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Billerica Memorial High School |
Preparation, Compassion, and Commitment: The Pathway to the fastest, safest, and sustained return to school.
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Phone Numbers
COVID19 Hotline (After school hours 2 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.)
978-528-8705
Administration
Principal - 978.528.8711
Grades 8 & 9
Assistant Principal - 978.528.8730
Assistant Principal - 978.528.8720
Grades 10-12
Assistant Principal - 978.528.8740
Assistant Principal - 978.528.8750
Coordinators
978.528.7925 - Guidance - Melinda Cripps
School Information
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We have been utilizing Twitter (@BMHSIndians) as a primary source to provide timely information to students and parents for the last 8 years. We have added Instagram (bmhsindians) and most recently Youtube and Facebook (Billerica Memorial High School). The direct links are located at the bottom of the newsletter each week.
As the Fall Athletic Season continues and spectator access is limited, we have been and will continue to use these sources for streaming the games so parents and students can watch the events live. Also, if you are not receiving these emails directly, but would like to, please contact my secretary, Maria Jenkins, to ensure your email is accurate. Her email address is [email protected] and her phone number is 978-528-8711. |
Girls' Volleyball remains undefeated outlasting Dracut in a 5 game marathon this past Saturday |
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Social Gatherings Outside of School |
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Dear Parents,
This morning I spoke to the entire school community during morning announcements to address the concern regarding students gathering outside of school without socially distancing and without masks. A number of communities have had to place their high schools in fully remote status as a result of high school students gathering in such a manner. This past weekend Marblehead High School and Wilmington High School joined Lincoln-Sudbury and Dover Sherburn as school's that transitioned to full remote models due to high school students socially gathering and not following the State's guidelines. This morning we became aware that there were a number of social media posts that reflected the same type of gatherings among of high school students here in Billerica. The Superintendent's Office, Board of Health and the School Nursing Departments have been made aware of these situations and we are awaiting further guidelines regarding potential impact.
I am including my remarks to the student body below so you are aware of what I said and my hope that students will practice social distancing and safety protocols while outside of school.
I need to address a concern that arose this past weekend regarding physical distancing and mask-wearing outside of school, particularly as it relates to social gatherings. Our goal is to remain in person as long as possible - hopefully, throughout the school year. Many people doubted we would make it to Columbus Day, but implementing safety measures and ensuring everyone is following them in school have allowed us to remain in person. These things keep ME optimistic that we can remain in this model for the foreseeable future.
However, what causes me angst is when people deviate from these safety measures outside of school, putting our in-person model in jeopardy. This weekend, we were made aware of a few social gatherings where students did not practice physical distancing or mask-wearing, with attendees less than 6 feet from each other.
I understand how difficult it must be to be a teenager during this time. The need to socialize with your friends is critical, but you must be aware that there are risks that accompany that behavior. The primary risk is the health and well-being of those directly involved with the social gatherings, and the secondary concern is the impact it will have on our in-person learning model if there are any identified cases that emanate from these gatherings.
A number of communities have had to place their high schools in fully remote status as a result of high school students gathering in such a manner. This past weekend Marblehead High School and Wilmington High School joined Lincoln-Sudbury and Dover Sherburn as schools that transitioned to full remote models due to high school students socially gathering and not following the State's guidelines. We do not want Billerica Memorial High School added to this list.
As we head into the Halloween weekend, and social gatherings will once again be a temptation, I am imploring you to practice safety measures and physical distancing to ensure we are able to maintain our current learning model for the immediate future, and for the long range health of both students and staff at BMHS.
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Parent Teacher Conferences |
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Each year we have two Parent Teacher Conferences, one in the fall and the other in the spring. This year we will be moving the spring session to the fall, providing more parents the opportunity to connect with their child's teachers earlier in the school year. The two dates will be Thursday, November 5 and Thursday, November 12. These sessions will be virtual, but will be conducted between our traditional hours of 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
We will be using PTC Wizard to schedule the conferences. The conferences will be conducted over the phone in 5 minute increments. Please click on the PTC Wizard logo to the left to visit the Parent Portal. Your parent email and password have already been populated. The password is Biller1c@
The portal will be open for reservations on Wednesday, October 28 at noon and will remain open through November 12.
