Good morning, BVM Community!

I hope everyone is staying warm as the cooler weather arrives. As we approach our final week before Thanksgiving Break (November 25 - November 29), we have an exciting and eventful week planned for our students, staff, and community.

While I want to emphasize the importance of finishing strong academically, we are also shifting our focus this week (and throughout the month) to gratitude and service. Our students and parents will have many opportunities to participate in school-wide activities, and we warmly invite everyone to engage as much as possible. Together, we can continue to strengthen and uplift our community, regardless of any challenges we face.

This week, we are thrilled to announce that our BVM ASB students will host the "Grateful for..." Spirit Week. We kick off on Monday by wearing blue, red, white, green, or camo to show our appreciation for law enforcement, first responders, and military service members. Please scroll down to see our other spirit days!

Additionally, our Builders Club of Bonita Vista Middle School will sponsor a "Hot Cocoa for Cans" Canned Food Drive to collect canned and dried food items for local families in need during the holidays (families of students attending our local schools). You’re welcome to drop off three canned goods and enjoy some hot cocoa at our main stage any day this week before school or during our nutrition break (10:02 am - 10:12 am).

On Thursday, November 21, there are two events for families and students to attend! Join us at our school cafeteria for Family Circles from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm to participate in bonding activities with your child. Alternatively, you can visit Hilltop High School from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm for the Sweetwater Union High School District's Black Student Union Elders event, "Zip (Hot Cocoa) and Talk," where you and your child can enjoy art activities together.

Also, thanks to our wonderful community donations, our PE department will once again host our annual Turkey Trot event during all PE classes. Student winners will be receiving T-Shirts, Pie, and Turkey for their efforts!

These are just a few highlights of what we have planned this week. I encourage you to take a moment to read the full newsletter to learn more about our upcoming events and to see what our students have been up to lately at our middle school.

Let’s continue fostering a culture of open communication! Also, please take some time to view last week’s Coffee with the Principal, where we discussed campus safety in light of recent events. A culture of open communication is what continues to keep our students and staff safe --so let's continue to build off of that type of culture.

Let’s make it a wonderful week, BVM! We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

The Builders Club at Bonita Vista Middle School is excited to announce the "Hot Cocoa for Cans" canned food drive, taking place from November 18 to 22. We will be collecting donations before school and during nutrition break at the stage in the main quad. Our goal is to gather canned and dried food items to create food baskets for families in need during the holiday season. Let’s show our support, BVM!

BVM families,
Those interested in trying out for boys soccer, girls’ soccer, or girls Field Hockey must first complete the clearance process through the "Home Campus" website. Instructions are attached. You must be cleared before you can tryout. Get cleared before it's too late. Let's go Crusaders! Please click on the link below.

Boys soccer tryouts will begin next week afterschool out on the grass fields at 3:25pm. The schedule is as follows:
Monday, Nov 18, 2024

Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024

Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024

*If you are not cleared, you may not try out.

Parents and guardians, to report a student absence, please make sure to fill out the following form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLJrFXTi9s9G9nIzEOJSMEn2NeMLbDqMYUseHAKr5YRwJmYQ/viewform.

For any absences extending to 5 or more school days, please contact Ana.Monge@sweetwaterschools.org, our Attendance Coordinator, to complete an short-term independence study contract.

Please contact Ms. Rubi.deleon@sweetwaterschools.org, our attendance technician, to report any attendance errors.

The Acknowledgment Corner will be continued to be used to highlight and celebrate our students at any opportunity that we can! If you would like your student acknowledged for something we may not be aware of, please feel free to contact me (include a picture or video if possible).

Nominated by Coach Beck, Nikolas Dallaris. Nikolas continues to earn excellent marks in all catergories for Physical Education. Nikolas is a pleasure to have in class. I am very proud of his efforts! Congratulations Nikolas Dallaris! Picture is forthcoming! #IBProfile#Communicators#IBCandidateSchool#BVM

Nominated by Mr. Claudio, Harlo Armatis. I would like to nominate Harlow Armatis for her exceptional leadership and outstanding contributions to the Drone Club. Through her technical expertise, and dedication, she has not only advanced the club's projects but also inspired her peers to push boundaries of drone technology. She consistently arrives on time. The last meeting she was able to troubleshoot our drone configuration and got out our drone flying. Her passion, teamwork, and commitment to excellence make her a role model for future leaders of STEM! Let's go BVM!!!

