This Week at BMHS, January 14 - 21, 2018

Midterm Exams - if no additional snow days

Midterm exams will begin on Tuesday, January 23 and conclude on Friday, January 26. Busses will pick up students at their regular time and bus stop in the morning. Busses will depart from BMHS after the second exam at approximately 11:30 a.m. Students need to be in school for each block they have an exam/class scheduled. If a student will be absent for an exam, please make sure you call the Absentee Line prior to 7 a.m. on the day of the exam. The Absentee Line is 978-528-8710.

If a student is absent, they need to make arrangements for a makeup with their teacher. Each exam day has a make-up period from 12:00 - 1:45 p.m. Monday, January 29 is the last day of Term 2 (1st Semester) and provides an opportunity for students and teachers to review their midterm exams before beginning the next term (semester).

Spanish National Honor Society is Supporting Hurricane Victims in Dominica

The Spanish National Honor Society is organizing a supply drive for the people of Dominica, the island that was hit by hurricane Maria. The drive will take place from until January 19th. We will be collecting items such as water, first-aid supplies, dry goods, clothing, shoes, bedding items and financial contributions etc. These items will be collected during advisory, and all items would go to struggling families on the island of Dominica.

Northeastern District Senior Festival

The Northeastern District Senior Festival Concert was held this past Friday and BMHS was represented by seniors Dylan Loftin and Jesse Green in the Festival Choir. Jesse and Dylan were  each selected after a successful audition for the group in November. If you see either of these two students over the next few days, please join us in congratulating them on their personal accomplishments and for representing our community well. 

Class of 2018 Wellness Independent Study

Attention all seniors registered in Wellness Independent Study - Ms. Flynn, Coordinator of Health Services and Wellness, will be holding office hours on Friday January 12th and Thursday January 18th 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in room 1206 in the Memorial Building to answer any questions regarding Independent Study. Please feel free to stop by.

Jennifer Flynn C.A.G.S., M.Ed., LSW

Coordinator of Health Services and Wellness

Billerica Public Schools

DECA Chapter Kicks off the New Season

Our BMHS DECA Chapter kicked off the new season at District Qualifiers. Ms. Lydon praised our students for their preparedness, professionalism, and poise. Please congratulate our students moving on to the Massachusetts State Competition.

Jacob Burke	Advertising Campaign	1st Place
Kayla Reardon	Advertising Campaign	Top Ten
Vivian Wholey
Sreyas Yennampelli	Buying and Merchandising Operations Research	1st Place
Olivia Rogers	Buying and Merchandising Operations Research	4th Place
Tina Tailor
Morgan Bauman	Buying and Merchandising Operations Research	5th Place
Natalie Nardone
Benjamin Gately	Buying and Merchandising Operations Research	6th Place
MacKenzie Lelievre
Michael O'Connell
Jonathan Bragg	Buying and Merchandising Operations Research	Top Ten
Michael Bragg
Garret Climo
Sarah Young	Start Up Business Plan	2nd Place
Kristen Riley
Shawn Colby	Start Up Business Plan	3rd Place
Brett Encarnacao
Nick Gualtieri
Danielle Sullivan	Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan	3rd Place
Katelyn Sullivan
Kiersten Burtman	Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan	4th Place
Cameron Famigletti
Jenna Wood
Kate Brouillette	Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan	6th Place
Sophia Dinsmore
Andrew Farmer
Jaclyn Brune	Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan	Top Ten
Tyler Jacon
Maddie Fichera	Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan	Top Ten
Erica Wesser
Camryn Brothers	Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research	1st Place
Leah Fabiano
Catherine Sjostedt
Dan Fantasia	Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research	3rd Place
Garret Murphy
Colin Robson
Edward Kenney	Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research	6th Place
Matt Murphy
Michael Williams
Christian Belden	Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research	Top Ten
Jacob Isaac
Nick McInnis
Bryan Matthews	Human Resource Management	6th Place
Saketh Mynampati	Principles of Business Management	2nd Place
Michael Stack	Principles of Business Management	Top Ten
Lauren Montion	Principles of Finance	Top Ten
Abbey O'Neil	Principles of Hospitality	7th Place
Ashley Doonan	Principles of Hospitality	Top Ten
Lindsay Reardon	Principles of Hospitality	7th Place
Tej Patel	Principles of Marketing	3rd Place
Emilee Laskey	Principles of Marketing	Top Ten
Rachel Hornsby	Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan	7th Place
Christian Cugno	Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan	Top Ten
Justin Guinane	Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan	Top Ten
Jack Canto

Building Committee Meeting

The next BMHS Building Committee Meeting is Tuesday, January 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.

