Dear BBHS Community,

As shared over the last year, Bishop Blanchet High School is in the first years working toward growth goals mapped in our Strategic Plan. Our plan inspires and calls us to imagine the future with hope, and to plan for it with intention.

Among other important priorities, the plan calls for us to deeply discern and  articulate Bishop Blanchet’s unique spiritual charism - one rooted in Gospel Values and called forward by the Spirit.

Under the purview of the BBHS Board of Directors, the Spiritual Charism Advisory Committee has been formed and charged with the task of articulating that charism. 

This Committee will undertake a meaningful spiritual discernment process over the next six months. As part of that process, we will actively engage our community and seek out the perspectives of its valuable stakeholders in order to realize and articulate a charism that honors the historical and emerging wisdom of the Spirit among us all. 

You are invited to participate in this meaningful endeavor. Our community engagement process will begin soon, which will include:

• Scheduled Listening Sessions for students, alumni, faculty, staff, board, & community members
• Regular committee updates
• Online opportunities for interested community members to share perspectives/ideas

Please look forward to the upcoming announcements of these events.

As a way of respecting the integrity of the discernment process, we enlisted a facilitator for the process. Marilyn Nash, of A Change of Being Spiritual Consulting, will support and guide BBHS in a spiritual discernment process in order to help us clarify and make explicit its foundational gifts, beliefs, and principles.  

Our aim for this process is the articulation and renewal of the school's spiritual charism, thereby strengthening the school's mission as rooted in Gospel Values with our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion anchored in Catholic Social Teaching.  If you have any questions about the process, feel free to reach out to our consultant (marilyn.nash4@gmail.com) or Tony DeSapio at the email below.

Sincerely,

Dear BBHS Families,

Every fall we test our emergency text notification system that is used when inclement weather or an emergency cause an unplanned, unexpected change in our school schedule. We will notify our community in one, or all, of the following ways in the event of an unplanned schedule change:

• An email will be sent to all parents/guardians, students and faculty/staff.
• A text alert (SMS) will be sent to all parents/guardians and faculty/staff who have a cell number listed in Skyward. *We are using a new vendor/system for our emergency texts this year.
• The school website and social media accounts (follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @bishopblanchet) will be updated.
• Local news stations will be notified of closures/schedule changes.

We will attempt to make weather-related decisions by 5:30 a.m. After school activities and food service may be impacted by school closures and late starts; those changes will be communicated via email. As always, we will make these decisions based on the safety of all involved. 

We will send a test of the text broadcast system to cell phone numbers listed in Skyward tomorrow evening, Thursday, September 21. Please ensure cell number fields for your family are updated in Skyward.

If you have questions about Skyward, please email Sandra Pereira, Registrar. Questions about emergency communications and/or feedback on our text alert test should be directed to Julie Gallaudet, Director of Marketing and Communications.

Sincerely,

Sam Procopio

Principal

sprocopio@bishopblanchet.org

AP EXAM REGISTRATION

Every student enrolled in an AP course at Blanchet is expected to take the AP exam in the spring. The registration fee is $105/per AP exam. Please pay online here by Tuesday, October 17.

Your student will receive this detailed letter from their AP teachers with directions on how to register and pay for their exam(s). Thank you for taking the time to make sure your student is registered and paid. You can view the AP exam schedule here. If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please email Nick Moffitt, AP Test Coordinator.

Nicole McCoy

Vice Principal of Academics

nmccoy@bishopblanchet.org

HOMECOMING WEEK (SEPTEMBER 25-30): DISNEY!

Next week is Homecoming Week, and this year's theme is Disney! Students are encouraged to dress up in a different themed costume each day of the week. 

