BMHS Weekly Staff Letter

To receive college credit for an AP exam, students generally need to score a 3, 4, or 5, depending on the specific college and the AP exam itself. While many colleges accept a score of 3, others may require a 4 or 5, especially at more competitive institutions.

• AP Literature & Composition: 7 out 15 students scored a 3 or higher on the exam.

• AP Government & Politics: 4 out of 4 students scored a 3 or higher on the exam.

• AP United States History: 5 out of 6 students scored a 3 or higher on the exam.

Due to ongoing construction in the middle school parking lot, bus drop-off and pick-up for both middle and high school students will temporarily take place at Bloomingdale Elementary.

Morning: Students will walk from Bloomingdale Elementary up to BMHS.

Afternoon: Students will walk from BMHS down to Bloomingdale Elementary for departure.

This arrangement is projected to last for the first two weeks of school.

This school year, Bloomingdale Middle and High School has transitioned from a quarter grading system to a semester grading system. In the past, student grades were finalized four times per year at the end of each quarter. Now, grades will be issued twice per year—at the end of each semester—while progress reports will still be shared to keep families informed.

Progress Reports
Progress reports will be issued at Fall and Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences. These reports provide families with current academic performance information and offer an opportunity for direct communication with teachers before the semester grades are finalized.

Why the Change?
Moving to a semester grading system allows for a more consistent and meaningful evaluation of student learning. Instead of grades being locked in after just nine weeks, students now have more time to develop skills, improve their understanding of course content, and demonstrate growth before receiving a final grade.

Benefits of the Semester System

• More time for mastery: Students can engage more deeply with the material, allowing for better retention and understanding.

• Reduced pressure: The extended grading period allows for more opportunities to recover from early challenges in a class.

• Improved feedback cycles: Teachers can provide ongoing feedback and targeted support, helping students improve before final grades are posted.

• Alignment with college and career readiness: Many colleges, universities, and workplaces operate on a semester system, giving students a smoother transition to post-secondary environments.

• Balanced workload: Fewer grading periods help reduce the stress of frequent high-stakes assessments.

We believe this shift will lead to stronger academic outcomes and better support our students’ long-term success. As always, our staff is committed to keeping families informed through regular communication and progress updates.

The first day of school will be a half day, running from 8:00 am to 11:10 am. The schedule will be as follows:

• Doors Open: 7:30 am
• Card Time: 8:00 am - 8:15 am
• 1st Period: 8:19 am - 8:34 am
• 2nd Period: 8:38 am - 8:53 am
• 3rd Period: 8:57 am - 9:12 am
• 4th Period: 9:16 am - 9:31 am
• 5th Period: 9:35 am - 9:50 am
• 6th Period: 9:54 am - 10:09 am
• Assembly: 10:13 am - 11:10 am

High School Daily Schedule

• 1st Period: 8:00 am - 8:56 am
• 2nd Period: 9:00 am - 9:56 am
• 3rd Period: 10:00 am - 10:56 am

Lunch 11th & 12th: 10:56 am - 11:26 am & Cardinal Time 9th & 10th: 11:00 am - 11:30 am

Cardinal Time 11th & 12th: 11:30 am - 12:00 pm & Lunch 9th & 10th: 11:30 am - 12:00 pm

• 4th Period: 12:04 pm - 1:00 pm
• 5th Period: 1:04 pm - 2:00 pm
• 6th Period: 2:04 pm - 3:00 pm

AM Tech Center

Departure to Tech Center - 7:45 am

Departure from Tech Center - 10:45 am

Lunch - 11:15 am - 11:45 am

Cardinal Time - 11:49 am - 12:00 pm

PM Tech Center

Departure to Tech Center - 11:30 am

Departure from Tech Center - 2:15 pm

Return/End of Day - 3:00 pm

Middle School Daily Schedule

• 1st Period: 8:00 am - 8:56 am
• 2nd Period: 9:00 am - 9:56 am
• 3rd Period: 10:00 am - 10:56 am
• 4th Period: 11:00 am - 11:56 am

Lunch 7th & 8th: 11:56 am - 12:26 pm & Cardinal Time 6th: 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

