Hello Panther Families,

Here are several important school-wide updates I want to share with you in an effort to provide information to everyone in our school community:

Intramural Volleyball at Lunch:

Student Leadership is holding an intramural volleyball tournament during lunch for students of all grades and ability to join for some fun! Students can sign-up at lunch on the stage from Monday, November 1st through Friday, November 5th. The games will be played during lunch in the gym starting Monday, November 15th through Friday, November 19th. This will be a single elimination tournament with a maximum of 16 teams of 7 players (including 1 sub). There must be at least one player of the opposite gender and only 2 players can be from the BHS volleyball team per team.

Veteran's Day Ceremony:

On Wednesday, November 10th, we ask that students and staff members join the Leadership Class in honoring our Benicia Unified School District Veterans with a ceremony held at lunch in the red brick quad. Additionally we ask that students and staff members wear red, white, and blue to celebrate our veterans.

Change in Schedule Nov. 8-10th:

There are only three school days the week of November 8th, with Thursday and Friday both closed for the Veterans Day Holiday. Please note the change in schedule that week. Monday, November 8th will be a regular schedule, with 3:35pm dismissal. Tuesday and Wednesday are block schedule days, with 3:05pm dismissal. We wish everyone an enjoyable long weekend.

Tardies & Truancy:

Research shows that being in school, on time, each day (unless students are sick) is the best way to meet learning goals, be academically successful, and receive needed support provided by our schools. Beginning in January, BUSD schools will be making a small change to be better aligned with board policy and California EdCode: Students who are 30 minutes or more late for three periods (same day or separate days) will be considered truant. This means the student and family will receive notifications, need to attend a Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting with their Vice Principal, and potentially go before the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) if attendance doesn't improve. If you need support in improving your child's attendance, please contact your student's Vice Principal at (707) 747-8325.

As schools continue the the transition back from distance learning to in-person learning, we anticipate additional updates and changes. We will be sure to keep you updated here in our monthly newsletter and through ParentSquare messages. We appreciate your support as we navigate through these changes together.

Go Panthers!

Brianna Kleinschmidt, Principal

Click here to purchase

Buy a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts at a discount and support BHS programs and facilities! A dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts sell at our local location for $14.50 but you can buy them for $12.50 and a portion of your purchase will be donated to BHS PTSA to raise money for BHS.

Simply click the link above and provide your name, phone number and email address and pay online for one, or multiple dozens, and you will receive an email with your electronic redemption code(s) which can be used at any Krispy Kreme location. Redemption codes do not expire. Simply take the code into the store and you will receive your dozen donuts. You will receive a separate code for each dozen so they can be used at different times.

Share this offer with friends, family and co-workers. Everyone is welcome to participate! The redemption codes may be given to anyone so consider giving the gift of donuts to your teacher, mail carrier or co-worker for the holidays.

Orders must be placed by November 15, 2021. Redemption codes will be emailed by November 22, 2021. Questions may be addressed to Lora French, BHS PTSA, Financial Secretary at Lvailmail@comcast.net

Link to Purchase Tickets

Please note, we are following Covid-19 health precautions for the safety of our performers and audience: We will sell a reduced number of tickets for this event to allow for spacing between groups; all audience members are required to wear a face mask over their nose and mouth while indoors, and we recommend all audience members be vaccinated or have a negative Covid test within 48 hours. If you are experiencing any symptoms, we ask that you do not attend the performance.

November News:

The November expectation of the month is Include. Welcoming new students, inviting someone new into a group, and willingly working with others are a few ways to demonstrate inclusion.

PBIS rewards drawings will be announced every WEDNESDAY during homeroom. Submit your Pawsitives in the raffle of our choice at the front office before homeroom to be entered to win!

Here is a list of our upcoming events for the College & Career Center. Students, be sure to add them to your calendar and join us to learn more!

