The Sophomore Spirit
News and Information for Team 2021
Parent Teacher Conferences at BHS
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place Wednesday October 10th and Thursday October 11th between 4:30 and 8:00pm. If you have not been scheduled to meet with a teacher(s) and desire to do so, please contact the teacher(s) to set up an appointment. Conferences are scheduled for 15 minute blocks, but should be about 10 minutes in length. Details with teacher names, their room numbers, and which doors to enter will be e-mailed out early next week. Please ask you student(s) what part of the building your first meeting will be in so you can enter the door closest to the classroom. Doors will be open on the North, East, and South sides of the high school.
PSAT October 10th
PSAT (Practice SAT) allows students the opportunity to both practice for the SAT and also prepare for the National Merit Qualifying Test which is the junior year version of PSAT. It is the junior year PSAT score which determines student eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship.
There are no make-ups for the PSAT, so if a student is absent on October 10th, he/she misses the chance to take the test.
PSAT Test Prep
Restroom Misconduct
We have seen a recent increase in the number of students congregating in the restrooms. When groups of students arrive or meet in the restroom together, misconduct is almost always involved; otherwise, why not meet somewhere else? Even when the motives are innocent, students who congregate in the restroom block sinks/stalls and prevent others from using the facilities. Students who are found to be loitering in the restroom can face disciplinary consequences, so encourage your child not to “hang out” in the bathrooms at school.
College and Career Checklist for Sophomores
Students/Parents should:
- Have earned at least 22 credits by the end of this year
- Set and maintain a realistic GPA
- Have an honest conversation about college costs and family contribution
- Either become or continue to be involved in an extra-curricular activity
- Keep track of your community service involvement as you'll need it for college applications
- Do not pay for services you can obtain for free at BHS
- Research the admission requirements of the top three colleges you are interested in attending
- Make sure social media usage is appropriate-Colleges check
- Learn to manage an e-mail account
Signing Students Out
If your student is not feeling well and would like to go home, s/he must be evaluated by the clinic before being dismissed from school. We are seeing an uptick of students who are using their cell phones to text a parent, who then calls the office to dismiss the student. If your student contacts you to say s/he is feeling unwell and would like to leave, please encourage him/her to head to the clinic to be checked on by our nursing staff, who can then contact you and arrange a pick-up or dismissal.
If Students Do Not Go Home Sick Through the Clinic, the Absence is Unexcused
ISTEP Reminders
Every sophomore will be taking the English and Math ISTEP Tests this Spring. The State of Indiana requires all high school students to pass the English and Math ISTEP Tests as a graduation requirement. Testing dates for this year's Sophomores are below.
Applied Skills Portions of English and Math: February 25th-March 22nd
Multiple Choice Portions of English and Math: April 8th-May 3rd
Naviance
As a reminder, your students have FREE access to Naviance, and Mrs. Mehrtens has been meeting with them to discuss the many benefits of the software package. Parents can use the directions below to explore the program on their own. Naviance can be used to research colleges, research careers, take career inventories, and much more. It is a powerful tool for students as they navigate their way toward college and beyond.
1. On the main BHS webpage, navigate to the "Quick Links" section on the right side of the page.
2. Once there, find the Naviance tab on the left side of the page.
3. Username is the student ID #
Password is the student's birthdate as an 8 digit code. For example, if your teen's birth date is August 8, 2003, you would enter 08082003 as the password
Check PowerSchool Regularly for Up-to-Date Grade Information
Contact Teachers to Directly to Discuss Specific Concerns
Area 31
For students interested in a hands-on career, Mrs. Mehrtens encourages you to explore Area 31. This is a program offered on Ben Davis’s campus. It provides hands-on learning and real-world work experience. These classes are offered half day (morning or afternoon) while the other half of the day is spent at BHS. There is an application process, so it’s important to be on track with diploma requirements and to have a strong attendance record. The application season follows the general steps below. Dates are still to be determined.
1. At BHS, reps from Area 31 will provide an informational program to students interested.
2. Area 31 will have an open-house which allows students to visit their facility and speak with teachers.
3. The application process begins.
4. Placement decisions are made by Area 31 and reported to schools.
5. Students selected to attend will take a field-trip to Area 31 to meet their teachers and receive program information.
While there is no such things as a "typical" schedule. Most students who attend Area 31 have a schedule that look something like this:
PM Schedule:
Period 1 Math
Period 2 English 11
Period 3 US History
Period 4 Travel Period + Lunch
Period 5 Area 31
Period 6 Area 31
Period 7 Area 31
AM Schedule
Period 1 Area 31
Period 2 Area 31
Period 3 Area 31
Period 4 Travel Period +Lunch
Period 5 Math
Period 6 English 10
Period 7 US History
Dress Code Information
It's important to note that not all articles of clothing - no matter how cute they may be - meet the dress code requirements. Particularly, shorts must be at or very near fingertip length and tops MUST HAVE SLEEVES, so tank tops (even ones with a wide strap) and jerseys are not allowed.
Sometimes students will make it through their day without being addressed on a clothing item, but that does not guarantee it meets dress code; it may be that an adult just didn't notice the garment due to the student sitting behind a desk, being blocked by a crowd of people in the hallway, etc.Please double-check with your child next week to make sure that everyone keeps in compliance throughout the end of year.
Interested in Meeting with Team 2021?
- Academic Progress
- Character-Behavior
- Scheduling
- College Planning
- Goal Setting
Contact Information For Team 2021 Team Members
Mrs. Lori Mehrtens Counselor ext. 1603 lmehrtens@brownsburg.k12.in.us
Mr. JB McCallum Academic Coach ext. 1608 jmccallum@brownsburg.k12.in.us
Mrs. Celestine Birkofer Admin Asst. ext. 1601 cbirkofer@brownsburg.k12.in.us