This is Week B for BHS grades 9-12.
Special MCAS ELA schedule attached for Week of March 21.
-- All 10th graders will test on the mornings of Tues 3/22 and Wed 3/23.
-- Juniors are required to attend one drop-in post high school planning workshop of their choice for one morning or both. Topics and times will be shared later this week. They can also schedule a 1:1 appointment with some counselors.
Brookline High School is now MASK FRIENDLY as of today Monday 3/14.
Special MCAS ELA schedule attached for Week of March 21.
-- All 10th graders will test on the mornings of Tues 3/22 and Wed 3/23.
-- Juniors are required to attend one drop-in post high school planning workshop of their choice for one morning or both. Topics and times will be shared later this week. They can also schedule a 1:1 appointment with some counselors.
Brookline High School is now MASK FRIENDLY as of today Monday 3/14.
Quarter 3 academic Progress Reports #1 (IPRs) are now uploaded to the parent and student portals as of last Friday March 4. Reminder that Quarter 3 ends on April 6 with grades being uploaded to the Aspen portals on approximately April 13.
Need some pep in your step? Most of us do! Check out Peptoc, a free hotline where you can hear kindergarteners share words to help us get through a tough situation or just make it through a regular day – 707-998-8410.
Learn more here - https://www.npr.org/2022/03/06/1084800784/peptoc-hotline-kindergarteners#:~:text=So%20the%20next%20time%20you,at%20707%2D998%2D8410
Course selection for the 2022-23 school year continues for students in Grades 9-11.
Please note these important steps in the process:
- Be sure all students in Grades 9-11 know how to access their Student Portal accounts NOW! This saves time and energy when the portal opens later in March. Here’s the Aspen (student portal) link - https://ma-brookline.myfollett.com/aspen Log in ID: This is the SAME login and password as the student uses for all PSB accounts (BHS Student Wifi Network, Aspen, CANVAS, Google) - grad year +last name + first initial e.g.:21jonesk (must be all lowercase letters) Any student needing to reset their password should use the self-service tool at rmp.brooklinema.gov
- Check out the new 2022-23 BHS Course Catalog as part of this process - Take some time to review all of the offerings for your grade level. Think about the elective and special subject area options available to BHS students. Consider trying something totally new or check out a course that aligns with an interest or career area you have wondered about…. New this year – QR codes in a number of elective programs to dig deeper into the offerings and visuals to SEE what you learn! While still being finalized with course updates, the catalog can be found on the BHS Homepage or by cutting/pasting this link to your server - https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/uploads/8/0/1/5/801512/bhs22_23course_cataloga.pdf
- Teachers in students’ courses have been discussing course options in their subject area and curriculum level recommendations with students individually now. Ask your student what those conversations have been so far!
- On Monday, Hub-Advisory time was offered to share directions and allow time for students to get started with uploading requests - Important Tips for Requesting Classes:
o Username e.g. 23smithk (YOGLastnameFirstinitial)
o Password is the same as your google account
- Keep in mind that electives and wellness course request NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR COURSE REQUESTS.
· Be thoughtful about the electives and wellness courses you add. Although students do have the opportunity for some course changes next school year, no changes are guaranteed. What you request now is likely to be what courses you take for the 2022-23 school year.
· If you are not sure what to choose, make an appointment with your school counselor.
· See above for technology account information
- The window for course requests being uploaded by a student to their Student Portal extends now through Tues April 5. Keep in mind that this is only the course requests stage. No courses are scheduled for any student until earliest, late spring. Be sure to prioritize your courses by level of interest and list alternate courses during this step. More to come on these considerations but very important to the process!
- Peer support to upload your course requests will be available in the BHS Library from fellow students this year. BHS students can help peers to both access the student portal and to navigate the course selection site. Stay tuned for dates and times for these support opportunities.
- Talk with your teachers, parents-guardians, counselor, program coordinator for consultation about building a well-balanced course load that allows for academic rigor while also supporting life balance with extracurricular activities, possibly a job and/or community service, quality sleep, and time to relax with friends and family.
