Joseph L. Block Middle School

Please Join us for the Class of 2023's Transition Night
What are the Expectations of Being a High School Freshman?

Wednesday, March 13, 2019
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Click below for flyer and details:
transition night.pdf 

***There will be a free dress down pass for students in attendance!!

  There will be an attendance meeting Thursday, March 21st at 9:30 a.m. in Block's library.  

The Importance of School Attendance

Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your child for success—both in school and in life. When you make school attendance a priority, you help your child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior and have a better chance of graduating from high school.

When students are absent for fewer days, their grades and reading skills often improve—even among those students who are struggling in school. Students who attend school regularly also feel more connected to their community, develop important social skills and friendships, and are significantly more likely to graduate from high school, setting them up for a strong future.

But when kids are absent for an average of just two days of school per month—even when the absences are excused– it can have a negative impact. These absences can affect kids as early as Kindergarten.

For example, young elementary school students who miss an average of just two school days per month often have difficulty keeping up with their peers academically and tend to fall behind in reading. But when students are able to read on grade level by the end of third grade, which is when kids transition from learning to read to reading to learn, they are three to four times more likely to graduate high school and attend college, post-graduate, or professional development classes than their peers who struggle with reading.

As a parent, you can prepare your child for a lifetime of success by making regular school attendance a priority. By figuring out the reasons for your child’s absences—whether they’re physical or emotional—and taking advantage of support services—such as free tutoring, student mentoring and afterschool activities—you can help set your child on the path to success.

EN ESPAÑOL: http://es.absencesaddup.org/ 

Source: http://absencesaddup.org/importance-of-school-attendance/

Calling all Volunteers!
Parent/Family Members/Community
Volunteer Orientation
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

Click Link for Flyer:  Calling all Volunteers.pdf 

Progress reports went home with your child Tuesday, February 19th, 2019. 

STOP SCHOOL BULLYING HOT-LINE 

The School City of East Chicago has established a COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL "Stop School Bullying Hot Line" which can be reached
 24 hours a day at telephone number 219-354-9655.

This HOTLINE number is being made available to provide students, parents, family members, and concerned citizens with an opportunity to anonymously report information about bullying incidents that place the Safety and Security of  School City of East Chicago Students and Staff at Risk!

If immediate assistance is needed, 'HOTLINE' Callers are instructed to contact the East Chicago Police Department at '911,' or the Lake County Emergency Communication Center at (219) 660-0011.

BMS Art Education class learns about the
Foundations of Art through
a step-by-step "Fall Black Cat" painting
as well as a "Monster & Headphones Canvas Painting."

  

• New Student Hours for 2018-19
  Pre-K: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  Elementary Schools: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Late Start Wednesdays: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
  Middle School: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Late Start Wednesdays: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM)
  High School: 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM (Late Start Wednesdays: 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM)
  
  
• Middle School Code of Conduct and Dress Code

Please click on the link to take the counseling needs assessment survey.
When you get to the end of the survey, please hit submit. Thank you for participating.

The Teacher of the Month for February, 2019 is our very own Ms. McCafferty!

Congratulations to our February teacher of the month Mrs. McCafferty!

Mrs. McCafferty truly exemplifies what it means to believe in our students.
She comes early and stays late. She is always eager to help out around the school and treats her students as if they were her own.  

Congratulations Ms. McCafferty -  we appreciate all that you do for our students.  

SCEC ♥ READING

Your child will be receiving a book to take home to read and enjoy with family and friends. This is not a homework assignment, it is entirely for the joy of reading. The first book that will be coming home is called "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat.  Each book, one per semester, will come with suggested activities to complete.
Please use this book and activities as an opportunity for meaningful discussion. 

There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.    –Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Click here for the link to suggested activities:   tasting the sky.pdf