Baylor Brainwaves Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan Middle School Principal’s Message Season’s Greetings, BCMA December is here! Cooler Families, temperatures… disappearing I’d like to take this opportunity daylight. The upcoming to thank all of the volunteers that support our students and staff. On any given day, you can walk through our building and see parents and volunteers working with our kids on Science fair, in the medical miles program in the gym, with our Robotics team, with our debate team, and with our chess team to support to enrich the student experience at BCMA. I commend the PTO for organizing the information sessions at the assemblies and assisting with the many special events that we have throughout the year. A huge thank you also to the PTO for feeding our staff every month! Your contributions and support are what makes our school and community so special, and you are making a difference in the lives of our children. On behalf of the students and staff at BCMA, I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you for all you do. Volume 3, Issue 4 12/15/2015 Upcoming Events
• • • December 17 Teacher Appreciation weeks can become quite Lunch 18 Magnet Choice overwhelming as families prepare for family Applications due gatherings, special travels, 18 Winter Showcase (9:15am 6th grade, 11am 7th grade, 2:45pm 8th grade) 18 Last day Fall Semester and perhaps some shopping outings in preparation for special traditions. As much as we’d all like to feel that we are organized and well prepared for the upcoming 21 Winter Break (through 1/4/16) January 5 Spring Semester starts weeks, each family deals with the stress of the 14 PTO General Meeting 23 Saturday Tutorials resume holidays in different ways. Oftentimes, children fall Please continue to check the BCMA victim to later bedtimes, website, BCMA Parents Shutterfly hectic trips to the store for site, and ask your student about that last item, and sometimes announcements for additional dates experience first-­‐‑hand the and potential changes. financial stress that plagues many families during this time of the year. Routines often fall to the wayside along with daily reading practices, consistent homework support, not seep into your child’s daily routine and your kids have consistency. Thank you for your partnership in supporting your and even family meals. I urge all child’s growth and development! our families to make a concerted I also want to welcome new effort to see that the rush and BCMA team members, our new stresses of the holiday season do Math teachers in 7th grade Mr. Dharwal and Mr. Eligio and in re-­‐‑think their ranking for the Math lab Ms. Kerawala and Mr. magnet application due Golabbaaksh. They are working on December 18. Mark your hard to prepare our kids for the calendars for the first meeting of state assessment and ensuring the New Year, which will that kids master and excel on all be Thursday, January 14. We are grade level Math standards. hoping to secure an early Our Winter Break begins on meeting time of 7:45am. Stay Monday, December 21st through Monday, January 4. Students return to school on Tuesday, January 5th. Please continue to check the BCMA school website tuned for this update right after the holidays. This meeting will be important, as we will review plans for the spring semester, which will require parental for important dates and events. involvement to ensure success. At BCMA we embrace all Thank you to all families who students, all cultures and all traditions and we extend our best to all of you for a wonderful winter break and a safe and joyful holiday season! Sincerely, Jyoti Malhan have participated this year via the purchase of a PTO membership, attendance at general assembly meetings, joining the dads for donuts, staffing or donating for faculty appreciation, volunteering at the magnet open house and other events at school. Your From Our PTO investment of time, talent, and or Dear BCMA families, treasure supports the work of the This fall semester has flown by, faculty and staff to take our Concessions will be available at Saturday Tutorials starting in January. This is a great way to re-­‐‑hydrate your child during tutorials. Healthy snacks and drinks will be served for a minimal cost. Exciting school activities and fundraisers in 2016 during holidays and observed days for your child. Keep a lookout for these events in your monthly newsletter. From Nurse Hainsworth: To all my 6th grade parents: All students in 7th -­‐‑12 grades must have a Booster tetanus vaccine commonly called a Tdap and also a Meningitis vaccine. These vaccines are mostly given at the 11-­‐‑year-­‐‑old check-­‐‑ up. If you have a 6th grade student please consider getting their booster Tdap and Meningitis during the Christmas break! Please send a copy of the vaccine record to me at school and I will update their file. This will avoid your student and the next promises to go even school to great heights. faster. We were honored at the We wish you the happiest of December general assembly holiday! See you in the new meeting to host the principals of year, DeBakey, Bellaire, and the Ellecia Knolle Energy Institute. For these three please use the break to make an Other PTO Activities Winter Raffle: Wednesday, December 16th at each lunch period. Ticket numbers will be announced at the end of the day for a chance to win many gift cards and free dress down bands. appointment with your campus leaders to visit our school was a tremendous effort on their part and greatly appreciated by all parents/guardians who attended. I know a number of families in attendance started to receiving a delinquency letter at the beginning of the year in 7th grade. Also there are a few 7th graders who are not up to date as well physician to obtain these needed vaccines Happening at BCMA Magnet Applications: Remember, magnet applications are Due December 18. Information about HISD School Choice can be found on their website at: http://www.houstonisd.org/Page
