BRONCO BLAST

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• 12/8: Atrium Ribbon Cutting 5:30 p.m.
  
• 12/8-9: Winter Wonderfest
• 12/11: PTO meeting
  
• 12/13: FAFSA Prep Workshop
  
• 12/21: Semester Exams
  
• 12/22: Semester Exams
  
• 12/25: Winter Break Begins - end of Semester 1
• 01/08: In-Service Day - staff only
• 01/09: School resumes
• 01/09: Life After BHS Student Panel
• 01/15: MLK Day No School
• 01/17: FAFSA Completion Workshop
• 01/22: PTO Meeting
• 01/25: Veteran Parent Panel for 8th grade parents and new families**

** Denotes newly added events to the calendar

The BHS PTO is hosting its annual "Life After BHS" Student Panel on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 7PM in the BHS auditorium. All BHS students, along with their parents, are invited to learn more about college and post high school life and experiences from recent BHS alums. This is a candid and invaluable discussion! Mark your calendars now as this event happens on the first day of school following Winter Break!

BSN Sports has created a new "Sideline Store" for Barrington High School apparel! The site features a wide variety of BHS apparel and accessories and includes items branded specifically for BHS sports, clubs, activities, alumni, and more! Use the coupon code SPIRIT until December 26th to enjoy 25% as part of the grand opening celebration. You can access the new BHS Sideline Store here.

The district will kick off Winter Wonderfest this year with a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of all major Build 220 projects at BHS, including the new front atrium addition! Construction is now in the final stages of this project. Please join us on Friday, Dec. 8 at 5:30pm to check out this new state-of-the-art addition. Click here to view a video of the progress!

Over the past several years, many course teams have developed authentic summative experiences that more accurately measure student learning. The shift to authentic summative experiences has made it possible to rethink the number of days needed for traditional final exams. Given that the overall number of traditional final exams has decreased over the past few years, it is possible to reduce the number of school days dedicated to traditional final exams each semester from three to two.

Classes that have final projects, portfolios, performances, or other unique formats will not meet during final exam days. Only classes that have an 85-minute Final Exam will meet. Teachers will communicate directly with students if they are meeting on December 21 or 22 for a Final Exam. Most Math, Science, Social Studies, and AP/Dual Credit courses will have traditional final exams this Winter. Most students should have at most 4 final exams total over the two days. If a student has more than 2 exams in one day, they may choose to work with their teacher to move an exam to another day in a period where they do not have a traditional final exam.

Students and teachers have a 50-minute lunch break each day from 11:30 to 12:20. School buses will run on normal schedules.

As is past practice, December 20, 2023, is reserved and may be the first day of Final Exams if emergency closure days are forecasted for December 21st or 22nd.

Final Exams cannot be scheduled early due to family vacations or other conflicts. If a student misses their exam, they should try to make it up during the two exam days if possible or they will need to take it in the testing center or make arrangements with their teacher when school resumes in January.

In June 2023 the Barrington 220 Board of Education approved the district's new strategic plan, Framework 220, which will guide the district's work over the next few years. The plan consists of six strategic priorities. One of the priorities is Community Partnerships & Communication. Please click here to take our 3-minute external communications survey!

NEXT PTO MEETING

JOIN US, virtually or in person, for the last PTO MEETING of the year on Monday, December 11th at 9:15am. EMAIL HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK or RSVP HERE TO PRE-REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON security check-in. Hear from Principal McWilliams and the high school counselors on the latest school news, deadlines, finals, and upcoming events.

Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:
Please click this URL to join. https://barrington220.zoom.us/j/87287770076?pwd=KzZvbHpZTDRwSGtLaXNBY25pVTd4Zz09
Passcode: 829931

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! LIFE AFTER BHS ~ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9th, 7pm, BHS Auditorium

On the first day back from winter break, be sure to take advantage of this rare opportunity to hear recent Barrington graduates talk about their experiences right after high school.

The program is beneficial for high school students of ANY year and their parents, and a chance to hear DIRECTLY from recent graduates. Past attendees of the event have said that it was tremendously helpful to hear what fresh BHS alumni had to say about things like:

- The college application process

- How they adjusted to college, or about their decisions to pursue a career, a military path, or a gap year.

- How they went about making their choices. What worked for them? What didn’t?

- What did they do if they couldn’t pursue their first choice?

- What did they do if they they pursued their first choice, but then hated it?

- What did they wish they had done more of (or less of) earlier on in high school?

- What advice do they have for this year’s seniors?

There are so many possibilities and choices after high school; it’s eye-opening and reassuring for seniors (and their parents) to see that there’s no one “right answer.” Mark your calendar to attend one of the most helpful and informative events of the year on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhs220pto SEARCH FOR "BHS 220 PTO”

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/bhs220pto/

The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority and we commit to offering a safe

and secure educational environment. Barrington 220 is now partnering with an Illinois school safety helpline aimed at providing students a place to report information that might prevent bullying, suicide, and campus violence. Safe2Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It allows students to confidentially share school safety issues via a mobile app, text, email, or phone call. You will notice that the "See Something, Say Something" button on our district and school website now links directly to the Safe2Help contact page. We are asking that all students, parents, staff, and community members now use this platform to report safety concerns. In the case of an emergency, call 911.

Website: https://bhs.barrington220.org/
Location: 616 W Main St, Barrington, IL, USA
Phone: 847-381-1400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BHS220/
Twitter: @BarringtonHS220