From Mr. Arnold:

Hello, families and friends of BMS! It's March and BMS is nine school days from the end of the quarter at this writing.  Spring Break is around the corner and our days are getting longer with Daylight Savings time right around the corner.  As we turn the corner from the long, cold winter our kids and staff are getting excited for what the "stretch run" brings to the building. As we enter March we look forward to Spring Break the week of March 16th.  For any of our families that are extending their trip on the front and/or back ends of our break please be sure to contact the office and your student's teachers. When we return from Spring Break we will be starting the 4th quarter at BMS.  During that time we see each grade level taking field trips, using our outside spaces, and more projects and work to be completed before the year ends. This time of year is also more difficult for students as they get outside and have more trouble prioritizing their homework/studies when the weather makes a turn for the better. Please continue to check on your student's grades and if they are keeping up with their assignments. As always, we appreciate all the work our families put in to make their students successful.

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!

Bryan's Middle School Academic League team won the Williams County double elimination tournament earlier in February.  Over the course of the tournament Jackson Vashaw was the leading scorer followed by Aubrey Kunsman and Nolan Roberts.  Other team members were Riley Bever, Luke Avell,  Richie Hogan, James Deemer, Addy Hendricks, Addelyn Wolford, Kaitlyn Spencer and the team was led by Mrs. Heslop.  Congratulations to all on a phenomenal job!

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: 

It’s hard to believe we have already reached March! Despite multiple snow days we have been incredibly busy and productive. We kicked off the year with a senior movie night on January 17th in the cafeteria. Then, over 50 students participated in Solo & Ensemble on January 24th, followed by a standout performance at the OMEA State Conference in Columbus over January 29-31, where Emma Schlade, Noah Mills, and Henry Burton represented BHS. Our musicians continued to shine at the Winter High School Orchestra Concert on February 8th, the HS Choir, HS Band, and A Capella concerts on March 1st. We look forward to the Choir program’s upcoming trip to Nashville from March 6th–8th for specialized clinics and performances.

As if that isn't enough, following our Guidance Night on January 27th, students, submitted their course requests for the 2026-2027 school year. Last week our Juniors took the free ACT on February 24th, and a number of students took the Accuplacer on February 26th. Then our Academic League team competed at the ESC on February 27th. Amongst all the daily events and the weather, we hosted a Distracted Driving Assembly, reminding our young drivers to stay focused, know their limits, and never text while behind the wheel. We wrap up the third quarter with our annual CEO Day on March 11th and then March 12th is the end of the quarter. After that, it’s a well-deserved Spring Break before we return for spring musical, "The Little Mermaid", scholarship interviews, and multiple rounds of State testing in April, plus our Senior Signing Day on April 24th.

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.

In April, we will be doing our annual End-of Course testing. To support our Grade 9–11 students, we want to clearly outline the final exam exemption criteria for core subjects, which include Government, History, Biology, English, Algebra, and Geometry.

Standard Exemption Pathway:
Students are eligible for an exemption by achieving an End-of-Course (EOC) score of 700 or higher and maintaining a minimum of a 74% average for the second semester.

Alternative Exemption Pathway (Algebra and English Only):
For Algebra and English specifically, students can still qualify for an exemption with a slightly lower EOC score of 684 if they meet two additional requirements:

1. Maintain a 74% semester grade.

2. Attend at least 50% of scheduled tutoring sessions.

We strongly encourage parents to monitor their student's progress toward these benchmarks. Consistent effort on assignments and utilizing available tutoring are the most effective ways to reduce stress related to end-of-year testing.

Please avoid making appointments on these State Testing Dates:

• English - April 14 & 16

• Math - April 21 & 23

• Social Studies - April 24

• Science - April 28 & 29

As we approach the end of the 3rd quarter and Spring Break, please note that final exams are scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, through Friday, May 22. These exams account for 20% of your student’s semester grade, which can significantly impact their final GPA. Because of the importance of these assessments, we ask that you please avoid scheduling doctor appointments, vacations, or other planned absences during these three days.

Here are some key details:

• Full Day (May 20): Wednesday is a full school day focused on graduation events, exam prep, and the 11th-period exam.

• Early Dismissal (May 21 & 22): High School students will be dismissed at 12:25 PM. Please arrange transportation at this time, as school buses will not depart until the end of the regular school day. Students remaining for the bus must stay in the cafeteria (lunch service is available from 12:25–12:35 PM).

• Leaving Campus Early: Students with exemptions, study halls, or CCP/Music classes may leave early on the 21st and 22nd. To do so, a parent note specifying the dates and times must be submitted (available starting May 14). For safety, phone permissions will require a parent or approved adult to enter the building and physically sign the student out.

Daily Schedule:

• Wednesday, May 20: Full Day; 11th Period Exam (1:30–2:45 PM).

• Thursday, May 21: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Period Exams 

• Friday, May 22: 4/5, 5/6, 6/7, 7/8, and 10th Period Exams (Note: Bryan students are dismissed at 1:15 PM).

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 reminder for our music families: please double-check the locations for all performances. Since our auditorium is officially closed for its exciting renovation, our concerts are 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 Results

On Saturday, January 24th, Bryan City Schools hosted the OMEA District 1 West HS Solo and Ensemble event. Our students did very well as they walked into a challenging situation and performed before a judge. Here are the results: