Schools

BHS Principal Highlights Recent Student/Teacher Accomplishments

The principal writes a monthly letter to parents and guardians of the school to keep them informed of happenings at BHS.

The following letter comes from the desk of Broadneck High School's principal, David G. Smith. The principal writes a monthly letter to parents and guardians of the school to keep them informed of happenings at BHS.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Preparations for the 2013–2014 school year are well under way.  Students have met with their School Counselors to make course selections for the coming year. 

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On March 22, students will receive a copy of their course requests during Administrative Homeroom.  Please review this information with your son/daughter.  If corrections or changes need to be made, the request to do so must be made by May 1 (this is the time for “I have changed my mind” sorts of requests).  To do so, please indicate on the course request verification sheet the change you seek.  Sign the bottom of the form and send it to the Counseling Office with your son/daughter. May 2 through August 23 will be a Black Out period for such requests (new registrations will continue during this time).  A final opportunity to make corrections to student schedules will be available between August 26 and September 10 based on Board Policy as stated on page 29 of the Parent Information Handbook. 

Here is a link to the current version of that document: http://www.aacps.org/html/Parents/parenthandbook.pdf.  I encourage you to pay close attention to the course request information that your son and/or daughter receives on March 22 and to note this timeline outlined above.  Thank you.

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I have an additional note to parents of the Class of 2014 (Rising Seniors).  Many of our seniors need only a few credits to meet graduation requirements.  While I encourage seniors to either take a full schedule of courses or take advantage of the Jump Start Program at AACC, I recognize that some will not. 

It is very important that seniors, who have partial day schedules, understand that it is quite possible that the courses they are assigned will not fall into first and second block.  Seniors should not make arrangements for jobs until they know their school hours.  Jump Start students should schedule their AACC classes later in the day to avoid conflicts.  Finally, seniors who have partial day schedules will be expected to leave school when their classes have finished for the day.

Parents of student athletes often have questions about NCAA Eligibility requirements.  Here is information that may be useful to you as you plan for your student athlete’s high school instructional program.  For general information about NCAA Eligibility visit this link:  http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Quick_Reference_Sheet.pdf.  For information about NCAA approved BHS courses, visit this link:  https://web1.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/homeAction.  Click on “List of NCAA Approved Courses” and insert our School CEEB Code – 21001. 

Our Environmental Club is working to get approval for the installation of a small “Green Roof” on our building.    Before that can be approved, the services of an appropriately qualified engineer are required.  Perhaps a member of our community could volunteer his/her services to do so.   Here is a statement regarding that Requirement:   Maryland licensed Professional Engineer with structural background in order to perform forensic testing and analysis of existing precast concrete hollow core roof planks to determine the safe loading capacity for the proposed additional surcharge of both dead and live loads.  The Engineer shall certify that the existing roof and associated components, including beams, walls, columns and  foundations can support the added green roof and people and provide to AACPS all supporting documentation.  If you can help, please contact Nancy Bourgeois at BHS or email nbourgeois@aacps.org.

I am constantly concerned about the threats and dangers that your sons and daughters/our students face in terms of drugs and alcohol.  As warm weather returns and the end of the school year approaches, these concerns intensify.  It is particularly important that graduating students and their parents understand that violation of certain School Board  policies will prohibit the student’s participation in all senior activities.

Specifically, School Board policies on possession, consumption, or distribution of alcoholic beverages, controlled or counterfeit controlled dangerous substances, non-controlled substances as defined by law or other intoxicants at any time during the last four weeks of school prior to the last scheduled day for graduating seniors or during the time between the last scheduled day and the graduation ceremony, whether the activity takes place on school buses, within a school building or upon any school property, or during any school, school related or Board sponsored activity, whether held on school property or at locations off school property shall prohibit the student from participation in all senior activities including proms, award and graduation ceremonies. The effective date of this provision is Tuesday, May 2, 2013.

I am pleased to announce that Jonah Sheffield has been selected as a recipient of the 2013-2014 Comcast Leaders and Achievers®Scholarship.  This award, funded through the Comcast Foundation, recognizes high school seniors from Comcast communities for commitment to community service, academic achievement and demonstrated  leadership.

Dionne Harris is the Chair of the BHS English Department.  It is my pleasure to announce that she is our nominee for Anne Arundel County Teacher of the Year (TOY).  Ms. Harris, and forty-seven other TOY nominees, will be honored on April 29, 2013 at the Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony.  Congratulations to Ms. Harris.  The Broadneck High Literary Magazine, Chromotherapy:  Imprints 2012, is one of eight high school Literary Magazines in Maryland that has been recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English for Excellence!  Four hundred seventeen schools were entered in their competition nation-wide.  Maureen Thomas was the Faculty Advisor for our 2012 Literary Magazine while Rebecca Tucker and Michelle Williams were the student editors.  This is a very nice honor!

The Broadneck High School Allied Bowling Team has won both the regular season and County Tournament Championship.  Our two MVPs were Jimmy Yanchulis and Jett Mahler.  Most improved athletes were Tyler   Windenbank and Peter Jacobs.  The Bowling Team is coached by Clay White.

The Anne Arundel Reading Council has announced the most recent winners of the Young Authors Contest.  More than 1,000 entries were received in grades 2–12.  Broadneck High School had twelve winners!  Congratulations to Sarah Givens and Hailey Wilberger (Poetry–9th grade), Alexis Pecknay, Abby Brown and Paul Green, Jr. (Essay – 9th Grade), Elizabeth Willard (Poetry–10th grade), Sara Hirshon (Poetry – 11th grade), Sara Schulke (Essay – 11th grade), Tori Marsh and Mackenzie Williams (Poetry – 12th grade) and Drew Crandall and Rachel Willison (Essay–12th Grade).  Congratulations to the English Teachers who work with these students.

Congratulations to the BHS Science Olympiad Team.  They have advanced to the State Competition that will be held at Johns Hopkins University on April 20, 2013.  The following students will spend that day taking tests and competing with the apparatus they have built while meeting after school every Tuesday:  Jacob Lettie, Owen  Crandall, Katie McCarren, Brendan Orner, Jusef Anwuzia, Marisa Roper, Caryl De Los Santos, Emmy Hoyt,  Lauren Fowlkes, Ryan Rosner and Genevieve Ethridge.  Our team is sponsored and coached by Linda Turner.

It is amazing that March is here!  Before we know it, the end of the school year will be as well. I encourage  parents to keep in touch with those who teach your sons and daughters.  Having a good line of communication with those who work directly with your children is important to their success.  To find email addresses for faculty members go to http://www.broadneck.org/, click on Departments and then on the specific department of the   teacher you wish to contact.  You will find email addresses there.  Thank you for your continuing support of our school.

Sincerely,

David G. Smith, Ph.D.

Principal


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