The Weekly Update #4
November 5th, 2025
Dear Birmingham Parents and Guardians,
We are quickly approaching Thanksgiving Vacation and have completed two-thirds of semester one. Although it's important for students to stay on top of their work throughout the entire semester, the final month of is often the most critical for students in earning the grade they want. Teachers are looking for either consistency in quality student performance or for growth and improvement. For students that haven't yet given their best effort, this is an important time to get serious, make-up missing work (if a teacher will accommodate), and put in their best effort through the end of the semester. Finishing a semester strong is critical for student success. Please encourage your student to use their time wisely, stay current with all of their assignments, and participate in class discussions. Their effort will make a difference for their final grades in December. Please also strongly encourage them to attend every day. Students who miss class are much more likely to fall behind and struggle to catch up. Daily, on time attendance is another critical component of student success.
As we approach Thanksgiving and Winter Break, please keep the following in mind. While traditions and celebrations are meaningful, it’s just as important to care for your mental well-being. From our partners at Care Solace, here are a few tips to help make your holidays more manageable and joyful:
- Modify traditions if needed. It’s okay to adjust traditions if they feel overwhelming. Your mental health takes priority.
- Learn the power of saying "no." If a commitment feels too much, give yourself permission to decline.
- Plan ahead. Use a calendar to stay organized and avoid last-minute tasks that can create unnecessary stress.
Share your feelings. Talk to someone you trust if you're feeling anxious or missing a loved one. You are not alone.
Take time for self-care. Make sure to rest and recharge, even as you care for others.
Finally, please find the following important dates that are fast approaching:
Monday, November 17 at 11:36 am in the MPR: AP Scholars Awards Lunch
Tuesday, November 18 at 4:30 pm in the MPR: Regular Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 19 at 10:00 am in the Parent Center: School Tour for Prospective Families
Thursday, November 20 at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium: Winter Choir Concert
November 24-28 No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
Tuesday, December 2 at 8:30 am in the Counseling Center Conference Room: Wellness Committee
Thursday, December 4 at 12:00 pm in the Main Gym: Winter Wonderland Holiday Toy Drive Giveaway
Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium: Winter Band Concert
Wednesday, December 10 at 3:45 pm in the Counseling Center Conference Room: Finance Committee
Wednesday, December 10 at 6:00 pm in the Auditorium: ASL Winter Schow
Thursday, December 11 at 3:45 pm in the Counseling Center Conference Room: Curriculum and Instruction Committee
Friday, December 12 at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium: Winter Dance Show
Saturday, December 13 at 9:00 am in the MPR: Regular Board Meeting
Saturday, December 13 at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium: Winter Dance Show
Tuesday, December 16 - Friday December 19 Finals Schedule - Dismissal at 1:10 each day.
Monday, December 22 - Monday, January 12: Winter Break
Tuesday, January 13: Semester 2 begins
Have a wonderful Holiday season!!
Principal Bennett
Seniors are almost halfway through their last year of high school!
Last month, our Homecoming was a success! The week-long celebration continued into Friday night's football game against Taft. Before the start of the game, Birmingham clubs paraded around the football stadium flaunting their beautifully decorated floats. At the Halftime Show, we were entertained with awesome performances by both JV and Varsity Dance Teams, and Band. Before the end of the show, Seniors Naomi Cutler and Adrian Martinez were crowned as the 2025 Homecoming Queen and King! Congratulations to them and all those who were nominated! At the Homecoming dance, students mingled with their friends and also had a blast participating in games and most of all the music kept the students on their feet as they danced the evening away.
November is an important month for Seniors as they put their finishing touches and submit their College Applications. Our awesome College and Career Counselors have been working diligently with all our Seniors and we truly appreciate them! As the College Seminar class comes to an end, we would like to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to our College and Career Counselors Erika Lopez, Wendy Quinonez and Angela Zook for their endless dedication to our students.
In recognition of Thanksgiving, students will have a one week break from November 24th through November 28th to be with family and celebrate this special holiday.
