THE ABCs OF Bonita Springs Middle School

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THE ABCs OFBonita Springs Middle School
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Academic Programs
Bonita Springs Middle School offers a
multi-performance level approach with appropriate
strategies designed to challenge students for
academic growth and continuous improvement. We
offer regular, advanced and intensive classes in
all core subject areas. The Reading program
offers Intensive Reading blocks for all students
scoring Level 1 or 2 on the FCAT. We are also a
full-time Gifted Center offering challenging core
classes at all grade levels. We have a full time
ESE Program and an exceptional ESOL Program.
Students also have the opportunity for
participation in a variety of exploratory and
related arts classes. Because of our academic
focus, we continue to make significant learning
gains in the areas of Reading, Math, and Writing.
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Business
Bonita Springs Middle School offers a business
program that includes keyboarding, which uses two
types of programs, Mavis Beacon and Typing
Instructor both teach the basic fundamentals of
typing. Students learn the basics of Microsoft
Office, including working with Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint. They also learn about the real
business world through researching careers,
studying finance and banking, the learning the
fundamentals of economics.
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Computers
Bonita Springs Middle school has five complete
computers labs. Several classroom have multiple
student computer that allows students to work on
project bases assessment tools.
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Diversity

• Bonita Middle embraces and celebrates the ethnic
  and cultural diversity among its staff and
  student body. The student population includes
  children from North, Central and South America,
  the Caribbean Islands, Europe, and Asia. The
  diverse Bonita Middle staff also includes several
  multilingual teachers and support personnel.
  Recognizing the ethnic and cultural differences
  among their students, Bonita Middle teachers are
  more sensitive to the need for differentiated
  learning strategies. The excellent ESOL program
  assists monolingual students who are acquiring
  English, but all of our teachers are dedicated to
  using a variety of learning strategies to fully
  engage all students in the curriculum. Being
  able to integrate the varied student backgrounds
  and perspectives in the classroom provides a
  challenge for teachers and a much richer learning
  experience for students.

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Exceptional Student Education
The ESE (Exceptional Student Education)
department offers a variety of learning
environments that are geared to the academic and
social needs of the individual student. Great
effort has been made to provide programs that
will greatly enhance the strengths that each
student possesses and remediate those areas that
are in need of improvement. The life skills
class offers students a curriculum that provides
an array of critical independent-living skills.
VE is a full-time program that addresses the
needs of students with varying exceptionalities.
The resource program offers students
modifications and accommodations to enable them
to be successful with their grade-level
curriculum.
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Family
In every conceivable manner, the family is a
link to our past, a bridge to our future    Alex
Haley The family-school connection is crucial for
continued student success. Bonita Middle prides
itself in fostering this connection. Our staff
strives to bridge the gap between school and
home. Time after time research shows that the
best indicator for student success is parental
involvement.  Help us help your child succeed by
staying connected.
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Gifted
Gifted learners Have you seen me? Clever,
capable, curious, energetic, hyper, imaginative,
intelligent, inventive, keen, knowledgeable,
multi-talented, proficient, shy, skilled, whiz
kid The Argo Program provides Accelerated and
enriched curriculum creative, cooperative, and
hands-on learning experiences and overnight
educational field trips at each grade level.
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HORSEPLAY
Horseplay is the before-school program. Through
Safe School Grant funding, this program is
available to parents at no cost. The hours of
operation are 830am to 930am, Monday thru
Friday. Certified teachers supervise students in
wide variety of recreational activities in the
gym.
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INTRAMURALS
Intramurals is an after school sports program
offered to all 6th 8th grade boys and girls
throughout the school year. It is an opportunity
to have fun by participating in a sport against
other classmates in our school. In addition,
representatives are chosen from those who are
interested, to travel and compete against
students at other schools. Intramurals gives
students a chance to improve their sports skills,
be part of a team, and have a lot of fun.
Sports included are Basketball, Cross Country,
Volleyball, Soccer, Track, Golf, and Tennis.
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Justice
Bonita Springs has a full time SRO on campus
during school hours and school events.
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Knowledge
Whether engaged in acquiring facts through the
study of adopted textbooks, the use of research
techniques, or experiential/observational
learning, Bonita Middle teachers and staff
encourage students to seek knowledge that will
prepare them for success in high school and
life-long learning. By offering a progressive
skill-based academic curriculum, augmented with a
variety of exploratory courses, Bonita Middle
strives to prepare students to select a high
school major course of study that best suits
their individual needs. The inclusion of a
career education course which requires students
to explore their strengths and begin working on a
four year high school plan aids in this process.
In addition, making students aware of high school
career academies and specialized programs such as
those offered at the Center For the Arts and the
I.B. Program, helps them see the relevance of the
knowledge they are acquiring in middle school and
gives them a more solid foundation on which to
build their future.
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Leadership

• Students at BSMS have the chance to use and build
  their leadership skills by becoming a member of
  Student Council. Student Council representatives
  are chosen from each homeroom they then elect
  officers. In 2005 the Bonita Middle Student
  Council participated in the national Make A
  Difference project, receiving the top honor in
  the country.

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Music

• At Bonita Springs Middle School we offer Band and
  Chorus in the Music Department. Chorus is open
  to any student in any grade. Band is offered on
  three levels Beginning, Intermediate, and
  Advanced. Both Band and Chorus are offered as
  year-long classes. This way, you can be in Band
  and Chorus without interfering with
  extracurricular activities.

