BAM Bear Blast

The 9/15/2023 Bear Blast Edition is being resent on Monday, 9/18/2023 to include additional items in the PTSA BAMgram. Thanks!

Click the icon image below to view "The CLIMB", Brambleton's Weekly Academic Newsletter, to review upcoming activities and assessments in your student's classes.

Thank you PTSA for organizing another fun Bear Bash! While we had to pivot quickly many times with the storms, our students had so much fun and enjoyed being at school. We appreciate the PTSA chair persons for this event, PTSA board members, Parent Volunteers, Custodial Team, Admin Team & Teachers for coming out to work the event for our students and families!

Most importantly, we thank everyone that contributed to this event for raising awareness and support for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! This is a cause that is near and dear to all our hearts ❤️💙. Thank you for making an impact!

We are doing our first school wide fundraiser in quite a number of years and we need your help! The funds that we raise support many schoolwide initiatives for students, families and staff at Brambleton. While the fundraising officially begins on September 20, families can register now and get started by sharing with family and friends. Keep an eye out for packets of information coming home with students on September 20 and 21 with more information on the fundraiser and fun prizes for students! View the flyer below and click on the flyer image to be directed to SHOPFUND.com. Thank you for your support!

It is almost that time to register for the fall semester session of the Brambleton MS Club Ranger Program! See the flyer below and click on it to be directed to our BAM Club Ranger website for more detailed information. Registration opens 9/25/2023!

It is time for the student yearbook cover contest! The flyer below has been communicated and shared with students throughout announcements and posters in school. We wanted families to be aware in the event you wanted to encourage your student to participate. The flyer below has more information and is a link to the QR code. Note: The QR code and flyer link are only accessible by students when utilizing their LCPS log in.

School Picture Day is coming Wednesday September 27th (B) & Thursday September 28th (A).

• All students will get their picture taken during their Health & PE class block.
• One Exception: Students that have HPE at BAMex will get their picture taken on the day they are at BAM during their resource block.

Pictures will be available approximately two weeks following our school's photo day. Save time and Pre-order online here: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001030233#login

For questions about ordering please email underclass@vosphoto.com

For the 2023-24 school year, we will again be following the student personal device (cell phone, ear buds, headphones, laptops, etc.) usage zones at Brambleton:

Bathrooms & HPE Locker Rooms--Red Zones

Classrooms--Yellow Zones

Hallways & Cafeteria--Green Zones

Classroom teachers will be explicitly teaching students their expectations in their classrooms for usage based on the appropriate zone for their content area and individual learning activity. All classrooms will have the zones poster that you see here displayed in order to support communication and students understanding the current expectation. In addition, students participated in a "Bear Pause" lesson during advisory on the first two days of school to learn these zones. No matter the usage color zone, students are expected to follow appropriate technology use as outlined in LCPS Policy 8650: Student Technology Acceptable/Responsible Use Policy and the Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students are not permitted to use their devices to take videos or pictures at any time during the school day, unless under the direct supervision and permission of a staff member for an educational purpose.

We encourage all families to have conversations with their student about appropriate device usage and the expectations set forth. With the school-home partnership, we believe our Bear's will handle this expectation to keep CLIMBing!

During the Month of September, students will participate in district and statewide assessments. The purpose of these assessments is to provide their educators and families information about current levels that can be used to ensure that instruction is tailored to the individual needs in reading and math.

Statewide Assessments

On Tuesday September 19th ( A Day) or Wednesday September 20th ( B Day) students will take their Fall Math Virginia Growth Assessment ( VGA). This will occur during their regularly scheduled Math class.

* Please note that if your student participates in a high school level math class they will not take the Virginia Growth Assessment.

We ask for family support in ensuring that all students bring their fully charged LCPS Chromebook with them on these testing days.

LCPS’ meal payment system is called LINQ Connect (formally TITAN Family Portal). To register for a LINQ Connect account, go to LINQ Connect and click on the “Register” button in the top right corner.

