ALL STUDENTS/PARENTS- CARETAKERS
The goals of the BHS Counseling/Guidance department and the school community overall is to encourage students to try their best in school while keeping their stress levels to a healthy level. If you are ever concerned about your student, please reach out to your student’s assigned school counselor.
We are continuing with the season of celebration and family time with Thanksgiving just ending and holiday events on the horizon for many students and their families. These times can represent joy for many and tough times for others.
In addition, this time holds stress and anxiety for many students, especially 65% of our BHS seniors who are awaiting early application decisions from many colleges. Please be thoughtful and caring as we support our young people in their acceptances and happy times, and encourage and support students with not–so-positive stories. We are a rock-solid community for all our students and families.
The goals of the BHS Counseling/Guidance department and the school community overall is to encourage students to try their best in school while keeping their stress levels to a healthy level. If you are ever concerned about your student, please reach out to your student’s assigned school counselor.
We are continuing with the season of celebration and family time with Thanksgiving just ending and holiday events on the horizon for many students and their families. These times can represent joy for many and tough times for others.
In addition, this time holds stress and anxiety for many students, especially 65% of our BHS seniors who are awaiting early application decisions from many colleges. Please be thoughtful and caring as we support our young people in their acceptances and happy times, and encourage and support students with not–so-positive stories. We are a rock-solid community for all our students and families.
Healthy Sleep Tips for Students – Check out the attached Sleep Hygiene advice offered by BHS School Psychologist Dr Matthew DuBois. Keep in mind that less sleep makes processing information slow down and less accurate, plus can greatly impact already symptoms of depression and anxiety. Reach out to your parents, counselor, or other caring adult if you want to talk!
The midpoint of Quarter 2 is December 16 with IPRs being uploaded to portals on Thurs 12/19.
This Thursday- Career Coffee Talk - Nurse Practitioners - Wed December 4th X Block, College-Career Center, Room 279 -
Please encourage students who may be interested in working in this field! Nurse practitioners from various medical settings such as the operating room, psychiatry unit, and labor/delivery will be there. Presentation will be in the.
What is a Coffee Talk?
A Coffee Talk is a time for individuals in certain career fields to speak to students about their career path. Students have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from those in a field they may be interested in! It is also a great way to network and make connections in and around the BHS community.
The Caron Center has offered presentations on the dangers of vaping to both Brookline parents and students over the past year. Caron’s new digital learning courses are now available. You will find links to all the courses through Caron's Digital Learning page on their website. Please use the links below to access the individual courses and feel free to share with others in our community:
CONNECT 5: Find the NicoTEEN-Free You! CONNECT 5 is a nicotine reduction and cessation digital experience designed to help youth make a positive impact on their health. This course motivates youth towards change and assists them in developing a personalized plan for success that is unique to their needs and situation. For schools, parents, and students, CONNECT 5 fills a critical need in addressing the widespread abuse of nicotine vaping and other tobacco products among youth.
PREP: Prevention Resources and Education for Parents/Caregivers Parents and caregivers are the most powerful influence in deterring their children from alcohol, nicotine, and other drug use. When parents/caregivers have skills, knowledge, and resources regarding substance use and prevention, their influence on their children’s actions and decisions increases. This program for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers provides information that research shows can reduce the chances that young people will engage in substance use.
Brookline Parents Organization to sponsor a colloquium on school leadership, to be held on December 7 at the Coolidge Corner School. It is designed to highlight great leadership and great leaders as Brookline searches for a new superintendent. There's good food; there's professional child care; and it's all free! Below is a link to the Eventbrite invitation- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-school-leadership-for-the-21st-century-a-colloquium-in-brookline-ma-tickets-81608590491
UPDATED BHS Clubs/Organizations Info for students:
BHS Marketing Club - The Brookline Literacy Partnership Club is holding a silent online action from December 1st to the 10th. The proceeds will go to building libraries in underdeveloped areas. Stay tuned for the link to the auction! (ends Dec 10)
Lunch Lounge is now scheduled FOR ALL LUNCHES EVERY WEEKDAY in Room 277 at the 115 campus and LUNCHES on Tuesdays at the OLS campus. This alternative lunch space offers a place for fun conversation, a board game competition, or having a quiet lunch. BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH. Any student can join for one lunch lounge or become a regular.
The next monthly pizza lunch at the BHS 115 campus will be offered on Friday, December 13. Stop by for some pizza and conversation!