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National Junior Honor Society

• The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at
  Bonita Springs Middle School is a nationally
  recognized and honored chapter. NJHS membership
  is based on Scholarship, Citizenship, Character,
  Leadership and Service. To be a member of the
  society the student must maintain a 3.5 GPA and
  perform 40 of community service each year. Our
  chapter has attended the last five national
  conferences across the USA. At the national level
  our chapter has presented workshops, placed 4th
  in the nation in the first NJHS Scholar Bowl, and
  won the National Outstanding Community Service
  Award.

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Outstanding Community Service

• BSMS has created a tradition giving back to our
  community through community service. Our school
  has won five national awards and one state award
  for community service. We have won the 2005 Make
  A Difference award for Student Council the 2006
  Make a Difference award for National Junior
  Honor Society (NJHS) and the National Outstanding
  Service Project for NJHS 2005, 2007, and 2008 In
  addition, our school is the only middle school to
  ever be awarded the state Outstanding Service
  Project for the state of Florida. Some of our
  projects have included Adopt a Road, Make a
  Difference Day, Making Magic Happen I II,
  Thanksgiving Blessing, and Christmas for One
  and All.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The main goal of the BSMS Physical Education
program is to improve every students fitness
through participation in daily class activities.
Every class includes a warm-up to improve
strength, flexibility, and aerobic conditioning,
leading up to an activity. Fitness tests are
administered at the beginning and end of the year
with a report sent home to parents. During the
year classes learn about various sports such as
volleyball, football, basketball, badminton,
soccer, hockey, and more. Students learn about
each sport through participation in lead-up
skills and games, followed by a draft for teams,
playoff, and championship.
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Quality Teachers
All of our teachers have college/university
degrees Bachelors 24, Masters 14, Specialist
-1. All teachers have taken additional classes in
ESOL, technology, and their academic specialty.
Years of teaching experience range from 0 10
years for 22 teachers and 11-37 years for 18
teachers. Years of educational experience for
administrators range from 15 to 38. Teachers of
gifted, ESE, and reading students are certified
in their academic area and have completed
additional courses for their specialty. Several
of our teachers are bilingual, speaking Spanish,
Haitian-Creole, French, Polish, German and
Czechoslovakian.
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School Grade Learning Gains
The School Grade for Bonita Springs Middle School
has gained a B. We continue to make tremendous
learning gains in all areas. Last year in
reading 68 of our standard curriculum students
made learning gains, up from 59 the previous
year. We have been recognized by the State as one
of the schools that increased both the percentage
of students at or above grade level and the
percentage of students in the lower 25th
percentile making learning gains in reading
compared with the year before. The percentage of
students meeting high standards is 57 in
Reading, 56 in Math, and 86 in Writing.
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Transition

• Transition Incoming 6th graders are
  beginning a new phase in their lives.

Transition The administrators, teachers and
support staff make every effort to ease the
transition of sixth graders into middle school.
During the spring, a sixth grade teacher and
counselor visit the fifth grade classrooms of our
feeder schools to explain the classes and
activities available at Bonita Middle. Their
mission is not only to inform students and answer
their many questions, but also to make them feel
more comfortable about the transition and get
them excited about entering middle school.
Bonita Middle also invites all incoming sixth
graders to participate in the Early Stallions
Program, which is a week-long summer orientation
to the school. This allows the new students to
become acquainted with each other, to meet some
teachers and staff, and to familiarize themselves
with the building. This really helps ease their
stress and apprehension on the first day of
school. In addition, all of our sixth grade
teachers are sensitive to the needs of their
students and provide an accepting, nurturing
atmosphere and motivational curricular activities
to insure that their students have a positive
middle school experience from the start.
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United Community Support
Our school enjoys much success with many
organizations within the community.
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Visual Arts
Visual Arts Department at Bonita Springs Middle
School is dedicated to the belief that the arts
and life are an inseparable aspect of your
students lives, and is an essential and
universal language. The visual arts should be a
vehicle for continuous intellectual and creative
development throughout your students school
life. They are essential to providing
educational balance as well as teaching or
fostering divergent and creative solutions to
design problems. The ability to think and
express oneself visually is a universal need that
is fostered by the Bonita Springs art teachers by
introducing students to a variety of media and
techniques. We stress increased skills in
communication, production of quality work,
connecting with and using creativity and design.
The visual arts at BSMS provide an essential
component for a strong knowledge base for future
problem solving, yet providing a fun and caring
environment for our middle school students.
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Welcoming Environment
We, at Bonita Springs Middle School, are pleased
that you have chosen us! We WELCOME you with
open arms and invite you to become a part of our
family. As a member of the BSMS family, you may
participate in Quarterly Reward Days, be a winner
in our Friday Super Stallion drawings for pizza
or soda, or be selected as a Student of the Month
for a Limo ride and Lunch. We know you will make
and meet many friends here at BSMS. We WELCOME
you to embrace the BEST of the Middle School
World here at Bonita Springs Middle School.
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X-Factor
The single most unifying factor that contributes
to the success of Bonita Middle students and
teachers is the cooperative, caring spirit of the
Bonita Middle staff and administration.
Teachers, support staff, and administrators work
cooperatively to address student, parent, and
staff concerns. Professionally shared
communication and cooperative problem-solving
strategies promote positive outcomes of issues
and create a caring, supportive atmosphere for
students and staff.
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Zealous

• Zealous and enthusiastic best describes the staff
  and students at Bonita Springs Middle School.
  Our teachers and staff create a positive
  environment which encourages students to excel
  academically and socially. In turn, the students
  respond by not only striving to meet academic
  expectations but by participating in numerous
  clubs, sports and community activities. The
  administrators, guidance counselors, office
  personnel, and maintenance staff also reinforce
  maintaining a positive environment. They are all
  eager to help when needed and our building is
  kept in top shape. They all contribute to
  creating a wonderful, positive environment for
  learning.