At the end of last year, TITAN Family Portal, LCPS' previous meal payment system, changed to LINQ Connect. You can use the same credentials to login to LINQ Connect that you used with TITAN Family Portal. You do not need to create an account, change a password, etc.

If you used the TITAN Family Portal mobile app, you will need to download the LINQ Connect app. TITAN Family Portal mobile app will not work; however, all of your previous credentials will work in the LINQ Connect app. You can use the same credentials to log in to LINQ Connect that you used with TITAN Family Portal.

New this school year, LCPS is introducing an optional and free service for families called Lightspeed Parent Portal. Families who elect to use this service will receive weekly reports by email that list websites their student(s) are accessing when using their LCPS-issued Chromebook or laptop. For instructions, additional information and details on how to sign up, see the Lightspeed Parent Portal website.

Family Assistance Program:

If you are a family needing assistance of any kind this year, please complete the BAM Family Assistance Program Form. We have a strong community at BAM and are here to support one another. While we cannot guarantee that we can meet every need, we do our best to help. Our goal is to help families meet their needs by referring them to existing resources. To request assistance, please complete the form below:

Register for Family Assistance Program

Bears Care Program:

We have been grateful to many of our parents over the past years who have offered to join our Bears Care Program (formerly Needs Network). Families who have participated in this program have helped us to ensure our students have what they need to be successful, whether it's school supplies, clothing, grocery gift cards, holiday wish list items, or other needs that arise. If you are a family who would like to help other families within our BAM community, we are looking for volunteers who would be contacted on an as-needed basis to donate items to students and families who could benefit from assistance. To register to become a Bears Care volunteer, please complete the form below:

Register to Become a Bears Care Volunteer

If you have any questions about these programs, please contact Lauren Dauphinais, BAM's Family Liaison, at lauren.dauphinais@lcps.org. All information is kept confidential.

Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College

Brambleton Middle School parents are invited to join Eagle Ridge Middle School parents on September 27th @6:30pm via Zoom as Eagle Ridge hosts The College Funding Coach®. This event is for any family wanting to learn how to pay for college (Preschool - High School).

On average, tuition tends to increase about 8% per year. An 8% college inflation rate means that the cost of college doubles about every nine years https://finaid.org/savings/tuition-inflation/. Planning for these expenses has become essential. Some families have children attending college next year, and others have years to plan, but the fears of tackling these monumental and rising costs are the same. The College Funding Coach® is here to help families figure out HOW to pay for it and still retire one day."

You'll discover strategies that may enable you to qualify for financial aid, sources for scholarships, and strategies for maximizing your wealth and minimizing your tax exposure, giving you greater cash flow for funding a college education. Please join Eagle Ridge Middle School and Brambleton Middle School via ZOOM webinar on September 27th @ 6:30 PM. This is information you can't afford to miss! To receive your link, please Register Here. Please take a look around our website, The College Funding Coach® , for helpful resources and information.

This is a free educational webinar. Please register by clicking HERE or on the flyer attached to this email.

If your 8th grade student is interested in applying to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), please visit their website for important admissions information. Additionally, TJHSST asks that parents watch the 33-minute presentation on freshman admissions prior to attending a Fall 2023 TJHSST Admissions presentation. Click here for the list offered parent admissions presentation dates, times and locations. Their website provides specific update-to-date information about the freshman application timeline, requirements, components, and more.

After reviewing the TJHSST admissions presentation and attending one of the parent admissions presentations, if you have additional questions about the application process please reach out to your student's assigned school counselor.

Join the PTSA for the 2023-2024 school year here: https://bam.ptboard.com/formvw?store=3865&form=5

Your membership helps support student events, staff appreciation activities and school improvement projects. Regular membership is $20/family. Booster Membership is $60/family and includes a fleece blanket and Bear Bucks.

See Flyer below for details. Join TODAY!

Click the file link below for this week's PTSA BAMgram!

Website: https://www.lcps.org/BAM
Location: 23070 Learning Circle, Ashburn, VA, USA
Phone: 703-957-4450
Twitter: @BAM_MS_Official