BAMS NEWS

 

August 2024

Welcome Back!

Dear Families of Incoming 7th and Returning 8th Grade Students,

I hope this message finds you well-rested and recharged after an awesome summer break. As we gear up for another exciting school year, I want to extend a warm welcome to each of you. For our 7th-grade families, welcome to our school community! We are thrilled to have you join us and look forward to supporting your children as they transition into our building. To our returning 8th-grade families, welcome back! Your dedication and enthusiasm make our school such a special place for our students, and I can't wait to see the incredible things we'll achieve together this year. Please remember that 7th graders return on Wednesday, August 28, and 8th graders do not return until Thursday, August 29. The school day begins at 8:40 am and is dismissed at 3:30 pm.  There is a welcome back night for incoming 7th-grade families on Monday evening, August 26th from 5:00-6:00 PM

I’m also excited to introduce some new and returning faces to our team. Jill Kelley is rejoining our main office after spending a few years at the high school, and we’re glad to have her back. Anthony Minickiello will be covering a one-year leave for Jessica Earp on Team Leo’s social studies, and Alan Blackwell is stepping in as our new art teacher, replacing Janna Crafts. Nat Baldwin will join our English Department oTeam Taurus, while Rebecca Twaites will be moving to Team Canis Major. Erek Tuma will be the new math teacher on Team Canis Major, and Christine Pereira will transition to academic support, with Nick Yialiades also moving to academic support from Canis Major ELA. Darcy Whitworth is moving out of the health office and joining our SEA services team. The special education department continues to work through some staffing challenges, and final assignments will be made soon.

Unfortunately, we haven't yet found a replacement for our foreign language teacher, so we'll be absorbing those classes into other exploratories for the first semester. We’re hopeful we can find a new teacher for the second semester.

This year, our middle school is taking important steps to align our curriculum with the elementary schools. We will be fully implementing the "EL" English curriculum this fall, and we’ll continue to implement the "IM" math curriculum. Additionally, we are seeking to pilot a new math curriculum aimed at providing extra support for students who need additional help in mathematics alongside their regular class.

We’re eagerly anticipating the start of this new school year and are committed to making it a great experience for all our students.

Warm regards,

Keiht Lyman- BAMS Principal

Summer BEAMS

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Marissa Fuoroli and her amazing BEAMS summer staff for supporting our students throughout July. It was a fantastic group, and we saw more eighth graders than in recent years, which was wonderful to see. Following is a summary of the programming this year:

This summer BEAMS at BAMS hosted 5 weeks of summer camp for students in grades 7 and 8 that will be attending school at BAMS this fall. Over the course of 5 weeks of camp, BEAMS provided enriching opportunities for 70 students filling 143 seats this summer. Our five weeks of programming for Summer 2024 were themed: Ropes Course, Backyard BBQ and Games, Creative Space, Splash and Dash and Summer Olympics. Throughout the summer students had the opportunities to learn, create, explore and play through the thoughtful lessons planned by instructors. Students cooked various foods such as crepes, quiches, pizzas, and mac and cheese. Students learned to grill, created various art projects including creating their own carnival games, competed in Mario Kart and remained silent as Simone Biles took the floor for the Woman’s gymnastics final. BEAMS was grateful to partner with the Vernon Recreation Department to swim and enjoy their space each week. Our instructors and students are looking forward to next summer!

SEA Support Program Expanded

We are thrilled to introduce our new SEA (Social Emotional Assistance) program at BAMS! This initiative is designed to support all students who may be experiencing difficulties. Our SEA program replaces the former planning and transition rooms, with a focus on helping students transition back into classes smoothly.

Our dedicated SEA team includes Michele Manton, who will work with students needing extended academic support. Jill Sprague and Darcy Whitworth will serve as behavioral support paraprofessionals, assisting in de-escalating situations, providing coaching, and guiding students back to their classrooms. Additionally, Eileen Arama, our social worker, will offer individual and group support.

This program is a key part of our Multi-Layered System of Support (MLSS), and we are excited about the positive impact it will have on our students' success.

Registration for the School Bus

 The bus company is busy working on routes for our bus riders. If your child rode the bus to/from school last year there is no need to register for the 24/25 school year, unless your address has changed. If your child is new to BAMS or did not take the bus last year, and will be this year, contact Jill Kelley with your student's name, pick-up and drop-off address, and emergency contact information.  Ms. Kelley may be reached at jkelley@wsesdvt.org or call 802-451-3504 to register your student.  

The bus routes can be found on our district website at WSESU.org.  For specific questions regarding the bus routes, you may contact F.M. Kuzmeskus/TravelKuz directly at (802) 490-2817.

Notable Events and Dates

Staff Spotlight: Keith Lyman

Role at BAMS: Principal   

Team: School Leadership

Background: Keith Lyman has been the Principal at Brattleboro Area Middle School (BAMS) since 2014. He earned his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Vermont in 2009, following a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Springfield College. Keith's career in education spans various roles, including teaching, coaching, and school administration, all of which have contributed to his deep understanding of supporting students and staff. 

What He Loves About His Job: "I love working alongside a dedicated team of educators to create a positive learning environment where our students can thrive. Seeing the growth in both students and staff and knowing that our work contributes to their success is incredibly rewarding."

Fun Fact: Keith is a lifelong Vermonter, born and raised in Townshend. He enjoys playing baseball, basketball, golf, and running. Keith is an avid fan of the Celtics, Red Sox, and Commanders. When Keith is not at school, you can find him exploring the woods of Vermont.

Looking Ahead: Keith is excited to continue fostering a school culture that values equity, student engagement, and academic excellence. He looks forward to seeing the positive impact of the newly implemented SEA program and furthering the alignment of the curriculum with the elementary schools.

Staff Spotlight: Tom Daughton

Role at BAMS: Assistant Principal   

Background: This is Tom Daughton's tenth year as the assistant principal at BAMS, and his thirtienth year working in public education.   He started his career as a school psychologist working in Massachusetts and has been in the Vermont public schools for the past twenty one years as a school psychologist and administrator.    

 What He Loves About His Job:  First and foremost, having the opportunity to have daily connections with students, and see them learn and grow in the two years that we have with them here at BAMS brings me great joy;  educators become educators for a reason and it all starts with the joy of providing learning opportunities for them each day.   Also, working alongside the dedicated staff that are equally committed to our student's growth and development remains a source of inspiration.   

 Fun Fact: Tom is a passionate musician who writes songs and plays guitar.   He loves to ride both bicycles and motorcycles, and very much enjoys time out of doors hiking and skiing.   He is the father of two who have successfully fledged the nest, and are now successful adults.    

Looking Ahead:   Tom is looking forward to another year of seeing the smiling faces of so many students each day.  These are wondrous years in a child's development and it is always remarkable to witness our student's growth through these years.   With some new staff on board there will be some fresh faces and energy added to our community.   We will continue to develop our social and emotional support systems for students, and I look forward to working with staff in meeting these evolving needs.