The Bellflower Beat 9.26.22
Bellflower Middle/High School Newsletter
Nearly the end of the 1st quarter!
Thank you all for nearly two great months of school! Listed below are just a few reminders:
- Bellflower Middle/High School does not permit any drop-offs or deliveries of food or other items. Please ensure that your student is prepared for the day when coming to school in the morning with their lunch, supplies, money, etc.
- Wearing a mask. At this time, wearing a mask remains optional. We follow the required regulations based upon the LA County Department of Health.
- Dress Code. Please be sure that your student follows the dress code and wears appropriate clothing and accessories. Bellflower hats are also the only school approved hat that can be worn at school.
- Headphones/Earbuds. Headphones/Earbuds of any sort may not be worn while on campus, unless used as an instructional tool for one of your classes. Such devices cannot be used between periods. It is a matter of safety that students are able to hear directives from adults on campus.
- No returning back to campus. If a student has an early release (7th or 8th period), once the student leaves campus, they may not return to campus.
For a full list of student policies on attendance and dress code, please click here.
End of Quarter 1 - Friday, October 7, 2022
This is a friendly reminder that the end of the first quarter will be on Friday, October 7th. It is a Maroon Day (Periods 1, 3, 5, 7), that will also be on a Minimum Day Schedule. Please see the Calendar and Bell Schedule at the very end of this newsletter to see when class times will begin and end for that day.
Importance of Attendance
Attendance is one of main indicators as to the academic and social/emotional outcomes of our students. This is why being present on a daily basis is instrumental to a child's success. Please see some of the statistics and information on the value of attending school everyday:
Did you know?
• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
• Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
• Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student’s academic success.
What you can do:
1. Make school attendance a priority
• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
• Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and non-Covid-19 related medical appointments during the school day.
• Keep your child healthy, and if you are concerned about Covid-19, call your school for advice.
• If your children must stay home because they are sick or in quarantine, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom.
2. Help your teen stay engaged
• Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.
• Make sure your children are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies.
If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution.
• Monitor you child’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school,
while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage your child to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.
• Notice and support your children if they are showing signs of anxiety.
3. Communicate with the school
• Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
• Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.
• Seek help from school staff, other parents or community agencies if you need support.
College Wednesdays
Senior Portraits
Ahoy Class of 2023!!! Classic Image is our vendor for your senior pictures! If you have not taken your senior pictures yet, please make an appointment with Classic Image to do so ASAP! Their hours are 9-5 Monday-Friday, so plan accordingly! The information about the packages is on the image attached to this message, listed below. Please contact Ms. Jass (Room 202) if you have questions, but you need to contact Classic Image for scheduling and questions about picture packages.
Make-Up Picture Day & Senior Portraits: Friday, October 7th
The Make-Up Picture Day will take place on Friday, October 7th, 2022. This will be for students that have not yet taken a school photo.
In addition, any senior who has NOT taken his or her Senior Portrait through Classic Image at the studio may also take his or her yearbook photo on this day.
Homecoming Game - Friday, September 30th
It's almost time for our Bellflower Middle/High School Homecoming Game! The homecoming game will take place on Friday, September 30th at 7:00pm, when our Bellflower Buccaneers will play against the Ghar Gladiators. The prices for the September 30th game are:
-Free for students with their ASB Card (ASB Card either printed or on Minga)
-General admission is $7
-Senior Citizen admission is $5
-Veteran with ID admission is $5
-Student/Youth admission is $5
You can click here to purchase your football ticket online in advance.
Homecoming Dance - Saturday, October 1st
The Homecoming Dance will be held on Saturday, October 1st at the Portuguese Hall in Artesia (also known as Artesia D.E.S.), located at 11903 Ashworth St., Artesia 90701. Students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to this dance! The dance permission slips are available in the ASB Office, which must be signed and submitted when paying for your ticket in the ASB Office. Planning on bringing a guest who is not a Bellflower High School student? Then the guest section of the dance permission slip must be filled out properly. If your guest is a high school student at another school, then his or her school administrator can sign off on the paperwork. If your guest is not currently a high school student, then your guest must be approved by a Bellflower High School administrator as well. The Bellflower High School student and guest must pay at the same time. If you have any questions regarding payment, please see our school accountant in the ASB Office. If you have any questions regarding the dance itself, please see Mrs. Hovis (room 411), our High School Activities Director.
Homecoming Rally - Friday, September 30th
Bellflower High School will hold our Homecoming Rally for students on Friday, September 30th during an extended 4th period. Below is the Rally Day Schedule. Students should wear their class colors on that day. Below the Rally Day schedule is the Homecoming Spirit Week. We hope to see students and staff participate!