- And be sure to think about the BHS graduation requirements as you plan your courses. Check your current transcript (on your Student Portal) to be sure that you are on your way to earning all required credits towards graduation. Also review for any missing classes or errors.
- English- 4 credits
- Science - 3 credits
- Social Studies/History - 3 credits including US History
- Math - 3 credits (4 years required for UMass State colleges/universities)
- World Language - 2 credits (same language)
- Elective - 3 credits distributed across Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Career/Tech – could include Journalism, Community Service, Learning Centers, Tutorial, and/or Scholars
- Wellness - .5 Lifetime Wellness, 3 - .25 wellness credits
- + additional credits to earn minimum total credits of 22
IMPORTANT NOTE – As always, thank you to students and family members for reading this weekly BHS Counseling/Guidance Dept Weekly Update. This weekly BHS Counseling/Guidance Dept update will continue to be sent out during the earlier weekday of each school week, but not over the weekend/Sunday. Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated!
These BHS Counseling Dept Weekly Update emails are sent to all students and the 1st contact parent/guardian listed on the students’ X2 accounts.
All NEW UPDATES will be highlighted in BLUE each week for easy scanning of newest info.
FAMILIES
BHS’s SHARP Warriors Zoom Presentation March 17 on Toxic Masculinity at BHS
BHS’s SHARP Warriors (the student-led Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention team) invites all parents to a special zoom forum March 17 at 7 p.m. on talking with teens about consent, toxic masculinity, and misogyny at the high school. The presentation will include helpful information on current terminology as well as statistics and strategies for open communication, and parents will have opportunities to ask presenters any questions that might arise.
https://zoom.us/j/96204025384?pwd=L3JiUmZsZzNmV0xGbkE0dytwaFV0QT09
From SHARP Warriors:
The central idea of our presentation is: how to hold conversations about consent, toxic masculinity and misogyny at BHS. We start off the presentations with some key definitions. These will be used during the presentation and in the conversations this presentation will spark. We define gender, misgogyny, the patriarchy, consent, toxic masculinity, rape culture, sexual harrassment, and sexual assault. In this section we also have some graphs that show information on sexual misconduct at BHS. After this section we will pause for a moment so parents can ask questions about anything said thus far. We then go into the biggest part of the presentation: how to actually hold these conversations. We give strategies in starting the conversation, what to do if the child does not want to talk, and how to deal with disagreements. We then explain why it is important for parents to share their own personal experiences. Finally we have a closing discussion about the entire night.
Two Year Anniversary of the BHS Food Drive!
Help BHS fight food insecurity within our community… Drop off food to the BHS STEM wing entrance this Saturday 3/19 between 9-11am. See attached food list for needed items.
Date: Saturday, March 19, 2022
Time: 9am - 12pm
Location: 115 Greenough - STEM Wing Entrance
Number of Families: 37ish
Please give as you are able, and thank you to the many that already have!
Student Mental Health and Family Support Resources:
This Thursday 3/17 for BIPOC students…… Brookline High's Black Student Union invites you to join us for an accessible community forum on Mental Health this Thursday, March 17th in the MLK room at 3:30pm. We will create space to raise awareness about the Black Mental Health epidemic and address the systemic, language, and accessibility barriers of mental health in the Black community. In addition, we’ll discuss the lack of BIPOC representation in the mental health field, how to seek a culturally competent health care provider, and collectively brainstorm self-care strategies. Each of us can take steps to unshroud Black Mental Health in taboos, stigmas, and silence. RSVP - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRFRxXkUZ3zziCCAA4QQf5hKDN8lCm7pL-OIB4EzwED9do2w/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Pizza and drink provided for all attendees!
Checking in on your mental health…..
BHS counselors, social workers, school psychologists are here to support you! If you are worried about yourself, a friend, a family member, please don’t worry alone. Please talk to a trusted adult, including a BHS support staff person.
