Dear Ballenger Creek Middle Families,
I hope that you and your loved ones are well. We are just a few short weeks from summer! I hope that you’re looking forward to the break from the day-to-day school routine as much as we are. As you’re probably aware, our last day for students (a two hour early dismissal day) is Friday, June 7th. Before that, though, we have a number of events to look forward to, including our 8th grade move-up ceremony and grade level end-of-year picnics. Please see our school website for details.
It has been a pleasure for our school team to partner with you to benefit your children this year. Please remember, we’re here for the rest of the school year (and administrators throughout the summer) if you have questions or need ideas or resources to help your child. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Take care,
Jay Schill
Principal, BCMS
6th Grade Updates
The 6th grade team would like to congratulate all of the students for working hard and accomplishing fantastic work this school year. It is important to remind everyone to continue to give their full potential throughout the last few weeks of school. In addition, please make sure your student has all Chromebook-related materials accounted for. Devices and accessories will be inventoried in the last week of May. Please see the Find Out First from May 10th in regards to this year’s Chromebook updates.
Have a restful, relaxing, and safe summer break!
7th Grade Updates
Hello families of 7th-grade students! As this is the last newsletter of the school year, the 7th-grade team would like to wish you a relaxing and enjoyable summer. We appreciate your support and contributions to the BCMS community throughout the year and we look forward to seeing you back in August.
As we finish the last few weeks of school, please remind your student to continue submitting work on time and following school rules and procedures. Deadlines for the end of the year always seem to arrive quickly, and we want everyone to be able to finish the year strong. In addition, please make sure your student has all Chromebook-related materials accounted for. Devices and accessories will be inventoried in the last week of May. Please see the Find Out First from May 10th in regards to this year’s Chromebook updates.
Thank you and have a great summer break!
8th Grade Updates
Hello 8th Grade Families! Thank you for all of your support in making this a great school year. We have some exciting events coming up for our 8th graders:
8th Grade Picnic: May 24th during 6th and 7th period
8th Grade Move Up Ceremony: 10:30 am at Tuscarora High School, doors open at 10:15am.
Families can choose to sign out their child to take them to lunch or go home early after the ceremony
2 family members can attend per child
Parking will be limited - please carpool if possible!
8th Grade Dance: May 31st from 5-7pm
Tickets will be on sale for $5 the week of May 20th-24th.
Students must turn in a permission slip to be able to attend.
Chromebook Collection: June 4th
Be sure your child brings their Chromebook, charger, and case to school that day.
As we finish the last few weeks of school, please remind your student to continue submitting work on time and following school rules and procedures. Deadlines for the end of the year always seem to arrive quickly, and we want everyone to be able to finish the year strong. Thank you and have a great summer break!
ELA Department
6th Grade:
In ELA 6, Mrs. Giacco and Mrs. Zumbar are working through the final cycle of the year. In Cycle 8, we are exploring argument structures and how authors present ideas to allow readers to develop their own arguments. Students will be demonstrating their understanding of argument through writing and discussion.
7th Grade:
7th-grade students are currently exploring the structure of arguments while looking at the topic of technology and social media. Students have read several different texts with varying perspectives on this topic and its effects on people, especially teenagers. Students will now have the opportunity to create and share their own arguments, using the structures and styles we discussed in class. We would also like to congratulate all students who demonstrated growth on their iReady tests this year. We have seen some very impressive growth by many students!
8th Grade:
8th grade students are currently reading S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. Students are analyzing character actions and motivations as well as how contrasting perspectives influence the reader’s understanding of the events in a text. At the conclusion of reading the novel, we will watch the movie version to compare the two versions. Additionally, students will analyze the impact of music, sound effects, and lighting on the mood and tone of a cinematic presentation.
Mrs. Nuckols and Mrs. Weller would like to congratulate all 8th grade students who met their growth and/or stretch goals on their Reading iReady assessments this year. Your hard work and commitment to learning is evident in your growth!
Math Department
6th Grade:
Students will be reviewing skills from the school year to best prepare them for 7th grade math.
