The Beach Bulldog Update

What I noticed this year

• Exploration, discovery, empathy, grit, advocacy, self-direction
• Growth, both physically and socially
• Inspiring adults working with students EVERY day
• Eager and energetic students
• A whole lot of good will towards one another

This Summer

• There are no updates to Beach, unlike many of the other buildings in the district
• Fall sports emails will come out in August
• Student schedules will not be released until August
• The Beach office will close for the Summer on June 22nd. If you have anything in the building after this date you will not be able to get it until we re-open in August.

Next Year

• Be prepared for cell phones to NOT be allowed in classrooms for the coming school year. There are a lot of reasons for this, but none are greater than this:
  
  There is no need for them to be in class. We don’t use them instructionally, they’re a distraction to our purpose and goal, and we’ve gotten away from interacting with one another face-to-face. Thank you, in advance for supporting this!

8th Grade Celebration

We will be holding the 8th Grade Celebration on Tuesday June 13th from 5:00 – 8:00pm. This is just a dance. We will not be holding a family Farewell ceremony as we have in years passed.

Thumbs Up! Nick King Foundation Golf Outing

The Thumbs Up! Nick King Foundation has supported our 8th grade traveling to Washington D.C. for the last 2 years through scholarship. We are beyond grateful for making sure each and every 8th grader gets to go on the trip if they’ve earned and want to! In turn, please help us support the foundation by signing up for their annual golf outing!

7th Grade Immunizations

Michigan law requires that all seventh graders immunization status be assessed prior to the first day of the 2023-24 school year.   Parents/guardians must provide an immunization record that documents that the child has received all of the required immunizations or at least one dose of each required immunization and is not yet due for the next dose.

Please refer to the chart below to determine if your child is up-to date with their required vaccines. Schedule an appointment immediately if your child is in need of vaccines. 

Seventh Grade required Immunizations for Entry to all Michigan Public and Non-Public Schools.

   Vaccine *                                        Dose

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis	4 doses D and T or 3 doses of Td if #1 given on or after 7 years of age. 1 dose of Tdap for children 11 through 18 years if 5 years since the last dose of tetanus/diphtheria containing vaccine
Polio	3 doses
Measles, Mumps, Rubella	2 doses on or after 12 months of age
Hepatitis B	3 doses
Meningococcal	1 dose for children 11-18 years of age
Varicella(chickenpox)	2 doses of Varicella vaccine at or after 12 months of age or current lab immunity or reliable history of disease.

-For more information, please refer to www.michigan.gov/immunize or your child’s health physician.

                -Hepatitis A, HPV and a yearly Influenza vaccine are additional vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee

If your information is up-to-date with your healthcare provider, then you do not need to submit anything to Beach. If you are seeking a waiver to immunization, you will need to contact the Washtenaw County Health Department.

Chelsea Baseball Tryouts

It’s the last week of school! Can you believe it?! There are some housekeeping issues to take care of right off the bat, so please look at all section of this Week Ahead.

What I Noticed

• STEM Challenge students are racing their cars!
• Mr. Boos is testing out the new laser engraver that was gifted to us. Cool things on the horizon are coming!
• Passion Project TedTalks have begun in 8th grade ELA. The Passion Project Bazaar starts next week (more below.
• Career Development students are researching future occupations and gathering data for presentations.
• Band and Orchestra students finished out their school year concerts this week! Congratulations to those students!

Next Week

Monday: 6th and 7th grade iPad turn-in (more below), Passion Project Bazaar (see below)
Tuesday: 8th grade iPad turn-in
Wednesday: 7th Grade to Timbertown
Thursday: NO BACKPACKS, 7th Grade to River Rouge, 8th Grade Farewell, 8th Grade Celebration (more below)
Friday: NO BACKPACKS, 1/2 Day – Last Day of School

iPad/Keyboard Turn-in

– Students should keep their charger and cord. They are responsible for them until graduation.

– Please remove all stickers from the iPad except for the label with their device name, number and barcode.

– Please charge the device the night before turn in.

– Ensure all files, videos, and photos are backed up to their iCloud, Google Drive and or Google Photos. Many devices will be wiped over the summer.

– All summer school attendees will turn their device in as well.

8th Grade Farewell/Celebration

This is one of the best evenings of the year at Beach Middle School. We get to celebrate our 8th graders that have worked so hard in their time in our building and have earned the ability to move on to CHS. Here are some details for the night:

8th Grade Farewell

Where: CHS Commons
When: June 8th – The doors will open at 5:15 for families to come in and take photos. The actual ceremony begins at 6:00pm
What to Wear: We ask that students dress to impress. This is our final event at Beach, and we know they’re going to want to look sharp!
Who: Bring the whole family, if you want!

We will have two professional photographers at this event that will take pictures of your 8th grader and/or your entire family! Pictures will be for sale through this company for your family to enjoy

8th Grade Celebration

Where: Beach Middle School
When: June 8th, immediately after the Farewell. The event will go from 7:00pm – 9:00pm
What’s Going On: We will be providing a dinner (taco bar) for students, as well as a Kona Ice Truck (students have fundraised for this, no $ necessary). Students will be dancing in the cafeteria and playing in the gym.
Who: Beach Middle School students only. No outside visitors from other buildings or schools.

No Backpacks

Students will not be allowed to bring backpacks into school on June 8th or 9th. Small swim bags or grocery bags with food will be allowed. Staff members will be at the entrance to spot check bags.

The reason is because middle schoolers tend to get excited about the end of the year and make some silly (string) decisions with what they decide to bring in on the last two days.

Thank you for understanding!

Passion Project Bazaar

Students have been engaged in research projects of their choosing both in and out of class for the last three months. What is a skill they would like to learn? What is something they would like to create? The Passion Project begins with both “big” and “little” questions and provides opportunities to do real-world research on something that, if given the time, they have always wanted to explore. Along the way, students keep journals of their progress, learn about source citation, complete an annotated bibliography, and end with a TEDTalk of their journey and what they have accomplished! Some students choose to present in class. Others are ready to give their TEDTalks multiple times during the Passion Project Bazaar on Monday, June 5th from 3-5pm at the Beach NASCAR track! The public is invited to see their work and ask questions! 

Summer Rec

Hello, Beach Families! Next week we’re into June, which means your students will be wrapping up assignments and projects, participating in fun events around Beach and the Chelsea Community, and gearing up for their matriculation to the next grade. Fun times at Beach!

What I Notice

• Band, Orchestra, and Choir are putting the final touches on their last performances of the school year! We can’t wait to see what’s in store!
• Technology students are designing, fabricating, and testing their air-powered cars.
• 6th grade science students are hypothesizing about what adaptations a squirrel would need to make in order to survive in various climates
• 7th grade science students are investigating weather data in order to identify Southeastern Michigan weather norms.

Next Week

Monday: NO SCHOOL – Band is marching in the Memorial Day parade
Tuesday: Washtenaw Area Council for Children presentation (make-up)
Wednesday: 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert
Thursday: 5th and 6th Grade Band Concert
Friday: Beach Crew

Looking Ahead at the Calendar

June 5th – Passion Project Bazaar
June 8th – 7th Grade Field Trip to River Rouge Plant
June 8th – 8th Grade Farewell and Celebration (more below)
June 9th – LAST DAY of School – 1/2 Day

8th Grade Farewell and Celebration

This is one of the best evenings of the year at Beach Middle School. We get to celebrate our 8th graders that have worked so hard in their time in our building and have earned the ability to move on to CHS. Here are some details for the night:

8th Grade Farewell

Where: CHS Commons
When: June 8th – The doors will open at 5:15 for families to come in and take photos. The actual ceremony begins at 6:00pm
What to Wear: We ask that students dress to impress. This is our final event at Beach, and we know they’re going to want to look sharp!
Who: Bring the whole family, if you want!

We will have two professional photographers at this event that will take pictures of your 8th grader and/or your entire family! Pictures will be for sale through this company for your family to enjoy

8th Grade Celebration

Where: Beach Middle School
When: June 8th, immediately after the Farewell. The event will go from 7:00pm – 9:00pm
What’s Going On: We will be providing a dinner (taco bar) for students, as well as a Kona Ice Truck (students have fundraised for this, no $ necessary). Students will be dancing in the cafeteria and playing in the gym.
Who: Beach Middle School students only. No outside visitors from other buildings or schools.

Athletic Boosters Golf Outing

What I Noticed

• All Beach athletics are coming to a close this coming week. It’s been a fantastic year for sports at Beach, and I want to thank all of our dedicated coaches for making it a memorable experience
• Tech students are finishing up their final projects with Mr. Boos.
• 6th grade global studies students are mapping North America!
• 6th grade science students are learning about biotic and abiotic factors.

Next Week

Monday: Athletic Director visits Beach!, Track @ Lincoln – SEC Championship
Tuesday: Homework Club, Lacrosse @ Dexter
Wednesday: Homework Club, BMS Band and Orchestra Concerts
Thursday: WEB Spring Play Day, Homework Club, Choir Concert
Friday: Moving Up Day (more below), Beach Crew

Moving Up Day (8th Grade Only)

IMPORTANT: All 8th graders will report to Chelsea High School NOT Beach. 8th graders will return to Beach at 11:00, and be back in time for lunch. Please help your student remember this!

7th Grade Field Trip

Hello, 7th grade parents!This year, we are taking the 7th graders on two trips to celebrate the end of the year! The combined cost will be $20.00. Thank you in advance for making this happen; we think the kids are going to love both of the trips we have planned!

Click here to pay for the field trips!If you’d like to sponsor a scholarship for this field trip, please do so using this payment portal!

Wednesday, June 7th- Timbertown- Students will get to run, play volleyball and yard games, have some fun with Gaga Ball, and relax!- We will be walking to and from Timbertown. Please help your child to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Sunscreen in the morning if necessary.– We will have a cheese or pepperoni pizza lunch from Cottage Inn. If pizza is an allergy of any kind, please send a packed lunch with your child for this day. 

Thursday, June 8th- Ford Rouge Complex- Students will get to see the innovation, creative thinking, collaboration, and grit that goes into vehicle assembly right here in Michigan!- We will return to school for lunch around 12:30-1 pm. ALL students must pack lunch today! 

No hot lunch will be offered. Students will have the option to have a bagged school lunch charged to their account. We will take note and have the cafeteria prepare these for your child. 

If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Skrypec at rskrypec@chelsea.k12.mi.us or Matt Ceo at mceo@chelsea.k12.mi.us.

Athletic Boosters Golf Outing

What I Noticed

• The final NWEA test of the year! Wa-Hoo!!
• Teachers were appreciated all week (mostly through food), but the most meaningful displays of appreciation came in the form of acts of gratitude from our students. What a great week!

Next Week

Monday: Track vs. Pinckney
Tuesday: Homework Club, Lacrosse @ Saline
Wednesday: Peer-2-Peer Field Trip, Homework Club, Track @ Saline
Thursday: Homework Club, 8th Grade Student Council Elections
Friday: 8 Blue Greenfield Village Field Trip, Beach Crew
Saturday: Tennis vs. Haslett

Important Message from Tech

Hello,
  As we rapidly approach the end of the year, lots of things are happening behind the scenes in the tech world. In order to make sure everyone is ready, and hopefully make things go smoother here are a few reminders.

1. If you have had your case replaced with the new black one, make sure you have turned in your keyboard from the blue case. (If you previously signed it out)

2. If you lost your keyboard, check the stacks by the tech office.

3. If you checked out a keyboard, and are not using it, feel free to check it back in.

4. If your new black case is missing buttons, or cracked, you will have to pay for a replacement. *$25 with insurance, $99 without insurance*

5. Remove all the stickers you put on, that you weren’t supposed to put on!

6. If your screen protector is badly cracked (catches your nail), stop by the tech office to get it replaced. ****Screen Protectors are FREE****

7. Make sure you are signed into your Apple, Google Photos, and Google Drive accounts so everything backs up correctly.

CEF Fundraising Challenge

Chelsea Soccer Club

If you want a blurb to go with it, you can use this:  Chelsea Soccer Club currently has over 200 players competing in grades K-12. The club provides technical training, competitive games, and player development with fully licensed coaches. Team placement for the 2023-24 season will take place on Saturday, June 10 and summer camp for all ages will be held July 31-August 4. Visit chelseasoccerclub.org for more information and to register. 

CAC Summer Programs

Robotics Registration

What I Noticed

• NWEA ELA testing was this week. Our grade-levels are trying different formats of scheduling in order to find a best fit for students.
• Student council races were held the previous week, and our new representatives.
• Our 8th grade students followed up their DC trip with another field trip to the Zekelman Holocaust Center in West Bloomfield. This is a follow up to the Diary of Anne Frank reading. Always a stirring experience!
• Peer-2-Peer Trivia at lunch was a huge hit on Thursday!

Next Week

It’s Teacher Appreciate Week! I encourage you all to reach out to your student’s teacher to drop a nice note of gratitude for all the work they’ve done to move us forward!

Monday: Drama Rehearsal, Track @ Ypsi
Tuesday: 8 Blue to Holocaust Center, Drama Rehearsal, Homework Club, Lacrosse @ Lincoln
Wednesday: NWEA – Math (all grades), Drama Rehearsal, Homework Club, 5th Grade Parent Meeting, Tennis vs. Saline
Thursday: In-school Drama performance, Drama Rehearsal, Homework Club, Track @ Dexter,
Friday: 8 Gold to Greenfield Village, Drama Performance (5:30 start), Lacrosse vs. Dexter
Saturday: Tennis @ Mason, Drama Performance (5:30 start)

Drama Performance

Parent Series – Substance Abuse

CAC Summer Brochure

We’ve made it past testing season (mostly), Washington D.C., and scheduling! 6 weeks to go, but there is still plenty to get done before we wrap up the 2022 – 2023 school year!