Girls STEM Summit-Statewide 2020
DURING THE SUMMIT STUDENTS WILL:
Hear an inspirational keynote speech by a local female leader in a STEM field.
Meet successful women working as experts in STEM fields, and work directly with them in hands-on career-specific workshops.
Expand knowledge of STEM industries and emerging career paths.
Be inspired to continue taking STEM high school courses applicable to college STEM programs.
Date: Sunday, April 5, 2020
Fee: $70.00 (Scholarship available to students with limited resources to cover fee – please see your counselor or Counseling Coordinator Darby Neff-Verre in Room 285 for more info)
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology
Time: 8:00 am–4:00 pm (lunch included)
https://juniortech.org/2020-girls-stem-summit-statewide/
SENIORS
READ YOUR EMAIL IF YOU HAVE APPLIED TO COLLEGE! Set up and check your portal for each college. If you have questions, students (not parents) should be contacting the admissions offices!
The BHS Guidance Dept has worked hard to send all of your required documents to colleges, especially your Quarter 1 grades for early application candidates by December 1.
See this article for more info about documents to college - http://admitted.nacacnet.org/wordpress/index.php/2018/11/21/parents-before-you-yell-at-your-childs-school-counselor/
Thinking about an alternative plan to 4 year college? You are not alone! Almost 10% of last year’s BHS graduates planned to attend a 2 year technical or community college, work full time, or considered the military. Please see Kate Cordner Kennedy, the BHS Career Counselor in Room 279 or 280 for more info. If she is not available when you stop by (since she is also working with 9th graders at the OLS campus), please leave her a note!
Transcript release / Teacher-Counselor Recommendation Deadlines
To best support every senior in their college admissions process, we require that all seniors meet the deadlines below for communicating to both teacher and counselors re: recommendations.
UPDATE: If you have college applications with Dec and January 1 deadlines – your transcript release form and other important documents are now overdue. Counselors and department staff are working hard during and outside of the school day to get your documents ready for these deadlines. If you got your completed transcript release to your counselor by BHS deadlines and did FERPA and “matching” steps with your Naviance and Common App accounts, then we will meet your deadlines. If you did these steps after BHS deadlines, we will do our best to meet your deadline whenever possible. Thank you!
SENIORS AND JUNIORS
Seniors - Have questions about your Common Application? Need essay help? Not sure how to send your scores to colleges? Having trouble matching your Common App to Naviance? Still deciding on colleges to apply to?
Juniors- Starting to research colleges? Wondering whether to take the SAT, ACT, or go test-optional? Thinking about when you should take these tests?
Make an appointment with your counselor (email or leave a note, if needed) OR see Mr Libenzon, BHS College Counselor, in College-Career Center 279 or office 280
Naviance access for BHS parents/guardians - BHS does not provide separate parent accounts to Naviance. Parents are encouraged to use their students' username and passwords. It is
possible to log in to naviance as BHS guest, click on "Log in as Guest" from the Naviance website and the password is "bhs" (all small letters).
JUNIORS
1) Your Naviance account has been updated with your GPA and your assigned counselor for this school year. Please check that it is correct. If you do not remember your Naviance login, talk to your counselor or email Mr. Libenzon ([email protected])
2) Thinking about your next steps in terms of college admissions? Take a look at our Junior year timeline at the BHS Guidance Website. Google BHS Guidance, then click on Junior & Senior Year Timeline (http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/guidance)
3) Assembly about College Process & Post-Graduate Options will take place on December 12 during T block in the auditorium. This is a mandatory assembly for juniors!
4) College Counselor, Lenny Libenzon, will offer a workshop in the College-Career Center (Room 279) also on Dec 12 during X block, starting at 11:15, on “How to Research Colleges Using Naviance”. Please come by for tips and advice on starting (or continuing) your college search process.
5) Thursday, 12/18 X block in College-Career Center Room 279, Mr Libenzon will conduct a quick overview of how to interpret your PSAT scores. You are welcome to stop by and ask any questions.
5) Junior Seminar Round 1 will happen in Advisories and H blocks through January/early Feb
Junior Seminar Round 2 will happen in March during MCAS mornings. More details on times/dates to come soon!
PSAT results will likely be available online via the College Board website during the week of Dec 9, 2019. Students who took this practice test should be receiving an email from the College Board to announce that scores are available and to provide directions for access. College Board accounts should have been created by students, so we have no way of knowing their username/passwords. If a student cannot access their account, they should try the "forgot the password" feature first. If that doesn't work, Lenny Libenzon can help students with access when they drop by College-Career Center 279 or his office 280. Last year, issues arose when a student's parents used their own emails to create the account.
SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS
Add this event to your calendar and NOTE CHANGE IN BHS LOCATION - Junior Year Timeline and Standardized College Admissions Testing presentation – Thursday, December 12, 2019 from 6:30-8:30 pm, in the BHS Black Box Theater. Lenny Libenzon, the BHS College Counselor in the Counseling/Guidance Department will go over the Junior Year Post High School Planning Timeline and Drew Heilpern from Summit Educational Group will talk about the different types of standardized tests that our juniors/seniors take (SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, AP). This night is open to junior and sophomore students and their parents/caregivers. Please note that BHS does not specifically promote any outside testing prep companies, but appreciates their information sharing for this event.
The midpoint of Quarter 2 is December 16 with IPRs being uploaded to portals on Thurs 12/19.
This Thursday- Career Coffee Talk - Nurse Practitioners - Wed December 4th X Block, College-Career Center, Room 279 -
Please encourage students who may be interested in working in this field! Nurse practitioners from various medical settings such as the operating room, psychiatry unit, and labor/delivery will be there. Presentation will be in the.
What is a Coffee Talk?
A Coffee Talk is a time for individuals in certain career fields to speak to students about their career path. Students have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from those in a field they may be interested in! It is also a great way to network and make connections in and around the BHS community.
The Caron Center has offered presentations on the dangers of vaping to both Brookline parents and students over the past year. Caron’s new digital learning courses are now available. You will find links to all the courses through Caron's Digital Learning page on their website. Please use the links below to access the individual courses and feel free to share with others in our community:
CONNECT 5: Find the NicoTEEN-Free You! CONNECT 5 is a nicotine reduction and cessation digital experience designed to help youth make a positive impact on their health. This course motivates youth towards change and assists them in developing a personalized plan for success that is unique to their needs and situation. For schools, parents, and students, CONNECT 5 fills a critical need in addressing the widespread abuse of nicotine vaping and other tobacco products among youth.
PREP: Prevention Resources and Education for Parents/Caregivers Parents and caregivers are the most powerful influence in deterring their children from alcohol, nicotine, and other drug use. When parents/caregivers have skills, knowledge, and resources regarding substance use and prevention, their influence on their children’s actions and decisions increases. This program for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers provides information that research shows can reduce the chances that young people will engage in substance use.
Brookline Parents Organization to sponsor a colloquium on school leadership, to be held on December 7 at the Coolidge Corner School. It is designed to highlight great leadership and great leaders as Brookline searches for a new superintendent. There's good food; there's professional child care; and it's all free! Below is a link to the Eventbrite invitation- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-school-leadership-for-the-21st-century-a-colloquium-in-brookline-ma-tickets-81608590491
UPDATED BHS Clubs/Organizations Info for students:
BHS Marketing Club - The Brookline Literacy Partnership Club is holding a silent online action from December 1st to the 10th. The proceeds will go to building libraries in underdeveloped areas. Stay tuned for the link to the auction! (ends Dec 10)
Lunch Lounge is now scheduled FOR ALL LUNCHES EVERY WEEKDAY in Room 277 at the 115 campus and LUNCHES on Tuesdays at the OLS campus. This alternative lunch space offers a place for fun conversation, a board game competition, or having a quiet lunch. BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH. Any student can join for one lunch lounge or become a regular.
The next monthly pizza lunch at the BHS 115 campus will be offered on Friday, December 13. Stop by for some pizza and conversation!
Girls STEM Summit-Statewide 2020
DURING THE SUMMIT STUDENTS WILL:
Hear an inspirational keynote speech by a local female leader in a STEM field.
Meet successful women working as experts in STEM fields, and work directly with them in hands-on career-specific workshops.
Expand knowledge of STEM industries and emerging career paths.
Be inspired to continue taking STEM high school courses applicable to college STEM programs.
Date: Sunday, April 5, 2020
Fee: $70.00 (Scholarship available to students with limited resources to cover fee – please see your counselor or Counseling Coordinator Darby Neff-Verre in Room 285 for more info)
Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology
Time: 8:00 am–4:00 pm (lunch included)
https://juniortech.org/2020-girls-stem-summit-statewide/
SENIORS
READ YOUR EMAIL IF YOU HAVE APPLIED TO COLLEGE! Set up and check your portal for each college. If you have questions, students (not parents) should be contacting the admissions offices!