7th Grade:
Students will be finishing up volume and surface area, then moving on to box and whisker plots. Any time left after this module will be spent reviewing skills to best prepare them for 8th grade math (i.e operations with rational numbers and solving equations).
8th Grade:
Students will be reviewing skills from the school year that will best prepare them for high school math courses (i.e graphing lines, order of operations, and solving equations).
Algebra:
Students will be finishing up Module 9 (Exponential Equations) and begin reviewing for the MCAP Test being administered on May 16-17. After taking the MCAP Test, students will be reviewing content that will best prepare them for high school math courses (i.e angle relationships, triangle angle theorems, Pythagorean Theorem, and area/volume of shapes).
Students should be completing weekly ALEKS topic goals in Math. Students should be checking their Math Schoology pages to see their specific weekly goal. Students can monitor their own progress by checking their topic reports in ALEKS. A step-by-step “how to” for checking their reports can be found here. For questions about ALEKS topic goals, please reach out to your student’s grade level math teacher, our school Math Specialist, Ms. Boyer (laura.boyer@fcps.org), or our school Math Department Chair, Ms. Dickson (ashley.dickson@fcps.org).
Students should be checking their grade reports on Schoology weekly to see updates regarding missing/re-do work. If there are any questions regarding student grades, please reach out to your student’s grade level math teacher.
History Department
6th Grade:
6th grade students are looking at the final unit of ancient Rome. Students will be learning about the geographic rise of Rome to its eventual domination of the Mediterranean and reaching its height around the time of Julius Caesar. This content will prepare them for 7th grade, which starts with the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
7th Grade:
7th grade students are completing their final unit which looks at the European colonization of North America. Students are currently learning about two successful colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth. Students will continue this by learning about the 13 English colonies which will prepare them for 8th grade.
The 7th grade history department would like to welcome Mrs. Mortenson, who will be the long-term substitute for Mrs. Montgomery though the end of the school year. If any parent or guardian has any questions, they can email either Mrs. Mortenson or Mr. Schaller.
8th Grade:
8th grade students are starting Unit 7, which looks at industrialization. Students will be learning about American industrialists during the early 1900’s. They will also be learning about the urbanization of the country and effects on the country. This content will prepare them for high school for their future history classes.
Science Department
6th Grade:
Students will be conducting investigations to provide evidence that living things are made of cells - either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
7th Grade:
Students will be conducting explanations based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying times and spatial scales.
8th Grade:
Students will be developing and using models of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
Fine & Practical Arts Department
The Fine and Practical Arts Department would like to thank you for a great school year. While the school year flew by quickly, our students spent a great amount of time accomplishing amazing things this year.
From the Health and PE Department:
Looking for ways to keep up your student’s physical health this summer? Check out some of our recommendations/tips:
Take an early morning or late evening walk as a family. This helps keep you moving while it is cooler in the day and strengthens the family bond.
Choose light, healthy options for dinner plans. Consider switching out ingredients such as plain Greek yogurt for mayo in salads for a unique flavor that is lighter to eat in the summer months.
Protect your skin from the sun and heat by applying SPF 30 or higher BEFORE you leave the house. Sunscreen used everyday will help protect your skin and body from the harmful UV rays all summer.
Choose to grill versus frying and baking. During the heated summer months, the stove range can increase the temperature of the house by 2-5 degrees for every hour it is in use.
Get moving! Children who are active for at least 30 minutes a day build strong habits towards a life long of physical health.
Special Education Department
We welcome our families to contact us with questions or support that may be needed.
6th Grade: Rebecca Schimel and Emily Pemrick
7th Grade: Elissa Grimm
8th Grade: Athena Fream and Tyler Britt
Speech and Language Pathologist: Kellee Byun
School Psychologist: Julie Kaufhold
Program Assistant: Nancy Suray
FCPS Special Education Transition Fair:
Join FCPS for the Special Education 2024 Pave Your Way: Transition Fair. Come, learn, and connect with
community resources, programs, and the opportunity to strengthen your knowledge of careers, education, training
and support available to individuals with disabilities now and beyond public education. This event supports students of all ages.
