BJA will dismiss after a half day of school on Friday, May 5, to allow academy employees and families to attend the 2 p.m. BJU commencement exercises. The elementary, middle, and high school levels will dismiss at noon. See the school calendar on the website for altered schedule details. The CDC will continue as usual for the day. Late stay will be offered at the elementary and middle school levels.
We have some exciting changes planned for next year! Beginning in the 2017–18 school year, middle school students will take two electives. To register for the electives and for music lessons, click here. So that we can plan accordingly, please complete the registration form by April 24.
Middle school students are automatically enrolled in the following courses: Bible English (English 7 or English 8) Social Studies (World History 7 or US History 8) Science (Life Science 7 or Earth Science 8) Math (see below) Physical Education (daily for grade 7; three days a week for grade 8) Music Appreciation (8th grade only; two days a week) Math Most 7th graders will take Fundamentals of Math. Those likely to excel in Pre-Algebra without first taking Fundamentals of Math will be placed in Pre-Algebra unless a parent requests otherwise. By the end of next week a letter about your student’s seventh-grade math placement will be sent home via your student. Most 8th graders will take Pre-Algebra. Seventh graders currently in Pre-Algebra will take either Algebra I or Algebra I: Honors next year. By the end of next week a letter about your student’s eighth-grade math placement will be sent home via your student. Electives All electives meet daily, except chorus, which meets every other day. On days chorus students do not have chorus, they will take Digital Literacy, Handbells, or SOAR®: Learning for Life. All electives receive report grades. Some courses are limited by available equipment and classroom space. Because of this, four electives total need to be selected, so there are alternate options in addition to the two most preferred courses. Courses are described in detail at the end of this post.
Some of the courses involve a small fee to cover maintenance costs on the expensive equipment the students use for class each day. Digital Literacy, Handbells, and SOAR®: Learning for Life each have a $25 per-semester equipment fee. These courses when taken on alternative days with chorus have a $25 equipment fee for the entire school year. Music Lessons At the elementary level, music lessons are group lessons and are directly tied with a student's enrollment in band or orchestra. At the secondary level, however, students may enroll in band or orchestra (at no cost) without also enrolling in music lessons. If you would like to register for private music lessons, you may do so on the registration form. Students may take lessons in the following: violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, tuba, percussion, and harp. Private instrumental lessons are an extracurricular opportunity at the middle school ($352 per semester in four monthly payments). Students may also register for private or group piano lessons through Piano Central Studios. If you would like to register your student for more than one type of lesson, please contact the academic office with your student's name and the additional lesson requested. Digital Literacy 7 & 8 This web-based, self-paced program teaches students critical digital literacy skills. Interactive modules focus on key digital skills such as keyboarding and word processing, online safety, business applications, and computational thinking and coding. Also included are skills that help students in researching for class projects and tips for homework management. Language 7 & 8 An interactive class giving students an acquaintance with languages and cultures. Students learn basic communication skills in Spanish and German and explore a third language of their choice. Also exposes students to Latin, biblical Greek, and biblical Hebrew. Connections are made to related topics like history, Bible study, travel, geography, and vocabulary. Cultural activities include crafts, cooking, singing, oral presentations, web quests, and virtual tours of the world. SOAR®: Learning for Life 7 & 8 Set goals — Organize — Ask questions — Record your progress. These components of the SOAR® program will help to change the way most students think about learning! This web-based, self-paced program guides students through assessments, activities, and processes that reveal strengths and weaknesses in not only their academic endeavors but also in areas such as time management, organizational skills, and study strategies. Both high achieving and struggling students will benefit from these reliable, time-tested solutions that teach students to learn--for life! Speech 7 & 8 In addition to interpersonal communication skills, students develop preparation and poise to minister through performance and public speaking opportunities. The course also introduces competitive speech events available through the high school speech program. We’re excited to announce that courses for middle school students now include two different electives, daily courses for which students receive grades on their report cards. These courses meet for shorter periods than other middle school classes. This change enables students in instrumental music groups to continue with their music studies while also taking another elective. It also means that chorus will be offered during the regular school day—not during lunch.
