Weekly Update

A big shoutout to my staff and students for their outstanding response during today’s power outage! Our leaders and teachers acted swiftly to ensure minimal disruption to instruction, and I’m incredibly proud of our students for handling the situation with such poise. While we can’t anticipate every scenario, it’s reassuring to know that our students and staff can adapt and pivot seamlessly when needed.

Warm regards,

Derrick Thomas, Principal

The next Principal’s Coffee Chat will take place on Friday, January 31, 2025. Our speaker is Mr. James Brown, Director of Safety and Security.

Please take our school’s climate survey and make your opinion count! This survey expires March 31, 2025. Survey participation is critical because the data will be used to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2025-26 school year. City Schools of Decatur appreciates the contributions of parents, students, and staff! Click to complete

This year’s BHMS World Language Basket Drive was a huge success! Thanks to the generosity of our parents, we were able to distribute a record fifty-one Thanksgiving baskets to help families in our school community. This year we also partnered with Decatur Cooperative Community to provide baskets for families outside of the BHMS community as well.

Eighth graders in Ms. Patel’s Yoga & Wellness classes visited Clairmont Oaks retirement community. Students instructed a chair yoga class to senior citizens at the center as a part of ‘seva’ (pronounced say-vuh). In yoga, seva means “selfless service”. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to engage in open conversation. This intergenerational experience gave students the chance to share in physical and social wellness with elder members of our community.

Beacon Hill's Academic Bowl Dogs scored at the PAGE Regional Competition on Saturday, and as a regional winner will compete in the State Competition in January. Please congratulate Bowl Dogs led by captains Ben Corcoran and Avinash Rathod, and team members Asher Lewin, Jack Barbian, Crystal Liang, Bella Zhang, Nate Clement, Sebastian Katz, Grant Mann, and Odin Smith.

Are you a young storyteller with a passion for writing? Enter the Young Georgia Author's Competition and let your creativity shine! This statewide contest celebrates K-12 students' original written works, from poems and essays to short stories and personal narratives.

No prompts or genre requirements- with a limit of 1,900 words—submit your unique voice on paper! Winners at the state and district levels will gain recognition and a chance to inspire readers across Georgia.

Let your imagination soar and be part of this exciting celebration of young talent! All submissions are due to your ELA teacher by January 17 by 3 pm.

This term International Perspectives classes have explored how children grow up around the world, nutrition, our interconnected food system, and foodways around the world. Please consider taking this journey with us by purchasing items made by students in our class. Our final unit provides an opportunity to extend our culinary practice while learning about employability skills and applying the IB Design Cycle to create cookies, preserves and seasonings for our community.

Please consider looking over the items we hope to make for you at this link. Orders and payment are due Thursday, December 5th and can be brought by students to Ms. Johnson or dropped off in the front office Attn: Ms. Johnson. Payment can be made in cash or check made out to BHMS with International Perspectives in the notes and is due when the order is placed.

Orders will be sent home via students on Wednesday, December 18th through their 7th period class.

Proceeds promote our culinary and garden program. If you would like more than one item in a section please use the "other" line.

Questions? Email Ms. Johnson.

Is your BHMS 6th, 7th or 8th grader interested in running Track & Field in the Spring? If so, please plan to attend our Virtual Track & Field Parent Informational Meeting on Monday, December 16 at 6:30 pm.

The virtual meeting can be accessed using the link here:

BHMS 2025 Track & Field Virtual Parent Meeting Link

Please complete the google interest form here: 2025 BHMS Track & Field Interest Form

For more information, click HERE.

Girls' Soccer at Beacon Hill is just around the corner! If you are interested in trying out in the Spring, please fill out the form below. We're looking forward to a great season. If you have any questions, reach out to Coach Ali (htrenovations@earthlink.net) and Coach Witherspoon (wilson.witherspoon@gmail.com)

Click here for the Form

CSD has a long history of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King by celebrating many of our students who embody the values of freedom, justice, democracy and service. Through an annual program, we highlight their dedication to using these values to impact our community positively. This year, the award will be presented to two students from each upper elementary school, four from middle school, and four from high school.

Click here to learn more about the application guidelines. Application deadline: December 18.

