As BMS and the Technology Department work to ensure a focus on learning and student online safety, we continue to identify opportunities to support students. From January 2, all students at Belmont Middle School will be expected to use a school-issued chromebook. Personal devices will no longer be allowed to be used as part of classroom teaching and learning. Going forward, personal laptops and ipads will fall under the BMS "off and away throughout the day" policy, similar to cell phones, apple watches, airpods, and headphones.

In preparation for this update to our school technology practices, students who currently use a personal device and have not previously been issued a BPS Chromebook have the opportunity to pick one up during the final weeks of December. The Technology Office in BMHS room F179 is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 to 3:00. 

Our BMS Community Service club ran a successful food drive, bringing the school together in support of families in need. Students set a goal of 5000 items, and have been soliciting donations through Wednesday, November 4, and then working as a team to package boxes for delivery. Congratulations to our students taking action to support their community!

The BMS school store "Bison Crossing" is now open. Snacks, drinks and apparel can be purchased after school.

The annual Talent Show last night was exciting and a proud moment for families and staff. Our BMS participants brought their skills, interests, and creativity to the stage in an event that everyone looks forward to. The proceeds of the show are directly supporting financial assistance for the Washington, D.C. trip that our 8th grade students attend in June. Thanks to everyone that showed up in support of our performers and the D.C. trip!

As the weather starts to change to colder temperatures, winds, and precipitation, we are advising families to ensure their students come to school prepared with winter coats and/or rain gear as appropriate. We remain committed to outdoor recess time when appropriate, and will make a judgment call on a day-to-day basis that is reflective of student safety. Students who are not wearing warm clothing and/or those who cannot manage themselves around snow, etc. will not be allowed out to the patio.

Teams are planning to have students clean out their lockers prior to the start of Winter break. This will include throwing away trash, recycling items, returning borrowed books or equipment, and bringing home clothes, PE items, and food/receptacles. Also, students can clean out their backpacks at the same time. We will have a cart labeled for locker clean out at the circulation desk in the media center for returning library books (to ensure they get checked back in). If students have any borrowed items at home, please have them bring these into school. 

The below announcement was made to students November 26 during homeroom to highlight parts of the Acceptable Use Policy printed in the Student Handbook that expressly prohibit gaming, chat rooms, and social media while at school. Administration will work with staff to follow up with individual students who need frequent reminders of these expectations. These expectations extend to before school, during lunch, and WIN block.

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Today, we are taking a moment to remind all students of the expectations for appropriate use of technology in school. As you know, cell phones, apple watches, airpods, etc. should be off and away throughout the day. For chromebooks, and personal laptops (through December 20th), students must follow the acceptable use policy printed in the handbook. Here are two main points that students are reminded of:

1. Students shall refrain from seeking, accessing, posting, messaging, downloading or otherwise engaging with content that is not directly related to their academic work, or other approved school activities, including but not limited to chat rooms, social media, or gaming platforms.

2. Students shall neither download nor install software onto Network drives or devices that is not directly related to their academic work, or other approved school activities.

When we observe or receive reports of inappropriate technology use, we will give a warning, may increase the disciplinary consequences if it continues to happen, and may restrict or remove your chromebook for an excessive number of incidents.

Families and students should note that updates to the filtering software now restrict use of any alternative Google accounts on school-issued Chromebooks. This is part of the ongoing calibration of our content filtering and restrictions, and is one of many incremental changes that will occur during the school year. 

Also please join the following webinar below if you are able to. 

Upcoming Webinar: Children's Online Safety and Parental Control Tools
Date: December 3, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Join us for a live webinar designed for Belmont Public Schools families, presented by our online safety partner, Linewize. Gain valuable insights into the digital risks children face today and learn strategies to minimize them. Teodora Pavkovic, Linewize's Director of Wellbeing, will introduce tools like the ABC approach to online safety and the BPS Online Safety Hub. Additionally, Greg Hall, Linewize's Director of Community and former principal, will conduct a live demo of the Qustodio parent app and provide step-by-step setup guidance. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session, so come ready with your questions!

Register here: Webinar Registration

Our library has been opened to students for the past month, and we are already checking out books to eager readers! Thank you again to the FBE for supporting BMS and putting books in our students’ hands! Any 7th or 8th grade student can come to the library during WIN block daily to see what we have, browse our titles by genre, and check something out to read for class or dive into at home.

See below the library access guidelines shared with students:

NEXT Belmont Wellness Coalition (BWC) Parenting Group meeting: Wed., Dec. 18 at 7:00 PM – Sexual Assault. Join us as we explore what to do if your child is sexual assault by a student or other person. BWC’s Wendy Conroy, MPH and Sexuality Educator, will take us through how to have the conversation, how to be supportive, how to determine if/what medical and mental health services to seek, whether to report it (or not) to the police, whether to reach out (or not) to the parents of the accused.

