From Mr. Arnold:

Hello, families and friends of BMS!  It's a New Year and a new semester at BMS.  Many students are taking at least a couple of new classes for the 2nd semester and figuring out their way through a new schedule for their day.  We are two weeks into the semester at this point and have gotten off to a smooth start, but we also know that the cold, dark days of January and February can be tough with it being hard to get outside and not as many fun activities planned, like there were around the holidays.  If you notice your student having any issues with motivation and getting back into the flow of school and their routine, don't hesitate to reach out to our support staff for advice and help.  Additionally, if  you are looking for ways to get your student involved in activities, we have multiple options at BMS for them participate in.  If you want to know more, contact the Middle School or Athletic office.

Now that we have completed our 1st Semester and have moved into the 2026 calendar year, be sure to check our school website and calendar to make yourself aware of important upcoming dates like back to school, Guidance Nights, and other events.  Many of those are listed and/or described below.  Our athletic teams are nearing tournament time.  Mr. Alspaugh has included information on 6th-8th concerts in his section below, be sure to scroll down to see that.  

If you look below in the Announcements and News of Interest section, you will see some important dates and events that are coming up soon at BMS.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me or any staff at BMS.  We are happy to help in any way we can. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO EVERY DAY AND ALL YEAR TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO TEACH FOR THE 6-8 STAFF!

Per the new State Law, effective January 1, 2026, cell phones will NOT be permitted for student use throughout the entire school day. While current BCS policy already prohibits usage during instructional time, the main change is that phones must also remain out of sight and on silent or powered off during lunches/cafeteria time and hallway passing periods. Students may still bring their devices to school, and may keep them on their person as long as they are stored out of sight. Phones and earbuds are also not permitted on AM or PM school transportation if requested by the driver. Exceptions for use may be made by teachers for specific lessons or for earbuds connected to a student’s Chromebook during study hall. If you need to reach your student during the school day, please contact the main office. 

The consequences for violating the updated BCS cell phone policy, effective January 5, 2026, are as follows:

Offense Action Taken Device Status

First Offense Warning and documentation Stay in the office the rest of the day.

Second Offense Lunch detention Stay in the office the rest of the day.

Third Offense After School Detention (ASD) Held until a parent comes to retrieve them.

Fourth or More Offenses Administrative decision Held until a parent comes to retrieve them.
Could result in in-school or out-of-school suspension.

MS/HS Attendance item:

Students who miss school for a doctor's appointment, must return with a note for it to be excused. If the student returns without a doctor's note, per BCS attendance policy located in the student handbook, students have 5 days upon the return of their appointment to provide a doctor's note. If one is not attained the absence will be changed to unexcused. Doctor notes may be faxed to 419-633-6281 or emailed to attendance9-12@bryanschools.net.

From Mr. Alspaugh: 

Happy New Year! As we trade our holiday break for the familiar hum of the hallways, we are officially kicking off the second half of the 2025–2026 school year. While the chill in the air and the snow flying outside remind us that winter is in full swing, things are heating up inside the building with a very busy January calendar. To see how busy, just check the calendar in the above section. This month is a pivotal time for student planning; we are diving headfirst into scheduling for the next school year, and many of our sophomores are currently navigating big decisions regarding Four County Career Center applications and program selections.

Beyond scheduling, there is plenty to keep on your radar:

• Senior Exam Exemptions: We have updated the criteria for the end of the year (please see the dedicated section below for full details).

• Guidance & Planning: Keep an eye out for our upcoming Guidance Nights, which are designed to help families navigate graduation requirements and college prep.

• Engagement: We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences to discuss student progress.

• The Arts: Best of luck to our talented musicians preparing for the High School Solo & Ensemble competition!

Seniors should be checking their email on a regular basis. Mrs. Bassett is regularly sending out scholarship information. Don't miss out on those scholarship opportunities.

High School Guidance Night is Tuesday, January 27th. Below is a schedule of the various presentations.

Parents are strongly encouraged to attend. Many of these session contain information all parents need to know. 

Congratulations to the following BHS students, who attend Four County Career Center and are actively working in and around the four county area.

• Brianna Bauer, working at the Hicksville Auto Recyclers - NEW

• Nic Caja, working at Menards Distribution Center 

• Connor Hogan, working at Schlatter’s Plumbing & Heating

• Corey Minck working at Morris Heating, AC & Plumbing - NEW

• Brennen Mosier, working at MAC Companies

• Cody Shaffer, working at Flex-Com Communications

• Aaden Wallace, working at Allied Moulded Products, Inc.

• Jordan Wolf, working at Selking International Service Center

Just a quick heads-up for our music families: please double-check the locations for all upcoming performances. Since our auditorium is officially closed for its exciting renovation, our concerts will be moving to some new spots. We’d hate for you to miss a single note because of a detour, so be sure to peek at the schedule before you head out.

Solo & Ensemble

This Saturday, January 24th, Bryan City Schools will be hosting the OMEA District 1 West HS Solo and Ensemble event, a major undertaking featuring nearly 400 performances from across four counties. We are thrilled to celebrate the dedication of our own talented students. They are (Band) Khristopher Alspaugh, Rylee Arquette, Ethan Bailey, Jacob Burnett, Grason Butler, Cooper Clarke, Charlotte Durbin, and Theodore Luthy, (Choir) Noah Mills, Mya Moore, Carter Montalvo, Connor Monroe Jeet Patel, Joshua Sampson, Zachary Schafer, Emma Schlade, Lee Sizemore, Hailey Warner, Oliver Weber, Ruby Wright, and Brenton Wheeler, (Orchestra) Philip Berry, Griffin Boehm, Henry Burton, Christian Craig, Sidney Luce, Theodore Luthy, Madison Klinepeter, Kamryn Mills, Keira Moss, Annabelle Nichols, Emma Roose, Logan Shy, and Luke Spitnale. These students have spent months refining their craft alongside their accompanists and directors. This significant musical milestone is made possible by the guidance of Mrs. Alyanakian, Mr. Bany, Mr. D'Ambrosia, Mrs. Knight, Mr. Krause, Miss Stehura, and Mrs. Schultz, as well as the invaluable support of our parents and student volunteers.