Class Colors:
- Seniors - Yellow
- Juniors - Pink
- Sophomores - Blue
- Freshmen - Green
- 8th Grade - Purple
- 7th Grade - Orange
Free Virtual Parenting Workshop
Join us for ChildNet Youth & Family Services' free virtual workshops to learn parenting skills provided in English and Spanish, on Oct 21 (Understanding Mental Health Stigma). Please see the flier attached below, which contains the information regarding the virtual meetings.
School Holiday Approaching!!!
Just a reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 10.
California Great Shakeout!
On October 20, 2022, at 10:20 a.m., our entire school district, along with public K-12 schools and districts across the state, will participate in the 2022 California ShakeOut. This year’s ShakeOut has over 7,700,000 participants registered. On October 20, 2022 at 10:20 a.m. the entire district will conduct a full earthquake drill. This includes a “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drill, followed by a full evacuation.
California continuously suffers from earthquakes, and we want to make sure that our students are prepared. Families should sit down and have conversations with one another regarding earthquake preparedness. Families can visit the Great California Shake Out website for more information regarding the event, and to see how to manage your own earthquake preparedness plan at home. Click here to visit the Great California Shake Out Website. Or, you can click here to learn more about earthquakes and earthquake preparedness from the United States Geological Survey website. The USGS website also tracks all earthquakes around the world.
Cool Class Spotlight!
In today's newsletter, Bellflower Middle/High School wanted to highlight our Automotive class, led by Mr. Silvio De Armas, one of our recently hired instructors. The entire automotive room has been redone and now has state of the art equipment. The students learn about the latest advances in automotive technology, and the class promotes a hands-on experience with learning.
ELAC Meeting
Parents and Guardians: Please join us on Thursday, October 6th at 8:45am for our 1st official ELAC Meeting for the 2022-2023 school year. The meeting will take place in the College & Career Center (Room 401). We will have a Spanish interpreter at the meeting as well. ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) invites any parent or guardian, but we especially would like to see parents of students who are English Language Learners.
PTSA
Our PTSA Board Members and Volunteers are always happy to set up and help sell snacks during our home Varsity Football games. These funds go directly to our school community for family engagement events and our students here at Bellflower.
You can also pay for your PTSA membership online as well! Click here to be redirected to our PTSA Membership Payment site.
Our PTSA is always looking for more volunteers. Reach out to our PTSA President, Denise Rodriguez, at zdrodriguez@busd.k12.ca.us
We are also looking to expand our PTSA Board. We are in need of members to fill the following positions:
2nd VP Ways and Means
4th VP Parent Education
Teacher Representative
Parliamentarian
College Board National Recognition!
Several students earned the National Hispanic Recognition Award through the College Board National Recognition Program because of their academic achievements in school and outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and/or AP® Exams. They've accomplished these milestones during an immensely demanding period of their high school career. We couldn't be more delighted to share this great news.
The following students have been awarded:
Amanda T.
Andy O.
Christina D.
Irvin G.
Valeria R.
Please click here learn more about the College Board National Recognition Program.
Link Crew Updates
Our Link Crew leaders have been busy lately! They’ve been working hard to get the new Link Crew Lounge completed. Tutoring for 7th graders will be available everyday during 7th & 8th periods starting very soon. Students should listen to the announcements to see when this will officially begin.
Paper Tutoring
Did you know that free online tutoring is being provided by the BUSD district?
PAPER Online Tutoring isavailable for all students in 4th-12th grade through their Clever account. Students may ask tutors questions through the chat feature using the PAPER APP to get help with homework, feedback on their writing, or support with studying for assessments. The APP can be found in the Google Play and Apple APP store.
Click here to register for a free parent webinar (provided in English and Spanish). If your child needs more information about how to use PAPER, they can watch the following videos for more information:
Click here to watch the video titled "How Do Students Access 24/7 Live Help on PAPER?"
Click here to watch the video titled "How Do Students Use PAPER's Essay Review?"
HelpNow Tutoring
Every Californian can now access free online tutoring at any hour of the day, thanks to a new initiative offering educational resources to K-12 students and adult learners. The resource is part of an investment in public libraries announced Sept. 12 by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Real-time homework help is now available "on the websites of any of the 1,130 local public libraries around the state," and here. The HelpNow pilot program currently offers help in math and language arts, in English and Spanish, at any time of the day or night. Help for "other core K-12 subjects" is available between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog, with no age limit to who can take advantage of the resource.
Panda Express Fundraiser coming soon! Friday, October 28, 2022
Support Bellflower High School on Friday, October 28! You can order at any Panda Express that permits order pick-up or delivery. All orders must go through the Panda Express website or Panda Express app; all orders must be ordered via the internet (not valid for orders placed inside the restaurant itself). Be sure to use the Online Order Code 909262
Thank you for your support! :)
Feel free to distribute the following flyer as well.
