Berea-Midpark Middle School

The Berea City School District is a diverse community dedicated to inspiring lives of character, learning, leadership, and service.

Greetings BMMS Families!

I sincerely hope each and every one of you enjoyed a great summer with family and friends. For the first time in several summers I feel like the weather cooperated (prior to last week's storms) and my family was able to enjoy lots of fun and togetherness at the city pool and backyard camp outs!

I am very excited to welcome our students and staff back to the 24-25 school year at BMMS, where we demonstrate respect, responsibility, and safety as we pursue excellence, live with integrity, and act with a purpose because we are TITANS!! I'm excited to begin my 3rd year at BMMS to continue to get to know, work with, and support all of our Titan families through these important middle school years.

Our building goals this year include:

1. To continue to cultivate an environment of shared accountability where kids are excited to attend school, to engage in the learning process, and to proudly declare “I am a Titan” through their words and their actions.

2. To focus and strengthen our academic programming to support the BCSD Strategic Plan and our vision of the Portrait of a Titan to increase student achievement for all students.

3. To cultivate our community partnerships to enhance deeper learning opportunities for our students.

I would like to welcome the following staff members new to the district and / or BMMS this year!

• Maelei Williams (6th grade - intervention)
• Elliott Gowdy (6th grade - science)
• Lisa Hixson (7th grade - social studies)
• Hannah Stroh (7th grade - intervention)
• Max Rauch (7th grade - science & social studies)
• Jessica Carroll (7th grade - math)
• Kevin Yurik (8th grade - ELA)
• Jayci Cristaudo (8th grade - intervention)
• Nicholas Crevda (8th grade - intervention)
• Samantha Cooper (Community-Based Resource Room)
• Rachel Dalessandro (Behavior-Based Resource Room)
• Jim Bycznski (Art - shared with BMHS)
• Dan LaRocco (Health & PE - shared with BMHS)
• Adam Sampson (Music - shared with BMHS)
• Kristin Brandyberry (Music previously at BPE)
• Lucy Ingram (Speech)

In addition, I want to be sure to highlight the grade-level leadership. As always, the school counselors "move" grades with their students throughout their time at BMMS, and the assistant principals remain with their assigned grades. The primary grade-level contacts are:

• 5th Grade Assistant Principal: Lori Hurst
• 5th Grade Counselor: Kathryn Thompson
• 6th Grade Assistant Principal: Amanda Prok
• 6th Grade Counselor: Dawn Sansone
• 7th Grade Assistant Principal: Nicholas Hall
• 7th Grade Counselor: Lori Getz
• Principal: Lynda MacQuarrie
• 8th Grade Counselor: Larissa Collins

I would like to remind families of our goal to "streamline" our communication to families is our "Team / Teacher" pages. This is a "one-stop" landing page for students and families to access team websites, which include all contact information for teachers and a weekly calendar of assignments, tests / quizzes, and other important dates for teams to share. These will continue to be a work in progress until the first day of school, but families can rely on these calendars to be updated by 8:00am the first day of the week with all the information needed for that week!

Finally, I want to thank or fantastic custodial and maintenance staff as it once again has been an extremely busy summer at BMMS, and they have again risen to the occasion and the building looks AMAZING and ready to welcome our students next week. Some highlights of the work done this summer are listed below later in this newsletter.

I'm looking forward to a great year at BMMS. Throughout the year, if you have any compliments, questions, or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me or any BMMS staff member! Office staff and contact information is listed at the bottom of this and every family newsletter!

Timothy Velotta, Principal

• 8/19 - 6-8 Schedule Walk & Supply Drop-off (4:30 - 6:30)
• 8/20 - 1st Day of School
• 8/22 - 6th Grade Camp Mi-Bro-Be Info meeting (6:30pm - virtual) (see camp website for details: https://www.berea.k12.oh.us/programs/camp-mi-bro-be)
• 8/27 - BMMS Picture Day
• 8/28 - BMMS Meet the Teachers (5:00pm - 7:15pm)

8:00 a.m. - 3:05 p.m.

Doors Open:

7:40 for car riders on 6-8 side and students report to the cafeteria until 7:50

7:50 for car riders on 5th grade side and report straight to classrooms (breakfast is grab-n-go)

7:50 for buses - grab breakfast and report straight to classrooms

HERE is the 2024-25 Berea City School District Information Guide! Inside, you'll find our school directory and hours, information about health services, nutrition services, Infinite Campus, procedures for school closings and delays, our before and after care program, transportation services, back-to-school important dates, and a listing of contacts for specific departments and topics. This guide is your quick reference for key information, ensuring you have the resources and contacts you need for a successful school year.

