Dear Bleeker Families and Students,

Good evening, and apologies for the late email.  I am writing with three updates:

  1. Mid-year assessments (i-Ready and MAP for Algebra1)
  2. Coat closet routines.
  3. "Lost and Found" revamped system

1) Mid-Year Assessments (i-Ready and MAP Growth Algebra)
Thank you to families, guardians, students, and teachers for your diligence and effort. Our mid-year results are the strongest we have ever seen at Bleeker.

  • Individual score reports with detailed domain-specific information will be backpacked home tomorrow, Thursday, February 5th, 2026.

Help us Celebrate Progress! At school, we will be hosting a variety of celebrations; please acknowledge your student's growth through praise. Our goal is to motivate all learners to do their best and sustain the momentum long-term to reach and exceed grade-level performance.

Quick Stats: Below is the percent of students who made progress (grew from fall to winter), compared across the past three years we have tracked:

i-Ready Reading (Made Progress)

  • 2023–24: 61.1%

  • 2024–25: 60.2%

  • 2025–26: 70.6%

i-Ready Math (Made Progress)

  • 2023–24: 75.3%

  • 2024–25: 74.1%

  • 2025–26: 82.4%

MAP Growth Algebra (Made Progress) (tracking comparison available for the past two years)

  • 2024–25: 80.5%

  • 2025–26: 92.5%

We also saw meaningful reductions in the percentage of students who regressed or showed no change, which is a major indicator that our routines, instruction, and student effort are moving in the right direction.

  • The vast majority of students will see positive impacts reflected in their report cards.

  • Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

2) Coat Closet Routines (Security, Consistency, Responsibility)
To keep student belongings secure and build consistent routines that reinforce responsibility, we are tightening coat-closet procedures. These routines also support promptness and maximize instructional time.

Where coats go: Students should store coats and umbrellas in their Period 8 classroom coat closet/wardrobe. All Coat Closets and Wardrobe have new locks and instructions have been provided to staff on maintaining the security of the coat closets/wardrobes.

AM arrival (temporary adjustment due to snow and ice)

  • Until snow and ice conditions improve, coat closets will remain open until 8:10 AM.

  • After 8:10 AM, closets will be locked. Students arriving after the cutoff time should drop off their coats in the wardrobe located in my office (principal's office). A two-copy tag will be utilized to facilitate coat idetification retrieval.

  • Our goal is to roll this back to 8:03 AM as soon as conditions allow, to reinforce promptness and responsibility, and to maximize instructional time.

Access to Coats During the School Day and for Dismissal:

  • Coat retrieval will be permitted only during:

    • the first 3 minutes of lunch, and

    • the first 3 minutes of Period 8.

  • These timeframes are designed to help students get jackets efficiently while minimizing disruption to classes in session.

  • If students plan to go outside during lunch (once this resumes after Mid-Winter Recess), they should report to their Period 8 coat closet room first (during the first 3 minutes of lunch) to retrieve their coat, then proceed to the cafeteria.

Lost and Found improvements (starting by Monday)

  • By Monday, Lost and Found racks will be replaced with a locked wardrobe.

  • Students retrieving an item will be assisted by a main office staff member; they will sign a log with their name, class, signature, and a description of the item.

  • Staff will make reasonable efforts to confirm that the item belongs to the student requesting it.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for reinforcing our shared values of respect, responsibility, and character throughout the middle school years.

Have a wonderful evening, and looking forward to a brighter tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Michael Leung

Principal

www.jhs185.org | Follow us @BleekerPRIDE

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