• Monday, September 25: Sleeping Beauty - Pajama Day
• Tuesday, September 26: Toy Story - Western Day
• Wednesday, September 27: The Lion King - Animals or Safari
• Thursday, September 28: Teen Beach Movie - Biker vs. Beach
• Friday, September 29: Inside Out - Class Colors
• Seniors: Sadness - Blue
• Juniors: Disgust - Green
• Sophomores: Joy - Yellow
• Freshmen: Anger - Red
• Faculty & Staff: Fear - Purple
• Friday Night Football Game: Tron - Neon
• Saturday Night Dance, September 30: Disney Duos (or trios or groups)

DECORATE THE GYM DAY

Thursday, September 28 is Decorate the Gym Day! All students are encouraged to participate and help decorate their class section in the gym after school from 2:45-5:00 p.m. for the Homecoming Assembly on Friday. Any students who are interested should check their class Google Classroom or check in with their class moderator for more information. 

HOMECOMING DANCE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

The BBHS Homecoming Dance is Saturday, September 30, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. in the quad. Students are encouraged to dress up for the “Disney Duos” (or trios or groups) theme and attend with friends - dates are not required.

Dance Rules:

• The cost is $10 per person (cash), payable at the door
• The dance is for BBHS students only (no outside guests allowed)
• Students must show their ASB/ID card (or a photo of it) for entry
• The doors open at 7:00 p.m. and students will not be admitted after 8:00 p.m.
• Students will not be permitted to leave the dance until 9:00 p.m.
• Once students leave the dance, they will not be readmitted

Laura Meaux

Directors of Community Engagement and Leadership Development

lmeaux@bishopblanchet.org

SENIOR CLASS PHOTO/CAP AND GOWN ORDER DAY: SEPTEMBER 22

Senior parents: Please avoid student absences this Friday, September 22, as seniors will take their class photo in the bleachers during CP. A representative from National Achievers will be on hand to help students order their graduation cap and gown. Students will also receive information about ordering optional graduation announcements and other senior memorabilia. As is our tradition, we will take another class photo of students wearing their caps and gowns in the spring.

Chuck Bocian

Vice Principal of Student Activities

cbocian@bishopblanchet.org

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: HOMECOMING BBQ AND DANCE

Parents and guardians are invited to help with both the pre-game spirit rally/BBQ on Friday, September 29 and the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, September 30. Your help ensures successful events for our community! Please click here to sign up.

CLASS SOCIALS FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

The BBHS Parent Association is happy to once again sponsor social events for the parents and guardians of each class. All parties will be held at Finn MacCool's in the University District. 

• Class of 2024 - Friday, September 22 - RSVP here
• Class of 2026 - Saturday, October 7 - sign-up coming soon!
• Class of 2027 - Saturday, October 28 - sign-up coming soon!

JJ Horner, Aly Medina and Molly Ruddy

BBHS Parent Association Co-Chairs

BBHSParentAssociation@gmail.com

WIAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Vince Recupero ‘25 for being named as a WIAA Week 1 Athlete of the Week. Vince was among 11 other student-athletes from across Washington who earned the honor.

2024 HALL OF FAME CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: HOMECOMING GAME

The Bishop Blanchet Hall of Fame Class of 2024 nominees will be announced at halftime of the Homecoming football game on Friday, September 29. With help from the community and our Hall of Fame Committee, this class represents the strong and proud history of Bishop Blanchet Athletics. Our Hall of Fame induction ceremony event is scheduled for Friday, June 6.  

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE ON BBHS YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Bishop Blanchet has partnered with Hudl to provide free livestream service for our home games for:

• Volleyball (Varsity and JV)
• Soccer (Varsity and JV)
• Football games (Varsity, JV and JVC)

Games will be streamed on our Bishop Blanchet Youtube channel, and will go live at their scheduled start time. 

