September 2, 2022
BVSW Newsletter
end of day reminder for families
congratulations -- congratulations
The 2022 Vision yearbook earned another All-Kansas rating from the Kansas Scholastic Press Association. This is the sixth year in a row for the staff to earn this recognition, which is basically the equivalent of a state title for the publication. Marissa Cart and Kelsey Schnettgoecke led last year’s group as co-editors-in-chief.
BVSW Football - senior night
Volleyball - sept 6
Attention Senior Parents:
Counselors were in 12th grade English classes this week walking students through the college application process. We have posted our presentation on our Counseling Canvas page linked on the Seniors tab. We encouraged our students to start adding applications into Naviance. You should receive an email this week with a link to a google form titled “BVSW Senior Diploma and Authorization”. Please take a moment to complete this form so we can begin sending your student’s initial transcript to schools of his/her choice. As always, we are available to our students during the school day to answer any questions they may have. Send them our way!
BVSW Counseling Department
nhs
BVSW theatre
- We are looking forward to an exciting year in theatre! Mainstage musical auditions and callbacks have been taking place this week, so stay tuned for the cast list.
- Upcoming shows - The first rep show of the year - 'Cry When Baby Cries', will be in the Black Box September 22-24 @ 7pm. Our mainstage musical will be in the fall this year - 'The Little Mermaid', November 17-19th.
- Advertising/Sponsorship - Do you own a local business? Please consider showing support of our theatre department by becoming a playbill sponsor. There are several opportunities remaining. You can sign up HERE.
- Social media - give us a follow on social media:
IG - @bvswbbb and @bvswtheatre
Twitter - @bvsw_bbb
THE DEN – SCHOOL STORE
9th grade students and families only
Senior Parents
-job shadow
-college visit
-community service activity
-work time at CAPS if the student is enrolled at CAPS this semester.
-extended study hall at school
Please discuss the above options with your student and complete the Google Form below by Monday, October 3rd, 2022.
This information will help us to better track senior attendance on October 12th. If a parent does not complete the Google Form, the default selection will be the "extended study hall" and the student will be expected to be present on October 12th. Failure to report to study hall will be documented as an unexcused absence.
If you have questions, please contact me.
Thank you,
Anne Kastelic
Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction
akastelic@bluevalleyk12.org
reading lab starts the week of September 12!
10th and 11th graders - October testing
There are two test options for sophomore and junior students on October 12th; students may pay for and take the PSAT/NMSQT, or they will default to a (free) Practice ACT option. Information about the two tests and how to select the appropriate choice for your student is below.
Student practice guides for the PSAT are available in the Counseling Office !!
Sophomores: The PSAT serves as a “practice” round when taken in the sophomore year. Although only juniors who take the exam are eligible to be identified as National Merit Scholars, sophomores who take the exam are provided with a rich score report to use in preparation for the test as a junior. This exam mirrors the SAT exam and assists sophomores who want feedback on their current progress toward college readiness. It also provides valuable information about Advanced Placement readiness that can assist students and families in course selection in January.
Juniors: The PSAT serves as the basis for identification into the National Merit Scholarship program. It is important for juniors to take this test if they wish to be considered for this opportunity even if the test was taken as a sophomore. Juniors who took the PSAT as a sophomore can use their score reports as feedback for preparing for this year’s PSAT, the score from sophomore year does not count towards the scholarship competition – only tests taken during a student’s junior year are considered. Students who score in the top 1-3% of this exam have potential to be considered for national recognition. If students who took this test as sophomores did not achieve a score above the 85%ile, they may decide that the Practice ACT is the best way to prepare for the actual ACT test they’ll soon be taking.
For those students who may be entering the workforce right out of high school
We want to share a testing opportunity with you that may be of interest to our juniors and seniors, especially those who want to enter the workforce right out of high school.
The ACT WorkKeys exam is designed so that employers can see what job-specific skills a future employee may possess. Specifically, WorkKeys measures a prospective employee’s abilities with regard to Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. Click here for more information on what these tests contain.
WorkKeys will happen at Hilltop Conference Center on October 5, 2022, and is an opt-in testing event, meaning that students must sign-up to participate in this test. The test is paper/pencil. To learn more about ACT WorkKeys, please click here.
To sign up for ACT WorkKeys, please complete the Google Form, found here by Wednesday, August 24th. For those who enroll in WorkKeys, information will be sent out in mid-September.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Anne Kastelic (akastelic@bluevalleyk12.org).
Are you interested in joining the GSA Club?
