A Message from Principal Keith Lyman

Dear BAMS Families,

The weeks between February and March have been busy and meaningful at BAMS. I want to highlight some of the events and accomplishments that have taken place and share some important upcoming dates.

During BLM Week at Schools, our advisory groups participated in learning experiences focused on social movements of the Global Majority. Students created posters and presentations that were later shared in a Gallery Walk, allowing classes to learn from one another’s work and reflect on important historical contributions and social movements. I was very impressed by the thoughtfulness and effort students demonstrated in these projects. Thank you to our staff and especially to our ESJ League leaders, Ms. Pereira, Ms. Polk and Ms. Koplinka-Loehr for organizing and guiding this important work.

We enjoyed several opportunities to connect as a school community. The BAMS Leadership Council hosted a Ski and Skate Night at Memorial Park, where students and families were able to gather and enjoy a winter evening together. A parent education night on Vaping and Drug Awareness, presented by Lauren Petrie, took place last month. This information night provided valuable information and resources. Stay tuned for more opportunities in the near future.

A Parent Orientation Night recently took place for families of incoming 7th-grade students. We continue to meet with 6th-grade students and families regarding this important milestone of transitioning to middle school.

Student wellness remained a priority throughout February as we celebrated Brain Week. Students participated in activities and discussions focused on brain health and decision-making, supported by Lauren Petrie, Student Assistance Program Coordinator.

BEAMS Session 4 began on March 9 and is filled with several robust clubs. Our spring interscholastic sports will begin in early April, with sign-ups taking place during lunch periods. Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, questions should be directed to Kevin Myette, Athletic Director, kmyette@wsesdvt.org.

Student-Led Conferences are next week, primarily scheduled for the afternoons of Thursday, March 26, and Friday, March 27. Our students have been working very hard, preparing to present their learning and growth. Each conference will be 20 minutes and led by the student, with advisers present to support the conversation. Here is the letter that was sent out to families earlier this month regarding the conferences.

Your participation is an important part of this process. If you have not signed up for a conference slot yet, please do so as soon as possible, as slots fill up quickly. You may sign up here.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the BAMS community. It is always inspiring to see the many ways our students learn, lead, and contribute to our school.

News from Team Draco

In Math class, we have been learning about exponents and scientific notation. We’ve been building our understanding of exponent rules such as raising a power to a power, when you add and subtract exponents, and how to work with negative exponents. We’ve also been exploring how scientific notation helps us represent very large and very small numbers. This will all help us in our next unit which is about the Pythagorean Theorem and irrational numbers.

In ELA we have begun our unit on the Holocaust with Maus: Vol. 1. Obviously, this unit comes with a lot of historical background and questions; it would be helpful if families fostered healthy discussion outside of the classroom! We looked at many resources from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to build our knowledge of that time in history. Maus is a graphic novel, so we’ve been reading the speech bubbles like a script with students taking on specific “roles” and it’s helped some of our reluctant readers get involved. Further on we’ll look at the medium of sequential art to tell our own narratives.

Many Draco students have been getting a double dose of learning about human development and reproduction with both Teen Choices and science classes. In science, we are looking at the connection between genes, DNA, chromosomes, and traits. We made models of chromosomes out of pipe cleaners with beads to represent genes at specific foci for common traits we share. Next, we’ll be exploring simple Mendelian heredity and making our own dragon hatchlings, connecting genotypes to phenotypes.

BAMS MathCounts

The BAMS MathCounts team, coached by Ms. Maxfield, finished first in the team category of the Southeast Regional competition held at BAMS on February 7th. Sylvester Mayer was the top overall individual at the competition. Their achievement was even featured in the Brattleboro Reformer, and we are incredibly proud of the dedication and problem-solving skills our students demonstrated. The team earned a spot at the state-level competition held at UVM on March 21st. Good Luck to our MathCounts team; we are proud to have you representing BAMS.

BEAMS Program Awarded the State Center Track Grant

We recently received exciting news from the Vermont Agency of Education: BEAMS has been awarded the State Center Track Grant.

This grant will provide significant funding each year for the next five years, which is a tremendous boost for the program. The funding will be in addition to the support BEAMS already receives through the 21C and State Project Track grants, allowing the program to continue expanding the opportunities available to our students.

This recognition reflects the strong work already taking place through BEAMS and the positive impact the program has on our school community. With this additional funding, BEAMS will be able to grow even further, offering more enrichment opportunities for students and strengthening partnerships with community organizations.

A special congratulations and thank you to Mr. Yialiades and Ms. Starkweather for their leadership and dedication to BEAMS. Their commitment, creativity, and consistent effort have helped make the program dynamic and engaging for our students. Because of their work, BEAMS continues to provide meaningful, fun, and enriching experiences for many of our learners.

Congratulations to everyone involved in BEAMS for this exciting achievement. We look forward to seeing the program continue to grow and benefit our students in the years ahead.

8th Grade Students Participate in NAEP Assessment

Earlier this month, our eighth-grade students participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Often referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment used to measure what students across the United States know and can do in various subject areas.

Unlike state assessments, NAEP provides a common national measure of student achievement, allowing educators and policymakers to better understand how students are performing across the country. The assessment is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education, and the results help inform educators, families, and communities about student learning nationwide.

We are proud to share that our eighth-grade students approached the assessment with focus, effort, and a positive attitude, resulting in an impressive 90% participation rate.

To celebrate their hard work, Ms. Henderson organized a special ice cream treat for participating students. It was a fun way to recognize their effort and thank them for representing our school so well.

Families interested in learning more about NAEP and the types of questions students may see can visit :https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “What Questions Are on the Test?”.

Youth Advocacy Field Trip

Student leadership and civic engagement have been an important focus. On February 10, students traveled to Montpelier for a Youth Advocacy Trip, where they learned about civic engagement and advocacy through a grant supporting anti-tobacco initiatives. Experiences like this allow students to connect classroom learning with real-world issues and understand how their voices can make a difference.

BAMS Spirit Week March 23rd-March 27th

Spirit Week

March Menu

Upcoming Events & Dates

Tuesday, March 24th- Team Canis Field Trip- Visiting Brattleboro Businesses

Thursday, March 26th & Friday, March 27th- 12:30 pm Early Release- Student Led Conferences

Wednesday, April 1st & Thursday, April 2nd- 8th Grade Science VTCAP Testing

Monday, April 6th-Friday, April 10th- 7th & 8th Grade ELA & Math VTCAP Testing

Friday, April 17th- BEAMS Session 4 Ends

Monday, April 20th-Friday, April 24th- Spring Recess- No School

Monday, May 4th- BEAMS Session 5 Begins

Summer Camp Opportunity

BAMS Newsletter

Safety, Community, Learning

Issue 8 · 16 Mar 2026

In this issue