Photo courtesy of Mike Moore

Tuesday, September 3

Staff Professional Development 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Wednesday, September 4 - A1 Day

First Day of school for all students - Doors open at 7:10 a.m.

8th Grade reports to the Auditorium to start the day

Thursday, September 5 - B1 Day

8th Grade reports to the Auditorium to start the day

Friday, September 6 - A2Day

Fire Drill

Tuesday, September 10

School Picture Day

Wednesday, September 11

Back to School Night 6 - 8 p.m.

Welcome Back to our returning students and families! For our new students and families, a quick overview of how we communicate on a daily and weekly basis. Most of our communication occurs directly through our App (additional information can be found below). We have three main calendar feeds for BMHS: School, Athletics, and Fine Arts. Each Sunday evening around 8:00 p.m., the App will send out a notification that shares everything happening at BMHS for the upcoming week. The newsletter will also be sent out on Sunday evenings, typically between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (depending upon when the Patriots game is being played). The App will also send out a daily notification (Monday - Friday) at 6:00 a.m. that provides the daily bell schedule (A1, A2, B1. B2) and any other events occurring that day. The morning announcements are read each day following the Pledge of Allegiance before being posted on Aspen so students and parents can access the daily announcements throughout the day.

Sunday evening - The Green & White Weekly (emailed and posted on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn), BMHS App (The Week Ahead)

Daily (Monday - Friday) - BMHS App (events occurring that day) 6:00 a.m., Morning Announcements (7:25 a.m.) Aspen (announcements) 7:30 a.m.

If you are not receiving these announcements, please make sure we have your correct email address.

The District has posted the bus routes for BMHS for the upcoming school year on the district website. The bus routes can be accessed using this link, or in the BMHS App under "Documents". The school does not have any authority to change or add bus stops. Transportation questions concerning bus stops should be directed to Central Administration 978-528-7918.

Student Drop Off: If you are driving your child to school, please use the Good Street entrance and turn into the drop off queue immediately after the Fire Department or continue down Good Street and enter the Hallenborg parking lot. Cars using the drop off area closest to the Auditorium entrance will be double stacked to eliminate backing up and blocking emergency services. When the bell rings at 7:10 a.m. there will be administrators outside to help get students into the building safely.

Students arriving on buses will be let into the cafeteria where they will remain until the bell rings at 7:10 a.m.

Please be Patient! 714 of our 1584 students are in grades 8 and 9. This number is a significant increase from years past and will impact the number of parents dropping their children off at school. If you are picking your child up from school, please communicate with them where you will be located. Cars start lining up for pick up as early as 1:00 p.m. for a 2:02 p.m. dismissal. Dismissing 1584 students at the same time may appear overwhelming at first, but the parking lots are typically cleared out by 2:23 p.m.

The first week is always a little bit slower as new parents learn the routine. 

If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the school prior to 8 a.m. at 978-528-8710 and leave a message with your child's name and grade and reason for the absence. The phone icon on the BMHS will prompt the number to dial. If you do not call the school prior to 8 a.m. and your child is marked absent, you will receive an automated call from the school notifying you of your child's absence. You may also send an email to bmhsabsent@billericak12.com or cacook@billericak12.com

Dismissal notes should be dropped off at the Main Office (Ms. Cook) at the beginning of the day.

The first day of school is Wednesday, September 4. The warning bell will ring at 7:10 a.m. at which time we will be unlocking the doors and begin drop off for students arriving by car. The drop off pattern will be the same as in previous years as illustrated in the map below. Block 1 begins at 7:25 each morning.

Once again there will be no cost for student lunches, but students are still required to enter their lunch PIN when going through the line. Students can access their lunch PIN in their ASPEN account. Please make sure your child knows their number prior to school on Wednesday. This will ensure the lines move quickly.

If you have moved since the end of the last school year, please contact the school district's Registrar at bpsregistrar@billericak12.com with the necessary paperwork so the information can be updated in Aspen accurate transportation eligibility. Proof of Residency/Address Change (provide one of the following): Utility bill with Billerica address (must be within the last 60 days), Settlement document on new home, signed lease, Property tax bill (most recent bill), Property Deed, Mortgage bill within the last 60 days, Affidavit of Residency From (only required if unable to provide one of the previous mentioned documents).