Nominated by Mr. Atwood, Alissa Martinez. Alissa Martinez is a wonderful student in our "Crusader Chorale" choir class. They are attentive every day, welcoming to newer students in the ensemble,a nd just a positive presence overall. Alissa provides an example for the other choir members to follow, and always finds a way to brighten up the room with their smile and mad piano playing skills!

Our 8th Grade AVID Excel students had a wonderful opportunity to visit San Diego State University this past week. The AVID Excel class is designed to support students who are working toward mastering the four domains of the English language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. By providing this valuable experience, we aim to inspire our AVID Excel students with the long-term goal of pursuing higher education while also reinforcing our belief in their educational journey and our high expectations for them. Thank you to Ms. Monge for creating these wonderful opportunities for our students and thank you to Ms. Leonhardt for helping chaperone this event.

Our student-athletes concluded their final day of soccer tryouts with an inner-squad scrimmage, pitting the 7th graders against the 8th graders. Our coaches will face some tough decisions as they determine who will earn the opportunity to represent this year’s BVM Girls Soccer Team. Over the past 10 years, our Girls Soccer Team has proudly brought home 5 championship banners! Final cuts will be posted this Monday near the girls' PE locker room. Good luck to our students trying out for the girls soccer team!

Our BVM dancers had the exciting opportunity this past Thursday to attend a demonstration and performance by the San Diego Ballet! We hope that field trips like these will inspire our students to pursue their passions and interests. Additionally, we want to reinforce our strong belief in their success and communicate our high expectations for them. Thank you to Ms. Timmons, who also teaches at Bonita Vista High School, for creating these wonderful opportunities for our students.

Ms. Timmons, our BVM/BVHS Dance Director and Teacher, also works for the The California Arts Project. This past week she had the opportunity to provide professional development and work with elementary school teachers to better integrate dance education and units into their curriculum. She is a strong Arts Advocate at BVM, BVHS, the SUHSD district, and the State of California. We are lucky to have her on our campus and we are grateful for Ms. Timmons!

Character building is embedded in an IB education. We want our students to learn and embody 10 Learner Profiles (See attachment below). Our Fourth Learner Profile: BALANCED: We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives— intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others.

Focusing on the intellectual, physical and emotional in order to achieve well being for themselves and others. We would like for our students to recognize their interdependence with other people and with the world in which they live

You can email me pictures and stories of how your student has exemplified being BALANCED if you'd like your student to be featured in our weekly newsletter: alexander.salazar-arbelaez@sweetwaterschools.org.

IB Learner Profile Balanced: We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives— intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependencewith other people and with the world in which we live.

Let's celebrate Ms. Veronica Sandoval for her outstanding leadership in our counseling department at Bonita Vista Middle School. As our head counselor, she has played a pivotal role in introducing Social Emotional Lessons on Anti-Bullying, Empathy, and Acts of Kindness to all our students. Ms. Sandoval's hard work and dedication have made her one of the strongest pillars of our leadership team, and we are grateful for her unwavering support for both our students and staff. Let's keep shining, BVM!

We understand that with busy schedules and different work commitments, finding time to eat together can be challenging. However, research shows that teens and kids who share meals with their families regularly are significantly more likely to achieve excellent grades—up to 40% more likely to earn A's and B's compared to those who have fewer family dinners each week.

At BVM, we encourage you to prioritize family meals, even if it’s just on weekends or during holidays. These moments you share around the table can strengthen your family bond and create great memories, fostering communication and support.

We recognize that every family's situation is unique, and even a few shared meals can make a big difference. So, let’s celebrate those opportunities to come together, nourish our bodies, and deepen our connections whenever we can. Thank you for your efforts to make family time a priority!

WishWell presents Family Circles at Bonita Vista Middle School—an innovative series of workshops designed to enhance trust, connection, and communication between parents and children. Please join us for our upcoming workshop Thursday, November 21st from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Families will be treated to Pizza for Dinner while they enjoyed having a space, time, and a facilitator work with them and their student on buidling trust and growing closer with your child(ren).

Make sure to sign up for our up and coming workshops! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxH9o6MjcwKWycIqOGf5i-BntHnGL_q2MNzR2ZKuJbHYdgng/viewform.

Reach out and communicate with us!

Email: alexander.salazar-arbelaez@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: http://bvm.sweetwaterschools.org/
Location: 650 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619-397-2200
Twitter: @BVM_Principal