Hi Bulldog Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. Wishing everyone a wonderful Memorial Day that is quickly approaching. I know this is an incredibly busy time as it is always...many things are closing out, especially school in a few weeks.

In this newsletter, I hope to give you specifics on end of year activities. We have our last no place for hate activity and the panorama parent survey which helps garner some community feedback about the social emotional needs in the various buildings. Please review that survey and participate if you feel that would be helpful to some of the programs for the students at school.

Lastly, there will be a lot of incoming 5th grade and outgoing 8th grade information. Specifics of 8th grade Recognition/moving up ceremony are listed. Please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

Mike D'Ostilio

New and Important Information

• 8th Grade Recognition and 8th Grade Trip Info
• No Place for Hate Lesson
• Panorama Survey Information
• Bulldog Bash

INTERESTED IN ORCHESTRA AND ORCHESTRA SUMMER CAMPS? GO TO https://www.markprzybylowski.com/

Recurring Information

• Book Smiles
• PTO
• Social Media Reminders
• Building Better Bulldogs
• Prep Club Dates
• Click this Link for More Repeat Information from Week to Week

May 22...Grade 6 Spring Music Concert...BHMS Cafeteria

May 23...Early Dismissal (12:35pm) Staff Inservice

May 24-May 27...Memorial Day...Schools Closed

May 29...Bulldog Bash

May 31...Bulldog Bash Rain Date

June 3...8th Grade Trip to Six Flags

June 4...5:30-8:30...Honors and Leadership Awards Ceremony...by invitation only...BHMS Gym

June 14...8th Grade Recognition...During the School Day...BHMS Back Lot (Awards and Class Gathering to Follow--Students Only)

June 17...Last Day of School.

Click on these links:

• Past newsletters and correspondence

• Bunker Hill Daily Morning Announcements

• Bunker Hill Times Student Newspaper/Periodical

• Board of Education Policies Regarding Students

• Don't forget to scroll all the way down on this newsletter for X (formerly Twitter) and Remind Updates

Bunker Hill is about to embark on its third and final No Place for Hate Activity for the following year. In middle schools, we run various programs to support students in various aspects of character. One of the Bulldog Mantras is to respect those around us and realize we're all connected as we celebrate our differences. A difference we all have is appearance. BHMS is using the historical rendering of Barbie coupled with the growing image of who Barbie is supposed to represent to show that regardless of appearance, deserves to not have a positive experience at school. We need to ensure that our peers are cared for, loved, and treated fairly.

Dear WTPS Parents,

As part of our district’s Building Better People initiative, the WTPS School Counseling Department is excited to present the fourth year of the Social Emotional (SE) Student Survey. We are collaborating with teachers across the district to administer the survey during a single class period from Tuesday, May 28th to Friday, June 7th.

If your child has received parent approval, the survey will be administered by the following teachers:

• Grades K-2: Classroom teachers will complete the SE Teacher Perception Survey.
• Grades 3-5: Classroom ELA/SEL teachers will have students complete the SE Student Survey.
• Grades 6-8: Social Studies teachers will have students complete the SE Student Survey.
• Grades 9-11: Homeroom teachers will have students complete the SE Student Survey on Monday, June 3, 2024.

More information can be found in the following link WTPS Social Emotional Skills Presentation2.pdf and the accompanying video WTPS Social Emotional Skills Video.mp4 (8 minutes). The results will help school counselors provide a variety of student counseling services.

Thank you for your support!

Jennifer Grimaldi

Director of Counseling Services

The 8th grade trip to Six Flags is quickly approaching. Please read all of the information on the permission slip below. Unfortunately, season passes cannot be used for this trip. Additionally, I would like to emphasize that regardless of whether their child is attending the trip or not, all parents need to fill out the permission slips. There is a section in the form where parents can indicate if their child will not be participating in the trip by checking the appropriate box.

Keep in Mind

• 3 suspensions and other discipline make a student ineligible for the trip
• failing 2 or more subjects makes a student ineligible for the trip
• 15 or more unexcused absences makes a student ineligible for the trip.
• Also any student with a Tier IV offense throughout the year will automatically be excluded from the trip.

Bulldog Families, this year some of our students are taking lengthy vacations to see relatives or have a once in a lifetime excursions with family. As a school that fully supports time well spent with loved ones, we just want to remind families that there are differences between explained or excused absences. Excused absences include absences such as ones verified by a doctor, therapist, field trip, visit to a private high school, death in the family. Vacations are explained absences and considered unexcused. Unexcused absences are subject to code of conduct implications if a student has an excessive amount of absences. Remember a student who has 10 or more unexcused absences may be subject to school discipline

As the weather warms, please ensure if you are taking a family vacation, please be cognizant of the your child's absences. This figure is easily accessible via PowerSchool. We do not want to interfere with family time, but we do have an obligation to maintain the attendance policy of the state and district. We greatly appreciate your support and understanding. Please see below for the district's attendance policy.

If your child is going to be out, late, or needs to be picked up early, please contact the attendance office at 856-881-7007, Click Option 1 Or email BHMSAttendance@wtps.org

Bulldog Families, we need your help. Please ensure student only fill their flasks up with water and not juice and especially energy drinks. If students drink other drinks at lunch, they are not permitted to bring any other beverage to class other than water. Thanks for your help.

The Washington Township middle school FutureActs Clubs are dedicated to the cause of community service, and two of their biggest events take place in November and December.

In November, the clubs provide Thanksgiving meals to around 200 families in the District. In December, they assist with providing holiday gifts.

In order to support our struggling families, FutureActs has created a Microsoft Form in order to gather information of families in need. If you or someone you know is in need for the upcoming holidays, please go to this link so FutureActs can offer there support as needed

Thanks so much!

Be sure to go online and review the code of conduct. Click here for the link. Realize the code of conduct is in place to ensure education and academics is not compromised and that there is an expected decorum in schools. On Thursday, I will go over key points in the code of conduct, especially the offenses such as class disruption, tardiness, inappropriate language, behavior, dress code etc. Please see the PowerPoint from the code of conduct presentation. Please also see the notes from the BHMS Counseling Office Below. I sent this out last year, but many of the situations are still relevant.

During the summer for 2020, a team of teachers and community members got together to discuss what we should affirm as a school in order to provide student voice and acknowledge that student voice and provide them an opportunity not only to be heard but for us to truly listen and learn from what the students are telling us.

This pandemic has created so many questions and concerns for students that are well beyond academics. We are committed to providing a safe environment where students can express themselves as they question the ebb and flow of their world around them. Please see below our affirmations about Buidling Better Bulldogs and the people we as Bulldogs aim to be.

Click on this link for our Mission and Goals Plan 2023-2029

Email: skern@wtps.org
Website: https://www.wtps.org/bunkerhill
Location: 372 Pitman Downer Road, Sewell, NJ, USA
Phone: 856 881 7007
Facebook: facebook.com/OfficialBHMS
Twitter: @Official_BHMS