The BMHS App provides quick access to timely news and upcoming events. It also allows the user to determine how often and what type of notifications they receive. The first page provides 9 options (not all options are available to all users). The "News" option provides a weekly overview of coming events at BMHS. There is also a daily announcement that includes the schedule rotation, meetings and other events occurring that day.

The "Events" option provides access to the BMHS Calendar, Fine Arts Calendar, and Athletics Calendar. Each of these calendars is dynamic and encompasses the entire school year.

The "My ID" is only available to students and staff.

The "Directory" provides access to all Staff emails and, if applicable, phone number.

The "Quicklinks" option provides quick access to Aspen, Athletics, Community Pass, Guidance, Clubs, Nutrition, and the BMHS Library sign up form.

"Documents" provides access to Bus Routes, Lunch Menus, Handbooks, Program of Studies and other documents.

The "Map" option provides driving directions to MVC schools and locations for school functions.

The "Language" icon allows the user to convert the app into one of 42 different languages.

The phone icon on the bottom of the home page will call our Absentee Line (978-528-8710).

Bring Your Own Device - Again this year students will have the option of signing out a District Chromebook, or bringing their own laptop to school. If you currently have a District Chromebook and would like to return it, please see Mrs. Jenkins in the Main Office. 

Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Students Entering Grades 8- 12:

One of the best ways to prepare yourself to return to learning in September is to read over the summer! The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in English Language Arts and Literacy defines literacy as “the ability to read, write, speak, and understand words.” In an effort to promote the ongoing literacy development of all students and to foster a love of reading, Billerica Memorial High School is promoting a high school summer reading program. All incoming and returning students are required to participate in this program. 

Students are required to read one book and are not limited in their choices. In September 2024, students will participate in book discussion groups with teachers. Any age-appropriate book is acceptable, and students are not required to choose a book from the list. The Billerica Public Library is working to obtain copies of the books on the list, and the public librarians can also assist students in finding other suitable, age-appropriate books. Audio books are available through the public library as well.

I encourage parents and caregivers to review student reading choices with their child. Literature aimed at young adults often and deliberately mimics the language teens use and addresses the topics and themes that mean the most to them. Students are free to read books that engage in ideas and concepts which reflect a range of perspectives, and the district does not endorse any particular viewpoint. To this end, parental/caregiver support as children read is important.

We encourage students to complete their book prior to the first full day of school. In their English classes, they will be expected to have read a book and to have completed the attached guiding questions form, either on paper or online. Students will then provide a writing sample for their English teacher, which serves as an important tool for assessing student writing abilities at the start of a new grade level. They will also participate in book discussion groups.  

Thank you for helping us to make this summer reading activity productive and successful! If you have any questions regarding this program, its requirements, or the directions, please email me at jcamasso@billericak12.com. 

Sincerely,

Jessica Camasso

English Language Arts Curriculum Support Specialist

Marian A. Dyer

Humanities/STEMB Coordinator 978.528.2737

We are so excited to announce that picture day with C3 School Photography is completely paperless. We’ve updated to a system that will alleviate any order form confusion and ensure photo days are stress free. Parents will not have to fill out any order forms and send them in with their students; in fact, we will not be collecting cash or checks at all! Instead, you’ll find all the information you need to prepay in this email.

To prepay, just follow these simple steps:

1. Visit our website at C3schoolphotography.com
2. Find the “Order Photos” dropdown box in the menu on the top right of the screen
3. Click on “K-11 SCHOOLS”
4. Find the “Order School Photos BEFORE Photo Day” option
5. Click on “PRE-PAY SCHOOL PHOTOS” in the gray box
6. Enter BMHS24 as the password
7. Enter your child’s first and last name and hit ‘search’
8. Order your photos by the end of the day on September 10!

If you miss the September 10 deadline, there is no need to worry! After all the photos have been taken and processed, about four to six weeks following picture day, you will have the chance to view and order photos online. Instructions for online ordering after picture day will be sent home with your students. 

Girls Varsity Soccer along with their friends and sister team from BYSA partnered up and had an awesome afternoon of team bonding and giving back to our community.