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Email: bms@sbps.net
Website: www.sbps.net/bms
Location: 27 East 23rd Street, Scottsbluff, NE, USA
Phone: 308-635-6270
X: @BMSCATS

Dear BMS Families,

On behalf of the entire Bluffs Middle School staff, we would like to extend our appreciation to all our families who attended parent teacher conferences. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet with teachers and staff. If you could not participate in conferences or have any questions, please contact us at your convenience. Additionally, please note that first-quarter report cards will not be mailed home; they can be accessed through Infinite Campus. A tutorial video is linked below for your convenience. We would also like to express our gratitude to our parent group, CAT (Collective Advisory Team) for generously providing meals for our staff during the conferences. Your kindness and generosity are truly appreciated by everyone.Our next meeting is November 13 at 4:00 pm. Please join us.

Winter sports season has begun and we look forward to watching our students compete. In order for students to participate in competitions, they must be in good academic standing. Students have several opportunities during and after school to receive academic support if necessary. Student-athletes who are ineligible will be required to attend after-school tutoring. Please reach out to coaches for schedules and weekly information regarding practice and competitions.

Academic success for all students continues to be a priority at Bluffs Middle School. We offer after-school tutoring Monday through Thursday from 3:05 - 4:05 p.m. Additionally, students have time during the school day to take assessments or complete assignments in Homeroom and WIN (What I Need) periods. Please encourage your student to take full advantage of these extended learning opportunities.

As always, please contact your student's teacher, counselor, or administration with any questions or concerns that may arise. We will gladly assist you. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to your student's success.

Thank you,

Jana Mason

Principal

November 3 Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 13 CAT Meeting (Parent Group)

November 15 Health Screenings

November 27-29 Thanksgiving Break/No school

December 2 Professional Development Day/No school for students

40th Annual Soifer Mathematical Olympiad at UCCS

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Friday, October 4th, 2024

We took 20 students to the 40th Annual Soifer Mathematical Olympiad on October 4th, 2024. Twelve of our students earned recognition for their performance.

1st Honorable Mention
Kaidenz McDaniel, 11

2nd Honorable Mention
Lillyana Abshire, 11
Aiden Argo, 11
River Baily-Nolde, 11
Jacob Green, 11
Landen Heine, 11
Joseph Jolliffe, 10
Declan Long, 6
Jacob Mark, 11
Wyatt Nerud, 9
Logan Polk, 11
Capria Rogers, 12

All students were awarded 40th anniversary medallions for competing in the contest. Other participating Scottsbluff students were: Allison Aaberg, 7; Amara Alsidez, 8; Amorytzia Castillo, 7; William Croft, 7; Sebastian Kissick, 9; Hannah White, 9; James White, 7; Stephanie Zhang, 8.

Thank you. Mr. Aaberg and Mrs. Hays for creating these opportunities for our BMS MATHCOUNTS students.

Bluffs Middle School hosted a food drive for Potter’s Wheel in 2023 and brought in over 500 lbs of food.This year, Student Council is excited to donate even more for the community! Bring in non-perishable items such as:

Coffee, Tea, Hot Cocoa, Soup, Chili, Broth

Baking Mixes

Flour, Oil, Sugar (small)

Salt, Pepper, Condiments

Instant Potatoes

Rice, Pasta, Stove top Stuffing

Shelf Stable Milk

Cereal, Pancake Mix (water only)

Tomato Sauce

Canned Fruits

Dry or Canned Beans

Canned Veggies

Tuna, Chicken, Spam

Peanut Butter.

We will be accepting donations the week of November 18th-22nd. The grade level with the most donations will receive a fun prize!

BMS BAND STUDENTS SELECTED TO THE 2025 NSBA 8TH GRADE ALL-STATE BAND:

Each year all of Nebraska's 8th Grade band students are invited to audition for the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association 8th Grade All-State Band.

Mr. Zac Konrad, NSBA Middle-Level Chair, is honored to announce and would like to "CONGRATULATE those students that were selected to participate in the 2025 NSBA 8th Grade All-State Band!"

Students from Bluffs Middle School have participated in the NSBA 8th Grade All-State Band for the past 24 years and we are pleased to add the following names to the list of those selected:

• Claire Black (Flute) - Parents, Andrew Black & Carly Calder and Alexis Black

• Gabriel Kephart (Clarinet) - Parents, Kevin & Ambria Kephart

• Stephanie Zhang (Clarinet) - Parents, Jin Ni

• Amara Alsidez (Clarinet) - Parents, Agustin & Andrea Alsidez

• Brooklyn Mills (Alternate Clarinet) - Parents, Jennifer Mills and Andrew Mills

• Simon Rugroden (Alto Saxophone) - Parents, Paul & Kelly Rugroden

• Lee Rogers (Alto Saxophone) - Parents, Robert & Kiowa Rogers

• Aly Lease (Trumpet) - Parents, Kelsey Schaneman and Nicholas & Brittany Lease

• Gabriela Duarte-Quijas (Trumpet) - Parents, Dario & Chasity Quijas

• Henry Winterbottom (Trombone) - Parents, Amanda Busch

• Alejandro Quezada Deras (Alternate Trombone) - Parents, Alejandro Quezada Galindo & Yazmin Deras Gayton

• Anna Hazlitt (Percussion) - Parents, Harry & Elsa Hazlitt

These students were selected by recorded audition to be members of the most prestigious and selective middle school honor band in the state of Nebraska.

