Counseling Newsletter

As the leaves start changing colors, the temperature starts getting colder and the daylight starts getting shorter it is the perfect time for your students to redirect their path if they have fallen off. Help your student by encouraging them to work towards the long game the finish line is in December for semester one. The next grading period is on October 25th. Change can start today it does not need to wait until tomorrow!

The goal for all Birmingham students is maintaining an “Excellent” attendance rate (between 96% - 100%), which means no more than 7 days of absences throughout the entire school year. Achieving “Excellent” attendance is directly tied to student achievement. Every 25 days we will be celebrating students who achieve 96% or higher attendance.

Excellent school attendance is very important in a student’s academic success. Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. The good news is

that students can reverse their academic performance if they improve their attendance.

A Guide for Parents. This will let you know exactly what is an excusable absence.

1. Make school attendance a priority.

2. Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.

3. Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.

4. Schedule dental and medical appointments after the school day.

5. Encourage your student to go to school unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.

6. Check on your child's attendance (AERIES) to be sure absences are not piling up.

7. Ask for help from Ms. Aparicio, the Attendance Counselor if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 is the 50th day of school. BCCHS will be celebrating students with excellent attendance who have 2 or less absences so far. We will also be celebrating students with improved attendance.

Course- Based Independent Studies (CBIS) will be starting this month! We are happy to announce that we have expanded our CBIS after school program. The CBIS program provides students an opportunity to repeat classes they have earned D's and F's in after school. The classes are twice a week for 1 hour. This program requires a referral from academic counselor ONLY if student is earning C's or higher. Attendance and steady progress are mandatory for this program or student will be dropped and will have to wait until summer school to repeat classes. Encourage your student to have passing grades to be eligible to make up missing graduation and college requirements during the school year.

Classes being offered:

• English
• History
• Science
• Health
• Math (Coming Soon in Spring)

Counselors are holding early intervention meetings with students who have five or more fails on their 6-week progress report. Notices were sent to parents to notify them if their student received one or more fail. Tutoring is being promoted as a resource. Additionally, parents receive congratulatory notices for students who earn a C or better on the first 6-week progress report.

Ms. Rocha, Ms. Vasquez and Mrs. Riusech have just finished up classroom presentations in History classes. They met with students individually regarding their permanent grades from 9th grade. They discussed if they were on track or for graduation, credits and A-G college eligibility. They reviewed their current grades with each student and discussed what their goals were after graduation. Please continue to build on this conversation at home. Also please note that a letter with this information was mailed home to parents and emailed to both students and parents on September 8th. Students and parents also received notifications if your student earned C’s or higher at the 6-week grading period or if they earned D’s and F’s to bring this up by the 12 week grading period that ends October 25,2023.

We are currently doing group presentations in the English classes to discuss Graduation and A-G requirements and attendance. The 11th grade counseling team is encouraging students to get involved in school by joining a club or taking on an extracurricular activity. This is great for building your resume for your college applications. We are also encouraging students to look at scholarships available to them at www.bit.ly/scholar11. The counselors are meeting with each student individually to discuss their graduation and A-G status as well, reviewing credit recovery options to retake any Ds and Fs.

Senior counselors are currently meeting with seniors to review graduation and A-G requirements. Graduation status letters will be mailed out by the end of October. We are emphasizing our attendance policy to students and urging them to attend school punctually and consistently to ensure their eligibility for senior events like Prom and the graduation ceremony. Students are required to excuse all their absences. Only paper notes will be accepted by our attendance clerk in the counseling office.

College Rep Visits: Students can sign-up to speak with a College Rep through their Naviance account. Below are the colleges visiting BCCHS in the month of October:

• University of Texas - October 12

• Wesleyan University - October 17

• California State University Sacramento - October 20

• New York University - October 24

• University of California Riverside - October 27

College Applications: Seniors! Application season is here. With deadlines in November. Cal State, UC, and private college applications are now open and students can begin working on their applications online.

College Deadlines for Seniors: Please click HERE for a list of important college deadlines.

SCHOLARSHIPS

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

*FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND COLLEGE INFO!

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

Meet the Psychiatric Social Workers (PSW) Team!

October 18 is Unity Day, a campaign to #EndBullying! The PSWs and the H.O.P.E. Club are organizing a lunch activity in the quad where the Birmingham community can come together to celebrate kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of standing together against bullying and promoting a culture of respect and unity. Make sure to wear ORANGE to show your commitment to creating a world where everyone feels safe and valued.

Red Ribbon Week is October 23-27th! This campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and promoting a drug-free lifestyle. It serves as a reminder to our students to prioritize their well-being, resist peer pressure, and build a foundation for a healthy drug-free future. The PSWs are collaborating with BCCHS Community School Coordinator, Michelle Rivas, to host a lunch event full of community resources and activities to engage the Birmingham community. More details coming soon!

Learn about mental health and help with school wide campaigns. Please encourage your students to get involved with the H.O.P.E. Club! To stay connected, follow the H.O.P.E. Club on Instagram: @bcchshopeclub and follow the PSW page @bcchspsw

Resources for mental health and the referral process for mental health support on campus.

Welcome Michelle Rivas, newly appointed Community School Coordinator. Ms. Rivas helps families to access state programs. In addition, she is working to maintain and expand extended learning programs. Ms. Rivas is collaborating with PSW's and Counselors to integrate supports for students and families.

Email

m.rivas@birminghamcharter.com

Phone

(818) 758-4441

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

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.

See Below for more information!