
• Emily Clarizio
• Joe Dwyer
• Tori Pistilli

8-P1

• Zach Tierney
• Kiera Wissing
• Hayley Baker
• Nick Keller
• Aidan Jones
• Catherine Jantson
• Michael Okoniewski
• Ian Dickinson
• Max Mckillop
• Ray Graf

8-P2

• Liam Ferris
• PJ Gallagher
• Madeline Nolan
• Dylan Paty
• Emily Forand
• Ally Hutchinson

8-M

• Cece Amory
• Katrine Mongin
• Lexie Hull
• Annabelle Liu
• Chelsie Brozowski
• Holly VanWie

The Middle School and High School Interim Progress Reports have now been posted to Aspen. Please login to Aspen to view them.

Thank you.

Dear Parent(s):

Beginning next week, our elementary and middle school students will be taking the 3-8 NYS Assessments in ELA and math. To help them prepare for these tests, I want to share with you some important reminders that will help your child feel as comfortable as possible on testing days.

The spring 2016 testing schedule for students in grades 3-8 is as follows:

• April 5-7: New York State grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) exam
• April 13-15: New York State grades 3-8 math exam

It is important to assure students that these tests are simply one measure of what they are learning. The more relaxed and prepared a student is about an exam, the more likely they are to perform their best and truly demonstrate their best learning.

This year, the tests will be untimed. This means that a student will be able to work at his or her own pace in completing the tests. Our building principals and teachers are prepared to accommodate students who may need additional time and will provide an appropriate environment for all test takers. There have also been changes made to the length of the tests this year. All of these changes were outlined in information sent earlier this year.

I want to assure you that we do not use these assessments as a sole determination in any type of program placement. We simply look at each as one indicator among many other more valuable measures. Each child is unique and it is important to us that we look at the whole child in school, not how they perform on any single assessment.

If you have any questions about other ways you can assist your child at home or questions about the testing, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, principal or reach out to me directly at jmonroe@bcsd.neric.org.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jody Monroe
Interim Superintendent

All afterschool and evening activities (including Continuing Education ) in the Bethlehem Central School District have been cancelled for TODAY, Monday, April 4. All schools will dismiss at the regular time. School’s Out will operate on its regular schedule.

Two of the Bethlehem Central Middle School Odyssey of the Mind teams competing against teams from across New York won trophies in state competition held last weekend. One team will advance to the World Finals after a stellar first place outing at the tournament which took place Saturday, April 2 at Binghamton University. The 2016 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals take place in May at Iowa State University.

The two teams were among five from Bethlehem to compete at the state level and nine teams that took part in the regional tournament.

Congratulations to all! Making BC proud.

1st Place, Problem #2, Division 2: Gillian Roeder, Megan Fallon, Morgan Leonard, Faith Adamczyk, Taylor Roddy, Aidan Mcnay, Bridget Connolly

3rd Place, Problem #1, Division 2: Claire Peretta, Charles Blanchard, Lilian Beiter, Tyler Novak, Lexi Gibson

The BCSD Bus Garage has a lot of hats, gloves, mittens, some bathing suits, shoes, water bottles and coats!

Claim your belongings at 82 Van Dyke Rd. from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parents should park in the small parking lot in front of the transportation building and be mindful of the buses in the lot.

All unclaimed items will be donated on Friday April 8, 2016.

• View photos of items here.

Click for our Helpline Numbers list.

On Thursday, March 10, the Bethlehem Central School District hosted an important drug prevention event for students and parents called “Opioids and Teens: The Deadly Truth.” This event brought together health experts, police, addiction recovery specialists and a recovering addict who shared information with students on the rising epidemic of opioid abuse among teenagers. 

All students in grades 9-12 attended the panel discussion during the school day, and the event was offered to parents that evening.

If you, or someone you know, needs help with substance abuse, there are a number of resources to call for help – please see our Helpline Numbers list. [PDF] 

If you were unable to attend this event, you can view it in its entirety below.