What I Noticed

• 8th graders in Washington D.C. were fantastic! They carried themselves as well as our community would expect, showed reverence and respect at all of our stops and with all of the adults, kept up with the break-neck pace! A huge “thank you” goes out to our CSD employee chaperones, and specifically Nick Schumann for leading our group!
• 8th grade students that did not attend the trip had an exciting week of visiting areas around Chelsea, including Central Office, the Senior Center, and some of our best eating establishments! Thanks to our community partners for hosting and supporting!
• 7th grade global studies students have been playing a game from ancient Mesopotamia.
• Orchestra students have been working on the pentatonic scale as they work on improvisation.
• 6th grade technology students have been creating prototypes for launchers and testing them out.

Next Week

Monday: NWEA ELA, drama rehearsals, Track @ Dexter
Tuesday: NWEA ELA, Drama rehearsals, Homework Club, Lacrosse vs. Lincoln
Wednesday: 8 Gold traveling to Holocaust Museum, Homework Club, Tennis vs. Lumen Christi
Thursday: Drama rehearsals, Homework Club, Track vs. Tecumseh, Lacrosse vs. Saline
Friday: Beach Crew
Saturday: Drama Rehearsals, Tennis @ Sturgis

It will be a relatively quiet week at Beach with a majority of the 8th grade in Washington D.C. It’s always fun to watch our 6th graders take a maturity step in this week with their new freedoms!

What I Noticed

• Students in the Drama EXPLORE class are practicing monologs!
• 7th grade science students are constructing a model of how air is heated by the sun, making connections to energy transfer
• MSTEP this week for all students! We’re almost through our testing season.
• Teachers using their professional development time to dive into data from our Winter NWEA testing.
• 8th graders getting ready for a big week in Washington D.C.!

Next Week

Monday: Tennis vs. Milan
Tuesday: 8th graders leave for Washington D.C. (4:00am), Drama Rehearsals, Homework Club
Wednesday: Tennis vs. Lumen Christi, Homework Club
Thursday: Drama Rehearsals, Homework Club
Friday: End of Marking Period 5
Saturday: Lacrosse @ Bedford

District Goals

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Mldooz0et0tf4Y-RG6P2pyok_t7dGga/view

CEF Live Auction

The items are live! Please take a moment to browse the options and make a bid!

https://www.chelseaeducationfoundation.org/2023onlineauction?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=fc04dbe1-6fe8-40f7-a2b2-6485ff191e17

Testing Schedule

• NWEA ELA – May 2-3 All Grades
• NWEA Math May 10-11 All Grades

Washington D.C. Reminders

8th grade parents, the call time for your 8th grader is 4:00am. Please have them come to the cafeteria with everything they’re bringing on the trip! The buses will roll out at 5:00am sharp.

We will not be waiting for late students. The timing of our trip is extremely important!

What I noticed

• 8th graders in science are learning about physics and how an object will moved based on applied forces.
• Testing, testing, an more testing! PSAT8 is complete, and the first wave of MSTEP tests have been administered.
• Our kiddos have really enjoyed the sunshine this week, and we can see a change in mood and overall happiness! So thankful that our schedule and building allow for our students to get outside!

Next Week

Monday: Drama Rehearsals
Tuesday: MSTEP SS/Sci, Drama Rehearsal, Homework Club, Tennis vs. Parma, Lacrosse vs. Monroe
Wednesday: 1/2 Day for Students, Drama Rehearsal
Thursday: MSTEP Math, Washington D.C. Student Meeting during school, Ele’s Place, Drama Rehearsal, Homework Club
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: Tennis vs. Parma, Lacrosse @ Belleville

Testing Calendar

• MSTEP Sci/SS – 8th Grade Only – April 18th (make-ups on 20th) – 1st – 3rd Hours
• MSTEP Math – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 20th (make-ups on 21st) – 1st – 3rd Hours
• NWEA ELA – May 2-3 All Grades
• NWEA Math May 10-11 All Grades

Parent Series – Healthy Sleep Habits

CEF Auction

What I noticed

• 6th grade ELA in Mrs. Knupp’s class is working on the difference between simile and metaphor, and hyperbole and personification. Students then found text examples and created their own!
• 8th grade ELA students are working on Problem/Solution essays, finding sources, and annotating.
• We celebrated National Assistant Principal’s Week. We are so thankful to have Ms. Franco in our AP role. We appreciate her fairness, thoroughness, and care for our students!

Next Week

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: Homework Club, Drama Rehearsals
Wednesday: PSAT8 (more below), Homework Club, Drama Rehearsals, Tennis vs. Harper Springs
Thursday: MSTEP – ELA 6th and 7th, Ele’s Group, Homework Club, Drama Rehearsals
Friday: Scheduling Forms are Due for 6th and 7th grade

PSAT8

Just a couple of notes

• Please make sure your student has a good night’s sleep leading up to Wednesday
• A good breakfast will give your student the necessary energy to complete the test (2 hours and 35 minutes). There are breaks worked into the test, but food is not allowed at any point.
• The test will begin right after the first bell and announcements, so please make sure your student gets to school on time.

Testing Schedule

• PSAT8 Test – 8th Grade Only – April 12th, 1st – 3rd hour
• MSTEP ELA – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 13th (make-ups on 14th) – 1st – 3rd 
• MSTEP Sci/SS – 8th Grade Only – April 18th (make-ups on 20th) – 1st – 3rd
• MSTEP Math – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 20th (make-ups on 21st) – 1st – 3rd
• NWEA ELA – May 2-3 All Grades
• NWEA Math May 10-11 All Grades

Cedar Lake Outdoor Camp

CAC Spring and Summer Announcement

April is here! This is a busy month for our students. Between testing and Washington DC, your student willbe quite busy.

Next Week

Monday: Tennis Practice Begins, Drama Rehearsals
Tuesday: WACC Cyber Safety Presentation (more below), Drama Rehearsals, Music Parent Zoom (more below), 8th Washington DC Mandatory Meeting
Wednesday: PSAT8 Pre-ID Session (more below)
Thursday: Drama Rehearsals
Friday: No School

WACC Cyber Safety Presentation

The Washtenaw Area Council for Children (WACC) presents to our students on a yearly basis. The presentation consists of how students can protect their identities online, avoid dangerous interactions, and reinforce safe online habits.

Music Parents Virtual Meeting

Katy Steklac, Nathan Peters, and Aaron Pollard will hold a virtual meeting to discuss the educational pathway for all music students in the Chelsea School District. Please consider attending if you are a music parent and are curious about the benefits and trajectory of our music program!

PSAT8 Pre-ID Session

All 8th graders will be participating in the PSAT8 at Beach. On Wednesday, students will take part in the Pre-ID session. The goal will be to fill out their answer sheets with their student information before the test, so as to save time during the actual PSAT8. This is not the test, itself. Please make sure your 8th grader attends school on Wednesday!

Testing Schedule Reminder

The PSAT8, MSTEP, and NWEA are all happening between now and early May. Here are the important dates:

• PSAT8 Pre-ID Session – 8th Grade Only – April 5th, 1st Hour
• PSAT8 Test – 8th Grade Only – April 12th, 1st – 3rd hour
• MSTEP ELA – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 13th (make-ups on 14th) – 1st – 3rd 
• MSTEP Sci/SS – 8th Grade Only – April 18th (make-ups on 20th) – 1st – 3rd
• MSTEP Math – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 20th (make-ups on 21st) – 1st – 3rd
• NWEA ELA – May 2-3 All Grades
• NWEA Math May 10-11 All Grades

We’ve made it to Spring Break! As much as I would like to say that things slow down this time of year, it’s quite the opposite. This update is to prepare everyone for big events that are on the horizon. Please read carefully and add important dates to your calendar!

One quick request,

Please do not bring your school iPad on vacation. They get lost VERY easily when taken abroad. Thank you!

Testing

The PSAT8, MSTEP, and NWEA are all happening between now and early May. Here are the important dates:

• PSAT8 Pre-ID Session – 8th Grade Only – April 5th, 1st Hour
• PSAT8 Test – 8th Grade Only – April 12th, 1st – 3rd hour
• MSTEP ELA – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 13th (make-ups on 14th) – 1st – 3rd 
• MSTEP Sci/SS – 8th Grade Only – April 18th (make-ups on 20th) – 1st – 3rd
• MSTEP Math – 6th/7th Grade Only – April 20th (make-ups on 21st) – 1st – 3rd
• NWEA ELA – May 2-3 All Grades
• NWEA Math May 10-11 All Grades

I know this is a lot, but I will be including testing schedules each week so there are no surprises. It’s vitally important for your students to get plenty of sleep, eat good meals the night before, and morning of, the test to promote their best performances.

State Testing Electronics Policy

Please look this over. Thank you!

CSD Parent Education Series

What I Noticed

• Beach Middle School hosted Chelsea District Library’s “Authors in Chelsea” event this week. Pablo Cartaya, author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora. What an amazing experience for our students!
• 7th grade English classes started a dive into grammar, beginning with sentence structure and key terms.
• 8th grade science spent time analyzing scenarios to determine force interactions in a system.
• Building-wide celebration of Pi Day! Ask your student about what Pi means and how we use it!
• 8th grade ELA students are writing arguments with valid reasoning, fluid organization, and sufficient evidence.

Next Week

Monday: Music students will visit CHS, Drama rehearsals
Tuesday: ALICE Drill (more below), Drama, 6th grade Orchestra concert
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: BESS screener in class, Drama, Band Concert
Friday: End of Quarter 3 (last day before Spring Break!)

Testing Out in High School

From Dr. Luman Strong, Assistant Principal at CHS:

Greetings  parents of a soon-to-be CHS freshman!
Your child has requested to test out of the CHS class “Civics”. The actual test will occur at CHS in early May. I’ve attached the syllabus for this test out. You’ll notice that the content for the test is given as well as a current event assignment which is due on test day.

Please connect with Ms. Laura Lutz  (llutz@chelsea.k12.mi.us), social studies department chair, for any questions specific to the test.

I will be communicating to you closer to May as to the exact testing day.

Welcome to CHS and let me know if you have any questions…

ALICE Drills

ALICE Drills have been a yearly occurrence in Chelsea, and most schools statewide, to help prepare students for different internal/external crises. Your student will receive instruction on what to do in case of external or internal threats to the building. As a building, we will drill these scenarios. If you have further questions, please reach out!

SEL Screener

In our continued effort to proactively meet the needs of the whole child, we will be conducting another round of our social-emotional screener for all students. This will be a second opportunity for us to gather data and reflect on how our students are doing. Students in grades 5-12 will be completing the student self screener between 3/16-3/24.

Teachers will be completing the screener for students K-8 in early April. If you opted your child out in the fall, they will remain opted out unless we hear otherwise. Click here for more information on the screener. Please reach out if you have any questions.

What I Noticed

• 6th grade science students discovering chemistry and how do we smell odors (a helpful hint to all middle schoolers 🙂 )
• Algebra students are solving a system of exponential functions graphically.
• 8th Grade Gold team students took advantage of the half day on Friday to learn about Women in History.
• An incredible Creative Arts night, featuring our exceptionally creative and innovative students and staff. Special thanks to Kim Eder and Brian Boos, as well as Katy Steklac, Nathan Peters, and Aaron Pollard for putting this on!
• Student Teachers at Beach Middle School met with Mr. Ceo this week to discuss various topics that impact schools, specifically middle schools. They learned more details about the scheduling process, how classes are formed, and what the Chelsea Community expects of us.

Next Week

Monday: Start of the new trimester and marking period, Drama Rehearsals
Tuesday: Pi Day!, Drama Rehearsals, Fiddle Club Performance
Wednesday: America and Me Contest Winners,
Thursday: Drama Rehearsals
Friday: Nothing 🙂

Authors in Chelsea!

What I Noticed

• Debates in Ms. Watson’s history class. 8th graders are learning about civil discourse, how to manage intellectual disagreements, and how to listen to opposing viewpoints.
• 6th Grade ELA is learning the difference between pathos, ethos, and logos while reviewing the question, “what is an argument?”
• 8th grade ELA students are making their pitches for Passion Projects this week! This is always an exciting time of year, and something of a “right of passage” for our 8th graders.
• Our Winter athletics seasons have officially ended. We are very proud of our Swim and Dive Team, Girls Basketball Team, and Wrestling Team!

Next Week

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: Nothing 🙂
Wednesday: Drama Auditions!
Thursday: Creative Arts Show (6:00pm – 8:00pm)
Friday: Half Day for Students, end of second trimester and marking period 4

SEL Screener

In our continued effort to proactively meet the needs of the whole child, we will be conducting another round of our social-emotional screener for all students. This will be a second opportunity for us to gather data and reflect on how our students are doing. Students in grades 5-12 will be completing the student self screener between 3/16-3/24. Teachers will be completing the screener for students K-8 in early April. If you opted your child out in the fall, they will remain opted out unless we hear otherwise. Click here for more information on the screener. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Athletics Boosters

The Athletics Boosters group is looking for someone to coordinate the Athletic Boosters Annual Golf Outing. If you are interested, or know someone who may be, please send Ryan Ratliff an email at ryan.ratliff@siemens-healthineers.com.

Drama Auditions and More Information

If your student is interested in joining the Beach Middle School Drama Club, please check out the following documents!

Safe Sitter Training

What I Noticed

• 8th grade Spanish students are learning how to order food (tapas, specifically) in Spanish with Mrs. Bertoni.
• Algebra students in Mr. Thorburn and Mrs. McIntosh’s class are investigating exponential equations using y=b^x
• Band, Orchestra, and Choir are all preparing for impending concerts!
• 6 Blue celebrated “Random Acts of Kindness” Day!

Next Week

Monday: 8th graders schedule input
Tuesday: Drama Workshop, Homework Club, Girls BBall vs. Tecumseh
Wednesday: Homework Club
Thursday: Homework Club
Friday: Band and Orchestra Festival @ CHS during the day
Saturday: Chelsea Robotics – Robot Reveal from 2:00pm – 4:00pm (more below)

Book Fair

Please check out the letter below regarding our Spring Book Fair!

