Dear BCMS Families,
What a wonderful start to the 2026–2027 school year! It has been exciting to welcome our students back into the building and see the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement that comes with the beginning of a new year. We are incredibly proud of the strong start our students and staff have made together.
This week, we held school-wide grade-level assemblies to welcome students and introduce an important theme that will guide our work throughout the year: “This is Our School.” We talked with students about the role each of them plays in making BCMS a place where everyone can learn, grow, and feel connected. Our conversations focused on four key ideas:
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Leadership – Recognizing that leadership happens in both big and small ways. Students can lead through formal opportunities such as Student Council, but also through the choices they make and the example they set every day.
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Ownership – Taking responsibility for our actions, choices, learning, and the way we treat our school and one another.
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Involvement – Finding ways to be an active part of the BCMS community. Throughout the year, students will have opportunities to participate in clubs, sports, activities, spirit events, and other school-wide experiences.
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Belonging – Working together to create a school where every student feels welcomed, valued, and connected.
Ultimately, we want our students to recognize that BCMS belongs to all of us—and each of us has a responsibility for making it a great place to be.
During our assemblies, we also reviewed several important expectations designed to keep our students safe and our school focused on learning. We reminded students about New Jersey’s updated e-bike law and that our BCMS students should not be riding e-bikes to school. We also reinforced our bell-to-bell cell phone expectation, which requires cell phones and smart watches to remain off and stored in lockers throughout the school day. Finally, students were reminded that toys should remain at home and that fidgets should only be used by students who have them as part of a documented accommodation plan. When permitted, fidgets should be used discreetly and without distracting from learning.
Looking Ahead
Please mark your calendars for two important upcoming events:
- Picture Day – Monday, September 14
- Back-to-School Night – Tuesday, September 15 @ 6:30pm
More information about Back-to-School Night will be shared with families soon.
Finally, I want to extend a huge thank you to our PTO and BCMS community for providing an amazing staff breakfast during our opening in-service days. It was a wonderful way to welcome our staff back and begin the school year, and we greatly appreciate the generosity and support of our families and community.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dr. Beth Stanton,
Principal