The panel discussion was led by:

• Dr. Michael Dailey, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine at Albany Medical Center
• Heather King, RPh., NYS Board of Pharmacy Member and Pharmacy Systems Coordinator and Pharmacy Compliance Officer, Price Chopper/Market 32
• Det. Mike Whiteley, Bethlehem Police Department
• Dean Hale,  Hope House Program Manager
• A teen currently going through treatment at the Hope House

On March 30, all Bethlehem eighth grade and tenth grade students were invited to hear a moving presentation by Mrs. Kati Preston, a “hidden child” of the Holocaust. 

Mrs. Preston offered the students her first-hand account of the traumatic historical events under Nazi occupation in her home country of Hungary during two presentations at the middle school and the high school. She told the story of what her country and family looked like before the war and what happened when being Jewish became dangerous.

It was the choices and power of just one person — a woman who sheltered a five-year-old Kati in a barn at her farm — that made the difference in her survival. Although Mrs. Preston’s story is one of survival it is also about the power of the human spirit. Her memoirs have recently been published in a book called “Closing the Circle: From Holocaust to Healing.”

Thank you to Mrs. Kati Preston for this gift of storytelling and an unforgettable history lesson she shared with our students!

View Kati Preston’s BCHS March 30 presentation on YouTube.

A message about testing from Interim Superintendent Jody Monroe

Dear Parents:

As spring approaches, so does testing season. The spring 2016 testing schedule for students in grades 3-8 is as follows:

• New York State grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) exam: April 5-7
• New York State grades 3-8 math exam: April 13-15

This will be the fourth year that New York students take assessments aligned to the state’s new learning standards. In recent weeks, the New York State Education Department announced some adjustments to the tests in response to concerns from parents and educators after last year’s state exams.

Some of the changes are to the tests themselves and will impact the testing experience for students. There will be fewer questions on both tests and students will be given as much time as they need to complete them.

Other changes have more to do with the test development and administration, as well the use of the test results. The state has informed us that more New York educators were involved in the test development process. The state has also put a hold on using the grades 3-8 ELA/math test scores for teacher/principal accountability purposes.

In addition, this will be the first year that computer-based grades 3-8 ELA/math exams will be piloted in some districts, which state leaders say will eventually lead to reduced testing time and faster results.

Please visit this webpage more information on the announced changes to the state exams. State officials have said that more changes are on the horizon for future assessments.  

As this year’s assessments approach, please keep in mind that no single test provides a complete picture of your child’s abilities. But when combined with grades, classroom activities, and unit quizzes and tests, annual assessments can provide important information about a student’s progress. State assessments also provide valuable information about the performance of your school and district.

As always, we encourage our students to do their very best on everything they do in school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at jmonroe@bcsd.neric.org or by phone at 439-7098.

Sincerely,

Jody Monroe
Interim Superintendent of Schools

The Board of Education is currently scheduled to discuss and approve the 2016-17 school calendar at the Board of Education meeting on May 4, 2016. However, we understand that for planning purposes, many rely on these dates for scheduling and would like to provide you with the expected dates of next year’s school breaks.

Tentatively, the first day of school and school breaks for 2016-17 are as follows:

NOTE: These are subject to change pending the approval of the Board.

• First Day of School: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016
• Winter Break: Monday, Dec. 26, 2016 – Friday, Dec. 30, 2016
• February Break: Monday, Feb, 20, 2017 – Friday, Feb. 24, 2017
• Spring Break: Friday, April 14, 2017 – Friday, April 21, 2017

A message about testing from Interim Superintendent Jody Monroe

Dear Parents:

As spring approaches, so does testing season. The spring 2016 testing schedule for students in grades 3-8 is as follows:

• New York State grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) exam: April 5-7
• New York State grades 3-8 math exam: April 13-15

This will be the fourth year that New York students take assessments aligned to the state’s new learning standards. In recent weeks, the New York State Education Department announced some adjustments to the tests in response to concerns from parents and educators after last year’s state exams.

Some of the changes are to the tests themselves and will impact the testing experience for students. There will be fewer questions on both tests and students will be given as much time as they need to complete them.

Other changes have more to do with the test development and administration, as well the use of the test results. The state has informed us that more New York educators were involved in the test development process. The state has also put a hold on using the grades 3-8 ELA/math test scores for teacher/principal accountability purposes.

In addition, this will be the first year that computer-based grades 3-8 ELA/math exams will be piloted in some districts, which state leaders say will eventually lead to reduced testing time and faster results.