State College Savings Accounts for Low-Income Students
CalKIDS, a new program administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, an agency of the State of California and chaired by the State Treasurer, will automatically provide eligible, low-income public school children in grades 1-12 in California with the tools to start saving for college, including an initial deposit and possible financial incentives in a college savings account. The State of California created the program to expand access to higher education and encourage families to jumpstart saving for college and other forms of career training, regardless of household income.
The State of California will offer eligible low-income public school students the following awards in a CalKIDS account to save for higher education, as applicable:*
$500 automatic deposit for eligible low-income public school students enrolled in first through 12th grade
$500 additional deposit for eligible students identified as foster youth
$500 additional deposit for eligible students experiencing homelessness
To access their CalKIDS account, eligible low-income students or their parents will need to register on the online CalKIDS portal at https://calkids.org/, which requires key
information, including the child’s Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) or a unique code
included in a notification letter that the family has (or will) receive by mail soon. Please see below on how to access your student’s SSID Number through AERIES Portal.
Remaining Bellflower Football Games
The Bellflower Middle/High School Football Team has had significant success this season! For those who wish to know in advance, below are the remaining games that our varsity football team will be playing:
Fri 9/30: Bellflower vs Ghar (Home game, Homecoming Game!)
Fri 10/7: Bellflower vs Firebaugh (Away game)
Fri 10/14: Bellflower vs Norwalk (Away game)
Fri 10/21: Bellflower vs Lynwood (Home game)
Come and visit us during one of our games! You may even have the chance to meet our mascot, Billy the Buc! Students are also invited to sit in the student section of the bleachers, named "Buc Cove." The theme for the 9/30 game will be Color Wars (wearing your class colors), and the theme for the 10/21 game will be Pink Out (wearing pink to support breast cancer awareness).
Recap: Book Tasting in the Library
Recently, several of our classes have gone to our "Book Tasting" event in our library. Each semester hundreds of students participate in the Book Tasting. It gives students the opportunity to sample 24-32 books in a 25 minutes window. It all happens here at the BHS-BMS Library!
Recap: Breaking Down The Walls
From September 12th to the 14th, Bellflower Middle/High School students participated in the Breaking Down the Walls workshop. During the workshop, students were guided through the process of learning to work together, creating a place of respect, and were given an opportunity to share their story. The workshop was a combination of large groups, small groups, and 1:1 peer time.
The Dangers of Vaping
Unfortunately, there is an epidemic that is happening in the United States among teens: vaping.
Using e-cigarettes, also known as vape pens, is a particularly worrisome trend within the United States among teens. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
- Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
- E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
Some of the other risks of vape pens include:
- Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long-term. For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs.
- Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.
- Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes. Nationally, approximately 50% of calls to poison control centers for e-cigarettes are for kids 5 years of age or younger.
- There has been an outbreak of lung injury associated with vaping products, including death.
What Can I Do to Prevent My Child from Using E-cigarettes or to Help Them Stop?
- Set a good example by being tobacco-free and ensure that your kid is not exposed to the secondhand emissions from any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
- If you use tobacco, it’s never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
- Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.
- Get the Talk With Your Teen About E-cigarettes tip sheet for parents. Start the conversation early with children about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them.
- Let your child know that you want them to stay away from all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, because they are not safe for them. Seek help and get involved.
- Set up an appointment with your child’s health care provider so that they can hear from a medical professional about the health risks of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
- Encourage your child to learn the facts and get tips for quitting tobacco products at Teen.smokefree.gov
Students caught with vape pens on campus do face consequences. To learn more about the dangers of vaping, please click here to visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Real Talk
What is Real Talk? Real Talk is a virtual college exploration initiative designed to connect Black students and families with Black representatives from colleges and access organizations across the country. They empower Black students to own their futures their way. This fall, they’ll connect attendees with Black college reps across the country, financial aid experts with insider tips on finding scholarships, college students who’ll give your students a realistic view of campus life, and Black professionals in tech, sports, and entertainment.
The CollegeBoard is hosting several Historic Black Colleges and Universities (UBCU) zoom nights, on Wednesday, September 28 and Thursday, September 29, both starting at 4pm PST (7pm EST). Please click on the link here to be taken to the Real Talk website, hosted by the CollegeBoard. Though the event is meant to help empower Black students, any student/parent may attend the virtual meetings.
Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!
To learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month, please click here to be redirected to the Hispanic Heritage Month government website. The website also has many articles, photographs, and depictions of the different cultures that fall under the term "Hispanic." For some people, terms such as Hispanic and Latino have become interchangeable. However, other people separate those two terms. For those interested in learning more about the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino, please click here to be redirected to the Pew Research Center, which has a detailed article, titled "Who is Hispanic?" This article also provides data and information regarding the complexities surrounding terms such as Afro-Latinos, LatinX, and more. Regardless of these complexities, here are Bellflower Middle/High School, we celebrate and are proud of the cultural diversity of our community.