December is around the corner, which means our Fall Semester is almost over. All students should continue to focus on striving to complete all their classes successfully and communicate with their teachers on any concerning issue as soon as possible.
Seniors are now able to order their Caps and Gowns for their graduation and so please remember to do so with time! Yearbooks can still be ordered and purchased through Jostens website, as well as graduation announcements, class rings. letterman jackets and other Senior Class of 2024 memorabilia.
The BCCHS home page to pre-purchase any or all the items mentioned above is at https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1007993/Birmingham-Community-Charter-High-School/
Fall Semester Finals begin Tuesday, December 16th through Friday, December 19th. A detailed period by period schedule of Finals Week will be posted as we get closer to the week.
Winter Break will begin after school on December 19th and will end on Monday, January 12th. Students' first day of Spring Semester will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13th.
BEST OF LUCK ON YOUR UPCOMING FINALS SENIORS...LET’S FINISH WITH A BANG!
We wish you all Safe and Happy Holidays!
12th Grade Level Academy Team
Mr. Elmore - Administrative Director
Ms. Franco - 12th Grade Coordinator
Ms. Piliposian - 12th Grade Dean
Mrs. Riusech - Counselor (A-F)
Ms. Aparicio - Counselor (G-N)
Ms. Vasquez - Counselor (O-Z)
Mr. Rodriguez - Psychiatric Social Worker
Ms. Sedani - 12th Grade Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Salvatierra - 12th Grade Clerk
Junior Students and Families,
We are so proud of the hard work and dedication you have shown this semester. 453 students made the Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher. This represents 63% of the entire Junior Class!!!!
It is also important to note that if you want to make a positive change, now is the time to do it! There are only four weeks left of the semester (and remember, the last of these is Finals Week, leaving only four weeks of instruction and assignments). Reach out to your teachers if you need help! They are your best resource to improve your grades.
Late last month the Class of 2027 Senate voted in the prom venue for Spring 2027. They chose Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles as the location. The students are looking forward to it and it should be an amazing experience!
Tutoring: Tutoring is available every day in B71 before and after school. Take advantage of it if you need extra support as we move into the last part of the semester.
Hey Everyone! We hope you had an amazing October! Here’s a little
recap: Homecoming Week kicked off with a fun Grade Level Pep Rally . It was a blast!
Our Homecoming Float Parade showcased the Class of 2028 Senate and our
fabulous HOCO Royalty
The Homecoming Dance on October 18th was a night to remember!
Students enjoyed tasty food, played video games, and danced the night away!
We also had our Fall Food Fest on Nov. 10th. Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraiser by purchasing Korean Corn Dogs. They were a hit!
Don’t forget, report cards for Progress Check 2 were sent home on
October 29th.
A quick reminder about November holidays:
**November 11th: Veterans Day—NO SCHOOL!
**November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break—time to relax and enjoy!
**December is Coming!
From December 2nd to 16th, it’s study time for finals!
**FINALS will be held from Dec. 16-19th:
December 16th: Periods 1 & 2 - Minimum Day
December 17th: Periods 3 & 4 - Minimum Day
December 18th: Periods 5 & 6 - Minimum Day
December 19th: Periods 7 & 8 - Minimum Day
Don’t forget, Winter Break is from December 22 to January 12th. We’ll
see everyone back on January 13th! We wish you all a wonderful holiday
season filled with joy and laughter!
Warm wishes from the 10th-grade level team!
Amanda Fitzpatrick 10th Grade Level Coordinator
Class of 2028 Student Senate Advisor
Birmingham Community Charter High School
Dear 9th grade families,
We are almost done with the first semester of your student's high school career! We hope that they have enjoyed Birmingham so far and we look forward to helping them grow.
Events
The Visual and Performing Arts Department has many events coming up. Check out their newsletter for all the details. Here are a few highlights!
