Hello Panther Families,

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a month long event to prevent bullying and to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. BHS will have events during the week of October 18-22nd to highlight this important message. Wednesday, October 20th is Unity Day - we want everyone to wear ORANGE to come together in one giant message for kindness, acceptance and inclusion, to visibly show that we believe no one should ever experience bullying. BHS will be giving away orange shirts with a message of kindness and inclusion for students and staff on Monday October 18th (limited quantities - first come, first serve). We want EVERY student at Benicia High School to feel that they belong and that this is a safe place, with no fear of bullying.

Homecoming:

This month also includes our Homecoming festivities and Red Ribbon Week. All of these events focus on positive connections with peers, school spirit, community-building, and getting involved. We encourage every student to find a way to join in the fun - we will have several spirited dress up days, games during lunch, and class competitions for volunteers wanting to help their class win. Who will take the Homecoming Spirit Stick this year - 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade? Students can sign up for the activities they want to participate in and help earn points for the class. Then, at the Homecoming Game on Friday, October 15th, we will hold the final competition during half-time and announce the winning class! See below for more information.

Academic Eligibility

October 15th is also the last day of Quarter 1 and an important time for students and their families to check in on their academic progress. Academic eligibility will be reviewed based on student grades on October 15th. A student who is not in good academic standing at that time, below a 2.0 grade point average, may become ineligible and therefore not allowed to participate in extracurricular activities (sports, performing arts, etc.). Parents, guardians, and students can check grades regularly using the Aeries app or Aeries website. We encourage all students to use Access Period for additional help from teachers, time to work on homework or make up missing assignments and tests. Also, we have free after school help with Math Lab, English Lab, and our Library hours (see information below).

School Pictures - Makeup/Retake Pictures & Senior Pictures

Makeup/Retake picture day was originally scheduled for October 6th but has been postponed to allow time for all picture packages to be mailed home to families that ordered pictures. We will send out the new date as soon as it is scheduled. We will also be adding dates for Seniors to have their Senior Portrait taken to be included in the yearbook. This will be available the first week of December and Seniors who have not yet had their pictures taken will be contacted directly.

Go Panthers!

Brianna Kleinschmidt, Principal

Thank you to our Student Leadership & Activities Director Mrs. Wheat for working hard to provide our 2021 Homecoming Week of events! Our theme this year is "Hoco in Cali"

Spirit Days - Dress Up & Show Your School Spirit:

Monday Oct. 11: In-N-Out (mix & match or dress wacky)

Tuesday Oct. 12: Bay to L.A. (wear your favorite CA team gear or NorCal/SoCal apparel)

Wednesday Oct. 13: Disney Day (wear anything Disney)

Thursday Oct. 14: National Parks (wear national park merchandise, dress like a park ranger or hiker)

Friday Oct. 15: Blue & Gold Rush (wear your BHS blue and gold)

We will have music and games at lunch every day!

Each lunch game will be worth points for students to compete for their grade to win the spirit stick at the end of the week.

Outdoor Movie Night:

Wednesday, October 13th from 6:30 - 9:00 pm

Location: O-Wing Quad

Clubs will be selling snacks & there will be a photo booth!

Homecoming Rally:

Friday, October 15th at the end of the school day

Location: Drolette Stadium/bleachers

Homecoming Football Game:

Friday, October 15th

JV plays at 4:30

Varsity plays at 7:30

Final class competition at Varsity half-time and winning class announced.

BHS Cheer & Band will perform!

Homecoming Dance: "California Sunset"

Saturday, October 16th from 8:00 - 11:00 pm

Location: BHS Red Brick Quad

Tickets must be purchased ahead of time to attend/enter the dance. No tickets sold at the event. Tickets must be purchased on the BHS Webstore.

Early Pricing from September 15 - October 3: w/ASB card: $10, No ASB card $15

Pricing from October 4 - October 8: w/ASB card: $15, No ASB card $20

Guest Request Forms due October 6th

Proceeds from the Memory Brick fundraiser will help our PTSA as they work to fundraise for their signature project this year - adding more water bottle filling stations at BHS! Our PTSA has a goal of raising $10,000 for this project. Purchase your Memory Brick today to have a permanent legacy at Benicia High School and to help us meet our goal.

Your Student Leadership and Panther Pride Club host a student section at each home football game, next to the BHS Band. This year, they have planned themes for each game for students to show their spirit and cheer for the Panthers.

Oct. 1st vs. Windsor High School: Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness (student tailgate before the game)

Oct. 15th vs. Miramonte High School: Homecoming Spirit in Blue and Gold

Nov. 5th vs. Las Lomas High School: Senior Night, wear your class colors

October's expectation of the month is Respect. Students and Staff are encouraged to demonstrate and reward each other for showing Respect around campus. Respect can be demonstrated in many ways; a few examples are: Picking up trash around campus, using appropriate language in the classroom and around campus, communicating with each other using professional/ respectful speech and body language, and providing others undivided attention.

How can YOU show Respect at BHS this month?

