BHS School Counseling Newsletter
2019 - 2020 Issue 2
Upcoming Dates & Deadlines
FEBRUARY
February 28th - Midpoint of the 3rd Quarter Marking Period
February 28th - Last day to register for the April 4th ACT
MARCH
March 6th - Last day to drop a course without a "W" on a transcript
March 11th - College Night for Junior Parents & Students, 7 pm in the HS Library
March 25th - The SAT will be offered for free to all juniors, no registration needed
March 27th - March 14th SAT scores available
APRIL
April 3rd - Last day to register for the May 2nd SAT
April 3rd - Last day of the 3rd Quarter Marking Period (Subject to change due to possible snow days)
April 22nd - The PSAT10 will be offered for free to all sophomores, no registration needed
CLASS NEWS
Freshmen
- Individual Learning Plan (ILP) Update - In the fall, counselors met with students to introduce to Richer Picture, the platform that freshmen and sophomores will be using to create their Individual Learning Plans. (For more information on Richer Picture please see the article below.) Students will have the opportunity to establish three goals (academic, college/career, and personal/social), input any relevant information into their resume and complete a personality inventory.
Sophomores
- Individual Learning Plan (ILP) Update - In the fall, counselors met with students to introduce to Richer Picture, the platform that freshmen and sophomores will be using to create their Individual Learning Plans. (For more information on Richer Picture please see the article below.) Students will have the opportunity to establish three goals (academic, college/career, and personal/social), input any relevant information into their resume and complete a personality inventory.
Juniors
- ILP - Update your resume on Richer Picture AND continue working on Naviance to explore post-secondy schools and careers. School Counselors will be meeting with you individually and we will review your college/career list on Naviance. We will also review your course selection with you during this meeting.
- Complete your registration for the SAT and/or ACT tests that you plan to take this spring.
Seniors
- Mid-Year Reports and Transcripts were submitted to all colleges listed on your Common Application accounts.
- Finalize any regular decision applications that you may have.
- Check the School Counseling Website regularly to monitor the available scholarships that are posted.
- There are many local scholarships that students should consider applying for...every little bit helps!
2020-2021 Course Selection Process Review
· The Program of Studies is posted on the BHS Website.
· Students are encouraged to review the course recommendations that their current teachers have entered into X2.
· Students can request to meet with their counselors individually if they need any assistance with selecting their courses and/or creating/revising their 4-Year Plan.
· Beginning February 3rd, students must enter their course requests ONLINE via X2 and this must be done by February 14th.
· Students who cannot log into X2 should send an email to x2help@barringtonschools.org and request access to their X2 account.
· Students must select a total of 6.0 or 6.5 credits.
· Students should list alternate choices for electives in the event that it does not work in their schedule, it is full or it does not run.
· Once courses are selected and entered into X2, counselors will work with students, parents, and teachers regarding any scheduling concerns that arise.
Student Instructions for Entering Course Requests on X2
First log into Aspen, click the My info top tab, Requests side tab
- Choose your courses. Make sure you click on the correct course number
- If this is a full course - select both S1 and S2.
- Can't remember your password? Email X2help@barringtonschools.org
- Make sure you have the course numbers available to enter into Aspen
- All courses are listed by Department - you should have a MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, ENGLISH course, then electives.
- Enter the course number, it will populate BOTH Semester 1 and Semester 2
- PE is pre-loaded with .50 credits
- You should have a minimum 6.0 credits and a maximum of 6.5 credits.
- If the course you want is not listed because it is not in the typical scope and sequence, please type a note and your counselor will see it, then click post.
- Courses will list in their abbreviated form, ex: you sign up for Spanish II - this means Spanish 2, level 1, it will list as Span I, it's abbreviated list. As long as you have inputted the correct course number, it is correct. Keep in mind ALL courses are checked by counselors AND subject teachers.
- Make sure you input alternate electives. If you do not get into an elective, your name will be added to an alternate course.
CTE & Graduation Pathways - Exciting Options for the Class of 2021, 2022 and Class of 2023
Starting with the class of 2021, students have the option of completing a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway and/or a Graduation Pathway.
Here is a brief description of the two types of pathways currently offered at BHS:
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Certification Pathways - This option begins freshman year with the selection of specific classes as well as the completion of 80 hours of work-based learning to be completed over the duration of a student's high school career. All CTE Certification Pathways conclude with a certification assessment and recognition by the State of Rhode Island.
Current CTE Pathways include the following:
Architecture
3-D Design
Computer Information Sciences
Pre-Engineering
Television Production
Graduation Pathways - This option will allow students to declare a Graduation Pathway during the second semester of sophomore year. There is a series of required coursework, optional coursework, and 30 hours of work-based learning. In addition, an application project must be completed. There is not a required certification assessment, and this is not recognized by the State of Rhode Island.
Current Graduation Pathways include the following:
Business Pathways
- Finance
- Entrepreneurship
- Marketing
The Arts Pathway
- Music Teaching
STEM Pathways
- Robotics
- Laboratory Technician
- Coding
- Science Research
Government & Citizenship Pathway
Both CTE and Graduation Pathway options allow students to take 1-2 less credits to graduate based on the number of selected pathways.
Stay tuned for more exciting options as more pathways develop!
*Please see the Program of Studies for more guidelines and specifics.
*You can also view the BHS website for further information.
Richer Picture
College Night for Juniors and Their Parents
College Night for juniors and their parents is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11th at 7:00 pm in the High School Library. This is a worthwhile event as Cynthia Bonn, Dean of Admissions at URI, will be presenting information about important factors in the college search process.
Social Emotional Counseling Groups
The School Counseling department will be running several counseling groups throughout the year.
Below is a list of groups that counseling staff will run if we have enough interest:
• Anxiety (general)/Stress
• Grief
• COA - Children of Addiction
• Newcomers - Students new to the district
• Connections - Students experiencing difficulty making friends and/or building relationships
• Substance Use - Students who want to decrease/stop using substances
• Senior Transition - Students experiencing anxiety related to the demands of senior year
If you or someone you know would benefit from participating in a counseling group, please contact your school counselor for more information.
Each group will meet once per week for six weeks.
Student Assistance Program News
The Student Assistance Program is offering the following presentations/activities for students during the second semester
SAVE A LIFE TOUR
On February 27th, all sophomores will participate in a distracted driving program called the "Save a Life Tour". Students will learn about different types of distracted driving and have a chane to use a driving simulator that showcases how distractions and impairment affect driving abilities.
TAKE DOWN TOBACCO
March 18th, BHS will be celebrating "Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action", by sharing information with students about the harmfu effects of tobacco and nicotine in all types of products including vapes.
CHRIS HERREN DOCUMENTARY "THE FIRST DAY"
This semester, students in grades 9-12 will view The First Day, a substance use prevention film by Chris Herren. Herren, former NBA player, author and wellness advocate has shared his story with over 1 million people nationwide. The First Day chronicles his journey, revealing Herren's vulnerability and his profound connections with high school students. The first Day addresses issues that school systems, communities and people across the country are impacted by both directly or indirectly including substance use and mential illness.
Students will also take part in an advisory lesson that addresses issues from the film
GROUPS
Children of Substance Abusers Group- This group is for students who have a parent or sibling who struggle with a substance use disorder.
Senior Group- Focus will be on senior students who are experiencing stress around transition to college, the military or the workforce.
To refer a student to a group, please call Student Assistance Counselor Joanne Royley MA, CSAC at (401) 247-3154 or email at royleyj@barringtonschools.org
Contact Information:
220 Lincoln Ave
Barrington, RI 02806
(401) 247-3154
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