FOOTBALL AT MEMORIAL STADIUM VS. GARFIELD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

This week's football game is Saturday, September 23 at Memorial Stadium vs. Garfield. Digital tickets for the 5:00 p.m. game can be purchased here. There are two games scheduled at Memorial on Saturday (at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m) - we are the later game. Please be aware that parking is limited - allow extra time to find a space and to enter the stadium. Please read the entrance guidelines for Memorial Stadium:

• All individuals entering Memorial will be required to undergo a security screening, including the use of handheld metal detectors/security wands.
• Students are not allowed to bring any bags or backpacks into the stadium.
• Bags carried by adults will undergo a required screening/search. Clear bags will help expedite the process. 

REGISTER FOR SURF & TURF

The BBHS Booster Club invites you to attend our Annual BBHS Surf & Turf Dinner - an exciting and delicious evening for all in our community (21+ please). Whether you’re a veteran at this event or a rookie, you’re sure to have a good time!

Surf & Turf is the Booster Club’s primary fundraiser and serves to provide supplemental funding for all BBHS athletic teams. Join us for Dungeness crab, ribs, rolls, dessert and complimentary beer and wine. If you wish, you can also bring an appetizer or side for your table to share. 

Friday, November 17

BBHS Norcliffe Student Commons

5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Check in and Decorate tables

6:00 p.m. Event begins

Click here to buy your tickets ($75/person) and read all the new details about how to create your table. Have questions? Email Lyndsay Campbell or call (206) 527-7719.

Sean Gaskill

Athletic Director

sgaskill@bishopblanchet.org

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

To be kept informed on all that is happening at Bishop Blanchet, please encourage family and friends with middle school students to join our mailing list.

SCHEDULE A BEAR FOR A DAY 8TH GRADE VISIT

We can't wait to welcome 8th graders to BBHS for our Bear for a Day visits! Signups are available now; shadow visits will take place throughout the fall and early winter; the last visit day scheduled is January 4. Check out our website for more details and to sign up; please spread the word to families you know with 8th graders!

BEAR ACCESS PASS

This personalized card gives middle schoolers free access to Bishop Blanchet games and events and was mailed earlier this month. If a 6th, 7th, or 8th grader has not yet received an Access Pass, make sure they sign up for our mailing list and we’ll get one sent out!

JOIN US FOR OPEN HOUSE: OCTOBER 18

The 2023 Bishop Blanchet Open House will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18. All families of prospective Bears are invited to attend and may RSVP here. 

COFFEE AND TOUR WITH PRESIDENT DESAPIO

This fall, we are offering additional opportunities for parents to learn more about all that BBHS has to offer. Middle school parents are invited to join us in the Norcliffe Student Commons from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on:

• Thursday, November 9
• Wednesday, December 6

to meet with our school president, principal, and other members of the school’s leadership team and enjoy complimentary coffee from The Hive Café. Part of the program will include tours around the campus. If you are interested in joining one of these events, please register here.

PLACEMENT TEST: NOVEMBER 18 AND 19

All 8th grade applicants are required to take the High School Placement Test (HSPT) and we will be offering it at BBHS on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19 (extended time accommodation will be offered only on Saturday, November 18). Please encourage families with 8th graders to put one of these dates on their calendars now, and sign up on our website in early October.

Mike Pierce

Director of Admissions

mpierce@bishopblanchet.org

SENIOR PARENTS: KAIROS REGISTRATION DUE

Please register your senior for the Kairos retreat on Family ID today!

Kairos is a 3 ½ day optional retreat led by senior student-leaders. The retreat focuses on the value of Christian faith as lived and experienced in community. 

Kairos is offered in the fall, winter, and spring, in an effort to make the retreat available to all seniors who would like to go. However, space is limited, so please encourage your senior to attend as early in the year as they can.

All Kairos Retreats will be held at Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center, and run Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.-Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Kairos dates for 2023-2024:

• Fall: October 31-November 3
• Winter: January 30-February 2
• Spring: April 9-12

SPRING BREAK TRIP TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: APRIL 1-7

We will be offering an exciting trip to visit Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos in the Dominican Republic over spring break, Monday-Sunday, April 1-7, 2024. 

Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (Spanish for “our little brothers and sisters”) cares for poor and vulnerable children across Latin America and the Caribbean. They strive to create a loving and safe family environment for vulnerable children living in extreme conditions.

BBHS has partnered with NPH for years to sponsor children. Our school is currently committed to sponsoring 11 children across Latin America and the Caribbean. This trip will be to visit the NPH homes in the Dominican Republic in order to meet the children there, build relationships with them, serve the community, and better understand the poverty that drives the need for a home like NPH. We will fly into Santo Domingo, D.R. and be driven to the NPH group home about 90 minutes away. 

Service done on this trip can count towards the 2023-2024 school year service requirement. The estimated cost of the trip is $2,200, depending on airfare and number of students attending. Students received information about registering for this service trip via email.

Joe Cussen

Director of Campus Ministry

jcussen@bishopblanchet.org

FROSH LUNCH ROOM: FRIDAYS THROUGH OCTOBER 6

Is your 9th grader looking for a quiet place to eat lunch and meet a few new classmates? Encourage them to come to the Student Commons Conference Room during first and second lunch on Fridays throughout September and on October 6. They are welcome to bring their lunch and settle in - we'll see them Friday! 

NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National College Fair will be held at the Washington State Convention Center in October.

• Friday, October 6 from 9:00 a.m.-12 p.m. (BBHS school day)
• Saturday, October 7 from 12 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Students and family members can register in advance here or at the event. Once registered, students and parents will receive a personalized barcode with their contact and academic information that they can print and bring to the fair. When colleges and universities scan the barcode, they retrieve the information and are able to follow up with students after the fair. This saves the time of filling out individual information cards, thus allowing students to visit more booths.

• Please note there is a possibility of a bag check; you are encouraged to limit what you bring. Bags will be provided for students’ college materials.
• Students can go to the College & Financial Aid Advising tables if they don’t know where to begin or need help identifying colleges offering specific majors and inform them about the Financial Aid workshops offered during the fair as well.

PSAT: OCTOBER 12

The PSAT will be administered for grades 9-11, on Thursday, October 12. New this year: the PSAT will be digital! Registration is not required; students will receive more information about the test during CP on Friday, September 22. Follow this link and watch the video for more information on the digital version of the PSAT. Please note that this is a standardized test, and students will be released when they are finished according to testing procedures. Testing should conclude around 11:30 a.m., and we will share any updates as we move closer to the test date.

COLLEGE FUNDING RESOURCES: UPDATED INFORMATION

Attention Class of 2024 parents and guardians: Financial Aid applications for the 2023-2024 school year will be available beginning in December 2023. File your FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application—the only way to know for sure if you qualify is to apply.

Get started on financial aid/scholarship research and applications with the BBHS Funding College Resource Page. The Washington Student Achievement Council provides a number of financial aid and application filing events to help students and families navigate the financial aid process (including Spanish speaking events). Read more and sign up for an event!

2023-2024 COUNSELING EVENTS FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

Please join the BBHS Counseling Team for this year’s Parent/Guardian evenings, focused on important grade-level information and events. We encourage at least one parent or guardian to attend. These events are for the adults; students will receive similar information during the school day.

• Junior Parent/Guardian Information Night: If you missed last night’s presentation, you can review the materials here.

Save the date:

• Frosh Parent/Guardian Information Night: Tuesday, October 10
• Sophomore Parent/Guardian Information Night: Tuesday, October 24

Brian Mullen

School Counselor (A-E)

bmullen@bishopblanchet.org

Kaitlyn Overman

Social/Emotional Counselor

koverman@bishopblanchet.org

Shannon Fleming-Bray

Student Support Coordinator

sflemingbray@bishopblanchet.org

Janice Moehring

Counseling Assistant

jmoehring@bishopblanchet.org

BLANCHET HOMECOMING: SEPTEMBER 29

Join us for Homecoming 2023 to celebrate our alumni and the Bishop Blanchet community! This year, the BBHS Bears take on Seattle Prep next Friday, September 29. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. at Mickey Naish Field. 

