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BCA October Newsletter

BCA OctoberNewsletter

The vision of the Collegiate Academy at Blackman High School is to create a challenging learning environment with a rigorous course of study where students can become well-rounded scholars who fulfill their potential as they transition from high school to post-secondary opportunities.

Event Information

BCA Pinning Ceremony

Gentlemen should dress in a button-up shirt, tie, and jacket (if possible) and ladies should wear appropriate length (no more than 2 inches above the knee) dress or skirt. Invitations will be sent out soon. All grades are invited. Sophomores will be pinned, and seniors will announce their major and research topic.

When?

Thursday, Oct 13, 2016, 06:30 PM

Where?

BHS Auditorium

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The new BCA Bulletin Board has arrived and looks awesome!! Come take a look in C-Hall. The new BCA Bulletin Board has arrived and looks awesome!! Come take a look in C-Hall.

Save the Date for Field Trips!

Oct. 27th: Freshmen BCA Day at MTSU

Feb. 2nd: Sophomore BCA Day at MTSU

March 9th: Junior BCA Day at MTSU


*Each field trip will be from 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.


JUNIORS & SENIORS: We will have a junior team building / senior celebration field trip in May. Details to come. You won't want to miss this!!

The seniors enjoyed their day at MTSU! The seniors enjoyed their day at MTSU!

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PSAT: October 19th

The PSAT will be given on Wednesday, Oct. 19th to freshmen, sophomores and juniors who sign up. You can sign up in the counseling office beginning the week of Sept. 5th. The cost is $17. Taking the PSAT as a junior is the only way to qualify to be a National Merit Finalist or Semi-finalist.
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Speaker Series: October 20th

Thursday, October 20th during Prime Time will be our October Speaker Series. Mr. Walter Tiek will be speaking. The topic will be about developing interview skills. All Blackman Collegiate Academy members are expected to attend.

BCA members enjoyed listening to Mr. Shannon Eskinde speak last month! BCA members enjoyed listening to Mr. Shannon Eskinde speak last month!

Governor's School

Tennessee provides summer programs for gifted and talented high school students that are rising juniors or seniors. Governor’s Schools take place in the month of June at various state universities in Tennessee. The programs provide challenging and intensive experiences in various disciplines. Applications can be obtained here.


Contact Ms. Villarreal for more information.

REMINDER: BCA Policy Form

Please turn in your BCA Policy Form to Mrs. DeGeorge ASAP!

Report Extra-Curricular Activity Hours Online

You can now report your extra-curricular hours online instead of using a paper form by clicking here. The link can also be found on the Collegiate Academy website. Fill out the form for each separate activity you complete and click submit. We will verify the hours each nine weeks with the club sponsor or coach. We will post the names of those that have completed their 20 hours of required extra-curricular hours on the BCA bulletin board after each nine weeks. If you have any questions please email Mr. Pedigo at pedigot@rcschools.net.

Life Experience Application

Students must complete 40 hours of real-life experience in the area of his/her major. The experience must be approved by the faculty board. This experience can be completed any year but must be completed by April of the senior year. The experience may or may not be a part of the student’s senior research project. The experience should be meaningful and provide insight into the field of study the student is interested in.


Click here to visit the BCA website and find the application located on the right-hand side. If you have any questions please email Ms. Cook at cookg@rcschools.net

BCA Courses

  • Freshmen: Honors English I, Honors Biology, and Honors World History or AP Human Geography (must be enrolled in at least 2)
  • Sophomores: Honors English II, Honors Algebra II or Advanced Honors Geometry, and Honors Chemistry (must be enrolled in at least 2)
  • Juniors: AP English III, AP U.S. History or Dual Enrollment U.S. History, and Speech or Critical Thinking (These are recommendations but not required. Speech and critical thinking are highly recommended junior year before capstone.)
  • Seniors: Speech or Critical Thinking (if not already taken) and Capstone

ACT Accomplishments

Our 21.1 composite for exiting seniors is above district (20.2) and state (19.9) and national (20.8) averages!


Exiting seniors: 4-year composite increase = 20.7, 20.9, 21.0, 21.1

  • +.6 in English for 2016
  • +.4 in Reading for 2016


Juniors: 3-year composite increase = 20.4, 20.8, 21.1

  • +.5 in Reading for 2016
  • +.7 in Math for 2016
  • +.3 in Science for 2016

Collegiate Academy average for this year's seniors stands now at 28.13.

ACT Prep with Shmoop

Thanks to Rutherford County Schools, you now have access to Shmoop's premium resources. HERE'S HOW TO GET STARTED:


  • Go to http://schools.shmoop.com/login/rutherford-county/
  • Log in OR Create New Student Account
  • Enter Magic Word: NAVIGATE (all caps)
  • Choose either ACT Exam Prep (under the Test Prep section) or ACT Crash Course (under the Courses section)


Need help? Contact Holly Hunter hunterh@rcschools.net.

