As
we approach the end of the first semester and prepare for the second half of
our school year, we should take a moment and reflect on all that was
accomplished during the last year as we look forward to the next steps on our
path of continual improvement. The history of Billerica Memorial High School is
rich with traditions. During our inaugural year in 1955 we received a campaign
visit from United States Senator John F. Kennedy seeking reelection in 1956.
President Kennedy spoke of his ambitious plans regarding science and BMHS is
trying to continue that legacy today. We have spoken at length about the new
science and technology labs at BMHS that support biomedical science,
engineering design, and robotics. We are currently working on an innovative
workspace that will support both teachers and students with technology
integration in their classroom; we are calling it the Innovation Station. We
are repurposing space in our library/media center to host a collaborative
working area bringing together students and faculty for a common purpose. Our
virtual learning commons can be found at http://bit.ly/bmhslc We have also partnered with Billerica Access
Television and redesigned our television studio. The infusion of new equipment and support
will allow us to offer a television production course for the upcoming school
year. The wireless infrastructure has been drastically improved allowing
students to access support within the building through a ‘student’ network. The
improved access points can support up to 130 users without degradation of
signal quality.
The
impact of these improvements can be seen in the quality of work our students
produce on a daily basis. The MCAS science scores were the top in the Merrimack
Valley, but more importantly, when broken down, our students outperformed our
area counterparts in the ‘Advanced’ designation of the assessment.
The
self-assessment process is a vital part of our improvement goals. If we seek to
make BMHS a school that all students possess a sense of pride towards, then we
need to ask questions, listen, and be willing to change. Through various organizations, Student
Government, DECA, School Council, as well as impromptu conversations we are
seeking to provide students with the opportunity to directly affect the changes
at BMHS. The student body has demonstrated on several occasions this year that
they want to be partners in their education and represent BMHS and this
community in an outstanding fashion. It is important that we support them
during this time in their lives, so they are able to support themselves beyond
their high school years. Early this year, Travis Roy visited BMHS and the
entire student body was exemplary. Their
respectful nature, engaging questions, and appropriate responsiveness was a
shining moment for BMHS and our community. Our annual Pep Rally was adjusted
this year to improve inclusiveness and remediate the typical divisiveness that
can be experienced at these types of events, especially if you are
freshmen. The students responded
positively to the changes, and there was even a moment when the sophomore and
junior classes were rooting for the freshmen.
Our
music and theatre programs have continued to excel under the leadership of
Christopher Dearbeck. Our musical production of Pipin’ won the TAMY for Best
Overall Production and the Marching Band were named the NESBA Division 1
Champs. The orchestra has continued to grow and the recent holiday concert is a
wonderful representation of the quality of students dedicated to improving
their craft
As
we turn our attention to the second half of the year, we begin the process of
preparing for our next year. The Program
of Studies is going through its final revisions and will be released to
students and parents on February 9. This
will give families three weeks to review with their child the courses available
for the upcoming year. There are
additions to the Program of Studies this year, again, focusing on creativity
and demonstration of standards. We will be offering a television and video
production course, made possible through our partnership with BATV. Digital
Photography, Vex Robotics, Number Theory and Discrete Math will also be options
for our students.
Report
Cards will be made available on Friday, January 30 through the Aspen X2 Parent
Portal. If anyone has questions about accessing the portal, please contact Mary
St. George at 978-528-7908 or mstgeorge@billerica.k12.ma.us
Warmest
regards,
Tom
