Belmont Ridge Middle School

“EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION”

19045 Upper Belmont Place, Leesburg, VA 20176

www.loudoun.k12.va.us/bmrms T: 571-252-2220

Dear Belmont Ridge Families,

As I was watching the hockey playoffs, the television station I was

watching called themselves “the home of the championship season.” With

playoffs upon us in sports such as hockey, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer,

and lacrosse, May is a time when champions are crowned and goals from the

start of the season are achieved.

The month of May marks the final stretch of the school year as well. It is

the time of year when the hard work and dedication of our students throughout

the entire year is visible. During the next six weeks, our students will be engaged

and empowered in several events and activities. In addition to end-of-year SOL

testing which will begin on Monday, May 6, our students are also preparing to

demonstrate what they have learned and the progress they have made by

performing in a variety of music concerts. Student art work will be displayed

during our 4th annual Rivercon Event on Saturday, May 4. There are also

several end-of-year activities planned such as the 8th grade dance, 8th grade field

day, and STEAM Day. Assessing, learning, performing, and revising occur

every day and we look forward to our students achieving the goals they created

for themselves at the start of the school year.

We are also proud of the many students who are or will be competing at

national and international events during the month of May. We have an 8th

grade student representing Virginia at the National Geography Bee, at which he

placed 5th in the nation two years ago. We have a 6th grade student representing

Loudoun County at the International Young Entrepreneurs Academy

Competition in Rochester, New York. Her creation, Limitless Limb, uses 3D

printers to make affordable prosthetics for kids. Team Awesome Sauce will be

competing at the World Odyssey of the Mind Competition at Michigan State

University after placing first in the commonwealth. I also just received word that

the Belmont Ridge LEGOnauts received the 1st place Robot Strategy and

Innovation Award at the First Lego League World Competition this past

weekend in Michigan. The LEGOnauts were the only team from the U.S.A. to

win the robot award! By following their strengths, interests, and passions, our

students continue to amaze and display characteristics and traits necessary to

make meaningful contributions to the world. We truly have the best students and

I appreciate the encouragement and support provided to them by their parents,

teachers, and community. If you are interested in supporting our students or

teams during their upcoming competitions, please let me know. Thank you for

sharing your tremendously talented students with us and thank you for taking the

time to read our May newsletter.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ryan Hitchman

May 2019

Administrative Team

Dr. Ryan Hitchman Principal

Mr. David McKenzie

Assistant Principal

Mr. Michael Surma

Assistant Principal

8th Grade

Mr. Ryan Mikulsky Dean

Ms. Kelly Murphy Counselor

(A-K)

Mrs. Zamarit Simpkins Counselor

(L-Z)

Mrs. Kiana Cuebas Secretary

571-252-2228

7th Grade

Mr. F. Michael Skinner Dean

Ms. Joy Jackson Counselor

Secretary

571-252-2227

6th Grade

Dr. Felecia Lewis

Dean

Ms. Lauren Panek

Counselor

Mrs. Marlo Newman

Secretary

571-252-2226

Lead Counselor

Mr. Damien White (SPED, ELL, 504's)

School Information

Office Hours 8:00-4:00

Phone: 571-252-2220 Fax: 703-669-1455

Absentee Line

571-252-2222

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

ORDER

STARTING MAY 1st

1 Iterim Progress

Reports

Guitar 6 Concert

7:00pm

BEM BOOK FAIR

2 7th & 8th Grade Honor

Roll Assembly 7:30am

BEM BOOK FAIR

3 6th Grade Honor Roll

Assembly 7:30am

BEM BOOK FAIR

Principal Coffee

Talk 9:00 a.m. café

4

BEM BOOK

FAIR

5

6

7 8

9 10 11

12 13 14

Chorus 6 Concert

7:00pm

15

Chorus 7 & 8

Concert 7:00pm

16

Silver Bands 6 & 8

Jazz Concert 7:00pm

17 18

19 20 21

Relay for Life

Kiss-n-Go Bucket Day!