Here are other resources to consider:
- Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention Worcester Team: 1-866-549-2142
- Emergency Mental Health Services (EMH): 508-334-3562 - UMass Memorial Hospital
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line - Text HOME to 741741
A BRYT Family Engagement team continues to offer free, weekly parent-to-parent virtual support groups are available for any parent-guardian to join. See the flyer with links here: BRYT Parent-to-parent supports. Again, open to ALL families of students who are navigating mental health difficulties.
LOCAL COVID VACCINE CLINICS (info from MAB) -
Nearby vaccine clinics:
Ongoing, Fenway Stadium, state vaccination site, all residents 12+, offers Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J (only Pfizer for 12-17), initial round or booster (register here: https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/cataldofenway, walk-ins also accepted)
Ongoing, Whittier Street Health Center, all residents 5+, offers Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J (only Pfizer for 5-17), initial round or booster (see hours here: https://www.wshc.org/covid-19-vaccine/)
For the most updated info on Brookline's testing and vaccine clinics, please visit the Health Department's website at https://www.brooklinema.gov/2050/COVID-19-Testing-Vaccine-Clinics. (It may take a minute to load.)
ALL STUDENTS
This spring (2022), the Parks and Open Space Division will collaborate with a group of Brookline Teens to build and design a mini-park (or "parklet"). The development of a parklet involves repurposing 2-3 curbside parking spaces into a fun, outdoor space where people can eat, drink, read, work, visit with friends and enjoy the downtown commercial areas within Brookline. Are you between 12-18 years old and interested in getting involved? Sign up by copying and pasting this link -https://www.brooklinema.gov/teenparklet
The Teen Parklet Project is kindly being funded by a Brookline Community Foundation Grant.
BHS Spring Sports’ registration is open on FamilyID - Spring 2022 HS Athletics Registration | FamilyID from the BHS Homepage under Athletics- Most spring sports begin practices and tryouts on Monday, 3/21. Crew (Monday, 2/28) and Rugby (Wednesday, 3/16) are scheduled to begin earlier. Registration, including submission of an up-to-date health form must be completed online before participation is allowed. Health forms are good for 13 months from the date of the physical. Please cut and paste this link for all of the info - https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/registration.html
The Brandeis University club called Education for Students by Students (ESS) invites middle school and high school students from all places to come to Splash, an event where Brandeis undergraduates teach interactive classes to local youth. This learning extravaganza allows middle and high schoolers to learn and grow their interests about niche subjects. The best part is….IT’S FREE! Spring 2022 Splash will be held on Saturday, April 9th, 2022. This is a virtual event.
Student Registration is now open and course selection is available from March 10-April 7th.
To register as a student, cut and paste this link - https://brandeis.learningu.org/learn/register.html
If you have any additional questions feel free to email us at ess-club@brandeis.edu
Science Help Center Open for grades 9-12
If you're looking for extra help in any of your science class (physics, chemistry or biology) the center will be open every morning (except Tuesdays) during Z Block in room 204. Please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.
Check out the UPDATED Summer 2022 Opportunities document! Copy and paste this link for the most updated programs - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LZJQoWB4C-JLr13sXkUqEcBvCBraUo3eWYtMG_DUDac/edit
This document is being updated regularly with more opportunities including jobs, internships, and summer programs.
Thinking about a summer camp counselor job? There are a number of camp organizations looking for counselors NOW! See the BHS Guidance website / Career Counseling link à summer jobs 2022 for more info - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LZJQoWB4C-JLr13sXkUqEcBvCBraUo3eWYtMG_DUDac/edit#heading=h.i9miodlpjya
Need a quiet and social place to enjoy your lunch at the 115 campus? Join Lunch Lounge!
Lunch Lounge is offered for all of the students who may or may not have some social connections in classes, including new to BHS students. It is a welcoming, inclusive drop-in lunch community that engages kids with friendly conversation, other kids interested in making friends, and a warm and familiar staff member. At this time, Lunch Lounge is offered for these lunch blocks in Room 277:
Week A - Monday E -Lunch B only
Wednesday C - Lunch A and B
Friday D - Lunch A and B
Week B - Monday E - Lunch B will start week of 9/20
Wed C - Lunch A and B
Friday D - Lunch A and B
Lunch at 22 Tappan – NEW!
