Quiz Whiz Results!

Blythewood Middle came in second place out of all other district middle schools.  Summit Parkway took home the first place win!  

Congratulations to Mrs. Danielle Elliott-Smith and our Quiz Whiz team who remained undefeated until going against the district's other undefeated team, Summit Parkway Middle School!  What a series of matches?!!!

Way to go Chargers!!!

Update: Quiz Whiz Team Wins all 4 rounds TODAY

Update on Quiz Whiz Team:

Round 2 & 3:

Two more wins for BMS' Quiz Whiz team.  We won against Dent 180-120 and against EL Wright 150-100!!!!  Keep cheering.  One more match for today and two more 

tomorrow!

Round 4:

BMS' Quiz Whiz team under the direction of Mrs. Elliott-Smith made a clean sweep for today.  They just beat Kelly Mill 140-100.  Two more matches tomorrow!  Keep cheering!!!!

Congratulations to the Blythewood Middle School Quiz Whiz team, they won 150-60 against Longleaf Middle School in the first round of the Quiz Whiz tournament.  3 more rounds today, and 2 TOMORROW.  Please continue to cheer them on!!! 

Good Luck!

Blythewood Middle School and the University of South Carolina

Blythewood Middle School is now a part of the University of South Carolina - College of Education's PDS Network!!!

According to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Professional development schools (PDSs) are innovative institutions formed through partnerships between professional education programs and P–12 schools. PDS partnerships have a four-fold mission:

• the preparation of new teachers,
• faculty development,
• inquiry directed at the improvement of practice, and
• enhanced student achievement.

PDSs improve both the quality of teaching and student learning. 

Professional Development Schools are devoted to improving student learning. The preparation of teacher candidates, professional development for practicing teachers, and research helps all students learn. Students benefit because the knowledge, skills, and resources of both university and school are focused on meeting their needs. Students also benefit from teacher interns, mentor teachers, and university faculty who play active roles in the PDS setting. PDSs are extremely important in enhancing teacher quality and student achievement in urban schools with high needs population

PDSs serve as models of good practice for the broader community –demonstrating how collegiality, inquiry, and accountability can benefit students in all schools. Finally, PDSs prepare teachers better. These more qualified teachers go on to teach children in non-PDS schools.

www.ncate.org/professionaldevelopmentschools

Art Smart starts in the BMS Lobby!

Students, Ms. Burgess needs your help! 

She needs your help as a volunteer creating an installation sculpture for our front lobby. She will begin next week. You have the option of volunteering in the mornings Monday - Friday from 7 - 7:20 or in the afternoons from 2:30 - 3:15. You must provide parent permission if you plan to stay in the afternoon. Parent permission forms can be picked up in the art room or by clicking here.  Anyone is welcome to volunteer. Student participation will make this an amazing sculpture, so please join us!

Inclement Weather Procedure

When there is the possibility of inclement weather, Richland School District Two takes the following precautions:

Weather Monitoring

The superintendent and executive director of operations monitor the weather forecasts provided by the National Weather Service and local media outlets. They consult with other district staff, superintendents of other Midlands school districts and Richland County Emergency Preparedness. If conditions warrant a change to the regular schedule, the district strives to make that decision as soon as possible.

Delay or Cancellation Notifications

If a decision is made to alter the start or dismissal time or to cancel school, the Richland Two Communications Department will notify students, parents and employees through a variety of methods including Blackboard Connect calls, website messages, R2TV, text messages and emails. Notifications will only be sent if there is a change to the schedule. If school starts/ends at regular time, the district will not send out any notifications. To help ensure they receive the Blackboard Connect calls, emails and text messages, parents need to keep their schools updated on any changes to contact information.

The media is also notified of any changes to the school day to help relay the message to the community.

Preparation for Inclement Weather

In cases of extreme cold, bus drivers, maintenance workers and other district/school staff report to work early to prepare the buses and facilities for students. Bus drivers come in early to crank the buses and allow time for the buses to idle. The Richland Two Transportation Office works closely with the State Department of Education’s bus mechanics to address any issues quickly. Since all of our buses do have heat, this also gives extra time for the buses to warm up.

Tips for Students and Parents

1. Stay informed: Check the district website regularly and monitor R2TV and local media for updates on school delays and/or closings. It is important to remember the decision to alter the school day is made by the district office staff not individual schools. The district requests that parents not call schools in order to keep the phone lines open in case of emergency situations.
2. Students riding buses to schools should dress appropriately for the weather and alter their time for arriving at bus stops based on the school start time. If a delay is scheduled, students should delay their arrival time at the bus stop to match the delay. All of our buses do have heat.
3. Announcements on required make-up days will follow once the appropriate number of days is determined.

The district wants to ensure students, parents and employees are prepared for any situation caused by extreme temperatures or inclement weather. If you have any questions about procedures related to extreme temperatures and/or inclement weather, please contact Libby Roof, executive director of communications, at 803.738/3222.