Have you updated your OLR for the 2024-2025 school year? This needs to be done every year. If you have not done the update this year you will not be able to receive a printed schedule, and more importantly, your child(ren) may not be able to participate in certain trips, incentives, activities, etc. PLEASE get this taken care of ASAP!

Please see attached video HERE to view a step by step instructional video on how to do the update; or CLICK HERE for printed step-by-step instruction. Please note that updates CAN NOT be completed successfully on cell phones or tablets.

In the District August a newsletter we shared that all students will receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income as a part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program.

Also in that newsletter there was a link for what we have called in the past our Share Form. It is now referred to as our Income Eligibility Verification Application Form. It is not an interactive form so this must be printed out and brought to the BMMS Main Office.

Families are asked and encouraged to complete the Income Eligibility Verification Application (must be printed and filled out) to access additional benefits, including increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies; discounts on fees for academic assessments; and access to local scholarships, tuition assistance for dual credit and AP courses, and discounts on college application fees. By completing the application, you help the district continue to provide valuable resources and opportunities for every student.

Student schedules are set to launch midday on Thursday, August 15. We understand students have accessed what they believe to be schedules through some workarounds in Infinite Campus, but please know that schedules are not finalized and continue to be updated over the next few days.

This year, all students and families must access their schedules through Infinite Campus - we will not automatically be printing schedules for every student. Please use the IC Parent Portal to access the schedule for your child(ren) beginning Thursday afternoon. If you need assistance accessing Infinite Campus, please contact the main office.

On Monday, August 19, from 4:30 - 6:30pm, the middle school building will be open for 6-8 grade students and families to walk the building, locate classrooms, drop-off supplies in assigned lockers, etc. Students who bought locks last year will be able to use those same locks this year. If you did not buy a lock last year and want to this year, you will be able to do so in the main office for $7. Please note that only BCSD-purchased locks can be used on lockers.

If you need a paper copy of your schedule that night, please report to the main cafeteria where you will be asked to fist complete the Infinite Campus Annual Update (ORL) in order to receive a paper copy of the student schedule.

5th graders received a copy of their schedule when they left WEB orientation Tuesday, 8/13.

Contains:

• contact information
• general district & building info
• procedures & guidelines
• Code of Conduct

The handbook is also linked at the bottom of every BMMS Family Newsletter!

All BMMS students who reside more than 1.5 miles from school are assigned to a bus route.

Bus information is available in the Stopfinder App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

1. Activate your subscription through the invitation email received from Transfinder. If you did not receive an email, please contact the BCSD Transportation Department at 216-898-8301 or berea_trans@bereaschools.org
   
2. Download and install the Stopfinder app
   
3. View your student's schedule

** please be sure your child knows his or her route letter**

Please complete this form for each student in your household who will NOT be utilizing BCSD bus transportation: https://forms.gle/HSCRG2T3t5BPfLk29

Transportation Frequently Asked Questions

AM Drop-Off

Doors open on the main side of the building at 7:40am, and on the 5th grade side off Middlebrook at 7:50am. HERE is a video outlining this same traffic pattern that has been in place at BMMS.

PM Pick-Up

5th graders will be ending the school day in special area classes in the main side of the building. Due to this, all car rider pick-up will be in the auditorium and flag pole loops - there will be no separate 5th grade pick-up and traffic will not be able to enter campus from Middlebrook - this will be for busses only.

To aide the traffic flow on Paula Drive, from 3:05 - 3:15pm, we will be working with the Middleburg Heights Police Department to enforce the following traffic patterns:

• vehicles exiting the auditorium lot (red arrow on the map below) will only be able to turn left (heading north) onto Paula Dr.
• vehicles exiting the flag pool loop (black arrows on the map below) will ONLY be able to turn right (heading south) onto Paula Dr.

When picking up, please use the entire area marked with cones, and pull all the way. Once the cones and sidewalk areas are full, we will line cars up in the sports center parking lot in rows and you will pull forward as traffic clears.

WE STRONGLY ENCORAUGE FAMILIES TO UTILIZE SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION WHEN AVAILABLE!!