Holiday travel is the perfect time to sneak in some reading fun! Whether you’re driving, flying, or staying local, here are quick tips to keep your scholar engaged:

📚 Pack a Travel Book Bag: Let your child choose their favorite books or magazines to keep them entertained on the go.

🎧 Listen to Audiobooks: Perfect for long trips—enjoy family-friendly stories and discuss them during breaks.

🗺️ Read the Journey: Turn travel into an adventure by reading maps, road signs, or destination guides together.

🛏️ Stick to Bedtime Stories: A nightly reading habit, even on vacation, helps kids relax and keeps their skills sharp.

📓 Create a Travel Journal: Encourage your child to write or draw about holiday adventures—they’ll love reading their creations later!

Simple steps like these make reading part of the journey and the joy. Safe travels and happy reading!

The Decatur PREP Project is made possible through partnerships with the Decatur Education Foundation Teacher Innovation Grant, the BHMS PTA, and supporters like you.

Donate-a-thon has been extended to help us meet the $5,000 matching contribution offered by the generous Isani Family. Please consider donating $6 for your sixth grader, $7 for your seventh grader or $8 for your eighth grader. Every dollar counts! Which class can give the most? Donate today at https://givebutter.com/bhms2024. Thank you to all who already have given. We appreciate everyone’s support.

The BHMS PTA is pleased to partner with Jason’s Deli (1605 Church Street, Decatur) for an evening of delicious food. On Friday, December 13 from 5 pm to 9 pm, Jason’s Deli will donate 20% of pre-tax food sales back to us. Order online using code FUND20, or present this flyer in person. Bon appetite!

The BHMS PTA invites all BHMS families to our first DEI Holiday Potluck on Monday, December 16 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Bring a dish to share, and enjoy holiday crafts together. Sign up here!

Attention parents and caregivers: Want to find out how the BHMS Student Center can support your student? Stop by the “Welcome Table” in the BHMS front lobby on Tuesday, December 17 between 8:30 am and 10:30 am or 1:15 pm and 3:15 pm. We will have information on what the Student Center does and tips for handling holiday stress. We also will have coffee and treats courtesy of the PTA (because we know that holiday stress is real!). Plus, Ms. Minor or Dr. Tim can take you on a personal tour of the center if you have a few minutes to spare.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, December 17 at 5:30 pm. Although this will be a board meeting, all BHMS families are invited to attend. Learn about upcoming events and ways to get involved. Can’t attend in person? Join through our Zoom link.

Looking to do some holiday shopping and want to help support our school? Visit the BHMS Spirit Wear Store to dress the Bulldogs in your pack! Proceeds help fund PTA-organized events to benefit our students, teachers and staff. ALSO, how would you like to save 20% on stationery and custom gifts by Minted and help BHMS earn 15% of each purchase? Use this special code at checkout: FUNDRAISEBEACONHILL.

The final session of our fall strength-building classes for teachers and staff, organized by the BHMS PTA Wellness Committee, was held December 5. The response from participants has been incredibly positive. “I LOVED every minute of it,” seventh grade teacher Mrs. Tucciarone said about the eight-week program. “Thanks for providing us with wellness opportunities!” Committee members will be soliciting additional participant feedback to ensure our offering in the new year aligns with their needs. We are truly grateful to our friends at FitWit for making this possible.

Do you have plans for a new garden or class project for spring? Are you full of fantastic ideas for incorporating farm-to-school principles into a teaching unit? Need funds for a "green" field trip?

The Wylde Center Decatur Farm to School Committee invites you to apply for a grant for 2024/25. Teachers, administrators, PTA members, and parent volunteers can apply on behalf of their CSD school. Please get your applications in before December 13, 2024.

2024-2025 DF2S School Grant Application

You can find more information on the following:

Read recent issues of the weekly update below. Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage or on our BHMS website

• BHMS Weekly Update - December 5, 2024

• BHMS Weekly Update- November 21, 2024

• BHMS Weekly Update - November 14, 2024

Social Media pages:

• CSDBeaconhllmiddleschool Facebook page
• BeaconhillPTA Facebook page
• CSDbeaconhill Instagram page
• Beaconhllmiddleart Instagram page

Other:

• Whom to contact if list
• Counseling Website
• School Website