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 in Oct/Nov during Access in room H-109
• 10/7 - 4:15 pm UC Berkeley Personal Insight Questions Zoom presentation (Seniors only) Zoom Meeting Link, Meeting ID: 97400338794, Passcode: 1Yi0Vh7C
• 10/13 - Linfield College info table in the main quad during lunch

• 10/14 - William Jessup University presentation in room N-2 during Access

• 10/14 - St. Mary's University info table in the main quad during lunch
  

• 10/15 - ASVAB Test (register with Ms. Marwick in the College & Career Center)

• 10/21 - Spellman College presentation during Access in room N-2

• 10/28 - Career Speaker Series during Access in room N-2

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

NEW! Virtual College Fairs:

The California State University (CSU), University of California (UC) and Association of Independent California College and Universities (AICCU) are partnering together to provide seven virtual college fairs this October. All UC and CSU campuses, and a majority of independent colleges and universities from the AICCU, will participate.

All events are free, and all California students are encouraged to attend! While fairs are scheduled in regions, students can attend any date that is best for them.

Students and counselors can register by visiting CACollegeFairs.org and creating an account on Visit Days. The fairs are scheduled for:

High School Fairs
Northern California: Saturday, October 2 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDT
Southern California 1: Wednesday, October 6 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. PDT
Central California: Saturday, October 9 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDT
Southern California 2: Saturday, October 16 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDT

Attendees will be able to join live sessions, watch campus videos and visit campus booths to live chat and/or meet with campus representatives.

Diablo Valley College invites BHS students and their parents/guardians to learn about their college at an upcoming "Benefits of Attending DVC" presentation, offered in English and in Spanish. Attendees will be given a general overview of the college which will include information about transferring to 4-year universities, the FT3 (free tuition) program, support services and campus life among other things. Student Ambassadors will share their experiences with transitioning to DVC, utilizing campus resources as well as their plans after completing their educational goals. The presentations are open to students, family members or anyone who wishes to learn about why DVC is a great choice to take a concurrent enrollment class or continue their education after high school.

Tuesday, October 12th at 5:00pm

Be sure to register in advance using the links below:

• Registration link for presentation in English: DVCbenefits21
• Registration link for presentation in Spanish: DVCbenefitsSPAN

We are excited to share with you an opportunity to support our 8-12 grade students. We have launched a partnership with the Willie B. Atkins Scholar Program. The Benicia Unified School District is providing an opportunity for your Benicia Unified students grades 8-12 to apply and participate in the Willie B. Atkins Scholar Program, free of charge.

The focus of the program is to provide connections, mentorships, study skills, tutoring, college prep, college tours at History Black Colleges/Universities, increase the number of African American students enrolling in college, SAT/ACT prep, career/personal counseling, guest speakers, and community service opportunities.

The Application and Registration for Orientation is on their website under the Benicia- Willie B. Adkins Program tab.

For more information on the program, see their website above and attend the orientation.

Willie B. Adkins Scholars Program Orientation via Zoom.
When: Sep 29, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvc--uqD4vGNB3WijNTrZVY7e-w0-_kmbp

This opportunity is supported through our District Strategic Plan-LCAP goals.

Goal 1: Social-Emotional Learning
All students in Benicia Unified School District, especially those who have been underrepresented, will feel a sense of belonging and connection to their school community so that they feel challenged and invested in a learning environment that values individuals and is accepting, respectful, safe, and supportive.

Goal 2: Academics-Literacy/Humanities
All students in Benicia Unified School District will demonstrate mastery on and be supported in grade-level literacy and humanities standards in all content areas so that there is comparable performance for all student groups, and achievement and performance gaps are virtually non-existent.

Goal 3: Academics-Math/STEAM
All students in Benicia Unified School District will demonstrate mastery on and be supported in math standards with the support of all STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) content areas so that there is comparable performance for all student groups, and achievement and performance gaps are virtually non-existent.

Goal 4: Equity & Opportunity
Historically underserved and underrepresented students will have access to and inclusion in all learning and activities in school.
BUSD will advance equity practices by ensuring that the voices of our students are represented, they feel seen and their cultures and stories are valued with a particular focus on students who are black, socio-economically disadvantaged, English learners, Latinx, LBGTQ, and students in special education.

BHS students interested in playing girls basketball and preparing for the Winter season are welcome to come for open gym practice. This is held one to two times a week, based on gym availability as it is volleyball season.

Interested in more information or the dates for open gym? Please contact Girls Basketball Varsity Head Coach Carlos Fernandez: (707) 853-4680 or email: beniciagbb@gmail.com

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 drivers are expected to park on campus and to have a visible parking pass in/on their vehicle. We ask that students do not park on surrounding streets so that we can be considerate of our neighbors.

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.

Welcome back students and staff. At BHS we are dedicated to meeting the Panthers R.I.S.E expectations on campus, at athletic events, and whenever representing BHS. Panthers R.I.S.E by demonstrating Respect, Inclusion, Support, and Engagement.