Monday, September 25, 2017

This Week at BMHS September 26 - October 2, 2017

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month


 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and in honor, we are declaring this week "Fill the GOLD boot and Kick Childhood Cancer Week".  All week, there will be four GOLD Boots on the stage in the cafe.  One for each class: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors.  We are asking that each class fill their boot with spare change, ones, fives, tens, etc... Friday during C Lunch, the officers of the class that has filled their GOLD boot with the most money will get to pie the officers of the class that has filled their GOLD boot with the least money in the faces.  If all of the classes raise a minimum of $500 together, the winning class officers will get to pie Mr. Murphy in the face!  The money will then be donated to the Jimmy Fund to support Childhood Cancer Research.  So, please join in and help fill your Advisory's GOLD boot all week and Kick Childhood Cancer!

Special thanks to the following students for "kicking" off this year's campaign:
Sarah Smith
Adina Marshall
Alyssa Moore
Jillian Carbone
Malerie Glasser
Victoria West
Shannon McCormack
Sreyas Yennampelli
Ashwin Chitoor
Jacquie Holden
Jenna Hill
Aiden Cliff
Dylan Walker
Brandon Mahoney
Jess Panaligan

School Building Tours 1977 and 1978


We will be welcoming home the Class of 1977 and 1978 this Saturday, September 30 from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Aside from touring the building and reminiscing about their favorite moments, we will also be hosting a beam signing for the new building. The beam will be located at the entrance to the Shawmut Field Office (behind the building on 35 River Street). The beam(s) will be available until noon time on Saturday. There will also be another opportunity at the "topping off" ceremony near Thanksgiving.






BlackOut Bullying


This Wednesday, September 27 marks the district's annual BlackOut Bullying Day. The high school will be addressing these concerns in a few ways. We will be ....  On October 3rd and 4th we will be hosting our first ever Challenge Days. Challenge Day uses highly interactive and energetic activities, our programs provide teens and adults with tools to break down the walls of separation and isolation and replace them with compassion. We inspire people to live, study, and work in an environment of acceptance, love, and respect. The program will directly impact 200 members of the sophomore class and 50 adults in our building. Our hope is that this program will become an annual event for the sophomores in our building eventually impacting everyone. Continuing on the theme of inclusiveness...

United Sound & Unified Basketball


United Sound will be kicking off their second year under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Cardella. The United Sound is a school-based instrumental music club for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their typical peers. Dedicated to promoting social involvement through shared ensemble performance experience, United Sound joins students with and without disabilities to learn and perform in the band or orchestra together.

Unified Basketball


BMHS will be launching our first Unified Basketball team this fall. The first meeting for students taking part in this program is Wednesday, September 27 at 2:15 p.m. in the Ed James Gym. The meeting will last approximately 30 minutes and will outline the season and expectations for everyone involved.

The Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.


In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. That makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away.

Welcoming our new Assistant Superintendent


On Friday, September 29, our new Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Jill Geiser will be spending the day at BMHS, conversing with staff and students about high school life.


Bus Evacuation Drill


On Thursday, October 5, we will be conducting our annual bus evacuation drill. When buses arrive on the morning of the 5th, each bus will be met by an administrator and directions will be provided on the proper bus evacuation technique in the event an emergency situation may arise. The students will be required to evacuate the bus from the rear door after taking a seated position. The length of the drill for each bus is less that 5 minutes.


Early Release Day


Friday, October 6 is an early release day for the entire district. Students at the high school will be dismissed at 10:30 a.m. Teachers will be working on professional development until the end of the school day (2:02 p.m. for the high school).








College & Career Readiness Day


On Wednesday, October 11, BMHS will be running our annual College and Career Readiness Day. The sophomore and junior classes will be taking the PSAT assessments, the freshmen will have i-Ready assessments and a presentation about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. Our seniors are strongly encouraged to use this day to schedule college visits and experience what colleges are like while they are in session.