Please visit this webpage more information on the announced changes to the state exams. State officials have said that more changes are on the horizon for future assessments.  

As this year’s assessments approach, please keep in mind that no single test provides a complete picture of your child’s abilities. But when combined with grades, classroom activities, and unit quizzes and tests, annual assessments can provide important information about a student’s progress. State assessments also provide valuable information about the performance of your school and district.

As always, we encourage our students to do their very best on everything they do in school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at jmonroe@bcsd.neric.org or by phone at 439-7098.

Sincerely,

Jody Monroe
Interim Superintendent of Schools

The Bethlehem Central Middle School Staged Creations will be performing the award-winning comedy “The Ransom of Miss Elverna Dower” by Laurie Bryant on Friday and Saturday, May 6-7 at 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. Prices are $6 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. 

Here’s what’s in store from Staged Creations:

If your least favorite teacher was kidnapped, would you want her back? In an award winning comedic tale loosely based on O. Henry’s classic story, Casey and Tim nab their demanding English teacher to avoid having to take a test, but they find that no one wants her back! It’s bad enough that she corrects the grammar in their ransom note and makes them rewrite it, but when the captive teacher assigns them a research paper on famous kidnappings in history, the young kidnappers find themselves doing more school work than ever!

Author Steve Sheinkin will be visiting our 7th and 8th grade students on Tuesday, May 17. If you would like to order any of his books to be autographed during his visit, please fill out this form and indicate the number of copies [PDF]. Information about each of the books is on the back of the form.

The form, with payment, should be returned to the LMC by Thursday, April 21. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that orders turned in later will arrive prior to the author’s visit on May 17. Please make checks payable to Bethlehem Central Middle School.

More than 60 BCMS students were honored Thursday, April 21, at the school’s final Character Awards Breakfast of the 2015-16 school year.

The group was treated to a breakfast by the PTO and students were presented with certificates for their exemplary behavior in school.

The character award recognizes students who display good character on a consistent basis throughout the marking period. Students who are nominated by their team teachers and other staff receive certificates signed by Principal Mike Klugman. The program, now in its tenth year, is an integral part of the Middle School’s Character Education program.

A list of winners and the comments received on their nomination can be found below.

GRADE 6

GRADE 7

GRADE 8

May 2015 BCMS Character Breakfast

MOHAWK HOUSE

Grade 6

• Sophia Soka – Sophia brings zest to the classroom through her personality.
• Aliza Cotton – Aliza’s authenticity is displayed as she is hard working, always interested in learning and has an open mind.
• Lou Torregrosa – Lou has much gratitude towards her friends and teachers.
• Grace Truchard – Grace’s authenticity shows as she is hard working, considerate and sincere.
• Erza Winston – Erza is a hard worker, interested in learning and full of zest.
• Daniel Zhou – Daniel’s gratitude is shown through his character and the way he handles himself.
• Justin Abbuhl – Justin’s authenticity really brings a different perspective to the classroom.
• Patrick Fitzsimmons – Patrick is full of life and zest which is contagious in the classroom.

Grade 7

• Alaina Canova – Alaina has an infectious attitude and puts her all into everything she does.  She always greets us with a smile.
• Abby DeFranco – Abby works hard and is a great contributor to class.  She is kind and helpful to those around her.
• Lauren Quinn – Lauren is positive, polite and a great role model.  She is a pleasure to have in class.
• Evan Marshall – Evan is very cooperative and a great worker.  He works hard and is a positive role model.
• Julia Hewison – Julia is kind, positive and a hard worker.  She is a pleasure to have in class.
• Henryk Kessel – Henryk is a fantastic kid.  A great sense of humor, a positive force in the classroom and a pleasure to have in class.

Grade 8

• Kate Davenport – Katie brings life and energy to any room she enters; her enthusiasm is contagious.
• Michelle Dai – Michelle adds to the school community with a positive energy that everyone feeds off or and appreciates.
• Zachary Essex – Zack is a hard-working student whose willingness and ability to work with others shines through in all he does.
• Emma Radzyminski – Emma works hard to contribute to a positive and caring learning environment for all students.
• Charles Reisner – Charlie always has an interesting and significant insight to share that adds to our learning environment.
• Nicholas Williams – Nick works hard every day to help make each of his classes great environments in which to learn.