This Week at BMHS January 7 - 13, 2018

Midterm Exams

Midterm exams will begin on Tuesday, January 23 and conclude on Friday, January 26. Busses will pick up students at their regular time and bus stop in the morning. Busses will depart from BMHS after the second exam at approximately 11:30 a.m. Students need to be in school for each block they have an exam/class scheduled. If a student will be absent for an exam, please make sure you call the Absentee Line prior to 7 a.m. on the day of the exam. The Absentee Line is 978-528-8710.

If a student is absent, they need to make arrangements for a makeup with their teacher. Each exam day has a make-up period from 12:00 - 1:45 p.m. Monday, January 29 is the last day of Term 2 (1st Semester) and provides an opportunity for students and teachers to review their midterm exams before beginning the next term (semester).

The Surgeon General Says...More Importantly The Parents Say

We have spoken about the dangers of electronic cigarettes and their common nomenclature "vapes." The Surgeon General has provided additional resources for parents to review and become more familiar with this dangerous and prolific trend.  The information regarding the use and contents of "vapes" is extensive, but our children will not listen to the concerns and statements of the Surgeon General any more today than our parents listened to the Surgeon General's concerns in the 1960s regarding the dangers of smoking. The most important conversation is the one that takes place between ourselves and our children. Regardless of the penalties (detentions, suspensions, MIAA ineligibility, etc.), it is the power of the conversation between parent and child that will always carry the most weight. We have all experienced the exposure to risky behaviors when we were younger. Sharing those experiences with our children in an understanding, non-judgemental manner will help when having these difficult conversations. 

 For more information, please follow this link https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/default.htm

Opioid Concerns

2016 Massachusetts Legislation requires schools to share information about the dangers of opioid use and abuse with students involved with co-curricular activities. I am sharing it through this venue as well since I believe the information is important and relevant to all students and their parents. The information targets athletes due to their higher risk of injury and subsequent pain medication. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health talks about the cycle of injury, pain medication, and potential reinjury increasing the risk of dependency on pain medication, specifically opioid-based medication.



From The Desk Of The BMHS Guidance Department

This is a reminder that BMHS Guidance counselors will be hosting a PSAT/NMSQT Parent/Guardian Information Session this coming Friday, January 12 from 7:15 AM-8:00 AM.  We will cover how to interpret PSAT results, as well as utilizing test prep resources.  Please note that this is a morning session, and we will meet at 7:15 AM in the Guidance Office at BMHS.  If you would like to attend this session, please complete the registration form by clicking here, as space is limited.

Sincerely,

Mindy Cripps, Director of Guidance

Important Dates

• Midterms - January 23 - 26, 2018
• Term 2 Ends - January 29, 2018
• MCAS Biology Retakes - February 5-6, 2018
• Report Cards - February 6, 2018
• Career Fair - February 7, 2018

This Week at BMHS December 18 - 22, 2017

Monday, December 18, 2017 is a B Day (Friday) Schedule.

Friday, December 22, 2017 is an early release day. Dismissal will be approximately 10:15 a.m.

National Honor Society

This past Thursday, the BMHS Chapter of the National Honor Society welcomed 54 new inductees in recognition of their academic accomplishment, as well as their commitment to service, leadership, and character. This year's inductees are: 
Barnes, Kaitlin         