Billerica Blast Comedy Night


Don't forget the Comedy Show this Friday, September 29 at the Billerica Elks. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Class of 2018's Billerica Blast.










Building Committee Meeting


The next High School Building Committee will take place on Tuesday, September 26 at 6:00 p.m. in the Shawmut Field Office at the high school.

Monday, September 18, 2017

This Week at BMHS September 18 - 25, 2017

Student Dismissal (Nurse's Office)


All students being dismissed from school due to illness MUST be excused through the Nurse's Office. If you (parent) receive a call, or text from your child informing you that they are not feeling well, please instruct them to go to the nurse's office for an evaluation. We have had parents arrive at the main office to dismiss their child due to illness that have not been evaluated by the nurse. Dismissals through the nurse's office can be excused, but dismissals due to illness absent the nurse's consent are not. This procedure ensures our nurses are aware of any potential issues in the building and informs their preparedness to support all members of our community. Please feel free to reach out to our nurses at 978-528-8757 or 8758 to ask questions, or seek support. We are fortunate to have a team so dedicated to the wellness of our entire school community.

Smile



A reminder that this Tuesday, September 19 is Picture Day. Our Picture Day school
ID is: RI177425Q1








Early Release Day


This Tuesday, September 19 is also an early release day for all students. Dismissal will occur at 11:50 a.m. after lunch.










Global Leadership Summit


For more details, on the Global Leadership Summit in Berlin, Germany attend our information meeting with your parents, Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. in the BMHS library, or contact Ms. Bynoe in 3305 or at tbynoe@billericak12.com


Clothing Drive
 


The World Language Department will be holding a used clothing drive to raise money for the Spanish exchange trip in February of 2018. Bring in your gently used clothes, accessories, and shoes for a tax refundable donation.  Also accepted are gently used towels, blankets, curtains, and bed linens.   Bring in any donations in a trash bag and deliver them to Mrs. Piwowar’s room, Room 3209.  Donations will be accepted until Monday, October 16th.


BMHS GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT
The BMHS Guidance Department will host our Senior College Night on Thursday, September 21 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium at BMHS. Parents and students are highly encouraged to attend this important event!  Guidance counselors will be on hand to address the following topics:

*The college search process
*Types of applications
*What's in an application?
*Standardized testing
*Naviance
*Selectivity and admission requirements
*Factors to consider when choosing a college
*Timelines and deadlines of the college application process


*There will be an informative slideshow presentation and coordinating handouts. 

Please note that seniors also received a college presentation in their English class on September 18 which covered timelines, deadlines, and the application process.  Also, guidance counselors will be meeting with all seniors individually in order to discuss post-secondary planning.

MEFA COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID NIGHT

Parents and students are invited to attend a free seminar on paying for college, which will be held on Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 PM in the BMHS Lecture Hall. This seminar is offered through MEFA, the Commonwealth’s authority on planning, saving, and paying for college. An experienced MEFA representative will provide an overview of the college financing process, including types of financial aid, how to apply, and financing options for your family. Before the seminar, be sure to visit MEFA’s website — mefa.org — to download a copy of the seminar presentation and explore other tools and resources to assist you in the college planning process.

Billerica Blast


The Billerica Blast is an evening designed to give our graduating seniors a night of entertainment without the pressures of risky behaviors. The night features, music, magic, hypnotists, Texas Hold'em, Jeopardy, Karaoke, Bingo, inflatable obstacle courses, raffles, and food.  The Billerica Blast Committee works diligently all year long to raise funds, coordinate talent, and collect prizes for our students. Comedy Night is their first event. Please consider attending, or volunteer to help! This group creates a terrific and safe "Last Night" for our students.











Picture(s) of the Week

 Happy (Green) Friday!
Ms. Ford, Mr. Landry, Mr. Gubelman, Mrs. Piwowar, Ms. MacInnis
Class of 1967 50th Reunion Tour


Closing the Chapter on 2017-2018

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