The Senior Send-Off
Team 2017 Newsletter
The Senior Academy is a busy place, but Team 2017 has adjusted to the pace. We've moved in and made the place our own, so it's beginning to feel like home. This is the first newsletter of the year, so there is lots of information to share. Please sit down, relax, and enjoy.
8 Skills Everyone Should Have by Age 18
Mrs. Mehrtens ran across this article on Business Insider and thought it was relevant to our students.
1. 18-year olds must be able to talk to strangers- This is how they will acquire help, guidance, and directions in the world.
2. 18-year olds must be able to find his/her way around- College campus, the town in
which they live, and city in which they are working.
3. 18-year olds must be able to manage their assignments, workload, and deadlines- Without regular reminders from an adult
4. 18-year olds should be able to contribute to the running of a household- Look after their own needs and respect the needs of others
5. 18- year olds must be able to handle interpersonal problems- Solving conflicts without adult intervention
6. 18- year olds must be able to cope with ups-and-downs- Life isn’t perfect and they aren’t always going to get what they want
7. 18-year olds must be able to earn and manage money
8. 18-year olds must be able to take risks- Success comes after trying and failing
Senior Year Courses
We are now in full-swing academically. Classes are getting more challenging as the semester progresses. Mrs. Mehrtens has noticed, especially this week, that students are starting to feel the weight of their classroom responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and part-time job commitments. We are past the deadline for schedule changes or drops, and requests for such would not be honored. She has been encouraging struggling students to speak with their teachers and to seek out resources for extra help. This is a critical year for students to work through challenges and to find new ways of problem solving. Students need to have 6 academic courses in their schedule to be competitive for post-secondary schooling.
Teacher Communication
At this level, you will find that teachers would rather communicate directly with students in terms of grades and misunderstanding. Please encourage your sons/daughters to advocate for themselves first. If you feel information has been miscommunicated, please step-in. We want students to become comfortable speaking for themselves, but we also want them to know that their parents are ready to step-in if necessary.
College Applications
A lot of information has been communicated about the college application process, but a few areas need to be highlighted.
· Apply through the school’s admission site, not Naviance.
· Students and parents were given a checklist to follow during their process meeting, please read this before asking questions.
· Apply first and request a transcript on Naviance second.
· Transcripts take up to 2 weeks to be processed. For every application, Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Mehrtens have to complete various reports. It doesn’t happen quickly.
· Letter of Recommendations will be uploaded to Naviance by the teacher. Please give teachers at least a two-weeks notice when making a request via e-mail. Once the letter has been uploaded, Mrs. Martin will send it directly to the institution.
· ACT/SAT scores need to be sent directly from the testing company.
· Students should be checking their e-mails daily for information. They are missing
valuable information if this is not happening.
-If your son/daughter is a 21st Century Scholar or enrolled in free/reduced lunch, please see Mrs. Martin for admission fee waivers.
College Visits
Students are allowed two college visits this year. In order for the days to be excused, a form must be filled out and given to Mrs. Deardorff 24 hours prior to the visit. Upon return, students should give Mrs. Deardorff proof of attendance which is generally provided at the visits. Parents calling the day of the visit does not count, and the absence is NOT marked as a college visit unless the appropriate paperwork is submitted. The forms are available on our website and in the team office. Please help us by following this process.
Attendance
Don't forget to call ahead if you need to pick up your son/daughter. Our students are scattered all over the building, so it may take time to get them to the Senior Academy if they are in the main building for a class.
Many students want to be exempted from finals. Remember, tardies and absences count!
Drop-off/Pick-up Reminder from BHS
Now that we’ve settled in to our routines, I want to remind you about the pick-up and drop-off procedures at Brownsburg High School. These procedures have been established for the safety of students and staff. Students who arrive by car should approach the campus from the north and move south of Tilden Drive on to Bulldog Boulevard (behind the home football stands). There is no access from Odell Street. During pick-up and drop-off, the Odell Street entrance is for staff only. Students may be dropped off at Senior Academy or continue to follow the purple line around to the east side of the building and follow the traffic to door one for pick-up and drop-off. Limiting traffic to just one lane keeps pedestrians safe, including the BHS staff who cross the car line to get to the staff entrance. Also, picking up or dropping off in the lot south of the football field is prohibited during this time because it pulls students through the busy line of traffic and is unsafe for our students. Thank you for following these procedures that allow our students and staff to arrive and depart safely.
Team 2017 Contact Information
School Counselor Mrs. Lori Mehrtens LMehrtens@brownsburg.k12.in.us (ext. 1603)
College Advisor Mrs. Joni Martin JMartin@brownsburg.k12.in.us (ext. 1902)
Academic Coach Mr. McCallum JMccallum@brownsburg.k12.in.us (ext. 1608)
Admin Asst. Mrs. Deardorff RDeardorff@brownsburg.k12.in.us (ext. 1601)