CB West High School
West Times Newsletter February 2, 2024
WINTER NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING
CB West Athletics will be holding our second National Letter of Intent Signing celebration of the 2023-24 school year on Wednesday February 21, 2024, at 2pm in the CB West Gymnasium. All eligible senior athletes committing to Division I, II, or III colleges should register via the link below by Monday February 19th.
CHOP NEUROLOGY HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Is your student looking for an exciting opportunity this summer? The Division of Child Neurology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will run it's annual Neurology High School Scholars Program beginning this July!
The High School Scholars program offers the opportunity for three to four high school students to complete a five-week paid internship ($1,000 stipend). The internship involves working closely with a neurologist/neuroscientist on a basic science or clinical research project, and shadowing physicians in clinic. Work hours will be determined between the student and mentor based on project need. At the end of the five weeks, students will be expected to prepare a poster presentation outlining their project results.
Orientation for the internship is scheduled for Friday, July 5, 2024. The internship runs from Monday, July 8th to August 15, 2024. Families and friends are encouraged to attend.
The application will open on February 2, 2024, and will close on March 1, 2024. No extensions will be given.
The link to the application and more details about the program can be found here:
CLASS OF 2024 CAP & GOWN INFORMATION
If you haven’t already done so, please visit the Balfour website below, to order your student's cap and gown by February 25, 2024, to avoid late fees.
https://www.buildagrad.com/cbw
Upon entering your order information, please be sure to select “Spring 2024 Commencement” and that you choose a specific package. Students have the option to choose black or gold. Make sure you have your student ID and credit card information ready when placing your order. A late fee will be charged on all orders placed after February 25, 2024. No orders will be accepted after April 25, 2024.
All orders will be sent to CB West. A date and time for student pickup will be determined and communicated later this spring.
STUDENT SERVICES
PreACT (10th Grade)
The PreACT will be offered to CB West 10th grade students on March 16th, 2024. College bound 10th grade students are encouraged to take the PreACT to gain exposure to the ACT, an exam many colleges use when making admissions decisions. Visit the Student Services Testing Page for registration information: https://www.cbsd.org/Page/1002.
COLLEGE PLANNING PRESENTATION (11TH Grade)
The Student Services Department will be hosting an evening presentation for students and parents on February 29th at 6pm in the CB West auditorium. Topics will include several aspects of college planning, including narrowing the list of prospective schools and admissions. We hope to see you there!
Program Planning for the 2024-2025 School Year:
Please visit the Program Planning Website for up-to-date information, resources, and links for students and parents regarding course registration for the 24-25 school year. Current CB West students will watch a live stream presentation during extended Advisories on Thursday, January 11th. Counselors will review the program planning timeline, process, required credits and course suggestions for students.
Tuesday, January 2: Program of Studies will be available on the District Website.
Interested in Middle Bucks Institute of Technology? Please check out their Programs and their Application webpage for more information!
Thursday, January 4: Curriculum Fair for Rising Sophomores only at CB West at 6:30PM.
Friday, January 5: Portal opens for student course input. The portal will remain open until Sunday, February 4. Instructions for course registration on the portal will be posted on the Program Planning website. Students will enter course selections online through the Student Portal. While the portal is open, students will meet with their school counselors individually to answer questions about courses, levels, sequencing, and how their programming can relate to future pursuits.
Thursday, January 11th : School Counselors will present Program Planning information during an Extended Advisory to 10th and 11th grades, including how to register for courses, choose classes, and determine appropriate levels (Academic, Honors, AP).
Friday, January 12th: AP & Elective Fair Students will have the ability to go and visit classrooms during Lunch and Learn to learn about elective and AP offerings before they choose their courses for next year!
Tuesday, February 6- Fri, March 15: Sophomore and Junior counselors will meet with each student to review requests, prerequisites, graduation credits, and will address all questions and concerns with students. Counselors will contact students to schedule appointments during this time.
Friday, March 15 Verification of course requests will be available on the student portal. Students and parents should review courses for accuracy and must notify their counselor immediately regarding any final changes to their course requests.
Wednesday, March 20 All changes to requests must be submitted to a counselor by this date. No changes will be allowed for the 2024-25 school year unless it is due to a level change supported by the recommending teacher or a failure to meet a prerequisite.
College Applications
Seniors, please be aware due to the snow days, mid-year reports will not be available until February 15.
Apply Day with Bucks County Community College Seniors, if you are hoping to enroll at BCCC for next school year, stop by on Thursday February 8th from 10:30am-11:30am for an Apply Day in the Student Services Conference Room. You will meet with an admissions counselor to officially enroll! Reach out to your counselor with any questions! Secure your appointment by signing up on Naviance.
Career Training at Bucks County Community College
Have a Senior who is exploring non-college pathways after high school? Bucks County Community College offers FREE training programs in several different fields. Visit the BCCC Workforce Development page for more information: https://www.bucks.edu/workforcedevelopment/.
FINANCIAL AID
The FAFSA (link) is the primary way to access need based financial aid for college. Students seeking need-based scholarships and student loans to help pay for college should plan on completing the FAFSA, which is now open.
