Bethel Middle School

Here’s a quick reminder about upcoming calendar dates: Monday, January 18 / Dr. Martin Luther King Day Schools Closed Monday, February 15 / President’s Day Remote Learning Day (K-12 students work from home) The 2020-21 school calendar is available here: bit.ly/3hXkXcl

January is School Board Recognition Month. In a year full of the unknown, these seven servant leaders have continued their commitment to creating opportunities for success. On behalf of all Bryant Hornets, thank you for your service! #SchoolBoardMonth

Due to a system upgrade over the break, there is a new Home Access Center (HAC) link. HAC allows students and parents the ability to see schedules, assignments, grades, and attendance. The link has been updated on the district website and on the app. You may also access HAC at hac20.esp.k12.ar.us. HAC passwords have been encrypted. Families now have the ability to access their own password retrieval when they can't remember their passwords.

District and school offices will be closed December 21 - January 1 for Christmas break. Students return to school on Monday, January 4. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

ATTENTION SECONDARY STUDENTS AND PARENTS

Parents, did you receive the new "Success Happens Here" eNewsletter in your inbox today? If not, please contact your student's school to make certain we have your correct email address. Here's a link to the document: English: bit.ly/3gUlXgZ Spanish: bit.ly/2Wlh2w9

REMINDER: A Remote Learning Day is scheduled for Friday, December 18. ALL students (K-12) will work from home. Only PreK students will attend school on this day. The Food Service Department is preparing shelf stable meals (one breakfast, one lunch) for students to take home on Thursday. Meals will be distributed in classrooms for elementary students. Secondary students may pick up meals in the cafeteria during lunch or at the bus stop at the end of the day. Virtual students will pick up meals on Thursday during lunch.

REMINDER: A Remote Learning Day is scheduled for Friday, December 18. ALL students (K-12) will work from home. Only PreK students will attend school on this day.

Join us in celebrating Arkansas Computer Science Education Week with coding activities for all ages. Take some pics and post using #Hornets_Hr_Of_Code. #ARKidsCanCode

Bus 72 (BeMS) will run approximately 45 minutes late delivering students home this afternoon.

With our Hornets headed to the 2020 State Championship game on Saturday, what better time to #Paintthetownblue? The Greater Bryant Chamber of Commerce has organized #Paintthetownblue to engage community members and local businesses in school spirit. Anyone can purchase a sign to place in front of their home or business for $25. Four designs are available. Collect all four to show your Hornet spirit! Order your sign at bit.ly/PaintTownBlue. Take a photo of your sign and post on social media with the hashtag #Paintthetownblue. For more information, contact the Bryant Chamber at 501-847-4702. All proceeds go to the scholarship fund for our Bryant High School seniors.

The district Point of Contact phone line (501-414-6647) will resume normal hours this week. Parents may reach the POC by email any time at bryantpointofcontact@bryantschools.org. Our POC will respond as soon as possible to all email messages. Parents, please contact the POC to report a positive COVID-19 case with your student or within your family. Call or email if your child has been identified as a close contact with a positive case outside of school (church, family members, gyms, etc.). It is important that if a parent tests positive, the children who live in the home with them are quarantined. We continue to rely on cooperation from families in reporting positive cases and identifying close contacts. The better we are with our prevention strategies, the longer we will be able to keep schools open and have children attend school in-person. Thank you all for your diligence in keeping our Hornets healthy!

Congratulations to the 42 Bethel Middle School Choir students who auditioned for the 2020 Junior High All Region Honor Choir. Of the 42 who auditioned, 31 were selected and 11 were named alternates. #Limitless

Congratulations to the 42 Bethel Middle School Choir students who auditioned for the 2020 Junior High All Region Honor Choir. Of the 42 who auditioned, 31 were selected and 11 were named alternates. #Limitless

The district POC phone line will remain open until 8pm tonight (Sunday) for those who have had a positive COVID-19 test or have been designated as a close contact over the break. These individuals will not be able to attend school until their isolation or quarantine period is over. The number is 501-414-6647. Parents may also email bryantpointofcontact@bryantschools.org if the phone line is busy or unavailable.

With COVID-19 still a real threat, we need to remain diligent in reporting positive cases to our district Point of Contact (POC), even when school is closed. Our POC phone line will reopen on Sunday, November 29, from 2-8pm for those who have had a positive COVID-19 test or have been designated as a close contact over the break. These individuals will not be able to attend school until their isolation or quarantine period is over. The number is 501-414-6647. We continue to rely on cooperation from families in reporting positive cases and identifying close contacts. The better we are with our prevention strategies, the longer we will be able to keep schools open and have children attend school in-person.

Food Box Distribution: Tuesday, November 24, 10:00-11:00am, behind Bryant Elementary. Due to the overwhelming response for food boxes, we may run out of boxes with chicken. If so, the chicken and dressing will be replaced with chili and cornbread.

With the BHS and BJHS campuses closed, bus riders in grades K-7 may be home up to 10-15 minutes earlier than normal on FRIDAY afternoon.

Bryant Public Schools is partnering with Arkansas Foodbank’s Emergency School Pantry Program to provide food boxes to low-income families with children in the Bryant School District. Families must have a student currently approved for free or reduced meals in the Bryant School District to qualify to receive food boxes. The first distribution day will be Thursday, November 19 from 4:30-5:30pm behind Bryant Elementary. Signs will be posted to direct families to the drive through location. The next food distribution date is Tuesday, November 24, 10:00-11:00am at the same location.

Due to COVID restrictions and the size of our gym, attendance at home basketball games will be limited to parents of the athletes competing. All athletes will be provided with vouchers that will be required at the gate to purchase a ticket. No tickets will be sold without a voucher. Girls games will start at 5:00. At the end of the game, the gym will be cleared. Ticket sales for the boys game will begin at approximately 6:45 with the boys games starting at 7:00. In the stands we will ask that families sit together in a designated seat and stay at least 6 feet from others in attendance. Thank you for your help and understanding.