BRMS October Family Newsletter

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Hello Badger Ridge Families,

It is October, and we are approaching the end of Quarter 1! It has been a great month from conferences to fall sports and watching students settle into the school year. This newsletter holds information about several things such as a family survey, additional information about student planners, staff appreciation, and more. As always, please feel free to reach out to us should you have any questions about the information in this newsletter.

Sincerely,

The Badger Ridge Principal Team

• October 29th - Picture Retake Day

• October 29th - Last day for assignments to be turned in for Quarter 1

• November 1st - End of Quarter 1

• November 1st - Native American Heritage Month

• November 5th - Election Day

• November 11th - Veterans Day

• November 20th - 8th Grade FutureQUEST field trip

• November 27th - 28th - No School

Star Testing

Students completed their Fall Star assessments and their results will be mailed home to you all in the next couple weeks. Star is our district wide universal screener in reading and math and our students in TWI also take Star reading in Spanish. We will take these assessments again in the winter and spring to monitor progress.

The Why: We are committed to improving our systems of two-way communication about your child’s school experience, developing systems that foster family connection and engagement, and supporting connections between home, school and community. This survey also gathers information from BRMS families to determine what needs and gaps in services exist in our school community, in order to develop school-based partnerships, programming and services.

Gratitude: We are shooting for 100% participation (from the caregivers of each of our students). Because we value your time, we want to extend gratitude for those who take the survey by giving all the opportunity to be entered in a drawing to win prizes! These gifts include: gift cards, grocery vouchers, restaurant cards, and other fun items. We will also be holding an advisory challenge for students. The advisory with the most caregivers who took the survey will win a donut party!

Deadlines: Here is the link to the survey. All survey responses must be completed and submitted by November 26, 2024.

​​We want to inform you of our school's approach to Halloween celebrations. We have made the decision not to observe Halloween at school or during the school day. As a result, we kindly request that students refrain from wearing Halloween costumes or masks to school. This measure is in place to ensure that all students feel included and safe. We appreciate your understanding and support in fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all of our students. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us.

This is a friendly reminder that all students must have any outstanding assignments for 1st quarter turned into their teachers by October 29th. The quarter ends on November 1st. This gives our teachers adequate time to accurately grade and report all student work into the grading system for final standards based grades. Report cards will be ready for caregiver viewing after November 6th.

FutureQuest is an opportunity for all Eighth Grade students from BRMS and CKCS to interact with professionals from all career clusters. FutureQuest will help students achieve middle school academic and career planning (ACP) performance expectations by engaging in hands-on activities that will help them align their interests, high school course selections, and needed skills with local companies within the 16 career clusters. This year, FutureQuest will be on November 20th. Stay tuned for more logistical details and the permission form as we would like to invite parents to join us to chaperone this Academic/Career Planning activity.

As a result of participation in FutureQuest, students will gain:

• hands-on experience and interactive career cluster exploration led by career professionals;

• knowledge of personal characteristics, interests, aptitudes, and skills needed in different career cluster areas;

• an understanding of the relationship between school performance and future career choices;

• advice on how to obtain skills needed in various careers;

• an understanding of responsibilities for individuals in different occupations; and

• an understanding of personal goal-setting and decision-making next steps.

This is a friendly reminder to read the letter than was shared with families on October 8th regarding safety concerns with students on bikes and electronic scooters. This letter is also attached here for your reference.

Is your student bringing ibuprofen or Tylenol to school in their backpack? If so, please make sure to review the Verona Area School District’s medication policy and complete the parent medication consent form. Medication that is not reported to the nurse will be held until a parent picks it up or the medication consent form is completed.

• VASD Medication Policy and Procedure

• Parent Medication Consent Form English / Español

• Prescriber Form for Prescription Medication

Verona Area School District is partnering with Verona Smiles to provide free dental x-rays and diagnostic services at school! If you have not registered your student for Verona Smiles this school year, you still can by completing this Google Form: Verona Smiles enrollment.