Parent Resources for TNReady

The Department of Education has developed an updated Parent Guide to Being TNReady for the 2016-17 school year (download here) and a supplemental Guide on TNReady Supports for Students with Disabilities (download here). They have also developed a one-page handout (here) that explains the high level role of assessments and a new FAQ webpage (here) that provides additional information for parents and teachers.

Attendance Matters!

It is back-to-school time in Tennessee, and we want to take a moment to remind you that attendance matters for every child in every grade, from pre-Kindergarten through high school. The Young Child Wellness Council produced this video to promote the importance of school attendance. For more information and additional resources, visit the KidCentralTN website (here). To learn how chronic absenteeism impacts our state, review the recently released report Chronic Absenteeism in Early Grades.

Congratulations Brithany Gavidia and Denice Paredes

Brithany (third from left) won Miss BHS 2017-2017 and Denice (second from left) placed 3rd runner up! Way to go girls!!

Congratulations Homecoming Court

Katie Hartman (11th, right), Cheyenne Gibson (12th, middle), and Marion Farrar (12th, left) were chosen to be on the 2016 Football Homecoming Court. Congratulations Cheyenne on being crowned Homecoming Queen!

Congratulations Cody Ramangkoun

Cody was offered an internship position in the Protein Sciences Department at the BERG laboratory facilities in Nashville. BERG is a Boston-based biopharma company focused on taking a bold “back to biology” approach to therapeutic discovery using its unique AI-based Interrogative Biology® platform. This platform combines patient biology and artificial intelligence-based analytics to engage the differences between healthy and disease environments. BERG has a robust product portfolio in oncology, endocrinology and neurology with mature assets in oncology entering mid and late stage trials. Way to go Cody!!

Congratulations to our BCA AP Scholars!

There are 3 levels students can reach, which include AP Scholars, AP Scholars with Honor, and AP Scholars with Distinction.


  • AP Scholars are students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
  • AP Scholars with Honor are students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
  • AP Scholars with Distinction are students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Congratulations to these students:

Zachary Adams, Nathaniel Bryan, Tomy Chet, Evan Damon, Paula Gonzalez Velazquez, Megan Grimes, William Harvie, Paige Holloway, Haley Kyle, Rhyan Lake, Dominic Perratta, Kayla Reed, Reece Rich, Hunter Solomon, Cierra Williams, and Lanier Youngman

Congratulations to our BCA Seniors on ACT Distinction!

There are 3 levels students can reach, which include Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude.


  • Summa Cum Laude: ACT Score of 30-36
  • Magna Cum Laude: ACT Score of 28-29
  • Cum Laude: ACT Score of 25-27


Congratulations to these students:

Zachary Adams, Cameron Almonrode, Ashley Anderson, Evann Bailey, Kayla Berry, Nathaniel Bryan, Jasmyn Bunch, Levi Burton, Hannah Candlish, Michele Carden, Tomy Chet, Evan Damon, Andrew Dodge, Marion Farrar, Evan Foulks, Chelse Freeman, Brithany Gavidia, Paula Gonzalez, Mary Goodnight, Marisa Graham, Megan Grimes, Luke Hamby, Katie Hart, William Harvie, Alexander Herrington, Victoria Hinds, Paige Holloway, Haley Kyle, Rhyan Lake, Autumn Martin, Nicole Mcabee, Ethan Morrow, Emily Nash, Layne Nash, Maya Paliaro, Denice Paredes, Dominic Perratta, Jeremy Puhr, Cody Ramangkoun, Kayla Reed, Reece Rich, Clayton Sewell, Hunter Solomon, Taylin Spurlock, Al Thebphakone, Edward Thomason, Colton Tincher, Tyler Trent, Samantha Udell, Daylia Wallace, Cierra Williams, and Lanier Youngman

FAFSA: Available October 1st

Fall 2016 marks the first time the FAFSA will be available starting October 1. The revised FAFSA timeline, as well as new rules allowing filers to use prior tax information, have provided an opportunity for a strong, collaborative push across Tennessee to empower as many students as possible to access funds they need to attend postsecondary institutions. The FAFSA qualifies students for the HOPE Scholarship if they have a 3.0 GPA or 21 ACT score.


Visit this link to learn more about the FAFSA changes: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/fafsa-changes.

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Tennessee Promise

The state of Tennessee is offering two years of tuition-free community or technical college through the TN Promise. The deadline for students to apply is by November 1, 2016. Apply at tnpromise.gov. Seniors will have a meeting during Prime Time on Oct. 12th in the auditorium. This will count as the first mandatory meeting.


Students must file their FAFSA by Jan. 17, attend mandatory meetings held at local high schools with the partnering organization, and complete 8 hours of community service for each semester they receive TN Promise funding.

Tell Us About Your Acceptances and Scholarship Offers!

Be sure to send any scholarships or college acceptance letters that you receive to Mrs. DeGeorge so we can celebrate your accomplishments! They can be emailed to degeorgea@rcschools.net or placed in her box.