Does the cafeteria sometimes feel too loud or too crowded? Does it sometimes feel difficult to make friends with new people during the lunch block?
Come join Lunch Lounge on Fridays in room 206, a dedicated space to form positive relationships with peers! Games will be provided. Fun is optional and encouraged! Special lunch this Friday 3/18. See attached flyer too.
BHS Career exploration and community job opportunities:
Ms Kate Kennedy, the BHS Career Counselor and 9th grade counselor is back! She can be reached at her email [email protected] and her phone #617-879-5759. Please contact her if you have any questions about career exploration, job seeking and interviewing, and resume writing. She is able to set up an appointment to help you. Thank you to Analisa Fazio, BHS counseling intern, for doing a great job of supporting the BHS Career Counselor role at BHS in Ms Kennedy’s absence!
BHS Club Info:
Are you interested in creating artwork, writing letters, helping senior citizens or getting community service hours? Join the The Letters for Rose Brookline Team
See this slideshow for information on how to get involved: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vgbNMoolkoRo5diJsISagvgNyQBhKwu3oL51Q2PdTuA/edit?usp=sharing
- BHS Club Fair info is available here: http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/clubs-and-activities-list.html This list is for 21-22 clubs. The Club Fair slideshow has also been released via Canvas to students. Students can access/re-access more information on how to join, etc. As more clubs update, we will update the presentation.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xFO5v5lCc98EKmbjhicDnZZ5HBRqhlj9Is1VWLqoE58/edit?usp=sharing
Community Service Opportunities for BHS Students:
BHS COMMUNITY SERVICE INFO - Even though Brookline High does not have a community service requirement for graduation, many BHS students become involved in their school or greater Brookline community through service. These opportunities provide a chance for students to better understand and give back to those in need, plus offer a direct strategy to deal with emotions and stress by making connections with others and becoming engaged with something larger than one’s self. Adding community service activities can be beneficial to your college applications down the road too!
You do NOT have to have community service officially listed on your BHS transcript for credit to have its impact be noted for your own sense of self or to colleges. If you do want to have community service hours count for BHS credit, please be aware of these important criteria:
- must be a service within BHS or Brookline or greater Brookline community
- any service hours beyond 50 MUST be approved by the BHS Community Service Coordinator ([email protected]) – see attached form
- 50 hours = .25 credit; 100 hours = .5 credit; 150 hours = .75 credit; 200 hours = 1.0 credit
- hours must be logged and verified by the service organization supervisor and Ms Gaffney at BHS
– Check out Teen Life by copying and pasting this link- https://www.teenlife.com/category/volunteer/?keyword=&location=boston&program-type=volunteer
- The BHS Community Service info on the school’s website has been updated with BHS specific community service opportunities plus opportunities in the Brookline/Boston area - http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/community-service.html
SENIORS
MEFA (MA Educational Financing Authority) will be offering free informative webinars that provide valuable guidance for high school seniors and their families who have received college acceptance letters and financial aid offers and are trying to decide on a college and make a plan to pay for college costs. Topics include different types of financial aid, how to calculate the balance due at each college, and methods for paying for the college bills. See attached flyer for more general info on MEFA. Go to this link to register for the webinar date/time (see below) that works best for you - https://www.mefa.org/events/category/how-to-pay-for-college?utm_campaign=Guidance2021&utm_source=MPSchoolCounselorWave27&utm_medium=email&utm_content=CTA1#
March 30, 2022 – 6:30-7:30pm
April 5, 2022 – 12-1 pm
April 13, 2022 – 6:30-7:30pm
The BHS Scholarship Application is still available for submission. All seniors should consider completing this process.
