Welcome to the BHS Express

January 16, 2026

Hello Bulldog Families.

We wrapped up another week at BHS with students getting settled into new schedules! Of course, the warm weather was short lived and BHS students found themselves bundled up as they came into the building in the mornings. This is just a quick reminder to all of us that we are still in the thick of winter!

Last week, I brought your attention to all of the important February dates that are listed in our Upcoming Important Dates section. Make sure you put these on your calendar and that you note the February 12th scheduling meeting and scheduling fair! If your student plans to take a CCP course for the 2026-2027 school year, you must attend the meeting on February 12th.

Juniors will be taking the state-funded ACT test on February 26, 2026. This is a FREE option for students to take this college-entrance exam. If you would like to OPT-OUT your student from taking this ACT test on February 26, 2026, please complete the Opt Out form linked into the “Take Note” section. We will be accepting responses through February 13, 2026.

As a reminder, we do not have school on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This important date is designated to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy, and BHS students are encouraged to spend the day reflecting and finding ways to serve one another and their community.

We can’t wait to welcome everyone back on Tuesday, January 20th.

In service to our Bulldogs.

Andrea Conner, High School Principal

@AConnerNews

@batavia_hs

#EveryBulldogEveryDay

Hi, Bulldog Families.

Have a great weekend.

Matt Buis, High School Assistant Principal

@BHS_Buis

@batavia_hs

Hello, Families.

Looks like we are in that time of the year for the “roller coaster” weather. Please make sure the student drivers are being safe when commuting to and from school. The amount of accidents we observe on state route 32 speaks to the volume of traffic in the mornings.

I have been reminding students to make sure they are parking in their assigned spots. They also know to communicate any issues to me if problems arise.

Lastly, students are not permitted to enter the parking lot next to the school until 2:25 p.m. for athletic practices. This is for safety reasons and to maintain a safe traffic flow.

Have a great weekend.

Joe Moorehead, Dean of Students

Antwon won a scholarship for full tuition to complete H.V.A.C. certification with Southern Ohio Technical Institute. Antwon will be attending a 10-week training program, beginning in February, that will allow him to graduate from Batavia High School in May with his H.V.A.C. credentials. BHS is excited to support Antwon on this journey.

Mrs. Pappas proudly displays the GOAT trophy that will travel amongst all of the Advisory groups for the various competitions throughout the school year. Nice job on the bragging rights, Mrs. Pappas!

Love nature? Looking for adventure? Click here to request information for the Costa Rica 2026 trip!

Say ¡Hola! to Spain — RSVP for a Chance to Save $300!

We’re heading to Spain in June 2027, and your student is invited to join the adventure of a lifetime!

This trip is all about culture, connection, and confidence — exploring historic streets, speaking Spanish with locals, and discovering what makes this country so inspiring.

Details and sign up can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Scheel at scheel_k@bataviaschools.org.

UPCOMING IMPORTANT UPDATES

January 19, 2026: NO SCHOOL: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February 9, 2026: NO SCHOOL for students

February 12, 2026: Parent Teacher Conferences: 3:00-5:00 (Sign up Link to Follow)

February 12, 2026: Transition Fair for Students during school

February 12, 2026: Scheduling Meeting/Fair Parent Meeting for 2026-2027: 5:00-6:30

February 13, 2026: Students receive scheduling papers for 2026-2027

February 16, 2026: NO SCHOOL: Presidents Day

February 26, 2026: BHS College/Career Day (More Details to Follow)

Grade 9 Students: College Field Trips
Grade 10 Students: Students take ACT LEAP Diagnostics Assessment
Grade 11 Students: Students take state-funded ACT test
Grade 12 Students: Speed Mentoring and Service Learning

March 6, 2026: Last Day of Third Quarter

March 9, 2026: NO SCHOOL for students

March 10, 2026: First Day of Fourth Quarter

March 30 - April 6, 2026: Spring Break

April 7, 2026: First day of school after Spring Break

INFORMATION FROM THE BHS GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

Check out the Batavia High School Guidance Counselor website.

https://www.bataviaschools.org/o/bhs/page/guidance

Your Guidance Counselors are:

Felicia Grooms

9th - 12th Grade Counselor A-L

(513) 732-2341 ext: 7037

grooms_f@bataviaschools.org

Beth Poling
9th - 12th Grade Counselor M-Z

(513) 732-2341 ext: 7036

poling_b@bataviaschools.org

Great Oaks Open House Dates & Information for BHS 10th Grade Students

Great Oaks presented program options to all BHS sophomore students in October and they attended a tour in November. Each student was given a catalog with information about Great Oaks programs at all of the campuses and about the timeline and procedure to apply to Great Oaks. The Great Oaks application link is open, the priority application deadline is February 8th! For more information, or the online application, go to GreatOaks.Com

Laurel Oaks Open House (Wilmington) - January 29 5-7 pm

Great Oaks Open House Flyer - All Campuses

Grant Career Center Application

Grant Career Center has many program options for juniors and seniors and some senior only options for students that decide later in high school that career tech is the avenue they would like to pursue. Seniors can also apply for two year programs and will be considered if there is room. It is important to remember that students who attend Grant must provide their own transportation. The Grant application link is open, the priority application deadline is March 1! Here is the link for the information about all of their program options and the application: Grant Career Center

Grant Career Center Open House (Bethel) - February 19 5-8 pm

The FAFSA Application is Open!!!!

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for students entering or attending college for the 2026-27 academic year is up and running! Any student that is thinking about attending any type of education/training after high school should complete the FAFSA - technical school, trade school, community college, public university, or private university. The FAFSA is what determines your eligibility for student loans, grants, work-study, and scholarships - thus, it is VERY important that you complete and submit it. Keep in mind, all students are eligible for student loans! We will continue to share information and helpful resources with you and your family as we receive it!
The Ohio Department of Higher Education would like to share that the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available for all families to complete. Families who want to start filling out the FAFSA now can start the process at studentaid.gov.
For additional assistance with FAFSA completion, please visit itsforyou.org, and look under the “Looking for FAFSA Help?” section for more information

Scholarship Information!

Updated Scholarship List: Another option to look at opportunities for additional funding for college is by applying for scholarships. BHS Guidance updates this list regularly as new scholarships are shared with us. Here is a link to the most recent list that is shared with all seniors. There are several new scholarships that have been added! Be sure to check this list on a regular basis as we update it as new scholarships come to our attention. Scholarship List - Updated 1/15/26

Mrs. Grooms and Mrs. Poling