Verona Area School District continues to partner with Bridging Brighter Smiles to provide preventative dental care at school. Registration remains active for 2-3 years. If you have not registered or re-registered recently on the Bridging Brighter Smiles website, your student may no longer be registered. You can still register or re-register your student to receive preventative dental care for this school year here: Bridging Brighter Smiles enrollment. If you have questions about the program or your student’s enrollment status, contact Bridging Brighter Smiles at wecare@bbsmiles.org.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has implemented an update to the school immunization requirements. Please review this memo. If your student is in need of immunizations there will be two Vaccine clinics October 15th and October 26th. If you have any questions, please contact Annie Brandt brandtm@verona.12.wi.us (BRMS School Nurse).

When deciding if your student is well enough to be at school during an illness, please reference this document, that can also be found on our website.

The first shout out for students participating in affinity groups/extracurricular activities are our students in Latinx Familia Affinity Group! The goal of the group is to give students a safe space to build community and develop leadership skills. During Hispanic Hispanic Heritage Month, students created slideshows about themselves and culture. Students also attended the homecoming parade to represent Badger Ridge and the affinity group! Students who are a part of the Latinx Familia are a part of a supportive environment where students feel heard and valued, which is crucial for their personal and academic growth. The Latinx group’s commitment to self-expression and open dialogue fosters a sense of community and belonging. Check them out below!

Winter sports will be starting soon! If your child is interested in participating in Boys Basketball (7th and 8th grade only) or Wrestling (Grades 6-8 ), you can register them online at the athletics website. The first practice for Boys Basketball and Wrestling will be on Monday, October 21st. Basketball practice site BRMS Gym. Wrestling Practice site Sugar Creek small gym.

8th grade boys coaches

Mark Happel- happelm@verona.k12.wi.us

Dave Nelson- nelsond@verona.k12.wi.us

7 grade boys coaches

Vernon Brown- brownv@verona.k12.wi.us

Connor Sisel- siselc@verona.k12.wi.us

Wrestling Coaches

Mark Premo- mpremo@uwalumni.com

Jordan Sand- jordanmarshallsand@gmail.com

Please be sure your child has an updated physical that can be uploaded to their registration. Physicals before April 1st 2023 are not VALID and will not be accepted. Due to nationwide bus shortages there will be NO BUSES for away games. Parents are responsible for transporting their child to and from all away games. Carpooling is encouraged!

Any Questions about BRMS/CKMS Athletics please contact us.

Athletic Director Curtrel Robinson- Robinsoc@verona.k12.wi.us

Athletic Secretary Brenda Covarrubias- covarrub@verona.k12.wi.us

Our focus expectation in September was In Class, On Time, All the Time. Students were acknowledged with Paws Up that has this wording, and we had three advisories (one at each grade level) who won a pancake breakfast for having the fewest collective tradies. Our average daily attendance is currently at 94.9%.

October is Bullying Awareness Month. This month, and always, we all need to partner together to help our students make decisions that show kindness and understanding. We are providing Paws Up when we students demonstrate kind behaviors, and there are “secret missions” which students are working towards achieving. The advisory at each grade with the most missions accomplished will receive some awesome Badger Ridge gear!

Our students have had their first month of learning using the 7 Mindsets curriculum. Over the past month, they have engaged with the mindset of “Everything is Possible / Español”. This mindsets encourages our students to dream big and reflect on how they can achieve those goals. Over the next four to five weeks students will be focusing on the mindset of “Passion First / Español”. The activities within this unit provides opportunities for students to increase self-awareness by exploring their interests and thinking about their values. If you are interested in learning more about either mindset, please click the link embedded in the name of the mindset.

Our 7th and 8th grade students participated in a climate survey earlier this month. We are incredibly appreciative of our scholars being vulnerable and sharing their feedback. We saw increases in students indicating they agree or strongly agree with the following questions

• I am treated with kindness at this school.

• I am aware of and understand the Power 6 expectations.

Our PBIS team will work to review the data for areas of growth and develop actionable steps associated with those areas. For additional questions, please reach out to Olivia Berch, Dean of Students (bercho@verona.k12.wi.us).

We have had an uptick of students reporting engaging in video and photo roulette. This is an extremely concerning practice in which you are paired with a stranger to either chat or get on a video with. One common site used for this purpose is called Omegle. If you are interested in learning more, this YouTube video shows the platform.