High School Voter Registration Week
High School Voter Registration Week was from September 19th through September 23rd. Thousands of high school students throughout the USA signed up to register to vote.
Are you at least 16 years of age and a US Citizen? If so, then you can pre-register to vote!
Pre-registering allows you the opportunity to cast your votes when you do turn 18.
Sign up online at: https://registertovote.ca.gov/
If you are already 18 years old and haven't registered to vote yet, you can also use the link above to register to vote.
To register online you will need
- Your California driver license or California identification card number,
- The last four digits of your social security number and
- Your date of birth.
Minga - Digital ID Cards
Bellflower Middle/High School students are utilizing the app called Minga as a digital ID card! The app enables staff to create hall passes, reward students for doing well and helping others, and the digital ID card will help students have an easier time entering or leaving campus. The digital ID has a "live" interface, with a running digital clock and a moving background, thus preventing students from using a screenshot. Students use their school email (via Google) to log in. The app is safe to use, uses very little data, and doesn't require access to any of the information stored on your phone. If your child does not have a smartphone, don't worry - they can go to the ASB Office to request a printed "Early Release" ID card as well, which lists the home periods.
Click here to read more about Minga, and how students sign in with their school email.
School Meals Information
Just a reminder that Bellflower Unified School District will participate in the California Universal Meals Program and will implement the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This means that all K-12 BUSD students will receive one Breakfast and one Lunch during the school day at NO CHARGE.
Please visit the school district's website in order to learn more about the meal program. In addition, the district website lists information about the meal menu for both breakfast and lunch. Please click here to visit the school district's school lunch program website for details.
COVID-19 Information
CDPH recommends that antigen tests be considered the primary option for detecting Covid-19 in schools. Test kits are available for students/staff who are symptomatic considered a close contact, or for any employee needing to test weekly at their school site. Additionally, free test kits mailed directly to your home may be obtained by visiting https://www.covid.gov/tests.
When To Get A Test:
If you have COVID-19 symptoms (i.e. fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headaches, congestion, runny nose, nausea, body aches, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, short of breath, loss of taste or smell)
If you have been a close contact to someone with COVID-19
If you have COVID-19, to see if you can end isolation early
If you had COVID-19 within the last 90 days, testing is not recommended unless you have symptoms.
If you have symptoms and you have a negative test, it is recommended that you keep staying away from others and get another test 1-2 days later. This is because these tests are more likely to miss early infections. For self-tests, make sure to read and follow all test instructions correctly. You can also retest with a molecular test, i.e. PCR.
Isolation Instructions:
If you test positive for COVID-19 – stay home and away from others for a minimum of 5 days from the onset of symptoms. Inform your close contacts of possible exposure. You can leave isolation on day 6 or later if all of the following conditions are met:
You get a negative result taken on or after day 5
You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine
Your symptoms are improving, or you have no symptoms
Wear a mask indoors through day 10
OR You can leave isolation on day 11 without testing, as long as you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine.
Instructions for Close Contacts:
You do not need to quarantine for being a close contact as long as you have no symptoms. You are required to:
Get tested 3-5 days from last exposure or earlier if symptomatic
Wear a mask indoors and outdoors when in close contact with others for 10 days
Continue to monitor your health for 10 days and test right away if symptoms start
College & Career Center
The College & Career Center (Room 401) is here to assist students with college applications, scholarships, financial aid, resumes, work permits, and other college and career information. Office hours are Monday: 10am-1pm, and Tuesday-Friday: 8:30am-11:30am.
Need assistance? Students can contact Ms. Ochoa at alejandraochoa@s.busd.k12.ca.us
Counselor Assignment Changes For the 2022-2023 School Year
Join PTSA!
SENIOR STUDENTS! Did you know that several PTSA groups in our community offer scholarships? But, you can only qualify to receive a PTSA scholarship if you are a member! So, join today!
Click here to be redirected to TOTEM, the website that our PTSA uses for online membership payments. Or, you can also go to the front office to pick up a membership envelope as well, if you prefer to pay with cash or check.
Thank you in advance for joining our Bellflower Middle/High School PTSA!
Bellflower Middle/High School
YouTube: @wearebellflower
Email: bhsprincipal@busd.k12.ca.us
Website: www.bellflowerhigh.org
Location: 15301 McNab Avenue, Bellflower, CA, USA
Phone: 562-920-1801
Facebook: facebook.com/wearebellflower
Twitter: @wearebellflower