Beach CREW

Beach CREW (Creating Relationships in an Empathetic Way) is a peer support program we are piloting at Beach as a way for us to develop connections and foster friendships between our general education and Resource Room students. The time together will be spent connecting through team building activities, games, and service projects. The concept for Beach CREW comes from an evidence-based practice that has been proven effective in leading to improved outcomes in the areas of socialization, communication, and independence. All students who participate will hopefully gain a better understanding of students with disabilities and improve the way they interact with our students in the Resource Room. 

Chelsea Robotics – Robot Reveal

CAP Jr. Presents The Little Mermaid

Next week is Paraprofessional Appreciation Week! Paraprofessionals are integral to the functioning of our building. They primarily support students with special needs, whether that means taking notes in class, collaborating with teachers to accommodate work for students, updating the Homework Hotpage, or just being a trusted adult kids can rely upon.

We love, cherish, and value our wonderful paraprofessionals at Beach!
– Marcie Gilbreath
– Michelle Vanover
– Tara Holmberg
– Karen Paul
– Teri Donajkowski
– Steven Fifield
– Mary Pearson
– Kelly Jordan
– Amber Flores

What I Noticed

• Mrs. Knupp’s 6th grade ELA class presented on their Natural Disaster research projects.
• Mrs. Bertoni’s Spanish class continued work on writing their group stories en Español.
• 8th grade History students in Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Henry’s classes worked on their Constitutional Law review
• Technology classes, with Mr. Boos, were using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) this week.
• Mrs. Eder’s Art classes are creating clay designs for a community project.
• 8th grade science classes used different materials to model plate boundaries. Mrs. Lombardo and Mr. Coon created this experience using graham crackers, frosting, and fruit roll-ups (delicious science is always a good way to engage students).
• Medical Detectives in Mr. Coulombe’s class dissected sheep brains while identifying different parts of the organ.

Next Week

It’s Paraprofessional Appreciation Week!

Monday: No School
Tuesday: BMS Choirs Karaoke Concert
Wednesday: Girls BBall vs. Jackson Parkside, Band/Orchestra Clinic Concert,
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Chelsea District Librarian visiting at lunch
Saturday: Wrestling @ Jackson Parkside

Athletic Transportation Form

We are excited to announce that we are moving to an online athletics transportation form effective immediately!  THE PAPER TRANSPORTATION FORM WILL NO LONGER BE VALID. If you require to transport your child to and/or from an athletic event that has district transportation then you need to fill this form out PRIOR TO THE EVENT!  Once this is filled out, you will provide a digital signature and a copy will automatically be sent to the coach selected and the athletic department!  Your form is then automatically approved.  The coach can verify this by checking their email for the form.  You will also be emailed a copy of the form.  As always, the legal guardian of the child is the only one who can fill this form out.  If you do not see your child’s coach listed on the form, please contact Jason Morris in the athletic office for assistance.  Only head coaches of teams are listed.  Again, if the district is NOT providing transportation, this form is NOTneeded. 

Here is the link:  ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION FORM

Thank you and we hope you will find this more convenient! 

What I Noticed

• 6th Math students have calculating the area of quadrilaterals
• All math students at Beach took the NWEA and worked towards meeting their growth goals. More info to come on that as soon as we dive into the data!
• The Student Services team attended Restorative Practices training at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. RP is a framework for resolving conflicts between students with a focus on repair relationships through empathy and clear communication.

Next Week

Monday: Girls BBall @ Saline, Music Boosters
Tuesday: Drama Workshop
Wednesday: 1/2 Day For Students, Girls BBall vs. Dexter
Thursday: CDL Librarian Visit, Seniors will be visiting 6 Blue, Wrestling @ Saline
Friday: 6 Blue Pool Party

Athletics Communications Tool

Parents and Athletes:

We invite you to join our new Chelsea Athletics Communication App called SportsYou.  This is finally an all-inclusive way to send quick messages and information right to your mobile device, tablet, or computer!  We will continue to communicate important information via FinalForms email as well but this app will give you quick alerts for game changes, meeting reminders, etc.  

Head Coaches will also be given the opportunity to use this for their teams down the road so stay tuned for that as well.

The directions to join the Chelsea Athletics group is very easy!  Simply click on the attachment for instructions.  Thank you and GO BULLDOGS!

Parking Request

If you are picking up at Beach, please be mindful of not occupying or blocking handicap spots. Thank you!

Ele’s Place Survey Reminder

Ele’s Place is a grief support organization focused on providing structured, small-group grief counseling. They frequently partner with schools to run these groups if there have been losses in the schools or with individuals and their family members. It’s a necessary and welcomed support for grieving students and families.

As part of our partnership with Ele’s Place, students will be asked to complete a quick survey on February 13 during their first hour class to express interest in participating in the group. The survey will take students less than one minute to complete. Families of students who are interested in participating will be contacted and asked to sign a permission slip before the student is able to participate in the group.

Please read the attached letter below if you have questions or if you feel like your student could benefit from Ele’s Place.

What I Noticed

• All Beach students took their English NWEA test. This test gives us a data point to help our teachers and administrators analyze our current supports for students and hone our teaching practices and curriculum choices. Your student is not defined by their test numbers, but it sure does help us find areas of growth for your student and for us!
• 8th grade students received a visit from Mr. Angel, CHS Principal, and Daniela Bickel, CHS Counselor. Students were walked through the high school scheduling process and what to expect in the coming months.
• Quiz Bowl teams for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade were all finalized. Students are prepared to go to Saline Middle School this Saturday for battle of wits and trivia!
• Ms. Emlaw’s class talking about “Good and Bad Academic Habits” with her 8th graders.
• 7th grade ELA students in Mrs. Skrypec and Mrs. Deland’s classes are working on “Compare and Contrast” language.
• 8th grade Tech students are learning about OnShape, a new computer-aided design program, and how it’s used in the professional world.

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, Girls Basketball vs. Monroe
Tuesday: NWEA – Math Test, Eligibility Captured, 7th Grade Washington D.C. Meeting (More Below)
Wednesday: Student Count Day, Girls BBall @ Adrian
Thursday: STEM Challenges Class @ Ypsi, Wrestling (Home), Competitive Cheer (Home)
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Choir Solo and Ensemble, 7th grade Girls BBall @ Saline, 8th grade Girls BBall at Chelsea High School, Competitive Cheer @ Pennfield

Yearbook Sale Reminder

Families,

The yearbook staff has been working hard to create a beautiful yearbook.  If you are interested in buying, the last date to guarantee a book is January 27th.  After that date quantities will be limited. Here is the link to purchase if you choose.

http://jostensyearbooks.com?ref=A03647100

Thank you,

The Yearbook Staff

Ele’s Place

Ele’s Place is a grief support organization focused on providing structured, small-group grief counseling. They frequently partner with schools to run these groups if there have been losses in the schools or with individuals and their family members. It’s a necessary and welcomed support for grieving students and families.

As part of our partnership with Ele’s Place, students will be asked to complete a quick survey on February 13 during their first hour class to express interest in participating in the group. The survey will take students less than one minute to complete. Families of students who are interested in participating will be contacted and asked to sign a permission slip before the student is able to participate in the group.

Please read the attached letter below if you have questions or if you feel like your student could benefit from Ele’s Place.

7th Grade Parent Washington D.C. Meeting

This meeting is with Nick Schumann, our DC Coordinator. The meeting is intended for families that have not registered for next year’s Washington D.C. trip.

You can still receive the trip discount if you sign up! Please contact Nick Schumann at nschumann@chelsea.k12.mi.us.

Hello, Beach Families!

Next week is the last full week of January, and also the time we start to look ahead to scheduling. 8th grade families, please make sure you take note of the scheduling meeting for rising high schoolers coming up!

What I noticed

• Mrs. Lombardo’s Career Development class led a career day. Students in the classroom researched different careers that were of interest and explored educational pathways, job descriptions, average salaries, etc.
• Mrs. Bertoni’s Spanish class was working on “Yo Puedo” or “I Can” statements about what clothes we are wearing.
• 6th grade mathematicians were practicing graphing utilizing colors to show different fractions.
• Mrs. Knupp’s class worked in literature circles this week.
• The end of the second quarter, 3rd Marking Period, and halfway through the school year!

Next Week

Monday: Girl’s Basketball @ Jackson, Swim & Dive @ Dexter
Tuesday: Eligibility Check,
Wednesday: NWEA – English, Girls Basketball vs. Pinckney
Thursday: Competitive Cheer @ Pinckney
Friday: Wrestling @ Fowlerville Invite
Saturday: Competitive Cheer hosting the Bulldog Bash

8th Grade Scheduling Information

NWEA – English Test

Your student will be taking the Winter NWEA test on Wednesday next week. You can help your student do their best by making sure they go to sleep at a good time, charge their iPad, and get a good breakfast. Thank you in advance!

Superintendent Report

If you haven’t seen it yet, please watch this video from Superintendent Kapolka regarding school closures, district data, and new staff.

What I Noticed

• Mrs. Eder’s Advanced Math class began work on constructing triangles using angle and side measures.
• Mrs. Deland’s class started the 2023 year by exploring new books in the media center with a book pass. Congrats to Mrs. Deland on meeting her 2022 New Year’s Resolution by reading 35 books!
• Mrs. Miller’s Global Studies class is learning how archeologists use facts to make inferences about things that happened a long time ago.
• Solo and Ensemble rehearsals are in full swing for this weekend!

Next Week

Monday: NO SCHOOL
Tuesday: Homework Club, Drama Workshop
Wednesday: Swim & Dive vs. Jackson Parkside
Thursday: Wrestling @ Dexter, Parent/Teacher Conferences (see below)
Friday: End of Marking Period 3 (HALFWAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR),
Saturday: Wrestling @ CHS

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Spring conferences are based on teacher invitation. If your student’s team has reached out to you, please complete the Sign-Up form that accompanied the email. If you feel like you are in need of a conference, please reach out to your student’s teachers directly and they will schedule you.

8th Grade Scheduling Reminder

Baseball Fundraiser

Hello, Beach Family! I hope you all had a restful break filled with quality family time and wonderful memories. Here is our look ahead to next week!

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club
Tuesday: Eligibility Check, Music Boosters Meeting
Wednesday: Swim and Dive vs. Bedford
Thursday: Competitive Cheer @ Adrian
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: Swim and Dive @ Milan, BMS Band/Orchestra Solo and Ensemble, Competitive Cheer @ Northwest HS

Young 5 and Kindergarten Registration

The Chelsea School District Young 5 and Kindergarten Kickoff for the 2023 – 2024 school year is February 16 at North Creek Elementary. On this evening, our staff will welcome incoming Young 5 and Kindergarten students and their families for the 2023 – 2024 school year.  This year, we are combining the Information Night and Orientation events into this one event. We are excited to be able to welcome both parents and children in person for this new and improved format.

Online registration for Young 5 and Kindergarten students will begin on February 17. We look forward to welcoming our incoming students and their families!

8th Grade Scheduling for High School

All 8th grade parents, please read the following letter from Dr. Angel regarding high school scheduling.

Baseball Fundraiser

Hello, Families! I want to make this very brief so you can all start thinking about the Holidays!

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Chelsea Athletics is excited to announce our very first 24/7 sideline store! You can customize apparel & other items! Orders are shipped directly to your home. As part of our grand opening, we are offering 15% off through January 23rd! Access the store at

 http://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/michigan/chelsea/chelsea-high-school

Next Week

Monday: Take time with the family, rest, relax
Tuesday: Take time with the family, try something new
Wednesday: Take time with the family, take some time for yourself
Thursday: Take time with the family, Do something for someone else
Friday: Take time with the family, read something different

6th Grade Girls Basketball Registration

The 6th grade girls basketball team is looking for more athletes to round out their team. If your student is interested in joining, please click the link below.

https://www.michiganyouthbasketball.com/michiganyb

We’re in the last week before Break! Thank you all for using the new absence form. From all accounts, it has been pretty smooth!

What I Noticed

• 7th grade science has been building physics knowledge to build solutions to a project problem.
• Storytelling and communication skills in Mr. Slusser’s class.
• Wrapping up the 2022 portion of the year with time to tie up any loose ends before heading into break.
• ELA is working on building reading stamina

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, BB-B @ Jackson, BB-G vs. Jackson
Tuesday: Nothing 🙂
Wednesday: Swim/Dive vs. Ypsilanti
Thursday: 6 Gold Pool Party during the day
Friday: No School

Spirit Week

Here are the themes for Spirit Week!

Monday – Ugly sweater/PJ day
Tuesday – Dress as a gift you want
Wednesday – Wear your Holiday Best
Thursday – Grinch vs. Santa

What I noticed

• Brian Boos hosted the Hour of Code this week. The Hour of Code is a global movement introducing tens of millions of students worldwide to computer science, inspiring kids to learn more, breaking stereotypes, and leaving them feeling empowered.
• “How does latitude and altitude affect the weather?” in Mrs. Morgan’s 6th grade Global Studies class.
• Student Learning Communities with Kelsey Miller continue their work building teams to accomplish different tasks.
• Our music programs putting on 3 amazing shows!!
• Spanish classes, led by Mrs. Bertoni, are practicing TPRS to activate apply vocabulary.
• 6th grade science in Mrs. Wagoner and Mr. Tykoski’s classes are finalizing their water flow lab reports.
• 6th Grade ELA students went to the Senior Center for the start of the “Generations” projects. More to come!

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, BB-B @ Ypsi, BB-G vs. Monroe, Swim/Dive @ Tecumseh
Tuesday: Homework Club
Wednesday: 1/2 Day for Students, NO Homework Club, BB-B @ Lincoln, BB-G vs Dexter, Swim/Dive vs. Saline
Thursday: Homework Club, 7th Grade Dance
Friday: Robotics State Meet (Go Gremlins!)
Saturday: Robotics State Meet (Go Gremlins!)

Student Voice Panel

We are beginning to collect Student Voice as part of our PoG efforts with a focus on gathering data and feedback from a broad representation of students about their experience as a Beach student. There will be multiple samples of students throughout the school year. Today, we started with a group of six 8th grade students during Zero Hour in the Flex Lab. They were invited to an optional “Cocoa, Popcorn, and Convo with Ms. Franco.” Students said it was “fun” and look forward to more opportunities to share their opinions and perspectives. The next student sample will be with 7th grade students.