We encourage you to speak with your scholar about internet safety and the dangers associated with talking to strangers online. We will continue to reach out to families when students report this type of behavior and will continue to provide Digital Citizenship lessons throughout the year.

Last month we introduced Restorative Practices and Restorative circles to all grade levels during their advisory. Restorative Circles are multi-faceted as they can be used to address conflict, establish/reset the classroom expectations, discuss academic content, provide feedback, and build community. Some key components to the circle process: be in a circle, have a talking piece, community agreements, discussion rounds, check out, and closing.

In addition below is BRMS student data. The Circle graph is a small sample size but students are stating that they understand the key elements of a circle process. 75 said yes, 53 said somewhat, and 6 said no. Also we have had some repairing harm circles and the quotes are from students reflecting on their experience. We believe these are life and social emotional skill development. Students learning how to build, maintain, and/or repair relationships.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Although we work to promote kindness every month at BRMS, this month we promote activities that focus specifically on inclusion, kindness, and acceptance. The Student Services Team worked this month to share student presentations with learning objectives of having students define bullying and harassment, understanding how to respond to bullying in a socially appropriate way, and identifying a trusted adult to report any incidents. We encourage you to speak to your child about setting healthy boundaries and communicating with adults if others are treating them negatively.

We are so excited to share that we have school-wide planners for all BRMS students this year! Students received them in the first week of school, and the expectation is that they are filling out their planner for each class every day. They must write about the topic of the class and the task they are working on that day. Students will be bringing their planners home every other week to have you review it and bring them back to school with your signature. This signature from home will be an entry into a drawing for a prize or other individual or class rewards. Students will be bringing them home the weekend of the 25th, so keep an eye out for them in their backpacks!

• The “O” in AVID’s WICOR stands for Organization; it is an essential skill for college and career readiness.

• Organization is not just about the ability to organize and manage “stuff”; it is also the ability to organize and manage learning and self.

• Students who organize…

• Self-direct, self-evaluate, self-monitor, and self-advocate to reach academic goals

• Develop and use tools to organize thinking, resources, and time

• Develop and use processes, procedures, and tools to study effectively

• Prepare for rigorous courses and engage fully in instruction

We are looking for volunteers to support students and staff in various capacities throughout the school year! If you are interested in volunteering, please explore our volunteer opportunities and complete a volunteer application and background check. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Hall, School Social Worker, at halls@verona.k12.wi.us or (608)845-4408.

If you have questions about community resources or holiday support, please contact Sarah Hall, School Social Worker, o:(608)845-4408 or c:(608) 618-2628 or by email at halls@verona.k12.wi.us.

Thanksgiving food items will be distributed during regular pantry visits between Wednesday, November 13 and Tuesday, November 26. One visit per household. New pantry guests are required to register during their first visit using identification for each family member and proof of address by arriving 15 minutes before the pantry opens. BPNN will distribute whole turkeys & turkey breasts, apple & pumpkin pies, frozen croissant rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, butter, canned fruit, cornbread muffin mix and fresh produce. Pantry Hours are TUES: 10a-12p, WED: 6-8p, THURS: 10a-6:30p, FRI: 10a-12p, SAT: 10a-12:30p at 1200 E. Verona Ave, Verona, WI. For more information, call 608-848-2499 or visit BPNN’s website

Registration Link available now.

Neighborhood House: 29 S. Mills St., Madison, WI

Monday, November 25th, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Neighborhood House can accommodate an alternate pick-up time.

This year, Toys for Tots will be available to VASD to families through a collaboration with Badger Prairie Needs Network. Toys are available for children aged 0-14.

Registration Link available now.

Registration deadline: November 5th, 11:59 PM

Distribution: December 13th, 2:00 - 7:00 PM

Badger Prairie Needs Network

1200 E. Verona Ave., Verona WI

Registration Link available beginning November 4th.

Registration deadline: December 4th

Distribution: December 11-12th, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Alliant Energy Center

Are you in need of support with holiday gifts for your family? Register here by December 2. Gifts will be distributed at Verona Area High School in mid-December. Distribution information will be shared with families after registration. We are also accepting holiday gift and gift card donations through December 9th at any VASD school site.