- On November 12-6th, She Kills Monsters is playing
- On November 20th, the Winter Choir concert is happening
- On December 4th, there is the Winter Band Concert
- On December 12-13th, there is a Dance Show
Tutoring
Tutoring in
General tutoring in B71 : M, T, TH, F (7:30-8:20AM), W (8:30- 9:30 AM), M-Th (3:30-4:30pm)
IEP/ 504 Tutoring in B73: M-F (3:30-4:30pm)
EL Tutoring in B75: M, T, TH, F (7:30-8:20AM), W (7:30- 9:20 AM), M-F (3:30-4:30PM)
Link Crew after school in 406: starting 9/25 from 3:45-4:45pm
**Tutoring may be available with individual teachers. Your student should ask their teachers.
Progress Report Two Information
All students received their second progress report on Friday, October 31st. If you haven't gotten to see your student's grades yet, please check Aeries to view their most recent grades. Students must receive a C or higher in order to avoid repeating a class. If a student earns a D or an F, their counselor will likely schedule them to retake the class.
Please encourage your students to attend tutoring, ask their teachers for help, and stay organized about their work. Their final grades are determined by all of their work through the semester plus their final exam. The final exams are often worth a lot of points so please also encourage your students to study diligently. Final grades directly impact your student's GPA and their college options.
As always, please reach out to anyone on our team if you have any questions or concerns.
Leila Haghi
9th Grade Coordinator
The 9th Grade Team
Edwin Avarca- 9th Grade Administrative Director
Leila Haghi- 9th Grade Coordinator/ Lead Teacher
Sami Brown, Ana Palacios, and Veronica Perez- 9th Grade Counselors
Taylor Ermoian -Psychiatric Social Worker
Joe Granish- 9th Grade Dean
Anne Mirzakhanian- 9th Grade Office Clerk/ Primary Parent Contact (818) 758-4484
Are you interested in supporting student and family health, nutrition, and physical fitness goals?
Birmingham is committed to supporting the whole student. Our programs focus on meeting students’ wellness needs - physical, social-emotional, and academic.
The Wellness Committee is currently seeking parent members. Throughout the school year, the committee meets to plan activities and events that promote student and family wellness in alignment with the Local School Wellness Policy.
If you’d like to get involved, please join us at our upcoming meetings. Meetings are held at 8:35 am, just after morning drop-off, on the following dates:
· November 13
· December 2
· January 15
· February 9
· March 2
· April 13
· May 18
Spanish translation is available.
The meetings are announced in advance on ParentSquare.
For more information about the Wellness Committee or the Local School Wellness Policy, please contact Wendy Bader at w.bader@bcchs.net.
Hello BCCHS Families,
As we head into the holiday season, we want to remind everyone that support is always available for our students and families.
Mobile Clinics
BCCHS continues to host free mobile health clinics for students, including sports physicals, general wellness checks and vision exams.
If your student needs this service, please reach out for support.
Medi-Cal Reminder
Starting January 1, 2026, the Medi-Cal medical freeze will go into effect this means some individuals could lose coverage if they haven’t renewed or updated their information. Make sure your coverage is up to date!
A Medi-Cal representative will be on campus in the Quad Monday, November 17th, from 3:30–5:00 PM to help with sign-ups and renewals.
The Hub & Local Food Resources
Our Hub (on campus food pantry) is open to all BCCHS students and families — offering free food items.
We’ve also updated our list of local food pantries across the Valley to help anyone who may need extra support.
*See flyer below*
Possip Update
Thank you for sharing your ideas! In our latest Pulse Check, 96% of families were happy or mostly happy with BCCHS.
The feedback we received:
Strong academics and helpful staff
Clear communication
Requests for more updates on attendance, grades, and activities
Ideas for more extracurriculars and improved campus safety
We appreciate your input and are reviewing all feedback.
Get Involved
We invite all parents, students, and community members to join our Community School Advisory Council (CSAC). Help us shape programs and priorities at our school! Your voice matters!
Our Next meeting is Thursday November 20 3:45-4:45pm in Counseling Center
Stay connected and follow us on Instagram for the latest news and updates:
@bcchs.supports
Remember that BCCHS is here to help — please reach out anytime if you need support or have questions.
For questions or to get involved, Contact Cecilia Macias at c.macias@bcchs.net or at 818-758-4411