Safe Sitter Essentials Class

We are fully into December, and students have hit their stride with expectations. We’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth, both academically and behaviorally, over the first third of the year, and we’re excited to see where our kiddos go next!

What I Noticed

• 8th grade Algebra students were experimenting with data points regarding kinetic energy transfers and elasticity.
• 7th grade science students are investigating how molecules act in a vacuum.
• English Language Arts students across grade levels are continuing work on Greek and Latin roots.
• 6th Grade Blue students are starting work on their “Generations Project”, which includes a trip to the Chelsea Senior Center. This project incorporates PoG skills and also creates a strong link with our Chelsea Community!

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, BB-B @ Tecumseh, BB-G vs. Bedford, Swim/Dive @ Pinckney
Tuesday: BMS Orchestra Concert
Wednesday: BB-B vs. Dexter, BB-G @ Tecumseh
Thursday: Swim/Dive vs. Monroe, Band and Choir Concerts
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: BB-B&G – 7th grade only – CHS

Food Allergy Form for School Lunch

If your student has food allergies and they buy lunch please fill out this form and turn it into the front office. This should ensure that all students with allergies have dining options. Thank you!

A brief update, due to the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, Fiddle Club, BB-G vs. Lincoln
Tuesday: Athletic Eligibility Captured, Homework Program
Wednesday: BB-B vs. Monroe, Homework Program
Thursday: Wreath Sale Delivery, Bake Sale After School, Homework Program
Friday: BMS Choirs Hometown Holiday Tree-Lighting

End of the Trimester

First trimester grades are capped at the end of next week. Students will get a fresh start when they return to school on the 28th. Please note that core classes (ELA, science, social studies, and math) will not change. EXPLORE classes, however, will change.

Let Robotics Wrap Your Holiday Presents!

I’m doubling up, again! Thanksgiving week goes quickly, and I know we’ll all be very busy that week, so I want to give you as much information as possible while I can!

What I Noticed:

• 6th grade students working on figurative language with Mrs. Skrypec.
• The start of basketball season (not to mention some big wins vs. Dexter in 7th grade)!
• Making connections between literature and life in 8th grade ELA as they wrap up The Outsiders.
• Mrs. Chinavare’s math class solving algebraic equations during a scavenger hunt around the building (so much fun!)

Week Ahead

Monday: Yearbook Club, Fiddle Club, BB-Blue vs. Saline, BB-Gold @ Saline
Tuesday: End of the first Trimester and Marking Period 2 (more below)
Wednesday: No School (Records Day)
Thursday: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Friday: No School (Thanksgiving Break)

November 28 – Dec 2nd

Monday: Yearbook Club, Fiddle Club, BB-G vs. Lincoln
Tuesday: Athletic Eligibility Captured, Homework Program
Wednesday: BB-B vs. Monroe, Homework Program
Thursday: Wreath Sale Delivery, Bake Sale After School, Homework Program
Friday: BMS Choirs Hometown Holiday Tree-Lighting

Robotics Update

Gremlins came home with the Design Award and 3rd Place in the Motivate award. Glitch was selected to play in the quarter finals and was 3rd Place in the Connect Award.  Crash was 2nd Place in the Connect Award.  

Beach Middle School Robotics Upcoming Meets:

11/12 – Meet @ Chelsea Robotics Center 1pm
11/19 – Meet @ Chelsea Robotics Center 1pm
12/03 – League Tournament @ Mason High School Mason MI 8am
States Championships
12/08-12/10  Monroe Community College
12/15-12/17  Calvin University

End of the First Trimester

First trimester grades are capped at the end of next week. Students will get a fresh start when they return to school on the 28th. Please note that core classes (ELA, science, social studies, and math) will not change. EXPLORE classes, however, will change.

Teachers will not be accepting late work for the 1st trimester after the 22nd.

Hello, Beach Families! Next week is the last full week of November, I want to make sure that the calendar is very clear for all families, so there will be some redundancy in messages for the next two weeks. Just a heads up!

What I noticed

• 6th Grade Technology students are designing and constructing three-dimensional puzzles.
• 6th Grade Robotics class is building robotic elephants!
• Beach Staff received expert professional development on our new learning management system, Canvas. Thanks to Alex Stacy!
• Ceramics in Art with Mrs. Eder
• 7th grade science learning about the difference between gravitational energy and kinetic energy.
• 8th grade ELA developing research questions for new projects.

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club
Tuesday: Athletic Eligibility Captured, Basketball – Blue vs. Dexter, Basketball Gold @ Dexter
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: Basketball Blue vs Adrian, Basketball Gold @ Ypsi, Bandsgiving
Friday: Leadership Bake Sale
Saturday: MS Honor’s Choir Rehearsal, 7th Grade Boy’s Basketball @ Adrian, 8th Boy’s Basketball @ Tecumseh

Thanksgiving Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, BB-Blue vs. Saline, BB-Gold @ Saline
Tuesday: End of the first Trimester and Marking Period 2
Wednesday: No School (Records Day)
Thursday: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Friday: No School (Thanksgiving Break)

New Attendance Form

The Chelsea School District will be rolling out a new attendance form for families in lieu of calling building attendance hotlines. Not only will this be easier for families, it will make our attendance process more efficient for our front office staff members. We will officially be rolling out the form on November 28th. In the meantime, please take a moment to watch this video created by Jason Morris that walks people through the process

Beach Attendance Video https://www.loom.com/share/5861c5b5ba1f430fa9f9d78e7f6aae21

Orchestra Holiday Wreath Sale

Chelsea Orchestra Parents:

The Beach and South Orchestras will be having their annual wreath sale over the next couple of weeks. The wreath info. sheet and form are attached  The top seller in each class will receive a prize.

If you know a Beach student in orchestra, please consider purchasing one! If you want one and don’t know a student, please ask Mr. Peters about buying one (npeters@chelsea.k12.mi.us).

Whew, Halloween week is over. It’s always a challenge leading up to this date, but the costumes are always incredible! We have some extremely creative (and brave) students and staff! Thank you all for helping us make this a very fun and safe day every year!

What I noticed

• A lot of candy… like, A LOT of candy
• The 7 Blue team making goals for academic success and NWEA improvement using data!
• Students participating in the NAEP test did a phenomenal job, were respectful, and represented us well. The NAEP coordinators commented on how easy our students made the process! Proud principal moment!
• Mr. Tykoski’s 6th grade science classes are learning about ultraviolet light and visible light.
• The Science Department working hard to sift through curricula to the find the best fit for Beach students.

This Week

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: Music Boosters Meeting
Wednesday: Washington DC meeting for current 7th grade families (more below)
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: The Spelling Bee!

Swim Team Update

• Preseason meeting for athletes – Tuesday, Nov. 8 immediately after school in the BMS cafeteria
• Practice starts – Monday, Nov. 14 after school
• All athletes must have their sports physical on file in Final Forms before they can start practice on Nov. 14
• Any questions parents can email Andrew Thomson (athomson@chelsea.k12.mi.us)

7th Grade Washington DC Meeting

We are extremely excited to get a jump on the 2023-2024 Washington D.C. trip! After surveying families from previous years, the overwhelming feedback we got was “the earlier, the better!” Listening to that, we’ve decided to get ahead of it and give families the opportunity to plan well in advance. 

We will be hosting a meeting for the current 7th grade class about the Washington D.C. trip for their 8th grade year on:

Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00pm
Beach Middle School Cafeteria

If you attend and sign-up for the trip within 48 hours, you receive a discount over $100! Please check out the flyer below for more details and feel free to contact Nick Schumann (nschumann@chelsea.k12.mi.us) with additional questions!

Spelling Bee

Good luck to all of our students heading to the SEMMLAA Spelling Bee in Milan this coming Saturday (November 12th). Please make sure you show up bright and early (8:00am) for coffee and donuts!

This is a long one, with a lot of flyers, so dig in! Also, please remember that Monday is the beginning of Quarter 2. That means 7th and 8th grade students will have new “Rotational Elective” courses (Health, Art, Tech, or Spanish).

What I Noticed

• We’ve reached that “witching” time where students are becoming slightly restless. The combination of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break begin to materialize on the horizon, and we start to see some troublesome behaviors. Please help us reinforce the community values that make Beach a special place for everyone.
• Our Tech and Art classes have been collaborating on various projects, and we are seeing some incredible work that spans two subjects!
• 7th graders are deep into their reading of Wednesday Wars. This novel has been a staple at Beach for years, and it’s always great to hear student thoughts and ideas around some of the central themes of the novel!
• 6th grade robotics are problem solving solutions to some of the programming bugs they’re encountering.
• This was the final week of the Fall sports season, and we couldn’t be prouder of our athletic teams! Field Hockey, Volleyball, Cheer, Cross Country, and Football all performed at a high level and held themselves to the highest standards of sportsmanship. Well done!

Next Week

Monday: Halloween! (see below for costume regulations), Start of the new Quarter
Tuesday: NAEP Testing (if your student is being tested, you received an email from me)
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: Fiddle Club Concert

Halloween Protocols

1.    The intent of Halloween costumes is to have fun, be creative, and show your school spirit via participation
2.    NO WEAPONS – such as play guns, swords, ropes, knives, etc.
3.    Hair coloring must be done before arriving at school – costumes should be put on before you come to school
4.    NO inappropriate clothing/costumes of any kind. If you think it may not be ok to wear, then it probably isn’t.

Ele’s Place

In January we will be partnering with Ele’s Place to bring our students an 8 week grief support group. This group will be offered during the school day, once a week for 8 weeks, here at school. The group is designed to help students who have experienced the death of someone significant to them.  

In Ele’s Group, there will be the opportunity to do activities, talk about grief experiences, learn ways to cope, and to be with others who have had similar experiences.  This group is not therapy or counseling, it is a way to connect with other students who are grieving and support each other.

Groups will be facilitated by an Ele’s Place staff member and Mara Kelly, our school social worker. If you are interested in having your child participate or learning more please complete this Ele’s Group Interest Form. 

Chelsea Hometown Show

Learn to Skate – Winter Session

Bulldog Wrestling Flyer

Mental Health Resource Guide from *srsly

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Wednesday is a half day for students. Dismissal is 11:22am.

What I Noticed

• Melisaa McIntosh, Kathryn McCalla, Kelsey Miller, and Matt Ceo attended the NWEA Michigan Leadership Summit. They learned how to look deeper into test scores in order to tailor teaching to specific student needs. Illuminating!
• Katy Steklac’s 7th grade band Zoomed with former Band Director, Bruce Galbraith, to learn more about the history of music in the Chelsea School District.
• Mr. Coon’s science class is class observing cellular respiration and answering the question: do different foods provide different amounts of energy?
• Mrs. Lombardo’s Career Development Class is exploring the “25 Most In-Demand Jobs” right now.
• Real World Math with Mrs. McIntosh are analyzing the performance of their stocks!

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, Volleyball vs. Pinckney, Football/Cheer @ Bedford
Tuesdays: Orchestra Concert
Wednesday: 1/2 Day for Students, Volleyball vs. Jackson, Volleyball @ Bedford, Band Concert
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: End of Quarter 1 (more below), NAEP Discussion at lunch (more info below)

End of Quarter 1

The first quarter of the school year will be over on Friday! Wow! 7th and 8th grade student will be changing their rotational elective (Art, Health, Tech, Spanish). Please remind your student to check their schedule!

NAEP Testing

If your student was selected to take the NAEP test, you have already heard from me individually. We will be speaking with our selected students during lunch to prepare them. Thank you to the families that agreed to participate!

What a busy week at the Beach! Between 6th grade camp, athletic events, and Parent-Teacher conferences, the building was BUZZZZZING!

What I Noticed

• 6th Grade Camp! Thank you to all of the volunteers that showed up for camp this week. It would be impossible to run it without you. Huge “thank you” goes out to Mary Morgans and Kevin Tykoski for organizing this year!
• Design Thinking, with Mrs. Henry, is finishing off their dungeon-themed games!
• Ms. Soule’s class visited the University of Michigan Musical Society for a jazz performance
• 7th grade Global Studies students are creating timelines and beginning their studies on Ancient Rome.

Next Week

Monday: Yearbook Club, Volleyball vs. Tecumseh
Tuesday: Eligibility Check, Football/Cheer vs. Bedford, Fall Festival of Choirs Concert
Wednesday: Parent-Teacher Conferences (part 2), Cross Country @ Saline, Volleyball @ Dexter, Volleyball vs. Dexter
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: Cross Country @ Hudson Mills

Yearbook For Sale!

You can pre-order your yearbook now! Please click the link below, and pre-order your student’s book today!

Yearbook Link

YFYI – yearbooks do not come in until the end of the school year.

Listening Session

CEF Rivalry!!!

Bulldogs – the Chelsea Education Foundation needs your help!  We are in the final week of our annual “friendly” fundraising competition with Dexter’s foundation, and they are currently in the lead!  Please consider donating to help CEF beat Dexter and fund teacher grants in our community at

 https://www.chelseaeducationfoundation.org/.

Let’s jump right into, folks!

What I Noticed

• 7th grade math is working on linear equations, graphs, and tables
• 8th grade science is developing their own experiments using wheat grass
• 8th grade English students are writing information and explanatory texts. They’re also effectively selecting, organizing, and analyzing content.
• 7th grade English students are using the writing process to plan, revise, and edit writing for publication paying mind to task, purpose, and audience.
• The STEM Challenge class competed at the Michigan International Speedway for the Ten80 Race!