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Mock Presidential Election |
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This month BMHS will be taking part in the National School Mock Election. Students will be able to vote for the Presidential Candidate of their choice over a two week period prior to the Presidential Election. Additional information will be shared with the students next week. |
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This fall three sets of BMHS teachers were awarded grants from the East Bay Educational Collaborative and Office of Naval Research. Mrs. Hines and Mrs. Chiarella were awarded the $10000 ONR STEM resource grant for equipment, supplies and training. They will be participating in three sessions throughout the year and will be completing assignments to engage students in developing science and engineering skills. Mrs Arsenault and Mr. Drake were awarded a $10000 ONR Physics 360 grant for equipment, supplies and training. They will be attending six virtual training sessions throughout the year and will be focusing on using the resources to develop seamless transitions between in-person, hybrid and virtual/remote teaching and learning in STEM.
Mrs. Shukri and Mrs. Jimenez, having been awarded the $10000 ONR STEM resource grant last year, were awarded the $20000 ONR Natural Approach to Chemistry grant for equipment, supplies and training. They will be attending four training sessions this year and will be implementing the Natural Approach to Chemistry in their honors classes this year.
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ACS Division of Chemical Education |
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Ms. Hines has been appointed to the ACS Division of Chemical Education's Examination Institute. This committee is charged with the responsibility of producing the 2022 High School Chemistry Examination. Her appointment to this committee is a significant recognition of stature in the chemistry education community. Last year, Ms. Hines was appointed as a coach for the US Olympiad Chemistry Team. |
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Co-Curricular Announements |
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Italian Club/Honor Society
The first virtual meeting for the Italian Club and Honorary Society
is scheduled for Wednesday October 28. All interested students should check their Google Classroom for invitation links and meet
French Club
French Club meets every 3rd Thursday of the month. The first meeting is this Thursday at 3 p.m online. Members, see Google Classroom for details. If you're interested in joining, email Madame Bynoe.
School Newspaper
Any student who wishes to be part of the student newspaper, The Billerica Beat, should email Mr. Landry or stop by D358 after school on Monday the 26th (please also announce on Thursday for next Thursday, the 29th).
Literary Club
Join our school-wide book club! Each month we choose a different book to read and discuss together. If you are interested in joining, please email either Ms. Button or Dr. Lipsett.
Amanuensis
The BMHS Literary Magazine is happy to announce our first VIRTUAL meeting on Wednesday, October 28 at 2:05 pm. Any student who has an interest in creative writing, art, photography, publishing, or graphic design would make a great addition to the club. The club typically meets once per month, and this year will be meeting virtually. If you would like to join, please contact Ms. Camasso or Mr. Ciccarelli via email or in person so that you can be added to the club Google Classroom page
Key Club
Key Club will be meeting Virtually on Weds at 2pm. Check google classroom for the Google Meet Link. Anyone interested in joining should email Mr. Peterson
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Any student who borrowed a book from the BMHS library OR either of the Billerica middle school libraries last year should return it to the BMHS Main Office immediately. These books have a barcode label on the front cover that includes the name of the school library from which it was borrowed but ALL library books can be returned to our Main Office. After October 7, students may be charged for materials that have not been returned. Please contact Mrs. Marian Dyer with questions.
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In an effort to ensure the safest and most responsive environment possible, we have established a COVID19 hotline for after school hours. If your child tests positive for COVID19 and you learn about the results during school hours, please contact our Nurses' Office at 978-528-8754. If you need to report a positive test to the school after school hours, please use our COVID19 hotline 978-528-8705, leave a message with a good number to reach you and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible. |
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The Guidance Department is Now Called The School Counseling Department |
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SENIORS AND COLLEGE CAMPUS VISITS
Juniors and Seniors are permitted 2 days (excused, with documentation from the college) to visit colleges. Documentation should be emailed to Ms. Cherie Cook at [email protected]. Note that the Massachusetts Travel Order and appropriate COVID testing (when indicated) must be followed when returning to BMHS. Learn more about the Massachusetts Travel Order HERE.
SENIORS AND COLLEGE/CAREER INFORMATION
Seniors, be sure to join your school counselors' classroom. In their classroom, you will find important notices, forms, and other information. Parents, please ask your children to show you this classroom and have them invite you to be part of their School Counseling Google classroom.
REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS FOR COLLEGE
Seniors applying to college must request that their transcripts be sent to the colleges they are applying to. Be sure to log into Naviance and request your transcripts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are waiving the $2 transcript fee this year.. We kindly ask that you request your transcripts a minimum of 2 weeks prior to your college application deadlines. If you have a November 1 deadline, you need to request your transcript now.
REQUESTING A LETTER OF REC FROM YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Many colleges require that a school counselor submits a letter of recommendation on an applicant's behalf. If you would like your school counselor to write you a letter of recommendation, please follow these steps in this order:
- Log into Naviance and complete the Letter of Recommendation survey. Your counselor will use this information, combined with the relationship they've built with you, to ensure that you are well-represented in your letter of recommendation.
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Have your parent/guardian fill out THIS questionnaire, which will also assist with the letter of recommendation process. Your parents have interesting insight into who you are, and we want to hear from them! Parents, please complete this form by October 26, 2020.
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Lastly, email your counselor directly to request a letter of recommendation. This email to your counselor informs them that you're in need of a letter. Please allow them 2 weeks to write the letter, as this will allow time for your counselor to thoughtfully craft your letter to the colleges. If you have a November 1 deadline and want a letter of rec from your school counselor, you need to request your letter now.
TEACHER LETTERS OF REC
Teachers are now able to upload and send their letters of recommendation to colleges. Please make sure to request letters of rec from your teachers via Naviance and talk with them, either in person or via a personalized email.
SENDING SCORES
If you intend to submit SAT, SAT II, ACT, or AP scores to a college, you will need to do this independently through the testing agency's website. The school counseling office does not send scores for these exams, as the colleges want the scores directly from the testing agency. Please talk with your school counselor if you have questions regarding how to request your scores to be sent to colleges. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MAJORITY OF COLLEGES ARE SAT/ACT TEST OPTIONAL THIS YEAR, DUE TO COVID AND TEST CENTER CLOSURES. Check with your individual colleges to ensure that you are clear on their application requirements (including SAT/ACT testing) for the Class of 2021. Most colleges have this information readily accessible on their website.
NEACAC Virtual College Fair
NEACAC has created a virtual college fair for the fall, featuring over 200 post-secondary schools.
Each school has virtual booths that students can access anytime, 24/7. Live events are scheduled for Thursday October 29th @ 6:00pm and Sunday November 15th @ 1:00pm, in which admissions reps from each school will be online and available for chat sessions. However, students do not have to wait until those events to access the virtual booths. The virtual booths will be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and available for viewing until December 31st 2020.
The booths feature videos uploaded by each school, links to specific areas of their websites, and PDFs featuring information that students can download or print off. There are also links to contact admissions offices to schedule meetings and visits.
The NEACAC college fair is FREE for students and counselors. Register HERE.
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Billerica Memorial High School's School Counseling Department has joined with College Guidance Network (CGN), a group that aims to provide quality information regarding the college process to students and their families. Please note that this is a compliment to our services in our department, and does not replace any of our work or services with students and their families. Recently, CGN released two episodes that you might find interesting.
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Click HERE for the episode, "College Admissions In The Time Of COVID"
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Click HERE for the episode, "Tell Your Story: Crafting Great College Admissions Essays". On this episode, parents and college-bound students will learn:
- What NOT to do in researching or writing an essay
- Why essays are even more important now
- How to tell a story that stands out
- What five traits admission officers are looking for
- How to choose topics for compelling essays
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Click HERE for a list of upcoming episodes.
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FAFSA and Financial Aid Information
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Click here for FAFSA. Please note that FAFSA opens on Oct. 1, 2020. While the form does not need to be submitted on October 1, it is advised that you complete and submit the FAFSA as soon as possible.
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Click here to create a FSAID
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Click here to apply for CSS Profile. You will also find here a list of participating colleges.
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Click here for FAFSA Day info. Click here for FAFSA Day registration (held virtually).
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Click here for Naviance. Log in, and click on the colleges tab, and then click on scholarship list. Here you will see the list of current scholarships. Check back often, as these are updated weekly from now until the springtime. If your child has forgotten his/her password, please have your child email Mrs. Sarah Eaton at [email protected]
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Click here for Billerica Dollars For Scholars. Your student can click here to create a DFS profile at this time, and can complete much of the demographic information, resume/awards information, etc. You can also complete much of the parent information. In the winter, there will be a Dollars For Scholars night, and you will receive notification via email. The DFS night will discuss the DFS program, how students select the scholarships in DFS that they want to apply to, and how the DFS process works. **Please note that if your child attended our virtual BMHS College Boot Camp, they will have already started their DFS application.