PATROON HOUSE 1

Grade 6

• Olivia Gannett – Olivia is a very positive young lady with a can-do attitude.
• Robert Davis – Robert is a young man who is approachable, friendly and inquisitive.
• Andrew Provera – Andrew seeks help and support to do what he needs to do, with a smile and a thank you!
• Heera Narang – Heera always has a smile and a thank you.  She always takes care of business.
• Serena Okoniewski – Serena portrays a consistently solid work ethic and tries her best, even when it’s hard.
• Nathaniel Koplik – Nathaniel is sincerely attentive and thorough with his work and his responsibilities.

Grade 7

• Steven Sitzer – Steven has shown a lot of drive and enthusiasm for learning, especially biology.
• William VanAmburgh – Billy has a lot of energy in class and helps to make the classroom a more dynamic environment.
• Maria Badi – Maria has a very positive attitude and helps to make the classroom a friendlier place.
• Graham Hardiman – Graham is a hard worker and is always polite and respectful to his peers and teachers in class.
• Amelia Geesler – Amelia is a hard worker and is very diligent in all of her classes.
• Kinsie Rush – Kinsie is a very thoughtful and conscientious student.

Grade 8

• Emily Smith – Emily is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  She shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• William Lanzoni – Will is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  He shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Salko Kanic – Salko is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  He shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Celia DeCancio – Celia is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  She shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Jasmine Zollman – Jasmine is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  She shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Olivia Rizzo – Olivia is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  She shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• John Pocorobba – John is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  He shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Ava Danziger – Ava is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  She shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.
• Colin Roche – Colin is consistently a pleasure to have in class and exhibits enthusiasm for content and participation in class.  He shows respect and gratitude with excellent manners and kind treatment of others.

PATROON HOUSE 2

Grade 6

• Riley Travis – Riley looks for the good in situations.  She always has a smile on her face and is ready for a new challenge.
• Elliot Barrett – Elliot always demonstrates great enthusiasm for learning.  He acts as a positive role model in class.
• Daniel Smith – Daniel shows his gratitude with a smile and a “thank you”.  He is always polite and friendly.
• Jasmine Facchetti – Jasmine always says thank you and truly means it.  She works hard and helps others.
• Jessica Pauley – Jessica is a quiet, yet confident, leader.  She is friendly and always willing to help out.
• Christa Burger – Christa is kind and friendly.  She is easy to talk to and does not easily pass judgment on others.

Grade 7

• Eliana Ruiz – Eliana shows tremendous zest at BCMS!
• Grace Pastino – Grace shows gratitude to her teachers and peers.
• Jonah Eng – Jonah is truly an original, authentic student.
• Nam Facchetti – Nam shows gratitude to her teachers and peers.
• Madilyn Geurtze – Madilyn shows tremendous zest at BCMS!
• Andrew Gower – Andrew is truly an original, authentic student.
• Brayden Karn – Brayden shows tremendous zest at BCMS!
• Paul Perry – Paul shows gratitude to his teachers and peers.
• James Walston – James shows gratitude to his teachers and peers.
• Jack Weinert – Jack shows gratitude to his teachers and peers.

Grade 8

• Talia Sanders – Talia has a lot of zest.
• Sydney Sorbella – Sydney is always responsible and thankful.
• Alexis Sell – Alexis is always thankful and appreciative of others.
• Dylan Grigas – Dylan is always helpful.
• James Corona – James is always working to his best effort and helping others.
• Sean Leslie – Sean is proactive and appreciative of help.

The third quarter report cards for the middle school have now been posted to Aspen.

Two sixth-grade BCMS students contributing art to the auction. Maggie Bryngelson (left) and Rebecca Rogers (right).

Students and artists from around the world, along with many BC students, have been busy preparing art for our annual BCMS International Art Auction. Sponsored by the Global Coalition for Peace, and the BCMS Helping Hands Club, this year’s auction promised to offer a great selection of fine art, coins, sports cards, antiques and collectibles. All proceeds from the auction will provide educational opportunities for impoverished children in Uganda and Belize.