Scholarships

Click here to visit the scholarship section on the BHS Counseling Website. Have your child check out the scholarship bulletin board located in C-Hall. Keep in mind that many universities have early application deadlines to qualify for their school scholarships!
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A Message from MTSU Regarding Scholarship Deadlines

SCHOLARSHIPS:

Chancellor: 30 ACT (1320 SAT), 3.5 GPA, $5,000 a year

Presidential: 28 ACT or (1240 SAT), 3.5 GPA, $4,000 a year

True Blue: 26 ACT (1170 SAT), 3.5 GPA, $3,000 a year

Provost: 25 ACT (1130 SAT), 3.5 GPA, $2,000 a year


Middle Tennessee State University awards an array of guaranteed academic merit scholarship opportunities to first-time, incoming freshmen based on ACT scores and GPA. To be considered for a Freshman Guaranteed Scholarships, students must be a first-time incoming freshman who plans to enroll at MTSU in the Summer or Fall semester. And, we can’t stress this enough: You must have ALL of the following on file with the Admissions Office by Dec. 1 to be considered for a scholarship:

  • Admission application to MTSU
  • Application fee paid
  • Qualifying official ACT and/or SAT test score (without the writing subscore / only ACT/SAT scores through the December test date are considered)
  • Qualifying official sixth-semester high school transcript with cumulative GPA requirement
  • Must be U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
  • No separate scholarship application is required for guaranteed academic scholarships. Student will receive notification of the scholarship award offer by February.


If you apply and submit materials Dec. 1 and meet the appropriate academic criteria of one of our awards (see above chart), you will get a scholarship. If you don’t, you likely will not get one of these scholarships – no matter how great your credentials might be.


“It’s heartbreaking for us when we have terrific students with amazing credentials, who can’t get a scholarship at MTSU because they didn’t file by the Dec. 1 deadline,” said Andrew Oppmann, MTSU’s vice president for marketing and communications. “Whether MTSU is your destination university, or we are one of many options you are considering, we urge all qualified applicants to apply by Dec. 1,” Oppmann said. “Simply put, it’s money on the table and keeps your options open.” Oppmann said students who qualify must accept the scholarship by May 1.


The fine print:

  • GPA and test scores on file with the Admissions Office at the time of the scholarship review will be used for awarding purposes. Typically, the 6th-semester cumulative GPA and ACT/SAT scores (without writing sub-scores) through the December test date will be used for scholarship considerations. Students taking a December test should include MTSU as a score recipient to ensure that scores arrive in time for scholarship consideration.
  • We are happy to accept a weighted GPA if one is provided by the high school, but are unable to calculate a GPA other than what is provided on the official transcript. We will consider your highest test score (without writing sub-scores) on a single national or state test date.
  • Unless noted, scholarships are granted for a maximum of 8 semesters. Scholarships are not available during the summer term.
  • Recipients must meet GPA, enrollment, service (where applicable), and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to maintain continuing eligibility. In general, students receiving most MTSU Academic Merit Scholarships must earn a 3.0 cumulative MTSU GPA as measured at the end of each fall/spring semester.
  • In the event that MTSU offers multiple scholarships to a student, only one scholarship from the MTSU Financial Aid & Scholarship Office (including the Buchanan Fellowship) can be accepted. A student may receive a university scholarship in addition to a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.
  • A student's total aid including scholarships cannot exceed his or her budgeted Cost of Attendance. For more information, email our MT One Stop at MTOneStop@mtsu.edu.

BCA Contacts BCA Contacts

Principal - Dr. Leisa Justus, justusl@rcschools.net, ext. 22901

Assistant Principal - Ken Reed, reedk@rcschools.net, ext. 22973

School Counselor - Christine Bryan, bryanc@rcschools.net. ext. 22906

Academics - Amber DeGeorge, degeorgea@rcschools.net, ext. 22909

Communications - Sara Lynn Clawson, clawsons@rcschools.net, ext. 22908

Grants - Andrea Holder, holdera@rcschools.net, ext. 22960

Extracurricular - Tim Pedigo, pedigot@rcschools.net, ext. 22720

Events - Hollye Dabney, dabneyh@rcschools.net, ext. 22738

Life Experience - Geneva Cook, cookg@rcschools.net, ext. 22942

Speaker Series - Brian Seadorf, seadorfb@rcschools.net, ext. 23036

Research - Rebecca Jones, jonesre@rcschools.net, ext. 22993

Do You Have News?

We want to know about your accomplishments! If you want to be featured in the BCA Newsletter, send information and pictures to Mrs. Clawson at clawsons@rcschools.net.

Click here to visit the BCA website! Click here to visit the BCA website!

Follow us on Twitter @bhscollegiate Follow us on Twitter @bhscollegiate

Sign up for Remind by texting @3956bca to 81010 Sign up for Remind by texting @3956bca to 81010

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