Bones, Victoria        

Brothers, Camryn

Burke , Jacob

Burns , Hannah

Burns , Sarah

Campbell , Abigail

Cataldo , Philip

Chitoor , Ashwin

Cliff , Aiden

Cronin, Stella
Crowley , Megan

Demoy , Samantha

Dodge , Cameron

Dunlop, Patrick
Fabiano , Leah

Fantasia , Daniel

Flynn , Avery

Fraser , Molly

Gadatia , Amaan

Goss-Baker , Cayleigh

Gray , Marie

Hill , Jenna

Holden , Jacqueline

Lafleur , Cory

Laurendeau , Jana

Lelievre , Mackenzie

Lipman , Kerra

Loftin , Jacob

Mahoney , Brandon

Mccormack , Shannon

Murphy , Connor

Najarro , Jennifer

Oliva , Julia

Panaligan , Jessica

Patel , Tanvi

Patel , Dax

Rahill , Alexandra

Ravi , Roshan

Schwalm , Jacquelynn

Sjostedt , Catherine

Sposito , Samantha

Sullivan , Katelyn
Sullivan, Samantha

Todorova , Petya

Tolleson , Jay

Velmurugan , Madhumitha

Walker , Dylan

Walker , Isabelle

Walsh , Corban

Weeks , Jessica

West , Victoria

Wiggins, Kathryn ,

Williams , Michael

Yeh , Alex

Yennampelli , Sreyas

Holiday Orchestra Concert

Elementary, Middle, and High School Winter Orchestra Concert takes place this Tuesday, December 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the BMHS Auditorium. Admission is free.

Science League

The BMHS Science League team competed in their December meet last week and performed exceptionally well.

Ping Pong ball mover designed by So, Velmurugan, Surajiwale 

• Christian So, Madhu Velmurugan, and Disha Surajiwale came in first place for a robot they built to transport ping pong balls.
• Madhu Sekar, Petya Todavora, Alex Yeh, and Saketh Mynampati came in third place in a pencil-and-paper event on their knowledge of the Periodic Table
• The team as a whole placed third in the December event and they are in second place overall for the year.

Ugly Sweater Day

This Thursday, December 21 we will be holding our annual Ugly Sweater Day.

Global Leadership Summit

As you may know, BMHS is planning to go to Berlin for the Global Leadership Summit with the theme, The Influence of Technology on Society. With the enrollment deadline quickly approaching, I wanted to reach out one final time to invite your child on the Berlin trip during the summer of 2018. This will be an invaluable experience for your child and will impact their personal and academic development immensely.

Here’s how you can enroll:

To enroll, you will need a link to our group’s Tour Website (http://www.eftours.com/2015182UB) and to pay the $95 enrollment deposit. The final enrollment deadline for this tour is Tuesday, December 19^th at 11:59 PM.

Please contact me with any questions or for more information. 

I sincerely hope that your child will be able to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Wishing your family the best this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Madame Bynoe

BMHS Building Committee Meeting

The next committee meeting is on Wednesday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Parker Elementary School.

This Week at BMHS December 11 - 22, 2017

Athletic Awards' Night

We will be recognizing our fall athletes at the Athletic Awards' Night this Monday, December 11 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our fall sports teams.

Our Winter Choral Concert Presented by the Billerica Fine Arts Department

This Tuesday evening our Fine Arts Department will be presenting The Gift of Music, a Winter Choral Concert. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the BMHS Auditorium. We hope you can find a moment to take a break from the hectic pace that the holiday season can create and enjoy an evening of wonderful music performed by outstanding musicians. 

Amnesty International

Amnesty International is going to be raising money for Puerto Rico relief through a raffle. First prize is two Club Level tickets to the Celtics vs. Hornets on February 28th, donated by the Billerica Federation of Teachers.  Second prize is a $75.00 gift certificate to Webber Restaurant Group (Gibbet Hill, the Bancroft, etc).  Tickets will be available at various school functions and additional information can be obtained via email at dadams@billericak12.com

Proceeds will go to Operation Agua, a teacher-led charity that is bringing water filters to homes and schools throughout Puerto Rico.  

Schedule Updates

Monday, December 18 - B Day (Friday)
Thursday, December 21 - Ugly Sweater Day
Friday, December 22 - SPAC Concert (Early Dismissal 10:22 a.m.)

BMHS Guidance: College Of The Week and Career Of The Week

The BMHS Guidance Department is now highlighting a college and a career each week.  In addition to a bulletin board in the Guidance area, we will share with parents and students highlights of each college and career featured.  If you are interested in the featured colleges and careers, you can check out Naviance for more information!  If you or your child needs the password reset, please contact our Guidance Office at 978-528-8760 or Ms. Sousa (Guidance Secretary) at: esousa@billericak12.com

College Of The Week: Salve Regina University (click HERE for more information)

Career Of The Week:  Actuary  (click HERE for more information)

1.  If you are applying to a college with a December 15 or January 1 deadline, your transcript request and payment is now due.  Please arrange for this ASAP by requesting your transcript through Naviance and following up with payment in the Guidance office.  Transcripts are $2 per college you are applying to. Transcripts will not be sent to colleges without payment. 

