Bell High School
Principals Update Week 20
From The Desk of Rafael L. Balderas, Principal
Greetings Bell HS Family,
I hope this message finds you and your family in great health and sound in mind.
As we begin our second semester, WELCOME BACK! I know these are difficult times, I would like to publicly thank everyone for their patience, commitment and resiliency. We expect the year 2021 will have bigger and better opportunities for us all.
I want our school learning community to know, regardless of the obstacles placed in front of us, as a school community we manage to overcome and accomplish the impossible. As your proud principal I am impressed by the character and resiliency we have exhibited as we unite to continue the work for our students in the second semester. As we prepare for our "New Frontier" in January 2021, I ask that everyone continue to uplift each other as we navigate towards a great finish!
During our Pupil Free Day meeting with the entire staff on Monday, I challenged our staff with the following; As public educators "frontline workers" let us not forget the recent images that have been etched in our memory from the insurgence at the US Capital, as our students witnessed the violence happening in real time, we as educators must pivot and rededicate ourselves to teaching the importance of truth, civility and the democratic process in the United States of America. It is our moral imperative to teach the youth of today who will be the future of our Country. Teachers have been given the task, during advisory there will be many questions, fears and concerns raised by our students, let us seize the opportunity to teach our youth truth, civility and democracy and more importantly that they will be safe from any harm. Below is an article that may help start the conversations by listening to "student voice":
We Are All In This Together!
In Partnership,
Rafael L. Balderas, Principal
NEED GRADE IMPROVEMENT? WE GOT GRADE IMPROVEMENT!
This is Principal Balderas from Bell HS with an important message for parents and guardians. This message is to inform you that your child may have received a failing grade in one or more courses for the Fall semester of the 2020-21 school year. Los Angeles Unified understands the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create challenges for students. As a result, all failing grades will be temporarily converted to an “Incomplete” to give students additional time to make up missing work and demonstrate proficiency so they can earn a passing grade.
Your child may be receiving an "Incomplete" form by Friday, December 18, 2020, detailing specific assignments and tasks your son and/or daughter must complete in order to improve their grade. All assignments must be completed and turned in to their teacherby Friday, January 29, 2021, in order for them to be counted. If a student does not complete the assignments listed on the Incomplete form, the failing grade will be reinstated to an “F” on February 1, 2021.
To continue supporting students assigned to the Edgenuity courses we will have support staff this Saturday, January 16 from 9:30 am to 12:30pm. They can use the same Grade Improvement Support Zoom Link which they used over the winter break and can find in our school website or sign in using the following DROP IN ZOOM SESSION meeting I.D. 891 3636 7129 and Passcode: 424628
For direct support, our teachers are available during teacher Teacher Office Hours:
Monday - 12:40 to 1:15 pm
Tuesday to Friday may vary from 8:30 to 9 am or 2:15 to 2:45 pm
Please check with your teachers office hours:
WHERE CAN I GET HELP? WE GOT VIRTUAL OFFICES!
To directly visit our Counseling and Support offices or the College and Career Center, please log into the following links where you will find resources or you may directly contact your counselor for help: Counseling, Support Offices: https://bit.ly/BellOffices
WE GOT COLLEGE CENTER SUPPORT FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND FASFA FOR SENIORS!
Attention ALL Seniors, during the Winter Break you may still email our College Counselor Mr. Marquez at fxm94721@lausd.net or our College Assistant Mr. Farhan at farhanma@usc.edu to help you with your college applications. Also reach via email to your TELACU Talent Search, UCLA EAOP and ETS representatives all next week.
Please note there a very important due dates:
- CSU Dominguez Hills Application Due: January 15th
- CSU Los Angeles Application Due: January 19th
- Cal Poly Pomona Application Due: March 1st
- California Dream Act Applications are due March 2, 2021
- FASFA should be completed by March 2, 2022
For additional information please visit our Bell High Schol Virtual College Center at: https://bit.ly/BellCollegeCenter
Do We COVID TEST? YES, We COVID TEST!
LAUSD will continue to Covid test through the second semester for our staff, students and families. The test is free to all members of the school community. In an effort to help keep our communities and schools safe, we ask for members of our learning community to register and make an appointment at https://achieve.lausd.net/covidtestingappt
COVID testing sites vary and are filling up fast, so please make an appointment prior to your arrival.
It is the School Experience Survey Season!
The survey is for all employees, students, and parents.
FOR STUDENTS:
- Each student should have received their own personal link to the Student Survey on their MyMail account
- There are NO student passwords this year
- Take the survey
- Take a screenshot of the Thank you page and upload it to your Advisory teacher.
FOR PARENTS:
- Going to http://lausd.net/schoolexperiencesurvey
- Clicking on the appropriate Parent Survey button
- Choosing their child’s school from a drop-down menu to begin the survey.
- Take a screen shot for your child to upload on Schoology.
Social, Emotional & Mental Health? WE GOT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING!
We know from the data that students and families continue to feel isolated and alone, the Los Angeles Unified Launched Mental Health Hotline To Help Students and Families. Please have them call (213) 241-3840 – Please be mindful our students and parents world has been turned upside down and we need to make sure students have the support they need. In the event that you need immediate emergency assistance, please call 911.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call either of the following phone numbers for mental health support:
- LAUSD Mental Health Hotline (213) 241-3840 M-F 6am-6pm
- LA County Department of Mental Health (800) 854-7771
- Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Hotline (877) 727-4747 (24 hours)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK (8255) (24 hours)
- Bell High School Confidential Text Tip Line (323) 989-3750 (24 hours)
For immediate contact with the Bell High School’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team, please communicate with one of the following SEL Team Members:
- Sara Soto, PSW – sara.soto@lausd.net
- Keilah Gomez, Psychologist - keilah.gomez1@lausd.net
- Julia Carrera, Psychologist - julia.carrera@lausd.net
- Marissa Franco, PSA - marisa.franco@lausd.net
Purple & GOLD Bell Schedule from Tuesday to Friday Log-in Everyday on SCHOOLOGY at 9 am.
Monday, January 18, 2021 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Observance
Do We Have Social Media? Yes We Got Social Media!
ALPHA Academy @BHS_ALPHA
Bell High School @bellhighschool
AVID Academy @BHSAVID_familia
Global Studies Academy @BHSGlobalStudy
MTCA Academy @bhs_mtca
STEM Magnet @BHSGiftedMagnet
Bell Senior High School
Email: Bell-SH@lausd.net
Website: www.bellhs.org
Location: 4328 Bell Avenue, Bell, CA, USA
Phone: (323) 832-4700
Twitter: @bellhighschool