Cardinal Time 7th & 8th: 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm & Lunch 6th: 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm

• 5th Period: 1:04 pm - 2:00 pm
• 6th Period: 2:04 pm - 3:00 pm

Class meetings will be held in the auditorium. The schedule is as follows:

• Senior Class Meeting: Tuesday, August 26th from 8:00 am - 9:30 am
• Junior Class Meeting: Tuesday, August 26th from 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm
• Sophomore Class Meeting: Wednesday, August 27th from 8:00 am - 9:30 am
• Freshman Class Meeting: Wednesday, August 27th from 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm
• 7th & 8th Grade Meeting: Thursday, August 28th from 8:00 am - 9:30 am
• 6th Grade Meeting: Thursday, August 28th from 1:15 pm - 3:00 pm

These Grade-level meetings led by the admin team are an essential way to begin the year on a strong, unified foundation. These meetings provide an opportunity for administration to clearly communicate expectations, share important procedures, and set a consistent vision across all grade levels. They also allow students to hear directly from school leaders, reinforcing the importance of responsibility, respect, and academic focus.

Beyond communication, class meetings help build a sense of identity and community among students. By gathering together, students see themselves as part of a larger team and understand how their individual actions contribute to the success of the whole grade. Administrators can use this time to encourage positive behavior, celebrate student potential, and establish a shared commitment to a successful school year.

• ELA 6-12 teachers will administer the Reading portion of the NWEA on Monday, September 08, 2025 and Tuesday, September 09, 2025.
• Math 6-12 teachers will administer the Math portion of the NWEA on Thursday, September 11, 2025 and Friday, September 12, 2025.
• Makeup testing will be completed from Monday, September 15, 2025 through Friday, September 19, 2025.

School Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2025!

Homecoming week is Monday, September 29, 2025 -Friday, October 03, 2025.

Quarter Dates:

• Quarter 1: August 25, 2025 – October 24, 2025
• Quarter 2: October 27, 2025 – January 16, 2026

August 2025:

• Monday, August 18, 2025: BMHS Open House from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
• Monday, August 25, 2025: First Day of School - Half day - Release time is 11:10 am
• Friday, August 29, 2025: Labor Day Weekend – No School

September 2025:

• Monday, September 01, 2025: Labor Day – No School
• Monday, September 08, 2025 - Tuesday, September 09, 2025: 6th - 12th NWEA Reading
• Thursday, September 11, 2025 - Friday, September 12, 2025: 6th - 12th NWEA Math
• Monday, September 15, 2025 - Friday, September 19, 2025: NWEA Makeup
• Tuesday, September 23, 2025: Picture Day
• Friday, September 26, 2025: No school
• Monday, September 29, 2025 -Friday, October 03, 2025: Homecoming Week

October 2025:

• Thursday, October 09, 2025: Half day of school - Release time is 11:10 am; Parent/Teacher Conferences from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm & 4:30 pm - 7:15 pm
• Thursday, October 23, 2025: Half day of school - Release time is 11:10 am
• Monday, November 04, 2025 - Friday, November 14, 2025: Cardinal Food Drive
• Wednesday, November 05, 2025: Quarter 1 – HS Cardinal Breakfast at 8:30 am - 9:30 am
• Thursday, November 26, 2025 - Friday, November 28, 2025: Thanksgiving Break

December 2025:

• Monday, December 08, 2025 - Tuesday, December 09, 2025: 6th - 12th NWEA Reading
• Thursday, December 11, 2025 - Friday, December 12, 2025: 6th - 12th NWEA Math
• Monday, December 15, 2025 - Friday, December 19, 2025: NWEA Makeup
• Monday, December 22, 2025 - Friday, January 02, 2026: Christmas Break

January 2025:

• Wednesday, January 14, 2026: First Semester Exams (Full Day) - 1st period and 4th period
• Thursday, January 15, 2026: First Semester Exams (½ Day) - 2nd period and 3rd period
• Friday, January 16, 2026: First Semester Exams (½ Day) - 5th period and 6th period & End of First Semester