Badger Middle School Newsletter

Hello Badger Middle School Students and Families,

I'd like to take this space to formally invite you to Conferences on Thursday, 10/17 from 4-8 PM. We hope that you will drop in as it's convenient for you, and visit with staff you hope to see. We know how busy it can get for families trying to see teachers at multiple schools while also managing dinner too, so please join us for a bite to eat too!

Shout out to Mrs. King and Mrs. Goetz's 7th Grade Language Arts class for taking a brief selfie break from their work creating theme statements!

Thank you so much for the continued support and feel free to reach out to me any time.

Sincerely,

Patrick O'Connor

Principal

Badger Middle School

(262) 335-5456

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held at Badger Middle School on Thursday, October 17, 2024. from 4 PM to 8 PM.

Conferences are “open” meaning you don’t need to sign up for a specific time- just arrive when you can!

If you have an immediate need, I encourage you to reach out to staff directly any time to communicate.

We hope you'll take the opportunity to visit with our staff during meal times in the cafeteria.

We have scheduled out the staff in the following way so you know who will be in the cafeteria at what time. Please note, this means if you are looking to speak with a specific staff member about your student's progress, you will want to work around their meal time.

Staff Dinner Schedule

5-5:30

Science

Art

PE/Health

5:30-6

Social Studies

STEM

Business

Interventionists

6-6:30

Math

Music

Special Education

6:30-7

Language Arts

Foreign Language

Congrats to our most recent Students of the Week.

Students are selected based on their contributions to the school, excellence in the classroom, and their positive impact on others. Each week, 6 staff members are chosen at random to nominate a student who shows these qualities.

With great students like these in our hallways, the future is looking bright!

Staff of the Week are nominated by students or staff. See the most recent staff of the week below.

We are proud of our hardworking, caring staff!

There is no school in the West Bend School District on Friday, October 18th.

The full school district calendar can be found here.

On Thursday, 10/17, we will run an Assembly Schedule. At the end of the day, students will report to the each house will attend their resource. During resource, students will complete a grade reflection document, which may be used to facilitate conversations at conferences. Houses will also take their "House Picture" for their house banner.

Here's a Preview of upcoming Second Step Lessons:

10/16/2024

Grade 7

Lesson 2: Creating New Pathways in Your Brain

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that intelligence is not fixed; their brain actually makes new connections and their skills and abilities develop when they practice difficult things.

Question: Tell your child about a time you had to learn something challenging and explain how you persisted in learning it. Ask your child if there’s anything they would like to learn to do this year.

Grade 8

Lesson 2: Who Am I? My Identity

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will learn that their identity is complex. They will create an identity map that names unique and important aspects of their identity.

Question: Share your response to the following questions with your child. Then have your child and any additional family members share their responses.

1. Who am I?

2. What are the most important aspects of my identity and why?

10/23/2024

Grade 7

Lesson 3: Learning from Mistakes and Failures

Summary: In this week's lesson, your child will learn how to learn from mistakes. When your child does difficult things, they may initially make mistakes and fail, but these mistakes can be chances to learn and grow.

Question: Tell your child about a mistake you made in the past and what you learned from it. Ask your child to tell you about a mistake they made and what they learned from it.

Grade 8

Lesson 3: My Interests and Strengths

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will reflect on how they have used their personal strengths to develop an interest, skill, or ability.

Question: Tell your child about a skill, interest, or ability you have and how you developed it. Discuss the skills, attitudes, or people who helped you along the way.

10/30/2024

Grade 7

Lesson 4: Identifying Roadblocks

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will identify and distinguish between internal and external obstacles (or “roadblocks”) that can get in their way when working toward goals.

Question: Tell your child about a roadblock you encountered when you were working toward a goal, and if you had control over the roadblock.

Grade 8

Lesson 4: Harnessing My Strengths

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will choose something they’d like to get better at and think about how they could apply their unique strengths to do that.

Question: Help your child make a list of strengths they have. Ask your child about how they could use these to get better at a new skill.

11/6/2024

Grade 7

Lesson 5: Overcoming Roadblocks 1

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to use If–Then plans to overcome roadblocks. If–Then Plans help your child anticipate potential roadblocks and come up with plans for addressing them.

Question: Ask your child to explain to you what an If–Then Plan is. Work together to make a plan for how your child can respond positively to a difficult situation they might encounter at home.

Grade 8

Lesson 5: Pursuing My Interests

Summary: In this week's lesson, your child will identify and respond to positive and negative influences that may affect them while pursuing a goal.

