- Middle School Concept--Our programs
are based on the middle school concept, with grade level teams
and advisories.
- Problem Based Learning--Burr Ridge
Middle School is highlighted in the Fall 1997 Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development video training
tape on PBL. Visit the Center
for Problem-Based Learning at the Illinois
Mathematics and Science Academy
- Building Leadership Team--Burr Ridge
Middle School Building Leadership Team Mission Statement: Provide
leadership for and develop cohesiveness within the building by
obtaining input, synthesizing information, and providing structure
to address issues in school improvement. In addressing this task
we will communicate openly and consistently with all stakeholders
in the school community and spearhead new ideas for continued
improvement.
- Technology--We are an Apple Computer school district. Our main student machine is the Apple eMac, while our teachers each have their own Apple iBook. We are currently using Apple OSX Tiger as our main operating system. Our two buildings have an integrated Apple xServe fileserver, allowing our students and staff to move freely throughout the district and have access to their files with the idea of "One Hard Drive, Many Machines." We are also employing free Open Source solutions to a number of network services to provide a better, safer experience for our students.
PowerSchool serves as our student information system. With this powerful system, we are able to grant our parents real-time access to student grades, as well as a portal for parents to have contact with their student's teachers.
We connect our two buildings via a point to point T1 line. Each
building has their own T1 line out to the Illnois Century Network
and the Internet. This redundancy allows for minimal downtime
of our network. Our internal network backbone is Cisco firewalls,
routers and switches, which is state of the art and an industry
standard name in reliability and quality.
- Behavior Improvement Center (BIC)--The BIC room is Burr Ridge Middle School's Behavior
Improvement Center. The BIC room has many positive purposes and
believes in building a positive character. Learning is primary
at BRMS. If learning is interrupted by behavior, the BIC room
is used as a behavior intervention. Student's behavior is discussed
and goals are set for improvement. Time outs are used to help
students refocus and be ready to go back to class and learn.
Students mediate with the guidance of BIC staff to help better
understand and hopefully solve conflicts between them. In school
suspensions are also monitored in the BIC room. Goals for behavior
improvement are the primary focus for these types of suspensions.
The BIC room also serves as a place for students to share concerns
that they are having or to request adult help with a conflict.
We welcome all students, understand that mistakes are made, strive
to help students set goals for improvements, and focus on encouraging
positive character building.
- Science
Olympiad--The Science Club
provides enrichment activities to develop science inquiry and process
skills. The club meets three
times a week from October to March. Activities are aligned with
National Science Olympiad competition requirements. The events are
well balanced between the science disciplines of biology, earth
science, chemistry, physics, computers
and technology. The
regional competition typically occurs in March. Fifth graders may
not compete, but may participate in the club.
- Art Club--All
students are invited to join. Art Clubb mneets twice
a month from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Art Club is the place
to be . . .We are making Spirit posters for our Chieftain
athletes, paintings for the art room,back drops for
the New Year's Eve dance, the scenery for the play
in the spring, and we will work on enhancing our own
art skills in the process. Hope to see you there.
- Homework Club--The
Homework Club for 5th-8th grade students is set up to work on
those areas in which students need some extra help. We work on
1) reading and study skills, 2) math computation and open ended
questions, and 3) language and writing skills. The materials
we have chosen to use are aligned with State Standards and should
help improve student ISAT scores.
- Student Council provides leadership
at BRMS--Student Council is the student
forum for developing good citizenship and sound leadership skills,
for promoting harmonious relations throughout the entire building,
for promoting school spirit and pride, for providing for student
expression and for conducting various school activities. In essence,
this organization tries to create a sense of community at Burr
Ridge Middle School. Members are involved in an array of school
activities. Some include student dances, food drives, Val-O-Grams,
holiday activities, charitable contributions, pep rallies, Welcome
to BRMS Breakfast for 5th Grade, the Breakfast of Champions,
honoring students for citizenship, and Teacher Appreciation Week.
The club offers everyone who belongs a change to serve in some
capacity either organizing the above activities or participating
in them.
Grade 5--Grade level representatives are selected by application
and election by peers in September. (Meetings once a week at lunch,
committees may have additional meetings as needed, additional time
to host functions such as dances, assemblies, projects.)
Grades 6-8--Grade level representatives are selected by application
and election by peers in September. Officers are selected by application
and election in May of previous year.
(Meetings once a week at lunch, committees may have additional
meetings as needed, additional time to host functions such as dances,
assemblies, projects.)
- Scholastic Team--Students will compete in academic competitions against
Chicago area schools. A team of five students will compete by answering
questions in the areas of math, science, language arts, social
studies, and more. The team will
participate in the I.E.S.A. Scholastic Bowl Regional competition
in April.
- Flag Squad--Students will compete in academic competitions against
area schools. A team of five students will compete by answering
questions in the areas of math, science, language arts, social
studies, and more. The team will participate in the I.E.S.A.
Scholastic Bowl Regional competition in April.
Grade 5--Fall Flag Squad: Performs with band at Hinsdale
South for home football game in September. Tryouts are
held in the first week
of school. (Meets twice a week after school and in the
morning with the band the week perform our performance.)
Winter Flag Squad: Performs at pep rallies and basketball
games during JV & Varsity
seasons. Tryouts are held in late September to early
October and again in January. (Meets twice a week after
schoo1)
Grade 6-8--Fall Flag Squad: Performs with band at Hinsdale
South for home football game in September. Tryouts are
held in the first week of
school. (Meets twice a week after school and in the morning
with the band the week perform our performance.)
Winter Flag Squad:Performs at pep rallies and basketball
games during JV & Varsity
seasons. Tryouts are held in late September to early October
and again in January. (Meets twice a week after school)
- Math Team--MATH TEAM practice begins in early October,
meeting every Monday from 3:00 until 4:00. Membership
is open to any 6th, ih or 8th grade student who enjoys
Math and consistently maintains an A or B average. Each
week we work on challenging Math problems provided by
MathCounts, a national organization encouraging achievement
in Middle School Math. Students work in teams during
our practices and collectively strategize how to work
out each problem. Competitions begin in early December
and continue thru March.
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15W451 91st Street
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
(630) 325-5454
Fax (630) 325-6450
dleblanc@ccsd180.org
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