Principal Swaggert's Informational Updates

Warm winter greetings from all of us at BCMS! We are fast approaching second quarter mid term time. If you as a parent have opted for hard copy mid terms, your son or daughter will receive their mid term in Prime Time next Friday, December 12th. About 100 parents have chosen this option. The other 1200 parents will access mid terms electronically via the Parent Portal. Please call BCMS (763-682-8200) if you have any questions or would like to sign up for the Parent Portal. If you have any questions or concerns with your child's academic progress, please feel free to contact your child's teachers. We hope that the parent/teacher relationships we began during conferences this fall can continue throughout the year! At their last meeting, the BHM School Board approved the list of budget cuts that are the result of the district's failed levy referendum. It is important to note that these cuts will go into effect after this school year. The first thing you will notice is that there will be no summer school. In the past, summer school has provided opportunities for a wide range of students to take enrichment and remedial courses. The district will be cutting 13.5 teachers and several para-professionals, clerical, custodial and administrative personnel. Included in this cut will be the remaining two gifted and talented teachers for the district. We know for sure that the cuts will be felt at Buffalo Community Middle School across grade levels and departments. Our activities and athletic programs will undergo some major revisions. First of all, there will be no activity buses starting next fall. Discussions are currently being held to determine the athletic (sports) and activities that will be cut as part of the high school and middle school $105,000 budget cuts.

We are currently determining the best course of action that will result in continued quality education in this time of strained resources. We appreciate your comments, ideas and questions as we head through this process. Thanks for your help and support.

Cable TV -Tune in Soon BHM Schools has developed a relationship with Charter Cable, which serves the City of Buffalo. There will be messages, announcements, and clips shown in the future months as a public service. We appreciate working with Charter and are looking to develop this relationship with the cable companies that serve the Montrose and Hanover areas in the future. Watch for an announcement when we go live!

Parent Portal & Report Cards If you have not already signed up please sign up for our improved parent portal right away. Simply stop into the front office from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday with your ID and you will be issued the instructions and necessary information. The 2nd Mid-Quarter is December 10th and we will NOT be sending home paper unless you have called the main office and opted in to having paper mailed home. With our new system the information online is far more detailed, up to date, efficient and evironmentally friendly. You now have the ability to view: your child's schedule, health information, missing assignment, "to do", and grade reports, teachers' real time grade books, attendance, and you can update your email address.

Stop in and sign up today!

Greetings from the Health Office! We have been off to a busy start this fall. Some of you received our email about strep throat. We are still seeing quite a bit of this at BCMS. The email update is one way we can keep you notified, I'm hoping not to have to use this too often because all the students will be healthy the rest of the year. Right? Unfortunately we know this is not always the case. It is very important for the school to have updated email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses. If we do not already have a pink "emergency" form on file, we will be sending one home with your student. Please watch for this, it will be sent home sometime next week. This is one way for you to notify me of any health concerns you may have regarding your student. You may also call or email me with any concerns. With the cold and flu season around the corner let's try to "WHACK" away absences due to illness.

W-Wash your hands often.

H-Home is where you stay if you're sick.

A-Avoid touching your eyes,nose and mouth.

C-Cover your coughs and sneezes.

K-Keep your distance from people who are coughing or sneezing.

It is also important to remind you that eating healthy, exercise and getting enough sleep helps to keep your immune system healthy. Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep a night. Stay healthy and happy holidays. Stephanie Gleason RN, LSN District Nurse for Grades 6-12 phone number-763-682-8211 email- sgleason@buffalo.k12.mn.us

Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District 877

Community Mentorship Program We have implemented a new mentorship program designed for the sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys. It is our goal to provide these male students with a positive role model and at the same time allow the community to become part of the middle school. We have met with the Buffalo Rotary Club asking for volunteers. They responded very positively and eight members have been eager to participate. The students and mentors meet every other Tuesday morning and practice reading strategies and skills. The students have a chance to pick their reading topics (hunting, sports, cars, motorcycles...) and discuss with their mentors. We believe that over the period of a school year, positive relationships will evolve.

Robert Robinson BHM Community Education is proud to announce that Robert Robinson will bring his 2008 Holiday Tour to the Buffalo Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, Minnesota on Tuesday, December 23rd at 7:30 pm. If you have never heard of Robert Robinson, you will. Prince chose Robert to open his birthday bash, and he has performed with Aretha Franklin, nine-time Grammy Award winner Andrae Crouch, Kenny Loggins, the Sounds of Blackness, Bobby McFerrin, Barry Manilow, Jermaine Jackson, and others. Some of you may recognize the two-time Minnesota Music Award Winner from his performances as a featured soloist with Lori Line.
Tickets are $25 (Adults); $20 (pre-k - Grade 12 Students or Seniors age 62 +), and $15 for groups of 20 or more. To purchase tickets, go to http://www.buffalocommunityed.com/ or call us at 763-682-8770. All tickets are reserved seating.

Prairie Fire Theatre and BHM Community Education

Presents

"A Christmas Carol"
Friday, December 12, 2008 - 7:30 pm Discovery Auditorium Tickets available through BHM Community Education 763-682-8770 http://www.buffalocommunityed.com/ $7 - Adult $4 - Youth (12 and under)