05.24.13

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2013!

Class of 2013
[Click image to enlarge]



Students of the Month - May
From Mr. Herkert

 May Students of the MonthStudents of the week
6th Grade7th Grade

TAYLOR MUNDT

RILEE SMITH

SESAR PACHECO

TAMYA VAULTONBURG 

 
Click to View the 2012-2013 Principal Choice Art Work
[posted 5-21]


Illinois Principal's Student Leadership
From Mr. Herkert

Peyton Keller and Bailey Burrows
Click image
Peyton Keller and Bailey Burrows, both 8th graders, were recognized on Friday for exhibiting leadership ability and fine character. Both were nominated by their teachers to attend the Illinois Principal’s Association Student Leadership Brunch, held at the Maxon Manor. This event, hosted annually by the Northwest Region of the IPA, is an opportunity for area schools to shine a spotlight on some outstanding students. Bailey and Peyton were two of the 73 students recognized, representing 35 schools, in front of an audience of 240 parents, administrators, and peers.
In addition to the brunch, the honored students received a certificate and a plaque, and were able to listen to legendary area coach John Elder give a talk about leadership. It is an uplifting event, seeing so many talented kids being recognized for the great things they do for our schools every day, and BMS is proud of the way Bailey and Peyton represented us.


BMS Winter Sports Teams
From Mr. Herkert

7th Grade Girls Basketball8th Grade Girls BasketballNine Wrestling ChampionsWrestlers
[Click on image to enlarge]   

Congratulations to the BMS Winter sports teams for their recently completed seasons – all 3 conference teams went undefeated! The 8th grade girls basketball team finished with a final record of 28-0, marking the 2nd consecutive undefeated campaign for this bunch. In addition to winning the conference tournament, they also took top honors at the Byron and Oregon Tournaments. The 7th grade girls were equally impressive, finishing with a victory in the conference title game and a final record of 21-0, also taking home the top prize at the Oregon and Byron Tournaments. The wrestlers also won the conference tournament, crowning 9 individual champions in the process. The team ended with a record of 14-0. Combined, the 3 squads posted an amazing 63-0 record, and claimed all 3 Rt. 72 Conference titles! Congratulations to the coaches and team members – we are very proud of you!



American Heart Association Fundraiser
From Mr. Herkert
The 6th and 7th grade PE students have been busy for the past 2 weeks, participating in a fundraising project for the American Heart Association. The 6th grade students, under the direction of Ms. Echelbarger, honed their basketball skills while participating in “Hoops for Hearts”.
 At the 7th grade level, Mr. Oleson was in charge of the “Jump Ropes for Hearts” program. On Thursday, the school day ended with an assembly, allowing the students to show off the skills they developed. Top fundraiser for the 6th grade was Arynn Mathieu, while Nick Peterson led the 7th grade participants. Together, the students raised over $2200 for the American Heart Association. The fundraising competition between the grades was won by the 6th graders, which meant Ms. Echelbarger had the pleasure of treating Mr. Oleson to a pie in the face at the assembly. Thanks to all who participated in the fundraising efforts.  [Click on images to enlarge]


PBIS Celebration
From Mr. Herkert

PBIS Celebration

On Friday, BMS held the 4th PBIS celebration of the school year. To get things started, the students had the opportunity to indulge in snack foods while participating in a variety of games and activities with their classmates. The next activity, held in the theater for the entire school, was the BMS Variety Show. Students signed up to showcase their skills and, as usual, it was a great show for all. The performances ranged from skits to solos, small instrumental ensembles to large group sign-alongs, with some jump-roping thrown in for good measure.

Both the middle school and high school jazz bands performed, with a highlight being the sing-along rendition of “Minnie the Moocher” by the high school group, sung with great skill by Mr. Konstans. (Some might say the middle school teacher’s “Harlem Shake” video was a highlight…)  [Click on image to enlarge]

At the end of the show, drawings were held and prizes distributed to students who received “Earn Your Stripes” recognition during the quarter. Congratulations to Dalton Coyne, Madison Milburn, Kortney Parsons, Taylor Conley, Heidie Raine, and grand prize winner Emma Bakken. All received gift certificates to the movies.



Nolan Places 2nd in IKWF State Meet
From Mr. Herkert

Nolan and Coach (Dad) BakerWrestler Nolan Baker recently completed an impressive career of wrestling for the BMS Tigers. He competed for 3 years at the middle school, and never lost a single match! Outside of his school accomplishments, Nolan also competed successfully in a variety of wrestling tournaments, often travelling the country to pursue opportunities. During the past couple of years, he was a Freestyle State Champion, a Greco-Roman State Champion, and an IKWF Folkstyle Runner-up. He is also a two-time All-American in Freestyle, a two-time All-American in Greco-Roman, and he wrestled for Illinois’ Schoolboy team that won national titles last summer in both Freestyle and Greco. Closer to home, Nolan placed 2nd last week at the IKWF State Meet, held in Rockford.
Nolan has represented BMS well – we are very proud of his accomplishments (so far!). Nolan’s father, 6th grade teacher Bob Baker (also pictured), is Nolan’s coach for the BMS team and his club teams.


Spelling Bee 2013
From Mr. Herkert

Spelling Bee Champion 2013
Tracie Raine
2013
Champion
Byron Middle School held its annual Spelling Bee in the theater, with 29 students competing in front of the student body for the chance to represent BMS at the regional spelling bee in Dixon. After 12 grueling rounds and over 175 words, 8th grade student Tracie Raine was crowned the champion. 2nd place went to 8th grader Jacob Bradford, who was last year’s school champion. Tracie will be making a return appearance to the Regional Bee, having competed as a 6th grader after winning the BMS competition. The words Tracie spelled correctly on her way to the title included: itself, slight, enact, renewal, monumental, flirtatious, prominent, integral, planetarium, derisible, cerebellum, and herbaceous. Congratulations to Tracie and Jacob, and to the other 27 students who competed admirably and made for a great competition.  [Click on images to enlarge]
Spelling Bee 2013Spelling Bee 2013Spelling Bee 2013Spelling Bee 2013 Spelling Bee 2013 Spelling Bee 2013


Tracie competed at the regional spelling bee at Dixon on Feb. 21. She was one of 29 students competing, all champions from their respective schools. After 7 rounds, there were only 6 contestants left – Tracie was one of them. 14 rounds later, there were still 6 remaining! It was an amazing display of nerves and knowledge. Unfortunately, in round 21, Tracie ran into “mozzarella” and left the stage, leaving 4 still standing. It lasted until the 33rd round, when the winner correctly spelled “schadenfreude” for the victory. Congratulations to Tracie for representing Byron Middle School so well!



BMS Competes at MathCounts
From Dr. DeVries
MathCountsCongratulations to Byron Middle School’s MathCounts team. They competed at Sauk Valley Community College on Saturday, February 9.

Top individuals for the day included Lane Watson, Taylor Conley, Natalie Carlson, Eric Hoshaw, Peyton Keller, Emma Bakken, Morgan Jackson, and Megan Carlson.

Read more....



Sixth Grade Holiday Tea
From Mr. Herkert

 Holiday TeaOn December 19, the sixth grade class hosted a Holiday Tea for family, friends, and the Byron Community. The event, an annual tradition at Byron Middle School, was held in the theater. Students and teachers spent part of the day Tuesday transforming the stage into a festive space, and those in attendance were treated to good snacks, good service, and good performances by the 6th grade students. Prior to the Holiday Tea, students were involved in several special activities to prepare for the day. They were taught how to make proper introductions and how to properly host and serve their guests. They also participated in community service
activities, intended to foster good citizenship as well as to nurture the idea of giving to others through your resources, time, or talents. The students created holiday ornaments that were sold at the Holiday Tea, with proceeds from the sale being used to help needy families in our community. They also sponsored a successful food drive for our local food pantry People Helping People. All 6th grade students participated in the Holiday Tea in three ways at three different times during the day: they acted as hosts, serving the guests coffee, cider, and cookies; they performed for the guests by playing a solo on their band instrument, singing a holiday song, or performing a reading or a skit; and they also were able to attend as a guest. Students in the other grade levels were also allowed to visit the Tea, provided they were dressed properly for the occasion. The large majority of students took advantage of this, so most of the school was able to participate in this fun event. Many thanks to the 6th grade teachers for the organization of the Tea, and to the Fine Arts staff for preparing the students for the performances. And also, thanks to all the parents, family members, and friends who took the time to attend and helped make the day special for our 6th grade students. [Click here for photos!]


Herkert Named Middle School Principal of the Year
Mr. Herkert MS Principal of the Year

Byron Middle School principal Steve Herkert was recently named the Illinois Principal's Association "Principal of the Year" for the Northwest Region.

In order to be considered for this award, one must be an active Northwest Region principal and IPA member, show leadership in the field, and be nominated by another regional administrator. After nomination, the selection process consists of a vote by the IPA Board of Directors. This is Mr. Herkert's first nomination and selection for this prestigious award.

"I am flattered that I was selected for this award," Mr. Herkert stated. "There are many principals in our region that have contributed a great deal to their respective schools and districts. Just to be considered for the award is a great honor." Read more...



2nd PBIS Celebration
From Mr. Herkert

 PBIS CelebrationThe 2nd PBIS celebration, postponed by weather on December 20th, was held on January 4th. It doubled as an end-of-the-quarter celebration of good effort and behavior and a welcome-back party. As usual, the BMS staff did an outstanding job of organizing activities, and the students had a great time. It was a four-part celebration; the students began by rotating through 3 activity areas: a movie in the pod, a trivia contest in the cafeteria, and a full-blown “Minute-To-Win-It” contest in the gym. At the end, all the students were brought together in the gym for some class competitions and the prize drawings. Congratulations to prize winners Jonah Pearson, Savanna Harper, Madalyn Palmer, Ryan Keller, Bryce Scheffler, and Joie Payton. [Click here for photos]


Woodworking Volunteers
From Mr. Herkert

 Woodworking Volunteers
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Byron Middle School would like to thank the woodworking volunteers at the Byron Forest Preserve for constructing 11 large pieces of furniture for use in our building. As we started the 1:1 laptop initiative this year, we discovered several problems we had not anticipated, such as where the computers would be stored when they went to lunch. Also, in classrooms such as band, chorus, humanities, and PE, where the computers are not used every day, we had a need to safely store large numbers of computers. After an extensive search, we discovered there are no products available
that would meet our specific needs. The volunteers at the Forest Preserve were contacted, and they worked with us through the design of the furniture before starting the arduous (and time consuming) task of construction. Within a month, the pieces were finished. They were then transported to the middle school, where Mr. Herkert applied the stain and varnish and got them moved into place. The cabinets, made of beautiful birch plywood and hardwood trim, are finely made and provide a nice accent to our hallways and classrooms. We are very appreciative of the work of the volunteers, under the direction of George Fram and Bill Hogan, and we thank them for their craftsmanship and ability to solve a serious problem for us.


Mock Election
From Mr. Herkert
 
[Click to enlarge]
 Byron Middle School students participated in a mock election on Tuesday. Following extensive classroom instruction leading up to the election, the students got the chance to cast their ballot in a simulated polling place, following the same procedures as the “real” voters. Results were announced at an assembly at the end of the day. With 352 votes cast, the BMS students closely mirrored the country, with the Obama/ Biden ticket receiving 50% of the vote (176) and the Romney/Ryan ticket receiving 49% (173). Thanks to Mrs. Fletcher for coordinating the event. 
[Click to enlarge]


PTA Halloween Carnival
From Mr. Herkert
 The Byron PTA held the annual Halloween Carnival for middle school students on Saturday night. The students were treated to great music, food, games, raffles, and giveaways, all organized and planned by the PTA members. It was a fun atmosphere, and was well attended. Several students entertained the crowd with lip sync performances, and there was a costume contest with cash prizes. Many thanks to the PTA for the hours spent in putting together this great event for the middle school students! Click here for photos!


1st Nine Weeks - PBIS
From Mr. Herkert
Byron Middle School held a celebration Friday morning to recognize the outstanding efforts put forth by the students in the 1st nine weeks of the school year. The event, planned and organized by the PBIS committee, was split into two parts. For the first 45 minutes, the students were free to roam and choose activities including pumpkin painting, learning the dance from “Thriller”, watching a movie, building a scarecrow, reverse apple bobbing, and writing cards to overseas troops. The 2nd part of the celebration was held in the gym, and included an egg maze, scarecrow and pumpkin voting, recognition of the recent “Pinked” fundraiser in support of breast cancer, a
recap of the just completed Red Ribbon week activities, and the Earn Your Stripes prize drawings. 6th grader Jillian Wrede won the top prize, a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart. The celebration was a great way for the students and staff to recognize the great things that happen in the building every day, and provided the opportunity for the staff to show appreciation for the efforts of the kids. Click here for photos of the event!


Middle School Veteran's Day Ceremony
From Mr. Herkert

 Byron Middle School held a ceremony Thursday morning to recognize and honor Veteran’s Day. This is the 2nd year the ceremony has been held, and it was a heart-warming event. For the first time, students were encouraged to invite a veteran to participate, and we were fortunate to have 23 veterans in attendance. The ceremony began with the presentation of colors by Mr. Ben Busser and Mr. Jerry Oleson. Student Council members Adriana Costa and Nick Peterson led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the 7th & 8th grade choral groups,
under the direction of Mrs. Harn, singing the National Anthem. Mr. Herkert spoke about the origin and meaning of Veteran’s Day, and read a portion of the President’s official Veteran’s Day Proclamation. This was followed by a poem read by Builder’s Club member Hannah Hines, and a patriotic song by the 6th grade choir. The 8th grade band was next, playing a medley of patriotic hymns in honor of the various military branches. A patriotic powerpoint show, prepared by Mr. Konstans, was displayed while the band was playing. The highlight of the ceremony came next, when the veterans in attendance were announced, along with their connection to the middle school, and they were brought onto the stage. All 4 branches of the military were represented, with participants from World War II through the conflict in Afghanistan. The audience provided a lengthy, well-deserved standing ovation for the brave soldiers. The students, all dressed in red, white, or blue, and displaying ribbons with the name of a veteran written on them, were very respectful and appreciative throughout the ceremony. Many thanks to the numerous staff members involved in putting the celebration together, with a special mention to Mrs. Fletcher for coordinating the event And, of course, our thanks and appreciation to the veterans who committed a part of their morning to help us put meaning behind the celebration of Veteran’s Day. [Click here for photos!]


IME District 8 Band, Choir and Jazz Band
From Mr. Herkert
 
Choir
24 BMS students were selected for the IMEA District 8 Band, Choir, and, Jazz Band. These students have been practicing audition materials since the beginning of the school year with auditions taking place on Saturday, October 13 at Sterling High School. Out of the several hundred students who auditioned that day, these students were chosen to represent Byron Middle School at the IMEA District 8 Jazz Festival at Rochelle High School on Saturday, November 10 and the IMEA District 8 Band and Choir 
Band
Festival at DeKalb High School on Saturday, November 17. Congratulations to these talented Tigers, and to Mrs. Harn, Mr. Maurizio, and Mr. Huber for the time spent in preparing them for the auditions.
Choir
 
Band
Madison Bunner
Sarah Hopkins
Marquia Maclin
Nick Peterson
 
Krista Cerasani
Abbie Lampe
Ashley Camling
Caleigh Huber
Katelyn Merrill
Tracie Raine
 
Taylor Conley
Adam Lyndem
Sami Foss
Lucas Jurasek
Kaley Mumma
Alana Rowland
 
Emma Hildreth
Kirk Martin
Aaliyah Halligren
Taylor Lindquist
Maddisen Nelson
Morgan Shewey
 
Eli Johnson
Jonah Pearson


Camp Winnebago 2012
From Mr. Herkert
During the week of October 9-12, the 8th grade students participated in team building and personal challenge activities at Camp Winnebago in Rockford. In September, the students were randomly placed into small groups and assigned two faculty advisors. These groups determined their own identity, including group name, group colors and/or costumes, and group chants. The groups met with their advisors several times before attending the Camp, preparing for the challenges and getting to know the other members of the group. The groups will remain intact throughout the school year, with occasional meetings and refreshers on the value of teamwork and trust. While at the Camp, the students worked with their team through a variety of challenges including trust-building and problem solving. The highlight of the activities was a half-day spent on the high ropes course or on the 40' climbing wall. Each group attended the Camp for 2 days, providing plenty of opportunity to make positive connections with classmates and participate in both the high-ropes and the climbing wall. As expected, the students did a fantastic job in challenging their fears and testing their limits, while learning to work as a team to effectively solve problems. It was a great experience for all involved. Pictures from each of the 4 days can be viewed by clicking the links below:.

  Day 1Day 2 Day 3 Day 4


8th Grade Drama
From Mr. Konstans

[Click on image to enlarge]

The 8th grade Drama students recently performed some original skits for Mrs. Hillis’ and Mrs. Byers’ Kindergarten classes. The performance, held in the drama classroom at the middle school, consisted of material entirely written by the 8th grade students. The students also gathered the props, designed the lighting, and prepared the sound cues for the shows. Prior to the shows, the drama students visited the Kindergarten students on a couple of occasions, participating in reading groups and making connections with their “kindergarten buddies”. This added to the excitement of the shows, as the kindergarten students knew the performers.

It was a great experience for both the “big” and “little” students, as the 8th graders put together some shows to remember. Thank you to Mr. Konstans, the drama teacher, for making the arrangements, and thank you to Mrs. Hillis and Mrs. Byers for carving time out of their busy days to allow the 8th graders the opportunity to shine.



Annual End-Of-The-First-Week Celebration
From Mr. Herkert

 Byron Middle School held its annual end-of-the-first-week celebration on Friday, with the students getting to participate in a carnival on the front lawn of the school. The celebration is held to thank the students for getting off to such a great start to the school year, and for being so patient as we crammed a tremendous amount of information into the past 2 days. During the week, the students learned and reviewed expectations for every part of their day, from using the drinking fountain to entering and exiting the building. Each time they showed understanding of our expectations, the students received a stamp on

their “passport”. At the celebration, the completed passports were collected and grand prize drawings were held. To participate in the carnival games, or to purchase popcorn and cotton candy, the students had to “spend” tickets they earned throughout the week. In the previous 2 days, the teachers and staff handed out over 8,000 tickets to students who were caught doing things right – holding doors, being polite, walking on the correct side of the hallway, etc. It was a great, positive way to start the new school year!

Many thanks to the teachers and staff who put together and worked at the carnival. Special thanks to the 8th grade teachers who started planning the carnival at the end of the last school year, and to Mr. Ettelbrick and Mr. Stoyas for drawing a huge crowd to the dunk tank.   Click here for 1st Week of 2012 Photo Album



BMS 1:1 Initiative
From Mr. Herkert

 

This year all BMS students will be loaned a laptop to improve and personalize his/her education. It is essential that the Byron Community Schools Laptop Use Guidelines be followed to ensure the safe, efficient and ethical operation of the district’s laptop.

Computer and Network Procedures   Responsibilities and Terms   Laptop Care and Use

Have a question? Goto the Frequently Asked Question Page



Pinnacle Internet Viewer


Grade Viewer Link

This application allows you to view your student's grades and attendance in a real-time atmosphere. By using your student's id number and the password assigned by your school district, you will be able to view your student's current information as well as information from previous marking periods.

Download instructions [pdf]



Important Announcement for Parents/Guardians
From Your School Nurses
Beginning with the 2012/2013 school year, ALL students entering 6th through 12th grade will be required to show proof of having received a Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis).

This new immunization requirement (IL administrative code section 665.250(b)) has been instituted due to recent local outbreaks of pertussis or "whooping cough," a serious bacterial infection of the airway. Immunity to pertussis tends to decrease as our children reach their teen years, and this booster vaccine is necessary to protect not only our children, but our whole community.

You will receive a notice from your school nurse in the coming weeks if your child's records indicate that they may not yet have received this vaccine.

Please make appointments with your physician or the local health department early! Ogle County Health Department clinic schedules are included in the following links. [pdf]

January - March 2012
Clinic Schedules
April - June 2012
Clinic Schedules
TDaP
Clinic Schedules 

New rules for the Health Department clinics! You MUST have your child's current immunization records faxed to the Health Department BEFORE they can schedule you for a clinic appointment. Vaccines at the health department cost $16.00.

Please contact your school nurse if you have any further questions regarding this notice, or if you need copies of your child's immunizations.

Cathy Manning  R.N. C.S.N.  Grade School  815-234-5491 ext. 260
Karen Shiver R.N. C.S.N. Middle School 815-234-5491 ext. 744
Mary Cay Rasmussen R.N. High School  815-234-5491 ext. 747