GBMS Families & Community,
Thank you for a wonderful return. Our theme coming back has been “Reset and Interconnectedness”. Sometimes we all need a fresh start and what a perfect time to reset expectations and give everyone a chance to meet them. We also led with the reminder that we are all in this together. 

I hope everyone got time to rest and recharge. As we come back from break we are faced with some COVID challenges as is the entire nation. Thank you in advance for being flexible as we navigate possible remote learning options. We will communicate as early as possible of changes through email and auto dialer. Please reach out if you have any questions and thank you for your continued support.   

In Solidarity,
Mrs. Jennifer Anderson
Principal
Grant Beacon Middle School
Ask your Student...

The changing weather and bringing a coat to school. Sometimes we go outside and want our students to be nice and warm!
Upcoming Events
Beacon Parent Council Meeting 
January 13, 5:00 - 6:00
Virtual Art Show
January 13, 6:00 - 7:00
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
No School - January 17
Food Drive Donation Drop Off
January 19, 4:00 - 5:00
School of Choice Opens January 14

The School of Choice opens January 14th. Please talk with your friends and families about making Beacon Schools their #1 choice. If you are an 8th grade parent, be on the lookout for the application so you can choose the high school that is best for your child. See School of Choice Website for more information.
Celebrate

Due to the outbreak, our staff is required to meet virtually for professional development meetings. Nonetheless, everyone returned and we had a wonderful start to the year. Our focus was on wellness and preparing for the return of our students. 
It was good to see so many families attend our Coffee with the Principal. We called out celebrations, shared ideas and received some feedback on areas we can adjust for this year and next year. 
COVID Information

We are committed to keeping our schools open every day. Our staff will continue to cover classes during their planning so we can provide the high quality education our students deserve. The only time we will move to remote and request permission from the district is when we are unable to cover the classes due to a high volume of educators out of the building due to showing symptoms or testing positive for Covid. We will send out messages and update the website on the previous day so you can make necessary arrangements. 
ACCESS Testing

Beginning on January 10th, Multilingual Learners (MLLs) will participate in the ACCESS for ELLs state assessment. This assessment measures a student’s English language skills in the areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. ACCESS is used by classroom teachers to determine the level of language support that a student may need during instruction. With this information, we are able to monitor student progress on an annual basis and determine when a student is ready to be placed in mainstream instruction. 

Please review this letter for the testing schedule and additional details. 
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Athletics

GBMS Basketball season kicks off on Friday, January 14 when both the Boys and Girls teams take on Merrill Middle School. Go Griffins!
Enrichments

Quarter 3 Enrichments began this week! Have you asked your student about their enrichment class? Some new options this quarter included Fabric Art, Shakespeare Festival, Word Games, Floor Hockey and Girls Who Code!
Fundraising
Thank you to everyone for eating at Birdcall on Tuesday! It has been so fun to have our dine out events this year. Be sure to save the date for February 9 to eat at Chipotle near DU on Evans! 
 
We are also so thankful to Gallery 1505 on Pearl St. for donating a portion of their guest artist sales from the month of December to Beacon Network Schools and for collecting art supply donations. Be sure to stop by Gallery 1505 on Pearl St. to see all their amazing fine art.
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Twitter: @networkbeacon