Boiler Buzz - September 2019
What's Going On In The Halls of BBCHS
From the Director of Communications
Welcome to Boiler Buzz, a newsletter crafted specifically for parents as well as any community member that wishes to receive it. We hope it is a quick reference and platform to keep parents and the Bradley-Bourbonnais Community informed of what is going on within the halls of BBCHS.
Next to each item you will see a goal leaf signifying how each area ties into Vision 307, our Strategic Plan. Vision 307 has become the driving force and focus for the district. We can't wait to continue to show you how we are using this as our guide moving forward.
If you are curious about steps our district has already made in this process, please visit our website at https://www.bbchs.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Strategic%20Plan for more information!
In this edition, you will find:
- An introduction to our new security team
- Informatiion about our Community Task Force
- 2019 AP Scholars
- & More!
If you have any questions of comments, please email me at ckant@bbchs.org
Thank you, and enjoy!
Callie Kant
Director of Communications and Community Engagement
Attendance Awareness Month
Every Friday during the month of September, "attendance rocks" were hidden around BBCHS. Students who found a rock were the recipient of a $5 Starbucks gift card if their attendance was better than 90% - our Redefining Ready indicator for attendance.
What a fun way to not only raise awareness for the importance of attendance, but also award a few of our students who make attendance a priority!
New BBCHS Security Team
Within the first few weeks of the school year we have already witnessed a positive cultural shift when compared to prior years. Students are utilizing our security team not only for assistance when needed, but they are establishing positive relationships with our team as well.
We can't wait to see the impact on our school community as the year progresses!
Community Task Force Works with Architect to Assess Building Needs
In addition, there are seven, 23-minute lunch periods throughout the school day due to the limited capacity. The earliest lunch period is at 10:30am, and the latest ends at 1:30pm. This poses many challenges when it comes to class schedules.
While the district has done a great job maintaining the high school, critical building systems are reaching the end of their useful life. There are still 55 classrooms that do not have air conditioning. The HVAC Boiler System, along with electrical and plumbing systems, are all decades old, highly inefficient, and in some cases are original to the building.
For years, the Board of Education and district administration have been evaluating school building facilities, and exploring ways to improve physical spaces in order to meet the educational needs of the students.
Using the strategic plan as their guide, the Board of Education directed the administration to obtain feedback from the community on the future of a facilities recommendation through a facilities community task force. This task force will study district school facilities needs as related to Board priorities, and will present a report to the superintendent who will make a recommendation to the Board. The report will be used to inform the decision making process.
The district administration will support the Facilities Community Task Force internally. Superintendent Scott Wakeley will serve as a resource on the process.
2019 AP Scholars
In the last 7 years, BBCHS has become the most comprehensive Advanced Placement school in Kankakee County. We have doubled the amount of AP classes we offer ranging from AP Physics to AP Art and everything in between. Year after year our students continue to grow and challenge themselves in these courses. Students in these AP classes are required to get a 3, 4, or 5 on the final nationwide test in order to be eligible for college credit.
The AP Scholar Awards recognize high school students who have demonstrated exemplary college-level achievement on these AP Exams. The College Board has recently released the AP Scholar Awards for 2019, and Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School is proud to announce that 66 current and former students have been named Advanced Placement Scholars!
We want to take a special moment to recognize two BBCHS graduates for receiving the National AP Scholar award: Connor Boudreau and Smit Purohit. This award is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more AP exams. Connor is attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and Smit is attending the University of Illinois in Champaign. Congrats Boilers and thank you for all your hard work while you were here. We wish you the best of luck at your new universities as you explore and further your education.
Listed below are the names of our exceptional students separated by the various awards. Find your friends, your kids, or anyone you know, and congratulate them! Congratulations Boilers, we are so proud of you!
Our AP classes are only continuing to expand and grow, including a new addition of Pre-AP offerings this year. We are excited about the opportunities to grow even more in the coming years. We celebrate these students today and can’t wait to see what is to come in the future. Boiler up!
AP Scholar with Distinction: (granted to students who receive an average score of 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams)
AP Scholar with Honor: (granted to students who receive an average score of 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams)
AP Scholars: (receives a 3 or higher on three or more AP exams)
Board Member Tom Cooke Resigns
At the September Board Meeting we said goodbye to one of our Board members, Tom Cooke, who has recently decided to resign after nearly 11 years of service.
Tom, as your time on the BBCHS Board of Education comes to a close, we wanted to express sincere gratitude for your service. Board service is the toughest volunteer role, and you took on your Board duties with dedication, grace, and seriousness. We will miss working with you and wish you the very best on whatever is next for you. Thank you for all you have done for this district and our students over the years!
Students Attend HBCU College Fair in Chicago
Chicago Football Classic Scholarship Fund, in partnership with City Colleges of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools, came together to co-sponsor the 2019 HBCU (Historically Black College or University) College & Career Fair featuring over 25 HBCUs and local colleges and universities at Soldier Field earlier this month.
This year, BBCHS was lucky enough to take a bus full of students and parents to this event in the city. Over the last few years, our counseling department along with the administration team noticed a need. HBCU colleges and universities were not attending the Kankakee Area College Fair that many of our students attend. This left a gap for students that might be interested in an HBCU opportunity.
Our counselors saw the need, and found a feasible option for our students. BBCHS Counselor Anne Kashanitz said, “It was an untapped opportunity for our students and there weren’t a lot of barriers in our way to make it possible.”
We are hopeful and excited for more participation in the coming years. We can’t wait to see how this event will continue to grow in the coming years!
Physics Classes Use BBCHS Intersection to Study Real Life Examples
Mr. Sadler took his Physics students outside in order to collect data and use formulas to determine the safety of the intersection outside the school, as well as around Bradley-Bourbonnais.
Students used an algebraic model of the Stop Zone (area of the intersection that is safe for cars to stop) and Go Zone (area of the intersection that is safe for cars to go).
Mr. Sadler said, "The engagement in the class is really fun due to the number of new drivers discussing the day-to-day driving in the student lot and their experiences with family and friends. The activity also ties to the importance of speed in driving. Students realize increasing the speed of a car makes it much harder to get that car stopped".
What an awesome opportunity for students to get out of the classroom for a little bit and see how what they are learning can be applied to real life situations!
Important October Dates
- October 9: Open House
- October 10: Fall Games
- October 11: No School - Teacher Institute Day
- October 14: No School - Columbus Day
- October 16: PSAT Testing for Freshmen & Juniors
(No school for Sophomores & Seniors)
- October 23: Late Start Day
- October 27: BBCHS Trunk or Treat
Bradley-Boubonnais Community High School District 307
Email: ckant@bbchs.org
Website: www.bbchs.org
Location: 700 West North Street, Bradley, IL, USA
Phone: 815-937-3707
Facebook: facebook.com/bbchs307
Twitter: @bbchs307