Best Buddies Club
Counseling Coffee Talk Dates
ATTENTION Parents/Guardians
fca
Fall College Now enrollment
JCCC will be hosting two information sessions where we will discuss the process of Apply/Placement/Enroll/Pay to high school students and their parents. Representatives from several public universities in Kansas will be there to discuss transferability of coursework. Both information sessions will be held from 6:30 – 8 p.m. and no reservation is necessary. Not able to come in person? Join by Zoom at the same time.
- Aug 30 – JCCC main campus, Regnier Center 101, Capitol Federal Conference Room
- Sept 8 – JCCC main campus, Regnier Center 101, Capitol Federal Conference Room
Here are some important reminders for your College Now students:
- Apply - NEW College Now Students apply for admission now if this is your first-time taking College Now courses. The application priority submission deadline is Aug 26 to guarantee your admission application will be processed before the enrollment deadline.
- Upload Placement Documentation or Complete Placement Test if required. Students may place into many courses using their qualifying high school GPA, AP test score, ACT score, or may schedule an appointment to take the Accuplacer test at JCCC.
- For College Now Classes: Go to jccc.edu/CollegeNow and click See Class Schedules and Counselors to look up available courses for BVSW. If a prerequisite or test score is required for your class, it will be noted. Go to jccc.edu/CollegeNowTesting to upload your placement documentation or to schedule an Accuplacer test.
- For Quick Step Plus College Algebra: New this year, JCCC has expanded the ways that Quickstep Plus or College Now students may place into College Algebra! Go to jccc.edu/QuickStepPlus to view placement methods, upload placement documentation, or schedule an Accuplacer test.
- Enroll – Enrollment in College Now classes will begin soon. You can view our class schedule online!
- Pay – Payment is due at the time of enrollment. Excel in CTE courses are only available to residents of Kansas.
- College Now/QSPCA Grant – Funding Quadruples!
JCCC has received an additional $200,000 in grant funds that are available for our College Now and Quick Step Plus College Algebra students. Students must enroll and submit the grant application before the semester enrollment deadlines to be considered. If awarded, the grant will cover up to two classes at the full tuition rate. Deadline for enrollment and College Now/QSPCA Grant Application submission is Friday, Sept 16 by 5 p.m. for College Now and Friday, Oct 7 by 5 p.m. for QSPCA.
- Check out the College Now website with FAQs to help answer all your questions.
- Visit the BVSW Counseling Canvas for more information!
BVSW Little Cheer Clinic
Please contact Jody Buchman, jredbuchman@gmail.com, with any questions
The PTO store is OPEN!
The PTO has a new website and a store filled with items you want to fill your cart with!
- Yard Signs & Activity Plates for your student
- Rally Flags
- Senior Paw Prints
- PTO Membership
- Invest in Southwest
Go check it out so you're ready to display your SW spirit!
ap testing
https://bvusd.instructure.com/courses/27288/pages/ap-2022-2023
Students taking AP courses/exams at Blue Valley Southwest must enroll/register by 7:00 am, November 1st. There is no cost for enrolling in AP courses, but the 2023 AP Exams cost $108 per exam. Exam registrations opens September 1st.
ATTENTION! Students and guardians should complete this registration/enrollment together.
This is a two-step process and both steps MUST be completed to order the AP Exams. The entire process (both steps) can be completed in a single sitting in approximately 10 minutes. Exam fee is $108 for each exam.
Blue Valley Southwest is excited to offer families the ability to pay their exam fees online at the time of registration. Please be sure to have a credit card or debit card available before beginning registration.
1. Complete the registration payment process with Total Registration: https://user.totalregistration.net/AP/172302
2. Enroll all your AP courses and exams in the College Board's MyAP system with the correct Join Codes. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/
Step two should be completed directly after step one as exams will not be ordered if both steps are not completed.
Exam Registration Deadline
Deadline to register for a yearlong AP course is November 1st.
Deadline to register for a second semester course (Government, Computer Science A, Computer Principles, and 2D Art) March 1st.
No registrations are accepted after March 1st.
Exam Dates
The 2023 AP Exams will be administered in schools over two weeks in May: May 1-5 and May 8-12.
glitter girls QT fundraiser
debate fundraiser
Boys soccer fundraiser
Keep up to date with what is happening at BVSW!
All Activities and School Events can be found on the Eastern Kansas League website. Go to BVSW homepage, click on calendar, then click on the Eastern Kansas League website or click on the following:
https://www.easternkansasleague.org/public/genie/997/school/11/
Check out the official student media of BVSW: https://www.bvswnews.com/
Want to include something in our Friday newsletter during the school year?
The deadline for submissions to the Friday weekly newsletter is Thursday noon. Any fundraisers must be pre-approved before they may be added to the newsletter. Fundraiser questions, contact Kim Rich at KARich@bluevalleyk12.org.