2023-2024
R.A. Brown Middle School Forecasting
Today we will talk about what next year will look like at BMS.
All about BMS Video
We have a 7 period day PLUS Advisory.
School starts at 8:45 am, except on Wednesdays 9:15 am
Advisory | 8:45 - 9:09 |
1st | 9:14 - 9:57 |
2nd | 10:02 - 10:45 |
3rd | 10:50 - 11:33 |
4th | 1st lunch 11:33 - 12:03 Class 12:08 -12:51 OR Class 11:38 - 12:21 2nd lunch 12:21 - 12:51 |
5th | 12:56 - 1:39 |
6th | 1:44 - 2:27 |
7th | 2:32 - 3:15 |
1st | 9:14 -9:57 |
2nd | 10:02 - 10:45 |
3rd | 10:50 - 11:33 |
4th | 1st lunch 11:33 - 12:03 Class 12:08 -12:51 OR Class 11:36 - 12:21 2nd lunch 12:21 - 12:51 |
5th | 12:56 - 1:39 |
6th | 1:44 - 2:27 |
7th | 2:32 - 3:15 |
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
Examples of a Middle School Schedule
0) Advisory
First Lunch
0) Advisory
Second Lunch
*Every students schedule looks different based on individual needs. Also, please note that, even if you and a friend choose the same elective, it is likely that you may have that class during a different period or semester.
Student A
Student B
What is Forecasting?
Students selecting their elective choices
This helps us determine which classes to offer, and how many periods of each.
We want to offer the electives YOU want!
Why do We Forecast?
It is a giant puzzle scheduling approximately 650 students into 8 classes, a lunch period, and a club for two semesters. That’s about 13,000 individual class periods that have to be right so each student has somewhere to be every period of the day.
PLEASE CHOOSE
CAREFULLY!
Required Classes- Full Year
Elective Classes
10
Elective Choices
Year Long Choices:
Band
Choir
AVID*
Semester Choices:
Choir
Art
Careers in Action
Digital Art
Creative Writing
Drama
Intro to Spanish�Yearbook*
Leadership*
*means you must complete an application and be accepted into the class.
Band (full year)
Choir (full year or semester)
perform at CHS and optional
field trips. (Including Wild Waves!)
Students successfully completing this course may be encouraged to continue in the high school choral program.
Digital Art (semester)
Art (semester)
*The curriculum in this class does rotate.
Creative Writing (semester)
*The curriculum in this class does rotate.
Careers in Action (semester)
*The curriculum in this class does rotate.
Introduction to Spanish (semester)
Not for Spanish Speaking Students
Drama (semester)
Yearbook (second semester only)
I’m important, so fill me out!
Leadership (semester)
*REQUIRES APPLICATION
I’m important, so fill me out!
AVID is an acronym...
That means:
To move ahead by way of self motivation to be successful
Advancement �Via
Individual
Determination
AVID (full year)
In AVID you will learn how to become and stay organized, manage your time wisely, set short and long term goals, how to collaborate and work with others, as well as setting up an AVID family support system that goes onto High School with you. AVID is a full year elective and you need to fill out an application
*REQUIRES APPLICATION & INTERVIEW
Check out this AVID ONE-PAGER
AVID Excel (full year)
We are an AVID school!
We practice AVID strategies school wide,but you can also take AVID as an elective.
Check out this
AVID video!
(If you plan to apply, please put AVID as your first choice)
Why should you choose AVID?
If you are interested:
AVID Application: due Friday April 7, 2023
https://forms.gle/gKcaFLz3pwA4PKfh7
AVID Virtual Information Session
ATTENTION
SPANISH
SPEAKERS!!!
You can take some of your classes in Spanish (instead of English). This can lead to earning a BILINGUAL seal on your High School Diploma!
(These classes are NOT ELD)
*Spanish Language Arts (full year)
*Dual Language Math-Spanish (full year)
This class is for students who are FLUENT Spanish speakers and have
experience reading/writing in Spanish
*These classes replace English Language Arts and Regular Math
*Students who were enrolled in Dual Language in Elementary School should sign up for DL Math and SLA
What is next?
*You must use your HSD email to access the google form.
*AVID applications are due April 7th.
Please have your forecasting form and all applications* completed by 4/26/24
Questions?
PLEASE
COME
TO
BECOME A PANTHER
NIGHT
Thursday, April 11th from 6pm-8pm
(in person) at
BMS!
QUICK LINK
REFERENCE
AVID:
Student Questions About the BUILDING & SCHEDULES
Q: When will school start and end?
Q: What time does school start?