If you would like to be considered for one of the many scholarships awarded through the Brookline High School Scholarship Program, please complete the BHS Scholarship Application and submit your CSS Profile to the BHS Scholarship Program by April 15th. The application is easy to complete and is available online on the Brookline High School homepage. To make fair decisions, the Committee requires that families fill out the CSS Profile financial aid form, available at CollegeBoard.com. Please use the Brookline Scholarship Program code, which is 0424
The Scholarship Committee would like students and parents to know that three criteria are used for choosing award recipients: academics, contributions and activities at BHS, and most importantly, unmet financial need. There are no merit scholarships per se given out through this program.
College Application Reminders:
Help the BHS counselors and teachers support your application process by meeting deadlines. Submit your electronic transcript release forms, your
self-questionnaire, your parent/caregiver’s “brag” sheet, and give notice to your teachers who have agreed to write recommendations for you.
JUNIORS and SENIORS
B-PEN Parent/Caregiver Meeting: The Inside Scoop on the Junior/Senior Experience
Tuesday, March 22, at 7pm
BHS Peer Leaders will share a series of letters to parents/caregivers designed to help them understand some of the unique stresses and pressures of junior/senior years as they begin planning for life after high school. The meeting will include concrete tips on how to strengthen communication and support for their teens to maintain a healthy perspective during these final years at BHS. If you have any questions for the student panel you would like addressed, please submit to Jennifer Gangadharan ([email protected]).
Zoom meeting: https://brooklinema.zoomgov.com/j/1601696973
Brookline SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory) suggests this virtual opportunity - added below - to hear about student support differences between high school and college for students with IEPs and 504s. BHS Guidance will also be offering a virtual panel to share information and answer questions regarding college support for students with learning differences on March 30, 2022 @ 7pm. More info to come on this event….
JUNIORS
Required Junior Post High School Planning Workshops next week during MCAC – Tues 3/22 and Wed 3/23. Check your school email for workshop topics. All juniors should choose at least one workshop to attend, but can join 2 workshops on different topics each morning. See you then!
Are you a student looking at colleges with strong student support services to help accommodate a learning difference? The Woburn SEPAC is offering a Virtual College Fair for area colleges with excellent student support programming. Their annual College Fair is happening online and you can join on Wednesday, March 30 at 6 p.m. at http://woburnsepac.org. Parents and students can meet virtually with representatives from Massachusetts colleges and programs that specialize in providing services and resources for students who learn differently.
Full list and details: http://woburnsepac.org/collegefair
And here are additional helpful tips to consider:
* Tip: Read this comparison of disability accommodation at the college level vs. in the high school, https://www.uhv.edu/disability-services/differences/
* TIP: Once admitted to a college, disabled students can meet with disability counselors the summer before. That way when the student walks on campus, he/she will have already explored the available resources and will have a plan of action.
Juniors and Junior Keepers! Did you miss your junior seminars in advisory? Mr. Libenzon will conduct another make-up session on March 28th during T-block.
Come to the Auditorium for this in-person session with Mr. L, BHS College Counselor. He will be happy to answer any questions you have about college admissions.
Did you miss the Junior Parent Virtual Coffee Q&A zoom last Thursday morning with Lenny Libenzon (BHS College Counselor) and Darby Neff-Verre (BHS Counseling Department Chair)? Lots of questions were asked and answered. Here is the link to the recording of this event - https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/guidance/junior-parent-coffee-qa-session
Thinking about a Gap Year after graduating from BHS? If you missed the USA Virtual Gap Year Fair sponsored by BHS Guidance earlier this school year, there’s another opportunity to check in Gap Year programs in-person through USA Gap Year. They are hosting an in-person USA Gap Year Fair in Cambridge on Mar 27th from 1-4 PM! Here is the registration link - https://bit.ly/3GYrQFg
You can also learn more by registering for these virtual Gap Year workshops offered by USA Gap Year Fairs – the organization that the BHS Counseling Dept collaborates with for our annual Virtual Gap Year Fair (offered January 18). Consider joining their dynamic gap year crash course and get the insider knowledge and insight necessary to research and plan the gap year adventure of your dreams.