Some colleges and universities will require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA for need based aid consideration. This requirement should be listed on the college’s website, but you should also check the list of schools requiring the CSS Profile on the College Board website (link).
Upcoming Financial Aid Sessions
Need specific help with filling out the FAFSA? On February 21st 6-7pm and April 9th 6-7pm PHEAA Access Partners will present a Line-by-Line Overview of the 2024-25 FAFSA Process to guide students and families through a step-by-step process of filing the FAFSA and PA State Grant applications.
By late winter, many students will receive financial aid packages from colleges, but it can be overwhelming to understand how to compare those packages. On Wednesday, March 20th 6-7pm PHEAA Access Partners Amy Sawdey and Wendy Dunlap will present Understanding and Comparing Financial Aid Offers which provides information on the steps students should take after completing the FAFSA. They will discuss the financial aid process, strategies to review and understand financial aid offers from colleges, and how to compare different types of aid.
AP Exams:
Students will join their AP Classroom account with their teachers for the Spring semester.
On Monday, February 5, the My Payments Plus System will open for all Spring semester AP exams. Students must go to My Payments Plus (set up an account if you don’t already have one) to register and pay for any Spring AP exam that they wish to take in May of 2024.
The MPP system will remain open for registration and payment of Spring exams until March 4, 2024.
College Admissions Exams
See the CB West Student Services “testing page” for suggested college admissions exam plans: https://www.cbsd.org/Page/1002. Current Juniors should plan to take the SAT/ACT after completing Algebra 2.
The Community Wellness Fair will feature over 60 vendors, each offering a diverse range of services tailored for kids, teens, and families. This is a unique opportunity for you to engage directly with providers, gaining insights into the various resources available to support your well-being.
Highlighted Services:
• Mental Health: Explore information about counseling services, mental health resources, and strategies for emotional well-being.
• Behavioral Health: Learn about available treatments, interventions, and support systems for behavioral health.
• General Wellness: Discover a variety of wellness services and options, from fitness programs to nutrition guidance.
CB REALIGNMENT INFORMATION
In anticipation of the grade level realignment for the 2025-2026 school year, the district extends an open invitation to parents, guardians, students, and community members to provide their questions and feedback here. We greatly value your input as it plays a vital role in our decision-making process, ensuring that our choices are in the best interest of our entire community. To learn more about this initiative, please visit our website: www.cbsd.org/cbrealign.
WEST YEARBOOK INFORMATION
Don’t forget to reserve your child an Antler yearbook for this school year - books can be reserved until April 30th. After that, they will only be sold on a first come, first serve basis. For the past five years, we have had an increase in the demand for yearbooks, so be sure to order your yearbook online at www.jostens.com .
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION LETTER
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH INFORMATION
Link to English video: https://vimeo.com/748146211
Link to Spanish video: https://vimeo.com/748143109
Click HERE for frequently asked questions
Laptop Breakage Information
Laptop Breakage
We have seen a rise in the amount of screen breaks for student laptops. Our policy covers for 2 broken screens per device. If your child’s laptop screen breaks 3 times, we will be required to send you an invoice for the repair and labor. The current cost for this is $200. Please remind your child to care for their laptops. Some simple steps to assist are:
- Use two hands when holding or moving the device.
- Use clean hands while using the laptop or iPad.
- Use only the provided digital pen or finger on the screen.
- Use only the power adapter that came with the device.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen.
- Keep device stored in the provided case. This includes traveling through the hallways, on buses, or anytime the device is not being utilized.
- Make sure nothing is on the keyboard, close the lid, and remove all cables if any are plugged into the laptop. Place laptop in your bag carefully.
- Be careful when placing your case on the floor. Keep the device off the floor so screens do not get stepped on by others.
Parents of Student Drivers
Our goal each day is make sure that all students, faculty, buses, and drivers exit our school campus safely. To ensure that safety, we are requesting that you please reinforce safe driving habits with your student driver. There have been several vehicle accidents that may have been prevented through safer driving practices.
- Drivers should maintain a speed of 15 MPH or less while driving on MacFarlane and in the school zone area.
- Drivers are to stop for pedestrians entering the crossing areas.
- Drivers are not to change lanes on MacFarlane
- Drivers should not be using electronic devices while driving.
- Drivers/Students should not be yelling from one vehicle to the next or getting out of one vehicle to get in another.
- Please try to limit the number of passengers in the car with your student. This will assist in being more attentive while driving.
Thank you for your assistance !
From the Attendance Office
* ANYTIME you come or go from CB West during the school day you MUST check in with attendance.
- ANYTIME you leave school for early dismissal we MUST hear from a PARENT or GUARDIAN via phone or the portal.
- PARENTS or GUARDIANS can put early dismissals, late arrivals, absences, and vacation time in the portal.
- Absences and tardies can be excused for valid reasons with a note, a phone call, or through the portal by PARENTS or GUARDIANS ONLY.
- PARENTS or GUARDIANS have three days to excuse absences or tardies. (Exceptions may be made)
- Students are NOT PERMITTED to leave for lunch during Lunch & Learn.
Children’s Health Insurance Program
CHIP is Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program for uninsured children and teens up to age 19.
Click on the link for more information about CHIP.