BCMS Friday News 11.6.26

Dear BCMS Families,

October was an incredibly busy and exciting month at BCMS! From spirit days and special assemblies to athletic competitions and schoolwide activities, our students had many opportunities to learn, connect, and demonstrate their Falcon PRIDE

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One of our highlights was Red Ribbon Week, during which students participated in a variety of spirit activities and attended grade-level presentations focused on drug awareness, making healthy choices, and understanding the importance of resisting peer pressure. 

We also wrapped up our fall athletic seasons. Congratulations to our Boys' Soccer, Girls' Soccer, and Cross Country teams on successful seasons! We are proud of the hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship demonstrated by our student-athletes throughout the fall.

While November feels like a shorter month, we have plenty happening at BCMS!

Thank you to all of our families who took the time to connect with teachers during parent-teacher conferences this week. A strong partnership between home and school is one of the most important factors in supporting student success. These conversations provide valuable opportunities to celebrate student growth, identify areas for improvement, and work together to establish strategies that help students reach their full potential. We appreciate your continued involvement, communication, and support. You can always reach your teachers via phone or email to connect about any concerns you may be having or questions you may have.

Thursday, November 12, marks the end of our first marking period. As we approach this milestone, I encourage families to take some time over the long weekend to sit down with their children and review their academic progress in Genesis. This is a great opportunity to celebrate successes, discuss areas for growth, and help students take ownership of their learning. If your child has any missing or outstanding assignments, please encourage them to connect with their teachers to determine what work can still be completed.

Families can also access their child's Fall MAP Growth results and Spring NJSLA results through the Documents tab in the Genesis Parent Portal. As a school, we have been reviewing this assessment data with our teachers to identify student strengths, areas for growth, and opportunities to adjust instruction and provide additional support. We encourage you to review these results with your child as another way to better understand their academic progress.

Another important area to review in Genesis is your child's attendance record. Regular attendance and arriving at school on time are essential to academic success. Every school day matters, and even a few minutes of missed instruction can add up over time. When students are frequently late to school, they often miss valuable instructional time in the same class each day, which can make it more challenging to keep up with learning.

We ask families to help reinforce the importance of consistent attendance and arriving at school ready to begin the day. If your family is experiencing challenges related to attendance or getting to school on time, please reach out to your child's school counselor or an administrator. We are here to partner with you and help find solutions.

As our fall sports conclude, we are excited to kick off our winter athletic season! Tryouts begin this coming week for Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Wrestling, Cheer, and Dance. We wish all of our students participating in tryouts the best of luck and look forward to another exciting season of BCMS athletics.

As a reminder, there are no late buses on Tuesdays or Fridays, so families should plan accordingly for transportation home from after-school activities on those days.

As we move into November, I want to thank our families for their continued support of BCMS. Whether you are attending a conference, cheering from the sidelines, encouraging your child to complete an assignment, or helping them arrive at school ready to learn, your involvement makes a difference. Together, we are helping our students develop the skills, confidence, and responsibility they need to be successful.

Thank you for being an important part of our BCMS community. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Dr. Beth Stanton

Principal

Branchburg Central Middle School

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Cheer & Dance Team Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Dungeons & Dragons Club - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

MATHCounts - 3:00 - 4:35 P.M.

Talent Show Rehearsal - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Chord on Blues Rehearsal - 6:50 A.M.

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Cheer & Dance Team Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Girls Basketball Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Wrestling Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Chamber Orchestra - 7:00 A.M.

Falcon Gazette - 7:00 A.M.

Yearbook Club - 7:00 A.M.

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Cheer & Dance Team Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Fiber Arts Club - 3:00 P.M. - 4:35 P.M.

Girls Basketball Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Wrestling Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

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Boys Basketball Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Cheer & Dance Team Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Talent Show Rehearsal - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Yearbook Club - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Wrestling Practice  - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Friday Morning Management Club - 7:00 A.M.

MATHCounts - 7:05 A.M.