/133703. The rank order of your school selections is extremely important. Comments, Corrections, Input? If you would have ideas or input for the next newsletter, please contact Cara Davis (caradavis11@gmail.com) BCMA Organization 101 Class: Do you feel your student needs some Michele Lomas at organizationalowl@att.net. Tutorials: Option #1 – 8th Grade Memories Package – payment of $48 by December 16, 2016. • 8th Grade T-­‐‑Shirt Afterschool tutorials are ongoing • 8th Grade Panoramic Picture and Saturday tutorials will start • 8th Grade Week Activities back up January 23. Tutorials are • 8th Grade Post-­‐‑Graduation a great way to get extra help or Reception enrich your learning. Schedules are posted on the BCMA website. Option #2 – All-­‐‑In Package -­‐‑ Also make sure to check out the afterschool club schedules. Check website for updates and remind your students to listen to daily announcements for reminders and potential changes to tutorial or club schedules. $108 – At least $55 paid by December 15, 2016. • All of the above • Six Flags Field Trip (Fee covers park admission, parking, meal ticket, Motorcoach transportation, A very big thanks to our teachers for volunteering their time to lead these activities! If students will not participate in or even turning it in? Don’t worry; Buy your Yearbook: the holiday party, payment is there is a solution for your student. You can purchase the BCMA due by March 8. Questions? BCMA Organization Class 101 yearbook at www.jostens.com<http://www.jo
Please contact Mrs. Jackson mgarret5@houstonisd.org stens.com/>. Price is $30 until Dec 25th. After Dec 25 the Congratulations BCMA: help with organization? Is their backpack bulging at the seams? Is there a problem finding Homework, Meeting after school. In this afterschool class we will achieve success by making organization automatic, learn how to use our price goes up to $40. UIL: At the November 14 UIL tournament at Paul Revere agenda more effectively. Latin Phrase of the Month:
Most importantly, set up a lo Saturnalia!
system where completed homework can be “ Hail to Saturnalia” Traditional greeting much like “Eid Mubarak” or “Happy New Year” found and turned in. Your student will be able to predict the future and know exactly what must be done every day. Parents are encouraged to attend to help travel snack bags) Middle School, BCMA’s Debate team performed very well. Best Speaker in LD was Camille Ofolue. Second Place overall in LD was Madison Williams. LD Semi-­‐‑finalists were Camille Ofolue and Olivia Ontivaros. Finally, Second Place Speaker in PF was Diya Organizing system. 8th Grade Fees: Chatterjee. Excellent job The first 4-­‐‑part series is already underway, but other sessions will likely be offered. If you are interested, please contact In order for your 8th grader to Bulldogs! participate in the Holiday Pizza Robotics/coding team: On Dec 5, we competed at All Earth Ecobot Challenge "ʺBuild it"ʺ implement the new Make Sense and Ice Cream Party, fees must be paid by December 15 or 16: day. Won a 1st, 2nd, and 5th place out of over 400 children competing. During Computer Science week, Paneitz'ʹs video game design class participated 100% in Hour of Code. All BCMA robotics and coding kids created games and earned certificates. On Monday, Dec 7, BCMA students participated in Pumps and Pipes at Methodist hospital. Dec 12, Robotics/coding is putting on a very large robotics event at BCMA hosted by Ecobot and BCMA. TOURNAMENT RESULTS: 21 BCMA Bulldogs showed their spirit Saturday, December 12, at the largest locally hosted chess event ever held in Houston. 500 students registered and played in the annual Martha Jenkinson Memorial Scholastic. The BCMA participants were: Kylan Naidoo, Anjie Zhou, Charles Bowyer, Jayden Bryant, Carlos Lopez Rodriguez, Eduardo Galvez, Li Cardenas, Neil Powers, Amanda Barrera, Shahaab Mehra, Kenny Nguyen, Chess Club: Arial Baker, Matthew San The Chess Club will be Hoang, Alexander Perez, accepting registration forms and Vincent Turner, Jasmine Cecil, fees the week of January 4th. Clay Heard, Colin McBride, Registration forms will be in Ms. Rogelio Mosqueda, and Dagher'ʹs room. The fee per Anthony Ramirez. BCMA had semester is $150. If you need 16.0 team points and we tied financial assistance, please with TH Rogers Middle School contact nellie.naidoo@gmail.com. for third. We were placed third Practice will start Monday, because two other teams had 17.0! January 11th and will be held on It was a very competitive Thursday afternoons from 4:15-­‐‑
tournament. “Great Work, 5:15pm. Bulldogs! “ Parents, you’re On February 13th, we will be awesome, and you know who hosting the regional tournament you are! Have a peaceful and at BCMA at Ryan and are very restful holiday and Happy New excited. Last year it was a huge Year! success and wonderful turn out. However, we need many volunteers to make this happen. If you are interested in helping please contact mbivinsbryant@yahoo.com Box Tops for Education Don’t forget to clip boxtops to earn money for our school. There are forms for collection in the office and online. There is a collection box in the cafeteria. Contact Lakeisha (questionnare24@gmail.com) for more information.