Next Week

Monday: 6th grade camp (BLUE), Yearbook Club, Volleyball v. Saline, Volleyball @ Saline,
Tuesday: 6th grade camp (BLUE), Football/Cheer @ Dexter, Field Hockey vs. St. Francis
Wednesday: 6th grade camp (GOLD), Volleyball vs. Lincoln, Volleyball @ Lincoln
Thursday: 6th grade camp (GOLD), Parent-Teacher Conferences (More Below)
Friday: Nothing 🙂
Saturday: Cross Country @ Monroe, Field Hockey @ Dexter

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Conferences begin at 3:45 and end at 7:00. If you have not had a chance to sign up with your student’s team, please contact them for a time slot for the 13th or the 19th.

Please consider signing up below to provide part of the meal for teachers before Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Any and all donations are greatly appreciated!

Library Cards for Minors

The Chelsea District Library is an incredible resource for our community, yet we’ve found that many of our students don’t have library cards! Please consider filling out this form and taking it to the CDL so your student can check out books, use the maker-space, download audiobooks, and so much more!

What I’ve Noticed

• 6th grade English is working on providing textual evidence (observations) to support answers to comprehension questions. Students are also using text evidence to make and support inferences.
• 6th grade math students collected data and learned how to display the data in a stem and leaf plot and histogram.
• Kelsey Miller served as Administrative Intern this week, and proved why she is a teacher-leader in our building!

Next Week

Monday: Volleyball vs. Ypsi, Volleyball @ Lincoln, Field Hockey vs. Saline,
Tuesday: Academic Eligibility Captured, Football/Cheer @ Monroe (7th grade only)
Wednesday: Cross Country @ Tecumseh, Volleyball vs. Dexter, Volleyball @ Tecumseh
Thursday: STEM Challenge Class Trip to MIS for Ten80 Racing
Friday: Picture Retakes, END OF MARKING PERIOD 1 (more below)

End of Marking Period 1

At the end of a marking period, all 6th graders and non-music 7th and 8th graders will experience a change in classes. Please have your student review their schedule so they know where to go on the following Monday.

Book Fair

The Book Fair is around the corner! Please check out the flyer below for more details!

Student M-Step Data

As required by state and federal law, Chelsea Schools administered the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) to 3rd-8th grade students last spring. Score reports for students who took the test are now available in the school office.  Please remember, your child’s score report is a snapshot of their progress as of last May and should be regarded as such.  Classroom information from your child’s teacher and more recent benchmark assessment results provide a more complete picture of your child’s progress at this time. If you are interested in a copy of the report you can pick up your student’s in the office or we can mail a copy home. Let us know!

What I Noticed

• 7th grade ELA classes are learning how to write SEEC (statement, example, explanation, conclusion) paragraphs.
• “Conversaciones” in Spanish
• 6th grade math is working on visual representations of quantities
• 6th grade Global Studies are doing doing extensive reading on continents and oceans, and how to ask geographic questions
• Beach Middle School was named a “Michigan Heart Safe School” after completing our first response drill!

Next Week

Monday: Volleyball – Gold vs. Lincoln, Volleyball – Blue @ Adrian
Tuesday: Football vs. Jackson, Field Hockey vs. Emerson
Wednesday: Volleyball – Blue vs. Saline, Volleyball – Gold @ Saline
Thursday: Field Hockey @ Dexter
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Cross Country @ Stockbridge, Volleyball (7th grade only) @ Jackson Parkside

6th Grade Camp – Payment Reminder

6th grade families, this is a gentle reminder that your camp fees are due. Please remit payment to the following link. If you are unsure if you’ve paid, please email Betsy Elkins at belkins@chelsea.k12.mi.us.

Hello, Beach Families! Things feel smooth here at Beach – students seem to be in routines already, and there is A LOT of learning going on in the building.

What I Noticed

• 7th grade science, with Mr. Coulombe and Ms. Eder, is planning and carrying out an investigation of solubility in order to expand their understanding of substances and their properties.
• 7th grade global studies is answering these heavy-hitting questions: what is history? How do people use the word “history”? What does it mean to study history?
• 8th grade English is working on writing narratives, developing real or imagined experiences using well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
• 8th grade Spanish is practicing formal vs informal pronouns “¿Tú o Usted?
• 6th grade Band is practicing sight reading already!

Next Week

Monday: Volleyball (Blue @ Monroe, Gold vs. Bedford)
Tuesday: Football/Cheer vs. Saline, Field Hockey vs. Greenhills
Wednesday: NWEA Math
Thursday: Field Hockey vs. Ottawa Hills
Friday: Nothing 🙂

Scholarship Donations

Thank you to all those that generously donated to our scholarship fund for both 6th grade camp and Washington D.C. Your contributions assist us in sending ALL kids to these events.

If you missed the email, here is the link!

Transportation Update

For questions about Transportation, please refer to the Transportation page (linked here).

Emergency Response Team

The Beach Emergency Response Team, under the guidance of Nurse Marijane Nelson, practiced our student injury response today. During this drill, members of our team practice assessing a student injury/crisis situation, administering CPR/First Aid, and securing a safe environment. Thanks to the team for their work in keeping Beach as safe as possible!

Hello, Beach Families! Next week is a FULL week of school, so keep your eyes out for some cranky middle schoolers! I greatly appreciate everyone’s adjustment to not dropping students off in the staff loop – it’s extremely important to not use this loop for safety reasons to our kiddos!

What I noticed…

• The year’s first science labs have begun! It’s so much fun smelling the “science” that’s occurring, particularly in Ms. Eder’s class!
• Minute Meetings with our counseling department are underway. For those that don’t know, all students at Beach will meet with one of the members from the counseling department to discuss their goals for this year and to share a little bit about themselves. This is an excellent way to get to know each and every one of our kiddos. Thanks to Mr. Strzyzewski, Mrs. Kelly, and Mr. Elam!
• 7th grade English students were oriented with the Media Center, check out processes, and all of the resources that Mrs. Dewyer has available to them! Let the research begin!
• Now that iPads are out, students have been diving into their online textbooks and have started to acquaint themselves with Canvas, our new online learning tool.

Next Week

Monday: Middle School Honors Choir Online Auditions
Tuesday: Washington D.C. (more below), Music Boosters Meeting, Football @ Pinckney, Field Hockey @ Saline
Wednesday: NWEA – ELA Test
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: Nothing 🙂

Washington D.C. Meeting

Beach Middle School Cafeteria, 7:00pm for families NOT signed up yet

This is a meeting for all parents that have yet to sign up for Washington D.C. Mr. Schumann will hold this meeting and help parents sign up with the promo code for a discount, and also talk through scholarship opportunities.

Tennis Club

Hello everyone, please note that the 4th, 5th and 6th grade tennis club is making a move to the fall! The link to register for the program is below! The group will run on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3:3-5 at Beach Middle school. It will start on 9-6 and run through 10-14. Previous experience is not required.  Please bring athletic shoes and clothes, a racket and a water bottle to practice.

Youth Tennis Club (Gr. 4-6)

Introduction to our Project SUCCESS Coordinator – Kristen Chandler

Please take a moment to read this letter of introduction to our Project SUCCESS Coordinator, Kristen Chandler. She will be working at both Beach and CHS.

Nurse’s Note

Along with COVID, we are seeing an early uptick of other illnesses including strep.  Please continue to monitor your child/children for unusual or new symptoms to them. The health department recommends staying home if ill and testing for COVID or seeing your family physician for another diagnosis before returning to school. 

Hello, Beach Families!

It was wonderful to see so many of you at Open House this week. Thank you for the donations of school supplies, too – it makes a big difference for many of our students.

What I Noticed:

• The entire Chelsea School District coming together for Opening Day Professional Development. This time is used to reconnect with one another, refocus our energy on student health and success, and get fired up for an awesome year!
• The Beach Family spent a lot of time together focusing on our own building goals and “Leading the Way” (our building theme for the year).
• Our building is in fantastic shape, thanks to our Operations Department and specifically Mike and Karen!
• The front office staff of Ms. Elkins, Mrs. Musolf, and Mrs. Clark doing all of the things (big and little) that make the school year happen.
• An Open House with 94% attendance (WOW), full of excited students and families!

Next Week

Monday: First Day of School!
Tuesday: Football Parent Meeting (cafeteria) at 5:15pm
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: Picture Day and iPad Pick-up!
Friday: NO SCHOOL

First Day of School

For those of you unfamiliar with how Pick-Up/Drop-Off work, I’ve added a video to help familiarize you with the procedure. This video was taken last year, so the construction may look funny to you.

The bottom line is this: the first week will be tricky, after that we usually clear the lot/loop by 3:15. Please be patient and kind while our families figure this out.

Final Words Before We Start

Take a deep breath, exhale, and remember that this will be a year of growth for your child in a number of ways. Growth is healthy, age-appropriate, and expected. Will we have hiccups? Sure! Is everything going to feel nutty sometimes? Most definitely. Is Beach full of professionals that are going to everything we can to make this a fruitful experience for your child? Without a doubt!

We take our responsibility as educators seriously in all areas of our building. We have a dedicated staff of experts that know the middle level, and will teach your student the foundational skills that will lead to success.

Thank you for your support, Chelsea Community!

Hello, Families! I’d like to introduce you to the Bulldog Blog. I use this space to collect and share information with families. It’s much easier to add documents, photos, schedules, etc. here instead of MASSIVE email.

I will give a preview of the items mentioned in this blog in my “Week Ahead” email. This should help you all sift through information quickly – I know we all are bogged down by emails.

My favorite item to write about is my “What I Noticed” section. I jot down quick observations from my travels around the building and share them all with you. We have an amazing staff that challenges your students – it would be a shame if you didn’t get a glimpse of that work!

What I Noticed

This past week has been ALL preparation. We are gearing up for your students to get here!

• Karen and Mike, our building custodians, have meticulous in their cleaning of our building and have done an outstanding job preparing classrooms and spaces!
• Erika Clark, our new administrative assistant, has had the impossible task of replacing Lisa Zocharski (now at Central Office). Erika has already exceeded expectations and is impressing everyone!
• Betsy Elkins and Patti Musolf have been invaluable members of our front office, and keep our ship headed in the right direction. Thank you!
• Dennis Strzyzewski, our 6th and 7th grade counselor, has been hosting our new families all week and familiarizing them with Beach.
• Our new staff members, Corynne Eder and Alex Soule, have been working with all new staff members across the district in our “New Staff Orientation”. We are so thankful to have them aboard!
• Our WEB Leaders have been training so hard the last two days and are ready to lead our new 6th graders at Orientation (more below)!

Week Ahead

• Monday – WEB Orientation (more below), New Student/Family Meeting (more below)
• Tuesday – Teacher Professional Development
• Wednesday – Teacher Professional Development, OPEN HOUSE 5:00pm – 7:00pm (More Below)
• Thursday – Nothing
• Friday – Nothing

Schedules

Your student’s schedule is now available on PowerSchool. If you are unable to access your PowerSchool account, please go through this troubleshooting document. If problems continue to persist, please contact the Beach front office at 734-433-2202.

WEB Orientation

Beach Middle School – August 22nd, 8:00am – Noon

WEB Orientation is one of the biggest events of the entire school year. It sets the tone for your 6th grader’s tenure at Beach. Not only will your student familiarize themselves with their new surroundings, but they’ll learn their schedule, practice their locker coms, make new friends, and receive mentorship from our trained 8th graders. Please read the following communication from Mr. Lott for more details.

New Family Meetings

Beach Middle School – August 22nd, 11:30 – 12:30

We will host a brief group meeting for new families in the Chelsea School District that have students attending Beach. Mr. Strzyzewski will host the new students, while Ms. Franco and I will be hosting parents/caregivers. 

Open House

Beach Middle School – August 24th, 5:00pm – 7:00pm

This is a great opportunity for families to walkabout, see their students classrooms, give a hello to staff members, and get comfortable heading into the school year. I’ve attached a checklist for your family to go through in order to make sure you hit all the important parts! Here is a map of Beach to help you navigate.

– Please note: there is a 6th grade camp meeting at 6:00pm in the cafeteria. I highly encourage all 6th grade families to attend. This is hosted by Mary Morgans and Kevin Tykoski, and will give important details about 6th grade camp!

7th Grade Immunizations

This is a reminder per the State of Michigan Department of Health, that all incoming 7th grade and new students must be fully immunized to begin their 7th-grade year.  Please make sure your child is up-to-date on their immunizations.  A letter has been mailed home today if your child is incomplete and in need of updated immunizations.

If you have any questions, please call Patti at the office (734-433-2202) beginning Monday, August 22nd,

School Supplies

Finally, here is a list of school supplies so you can get a jump on back-to-school shopping! If your family needs assistance with obtaining school supplies, please let us know!

– 6th Grade Supplies

– 7th Grade Supplies

– 8th Grade Supplies

– Backpack

– One sturdy, plastic, 2 pocket folder
– Earbuds/headphones to keep at school
– 4 –  1” three-ring binders
– 2 packages of #2 pencils
– Pencil-top erasers
– 3 highlighters of different colors

Thank you all for such an amazing year! The Beach has undergone so many transitions in the last 12 months – physically and internally. We say farewell to Scott Riedel and Andrea Miller as they start their retirements. Greg Stephens, Jack Smith, and Carrie Anderson are three highly-valued paraprofessionals that will making different moves in the coming year. Lisa Zocharski, the administrative assistant at Beach, will be heading to Central Office to take on a new role that will impact the whole district. Becky Poole, our beloved custodian, will now be supervising all custodians in the Chelsea School District.

Our Beach Family will not be shrinking, however, because all of these people remain in our hearts. We look forward to growing, reaching out, and adding people to what we consider the best middle school in the State of Michigan.

Summer Communications

The volume of communications will be greatly reduced over the Summer. Please keep your eyes out for the following emails:

• Student schedules
• Summer Athletics
• WEB Training/Orientation
• Open House
• First Day of School

Summer Learning Program

We begin next week on June 14th here at Beach Middle School. If you signed your student up for Summer Learning, then you will be receiving email instructions by the end of the week.

Summer Opportunities

Can you believe the school year is in it’s last week! It’s been an incredible year, filled with highs and lows, successes, challenges, and a lot of growth. I greatly appreciate all of the support from our families and the Chelsea community. We are already looking forward to the 2022 – 2023 school year, but we are not so anxious to miss out on a Summer of rest and regrouping.