Q: How many periods are we going to have?
Q: What time does school start and end and is it different on Wednesday?
Q: How many classes are there?
Q: How many minutes per class?
Please check out slide number 4 of this slide deck for the answers to these important questions.
Q: Do I have different teachers on different days sort of like an A and B day?
Q: Do we have Advisory everyday?
At BMS, we have all seven classes every day and Advisory on MTThF. You can expect A and B day block schedules that rotate in high school.
Q: How many classes do I have in a day and how many electives do I get?
Q: How many electives do we have?
Every day (except Wednesdays when we have late start and no Advisory) you will have Advisory and seven class periods. For most students, two of those
periods are electives (so, either two full year electives OR one full-year elective and two semester electives OR four semester electives.)
Q: Is there assigned seats in any of my classes and/or lunch?
Most teachers have assigned seats/seating charts in their classes. However, there is no assigned seating at lunch.
Q: Do we have time to get to our different classes?
We have a five-minute passing period between each class. If you walk with purpose, this is ample time to go to the bathroom and get to class before the bell
rings. You can socialize, but it’s best to talk while you walk. Wise advice: depending on your schedule, you will likely not have time to go to your locker before
each class. Prior to Advisory, please pick up and carry a 3 inch binder with all of your course materials and your chromebook with you.
Q: How many floors is Brown Middle School?
Q: How big is the middle school?
R.A. Brown Middle School is a one-story building EXCEPT for the upper gyms. We have three gyms and a bike fitness room! As of 4/1/2024, BMS has students.
Student Questions About LUNCH, PHONES & LOCKERS
Q: Will you teach us to open locks?
Q: Do I have to know how to open a lock for my locker?
Your elementary counselors and teachers have shared a video you can use to practice ahead of time, but we will also teach you on the first day of school, and give you plenty of time to practice. We know
that lockers make some students anxious, but we’re here to help and, we know you can do it.
Q: Do we have to have a locker?
Yes. All students will have two lockers, one large locker to leave your coat, extra supplies, and your backpack and a second locker to store your PE clothes. You must use your locker because there are no
cubbies/not enough space in classrooms to bring backpacks, etc. with you to class.
Q: Can you get a locker by your friends?
Your locker is assigned by Advisory class so you will be grouped with students in your Advisory. Also, your locker is your private place at school, so please DO NOT share your locker or locker combination
with your friends. They don’t have the keys to your house, so they shouldn’t have the combination to your locker.
Q: How will I remember my locker number?
Your locker number and combination will be printed on your schedule the first day of school. You will practice it A LOT over the first week and, eventually, you won’t need to look because you will have it
memorized.
Q: What will the options be for free time instead of recess on the playground?
Students at BMS have 30 minutes for lunch and can choose to eat in the cafeteria. In good weather the courtyard is also openWhen they are done eating, they can socialize with friends, or play dodgeball, soccer, or basketball/volleyball in one of the gyms. On nice days, we sometimes have an option to walk the track.
Q: Are lunches on a rotation? example: Thursday 1 week are burgers, then the next is pizza.
Pizza and burgers are offered everyday. There is also a lunch special that changes daily. Mr. Stiplin lets us know the special in our morning announcements.
Q: Do you have to pay for school lunches?
Yes, school breakfast and lunch are sold for a cost. Please have your adults fill out the district lunch form for the possibility of free or reduced price lunch.
Q: Do 7th and 8th graders eat lunch at the same time?
Yes, we have two lunch periods determined by your 4th period class. Both lunch periods have a mix of students from both grade levels.
Q: Are you able to listen to music in the lunchroom?
Q: Are you able to listen to music in the halls?
Because we are an off-and-away school, students cannot have there phones or chromebooks with them, so music is not an option at lunch or in the hallways.
Q: Are we able to have our phones out when we are going to class? Because I personally want to know if I can set alarms on my phone so that way I will know where to go and at what time, and
before I go to school there I want to know beforehand that way I wont get in trouble.
Thank you for wanting to avoid trouble. You may not have your phone out in the hallways. Our bells and adults in the hallways will let you know how much time you have and you should keep your paper
schedule in the front pocket of your binder for the first couple of weeks of school to help you remember where to go.
Student Questions About Core Classes & Electives
Q: In middle school are you able to pick some of your classes?
You have two periods in your schedule that you need to fill, so, yes you can pick some of your classes.
Q: Do you have ELD class?
Yes. We offer a Beginning 1/ 2 class and an Intermediate 3/ 4 class as well as an AVID Excel class. Your ELD class will take one of your elective spots.
Q: Do you have a film class?
