Counseling Newsletter

Welcome back to the 2024-2025 school year! Birmingham is not the same without its students, staff, and families!

These are the minimum requirements that should be completed by each grade level for both graduation and college with a minimum grade of C or higher. Grades of D's and F's will be assigned summer school automatically.

Welcome to Birmingham Class of 2028! We are excited to welcome you to our campus. We are here to support you so please feel free to stop by our office in the counseling center if you need support. We wish you the best on the start of your journey. We are excited to be part of your high school experience.

Mrs. Martinez (A-F)

Ms. Marquez (G-N)

Mrs. Mutia (O-Z)

Welcome back, Class of 2027! The 10th-grade counseling team is excited to help you with your academic pursuits this school year. Schedule changes have been finalized, and all students should now be familiar with accessing Aeries and Google Classroom, as well as fully understanding the new dress code policy. As always, if you need to communicate with your counselor, please email or stop by anytime during lunch.

Mrs. Gazarian (A-F)

Ms. Galvez (G-N)

Ms. Scherrer (O-Z)

Welcome back Class of 2026 Patriots! Your 11th grade counselors have been reconnecting with their juniors. Many used this summer to get back on track or get ahead. We are so proud of you! This year our students have hit the ground running and are really trying to make intentional decisions about their classes. Reminder we have the PSAT coming up for our 11th graders on Saturday, October 26, 2024.

Mrs. Riusech (A-F)

Ms. Rocha (G-N)

Ms. Vasquez (O-Z)

Dear Class of 2025 Patriots,

Get excited for an amazing senior year full of wonderful events. We know how hard our students have worked to get to this point in their high school career. We are so impressed by the number of students on track for graduation and A-G (eligibility to apply to a 4 year university). The goal is for students to pass all of their classes with Cs or better! Those students who are not on track for graduation or A-G YET, we have a plan to get you there. We are hoping our students will work hard this year and finish strong with Cs or better. Remember, Ds and Fs will need to be retaken for graduation and A-G purposes, and we are running out of time before graduation. We are proud of you and how far you have come!

Mrs. Brown (A-F)

Mrs. Perez (G-N)

Mrs. Palacios (O-Z)

As the new school year begins, we are thrilled to welcome our students back to a year filled with learning, growth, and exciting opportunities! We hope you and your families had a wonderful summer break, filled with fun and relaxation.

One crucial aspect of achieving success in school is regular attendance. Being present in school not only helps students keep up with their lessons but also fosters social connections and builds a sense of community. When students attend school consistently, they are more likely to excel academically, develop strong relationships with peers and teachers, and cultivate important life skills such as responsibility and time management.

Throughout the year, we will focus on fostering a positive learning environment where every student can thrive. We encourage you to emphasize the importance of attendance at home and to ensure that your children are present and ready to learn every day.

We are excited to announce our Attendance Rewards Program designed to encourage students to be present in school!

• Perfect Attendance: Students who attend every school day in a month will earn 1 point for each day they are present.

• High Attendance: Students who maintain an attendance rate of 96% or better will receive 0.80 points for each day attended.

At the end of each month, students with perfect attendance and those with 96% attendance or better will be awarded a BCCHS Attendance Challenge student store voucher. These vouchers can be accumulated for even larger prizes!

Additionally, we will host a larger school-wide attendance celebration at the end of each semester to recognize our dedicated students.

Thank you for your support in promoting consistent attendance.

Communication is essential to our partnership, so please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. We are here to ensure that this school year is successful and enjoyable for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s make this school year the best one yet!

Warm regards,

Ms. Aparicio, A-G Attendance Counselor

g.aparicio@birminghamcharter.com

(818)758-4402

Enjoy this video that highlights out 3rd Annual Wellness Resource Fair in honor of #MayisMentalHealthMonth

College Applications are OPEN:

• UC Application opened August 1

• Apply: universityofcalifornia.edu/apply

• Common App opened August 1

• Apply: commonapp.org

• CSU Application will open October 1

• Community College application for Summer/Fall 2025 will open in late Fall

*FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND COLLEGE INFO!

• About 80 students attended the application labs and were able to complete 70% of their UC and or Common App application.

• UCLA Early Academic Outreach Program representatives were onsite to provide assistance with the application

9th Grade Scholarships: http://bit.ly/scholar9

10th Grade Scholarships: http://bit.ly/scholar10

11th Grade Scholarships: http://bit.ly/scholar11

12th Grade Scholarships: http://bit.ly/12scholar

Schedule an appointment using the links below.

Wendy Quiñonez

College Counselor (Last Names A-L)

w.quinonez@birminghamcharter.com

Schedule Meeting:

calendly.com/wq1

Erika Lopez

College Counselor (Last Names M-Z)

er.lopez@birminghamcharter.com

Schedule Meeting:

calendly.com/er-lopez

Angela Zook

Career Counselor

a.zook@birminghamcharter.com

Schedule Meeting:

calendly.com/a-zook

STEP 1:

Student must have and maintain a 2.0 GPA (All grades of C or higher) to qualify for work permit.

STEP 2:

Download B1-1 Work Permit Application

*Click B1-1 Application link and download a copy at home or come to the Blue & Gold Center to pick one up.

STEP 3:

Fill out the B1-1 Work Permit Application and have your parent and employer sign it.

*No digital signatures/scanning permitted*

STEP 4:

Return the B1-1 Work Permit Application filled out and signed back to school. Drop-in, no appointment necessary.

• To: Mrs. Margie Curtis
• Where: Blue & Gold Center
• When: Monday - Friday
• Time: Between 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

STEP 5:

Either Mrs. Curtis or Mrs. Zook will print your work permit.

*Student must be present to sign the work permit

See Below for more information!