Student Council General Meeting - 7:10 A.M.

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Boys Basketball Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Cheer & Dance Team Tryouts - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Wrestling Practice  - 3:00 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

6th Grade Social Studies students in Ms. Holt & Mr. Katz's class became archaeologists for the day. 

Students were able to simulate the excavation of artifacts at a dig site by using a chocolate chip cookie! Using just a toothpick, each student excavated as many artifacts (chocolate chips) as possible. 

This task required a lot of precision, care, and patience and the 6th graders were up to the challenge! 

Students and staff were treated to a performance of "spooky" music as they entered the building during the week of Halloween.

Student Council hosted a successful Spooky Bus at Whiton's Trunk or Treat for the second year in a row! Student Council members enjoyed handing out candy, spooking anyone who dared to enter, and acting as role models to WES and SBS students! A big thank you to Mr. McPeek for stopping by!

Students who were absent or enrolled after the original picture day will receive a separate email with a pre-pay code approximately two weeks before retake day. This code allows you to order using the same packages offered on the original picture day.

 You will be able to view and order your child's new picture online after retake day, once the updated image is available. Look for the Last Chance to Order card, which will be sent home with the picture packages and includes your personal ordering code.

Your child MUST bring their complete original picture package to school on retake day and give it to the photographer. Please write any concerns on the FRONT of the envelope. A complete replacement package with your child's new picture will be provided at no additional cost.

Dear Branchburg Community,

Each year, the New Jersey Department of Education honors outstanding educators through the Governor’s Educator of the Year Program. This prestigious recognition celebrates the dedication, innovation, and impact of the teachers and educational specialists who make a difference in the lives of our students every day.

We are proud to have so many incredible staff members who go above and beyond for our students—providing engaging instruction, creating supportive classroom environments, and nurturing social, emotional, and academic growth. Now is our opportunity to shine a light on their hard work and commitment!

We invite parents, guardians, students, and staff to participate by submitting a nomination for a deserving teacher or educational services professional. Your nominations help us recognize those who embody the spirit of our school community and who inspire excellence both inside and outside the classroom.

Taking a few minutes to complete the nomination form is a meaningful way to say thank you and to ensure our school’s exceptional educators receive the recognition they deserve.

Click the Link below to nominate a staff member

Thank you for helping us celebrate the dedicated professionals who make the Branchburg Township School District such a special place to learn and grow.

It’s time to capture the memories of the 2026–2027 school year! The BCMS Yearbook is officially on sale! This is your chance to save the moments, friendships, activities, and memories that make this school year special.

Order your yearbook here: https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/8JZEfMzDkt79OX461wxYzigx

Help us make this year’s yearbook one to remember!

Questions? Email Ms. Bevacqua, lbevacqua@branchburg.k12.nj.us

A friendly reminder, the free/reduced lunch application must be re-submitted each year and does not automatically renew. A copy of the application can be found on our district website at : https://www.branchburg.k12.nj.us/student-lunch-forms

Calling all 8th grade families!!!!! It’s time to start uploading your students' baby pictures to Yearbook Snap!!! Please begin uploading a clear baby picture of your student!

Make sure the name of the file is your child’s full name, OR write your child’s name in the “Add a Note” section of Yearbook Snap after uploading the picture. In Yearbook Snap, there is a specific “8th grade Baby Photos” folder for you to add to. 

Any questions? Reach out to Ms. Bevacqua, lbevacqua@branchburg.k12.nj.us.

Applications for the Somerset County Vocational-Technical Schools (SCVTS) for the class of 2027 are now available and can be accessed through the school's website. 

The deadline to submit applications is December 31, 2026, so be sure to mark your calendars and plan ahead. 

This is an exciting opportunity for students to explore career paths and hands-on learning experiences. We encourage all eligible students to consider applying.

Click here to access the 8th grade guidance presentation that was given on Back to School Night.

Please click here to check out the Branchburg Community Bulletin Board on our district webpage.