What I noticed:

• Congratulations to all of our 8th grade Student Council members. It was an excellent campaign. We’re looking forward to the speeches from Ben and Tessa at our 8th Grade Celebration
• Mr. Thorburn’s class is completing their final checkpoints of the year in 8th grade math!
• The Memorial Day Parade was a lovely example of the diverse skills that our band director, Katy Steklac, teaches to our students. Wonderful!
• Our Leadership class is hosting a 7th grade movie night on Friday at 5:00pm. They’re watching Big Hero Six. All 7th graders are welcome!
• Our 6th grade band and orchestra students had their final concerts of the year and showed an amazing amount of growth.

Week Ahead

• Monday: 6th Grade iPad Collection (more below)
• Tuesday: 7th Grade iPad Collection, Passion Project Bazaar
• Wednesday: 8th Grade iPad Collection,
• Thursday: Art Club, 8th Grade Farewell and Celebration
• Friday: 1/2 Day, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL – NO BACKPACKS ALLOWED

iPad Collection

• Keep their charger and cord. They are responsible for them until graduation.
• Remove all stickers prior to turning the iPad in. The only exception is the label with their device name, number and barcode.
• Please charge the device the night before turn in.- Ensure all files, videos, and photos are backed up to Google Drive and or Google Photos. Many devices will be wiped over the summer.
• All summer school attendees will keep their current device until the end of their first summer session(s).

8th Grade Farewell and Celebration

Please see the invitation below!

Superintendent Focus Group

On Monday, June 6, there will be an opportunity for Focus Groups to share their views regarding the qualifications desired in our new superintendent. Mr. Ingall will lead these meetings. In addition, the community will also contribute to developing the district “Points of Pride,” which will describe to candidates the advantages of living and working in the Chelsea community. The meeting will be held at the Washington Street Education Center in the Board Room.    If you are unable to attend but would like to share your thoughts, please access a short survey at https://www.chelsea.k12.mi.us/superintendent-process-2022. Click on the Superintendent Search Tab and then click on the Survey Tab. The Board of Education thanks you in advance.

Celebrating the Class of ’22 with the CEF!

Please visit this link and help support the class of’22!

https://chelseaeducationfoundation.salsalabs.org/2022gradyear/index.html

Hello, Beach Families. I very much appreciate the communications this week, in light of the tragedy in Texas. Please know that your student’s safety and well-being is our top priority, and we will continue to use and explore best practices in order to keep Beach the safest learning environment possible.

What I Noticed:

• Mrs. Manning’s class attended “Victory Day” with Eastern Michigan University’s football program.
• Band, Orchestra, and Choir performing their final concerts for the school year. What an impressive display from our talented music classes!
• 2023 Washington D.C. information was sent out (more below) to our current 7th graders!
• The end of 2021-2022 testing season!
• Our Peer-2-Peer group traveled to the University of Michigan for their campaign finale.
• Student Council was elected for the current 8th grade class. Congratulations to Ben, the Student Council President, and Tess, the Vice President!
  • Addition congrats to Libby (secretary), Bradley (treasurer), and Azlyn, Kaelyn, Emma, Charlotte, and Jack (representatives)

Next Week

Monday: No School (Memorial Day)
Tuesday: HS Field Hockey Visiting, Math Club, Washington D.C. Parent Meeting
Wednesday: 5th/6th grade Orchestra Concert
Thursday: Art Club, 5th/6th grade Band concert
Friday: Nothing 🙂

Chelsea Soccer Club Tryouts

Chelsea Soccer Club is forming teams for boys and girls of all ages on June 11 and accepting registration for summer camp in August. Camp is not limited to Club members. See the attached flyer for details or visit chelseasoccerclub.org

Week Ahead

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: NWEA Math – whole building, WEB Ice Cream, Math Club
Wednesday: Peer-2-Peer Field Trip, 7th and 8th Grade Band and Orchestra Concert
Thursday: Bulldog Best Photo, WEB Spring Play Day, Art Club, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Choir Concert
Friday: Half Day for Students, MOVING UP DAY! All 8th Graders report to CHS in the morning.

Moving Up Day

It’s that time of year! Moving up day is May 27th, which means a lot of exciting things (with a lot of logistics).

• All current 8th graders will report directly to Chelsea High School in the morning. They will not come to Beach. 8th graders will walk back to Beach (under supervision by adults).
• Current 5th graders will be arriving at Beach shortly after the bell rings. Beach really rolls out the red carper for our up-and-comers, including rotations hosted by our WEB leaders, not to mention musical performances from our Band and Orchestra.

8th Grade Farewell and Celebration

Please mark on your calendars, 8th grade parents:

8th Grade Farewell
June 9th, 2022 from 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Chelsea High School

– Students should dress to impress
– Public address from Mr. Ceo, Student Council President, and Honored Educator, Nick Schumann
– Wonderful opportunity for students to take pictures with one another and families

Immediately following the Farewell, students are invited to return to Beach Middle School for a celebration from 8:00pm – 10:00pm.
– Refreshments will be available for students at no cost
– We will have a dance and an open gym for students
– This is for Beach 8th graders only

Please consider making a donation of food or plates/cups to help us put this event on for kiddos! Click here.

Community Center Task Force Needs your Voice!

The Community Center Task Force is trying to find out what Chelsea residents would want in a community center and we want to hear from Chelsea students of all ages and their families.  Please visit the City of Chelsea website (https://city-chelsea.org/Home/ArtMID/507/ArticleID/1056/Community-Center-Survey-Seeking-Public-Input) to find our surveys for adults and children, and let us know what is important to you!

It was wonderful to host the upcoming 5th grade families Thursday night. Many of you probably remember what it was like being new to Beach and moving your student to a new building. Lots of thoughts and feelings, but it was wonderful!

Things I noticed this week

• Susanna Miller’s Leadership class is planning a fun-filled end of the year with the inception of “Wacky Wednesdays!”.
• Mrs. Lombardo’s Career Development class is studying “hot” careers in the real world (high demand, high pay)
• The music classes are preparing for their final performances!
• Power drag challenges happening in Mr. Coon’s class
• Mr. Tykoski’s class analyzing graphs and organisms effect on marine life.
• Mrs. Morgan’s class is doing a culture choice board project!
• Mr. Riedel’s final teacher observation this past week. For those that do not know, Mr. Riedel is retiring at the end of the year. He has been a fixture at Beach Middle School and is so beloved by students and staff.

This Week

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: NWEA ELA – Building-wide
Wednesday: 8th Grade Reproductive Health Webinar, Lacrosse @ Dexter
Thursday: Art Club, Lacrosse vs. Lincoln
Friday: Greenfield Village, Tennis vs. Saline

Washington D.C. Meeting for Current 7th Graders

We will be having a Parent Meeting for any 7th grader interested in attending The BMS Annual Trip to Washington, D.C. next year.  This meeting will take place on May 31st in the BMS cafeteria at 6pm.  We will go over dates, itinerary, cost, financial aid, early bird discounts, insurance, and a few more items as well.  Hope to see you there!

Football Camp

Things are really picking up at the end of the year. A couple of things to help impress upon your students:

• Your students are very close to the next step in their educational careers – we expect students to start behaving that way so there will be more behaviors that we’re going to crack down on (being in the hallway unattended, excessive bathroom breaks, physical behaviors, etc.)
• Finish the academic year strongly! Access PowerSchool to track your student’s grade so there are no surprises. Reach out to teachers if you have questions about your student’s readiness for next year.

What I Noticed

• Our Resource Room, under the direction of Tiffany Manning with unbelievable support from Greg Stephens and Jack Smith, getting prepared to deliver Brew Crew Orders.
• Darren Embury, our Speech and Language Pathologist, delivering expert instruction to our students needing services.
• Mrs. Skrypec’s lesson this week allowed opportunities for student voice and choice.
• Mr. Coon’s STEM Challenge class helped us interview two candidates for our open Science/Math position. Special “thank you” to that group of kiddos that truly know what good instruction looks like!
• I cannot wait for you all to see the Beach Middle School Drama performance at Beach. Stay tuned for more information next week!

This Week

Monday: Track @ Adrian
Tuesday: MSTEP ELA – 6th Grade, Math Club, Lacrosse vs. Dexter,
Wednesday: 7th Grade Repro Health Webinar, Lacrosse @ Monroe
Thursday: MSTEP Math – 6th, In-School Drama Performance, Art Club, 6th Grade Repro Health Webinar, 5th Grade Parent Meeting (more below), Lacrosse vs. Saline
Friday: Greenfield Village (8th Gold Team), Tennis @ Saline, Drama Performance at 7:00pm
Saturday: Lacrosse @ Monroe, Drama Performance at 7:00pm

5th Grade Parent Meeting

We will be holding our 5th grade parent meeting on Thursday May 12th from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. This is a great opportunity for our rising 5th grade parents to visit Beach, here from Mr. Ceo and some of our staff members about the 6th grade experience, and ask some questions. This meeting will not be zoomed or recorded.

8th Grade Farewell and Celebration

This is a “Month Ahead”, but I wanted this to be circled on all of my 8th grade family calendars.

We will be hosting an 8th Grade Farewell at Chelsea High School on June 9th starting at 7:00pm (Students report at 6:30). This is a long-standing Beach tradition, and a great opportunity for photos and farewells. Kids should dress to impress!

Immediately following the Farewell, we will be hosting an 8th grade dance at Beach Middle School from 8:00pm – 9:30pm. Another Beach tradition, though we haven’t been able to do it in a while. We will have refreshments for the kiddos, a DJ, and an open gym for games. It’s a great time!

CEF Fundraiser

Charitable Giving Seminar

We’re into May! There are only 6 weeks left in the 21-22 school year! Holy smokes! This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we will be spending time honoring and showing our gratitude to the best educators we could ask for!

What I noticed

• Tired 8th grade students after a fantastic Washington D.C. trip!
• The first round of MSTEP testing occurred for our 8th graders in Science and Social Studies. They’re officially done with MSTEP for the year!
• Mrs Miller’s 8th grade ELA class is reading the theatrical version of the The Diary of Anne Frank and also completing their persuasive arguments.
• Mr. Riedel’s science class is tracking the temperate and barometric pressure, logging it, and making inferences.

Next Week

Monday: The beginning of Marking Period 6
Tuesday: MSTEP ELA – 7th Grade, Math Club, Tennis vs. Parma, Lacrosse vs. Monroe
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: MSTEP Math 7, Art Club, Track Vs. Ypsi, Lacrosse vs. Livonia
Friday: Nothing 🙂

Foreign Exchange Student Information

Chelsea High School, in partnership with Educatius Group, welcomes international high school students to the school and community this Fall 2022.  Our students come from Spain, Italy, Brazil and Vietnam and take classes alongside their American peers, while living with loving host families.

Educatius is currently looking for families to welcome an international student to share their heart and home! Host Families come in many different shapes and sizes – young couples with small children, single persons, one parent families, empty nesters, etc. The one characteristic all host families share is a big heart with a lot of love  and understanding for a new family member!

Host families provide a room to sleep and study in (room can be shared with about same age host sibling) and 3 nutritious meals a day. Students come with their own health insurance, spending money, an open mind and curiosity. Host families receive a monthly stipend to offset the cost of hosting. We are expecting many great students for Fall 2022 and we are getting host families ready now! Students will arrive late August.

If you are interested, please contact our local coordinators:

Alex Foulis 734-239-4706    alexfoulis@hotmail.com   

Rachel Krugh  253-882-7436   rachelkrugh@hotmail.com

What a week! Washington D.C. was a huge hit, thanks to the efforts of Ryann Skrypec and all of the chaperones! Also, a huge shoutout to Andrea Franco and Dennis Strzyzewski for holding down the fort at Beach for the week.

A special shout out to Jack Smith for being the host of our students that did not go to Washington D.C. It was rewarding and fun for all!

Monday: Tennis vs. Milan
Tuesday: Math Club, Lacrosse @ Saline
Wednesday: Administrative Assistants Day!, 8th Grade MSTEP (Social Studies and Science), Lacrosse @ Ann Arbor
Thursday: Art Club, Track @ Pinckney,
Friday: Tennis @ Parma Western
Saturday: Lacrosse @ South Lyon, Tennis vs. Williamston, Mini Victorthon Zumba

Message From Transportation

Chelsea Families,

Chelsea School District transportation will be making a change starting with the 2022-2023 school year. In an effort to continue to provide safe and timely transportation to our students we will begin requiring families to register for transportation. We are asking families to register if you intend to use the school bus for transportation to and from school. If your student only uses the transfer buses please register for transfer buses only(there will be a separate link for this). We are asking families to register by trimester to help accommodate sports schedules. Registration will be open mid May until the last day of school. This will allow ample time for the transportation department to set up routes for students needing transportation. Overall, this change will help with overcrowding on buses, increase efforts to keep the time that students are on the bus equally distributed among all students, and help to alleviate strain on the department from staff shortages due to upcoming retirements. Please contact the transportation department with any questions.

Music Boosters Update

Are you or someone you know looking to replace a bed in your home?  Now is the time. Chelsea HS/MS Music Programs are hosting a one-day Mattress Fundraiser on Saturday, May 14th, from 10am-5pm. There will be over 25 beds on display for customers to try.  The brand name mattresses are made to order, have full factory warranties, are available in all sizes, and are priced below retail.  In addition to beds, there will also be luxury pillows and even adjustable power bases! Delivery & financing is available. Visit our FACEBOOK event – Click “GOING”! INVITE YOUR FRIENDS! SHARE OUR POSTS! FACEBOOK LINK

Week 1 of testing is done! The PSAT8 went great, and there was only a little bit of grumbling about it!

In all honesty, while the numbers don’t define your student in any way, the practice they get from taking it is worth handful of hours of testing. Kudos to our 8th grade group!

What I noticed:

• An excited group of 8th graders preparing for our memorable Washington D.C. trip!
• Teacher Consultants wrapping up their Individualized Education Plans with parents
• Preparation are being made for transitioning our 8th graders to the high school (more information to come at a later date).

