BHS September Parent Newsletter
-From the Counseling Department
Welcome back!
Counselors:
A-D, Mrs. DeGeorge degeorgea@rcschools.net
*Interim A-D counselor - Mrs. Breiner, breinerj@rcschools.net
E-K, Ms. Bryan bryanc@rcschools.net
L-R, Mrs. Van Winkle vanwinkles@rcschools.net
*Interim L-R counselor - Mrs. Brock, brockc@rcschools.net
S-Z, Mrs. Clawson clawsons@rcschools.net
Counseling Secretary, Mrs. Sadler sadlerm@rcschools.net
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College Planning Night for Juniors and Seniors
Thursday, Sep 7, 2017, 06:00 PM
Auditorium
Rutherford County College Night
Where: Middle Tennessee State University Student Union Ballroom
Come meet representatives from approximately 50 colleges and universities from across Tennessee and the southeastern United States. Visit mtsu.edu/rccn for more details.
Music City Girls Lead
Music City Girls Lead! is a leadership academy produced by Lipscomb University in cooperation with the 2014 NCAA Women's Final Four Nashville Local Organizing Committee, its chair Margaret Behm and Champions4Women chair Patricia Pierce. The first academy was held in Fall 2013. Since then, 140 young women have participated in seven academies and an alumni celebration with benefactor Dee Anna Smith, CEO of Sarah Cannon, HCA's global cancer institute.
The Academy is a series of classes and experiences for high school girls in grades 9-12 in the Middle Tennessee area. It strengthens girls in their pursuit of excellence through classroom and online learning, community experience and one-on-one mentoring.
Engaging the students are Nashville’s deep bench of local leaders and mentors, as well as international experts on leadership development. The Academy curriculum covers six areas: knowing your strengths and developing as a leader, collaborative, ethical leadership in multicultural society, creating compelling vision and voice, promoting wellness and health, and transforming vision into results.
Sessions are held on Saturdays at Lipscomb University’s Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership. Each academy culminates with a graduation ceremony and serves as a lasting legacy of the 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four. You can apply at: https://www.lipscomb.edu/civicleadership/special-programs/music-city-girls-lead/mcgl-nomination.
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.
Parent Teacher Conferences
INow
PSAT: Oct. 25th
The PSAT will be given on Wednesday, Oct. 25th to freshmen, sophomores and juniors who sign up. Taking the PSAT as a junior is the only way to qualify to be a National Merit Finalist or Semi-finalist. The cost is $17. Payment can be made to Mrs. Sadler in the Counseling office starting Sept. 25th through October 18th (check or exact cash). There are a limited number of PSAT testing slots available on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to make your payment as soon as possible.
Students can pick up study materials from Mrs. Sadler when they sign up. A prep course will be offered before and/or after school before the test. Stay tuned to Mrs. Pugh (Spectrum Teacher) for information. All students who are taking the test are invited.
ACT Dates
October 28th
December 9th
February 10th
April 14th
June 9th
Register online at actstudent.org. The Blackman High School code is 431636.
ACT Prep with Shmoop
Thanks to Rutherford County Schools, you now have access to Shmoop's premium resources. HERE'S HOW TO GET STARTED:
- Your username is your full RCS email address: username@student.rcschools.net (Example: jdoe1234@student.rcschools.net)
- Your password is your 7 digit state ID number (lunch number)
- If Shmoop asks you for a "magic word", contact Mrs. Brown at brownka@rcschools.net
- Be sure to use our school's login page at: https://schools.shmoop.com/login/rutherfordcounty/blackman-high-school
ILEAD ACT Prep
Location: Middle Tennessee State University
Session II (Carson Kennedy Nursing Building,"CKNB")
Hours of Operation: Specified Saturdays (9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14 & 10/21)
Sign in (Lobby)/Breakfast from 7:30 a.m.
Class begins promptly from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Session III (College of Education Building, "COE")
Hours of Operation: Specified Saturdays (10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 & 12/2)
Sign in (Lobby)/Breakfast from 7:30 a.m.
Class begins promptly from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Click here to sign up. All participants are required to make a non-refundable $100.00 donation at time of registration. For more information, contact Erin Abernathy, Program Director at (615) 653-6458.
Senior Parent's Section
Senior Newsletters
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.
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.
College Day
FAFSA: Available October 1st
You can apply beginning Oct. 1, 2017. You need to apply as soon as you can – the sooner the better! Schools and states often use FAFSA information to award nonfederal aid. Their deadlines are usually early in the year. You can find state deadlines at www.fafsa.gov. Check with the schools that you’re interested in for their deadlines.
Tennessee Promise
The state of Tennessee is offering two years of tuition-free community or technical college through the TN Promise. The deadline for students to apply is by November 1, 2017. Apply at tnpromise.gov.
Students must file their FAFSA by Jan. 16, 2018, attend mandatory meetings held at local high schools with the partnering organization, and complete 8 hours of community service for each semester they receive TN Promise funding.
NCAA
If your student is planning to play sports at an NCAA Division I or II college, he/she must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. NCAA requires 16 core courses. Make sure your student has met those requirements by talking with their coach and counselor.