A number of factors restrict enrollment in some electives, including classroom space and available equipment. Because of these factors, rising seventh and eighth graders will indicate their first through fourth choices on the form parents will receive via email in late April. Elective opportunities for the 2017-2018 school year:
For details about the courses above, please visit the course pages on BJA’s website. Questions? Please contact the academic office. Achievement testing will begin next week. Eighth graders will be starting on Monday, April 3, and seventh graders will begin Wednesday, April 5. All students should come prepared with pencils, erasers, and scratch paper. Students should have a basic calculator ready for one math test as well.
Altered Schedule for April 5 - 6, 2017
Our middle school students are excited about the annual Jog-a-Thon (JAT), coming up on Friday, April 7, and they’re busy getting friends and family to sponsor them as we raise money for colorful new cafeteria tables.
Students may wear blue or black athletic pants or their BJA PE shorts with BJA t-shirts, which include, for example, PE shirts, homeroom shirts, spirit shirts, Lions gear, and field day shirts. All students should wear tennis shoes. Students may arrive at school that morning in their JAT attire, with one exception—they need to wear blue or black athletic pants over their PE shorts for classes and for lunch. Following an abbreviated class schedule (see below), the event will run concurrently with field day that afternoon. JAT FAQs are available here. While field day goes until the end of the afternoon, JAT will end in time for our normal 3:10 dismissal. Following JAT, students have four options:
Please assist us in preparing for a smooth dismissal that day by completing a brief response form to let us know what your child should do following JAT. Students whose parents have not submitted a form will return to the middle school for normal car line and then go to late stay if they have not been picked up. Students in grades 7 and 8 responded with excitement to this week’s announcement of an after-school class called “Cookies, Candy, and Cupcakes.” This class is a pilot for opportunities BJA is exploring to enhance middle school late stay options for the fall.
In this class, which will be held for six consecutive Mondays from March 20 to April 24, students will learn the processes of creating simple desserts and confectioneries. Instructional components include kitchen safety, recipe reading, food preparation, baking, and cleaning up. Students will take home their delectable desserts for family enjoyment. The class will meet from 3:20 until 4:45 in the foods room in the Hutto building. The class is available to fifteen students on a first-come basis; register by bringing the $35 fee for the class (cash or check) to the middle school office. Late stay charges will not apply to students in the class during class time. We are pleased to announce the introduction of a middle school girls spring soccer team. Like the high school girls soccer select team, the middle school team will have a short spring season that concludes before our spring concert season begins. We will play a limited number of games against other Carolina Middle School Conference schools. Dr. Kris Martin, who also coaches the high school select team, will be assisted by Lady Bruins players. Practices will be from 3:30 until 5 p.m. once or twice a week. Four games have been scheduled so far: March 14, 16, and 30 and April 13. The middle school select team is open to full-time middle school girls who meet regular sports eligibility requirements—current completed athletic participation and concussion forms on file as well as acceptable grades and discipline record. Sign-up will be Friday, February 24, and Monday, February 27. Tryouts will be held after school on Tuesday, February 28. There is a $40 participation fee for those who make the team. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Brad Payne. Parents are invited to join their seventh- and eighth-graders for an upcoming high school fair hosted by the academic office. The high school fair will be held on Friday, February 24, at 2:25 p.m. in the Academy Auditorium.
At the fair a panel of current high school and college students will answer questions about the transition from middle to high school. They will share with the middle school students how to approach academics, choose extracurricular activities, and use a strong foundation in high school to prepare for steps that will follow. Seventh-graders will also be specifically addressed about considerations for eighth grade. Students will be prepared to be dismissed directly from the meeting should a parent be in attendance—please be sure to let your student know if he or she should look for you at the meeting. |
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