Please come out on Thursday, 03/11 at 6PM and join other parents at this month’s PTO meeting. We will be discussing the role of Breakthrough’s Governance Council and the year end activities. We strongly encourage you to attend! Childcare and dinner will be provided.

ATTENTION B.M.S. 5TH & 6TH GRADE PARENTS!!

Please come to an informational session on opportunities for your child both in high school and the Breakthrough Middle School. This meeting will be Wednesday, February 3rd,from 6 PM to 7 PM. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Soto-Gomez will present changes coming to our school beginning in September 2010 that will add to the opportunities for your child. This information should be yours before the February 10th deadline for magnet school applications.

The flyer sent home with students is available by clicking here.

School will be closed on Monday, January 18 in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

ATTENTION B.M.S. 8th GRADE PARENTS!
THE TIME IS HERE!

Our 8th graders must select the high schools they would like to apply to for next school year. Please attend a special informational meeting for you this Thursday, 1/14 from 6:00-7:30 in the Teacher Training Center (Room 206) at Breakthrough. Our teachers and Ms. Johnson will be present to support you. Further, parents of students who attended Breakthrough but now attend a variety of local high schools will also be there to provide more information and answer questions.

Each 8th grade student is bringing a blue flyer home which must be returned to school with attendance plans.

Breakthrough Magnet School will be closed on Wednesday, January 6 for the observance of Three Kings’ Day. School will reopen on Thursday, January 7.

5th and 6th graders spent their annual trip to Nature’s Classroom at Camp Jewell in Colebrook, CT last week, and they had a blast! Although the weather was cold and snowy, they had many amazing experiences. During the day, students attended “field group” which consisted of outdoor classroom experiences with their Nature’s Classroom teachers. They also were able to choose daily “special interest” classes, which included “Feed Yo’ Face”, “Bridge-building”, ”Predator and Prey”, “Egg Babies”, and “Roller Coasters”, including many others.  Besides working on team-building skills and working cooperatively with others, they also learned a lot about cutting down on food and liquid waste at meals by measuring their “ort” (food that was thrown away) and hearing the “Ort Report, BABY!”. They did a lot of singing, tubing down the snow hill, hiking, petting the animals in the farm (including a 750 lb. pig Stanley), and warming their toes by the fireplace. Can’t wait until next year!!!!! (Pictures coming soon)

Dear Parents,

As parents of 8th graders we want to make sure each family takes time to visit the magnet high school that you would like your child to attend next year. The following dates and locations let you know when the open houses will be held at each school in December. During these information sessions you and your child will have the opportunity to visit the school, meet the staff and learn more about your High School of preference.

Capitol Preparatory Magnet School – December 9, 2009 at 6-8 p.m.
960 Main St. Hartford
(860) 659-9800

Hartford Classical Magnet High School – December 15, 2009 at 5-7 p.m.
85 Woodland St. Hartford
(860) 695-9100

Sports and Medical Science Academy – December 15, 2009 at 6-8 p.m.
280 Huyshope Ave. Hartford
695-6900

University High School of Science and Engineering – December 16, 2009 at 6-8 p.m.
351 Mark Twain Dr. Hartford
(860) 695-9020

Pathways to Technology – December 16, 2009 at 6- 8 p.m.
184 Windsor Ave. Windsor
(860) 695-9450

Sincerely,
Norma Neuman-Johnson, Principal
Orlando Marichal, School Social Worker

Thursday, November 19 – Early Release
Wednesday, November 25 – Early Release
Thursday, November 26 – Friday, November 27 – No School

The 5/6 tag sale will be Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in the Gymatorium at BMS.  We have clothing, toys, books, household items, etc.  All proceeds will support sending our 5th and 6th grade students to the Nature’s Classroom trip.

Conferences are currently being scheduled for the week of November 16. If you haven’t yet heard from your child’s classroom teacher, expect to hear soon! Thursday, November 19 is a half day with the afternoon being reserved for conferences.