Burgundy Bands 6th &

7th Concert 7:00pm

22

Relay for Life

Kiss-n-Go Bucket Day!

Spanish Club

3:30-4:30

23 24

8th Grade Music Depts.

to Hershey Park

Competition

25

26 27

No School

28 29

Strings 6th, 7th, 8th

Concert 7:00pm

30 Guitar 7 & 8 Concert

7:00pm

31

8th Grade Dance

6:30pm – 9:30pm

3

Belmont Ridge Middle School TESTING WINDOWS

2018 - 2019 SCHOOL YEAR

The SOL testing schedule is below. Students will be informed by their teachers when and where their tests will be administered. Announcements will also be made each morning to ensure students know where to go. Make-up testing will occur throughout the window and, as necessary, up to May 31st.

SOL Testing (Grades 6 – 8) Lunch Shift

Order

May 6, 7 Reading 8 Normal

May 8, 9 Reading 7 Normal

May 10, 13 Reading 6 Normal

May 14 Geometry Normal

May 15, 16 Algebra 1 Normal

May 17 Math 8 Normal

May 20 Science 8 Math 6 (6th graders enrolled in Math 6)

TBD

May 21 Science 8 Math 7 (7th graders enrolled in Math 7 and 6th graders enrolled in Accelerated Math 6/7)

TBD

May 22 Civics and Economics 8 Math 7 (7th graders enrolled in Math 7 and 6th graders enrolled in Accelerated Math 6/7)

TBD

May 23 Civics and Economics 8 TBD

For more information and resources on the SOL assessments, you may go to the following websites:

• Virginia Department of Education: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/index.shtml

• Loudoun County Public Schools: www.lcps.org o Go to: Services>Assessment Services

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Summer 2019 Math Camp registration is now OPEN. https://fs4.formsite.com/bemsptso/form28/index.html

Math Camp will review necessary skills from the previous school year, make connections to new material and key vocabulary, and preview topics covered in the first quarter.

Course for Fall of 2019 Camp Any student enrolling in 6th grades in the Fall of 2019… Math 6

Any student enrolling in math 7 or math 8 in the Fall of 2019… Math 7 & 8

Any student enrolling in Algebra 1 in the Fall of 2019… Algebra 1

Any student enrolling in Geometry in the Fall of 2019... Geometry

Any student enrolling in Alg 2 or Alg2/Trig in the Fall of 2019... Algebra 2/trig

Session 1: July 29-Aug 2 Session 2: August 5-9

Math 6 Algebra 1 8:30-10:30 Math 6 Geometry

Math 6 Algebra 1 11:00-1:00 Math 6 Algebra 1

Math 7 & 8 Geometry 1:30-3:30 Math 6 Algebra 1

Algebra 2/trig 4:00-6:00 Algebra 2/trig

No refunds or changes after June 30, 2019 Camp is $200 for 10 hours of instruction

Questions: Contact Christine Spinosa at cspinosa@lcps.org

Congratulations to eighth grader Kayla Bond for earning second place in

the Western Loudoun Writing Contest! She placed second in the memoir category for her

personal narrative about reconciling with her sister after being injured.

Interested in helping raise money and awareness to find

a cure for cancer? We are too, and we need your help!!

Join Belmont Ridge's Relay for Life team after school Monday, May 6

and Monday, May 20 from 3:30-4:30 in Room B-17.

Can't make it to the meetings but want to participate? The Loudoun

County Relay for Life Event is on Saturday, June 1 from 12-10pm at the Village of Leesburg.

Our tent will be Harry Potter themed--you won't want to miss it!

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On Saturday, May 4th – RiverCon comes to Belmont Ridge!

RiverCon is Northern Virginia’s first convention experience aimed at younger fans in

celebration of art, gaming, movies, and comic book loving culture! For its fourth year, the

Force is with RiverCon this May the 4th as guests of all ages can participate interactive

experiences, tutorials, contests, and so much more:

• Shop in our vendor room filled with local entrepreneurs and artists. Visit

bemsrivercon.weebly.com for our growing list of vendors!