Question: Tell your child about something positive or negative that influenced you as you were working toward a goal. For example, a friend who helped you find a job or learn a new skill. Ask your child about positive and negative factors that may influence them.

Breakfast & Lunch

To make online payments, use RevTrak: https://www.west-bend.k12.wi.us/District/14206-Untitled.html

To check the menus, go to: https://www.west-bend.k12.wi.us/District/Department/19-School-Nutrition

Halloween is coming.

Please note that we will follow school district policies, procedures and guidelines and a student will be asked to remediate costumes that do not adhere to these.

If you are planning on a costume for school, here are some more specific guidelines that apply in this context:

Appropriateness: Dress code will be adhered to.
Safety: Costumes should not hinder mobility, vision, or pose any safety risks. Avoid costumes with sharp or pointy accessories that could cause harm.
No Weapons: Avoid costumes with realistic weapons or accessories that resemble weapons. Leave toy weapons at home.
Respectful Themes: Be considerate of cultural, racial, and religious sensitivities. Avoid costumes that perpetuate stereotypes or mock any group of people.
No Gore or Graphic Violence: Steer clear of costumes that depict graphic violence, blood, or gore.
No Masks or Full-Face Coverings
Non-Disruptive: Costumes should not disrupt the learning environment. Avoid costumes that are noisy or excessively large.
Props: Avoid bringing props that are not easily stored when not in use. Props that become a distraction will be confiscated.

Remember that Halloween is meant to be a fun and festive occasion, so choose a costume that reflects your creativity and personality while respecting the guidelines set by your school. When in doubt, it's always a good idea to check with your school administration or event organizers for specific rules and recommendations.

Thank you for taking the time to review this newsletter. Below are details of how I will communicate with Badger families:

• I will use the Badger Middle School Facebook page to communicate highlights of the awesome things our students and staff are doing.

• The Badger Middle School Newsletter will be used as needed to share important dates, “big picture” messaging, and announcements of upcoming events.

• To prevent sending you numerous emails, I will try to wait on some announcements until a newsletter is ready. If there is something that families should be aware of earlier, I will send a separate email (i.e. Communications about events that significantly disrupt normal operations).

• I will call you back if you call me and leave a message.

• I will make contact through a phone call or email if you email me.

• I do not monitor any Facebook pages other than Badger’s and the West Bend School District’s. Please contact me or another member of the staff with questions or concerns.

• My goal is to be in the classrooms supporting staff, or in the halls/cafeteria supporting students as much as possible, so I am not typically available immediately during the day. I am happy to set up an appointment to meet with you to ensure my availability.

My contact information:

Patrick O'Connor

poconnor@wbsd-schools.org

Direct line: (262) 335-5456

Badger main office: (262) 335-5455

School Counselor Contact Information

7th Grade- Allison Mayer (262) 335-6244 amayer@wbsd-schools.org

8th Grade-Diane Pearce (262) 335-5449 dpearce@wbsd-schools.org

When should I contact my child’s school counselor?

Please contact us if you have concerns about your child’s:

• Behavior patterns at home or school

• Anger and frustration management skills

• Anxiety or stress level

• Relationships with others

• Friendship skills

• Self-esteem

• Coping skills related to family stress or changes

• Academic concerns or homework habits

• Transitioning to middle school and/or high school

Counselors will be checking in with students individually. This allows us to make sure the transition to the school year is going smoothly.

Students now have the opportunity to take the “late bus” if they need to stay after school for a specific reason. (Athletics/cocurriculars, help from a teacher, etc.)

The bus runs Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

The buses head over from Silverbrook at 4:10. The buses will leave from the Badger bus loading zone at 4:20.

Here are the drop off locations:

Bus 1:

Arbor Trace

Riverside Park

Fair Park Elementary

Lee & Spruce

City View Apartments

Kwik Trip on Schoenhaar and Hwy 33

Newburg Fire Department

Bus 2:

Rolling Meadows Subdivision(Quail Cr and Heron Drive)

Morning Star

Jackson Elementary

Jackson Community Center

Green Valley

Villa Park & Stanford Ln.

Daily announcements that are read over the loudspeaker in the morning can be found here.

This link will be placed at the bottom of the newsletter from now on for easy access.

Mission: We will be respectful of ourselves and each other, work together to develop integrity, persevere in the face of difficulty, and strive for excellence.

Website: http://west-bend.k12.wi.us/BMS/
Location: 727 S. 6th Ave., West Bend, WI, USA 53095
Phone: 262-335-5455
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadgerMiddleSchool/