BHS Parent/Student Newsletter
February 2020
2019-2020 Counseling Office Personnel
- Christine Bryan, Counseling Dept. Chair, Class of 2020
- Jackie Wilder, Class of 2021
- Marcus Lyons, Class of 2022
- Paige Swanson, Class of 2023
- Kim Garrott, Graduation Coach
- Marina Sadler, Counseling Registrar
- Carole Kasbee, Counseling Clerk
Website: https://bhs.rcschools.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=546786&type=d&pREC_ID=1285475
Phone: 615.904.3850
Twitter: @blazecounseling
PROM TICKETS - ON SALE SOON!!
Prom is Friday, April 17
UPCOMING TEST DATES:
March 17 - testing at BHS for all 11th graders - no registration needed
April 4, 2020 - registration deadline 2/28
REGISTER AT http://act.org
The Blackman High School code is 431636.
ACT Resources for Parents and Students
ACT has some great resources available on their website for college and career planning!! Check them out here: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/students-and-parents/college-planning-articles.html
ARE YOU TAKING THE STEPS NECESSARY TO GET WHERE YOU WANT TO GO???
Thinking about DUAL ENROLLMENT for 2020-21?? Here's what you need to know:
Dual Enrollment (DE) courses allow students to participate in college level courses conducted during the school day on the BHS campus. Dual Enrollment courses use Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee state standards. The tuition cost of a Dual Enrollment class is $166.00 per credit hour. This cost can be offset by the Dual Enrollment Grant, if the student is ruled eligible. For more information or to begin registration, please visit the MTSU Dual Enrollment page: https://www.mtsu.edu/dualenrollment/
To be eligible for the Dual Enrollment program, students must be:
1) A junior or senior
2) Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA or 22 ACT score* and
3) Complete the MTSU Dual Enrollment Application and all other required paperwork.
*some courses do not have a required score for admission but ALL STUDENTS must have taken the PreACT, the ACT or the PSAT in order to enroll in Dual Enrollment.
Students have received information in their registration packets.
For a printable brochure click the following link: https://www.mtsu.edu/dualenrollment/DE_Proof2.pdf
Applications are now available at https://www.rutherfordchamber.org/youth-leadership-rutherford.html.
PROGRAM INFORMATION AND CONTENT
Youth Leadership Rutherford is directed by Leadership Rutherford and Rutherford Works.
Youth Leadership Rutherford consists of a orientation program in September, seven program days from October- April and graduation in April. Each day focuses on a major area of community concern and explores issues of leadership within the context of that subject. The goal of each day is to open the minds of participants to the viewpoints that surround each issue and enable young people to become more visionary leaders.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
- To enhance leadership skills and increase community awareness in high school students
- To provide students with a practical understanding of major challenges and opportunities facing Rutherford County
- To enhance the educational experience of future leaders in Rutherford County
PROGRAM TOPICS
- Are You Ready for What's Next After High School?
- Civic Engagement - Exercising Your Constitutional Right
- Community Engagement & Volunteerism
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Personal Branding & Financial Success
- Your Role as a Leader in Rutherford County Today and Tomorrow
Parent/Teacher Conferences
EPSO (Early Postsecondary Opportunities)
Blackman High offers the following EPSOs:
- Advanced Placement (AP) Courses (Cost: $94 per exam)
- Dual Enrollment (DE) Courses (Uses the DE Grant to pay tuition)
- Industry Certification (IC) (Cost varies)
- Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) (Free to all students)
- CLEP (Cost - Exam Fee)
- Local Dual Credit (LDC) (Cost: Exam Fee)
For more detailed description and a list of current EPSOs, visit www.bhs.schools.net for the 2020-21 course catalog.
Graduation Requirements
English = 4 credits
Math = 4 credits
Science = 3 credits
Social Studies = 2 credits
Government/Economics = 1 credit
Fine Art = 1 credit
Personal Finance = ½ credit
Wellness = 1 ½ credit
Foreign Language = 2 credits
Elective focus (pathway) = 3 credits
Elective = 1 credit
*A total of 23 credits are needed for graduation.
Graduating with Honors and Distinction
To graduate with honors students must meet the following ACT benchmarks:
English: 18
Math: 22
Reading: 22
Science: 23
Distinction
To graduate with distinction students must attain a 3.0 GPA and meet one of the following criteria:
- Participate in at least one Governor’s School
- Participate in one of the TN’s all State musical organizations
- Be selected as a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist
- Attain a composite score of 31 or higher on the ACT
- Attain a score of 3 or higher on at least 2 Advanced Placement Exams
- Earn 12 or more semester hours of transcripted postsecondary credit
- Earn a nationally recognized industry certification
*Seniors must let their counselor know by December if they are graduating with distinction.
Attendance Matters!
Check your grades online!
Click the Skyward link at the top of the BHS or RCS homepage.
Parents: Use the login information that you were emailed earlier in the year. If you did not receive an email, contact your child's grade level counselor or the attendance office to get your login information.
Launch My Career
- Need help searching for colleges, majors, and jobs while evaluating salaries and what matches your goals?
- Launch My Career makes it possible to help you cut through what can be confusing and overwhelming information.
- Click here to check out the Launch My Career TN website and use their tools to help you learn more about your future career!
Freshman Orientation - Class of 2024
Thursday, Mar 12, 2020, 06:00 PM
Blackman High School Main Gym
FOCUS ON FRESHMEN (CLASS OF 2023)
REGISTRATION TIME IS HERE!!! Information was given out last week in English classes. Take some time to go over the registration packet and make the best choices you can for next year!!! Remember registration meetings will be going on beginning Monday, Feb. 3 through Feb. 25th in D-17 computer lab. Please email Mrs. Swanson (mailto:swansonp@rcschools.net) if you have questions before or after your meeting.
The end of your freshman year will be here before you know it - take a minute to reflect -how are you doing on the following? Do you need to work harder at any of these?
1. Make good impressions, especially on teachers. What kind of impression are you making on your teachers and peers?? Are you going to look back and wish you had done something differently?
2. Find a group of people to sit with at lunch – as soon as possible. Did you pick your table wisely? Are you positively affecting those around you?
3. Do not procrastinate. Are you turning in assignments promptly? Do you plan projects out over a period of time or "cram it in" at the last minute?
4. You need your friends for survival. Are your friends someone you can lean on and someone who cares. Do they like you for who you are?
5. Accept change. Change is not always easy - Are you growing or sitting still??
6. Study! What study skills have you learned this year? Are you making studying a habit - the same time and place each day?
7. Be involved in some sort of extracurricular activity. What extracurricular activities are you involved or interested in? Have you made an effort to find out more information about them?
8. Eat lunch. Whether you eat in the cafeteria or bring your lunch your brain/body needs energy to perform.
If you need assistance with any of the above or anything else at school - please feel free to come by my office!!
#GoBlaze
Mrs. Swanson
SOMETHING FOR SOPHOMORES (CLASS OF 2022)
REGISTRATION TIME IS HERE!!! Information was given out last week in English classes. Take some time to go over the registration packet and make the best choices you can for next year!!! Remember registration meetings will be going on beginning Monday, Feb. 3 through Feb. 25th in D-17 computer lab. Please email Mr. Lyons (mailto:lyonsm@rcschools.net) if you have questions before or after your meeting.
As you plan for next year, check each of the following and ask yourself if you are doing your best at each. If not, get to work on finishing this year strong. When thinking about your classes next year, be sure to check out the information earlier in the newsletter on Dual Enrollment courses we offer through MTSU.
1. Be Present- don’t waste this year waiting for the next.
2. Challenge yourselves- set goals and become disciplined.
3. Get out there and be involved- if you want to try new things, now is the time.
4. Stay on top of your academics.
5. Start Now- it’s never too early to start getting ready for college.
6. Check with 3 potential colleges websites for entrance requirements.
7. Start keeping a resume of your accomplishments, service hours, etc.
8. Be proactive- If you need anything at all just come by the counseling office, our doors are always open.
Mr. Lyons
JUST FOR JUNIORS (CLASS OF 2021)
REGISTRATION TIME IS HERE!!! Information was given out last week in English classes. Take some time to go over the registration packet and make the best choices you can for your senior year!!! Remember registration meetings will be going on beginning Monday, Feb. 3 through Feb. 25th in D-17 computer lab. Please email Mrs. Wilder (wilderj@rcschools.net) if you have questions before or after your meeting.
It's never too early or too late to begin planning for the future!!! Reflect on each area below and work on any areas where you may not be doing as well as you could/should be.
1. Classes and Grades:
- Are you on track to graduate?
- Are you challenging yourself?
- Are your grades where they need to be for scholarships, etc?
2. Standardized Tests:
- ACT for all 11th grade on March 17th
- EOCs - are part of your final grade - are you doing your best to prepare for those?
3. College Planning:
- Are you researching colleges??
- What are some areas to consider when you do this research?
4. Career Research:
- Are you researching any careers?
- Have you taken an online career assessment?
- What colleges offer a major in the area where I'm interested?
5. Start a "Brag Sheet":
- Have you started your Brag Sheet???
- What should you include?
As I have said before - the more you accomplish/prepare in your junior year, the more you can relax and enjoy your senior year!!
Class of 2021 rocks!!!
Mrs. Wilder :)
Spotlight on Seniors (CLASS OF 2020)
February is here and in just three short months you'll be graduating!! Here are a few things for you to do this month...
1. Make a list & check it twice... Santa Claus makes a list and so should you! What do you still need to work on? Have you finished all of your applications? What about those scholarships? You can't create a schedule if you don't have a list so do this first!
- Applications .... check!
- Scholarships.... check!
- FAFSA....check!
- TN Promise students: started volunteering...check!
2. Time management tools are personal: What works for one student may not for another. I personally like the "hour by hour" method. This where I set a timer for an hour and work on one thing then when that hour is up, I do something else. Being quite ADHD, I found this keeps me focused so I can check off the things on my list. Be sure to schedule in time for rest and play, both are important! allows me to feel accomplished when I get to check something off my list. Find out what works for you and make a plan to get your list done!
3. Focus on what you can control: Make your list, do what you need to and don't worry about the rest! It will all fall into place, if you do what you need to.
4. Stay calm & don't forget to Breathe!!
5. Submit early and then "drop the mic": Complete all college and scholarship applications early. By completing them early, you can avoid possible mishaps such as servers crashing, etc. So submit early and drop the mic! & Don't forget to Celebrate!!
6. Show Gratitude! Tis the season to remember those who have helped you and show your appreciation. Often times just a simple thank you note goes a long way.
Remember I am here for you! You got this!!
JOB SHADOW AT NISSAN
If you are interested in going to Nissan for Job Shadow Day, here is a link for more information:
GRADUATION PRACTICE
Friday, May 15, 2020, 01:00 PM
Murphy Center, Middle Tennessee Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
College Acceptance Pennants
As you complete your college applications and start getting your letters(or emails) of acceptance, be sure to let Ms. Bryan know. We want to celebrate this huge accomplishment! For each college you are accepted to, a mini pennant will be created and will line the glass hallway!
Money, Money, Money.... (Scholarship Information)
The key is to APPLY, APPLY, APPLY!
TN Promise Checklist
- Complete College applications
- Complete FAFSA by February 7th
- Complete 8 hours of Volunteer work by the end of June
- Attend Mandatory meeting on Monday, March 16th at 5:30 - BHS Cafeteria
Need Help with College Applications and Scholarships....
TN Promise
FAFSA
Eric Farmer from Tennessee Student Assistance will be at Blackman Thursday, October 17 from 2:30-6:30 pm to help our senior students and parents of seniors complete their FAFSA. The library computer lab has been reserved.
HOPE Scholarship
College Visits
Transcript Requests
Colleges and universities will ask that your student send an official transcript when they apply. This is the process they should follow:
- Go to the counseling office and fill out a Transcript Request Form located beside Mrs. Sadler’s desk.
- Pay $2.
- It will be ready to pick up in 3 days or Mrs. Sadler can mail it for you.
Planning to play sports in college?
Graduation Information
Blackman High School Graduation Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
- When is graduation?
Blackman High School’s 2019 Graduation ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2019 at 7:00 p.m., at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center
- Do guests have to have tickets in order to attend graduation?
There are no tickets for guests.
- Is my senior limited on the number of guests he/she may invite?
There is no limit to the number of guests a senior may invite.
- Do seniors have to participate in graduation in order to graduate?
No. Participation in graduation is not a requirement for graduating from high school.
- Who do I contact for more information?
Information will be sent home with your senior in November, March, and late April. You may also contact Mr. Weeks, our graduation coordinator, if you need any assistance. His email address is weeksm@rcschools.net or you may leave him a message at (615)904-3850 ext. 22978