* Mar 24: Virtual National Gap Year Fair
· Apr 6: Virtual National Gap Year Fair
Hosted by USA Gap Year Fairs, the crash course is the perfect complement to the 10 national virtual USA Gap Year Fairs that help connect you with gap year program providers and expert gap year counselors. Here’s the link to register for the crash course workshops - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-take-a-gap-year-the-ultimate-crash-course-registration-253811114877?aff=Email&mc_eid=77284bec4e&mc_cid=c625362665
And here’s the link to the upcoming Virtual Gap Year Fairs - https://www.gooverseas.com/gap-year/usa-fairs/schedule?utm_source=GoOverseas&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gyf2022&mc_cid=c625362665&mc_eid=77284bec4e
Counselors have started rotating through junior hub/advisory blocks to share information about post high school planning steps and resources. These Hub advisory presentations will continue through March and include mini themed workshops during the mornings of ELA MCAS on March 22 &23. More details coming soon! Juniors can also reach out to their counselor to set up an individual meeting on these conversations too.
JUNIORS and SOPHOMORES
Senior and Junior Year Course Selection Meeting was presented on
Tuesday, February 15. This meeting was offered for parents and guardians of current Sophomores AND Juniors. Deans will led the meeting and Curriculum Coordinators for each Department described the course options for next year. In addition, SWS and ACE provided an overview of those programs.
This presentation was recorded. Please copy and paste this link to view - https://psbma-org.zoom.us/rec/play/4XgiG-d10uSE8WPgu8ciQhEJSbPynuhFUtPJiH3Nbk7m9oXYk9yjohdYpY3CR1pmuy4HRacKJkQGhsph.IDlmp-cUBUfhoHNX?continueMode=true
The PreACT will be administered at Brookline High on Saturday, April 9th from 7:45-11:30 am.
The PreACT is a shorter practice version of the ACT college admissions test, normed for sophomores in high school. The PreACT also offers a built-in career interest inventory. Each student taking the test will have the opportunity to:
· Identify current academic readiness for college and career using the PreACT report
· Predict how you’ll perform on the ACT after an additional junior year of learning (predictive quality of test is different for juniors since they already are having that “additional year” of curriculum as defined by the ACT)
· Determine skills you can improve based on your performance (using your results to guide use of the free online ACT Academy prep program)
· Explore how your career aspirations align with your interests.
Registration starts now through March 31. See the attached flyer for more info and registration form. If you cannot take the PreACT on Saturday for religious reasons, please indicate that info on your registration form. Otherwise no alternative date will be offered at BHS.
9TH GRADERS
Lunch at 22 Tappan – NEW!
Does the cafeteria sometimes feel too loud or too crowded? Does it sometimes feel difficult to make friends with new people during the lunch block?
Come join Lunch Lounge on Fridays in room 206, a dedicated space to form positive relationships with peers! Games will be provided. Fun is optional and encouraged! Special lunch this Friday 3/18. See attached flyer too.
Ms Kate Kennedy, one of the 9th grade counselor and the BHS Career Counselor is back! She can be reached at her email [email protected] and her phone #617-879-5759. Thank you to Larry Allen for doing a great job of supporting Ms Kennedy’s 9th grade students in her absence!
9th Grade School Counselors continue to be busy supporting your students! They continue to join 9th grade Hub advisories to facilitate conversation about Goal Setting and thinking ahead to Gr 10. Counselors will continue to be rotating through each 9th grade Hub over the next 2 months to discuss this important topic.
And the 9th Grade Counselor team also offered a Gr 10 Course Selection zoom to all Class of 2025 students during the March 7 Hub advisory block. Please see the attached powerpoint presentation for more info!
As always, 9th graders should reach out to their counselor if they have any questions or concerns about current classes, future course selection, and life in and out of school. The counselors don’t want any 9th grader to worry alone!