This year, the NSBA (Nebraska State Bandmasters Association) Honor Band committee selected 93 members and 23 alternates for the Concert Band. This group of 116 young musicians were selected from a total of 444 auditions and represent 47 schools from across the state of Nebraska.

The 2025 NSBA 8th Grade All-State Band Clinic will be held at Kearney High School in Kearney, NE on Saturday, January 11th.

Thank you,

Mr. Koch

Congratulations to seventh graders Audrey Podlesack and Preston Miller for being chosen to participate in

THE ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA.

What is the All-State Middle Level String Orchestra?

Strings students in seventh and eighth grades (whose teachers are NMEA members) are offered a chance to work with acclaimed conductors during the Nebraska Music Education Association Conference/Clinic. The 2024 All-State Middle Level String Orchestra will take place on Wednesday, November 20 with a final concert at 4:00 pm at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

Thank, you,
Mrs. Hillman

Social media has increasingly integrated into our daily lives. Determining if your teen or preteen is prepared to engage with social platforms can be a challenging and personal choice. It's essential to educate your child about both the advantages and disadvantages of social media to promote safe and responsible usage. Click the link for additional resources on how to guide your child on proper social media use.

Are You Ready to Talk with Your Child About Social Media?

Hello, November, and welcome to another counseling message! As the year progresses, we are

noticing some struggles for students as they navigate peer relationships. Middle school is a really challenging time in adolescent development. On top of physical developmental changes, our kids are trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in to this world with autonomy. They want to be their own person while also being a part of and “fitting in.” Finding that balance can be really hard at times. It can be hard to find those good friends, hard to “fit in” with what’s “trending,” hard to go against the norm when you feel something is not quite the best choice/right for you, hard to meet social and

academic expectations. Just… hard. And, quite honestly, sometimes these challenges result in some really hurtful interactions among kids as they’re trying to establish who they are, who they wish to be, and where they belong.

This year we are really working towards creating an atmosphere of kindness and acceptance.

And, we would love to have you all onboard with our mission. How can we all work towards cultivating a wealth of positivity through intentional acts of kindness? As adults, we have the ability and responsibility to model positive behavior, interactions, and choice for our children. This can be through having conversations, building safe environments, and taking intentional steps towards action.

This month, we encourage you and your child to think of a small act of kindness you and your

child can implement within the community to promote positivity. We are not asking for extravagant;

however, we encourage you to get creative and have fun! We’ve included some ideas below:

 Find opportunities to give compliments – They cost nothing but can mean so much

 Volunteer

 Thank someone

 Send a positive text to friends/loved ones

 Post inspirational sticky notes around your neighborhood

 Write a kind message to YOURSELF or a family member

These are just a few things to get the gears turning. We’d love to see what you all come up with.

Please share with us! Photos of your awesomeness can be emailed to csnyder@sbps.net.

TFW you know something really great is about to manifest… We are going to let ya’ll cook.

Teen Word(s) of the Month:

TFW: That feeling when…

Let Them Cook: When someone is mid-action to suggest their results will be surprising and impressive

Nov. 3 Daylight Savings Time ends

Nov. 26 No School Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 27 No School Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 28 No School Thanksgiving Break

Dec. 2 Professional Development Day - No school for students

Just a friendly reminder about SBPS recommendations for keeping students home:

Temperature: A student with a temperature 100 degrees or higher will be sent home from school. It is recommended that the student return to school once fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Vomiting and/or Diarrhea: If a student is vomiting and/or has diarrhea, it is highly recommended that the student remain home for 24 hours. Students are sent home if this occurs at school.

Lice: If you find lice or NITS on your student, please contact the school to let them know. Your student may attend school, SBPS health office staff will perform followup head checks and provide you with education needed to treat your child. SBPS policy regarding head lice is on the district website under health services or click on the following link: https://cdn5-ss20.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_392748/File/Departments%20and%20Services/Services/Health%20Services/Head%20Lice/SBPSHeadLiceAdministrativeProcedure.pdf

Remember, once a week check your child’s head.

Letters and candidate packets have been distributed and applications are due by Tuesday, November 26th. Please contact Ashley Dillman (adillman@sbps.net) with any questions. The Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, January 9th at 6:00 pm. More information will follow.

Download the So Happy app to access breakfast and lunch menus.

We are excited to announce our attendance challenge for second quarter! This will begin on Monday, October 21st and run through FrIday, December 13th. Please help us spread the word to students.Students who are present 90% of the time during those dates will be entered into a drawing that will be held during our second quarter PBS Assembly. There will be two winner for each grade level. Watch for more information.