Benicia High School Panther Post

BHS Vision Statement

Benicia High School will inspire learning with integrity in order to find personal success in an ever-changing world.

Expected Student Learning Results:

• Communicator and Collaborator
• Critical Thinker and Problem Solver
• Creator and Innovator

Hello Panther Families,

Welcome back to school and the start of the second semester. Thursday, January 12th marks our mid-way point of the school year and the opportunity to set goals for the second half of the school year. We encourage students, staff, and families to set one or two goals for themselves to make the rest of the school year as positive and gratifying as possible. After setting goals, be sure to write down a few small changes needed to reach those goals. Those small changes, with consistent practice, will become new habits and get easier over time.

Students wanting to improve their grades should be sure to use our new online tutoring program, PAPER. We are seeing good use of PAPER by some of our students, while others could still benefit from trying this program. Students can submit short writing assignments, essays, and even resumes to get feedback from a college-student or professional tutor. We also offer live tutoring from teachers with our after school Math Lab and English Lab programs (see flyers further down in this newsletter).

Soon, our counselors will be meeting with students and discussing classes for next year. Please check with your student and make sure they have completed their Academic Plan in Aeries. If not, they should do so before learning about classes for next year. Instructions are provided later in this newsletter as well for those who might need them. We want every student to have an Academic Plan and be thinking about their future. They can make changes to their plans at any time.

We also have our Parent Speaker Series continuing this month with a presentation on Planning Early for College: Choice & Research. We highly recommend that parents attend this event and work with their students to expand their research and consideration of colleges beyond the common list of schools that most BHS students consider, including the amazing new programs at community college and trade schools.

Be sure to review our calendar of upcoming events below and add them to your own calendar. We hope to see you at a school event soon.

Go Panthers!

Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt

• Tuesday, January 10th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
• Wednesday, January 11th: PTSA Board Meeting, 6:00pm
  
• Friday, January 13th: Semester 2 grades posted & Eligibility determination
• Monday, January 16th: No School - Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Tuesday, January 17th: No School - BUSD Staff Development Day
• Tuesday, January 17th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
• Wednesday, January 18th: Regular (6 period) Bell Schedule, 3:35pm student dismissal
  
• Thursday, January 19th: Block Schedule Day (periods 1/3/5), 3:05pm student dismissal
• Friday, January 20th: Block Schedule Day (periods 2/4/6), 3:05pm student dismissal
• Friday, January 20th: Improv Show, 7:00pm in the auditorium
• Monday, January 23rd: Panther Athletics Hall of Fame Info Meeting at 6:30pm in L-116
  
• Tuesday, January24th: School Site Council Meeting, 3:50pm in room A-107
  
• Tuesday, January 24th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
• Thursday, January 26th: ELAC Meeting, 6:00pm
• Friday, January 27th: CPT Schedule, 2:30pm student dismissal
• Friday, January 27th: BHS Variety Show, 7pm in the auditorium (see info below)
• Monday, January 30th: 100th Day of School
• Tuesday, January 231st: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
• Wednesday, February 1st: Spring Sports Informational Meeting for Parents & Students, 7pm in the auditorium
• Tuesday, February 7th: Block Schedule Day (periods 1/3/5), 3:05pm student dismissal
• Wednesday, February 8th: Block Schedule Day (periods 2/4/6), 3:05pm student dismissal
• Thursday, February 9th: Regular (6 period) Bell Schedule, 3:35pm student dismissal
• Thursday, February 9th: BHS Open House Event with Elective Fair, 8th Grade Parent Night & AP Info Night
• Friday, February 10th: Minimum Day Schedule, student dismissal at 12:50pm

Auditions for the Theatrical Spring Production will be held after school on Wednesday and Thursday, January 18 and 19th. Students must attend both days of auditions.

The Production is "Lost Girl," a play that tells the story of Wendy Darling's return home from Neverland and all that takes place after leaving Peter Pan and the magical world of Neverland behind. For more information please see Mr. Day or email nday@beniciaunified.org.

Benicia High School is holding our second meeting to launch a new Panther Athletics Hall of Fame on Monday, January 23rd at 6:30pm in room L116/117. We invite all interested community members and alumni to join us as we hope to have every sport represented, with representation for our girl and boy teams, as we work together to start this new organization. Questions, please email BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org. #GoPanthers

BHS Athletics is hosting a pre-season Spring Sports Parent Informational Meeting. We recommend parents of all potential student-athletes participating in a Spring Sport attend this meeting to learn about our registration process, practice and game expectations, financial aspects of sports, and more. The meeting will be held prior to the start of the season or tryouts, on Wednesday, February 1st, in the BHS auditorium at 7pm. This meeting is not mandatory but is highly recommended.

Lantern Festival Dance on Saturday, February 25th from 7:00 - 10:00 pm in the gymnasium. Tickets are on sale ONLY through the BHS webstore from January 9th through Tuesday, January 24th. Tickets are $10 with an ASB card and $15 without. No guest bids will be available for this dance (BHS students only).

LINK TO WEBSTORE TO PURCHASE TICKET

BHS is hosting our annual Student Variety Show on January 27th at 7:00pm in the Hayley Horn Auditorium (performing arts building). Ticket prices will be $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Make sure to come and cheer on all of the talented students! The winner will be announced at the end of the show

SENIORS! Don’t miss your 2023 Grad Night. Register now while price is at its lowest $100. Price will increase on February 12th. You can register online at www.Beniciagradnight.net This is an evening full of games, prizes, food, and entertainment to celebrate your graduation with your class. For questions or more information you can contact us at Beniciagradnight@gmail.com.

The BHS Wellness Center offers classes during Access geared to help students destress, relax and unwind. Students can use the form provided below to sign up for events, and it will be updated as new events are scheduled. Students who sign up will then be sent a Google Calendar invite from the Wellness Center (Ms. Hoyle) as their "ticket" to the event. Space is limited, so please attend the event if you sign up.

Wednesday 1/11: Art Day

Listen to calming music while painting, drawing, making bracelets. Let your creativity run wild.

Thursday 1/12 & 2/2: Destress with Olga

Hang out with Olga (service dog)!

Wednesday 1/18: Yoga & Meditation

A calm & gentle class. Taught by Ms. Lynn

Thursday 1/19: Stress Reduction Through Mindfulness

Learn some quick & easy tools to reduce stress. Presenter: Kate Perry, Mindfulness Teacher

Wednesday 2/1: How to Find Identity in the Alphabet Soup of the LGBTQ+ Community

Presenter: Chris from Solano Pride Center

Every year students from around the country compete in the US Congressional App Challenge by creating a useful software application. Every participating Congressional district chooses a winning team that is invited to DC to meet members of Congress. The winning team's app is also put on display at the US Capitol building and featured on their website.

This year students in Mr. Kaiser's class made some incredible apps, and they were fortunate to have been chosen among the winners. We are proud to announce that BHS students were on teams that placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for our district (#5). Congressman Mike Thompson personally congratulated the teams on a Zoom meeting last week. We were especially pleased to see that the students created apps that addressed relevant issues like climate change and nutrition.

Congratulations to:

1st place: Carbon Counters by Elizabeth Beauparlant (11) and Olivia Petit (11)

2nd place: Climate Savers by Alli McCabe (12) and Anthony Kam (12)

3rd place: Food Facts by Arman Bance (12) and 3 students that are not from Benicia schools

Class of 2023 Families:

We want to share information with you about the new FAFSA requirement for the Class of 2023. This information went out to Seniors via school email and to families via ParentSquare on November 3rd.

Assembly Bill 469 requires schools to make sure that high school seniors complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students/Families may elect to opt out of this requirement by submitting an opt-out form to our Counseling Office by December 1, 2022.