All alumni are invited to join us in the in the Jim Pinsoneault Quad at 5:30 p.m. for a pregame Homecoming celebration. Food, drinks and admission to the game will be provided for alumni and their guests. Click here to RSVP.

Questions? Email Robert Lukevich ’04, Assistant Development Director of Alumni Relations.

Mary Williams Beard

Director of Development

mbeard@bishopblanchet.org

DIVERSIFYING THE NEXT GENERATION OF DOCTORS: CAREER FAIR & WORKSHOPS: NOVEMBER 4

Every November, the Association of American Medical Colleges hosts a free all-day event that is a great opportunity to get the scoop from trustworthy sources on how to apply and get into medical school - and how to succeed once you get there. This event boasts participation in hands-on medical and health activities. College and high school students, parents, pre-health advisors, school administrations, and other interested individuals are encouraged to attend. While the focus is on supporting individuals from diverse and underserved communities, we welcome participation of all high school and college students interested in medicine and the biomedical sciences. 

The workshop will be held Saturday, November 4 at the Seattle Convention Center. To register and learn more, click here! 

CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

From September 15-October 15, we highlight the cultures, history, stories, heritage, accomplishments, and contributions U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize. We encourage our BBHS community to research, recognize and celebrate the many diverse cultures and extensive histories of the American Latino community this month and beyond. 

Check out the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Toolkit to find various ways to celebrate this month! In this toolkit, you’ll find saints to learn more about, history to explore, foods to eat, local businesses to support, music and podcasts to listen to, books to read, and events to attend. How will you celebrate Hispanic Heritage month? 

Sofia Lopez Bactol

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

slopez@bishopblanchet.org

PERFORMING ARTS: FALL PLAY

The production of our fall play, Middletown by Will Eno, is in full swing. Over 50 students are learning lines, blocking, crafting sets, painting, honing makeup choices, fitting and refining costumes and leaning in to offer a memorable performance. You won't want to miss it!

Mark your calendars now for performances running Friday-Sunday, November 3-5 in Bishop Blanchet’s Marge Bradburn Theatre. Bravo!

6TH ANNUAL SPOTLIGHT CABARET: OCTOBER 21

The BBHS Performing Arts Department invites you to the 2023 Spotlight Cabaret! This fundraising event is a show-stopping evening of entertainment from our Performing Arts community, featuring live performances from Bishop Blanchet's incredible singers, musicians and actors. 

Saturday, October 21

6:00 p.m. Reception

BBHS Performing Arts Lobby

7:00 p.m. Curtain

Ernie Rose Activities Center-Main Gym

Purchase your tickets here ($75/adult & $25/students K-12). The price of the ticket includes appetizers, beverages and amazing entertainment!

The proceeds raised from this special evening will support the Performing Arts Department by supporting new technology and supplementing the spring musical, festivals and trips.

You can become a Performing Arts Patron now, or at the event you will have the opportunity to become a Patron of the Performing Arts. To support our incredible performing art students become a patron today!

We look forward to seeing you at the Spotlight Cabaret on Saturday, October 21. Thank you for supporting our performing arts students! Questions? Email Lyndsay (Buttenob) Campbell '97 or call 206-527-7719.

FINE ARTS: APPLY TO NATIONAL ARTS HONOR SOCIETY BY SEPTEMBER 29

The National Arts Honor Society is accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year. Have you taken two art courses and have a GPA of 3.7 or higher in those classes? If that's you, you should consider applying for the NAHS! The chapter combines character, service and art to do lots of fun, art service-related projects. For more information and the application, scan one of the QR codes around the building or sign up for the NAHS info google classroom using code ci7vzxn.

Applications are due next Friday, September 29. Please email with any questions.

Michelle Carrasquilla

Fine and Performing Arts Department Chair

mcarrasquilla@bishopblanchet.org