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Click here for Fastweb, a popular scholarship engine. It is one of many out there.
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The rule of thumb is this: Don't ever pay money to get scholarship money. If there's a fee to apply for a scholarship, chances are that it is a scam.
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SENIOR MEETINGS
Senior meetings will begin this week, and school counselors will be reaching out to their students with a Google calendar invite. During these meetings, counselors will build on the discussions they had with students last spring, and will assist and support students with students finalizing their plans, be it college, employment/career, military, or a multitude of other paths. These meetings will take place over several weeks, and please know that each senior will have a meeting. Students will have as much support as they need during the postsecondary planning process, and the counselor and student work together during their initial senior meeting to determine what follow-up support is needed. Thank you for your patience as the school counselors make arrangements to meet with their students.
Additionally, please know that we are also here to support parents/guardians as they navigate their child's senior year and all that comes with it, such as graduation requirements, applications, etc. We look forward to working with you!
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COLLEGE VISITS
Please note that college visits are posted in Naviance, and you can sign up there. Students should log into their account to sign up, and if you have forgotten your Naviance password, please contact [email protected]. For the foreseeable future, college visits will be held virtually. A few things about this: Students can participate while at home, whether they are full-remote or on the remote days of their hybrid learning. Students should communicate to their teachers that they will be attending the college visit, and they are responsible for making up any work that they miss. If you have a college visit while you are learning in the BMHS building, please communicate to your teacher that you have a college visit, and then report to the library with your computer and earbuds to log on for your visit. Additionally, please know that college visit etiquette means that you will use your video and audio to engage with the college representative.
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SAT UPDATE
Colleges understand that the majority of students across the country (and around the world) will have difficulty accessing SAT and ACT testing, and have shared a clear message with school counseling departments: this year, they are taking a holistic look at students, and that they are not looking to penalize students who were not able to test. You can find out more about how students will be evaluated for admission by logging on to your colleges' webpages and reading their admissions information, or contacting the admissions office directly. Your school counselor will support and guide you through the application process, and can provide students and parents with additional information.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your school counselor directly via email or phone.
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SAT SCAM ALERT
We have been made aware that there is a scam out there regarding SATs, and it goes something like this: A person calls and tells you that for a sum of money (I've heard figures such as $216) paid via credit card paid over the phone, they will send you an SAT test, which your child can take at home, and then you simply send back to them. They sometimes mention that you'll be refunded some or all of your payment once the test is returned for grading. I've also been told that the caller had the child's name and address. ALLOW ME TO BE VERY CLEAR: THIS IS A SCAM. If you receive a phone call such as this, we urge you to do the following: (1) do not engage, and hang up the phone without providing any credit card info or identifying information (2) contact the local police to report the scam (3) contact Mindy Cripps to keep the school informed of these types of scams so that we can inform other BMHS families what they should be aware of. If you have already received a phone call of this sort, and you did provide your information, we urge you to contact your credit card company to discuss this situation with them, and also contact the local police.
If you ever have questions about College Board, SAT, PSAT, AP exams, ACT, or any other college testing, please contact your child's BMHS school counselor.
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PSAT UPDATE
At this time, we are postponing the PSAT to January 2021. While the PSAT exam for sophomores and juniors is typically held in October, it is not possible to hold this exam safely right now given the various constraints of COVID-19. The majority of high schools across the country are in the same position as BMHS, and therefore, College Board has offered an alternate testing date in January 2021. We will reevaluate our situation as we approach January, and will make a final decision on if we can hold PSAT testing safely. Please know that we are hopeful that the pandemic will improve between now and then, and that we can move forward with PSAT.
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MEFA
Need to learn about financial aid? The trusted experts at MEFA are hosting FREE college financing webinars four times per week beginning Monday, Sept 28th through Thurs, Nov 5th. Webinars will be held every Monday through Thursday, with daytime and evening hours, and presented by industry experts, both from within MEFA and from colleges and organizations across Massachusetts. Register for a webinar at mefa.org/events.
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BMHS| Main 978-528-8709| Fax 978-436-9351| | Website
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