• Cosplayers under the age of 16 can participate in our costume contest - costumes

voted within the top three will win a prize!

• Participate in interactive tutorials, demonstrations, and more led by industry

professionals - full schedule of events at bemsrivercon.weebly.com

Who are RiverCon 2019’s special guests?

• Mr. John Morton – Mr. Morton will be speaking at a panel & signing autographs

for a limited time at RiverCon.

When is RiverCon 2019? Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 11am to 5pm

Where is RiverCon 2019? Belmont Ridge Middle School

How can I get my RiverCon 2019 tickets?

Tickets to RiverCon are available now online at bit.ly/rivercon2019tickets. Tickets will

also be available at the door – but we’d recommend that you purchase your tickets now

via our Tickets Page, as RiverCon may sell out quickly. Buy your tickets in advance to

save some money as presale tickets will be sold at a lower price than tickets at the door.

We do need volunteers and some items for RiverCon, including baked goods

for the concessions table and gift cards to be used as giveaways! Volunteers

receive free admission to the event, so if you have a little time to help us out

we would love for you to stay and enjoy the day at RiverCon. Please visit the

signup: www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0848afaf2aa1fc1-rivercon

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End of Year Library Newsletter

April was School Library Month…You Belong!

You’re invited to the Bookworm Central Book Fair! • April 29th -May 4th 8:30-3:30 P.M.

• May 4th (during Rivercon) 12:30-3:00 P.M.

• Visit before school, during L.A. class, Resource, and lunch (with a pass)

• Payments: cash, check (payable to Belmont Ridge Middle School), credit

card. No tax on purchases

• All sales are FINAL. All proceeds benefit our library program and activities

• Thank you to the Language Arts department for honoring us with cards and gifts

for Library Workers Day! Thank you to our awesome Library Helpers for

volunteering to shelve and display books (and more) throughout the year! Thank

you to Ms. Ellsworth, our delightful Book Nurse! One more shout out to our

wonderful Book Fair Volunteers!

Author Billie Pavicic visited with some students, read her story Parker

Plum and the Rotten Egg Thoughts, and shared its positive messages on

April 25th. We planted flowers with the students for Earth Day, too.

Thank you to Ms. Jackson and Ms. Pavicic for this opportunity.

Also, thank you to families who donated books for the Book Swap!

Students in Ms. Donehoo’s S.S. classes enthusiastically participated in a

Jury Duty lesson with the library team! Students role-played and taught

aspects of the First Amendment and famous court cases.

Students designed a Keva Plank tower while

visiting the S.T.E.A.M. Hub. We’re adding

more activities next school year! Thank you

to Dr. Hitchman, Ms. Plunkett, and our P.T.O.

for their support!

Featured book of the month: Braced, by Alyson Gerber, is a

fantastic story about a girl, Rachel, who plays defense on her soccer

team and suddenly has to deal with adjusting to wearing a brace for

scoliosis treatment.

7

Summer Reading and Fun Events at the LCPL!

• Summer Book Sale June 8th, 10:00-5:00 Ashburn Library

• Book & Arts Festival June 8th, 10:00-5:00 Brambleton Library

• The Giant Used Book Sale June 22nd-24th held at Smart’s Mill M.S. (sponsored by the Loudoun Library Foundation)

• The LCPL Summer Reading Program begins June 10th Register at your local LCPL branch. Teens may sign up for training to volunteer, too. Great books, raffle prizes, and more!

• Mini Con at Rust Library on June 15th LCPL offers great programs, makerspaces, volunteering opportunities, teen centers, books, gaming, movies, music, and more!

Check library.loudoun.gov for more information.

Friendly reminder: The final due date for library books

and materials is May 31st. Library services will continue

through the end of the school year.

