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.
Beatrice Middle School teachers are trained in the Boys Town Model. Each week in the school year is designated for one of the Boys Town Skills. Students are taught how to utilize the skill during Mentor Period. The school is reminded of the skill daily during announcements.
Based on the Boys Town Model and the six pillars of Character Counts, students are referred as "Character Counts Student of the Week."
This is based on the student demonstration of the 16 boys town skills: Following Instructions, Accepting Criticism/Consequence, Accepting No for an Answer, Greeting others, Getting the Teacher’s Attention, Disagreeing Appropriately, Making an Apology, Accepting Compliments, Having a Conversation, Asking for Help, Asking Permission, Staying on Task, Sharing Something, Working with Others, Listening, and Appropriate Voice Tone
and/or the demonstration of the six pillars of Character Counts: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.
Students receive newspaper/radio station recognition as well as Lunch privileges and community restaurant gift certificates.
The HOPE Squad is a school-based, peer-to-peer, suicide prevention program. Students are nominated to be a part of the HOPE Squad. Our goal is to reduce youth suicide and self-destructive behavior by training, building, and creating change in school and communities. Our HOPE Squad students receive monthly training on suicide prevention, spreading kindness, and self-care each month. HOPE Squad members are trained to look for students who are struggling and to try to get the struggling student to go with them to see a HOPE Squad Advisor. If the student will not go, the HOPE Squad member reports their concern to a HOPE Squad Advisor. The Advisor then follows up with the struggling student. We really want to work on creating a culture of change within our school and our community, so we are going to be looking for opportunities to do outreach outside of our school, as well as building up from within our school.
We also started a new group called the “HOPEsters”. This group is sponsored by the HOPE Squad but is open to any student to join. We meet at 8:00 AM in the Health/Fitness Room to play some games and have a short lesson on spreading hope, suicide prevention, and positivity. The HOPEsters are a group of students who want to focus on kindness, caring for fellow students, and spreading hope in our school. This group is led by Mrs. Randel, Mrs. Vogel, with support from the HOPE Squad members.
Beatrice Middle School has a ninth period activity/enrichment/help club built into the day. This schedule has created compelling and innovative learning experiences, while promoting individual goals, interests, and aspirations and fostering relationships between students and staff. The activity period runs from 3:15 to 3:45 each day. Activities change each quarter.
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.
Second quarter, a small group of 6th grade boys participated in a Study Skills Group. This group met once a week on Wednesdays, starting on Wednesday, November 7th, and concluding on Wednesday, December 19th. We used the SOAR materials, as well as other organizational tools, to help us learn Study Skills. The goals of this group are to improve your student’s grades and learn new, effective study skills.
Third quarter we are offering a Friendship group for 6th grade girls. Students participating in this group will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. We will use a variety of fun activities to help build self-confidence and navigate the sometimes-difficult world of friendships with the curriculum from "Salvaging Sisterhood".
Why Try Group
Fourth quarter, with a small group of 8th graders, both school counselors facilitate the Why Try Group, using the Why Try curriculum. We meet once a week to discuss barriers to success, how to overcome those barriers, and learn some new coping and studying skills.