“Part of the funds this year will help create a science classroom for Ugandan children that will enable the children to engage in an inquiry-based STEM curriculum for the first time ever,” said Mr. Reilly, the BCMS Helping Hand’s Club advisor. “We need to reach across our planet with education and understanding. This is a chance for local students and community members to have a real impact on the futures of some of our planet’s poorest children.”

“This is an opportunity for me to help kids thousands of miles away by using my artistic talents,” said Maggie Bryngelson, a sixth grade BCMS student and one of the contributing artists who is helping to prepare art for the auction.

The auction will be held in the BCMS Library Media Center on May 26, from 6:30-9 p.m. Come early to experience the BCMS Art Show from 5-7 p.m. and to preview the pieces up for auction. Over 100 lots will be offered for sale!

A message from BCMS Principal Mike Klugman – May 2016

Welcome Grade 5 Parents!

I remember receiving this letter as my children entered middle school and I am sure there are a flood of emotions that come with it.  One of the most important points of pride for our Middle School staff is making our incoming 6^th graders’ transition the most positive experience for them that we can.  We understand the emotion and challenge that this presents to both students and their parents and we therefore aim to make this time one of transparency, invitation, and thorough communication.

May 12 and May 17 are dedicated to parent orientations beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Middle School Library Media Center (LMC). 

• May 12 – Elsmere, Slingerlands and Eagle parents
• May 17 – Hamagrael and Glenmont parents.

Please note: If you have a conflict you are welcome to attend either session.

View copy of the meeting agenda.

A team consisting of counselors, house leaders, teachers, students, parents and administrative representatives will present information and respond to your questions about the BCMS experience.  At these meetings we will provide you with an overview of the extra-curricular activities available to your children in the year ahead, as well as an overview of our academic program.  We ask that, due to limited space, you not bring children to this meeting.

In addition to our evening meetings, grade 5 students will be visiting the Middle School on Friday, May 13 from 10 am-1:30 pm.  Grade 6 teachers will take students on building tours and students will dine in our cafeteria.  Students may bring or buy lunches (cash only-ID cards will not be used).

Our goal is to provide a friendly, caring, and safe environment where each student is challenged to achieve at the highest level of their capabilities.  Our Middle School of 1,100+ students is organized into three smaller communities called Teams.  The team names of Mohawk, Patroon 1 and Patroon 2, which students voted on in 2007, are derived from our community’s heritage.  The purpose of the Team Plan is to provide each student with a connected three-year middle school experience that keeps teachers and parents working together to meet students’ intellectual and personal developmental needs.

Fifth grade parents who currently have children in the Middle School may request, in writing, to have an incoming 6^th grader in the same or different house as your 7^th or 8^th grade child.  In either case, your written requests should be sent to my attention by May 30^th.  We will make every effort to accommodate your request.  However, we cannot offer an assurance that all requests can be honored given class size considerations and instructional program decisions that may impact other students.  In the absence of specific sibling related requests, students will be assigned Houses based on the information received from elementary teachers, counselors, and principals.  No other house / team requests will be honored.  I can reassure all parents and students that students from all 5 elementary buildings are evenly distributed among our teams.  We also balance our teams so we have an even gender ratio between teams.

We look forward to seeing you at our orientations and working with you in the year(s) ahead.

Sincerely,

Mike Klugman
Principal

Download a copy of this letter.

Pictured from l to r: Nick Zigrosser, Nick Gicewicz, Andrew Huta, Kelly Maney, Lindsay Ayres, Lauren Heineman, and Kiersten Murray.

Seven eighth grade students from Bethlehem Central Middle School were recently recognized by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYS AHPERD) their positive leadership and sportsmanship skills and for being excellent role models within their school and community.

They are:

• Nick Zigrosser
• Nick Gicewicz
• Andrew Huta
• Kelly Maney
• Lindsay Ayres
• Lauren Heineman
• Kiersten Murray

The students were honored as part of the 31st annual Capital Zone Sandra G Morley Student Leadership Awards Ceremony held at Hudson Valley Community College on May 2.

On May 4, 2016, the Bethlehem Central Board of Education gave final approval to the 2016-17 school year calendar. The first day of school for all students will be Wednesday, September 7.  A full calendar, including event listings, will be mailed to student households in August.

View the one-page 2016-17 school year calendar.