Attention Students and Parents! At the end of the school year, student Chromebooks and chargers will be collected and kept at school over the summer. Rising 9 graders will be expected to remove any stickers or decorations they have added to their Chromebooks before turning it in. If a Chromebook or charger is lost, the student is responsible for the replacement value. Please contact Mrs. Tyrrell in our technology department (Room H4) with any questions. Thank You!

8

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! • Take some time to check in with yourself and practice self-care. One saying is “you

can’t pour from an empty cup”, meaning that it is important to take care of yourself first and recharge in order to be successful in whatever you choose to do.

o Some wellness tips include journaling, going on walks, connecting with others, talking about your feelings, finding ways to de-stress, using positive language and self-talk, taking 5 minutes each day to relax, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep.

Upcoming Events

• Wellness Wednesdays o Students are invited to learn mindfulness and stress reduction strategies

through the Calm App every Wednesday morning throughout the month of May. 8am-8:20am in the Aux gym. Dates: May 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th

• SOL testing- May 6th through May 23rd Resources

• “For Parents and Caregivers”- Mentalhealth.gov o https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/parents-caregivers

• “Supporting Children’s Mental Health: Tips for Parents and Educators” by Katherine C. Cowan

o https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/mental-health/prevention-and-wellness-promotion/supporting-childrens-mental-health-tips-for-parents-and-educators-x38466

News from the PTO…

There are several board member and committee openings on next year’s PTO board! These

include President, Ways & Means/Fundraising, Special Events, and 8th Grade Celebration Chair.

If you are interested in one of these positions or need more information, please send an email to

belmontridgemspto@gmail.com or Parent Liaison Susan Ferguson at Susan.Ferguson@lcps.org.

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up next week, May 6 -10 and we are getting ready to

give our hard-working BEMS teachers and staff a week filled with treats, giveaways, and much

more! Please visit the signup and consider contributing:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0549ADAE2AA13-teacher. Thanks!

Our final PTO meeting of the year will be on Friday, May 31 at 8:45am. We hope that you

can join us!

9

Students have received Spring Pictures from their

P.E. teacher…

You may keep the pictures you want and pay online or send in the payment to school, OR if you do not want the pictures, please have your child return the entire packet to their house secretary as soon as possible.

Thank you! If you have any questions, please contact

Lifetouch Customer Service @ 800-736-4753.

10

The Lost and Found tables are VERY FULL! We have many lost items

such as: agendas, lunch boxes, water bottles, headphones, clothing, eye glasses and

jewelry. Please have your child check the tables in each grade, cafeteria, and front office

for any lost items! Any items not claimed by the end of the school year will be

thrown away or donated.

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Belmont Ridge HPE Leader Board Winners!

Congrats to all who competed in each of the leader board championships. The following

students received the highest score in each of the Fitness Gram Tests. CONGRATS!

8th Grade 7th Grade

6th Grade

PACER

Female Adrienne Dasilva

Male Brendon Maynard

BACK SAVER S&R Left

Female Eloise Hale

Male Bobby Cisneros

BACK SAVER S&R Right

Female Lillian Gartland

Male Bobby Cisneros

CURL UP

Female Chanel Harris

Male Max Lu & Owen Blatt

PUSH UP

Female Sage Duggal

Male Neil Zaragoza

PACER

Female Ashleigh Vizek

Male Greg Spiller

BACK SAVER S&R Left

Female Laura Williams

Male Sayed Shah

BACK SAVER S&R Right

Female Laura Williams

Male Sayed Shah

CURL UP

Female Sydney von Berg

Male Drew Mazzocco

PUSH UP

Female Julia Martinez

Male Greg Spiller

PACER

Female Alicia Meincke

Male Caden Merritt

BACK SAVER S&R Left

Female Parwin Jamal

Male Cayman Weissman

BACK SAVER S&R Right

Female Isabella Singh

Male Cayman Weissman

CURL UP

Female Gigi Cisneros

Male Cayman Weissman

PUSH UP

Female Kenzie Walker

Male Cayman Weissman