BMS does not have a film class at this time. We do have a drama class and a creative writing class. Both of those courses offer experiences that support further study in
filmmaking in high school and college.
Q: Is there a Japanese class that I can take?
BMS and Century HS do not offer a Japanese course. However, in high school, students who want to study a language not offered in-person at an HSD school may take
online language courses or enroll in Japanese classes at Portland Community College
Q: Will we have the same classes as the 8th graders?
Your core classes (math, english language arts, social studies, science, and PE) are 7th grade only, but many of the elective classes have a mix of 7th and 8th graders.
Q: Could I pick PE and weight lifting?
In middle school and the first two years of high school, PEis a required class, not an elective, so it is an automatic part of your schedule. In high school, they do offer a
weight training elective that students can take in addition to their regular PE class.
Q: If I continue band, will it affect my periods and electives in middle school?
You have two periods in your schedule, so, if you continue with band, it will take one of those periods. You can fill your other period with another full-year course or two
semester courses.
Q: Is band 5 days a week?
Yes
Q: In middle school will we have field trips?
Some classes like band, choir, and AVID traditionally have had field trips built into their programs. Other classes sometimes have field trips if an opportunity comes up.
Student Questions About FUN
Q: Will there be a soccer team?
Q: Is there fun sports like basketball and soccer?
BMS students can sign up to play soccer and basketball (different seasons) after school through Hillsboro Parks and Rec’s The Zone. Students also � play soccer (just for fun) at lunchtime, and, this year, Mr. E has been supervising a soccer club and a basketball club after school when The Zone does
not offer it.
Q: Are there hot men?
Err, since middle school students aren’t “men,” I guess the answer is no.
Beauty is subjective (in the eye of the beholder), so definitely can’t answer that.
Like most mom-type people, Ms. Brehm thinks you all are super cute, but “hot” is not on the table of adjectives at this middle school time and place.
Student Questions About STUFF MS. BREHM CAN’T EASILY CATEGORIZE
Q: At what time are you available to talk to and what’s your favorite color and food?
Counselors are able to talk with students throughout the day. Students may ask their teacher for a pass to visit the counselor or use the wellness room OR students can come down to the
counseling center and request an appointment using the check-in form on the i-pad. Ms. Melanie, our counseling secretary will help you. Ms. Brehm’s favorite color is green, and she can’t
resist tacos and tiramisu (although probably not in the same meal).
Q: Is it scary?
Q: Should I feel nervous one my first day?
Q: What is middle school like?
Q: Is middle school crazy?
Q: Is being a 7th grader hard?
Most changes, even positive ones, feel both scary and exciting. It’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions over the first days and weeks of middle school as you adjust to a new building,
new teachers, more classes, and meeting new friends from all of our feeder elementary schools. Be kind to yourself and others and always remember that all of you are experiencing a lot of
this new stuff together. You are also at the age where you are physically, mentally, and emotionally starting to transform from a child to an adult. Sometimes that can feel like a rollercoaster.
There will be days where you really enjoy yourself and there will be days that feel really hard.
Q: Is there going to be a lot of presentations in middle school?
Do you mean by teachers or do you mean students giving speeches or presenting their group work in class? Teachers give a lot of presentations. Students are required to give one formal
speech/presentation in Language Arts class each school year. In other classes, students will be asked to speak for themselves or for their group in class discussions. Most of the time, you will
have time to prepare. If public speaking is scary for you, your teacher will help you find a way to practice this important skill and successfully complete the assignment.
Q: How much homework am I going to get?
That will vary from day to day and class to class. Our math classes are “flipped”. That means that the teacher expects you to watch a 5-7 minute video and take notes for homework each
night so that you are ready to practice and expand that information in class the next day. Most classes at BMS provide work time in class to work on assignments and get teacher help.
Students who stay focused and work hard during class work time often find that they have little homework. Students who don’t use that time wisely tend to have more to do at home. Prior to
tests and quizzes, it’s a good idea to practice skills and review your notes at home.
Q: How hard are the classes?
That’s a difficult question! Because we all have different strengths and like different subjects, what feels “hard” or one person will feel “easy” to someone else. The best answer I have for you
is that if something feels hard for you now, it’s likely to feel hard next year. However, all hard things start to feel less hard—and maybe even easy—if you keep practicing and don’t give up.
Q: How many teachers will I have?
It depends. You will have eight different classes if you include Advisory. However, most of you will also have your Advisory teacher for another class and, if that teacher also teaches multiple
subjects, you could have them up to three times. So, anywhere from between 5 and 8 teachers? That’s my best answer.