• College Application Labs - Every Wednesday during Access in room H-109
• 11/4 - Cal State East Bay presentation in room N-2 during Access
  

• 11/9 - College Information Night for students and families (virtual event) from 6:30-7:30pm
  

• 11/18 - Whitman College presentation during Access in room N-2
  

• 11/30 - Deadline to apply to All University of California and most California State University
  

Students - sign up to attend the events during Access period using the link in your counselor's Google Classroom!

Please join us for our Annual College Information Night on Tuesday, November 9th via Zoom. Please review the information linked below and then join our counselors and College & Career Center tech from 6:30-7:30 pm on Zoom for a quick presentation and Q&A session.

Link to College Info Packet: https://www.smore.com/c904v

Zoom Link: https://beniciaunified-org.zoom.us/j/81346340574?pwd=NHpaM1pWSEJvUEo5UGtkcnI3ODhKQT09

Coming soon! We are partnering with Revolution Prep to offer a practice SAT or ACT as a fundraiser for the PTSA. Both tests will be offered January 22nd and February 26th from 9am-1pm and be fully online. The cost is $20 per test.

The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school to high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.

The Seal of Biliteracy was established per Assembly Bill No. 815 effective January 1, 2012 and it was amended in 2017 per Assembly Bill No. 1142 (AB-1142) effective January 1, 2018.

English Language Criteria (ALL are required)

• Completion of all English language arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average of 2.0 or above.
• Passing the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) for English language arts administered in grade 11 at or above the “standard met” achievement level.
• For English learners not reclassified, demonstrate English proficiency on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).

Criteria for proficiency in a language other than English (only ONE is required)

• Passage of a world language Advanced Placement (AP) examination with a score of 3 or higher.
  
• Successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language, attaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in that course of study, and demonstration of oral proficiency in the language comparable to that required to pass an AP examination.
• Passage of a district test with a score of proficient or higher (if no AP examination or off the shelf language tests exists and the school district can certify that the test meets the level of an AP exam), demonstrating proficiency in all of the modes of communication (reading, writing, and speaking) that characterize communication in the language.
• Passage of the SAT II world language examination with a score of 600 or higher.

For more information, please visit: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/sealofbiliteracy.asp or talk with your school counselor.

The nonprofit organization Sustainable Solano will be hosting a 10-week extracurricular program for high school students in Benicia during January 2022-March 2022. High school students interested in learning and leading in environmental justice efforts are invited to join this program.

• Research environmental and health challenges that affect your community and others
• Explore what can be done on an individual, community and policy level to create change
• Discuss your findings with city leaders & learn what is being done on a city level
• Participate in hands-on projects that help study and improve the environment
• Create community presentations that inspire others to take action
• Participants who complete the full program are eligible for a $500 stipend!

https://sustainablesolano.org/environmental-leadership-fellowship/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-environmental-leadership-fellowship-info-session-tickets-191202450677

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-environmental-leadership-fellowship-info-session-tickets-191218237897

Questions? Contact Allison Nagel at allison@sustainablesolano.org

Counselors are available to provide a full range of services to students virtually. This includes academic, college, career, personal, social, and emotional support. If your child could benefit from additional support, please contact your counselor by email.

Counselors:

9th grade - Ms. Wallace at kwallace@beniciaunified.org

10th grade - Ms. Smith at jsmithalford@beniciaunified.org

11th grade - Ms. Rainey at erainey@beniciaunified.org

12th grade - Mr. Keppel at jkeppel@beniciaunified.org

College & Career Center - Ms. Marwick at gmarwick@beniciaunified.org

Counselors and Ms. Marwick will be meeting with students and giving class presentations starting in September.

Student Parking Passes are FREE this year, but students must register using the link below. Once a student has submitted the registration information needed, the information will be reviewed and a parking pass will be issued to the student (delivered to them in class). If information is missing or needed, the student will receive an email in their student email account with further instructions.

Link to Student Parking Registration

District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or related recovery, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.