Pave Your Way: Transition Fair
Thursday, May 30
5:30P.M- 8:00P.M
The Learning and Leadership Center
44 W. Frederick St.
Walkersville, MD 21793
In order to attend the event families must register, family registration link: https://forms.gle/Vzh8EtfPbbzBCxCbA
Click here for the English flyer with additional information.
Click here for the Spanish flyer with additional information.
Multilingual Learners
ML students are learning so much in the 4th quarter. Some students have recently found out that they tested out of ML services for the following year and others made vast improvements. Families will receive copies of the test results and an explanation of progress with their last report card of the year.
"What can you do to stay “in English” over the summer?" is a poll we asked some of our ML students. These are the responses:
Listen to music
Watch shows in English with subtitles
Read books - even if they are easy to read
Speak English with friends and family when possible
Have a great summer, everyone!
5 Star Service Award
The 5-Star Service Award is for community use in recognizing FCPS employees who show excellence in one of the 5 FCPS goals. Community members are welcome to nominate any worthy FCPS employees. You can nominate here.
End of Year Soccer Party - June 7th
We are hosting a soccer party to celebrate the end of the school year! We hope you can make it.
Please have a parent/guardian fill out this form to let us know if you are coming:
https://forms.gle/S1MH4CGGb1o2yBU89
WHEN: Friday, June 7th, from 6:00-8:30pm (The last day of school!!!)
WHO: Kindergarten-8th Grade Boys in the Tuscarora High School District
WHAT: A celebration of the student-athletes who love to play soccer
WHERE: Tuscarora High School (we will begin in the cafeteria and end on the turf)
WHY: Learn about the vision for Tuscarora Soccer, enjoy soccer with friends, meet the high school coaches, players, and alumni (hear Tony Lombardi '22 share his experiences)
A few more things to note...
- We will play 3v3 or 4v4 games on the turf.
- We will have contests, with prizes for the winners.
- Sabor De Cuba (owned by a Tuscarora Soccer Family) will bring a food truck where you can purchase dinner.
It is very important to get an accurate estimation of who is coming. Please fill out the form above and submit only once per family.
I hope to see you there!!!
Coach Knepper
Tuscarora High School
2024 National Civics Bee - Frederick County
The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Participating middle school students flex their civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and cash prizes. The Bee is co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and participating chambers of commerce.
Middle school students from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition. Leaders in the Frederick community will judge the essays and select 20 local finalists to participate in a live quiz event testing civics knowledge. The top 3 winners from the local competition will advance to the Maryland State live event. The state finalists compete for first, second, and third place prizes.
Zoi Escobar, 8th grade student at BCMS, joined other students from around the Frederick area at Hood College on March 26, 2024. Congratulations to Zoi on being a finalist in the National Civics Bee!
BCMS Most Improved Student - 8th Grade
The Kiwanis Club of Frederick honors the most improved student in each of the county's middle schools every year. This year, Chris Dewitt was recognized as the BCMS Most Improved Student.
Chris' teachers had the following to share, "Chris Dewitt has demonstrated excellent progress throughout his time in middle school. Chris has been able to steadily improve his grades, achieve personal goals, improve his state assessment scores in reading and math, and has matured socially and emotionally throughout his three years at Ballenger Creek Middle. Chris has also gained confidence, leadership qualities, and self-advocacy skills. He takes initiative to ask questions, participate in class, and ask for help as needed. A few attributes that have remained constant for Chris are his positive attitude and respect for others. Chris consistently makes sure to greet staff he passes in the hallways, expresses gratitude for any assistance or opportunities presented to him, and is kind and helpful to peers around him. We are so proud of the growth and achievements Chris has accomplished at BCMS, and we are confident that he will continue to find success in high school. Chris' team at Ballenger will always be rooting for him as he continues his personal and academic endeavors." Congratulations, Chris!