Counselor's Corner

Welcome to September. This month is full of learning and opportunity. In September we observe Suicide Prevention Week, Student Sleep Health Week, Education Go Get It Week and National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week. We will also learn about the comprehensive school counseling program, how students/parents can access their resources at school, and complete the parent needs assessment. Please read the newsletter carefully to uncover valuable resources.

As always, please reach out to me if you need support. Have a safe and accomplished September!

- Mr. Mason Dover

It is vital that we have parent voice when planning to support your child. Please take time to complete the survey and give us a better idea of the needs you and your family have. The assessment can be completed by selecting the "Parent Needs Assessment" button below.

Review our Academic Focus for a better understanding of BOMLA Academic Expectations. Failing courses will lead to academic probation followed with dismissal from the BOMLA program. It is important to be aware of the academic expectations as well as your scholars school performance.

Mr. Dover has begun reviewing transcripts to identify credit deficiencies. Scholars will enroll in a credit recovery program for any deficient credits. A success conference will be held with each scholar qualifying for credit recovery. Letters will be sent home to parents. Please feel welcome to arrange a counselor meeting if you have questions about your scholars academic standing.

The district has many options in recovering credits. Our most popular option is the Reconnection Program. Reconnection is offered through Apex Learning providing a self-paced online learning experience. You may review the student experience video below for more information.

Graduation, Recovery, Attendance/Advocacy and Dropout Intervention (GRA2D) offers a variety of programs to support students. Learn more by connecting with Mr. Dover and/or reviewing the link below;

https://www.dallasisd.org/Domain/14248

Spring enrollment for Dual Credit will be due October 2nd, 2023. To qualify for Dual Credit courses, scholars must apply to Dallas College, pass the TSIA2, and complete all enrollment requirements by the deadline. Dallas College is firm with deadlines. It is important that scholars have met all requirements and completed all necessary paperwork by the enrollment deadline.

Scholars may attend enrollment workshops to receive assistance with dual credit enrollment. You may also review the How to Apply for Dual Credit Admission at Dallas College video to learn more.

*** Scholars must enter their Social Security Number to complete the application! Please be sure they have access to their social security number!***

The district is hosting a college fair on September 20th from 5:30PM-8:30PM. BOMLA will host a bus to take high school scholars to the event. Scholars must be in 9th-12th grade to ride the bus. If scholars choose to ride with BOMLA, we will leave the school at 5:30PM and return at 7:45PM. Please be sure to arrange transportation to pick up your scholar from BOMLA when we return from the event. All scholars riding to the event with BOMLA must return on the bus to BOMLA. BOMLA will only transport up to 50 scholars. Please complete the bus request form if your scholar wishes to ride with BOMLA. The request must be submitted by 09/08/2023. Permission slips will be sent home starting 09/11/2023 and are due back no later than 09/15/2023.

Scholars will be booked on a first come, first serve basis. Scholars may also attend the event with their parent or solo.

BOMLA has partnered with Dallas United Crew to offering rowing sports for our scholars grades 6th-12th. Dallas United Crew is hosting a rowing camp on Saturday September, 23rd. Brothers can expect to meet olympians and the Dallas Mayor at the event. Please attend the rowing camp on September 23rd, 2023 if you are interested in rowing.

Access to your school counselor is vital. For this reason, I will be conducting individual minute meetings with all 550 brothers. During this time, brothers will have three to five minutes of my undivided attention. The goal is for brothers to make a connection with their counselor and know they are seen and heard on our campus. Meetings have been scheduled to take place during each brothers science class.

National Suicide Prevention Week is an annual week-long campaign in the United States to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide. By drawing attention to the problem of suicide in the United States, the campaign also strives to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic, as well as encourage the pursuit of mental health assistance and support people who have attempted suicide.

To recognize this week, we will be hosting information booths Monday-Friday in all lunch periods. The Be Project, BOMLA's School Based Clinician, and School Counselor will host information booths. Students will receive knowledge on mental health support, suicide prevention, and safe reporting practices.

Here at BOMLA we are committed to enhancing the intellectual excellence of our brothers. We know that college is the best chance our brothers have at a high quality of life. Let's take this opportunity to highlight the benefits historically black colleges and universities provide our young men.

What is an HBCU?

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”

Check out the three articles below to learn more about HBCUs and their benefits to brothers.

Student Sleep Health Week will take place Sept. 17th-18th, 2023. It is organized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to drive awareness of the importance of healthy sleep for students of all ages to learn, grow and thrive.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau report that 78% of high school students and 34% of children don’t get sufficient sleep on an average school night, and studies show that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on sleep in children.

The pandemic altered children’s daily routines, including sleep and wake schedules, screen time and physical activity, all of which can be harmful to their overall health and well-being. Now that most students are back in the classroom, it’s important that they establish new routines that include the proper amount of healthy sleep.

Watch this video to understand why teenagers are biologically wired to be “night owls” who prefer to stay up late and sleep late. “Why Are Teens So Sleepy?” highlights the challenges teenagers face to get sufficient sleep, recommends later school start times, and provides advice on how teens can develop positive sleep habits.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements for the United States.

The BOMLA Counseling Services team knows the value each one of our brothers brings to the culture of our campus. Our campus culture is what sets our school apart from many. We must celebrate those that bring rich culture to our communities. After all, the beauty of our world lies in the diversity of its people.

Please join me in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

North Texas Giving Day is September 21, 2023. The FRIENDS of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA) Foundation serves as a vital bridge addressing the opportunity gap for young men at BOMLA. Our funding priorities include student enrichment (comprising cultural immersions, college tours, and leadership development camps), professional enrichment (including conferences and training for faculty), and program enrichment (such as calculators, Netbooks, iPads, etc.). We invite you to contribute. Every dollar raised goes directly towards supporting our students. Our ambitious goal is to raise $100,000, while the school aims to raise $3,000. Additionally, all funds raised will receive a generous matching contribution from our donor, Audi, of up to $5,000. With the collective support of our dedicated teachers, staff, and families, we are confident in surpassing our objectives. Should you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Jackson, Executive Director of FRIENDS.

The link to donate is: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/Friends-Of-Barack-Obama-Male-Leadership-Academy

The health and wellness of our brothers and families are of high importance to the counseling services team at BOMLA. We know that if our brothers basic needs are not met, they will struggle to meet our high expectations. Please click the images below for more information.

Ms. Williams hosted an essay writing workshop for our BOMLA Seniors. The workshop equips brothers with the necessary skills to submit competitive college admission and scholarship essays.

BOMLA received an impactful training on how to keep our kiddos safe at school. Thank you to the amazing Catrina Mitchell for your service to our staff. We are ready to have a successful and safe school year.

We had a great first Coffee with the Principal. Mr. Dover presented the BOMLA Counseling Program Orientation to all parents in attendance. Be sure to check out the virtual counseling office for more information on BOMLA Counseling Services resources.

Shout out to the 7th grade parents for making our day brighter by providing Tiff's Treats'. It was a lovely surprise that made the day of many BOMLA staff. Thank you again!

Lead School Counselor

Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy

Dallas ISD

Email: mdover@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/domain/16152
Location: 3030 Stag Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-749-2115