BHS December Parent Newsletter
-From the Counseling Department
Dear parents,
One of our focuses at BHS is to provide a safe haven for learning. I have been at many different high schools, and BHS is the most supportive and accepting and inclusive of any I’ve been in. Our students are really amazing kids! And I credit that to their parents.
However, recently we had some student incidents, which appeared to be related to national events. We immediately handled situations as they came to us. We do not tolerate bullying or harassment or acts of hate for any reason, and we have high expectations that students act in a caring, supportive, and inclusive manner while at school. Please let us know if your child has any concerns. We will address them immediately.
We will continue to uphold the values that we hold dear at Blackman, and we appreciate your support at home as you talk to your students about treating each other with the respect everyone deserves.
Go Blaze!
-Dr. Leisa Justus
Counseling Updates
Continue to check our website at http://blackmancounselor.wix.com/counselorspage and follow the Counseling Department on Twitter @BlazeCounseling for important updates. Also, text @blackman to 81010 to get reminders and updates from the counseling department about scholarships, college, career, registration, deadlines, and more!
Counselors:
A-D, Mrs. DeGeorge degeorgea@rcschools.net
E-K, Ms. Bryan bryanc@rcschools.net
L-R, Mrs. Van Winkle vanwinkles@rcschools.net
S-Z, Mrs. Clawson clawsons@rcschools.net
Counseling Secretary, Mrs. Sadler sadlerm@rcschools.net
BCA Parent Information Meeting
Thursday, Dec 1, 2016, 06:30 PM
BHS Auditorium
Graduation Requirements
English = 4 credits
Math = 4 credits
Science = 3 credits
Social Studies = 3 credits
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.
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.
Midterm Exam Schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 13: 2nd & 3rd period exams
Wednesday, Dec. 14: 4th & 5th period exams
Thursday, Dec. 15: 6th & 7th period exams
The Blackman Experience
Free Online Course About How To Apply To College
The Penn Admissions office and Steppingstone Scholars, a Philadelphia-based academic enrichment program that helps underrepresented students, partnered to create a new online course: “How to Apply to College.”
The course, which will be offered for free on Penn’s online platform Coursera, will be released in February 2017. Students who complete the 10 weeks of modules will learn how to research, apply to and make the transition to colleges. Click here for more information.
Parent Teacher Conferences
INow
Homework Hotline
- Free tutoring is available by phone
- Monday - Thursday from 4 - 8 p.m.
- Call 615-298-6636 or 1-888-868-5777
Tutoring
LaunchMyCareerTN.org
ACT Dates
December 10th
February 11th
April 8th
June 10th
Register online at actstudent.org. The Blackman High School code is 431636.
Saturday ACT Prep Session on Dec. 3rd
I L.E.A.D. ACT Prep
This 5 week program will encompass a review of prior diagnostic results from students’ previous ACT test scores which provides an actual picture of skill deficiencies by subject to assist students in developing a strategic approach to focusing on their main areas of needs. If the student has not tested, benchmark testing will be conducted on the first Saturday.
- Location: Blackman High School
- Hours of Operation: Saturdays on 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11 & 3/18 from 7:30 - 11:30
- Sign in/Breakfast: 7:30 - 7:45
- Begin Class: 8:00
- Break: 9:30 - 9:45
- Dismissal: 11:30
Click here to register. For more information, please contact Erin Abernathy, Program Director at 615-653-6458.
ACT Prep with Shmoop
Thanks to Rutherford County Schools, you now have access to Shmoop's premium resources. HERE'S HOW TO GET STARTED:
- Go to http://schools.shmoop.com/login/rutherford-county/
- Log in OR Create New Student Account
- Enter Magic Word: NAVIGATE (all caps)
- Choose either ACT Exam Prep (under the Test Prep section) or ACT Crash Course (under the Courses section)
Need help? Contact Holly Hunter hunterh@rcschools.net.
Parent Resources
Anxiety and depression are prevalent issues among teenagers. Below are two articles you might find helpful in talking with your child.
http://www.gozen.com/49-phrases-to-calm-an-anxious-child/
TNReady Resources
Attendance Matters!
Senior Parent's Section
Tennessee Promise
The state of Tennessee is offering two years of tuition-free community or technical college through the TN Promise. If your student applied by Nov. 1st, they must file their FAFSA by Jan. 17th, attend a second mandatory meeting on March 21st, and complete 8 hours of community service for each semester they receive TN Promise funding.
FAFSA: NOW AVAILABLE!!
Civics Test Requirement
On January 1, 2017, Tennessee House Bill 10 with amendment 1 will go into effect. “House Bill 10 with amendment 1 requires a student, during the student's high school career, to take a United States civics test prepared by the Local Educational Association consisting of between 25 and 50 questions, taken from the civics test administered by the United States citizenship and immigration services. In contrast to the original bill, this amendment does not make passage of the test a requirement for graduation.
A student may take the test as many times as necessary to pass the test. A student who has an individualized education program under which the civics test is determined to be an inappropriate requirement for the student does not have to take the test. In order to pass the test, a student must answer 70 percent of the questions correctly, instead of 60 percent in the bill. If all students in a senior class required to take the test and receiving a regular diploma pass the test, the school will be recognized on the department of education's web site as a "United States civics all-star school" for that school year.
Rutherford County Schools have created a Civics test consisting of 30 questions, 25 multiple choice questions and 5 fill-in-the-blank questions, to meet the requirements of House Bill 10. This test was created by a group of 12 educators representing each of the high schools within the Rutherford County School district.
Each individual high school within the Rutherford County School district will determine the testing date for all graduating seniors in order to meet the new graduation requirements for Tennessee.
Information regarding the new graduation requirements along with answers to frequently asked questions has been added to both the student and parent page of the RCS website. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the graduation requirements or the test, please contact Lana Bellar at bellarl@rcschools.net or Dr. Andrea Anthony at Anthonya@rcschools.net.
Senior Newsletters
Transcript Requests
Colleges and universities will ask that your child 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
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 or counselor.