All are welcome to attend. Email Dani Topaz for the Zoom link: Dani_Topaz@WaysideYouth.org

 And – please mark your calendars for BWC’s 2025 Parenting Group dates.  

• Wed. Jan. 29 at 7:00 

• Wed. Feb. 26 at 7:00 

• Wed. Mar. 26 at 7:00 

• Wed. Apr. 30 at 7:00 

• Wed. May 28 at 7:00

Students who will be participating in Winter Athletics through BMHS are reminded that documentation of a recent physical exam (within the last 12 months) is required for registration.  Students can bring a paper copy of their physical exams to the school nurse or they can be emailed to schan@belmontschools.net.  

The Belmont Middle School 2024-2025 Yearbook is available for sale! The yearbook is a 120 page hardcover record of the 2024-25 school year and meant for students in grades 7-8. It will document student life, activities, student portraits, staff photos, events, grade eight farewell ads, and much more. Order a yearbook for $40. The yearbooks will be given out to students the week of June 16th. Deadline to order is April 1, 2025.

<< Click this link for the Belmont Yearbooks Website

 FOR ALL STUDENTS, FAMILIES, and STAFF

The yearbook staff needs your help! We need photos to make your yearbook a memorable one to look back on. Our student photographers can’t be everywhere. Please consider submitting any and all photos (Athletics, Concerts, Student Life, Spirit Days, Hanging with Friends, Picture Day Replacement Photo, Preferred Name for Yearbook, Clubs, etc.) for consideration to be used in the yearbook. Navigate to the yearbook website and select the Upload Photos menu at the top of the page to see the Upload BMS Photos. All photos submitted must be school appropriate for use in the yearbook.

 FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF GRADE 8 STUDENTS

Make the yearbook even more special for your student. A yearbook ad is a loving tribute to your student, personalized with your own sentimental message and a cherished photo, or photo collage. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’ll last forever. Check out the Belmont Yearbooks Website to learn more about placing a Grade 8 Farewell Ad. Deadline to order an Farewell Ad is February 3, 2025. 

Don't delay, order a yearbook today!

At Belmont Middle School we take issues of bias and racism very seriously. Every student has the right to feel welcome, to learn, and feel free to be who they are. We support every student to feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and to call out acts of bias and racism and utilize consequences and restoration to ensure our community is a supportive one. If you are witness to or have experienced a bias or racist incident, you can report through the following link: https://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/page/bias-incident-reporting 

The Belmont Public Schools Bias Incident Report Form can be accessed from the BPS DEI website. Some important notes: 

• Submitted forms are routed to the Director of DEIW (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Wellness) and the school's principal, who will assess the report and undertake an immediate investigation. 

• While the form may be completed anonymously, we encourage you to provide your contact information. This will enable the district to conduct a more thorough investigation and resolution. Anonymous reports may be essentially impossible to investigate. 

• More information, including definitions of "what a bias-motivated incident is" and what happens after a report is submitted, may be found on the Bias Incident Reporting page. 

We encourage all members of the Belmont Public Schools community - including students, staff, parents/caregivers, volunteers, and town residents - to use this form to report any incidents of racism, bias, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation that you have experienced or witnessed, which involves a member of the Belmont Public Schools or takes place on or near school property. 

Learning For Justice, an educational resource for schools defines a bias incident as conduct, speech, or expression motivated in whole or in part by bias or prejudice. To learn more or read examples of bias incidents, please see "Tips for Identifying Bias Incidents." 

The district's investigation processes, including restorative and disciplinary consequences, will be tailored to each incident. While student privacy concerns will always prevent public disclosure of specific investigation details, we will publish periodic reports to keep the community informed of the number of reports made, noticeable patterns regarding the nature of the bias incidents, and conclusions of investigations when applicable. 

To excuse a student’s absence, parents/guardians must call the Attendance Line 617-993-2001 or fill out the Attendance Line Form by 8:30 AM on the day of the student’s absence.  The Attendance Line is available 24 hours, please call and leave a message as soon as you know your child will be out of school.  Give your child’s name, grade, date of absence, and a brief reason. It is important to stress that it is the responsibility of the parent to contact the school. 

Each year, the Belmont Public Schools updates its student records. This form allows parents to fill out their child's information and submit it electronically, saving both you and the school time, while ensuring accurate information is being provided. We will be requesting this information every September.

New forms have been posted to PlusPortals under "Forms"

www.plusportals.com/belmontmiddleschool

Please review and submit:

Student Update Form or Contact Update form 

Authorization for Emergency Dismissal

New Families:

Web Authorization form - required submittal

MassHealth Benefits Permission - submit if student is receiving MassHealth

If you have additional questions or concerns, please reach out to the BMS administration team. We’re here to support you.

In partnership,

Russ Kupperstein

Principal

Belmont Middle School