To date, 161 Benicia High seniors have completed the FAFSA (49% of seniors). We provided a Financial Aid Night event and have the recording available here for your reference:
LINK TO FINANCIAL AID NIGHT RECORDING

For more information about this requirement and responses to "Frequently Asked Questions" please read pages 2 through 5 of this document.

If you prefer to opt-out of this requirement, you must print, complete, and submit Page 1 of this document to our Counseling Office by December 1, 2022.

You can now check if we have received your FAFSA/CADAA or opt out form in Aeries. It may take a few days for our system to update. Follow the steps below if you'd like to confirm. Opt out forms are available in counseling.
1. Log into student/parent Aeries Full Portal (not mobile app)
2. Click 3 lines on top left corner
3. Select Student Info
4. Click Activities and Awards
If the student completed or opted out of the requirement, it will be listed here. If nothing is listed, you have not completed the requirement.

If you would like further assistance, please contact Senior Counselor Emily Rainey at erainey@beniciaunified.org

Thank you!
BHS Administration & Counseling

This year BHS students can use a new feature of Aeries called the Academic Plan. The Academic Plan helps students choose classes that meet their educational goals so they can get the best out of their high school experience. Students and parents can see the Academic Plan in Aeries and use the tools to view and understand planned completion of graduation requirements and college entrance requirements.

For 12th graders, the academic plan is already complete, but students should still use these tools to confirm they have completed all graduation and A-G requirements for 4-year colleges, if applicable.

While most of the 9th through 11th grade students have started to work on their Academic Plans, many have not yet completed and submitted their plans. Please talk with your student to review their plan and possibly help them complete and submit. Once submitted, their Counselor will review their plan prior to meeting with the student 1-on-1 in the second semester. Additionally, we will use Academic Plans as the main part of course requests for 2023-2024 class schedules. Students can make changes and submit their revised plans to their counselors - the plans are not final.

Parents should familiarize themselves with the features of the plan as there are tools you might find helpful when talking to your student about college or career options. Please use the links below for more information.

Academic Plan Student Worksheets

Aeries Academic Plan How to Video

BHS Course Catalog

Benicia High School's College & Career Center is providing four free student trips this year to visit a range of colleges and employers throughout the area to help students learn about the various options as they plan for life after high school. Students interested in attending one of the quarterly field trips should stop by the College & Career Center, room H-109, or the Counseling Office to pick up the forms and reserve a seat. Bus transportation will be provided by the school district. Students can request a free school lunch, bring their lunch, or bring money to purchase lunch during the trip.

Upcoming events:

• Wednesday, February 15th: College & Career Field Trip - Location TBD
• Thursday, February 23rd: DVC Enrollment Presentation (Seniors Only) at Access in L116/117
• Wednesday, March 28th: College & Career Field Trip - Location TBD

College & Career Center Events in January:

• Tuesday, January 10th: U.S. Army Information Table at Lunch in the Main Quad
• Thursday, January 12th: Benicia Police Department Cadet Program Information Table at Lunch in the Main Quad
• Thursday, January 19th: Seniors Only - FAFSA Lab during Access in H109
• Tuesday, January 24th: U.S. Air Force Information Table at Lunch in the Main Quad
• Thursday, January 26th: Banking for Beginners Workshop during Access in N2
• Thursday, January 26th: Benicia Police Department Cadet Program Information Table at Lunch in the Main Quad

Questions? Contact Ms. Marwick in the College & Career Center or via email at gmarwick@beniciaunified.org

Stuck on homework? Need help preparing for a test?

Too shy to ask a question during class?

Paper is here to help!

Paper connects students to a real human tutor 24/7, 365 days a year, on ANY subject through a live chat feature. Students can also submit written work (essays, lab reports, college applications, writing prompts, resumes and more) and receive feedback in less than 24 hours.

Full access to Paper is available to students now!

Go to app.paper.co/login and login with your school account, or

Click on the Paper app on your Clever dashboard

Students - try these Paper Prompts for ideas to start using Paper!

What is the Benicia Mentor Program?

The mentoring program started in 2002 at Liberty High and expanded to Benicia High and

Benicia Middle Schools in 2009. The mentors are community members who volunteer their

time to connect with and support students.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor is vetted through the BUSD and is not meant to take the place of a parent or

guardian, but is an adult friend whom a student can speak with about what may be going on in

their lives. The mentor is not there to correct, tutor, or change student, but to be role models

who are able to share from their life experiences. The mentor and student meet weekly on

campus, during the school day. Also, if there comes a time when we feel your student is in

danger to themselves or others, the mentor will communicate their concern to the school

administration for further action.

Why a need for a Mentoring Program?

As we are all well aware of, the past 3 yrs. have been unprecedented. Some students are better

at “covering up” their needs, frustrations, and fears than others are. Many students are trying

to figure out how they fit into today’s world and how they will be able to deal with the threats

of violence, changes to laws that may affect them, or if there will be employment waiting for

them when they graduate. There are times a student would rather bounce things off an adult

who is not their parent or guardian. It is by no means a put down to the parent, but it is a good

thing that another caring adult can be there for your child.

How Do You Get Your Student Involved?

I am Ric Small and I have been involved in the mentoring program from the beginning. I would

be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and to get your student signed up.

We have a form for the parent/guardian and student to sign. Please contact me at 707-333-

4509, or ric@alonzosmall.com.

Mental health and well-being is a priority for feeling safe, comfortable, and ready to learn at school. In support of this, we have invested in several resources that you can access whenever you need help. You are not alone and it is an act of bravery and strength to seek help. We encourage you to use our on-campus resources and save the community resources so you can easily find them if you or someone you know needs help.

• Access help by visiting the Wellness Center

• Sign up for support with a counselor or ask to talk with a school psychologist

• Talk with a trusted staff member

• BUSD has partnered with Care Solace to support our community’s mental health

If you or a family member is looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. Care Solace’s care navigation services are confidential and complimentary to Benicia Unified School District’s students, staff, and their families. Care Solace’s team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

• Call 888-515-0595, available 24/7/365

• Visit www.caresolace.com/beniciausd to search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

In an emergency:

• Call 911 or and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) response

• Go to the closest emergency room for support

• Call the National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor

• Trevor Lifeline LGBTQQ+ Crisis Support: 1-866-488-7386

Benicia High School is excited to announce our continued partnership with the Willie B. Adkins Scholars Program and invite students to apply to participate for the 2022-2023 school year! We recently completed our first year of partnership and want to grow this program and recruit more students to join for this second year of the program at BHS. The students who have participated have found this to be a very positive and helpful experience!

LINK TO WEBSITE & APPLICATION

From September 20th through May 23rd, the program meets every Tuesday in room L-116 at Benicia High School, with Study Hall from 5:30pm-6:30pm and the Program Meeting from 6:30pm-8:30pm. They are also planning a Spring Break College Tour this year!

Willie B. Adkins Scholars Program is a college preparatory program, working to ensure that students are leaving the program with the right tools and a good understanding of what's expected of them beyond high school. Through their strategically planned year-long curriculum, activities, and events, they strive to meet these objectives. For more information about the program, please visit: https://www.williebadkins.com/ourservices.htm

Make your student's birthday extra special with a Marquee Birthday Wish! For $20 you can put their name in lights on the BHS marquee and send a birthday wish they'll never forget.

1. Submit the information using this Google Form - must be submitted at least 5 days prior to the requested posting date.

2. Purchase the Marquee Wish on the BHS Webstore. Message requests will not be posted unless they are also paid in advance.

This is a fundraiser for the BHS Associated Student Body and benefits students through school activities.

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

Student Parking Passes are FREE, 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.

Panther fans can now purchase spirit wear online with a range of items and accessories and proceeds benefitting our general athletics program. Items are delivered directly to you - including hats, blankets, jackets, shirts, backpacks, wall decals, and more. You can even design your own items!

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/california/benicia/benicia-high-school

We will still continue to offer spirit wear sales on campus that benefit our Associated Student Body (ASB) and various team wear. Thank you in advance for supporting your BHS Panthers!

Benicia High School is proud to partner with our Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) and work together to build a positive school community. Last year we were successful in growing our membership, adding to our Memory Brick project in Drolette Stadium, and meeting our goal to donate $10,000 to the purchase and installation of 6 more water bottle filling stations across campus.

Join us! Become a member today - every parent, family member, student, and staff member can join PTSA for just $10 per person. (Membership link below)

Support our fundraisers! Add us as your charity of choice on AmazonSmile, make a direct donation along with your membership purchase, and check here each month to learn about our current fundraisers. Every dollar makes a difference or our students!!

We look forward to having you join our PTSA and become a member of this amazing school community!

Shopping on Amazon? Be sure to use Amazon Smile and select "Benicia High PTSA" as the charitable organization of your choice. A small percentage of your purchase will benefit Benicia High School thanks to the PTSA's projects, scholarships, and grants. If you are already signed up with Amazon Smile, be sure to renew your selected charitable organization each year.

Amazon Smile is now available on the Amazon app also!

For students seeking a work permit for after school or weekend employment, Ms. Gladi in the College & Career Center is available to assist you. To start the work permit process, the student must work with their potential employer to first fill out the “Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for Work Permit.” The student can then email the document to Ms. Gladi at mgladi@beniciaunified.org for review and completion.

Link to Work Permit Document

We are pleased to announce our district-wide participation in the National School Lunch and School

Breakfast Programs with the California “Universal Meal”. All students enrolled in the Benicia School

District will receive breakfast and lunch free of charge each day they are at school. All food and

beverages served at BUSD schools meet state and federal requirements.

Families still need to complete the Free/Reduced Meal Application on the BUSD web site for the following other benefits:

• Student eligibility for Pandemic-EBT benefits (more information below)

• Student eligibility for discounted services such as Advanced Placement Exams and home internet/WiFi services

• Discounted college application fees

• School eligibility for significant additional State Funding

How to access the Free/Reduced Meal Application:

• Apply on line at: http://www.myschoolapps.com/
• You will be notified with the results

Should a family need to request special meals or accommodations for a student for medical purposes, please use THIS FORM and email the completed form to smurcia@beniciaunified.org.

Communication is a key component to a successful school community. Our team of administrators, counselors, teachers, case managers, and staff members work to provide the best communication possible throughout the year and ask that you partner with us in this effort.

An area of concern regarding communication are the online forums and apps such as the “Benicia Happenings” group on Facebook, Next Door app, and similar pages/social media sites. On several occasions, incorrect information has been posted and negative or bullying remarks have been directed towards the school, staff, parents, and other individuals. Spreading false information is extremely disruptive and may compromise the work of the school and school safety. Posting negative and disparaging comments damages the positive school culture we work to create every day.

In high school we encourage students to grow to be self-advocates and to communicate for themselves. Most concerns can be addressed and solved when the student proactively and positively communicates directly with their teacher or their counselor. For further assistance, we provide a communication guide on our website with information on who to contact and the timeline to expect a response.

In an effort to provide high quality communication, we ask that questions be directed to school staff via email or phone so that correct information can be provided. When in doubt, contact the school. Our Main Office number is (707) 747-8325 and if you are not sure who to email you can send your question to BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org and we will direct it to the correct person to assist you. We also recommend use of our website, school-operated social media accounts, and monthly newsletter to access accurate and timely information. We thank you in advance for your support in this effort.

Link to BHS Communication Guide

Email: BHSinfo@beniciaunified.org
Website: bhs.beniciaunified.org/
Location: 1101 Military West, Benicia, CA, USA
Phone: (707) 747-8325
Facebook: facebook.com/BeniciaHighPanthers
Twitter: @BeniciaHighBHS

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.