Next Week

Monday: PSAT8 Make-Up (Final Day), 8th grade COVID Test for D.C., Tennis vs. Belleville
Tuesday: WASHINGTON D.C. departure at 5:00am, Math Club @ 3:00, Lacrosse @ Monroe
Wednesday: WEB applications CLOSE, Tennis vs. Saline, Lacrosse @ Ann Arbor
Thursday: Art Club, Lacrosse @ Dexter
Friday: Washington D.C. bus returns ~11:00pm

The week back from Spring Break was a success! Students came back rested and energized, and staff came back with the excitement of finishing the school year as strongly as possible!

What I noticed
– Mr. Coon and Mrs. Lombardo’s use of ClassCraft is innovative, engaging, and self-paced. It’s impressive to see students learn complex concepts in science and physics in small groups with only guidance from teachers!

– Mrs. Henry got kids back in a historical mind frame with some Presidential Bingo!

– Mrs. Knupp using her data from argumentative essay writing to dive deeper into skills that students need, specifically, explaining their evidence and how it relates to their thesis.

– Students running a mock Senate meeting using parliamentary procedure to present their historical research and creative project. 

Next Week

Monday: WEB Applications are emailed out to 7th graders
Tuesday: Nothing 🙂
Wednesday: PSAT for 8th graders in the morning
Thursday: 6/7 graders will be inputting their schedules to PowerSchool, Art Club, Track @ Lincoln
Friday: NO SCHOOL

PSAT8

Your student is allowed to bring a calculator to the test, however, it can not be on a phone or device that is not specifically a calculator (i.e. no watches or iPads, iPods, etc.).

Washington D.C.

Please make sure you are starting to go over your packing lists, purchase snacks (no nuts), and preparing yourselves for an awesome trip!

WEB Applications

7th grade WEB applications will be emailed out on Monday. Feel free to encourage any current 7th graders that you believe will be good WEB leaders to apply by 4/20. We are looking for empathetic and thoughtful kids that will be welcoming to next year’s 6th grade class. 

Leadership Class

Beach Middle School Leadership Class has developed a district wide donation project to help the homeless; South, North, and the Preschool are also helping collect donations for this project. Donations will be collected April 11th-22nd in your 4th hour classes, and delivered to shelters the week of April 25th. Items they are asking for: Deodorant, Combs/Hairbrushes, Razors/Shaving Cream, Travel sized toiletries, Pads/Tampons, Small First Aid Kits, Hats/gloves/socks. 4th hour class with the most donations wins a pizza party. Please consider making a donation if you are able to!

Video Link

Camp Curiouser

Here is a flyer for some opportunities outside of CSD.

Clay Fairy Door at Robin Hills

Here is a flyer for some opportunities outside of CSD.

I hope you and your family have all had a restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating Spring Break. We’re into April, and things really start to pick up as we lean into the las stretch of the school year. Here is what’s on the docket:

Monday: Start of Quarter 4 (new rotation classes, 6th and 7th graders receive their course selection sheets (more below)
Tuesday: Music Parents Zoom Meeting (more below)
Wednesday: PSAT8 Pre-ID Session (more below), 8th grade Washington DC Parent Meeting In-Person (more below)
Thursday: Nothing 🙂
Friday: 6th and 7th grade course selection sheets due to Music/EXPLORE teachers

6th and 7th Grade Course Selection

6th and 7th grade students will be receiving their course selection sheets for the 2022 – 2023 school year. It is a very simple process, but an important discussion for you and your student. Essentially, your family must decide on whether they will continue in music or move into the EXPLORE schedule.

I am a huge proponent of Music Education. There is a mountain of evidence about the benefits for your student, not to mention those classes are led by some of the most qualified and exceptional music teachers in Michigan (Katy Steklac, Nathan Peters, and Aaron Pollard).

The EXPLORE classes are wonderful, and provide unique learning experiences for our students. A lot of thought has been put into the design and delivery of the work in those classes, as well.

There will be a Music Parent Zoom Meeting on Tuesday at 7:00pm. You will hear from our music teachers about what to expect in the coming year so your family can see and understand the progression of music education at the middle level.

The Zoom invite will be sent out before the meeting.

Washington D.C. Parent Meeting

This is the big one! We will be giving out the bulk of all the information you and your student will need for the Washington D.C. trip. It’s extremely important that you come to this meeting with your student.

Please be here, April 6th at 6:00pm at Beach Middle School.

PSAT8 Pre-ID Session

It’s the start of testing season! The PSAT8 is April 13th, but before that happens, students do a Pre-ID session. It is just a brief labeling process that takes less than 5 minutes. The PSAT8 is an opportunity for your student to understand where they stand on a nationally normalized test and what areas they can improve.

Just a couple of notes for this post – there will be another leading up to our return from Break.

What I noticed…

• A successful, and exhausting, fundraiser at Culver’s! The final tally is not in yet, but Beach raised around $500 to support our Washington D.C. Scholarship Fund. Special thanks to Ryann Skrypec, Steve Hollis, Mara Kelly, Colleen Bertoni, and Kelsi Russell!
• A lot of anxious kiddos looking forward to week away from work!
• A lot of anxious teachers, looking forward to kiddos getting a break!
• Students in Mrs. McCalla’s class are doing peer revisions of their essays
• New staff members around the Chelsea School District have visited Beach this week to see what instruction looks like at the middle level.
• Mr. Coon’s STEM Challenge class was outside (when it was dry) testing their cars on the black top.
• A tremendous 5th/6th grade Orchestra concert, led by Nathan Peters and Philip Sylvester.

POWERSCHOOL

We are trying to move families away from the PowerSchool app – it’s very unreliable, and will not be supported much longer. Alternatively, please use the PS website, found here.

Spring Soccer Announcement

The final week before Spring Break! I know everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be important for students to go into this respite feeling confident in their current state in the classroom. Let us know how we can support your student!

Washington D.C. – Culver’s Night!

What I’ve noticed:

• Our author visit was fantastic. Thanks to the Chelsea District Library for coordinating the visit from Katherine Arden!
• Mrs. Bertoni’s class is shopping in Spanish!
• Kelsey Miller’s global studies class is creating infographics about pollution.
• Mr. Knight’s Weight and Fitness is learning proper weightlifting form.
• Mr. Tykoski’s class is learning about what is actually in food.
• Mrs. Lomabrdo and Mr. Coon are talking about forces of friction, and will soon be designing their own experiments.
• Students making predictions about and then recording, averaging, and charting their heart and respiration rates after exercising.
• Prior to reading a novel, students recording their partners’ think aloud, making meaning strategies while tackling various texts connected to what it means to be an American.

This Coming Week

Monday: 6th grade music students will be visiting CHS to listen and learn
Tuesday: Breakfast celebration (more to come), Math Club, Culver’s fundraiser, Orchestra Concert
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday: Art Club, Yearbook Club
Friday: End of the 3rd Quarter (Rotational classes change when we return from break)

This coming week is the final week of the trimester. Please make sure your student knows that grades will be finalized on Friday, March 11th. Additionally, students will be starting their new EXPLORE class.

Also, please be aware that Friday is a half-day for all students!

What I noticed:
– Focusing on literacy skills across all subject areas!
– Students learning about world religions and different celebrations, holidays, and traditions in 7th grade Global Studies
– 7th grade ELA students are using different apps to create collages representing the Greek/Latin roots they have been studying.
– Algebra classes felt eerily like high school classrooms this week; a lot of focused studying, great questions, and hard work. Very impressed by the work being done in Mrs. McIntosh’s and Mr. Thorburn’s classes.
– Students learned the difference between empathy and sympathy this month in our social/emotional lesson. Austin Elam, Dennis Strzyzewski, and Mara Kelly led a very engaged group of students!

Next Week

Monday: Nothing 🙂
Tuesday: G-Men A Capella group performance, Math Club, Music Boosters Meeting
Wednesday: Drama Auditions (see below)
Thursday: Drama Auditions, Art Club, Yearbook Club
Friday: 1/2 Day for students (end of the second trimester)

Drama Auditions

Auditions for the Drama Show “The Fearsome Pirate Frank” will take place this Wednesday and Thursday after school in the cafeteria.  You only need to attend one day, not both.   Bring a prepared monologue. Stop by Mrs. DeLand’s room for an audition form and for any questions.  Attached is the flier.

Chelsea Education Foundation Fundraiser

Looking to take some family photos? Book a session through the Chelsea Education Foundation. You get wonderful family photos, and the CEF receives some funding for educational opportunities in the Chelsea School District.

CAC Flyer

Grand Opening

Grand Opening for “Launch” in Ann Arbor. I’ve attached flyers for their special events.

We did it! We’re into March! As we say “farewell” to our Winter sports seasons (Girl’s Basketball and Wrestling) it is exciting to say, “Hello” to the Spring Season! Information about our offerings (Track, Lacrosse, and Tennis) can be found at chelseabulldogs.net.

What I noticed:

• Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery in 8th grade US History.
• What does it mean to be “unequal”? Learning empathy and understanding the Civil Rights Movement in Mrs. Miller’s class.
• “What makes objects start and stop?” Newton’s third law is being investigated in Mrs. Lombardo’s class.
• Algebraic inequalities in Mr. Schumann’s class.
• Primary resources vs. Secondary resources in Mr. Slusser’s class.
• Finding the slope (change in y over x). Using interest as a real-world example in Mrs. McIntosh’s class.
• Vocab work in 7th grade Spanish while listening to some Selena with Mrs. Bertoni.
• Sixth-grade math students asking questions and gathering a sample of data for various surveys.
• 8th-grade band – playing to the metronome without a conductor to practice pace and tempo for concert pieces.

Week Ahead

Monday: Basketball @ Saline
Tuesday: Math Club, 7th/8th Band Concert
Wednesday: Nothing 🙂
Thursday:7th/8th Orchestra Concert
Friday: 7th/8th Choir Festival
Saturday: 7th/8th Choir Festival

Masking Update

As a reminder, the Chelsea School District, along with the Washtenaw County Health Department, is lifting the mask mandate with our schools. On February 28th (Monday), your student has the option to wear a mask in school. Please communicate with your student what your family’s expectations are for mask wearing.

There will be students and staff that choose to wear masks and some that will choose not to wear them. We will continue to be respectful to those individual family choices.

We will still have masks available for those that want them.

Please note: the federal mandate still requires students to wear masks on the bus.

Book Fair

The Book Fair is on the horizon! Here is the newsletter!

Hello, Beach Family! Lots of happenings at Beach this week, and plenty up ahead!

Important Parking Lot Information

Before I begin, please be aware the Staff parking lot (next to the building) is not a drop-off or pick-up location for families. There have been several close calls with drivers not seeing students crossing the lot to get to the buses. This lot is not equipped to manage the traffic that has begun to pile up. Please make sure you use the pick-up/drop-off loop and not the staff lot. Thank you!

Things I noticed this week:
– Students tested the PH levels of various liquids in Mrs. Wagoner and Mr. Tykoski’s classes.
– Mrs. Bertoni’s classes have increased their time communicating completely in Spanish.
– Mrs. Manning’s class is working on counting money and taking orders through Brew Crew. 
– Mrs. Skyrpec’s class is working on reading articles about social media and screentime from various points of view to compare and contrast opinions and facts. 

Looking Ahead

Monday – No School (President’s Weekend)
Tuesday – Math Club, BMS Choir Pre-Festival Concert
Wednesday – Washtenaw Area Council for Children Presentation on Cyber Safety, Washington DC Zoom Parent Meeting (more below)
Thursday – Art Club, Yearbook
Friday – 8th graders will be putting in their schedules for CHS!!

8th Grade Washington DC Parent Zoom

There will be a zoom meeting this week to talk about more details regarding the Washington D.C. trip. Please view the separate email coming out today with the zoom link attached.

Music Notes

Striking Brain Benefits and Music Education!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. There is quite a bit to go through, so here we go!

What I’ve noticed:
– Mr. Coulombe’s class is studying bacteria from yogurt under a microscope. Very cool!
– 8th grade students in Mrs. Miller and Mrs. McCalla’s classes are reading and analyzing “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
– 6th grade Global Studies students in Mr. Lott and Mrs. Morgan’s classes are doing Pen Pal Projects!
– 7th grade Global Studies are comparing and contrasting the ancient empires of Rome and Byzantium.
– Mr. Thorburn’s class is finishing up correlation and applying their knowledge of coefficients.
– Mr. Knight’s Health class has been studying the effects of fast food on the body.

Next Week

It’s Paraprofessional Appreciation Week! We are celebrating our para-pros all week long to show our affection and admiration for all that they do in our classrooms. Thank you, Paras!

Monday – Basketball vs. Saline, School Board Meeting
Tuesday – Washington D.C. Group Sign-up, Math Club
Wednesday – Basketball @ Dexter
Thursday – 1/2 Day for Students, Art Club, Wrestling @ Jackson
Friday – NO SCHOOL FOR PRESIDENT’S WEEKEND
Saturday – Nothing 🙂

Attention 8th Grade Parents

This is a reminder that Washington D.C. rooming groups will be selected during lunch next week on the 15th.

CHS Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction

CHS is hosting the annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction in support of CHS softball program on Friday February 25th. Please check out the flyer and consider attending!

Cyber Safety Virtual After School Camp

The Washtenaw Area Council for Children is hosting a FREE Cyber Safety Virtual Camp after school on Mondays. This begins February 28th. Please see the attached flyer for more information!

Chelsea Elementary PTO Fundraiser at Culver’s

Chelsea Elementary PTO is hosting a fundraiser through Culver’s in Chelsea on February 24^th from 5-8pm. Culver’s will donate a percentage of all sales during this time, both drive thru and dine in. Please consider going out to eat at Culver’s on this date! Attached is the flyer.

Music Notes

Our next installment of music notes! This is a great, quick article outlining the clear benefits of music education!

Important Benefits of Music In Our Schools

I hope everyone has had a safe a cozy week with all of the snow! This has obviously been a shortened week, but there’s plenty to talk about!