The BHS Guidance Dept has worked hard to send all of your required documents to colleges, especially your Quarter 1 grades for early application candidates by December 1.
See this article for more info about documents to college - http://admitted.nacacnet.org/wordpress/index.php/2018/11/21/parents-before-you-yell-at-your-childs-school-counselor/
Thinking about an alternative plan to 4 year college? You are not alone! Almost 10% of last year’s BHS graduates planned to attend a 2 year technical or community college, work full time, or considered the military. Please see Kate Cordner Kennedy, the BHS Career Counselor in Room 279 or 280 for more info. If she is not available when you stop by (since she is also working with 9th graders at the OLS campus), please leave her a note!
Transcript release / Teacher-Counselor Recommendation Deadlines
To best support every senior in their college admissions process, we require that all seniors meet the deadlines below for communicating to both teacher and counselors re: recommendations.
UPDATE: If you have college applications with Dec and January 1 deadlines – your transcript release form and other important documents are now overdue. Counselors and department staff are working hard during and outside of the school day to get your documents ready for these deadlines. If you got your completed transcript release to your counselor by BHS deadlines and did FERPA and “matching” steps with your Naviance and Common App accounts, then we will meet your deadlines. If you did these steps after BHS deadlines, we will do our best to meet your deadline whenever possible. Thank you!
SENIORS AND JUNIORS
Seniors - Have questions about your Common Application? Need essay help? Not sure how to send your scores to colleges? Having trouble matching your Common App to Naviance? Still deciding on colleges to apply to?
Juniors- Starting to research colleges? Wondering whether to take the SAT, ACT, or go test-optional? Thinking about when you should take these tests?
Make an appointment with your counselor (email or leave a note, if needed) OR see Mr Libenzon, BHS College Counselor, in College-Career Center 279 or office 280
Naviance access for BHS parents/guardians - BHS does not provide separate parent accounts to Naviance. Parents are encouraged to use their students' username and passwords. It is
possible to log in to naviance as BHS guest, click on "Log in as Guest" from the Naviance website and the password is "bhs" (all small letters).
JUNIORS
1) Your Naviance account has been updated with your GPA and your assigned counselor for this school year. Please check that it is correct. If you do not remember your Naviance login, talk to your counselor or email Mr. Libenzon ([email protected])
2) Thinking about your next steps in terms of college admissions? Take a look at our Junior year timeline at the BHS Guidance Website. Google BHS Guidance, then click on Junior & Senior Year Timeline (http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/guidance)
3) Assembly about College Process & Post-Graduate Options will take place on December 12 during T block in the auditorium. This is a mandatory assembly for juniors!
4) College Counselor, Lenny Libenzon, will offer a workshop in the College-Career Center (Room 279) also on Dec 12 during X block, starting at 11:15, on “How to Research Colleges Using Naviance”. Please come by for tips and advice on starting (or continuing) your college search process.
5) Thursday, 12/18 X block in College-Career Center Room 279, Mr Libenzon will conduct a quick overview of how to interpret your PSAT scores. You are welcome to stop by and ask any questions.
5) Junior Seminar Round 1 will happen in Advisories and H blocks through January/early Feb
Junior Seminar Round 2 will happen in March during MCAS mornings. More details on times/dates to come soon!
PSAT results will likely be available online via the College Board website during the week of Dec 9, 2019. Students who took this practice test should be receiving an email from the College Board to announce that scores are available and to provide directions for access. College Board accounts should have been created by students, so we have no way of knowing their username/passwords. If a student cannot access their account, they should try the "forgot the password" feature first. If that doesn't work, Lenny Libenzon can help students with access when they drop by College-Career Center 279 or his office 280. Last year, issues arose when a student's parents used their own emails to create the account.
SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS
Add this event to your calendar and NOTE CHANGE IN BHS LOCATION - Junior Year Timeline and Standardized College Admissions Testing presentation – Thursday, December 12, 2019 from 6:30-8:30 pm, in the BHS Black Box Theater. Lenny Libenzon, the BHS College Counselor in the Counseling/Guidance Department will go over the Junior Year Post High School Planning Timeline and Drew Heilpern from Summit Educational Group will talk about the different types of standardized tests that our juniors/seniors take (SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, AP). This night is open to junior and sophomore students and their parents/caregivers. Please note that BHS does not specifically promote any outside testing prep companies, but appreciates their information sharing for this event.