We will be hosting meet the teacher night at BMMS on Wednesday, August 28, from 5:00pm - 7:15pm.

When you arrive on the 28th, there will be no formal presentations from teachers, but they will be available for informal greetings and to show you your child’s learning space and answer any questions!

Prior to this date, we will send a building-wide e-mail with links to video presentations of classroom and team-specific details that can be saved and referenced throughout the year.

7th Grade Immunization Requirements

By the start of this school year, all seventh graders are required to have a Tdap AND a meningitis shot. Parents must provide the school with written verification of both of these vaccinations from their child’s healthcare provider. Failure to do so may result in exclusion from school. This requirement is a state law. Parents should contact their child’s physician now to see if their child has already had these shots or to make arrangements to receive them.

More information can be found on the Health Services page of the BCSD Website

Health Forms / Medical Plans

Please remember that all medical action plans and prescription treatment authorizations must be updated at the beginning of each school year. Without these updated forms, signed by a medical professional, the clinic cannot accept medications for students.

Please see the Health Forms section of the BCSD website for additional information.

This past spring, as a District we shared our revised Grading Practices for the upcoming school year. These guidelines are the result of two years of work and research by approximately 30 teachers and administrators in the district. Our goal was to revise our practices to ensure grading is equitable, fair, and reflective of student academic mastery. We are proud of the team's work and believe these revised practices will foster growth and learning for all students. To prepare families for the changes, we have developed a video explaining each component of the guidelines. A copy of the Grading Practices Guidelines is also linked below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr. Nick Discenza, Director of Academic Affairs via e-mail at ndiscenza@bereaschools.org.

HERE is the information that had been previously shared with all families regarding 6th grade camp.

HERE is the Mi-Bro-Be Website, which can always be found off the BMMS District Page!

Camp payments are due September 6, 2024.

Picture is is early this year. We will have student picture day on August 27, 2024. If you want to order pictures please go to Cavanaugh photos website. https://cavanaughphoto.com/

Returning 6th - 8th graders are asked to to be sure to charge and power-on your device to be sure there are no issues. If there are issues with your school-issued device, students or parents can drop off clearly-labeled chromebooks in the main office during regular hours.

Please fill out a HESK help ticket before or at the time of drop off.

ALL students should review THESE Chromebook Care & Use slides.

Middle School students will again be hosted at Big Creek elementary this fall. Please contact Right at School with any questions!

Smile Dentists will be coming again to BMMS in the 2024-2025 School year. If you would like to register your student please visit http://www.myschooldentist.com/BKBCOH_schsrm to register online. The dentist will be here on 9/18, 9/19, 9/20, as well as dates in March, 2025. Please see Brandy Hemann in the main office for any questions or if you would like a paper copy.

The Berea City School District, in partnership with Southwest General Health Center, proudly presents our first annual WELLfest, a health and wellness festival.

WELLfest is a FREE community wellness festival with a mission to celebrate healthy living by bringing members of our community together for a day of holistic wellness.

We are proud to host our first annual event, dedicated to providing the information and building blocks to help our community make the right decisions to better their health and wellness on a daily basis. Mark your calendar!

September 28, 2024

10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Berea-Midpark High School

165 East Bagley Road, Berea

Berea-Midpark Middle School

Location: 7000 Paula Drive, Middleburg Heights, OH, USA
Main Office Phone: 216-676-8400

5th Grade Office Phone: 216-898-8309

Website: www.berea.k12.oh.us

Attendance Line: 216-676-0913

Athletic Hotline: 216-898-8701

BCSD Transportation: 216-898-8301

Facebook: facebook.com/BereaMidparkMiddleSchool
Twitter: @BmmsTitans

Principal: Timothy Velotta

5th Grade Assistant Principal: Lori Hurst

5th Grade Counselor: Kathryn Thompson

6th Grade Assistant Principal: Amanda Prok

6th Grade Counselor: Dawn Sansone

7th Grade Assistant Principal: Nicholas Hall

7th Grade Counselor: Lori Getz

8th Grade Assistant Principal: Lynda MacQuarrie

8th Grade Counselor: Larissa Collins

5 / 6 School Psychologist: Julie Harlan

7 / 8 School Psychologist: Laura McGuinness

BMMS Nurses:

Linda Price, Tanya Santana, Christine Martincic

BMMS Athletic Director: Myranda Rowland