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BIDDEFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

September 29, 2021

BIDDEFORD MIDDLESCHOOL NEWSLETTERSeptember 29, 2021

Good Afternoon Parents & Guardians,

The opening few weeks to school have come and gone rather quickly, and it has been a wonderful month having our students back to school "in-person" five days a week. Our students have worked hard at establishing "Codes of Cooperation" in each grade level and in every classroom.


As the month of September passes and we move into October, it is time to begin thinking about the winter months and how we can prepare our families and community for the colder times ahead. You will notice that we are offering a flu clinic later this week. There are still plenty of openings for those students who would like to get this vaccine while at school.


Pooled Testing will begin in our school next week. As Superintendent Ray referenced in his update last week, Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah noted the Delta variant seems to be infecting children at a higher rate than adults with overall cases at their highest rate since January. Our district is encouraging parents to enroll their child in pooled testing as those participants would be exempt from quarantine in the classroom, bus, and school-related sports and activities should they be identified as a close contact. If you have not yet completed the consent form and would like your child to participate, please see the information below and utilize our school-specific code.


As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff with questions or concerns.


Sincerely,

Mr. Scott Descoteaux

Principal - Biddeford Middle School

BMS Students work on Code of Cooperation

At Biddeford Middle School, we are committed to maintaining a supportive and orderly school environment in order to provide quality education. In this environment, students will develop into ethical, responsible, and involved citizens. We believe that each member of our school community should take responsibility for his/her own behavior.


Have a look at how Biddeford Middle School develops a community of learners built on respect, responsibility, and perseverance.

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6th Grade Students from the Burnt Island Team work on developing a "Code of Cooperation at Biddeford Middle School.
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NWEA Test

The Biddeford School Department uses "NWEA" as its local assessment system.

The NWEA test is a computer-based adaptive test that helps teachers understand a student’s areas of strength and areas for growth. This means that the test adapts as each student answers questions correctly or incorrectly to try to identify their current achievement level. Making sure students eat breakfast and are well-rested on test day can help them to do their very best. Please reach out if there are any additional questions regarding NWEA testing.

The scores from this test become very important to our school and to the educational development of your child.


Our school intends to use this data in the following ways:

  • Measure individual student gaps that currently exist.

  • Help to inform our path of instruction in both small groups and individual planning.

  • Plan for future interventions - aiming to help specific students close gaps in existing skills (Please read below).

  • Measure our success as a school and district both with in-person instruction and remote learning.


Our testing dates and schedule at Biddeford Middle School is as follows:
Reading:

  • Test Date: Monday, October 4th during Tiger Time
  • Make-Up: October 6th & 7th.


Math:

  • Test Date: Tuesday, October 5th during Tiger Time
  • Make-Up: October 6th & 7th.


Should you have any questions about the NWEA or about testing logistics, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Doors Open/Arrival: 8:20AM

Late Bell/Tardy: 8:30AM

Dismissal: 2:45PM - 2:50PM

Early Release: 12:50PM


  • October 6: Early Release - 12:50 dismissal
  • October 8: No School - Professional Development
  • October 11: No School - Indigenous Peoples Day
  • October 14: BMS Picture Re-Take Day

LUNCH and "A La Carte"

Many parents have asked, "Isn't lunch free this year? And if so, why is my child asking to put money on their account?"


Yes, the district is offering both breakfast and lunch to all our students for no cost again this year. However, many students are interested in purchasing additional items that are not included in the free meal provided. These additional items are considered to be part of our "A La Carte" menu (hamburgers, pizza, snacks, potato chips, ice cream, juices, and deserts). Students would need money on their accounts to purchase these types of items.


For more information about our Lunch Program, please click on the link below.

WATER BOTTLES

It is a very good idea for students to bring in their own water bottle to drink from each day.

We do have refillable water stations that students can access to get additional water throughout the day.

POOLED TESTING CONSENT

Consents are required to be enrolled in pooled testing (One Form Per Child).


  • Click Here to Complete the Online Consent Form

  • Enter this Access Code specific to Biddeford Middle School: QFR9CW
    8th Graders who attend BHS should use the BHS school-specific code (see email)

  • Finally, enter your child’s information, and you’re done!


PLEASE NOTE: Pooled Testing consent is SEPARATE from the BinaxNOW Consent parents completed when registering. Parents may also contact the school directly if they require a printed form be sent home.

NURSING NEWS: Pooled Testing, Consents, and More!
CLICK HERE FOR CONSENT FORMS AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POOLED TESTING, QUARANTINE EXCEPTIONS, IMMUNIZATIONS, MEDICATIONS, AND MORE!

MAKE AN IMPACT ON YOUTH IN YOUR COMMUNITY

As with many other school districts and businesses throughout Maine, we are experiencing a labor shortage among certain positions (specific to our district: bus drivers, substitutes, Ed Techs, and custodians). This shortage has been magnified by the rising competitive wages to attract employees, a lack of available child care options, and concerns around COVID-exposure. Yet, according to a recent New York Times article written by M.I.T. Economics Professor David Autor, many Americans are simply “deciding instead that more time on family, education, and leisure makes for a higher standard of living.”


Here is the good news! The open positions that schools offer not only fulfill the fundamental human need of significance (feel our lives have meaning and we are important) but also allow for a schedule that prioritizes more time for the areas noted above that improve your standard of living. For example, imagine a child’s face light up when an Ed Tech patiently guides a student through a task which ultimately enables them to read on their own or the impact a bus driver has on a child who struggles connecting with others as they consistently provide that smile for the first encounter of the child’s school day. This is what schools bring to the table in addition to school-year schedules and part-time or split schedules. We hope parents will consider applying for, or sharing with friends, the open positions we are trying to fill. Simply click below to apply or call the Superintendent’s Office and ask for Human Resources.
BMS Technology Help
Please visit the BMS Technology Help webpage for a quick tutorial to many of the platforms and software programs used at Biddeford Middle School.