This week I noticed:
– Mr. Angel’s return to Beach! On Monday, Mr. Angel and Mrs. Bickel, a counselor at Chelsea High School, visited our 8th graders to walk them through the scheduling process for incoming Freshmen. Please have your student turn in their pink scheduling sheet to their 1st hour teacher as soon as possible!
– Mrs. Knupp’s class has been working on new research projects about natural disasters. Part of their work was about effective online searches and reliable sources
– Mrs. Lombardo’s Career Development class has been inviting guest speakers to talk about different occupations and pathways to take post-high school. Most recently, Mrs. Lombardo has invited some of Beach’s own to speak: Steve Hollis, our building tech, and Trish McKenzie, our Occupational Therapist.
– Our Student Services Team recently did building-wide lessons on patience and delayed gratification. A marshmallow metaphor served perfectly, and was delicious!
– The Leadership class did a raffle at Beach to raise money for the University of Michigan Depression Center. Through their efforts, and support of the students in the building, we were able to donate $750!

Coming Up

• Monday – Basketball @ Monroe
• Tuesday – Math Club 3:00pm
• Wednesday – COUNT DAY!, Basketball vs. Adrian, Competitive Cheer at CHS,
• Thursday – Art Club, Yearbook, Wrestling vs. Jackson/Pinckney
• Friday – Nothing 🙂
• Saturday – Basketball @ Lincoln, Wrestling @ Holt, Competitive Cheer @Pennfield

Music Notes

From our Beach Choir:

Warm greetings on a chilly day! I can’t believe we’re already in February! This is an exciting times for students and staff members, because there’s A LOT on the horizon! Let’s dive in!

Things I’ve noticed this week:
– An incredible performance by our 6th grade band. I cannot believe the progress this group has made in 4 months!
– Script writing in 7th grade ELA
– Mr. Riedel’s class designing an egg incubator
– 6th grade science discussing PH levels and differences between acid and alkaline.
– Mrs. Kelsey Miller’s math class discussing what “probability” is.
– All Beach students participating in ALICE training.

Next Week

Monday: 8th Grade classes learning about CHS scheduling, Basketball vs. Tecumseh, Wrestling @ Tecumseh, 8th grade parent meeting at CHS (more info below
Tuesday: Math Club
Wednesday: Basketball @ Dexter,
Thursday: Art Club, Competitive Cheer @ Dexter, Basketball vs. Pinckney, Wrestling vs. Adrian/Tecumseh
Friday: 8th Grade Course Selection Sheets Due
Saturday: Quiz Bowl in Saline, Competitive Cheer @ Pinckney

ATTENTION 8TH GRADE PARENTS

8th grade Parent Meeting Update:
We are excited to host you on Monday, 1/31 @ 7pm in the Chelsea HS Auditorium. Dr. Angel, Mrs. Bickel and Dr. Strong will be facilitating an informational meeting lasting roughly 45 minutes. Following will be an opportunity for our students/families to interact with leaders from each department and members from our student clubs and organizations. Mr. Morris will also be present to answer any athletic related questions. 
To ensure that we are providing the safest venue for our families, the following protocols must be adhered to:
– Please limit attendance to student plus one family member
– Masking will be mandatory during the entirety of the presentation/night
– Please feel free to spread out in our Auditorium as both floors will be available

*We will also be recording and sending out  the presentation following the event for those who would like to enjoy the show from the comforts of their home.

SEL Screener Info

As shared previously, in an effort to proactively meet the needs of the whole child, we will be conducting a social-emotional screener for all students.  Teachers will be completing the screener for students K-12 on February 17th. For this year, students in grades 5-12 will be completing the student self screener during the week of February 21st.  Click here for more information on the screener.  If you would like to opt your child out of the student self screener, please fill out this form prior to February 11th.

Music Notes

It’s been an incredible year of growth for our music students, and I’ve been so proud of our progress! There are countless benefits to your student being involved in Music, and I’ve asked the Music Department to help me enumerate those benefits! In this section, I’ll post articles and videos that extol the virtues of a music education.

Here is a great resource from PBS!

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements

We have a big week ahead, Beach, Family! January is coming to a close and February is shaping up to be a busy one! Let’s dive in!

Here is what I noticed this week:
– The end of the Quarter is upon us, and students are working hard to finish strongly!
– Mrs. Deland’s class is polishing their final writing pieces using editing and peer review techniques.
– Our 8th grade Health/PE classes are visiting the high school to check out their new facilities for weight training
– Music classes are gearing up for Solo and Ensemble performances
– Professional development, led by Kathryn McCalla, for our teachers on increasing literacy across content areas
– Beach Staff taking time to increase a sense of belonging from our students by writing individual cards

Next Week

Monday – Start of the 3rd Quarter and 4th Marking Period, Basketball vs. Pinckney
Tuesday – 6th Grade Math NWEA, Math Club, 6th Grade Band Concert
Wednesday – ALICE Lessons for Beach Students (more info below), Competitive Cheer @ CHS, Basketball @ Ypsi
Thursday – Wrestling @ Saline
Friday – Nothing 🙂
Saturday – Basketball @ Adrian

ALICE Lessons at Beach

This week coming week, Beach will be engaging in ALICE training. Throughout the past few years, our school’s staff, as well as most other school employees in Washtenaw County, have been trained in a nationwide program known as A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate).  This training program has educated staff about various active threat situations. Through the guidance of A.L.I.C.E. trainers, our employees have acquired the appropriate actions and protocols to help students and staff maintain a safe environment, should such a threat become a reality. Having both staff and students prepared with the proper response to an active threat will help ensure their safety and survival. We have been conducting these lessons in Chelsea for students since 2014. Please read the attached letter for further information from the district.

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements

Hello, Beach Families! There was a lot that happened this week, but before I get into it, let me say how much the Beach Staff has appreciated the outpouring of support from you. Teachers, paraprofessionals, and counseling staff members have been filling in vacancies and doing whatever is possible to keep the ship moving. We have a VERY special group of educators here, and I appreciate many of you acknowledging that through your messages. Thank you!

Here is what I noticed this week:

• Math explorations have been visible all over the school, particularly in Mr. Thorburn’s and Mrs. Chinavare’s classes.
• Mr. Slusser’s class experimenting with ancient Egyptian inventions
• Phase changes in Mrs. Wagoner’s class
• Comparing periodicals in Mrs. Miller’s ELA class
• Quiz Bowl practice in Mr. Lott’s class!
• Density and mass chocolate experiments with Mr. Tykoski
• Proportions and relationships between circumference, diameter, and pi in Mr. Schumann’s class.
• Mr. Coulombe’s class using collaborative writing activities to display understanding of  kinetic energy 
• Mrs. Knupp using highly engaging (and humorous) commercials to teach ethos, pathos, logos, purpose, and audience 

Next Week

Monday – NO SCHOOL for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday – Math Club 3:00 – 4:00, Swim @ Jackson Parkside
Wednesday – NWEA ELA test, Girl’s Basketball @ Jackson, Swim vs. Dexter
Thursday – Athletic eligibility captured, Parent/Teacher Conferences, Competitive Cheer at Chelsea HS, Wrestling @ Lincoln
Friday – End of 2nd Quarter and 3rd Marking Period
Saturday – Wrestling Tournament at CHS, Competitive Cheer @ Tecumseh

If your student is not sure what their new rotation or EXPLORE elective is for the next Quarter/Marking Period, please have them check PowerSchool or the front office.

Drama Announcement

The drama club has decided to push auditions and the show to later in the school year. We want healthy actors and a lively, full audience. Please reach out to Mrs. DeLand if you have any questions. Don’t worry the show will go on…just a little later than usual!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

This year, we’ll be continuing the previous format of having teachers individually reach out to families for Parent/Teacher conferences. Currently, teams are highlighting specific students that they would like to discuss in-depth with parents, then they will reach out with a Sign-Up genius for you to schedule your time.

If you do not hear from your student’s team, then you can assume that they have no concerns or questions for you. As always, if you feel like there is information the team should know, please email them to inform them.

I will send out a separate Sign-Up genius for our non-team teachers (music, electives, counseling, etc.) next week.

Please consider contributing to our staff meal on the day of conferences! Staff members will be in the building while they are zooming with our families. Thank you for always supporting us!

CAC News!

Come swim with us and have fun with friends!
Winter Season January 4th – March 18th

“Try it Day” for new swimmers: Monday January 3rd – 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Beach Middle School Pool

Register Online at www.teamunify.com/micac

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements

Hello, Beach Families!

It was so nice to see everyone back this week. I know our staff really missed your students. The energy in the building was great this week. Here are some things that I noticed this week:

• Austin Elam, our new 8th grade counselor, started this week and has already made an impact on our students and staff. We’re so happy to have him on board!
• Technology is going through safety protocols using our shop equipment.
• Art is working on perspective and lines
• Band and Orchestra are working on brand new music for their March concerts!
• A huge shoutout goes to our premier sub Mitchell Burdick for being ready for anything and everything we throw at him (and doing it exceptionally well). THANK YOU MR. BURDICK!
• Our district nurses, Marijane Nelson and Kelsi Russell, for their tireless efforts in keeping our students as safe and healthy as possible, and for communicating with our families. THANK YOU!

Drama Auditions

Auditions for THE FEARSOME PIRATE FRANK will be held:
Wednesday, January 12 (3:30 – 5:00 pm)Thursday, January 13 (3:30 – 5:00 pm)(Attend either Wed. or Thurs., not both)
Location: BMS Stage

All 6-8th grade students are welcome to audition. If you are interested in working backstage, you do not need to attend auditions, but please email or stop by and see Mrs. DeLand to let her know.

See the attached document for more details! You will need to come with a prepared monologue to be performed. It doesn’t need to be memorized, but it would be awesome if it was. I’ve attached a bunch of monologues if you need help finding one. 

Please email Jessica Deland (jdeland@chelsea.k12.mi.us) with any questions!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

This year, we’ll be continuing the previous format of having teachers individually reach out to families for Parent/Teacher conferences. Currently, teams are highlighting specific students that they would like to discuss in-depth with parents, then they will reach out with a Sign-Up genius for you to schedule your time.

If you do not hear from your student’s team, then you can assume that they have no concerns or questions for you. As always, if you feel like there is information the team should know, please email them to inform them.

I will send out a separate Sign-Up genius for our non-team teachers (music, electives, counseling, etc.) next week.

Please consider contributing to our staff meal on the day of conferences! Staff members will be in the building while they are zooming with our families. Thank you for always supporting us!

CAC News!

Come swim with us and have fun with friends!
Winter Season January 4th – March 18th

“Try it Day” for new swimmers: Monday January 3rd – 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Beach Middle School Pool

Register Online at www.teamunify.com/micac

Hello, Beach Families! I hope your Holiday Season was filled with family, friends, and fun for all. We’ve missed our students, and we’re anxious to get back to work! Here is a preview of the upcoming week!

Monday – Class Resumes! Girl’s Basketball and Wrestling begin practices this day.
Tuesday – Nothing 🙂
Wednesday – Competitive Cheer @ Tecumseh, Swim @ Ypsi
Thursday – Athletic Eligibility captured, Yearbook Club meeting after school
Friday – Nothing:)

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements

Hello, Beach Families!

There are just a couple of housecleaning items before the break, BUT FIRST…

Things I noticed this week…

• The Leadership Class, led by Susanna Miller, handing out Candy Grams
• 8th History classes answering the question: “Why did the Constitution allow slavery to continue, if the Declaration of Independence claimed that ‘all men are created equal’?”
• Mr. Coulombe’s Medical Detectives class speaking with “patients” in order to diagnose their illiness.
• Band and Orchestra put on FABULOUS concerts this week! Shout out to Katy Steklac and Nathan Peters for their tireless work!
• Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Talarico presented about student trauma at this year’s MEMSPA Annual Conference. They were fantastic, and received a lot of praise from administrators around the State!
• Robotics making it to the State Championship!!
• The end of another great sports season!

If you haven’t done so, please take a moment to fill out our parent survey about Beach Middle School and the Chelsea School District. We value your input, and it helps us steer the school district. Thank you for taking the time!

Please take a moment to check out the new Community Education Flyer

Finally, I want to encourage you and your student(s) to take some much-needed rest and relaxation during break. We’ve had a long haul since the beginning if the year, and this is well-earned break for everyone. Enjoy!

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements

It’s the last week of school for the year 2021! Our students and staff have all earned a break. Even though the holidays are on the horizon, the Beach Family has been keeping their focus. Here are some things I noticed this past week:

• 6th grade ELA continues their work on Greek/Latin roots.
• 8th grade math students engaged in higher level thinking.
• Mr. Tykoski’s class was learning about the heart!
• 7th Grade Global Studies are learning about the Han Dynasty.
• Mr. Thorburn’s Algebra class is working on using multipliers to solve problems.
• In Mr. Coon’s class, students are learning the six main pieces of evidence that support the main theory of Continental Drift.
• Teachers relying on one another for long-term unit planning and literacy instruction

This is a great opportunity for your students to gather their materials and catch up on any missing work. If your student has any questions about what they can work on, please encourage them to reach out to their teachers!

We are hosting an Art-Tech Open House on the 16th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm! Please feel free to come by and check out all of the great things our students are doing in Art and Tech!

Beach will be closed over Winter Break, however, Mrs. Franco and I will be in the building intermittently. Our email and phone responses will be delayed as a result of the Break, as well.

Beach Day-to-Day This Coming Week

Monday: Boy’s Blue Basketball vs. Ypsilanti, Gold Team @ Monror
Tuesday: Math Club at 3:00pm.
Wedneday: Boy’s Blue Basketball vs. Lincoln, Gold @ Dexter, Swimming vs. Adrian
Thursday: Athletic eligibility is captured, Art/Tech Open House,
Friday: Robotics State Championship (if we qualify),

Quick Links

• District Links
  • Chelsea School District
• Beach Links
  • Beach Middle School
  • Calendar
  • Announcements