The mission of Beatrice Middle School is to provide students with the academic and life skills necessary for personal success and responsible citizenship...
...by providing rigorous, aligned CURRICULUM, high quality instruction, and a safe and caring environment.
The curriculum development process at BMS is carried out through Professional Learning Community activities. The PLC process at BMS is driven by the following assumptions:
1. A focus on learning
2. A collaborative culture
3. A results orientation
Teachers consider the following questions during weekly PLC time:
1. What is it we want students to learn? (Curriculum)
2. How do we know if students are learning? (Assessment)
3. How will we respond when students don't learn? (Interventions)
4. How will we extend learning for highly proficient students? (Enrichment)
Teachers use state and national standards to determine what it is we want students to learn. They compile data from classroom assessments, MAP assessments, and State assessments to gain useful information which helps BMS determine if students are learning. This information also assists in determining if our curriculum is viable.
9th Period Activities (Enrichment)
Beatrice Middle School has a ninth period activity/enrichment /help club into the day. This schedule has created compelling and innovative learning experiences, promoting individual goals, interests, and aspirations while fostering relationships between students and staff. The activity period runs from 3:15 to 3:45 each day. Activities change each quarter.
Maker Space (Enrichment)
Beatrice Middle School MakerSpace exists to offer a place outside the regular classroom for students to work on creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students have the opportunity to collaborate with peers while working through the design process. The struggle now is to get kids to go back and try something new when their first attempts are not as successful as they thought they might be. The ultimate goal is to get kids to gain confidence in independent thinking and problem solving while seeing a ‘project’ through to completion.
Virtual Reality Lab (Enrichment)
Beatrice Middle School VR Lab is state of the art technology that allows many of our kids who have no means of traveling or gaining diverse life experiences to ‘experience’ amazing things without leaving our building. Kids have had the opportunity to ‘see’ the Grand Canyon while floating in a canoe down the Colorado River. After reading the book Coaster, they get to experience ‘riding’ three different roller coasters (so realistic, in fact, that we even had a student vomit during the experience). Students get the chance to experience climbing Mount Everest and scuba diving to the Titanic wreck. All of these are things students from low socio-economic homes will likely have less chance to experience. Getting these experiences is crucial for all students to imagine the possibilities that exist outside our communities.
HAL (Enrichment)
Enrichment education (HAL) is designed to extend the learning environment for high potential students. Services are defined as being expanded learning experiences for students who are capable of studying in-depth matters of an academic and creative nature.
Circle of Friends (Enrichment)
Circle of Friends is a form of Peer Mediated Intervention for students on the Autism spectrum. Through a CoF program, typically developing peers are taught important information about classmates with social challenges, and are invited and encouraged to befriend them. These peer mentors are provided education and awareness, strategies for connecting and supporting others who may be different, and given opportunities to socially interact on a regular basis. Currently, CoF meets once a week during mentor and about every other month for out of school activities, such as movies, bowling, etc.
Technology
Beatrice Middle School is in a very solid place technologically both device wise and implementation. All teachers are issued a laptop available to take home. Every classroom is set up with a projection system. We have an iPad lab available for check out. We have 4 single extrusion 3D printers and 2 dual color 3D printers. We have 2 hard-wired labs. Two Swivl cameras with iPads are available for teacher check-out. We have green screens available for student use as well.
80% of our core teachers are modified 1-1 with chromebooks. 67% of our elective teachers are also 1-1 with music and art not participating. In order for teachers to have the chrome cart in their room they had to participate in regular staff development sessions on how to use them as more than a $500 pencil. Staff members were trained in using technology to encourage peer collaboration, help students become self-directed, global learners while being able to differentiate to meet the needs of each learner in their room.
9th Period Interventions
Ninth Period Interventions are designed to assist students who may be struggling with coursework. Students can utilize 9th period by voluntarily visiting teachers during Ninth Period. Teachers can also assign students to ninth period for work completion or supplemental instruction and/or practice.