2.  Once you've decided where you will attend, please come to the Guidance office and fill out a pennant with your name and college. These pennants will be used in a bulletin board display of where BMHS students will be attending next year.  

3. Mark your calendar!!  The Scholarship Information Night will be held on February 13, 2018 at 6:30 PM in the BMHS Lecture Hall.  This event will feature information regarding Dollars For Scholars as well as scholarship information on Naviance.  Students are currently able to begin building their scholarship profile with demographic information; please click here to be routed to the DFS website to either log in or create an account.  If your student attended the College Boot Camp over the summer, they should have already started their profile, as we did a lesson on this. 

4.  Please make sure to access Naviance and check back frequently in the Scholarship List area.  These scholarships are updated regularly, and therefore, you will want to check back often as the list continues to expand between now and the springtime.  Click here for the Naviance website.  If you have forgotten your password, please contact your guidance counselor, and they will be able to assist you.

I'd like to share with you several points of information regarding the PSAT score release this week:

1.  CollegeBoard is releasing scores to Massachusetts students on Wednesday, December 13.  If you provided an email address when taking the PSAT, you will be emailed a message, telling you that your scores are ready.  If you didn't provide an email address, you can also log into CollegeBoard, create an account, and match demographic info in order to receive your scores.  We strongly suggest that students use their Billerica Gmail address when registering for a CollegeBoard account and that they put their username and password in a safe place.  Often students will make a note on their phone with this information, which is a great option.  Please click here for detailed information regarding receiving your scores, creating a CollegeBoard account, etc. ***PLEASE NOTE:  Most Juniors will already have a CollegeBoard account, as they received PSAT scores last year.  You will want to use the same account as last year to access this year's PSAT scores; don't make a new one this year if you already have an account. 

2.  Please click here for a sample score report, so you will know what information you can expect to see when scores are released. 

3.  Your PSAT scores will also be placed into your Naviance account to assist you with your college search. If you have forgotten your login or password for Naviance, please contact your counselor, and s/he will be able to assist you. 

4.  Please click here in order to view a short video on understanding your PSAT scores.  Also, CollegeBoard provides each student with a FREE, personalized study plan along with ample practice opportunities online through Khan Academy.  Click here to learn how to link your PSAT scores to Khan Academy for free SAT practice!  This is a wonderful resource!

5.  BMHS Guidance counselors will also host two PSAT/NMSQT Parent/Guardian Information Sessions. We will cover how to interpret PSAT results, as well as utilizing test prep resources. The two dates will be Friday, January 5th, and Friday, January 12th, and if you are interested in attending, please pick one day only, as both sessions will offer the same information. These sessions run from 7:15 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.  Please note that these are morning sessions.  If you would like to attend a session please complete the registration form by clicking here, as space is limited.

6. In January, guidance counselors will begin to meet with their sophomore students individually to discuss PSAT results and post-secondary planning, and in early spring counselors will meet with Juniors to discuss PSAT, SAT, and the college search & application process. To make for a more effective and meaningful appointment we ask that each student have their CollegeBoard login and password with them (preferably as a note in their phone).

7.  Please note that colleges do not see students' PSAT data.  See below for information on the SAT: 

Junior students should plan to take the SAT in the spring of 2018 (BMHS offers the test in May), and again in the fall of their Senior year (BMHS offers the test in October).  You can register for the Saturday, May 5, 2018 SAT test by clicking here. 

Sophomore students will take the PSAT again in October 2018, while in their Junior year, before taking the SAT in the spring of 2019. 

If you have any questions, please contact your child's guidance counselor through email or by calling the Guidance office at 978-528-8760.

Sincerely,

The BMHS Guidance Department

Where are they now?

Class of 2017 alumnus Anthony Nelson recently graduated from basic training and begins his journey as a Navy sailor. Anthony completed basic as a Division leader and earning the rank of E2.