Dear Birmingham Families,

I'm so glad we've braved the worst of the Omicron variant and can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Every Birmingham family continues to contribute to campus safety by notifying us when there is a home exposure or keeping a student home when they are ill.

Our campus positivity rate continues to be very low. On Thursday and Friday data from last week reflects a positivity rate of 0.55% compared to the county rate of 9.1%. We will continue to administer surveillance testing twice a week at least through mid-February to ensure our trend continues in a positive direction.

On a more positive note, we had a great time last week celebrating the academic accomplishments of our students. All Grade Level Academies recognized their students for their achievement during the first semester. As a reminder, we have 4 tiers of awards. Platinum goes to students with a 4.0 GPA or higher. Gold is 3.60 to 3.99 and Silver is 3.0 to 3.59. We also award students who improve by 0.25 points in their GPA to encourage their effort and to motivate them to continue their growth.

In addition to academic awards, we started our first monthly selection of Birmingham Upstanders. These are students that went above and beyond to help another student or faculty member while others were more inclined to be bystanders and not act. We encourage all of our students to do the right thing to support and help each other. This is the type of community and culture we're trying to build. Our three Upstanders are: Allan Gonzalez, Amy Acevedo, and Jose Jimenez. These students have demonstrated leadership, empathy, and courage. These three students were nominated by BCCHS staff members. They are powerful contributors to our school community, and we're very proud of them.

Thank you for everything you do to support our community. At Birmingham, with over 3000 students, it takes a village to properly support our students' growth and development. You are a hugely important part of our village! We value and appreciate you!

Ari Bennett,

BCCHS Principal

Birmingham receives our funding based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Every year the school reports on its use of LCFF in our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).

The LCAP describes the school’s overall vision for students, annual goals, and specific actions to achieve our vision and goals.

Birmingham’s LCAP must focus on eight areas identified as state priorities:

1. Basic Services

2. Implementation of State Standards

3. Parent Engagement

4. Student Achievement

5. Student Engagement

6. School Climate

7. Equitable Access to Academic Programs

8. Other Student Outcomes

Annually, our school engages our education partners, including parents, students, educators, employees and the community, to establish the LCAP.

Birmingham’s LCAP goals are aligned with our School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) and our WASC Critical Areas.

An important component of the LCAP is the Annual Update in which the school describes the actual outcomes of planned strategies and activities.

Due to the challenges of the continuing COVID pandemic, this year schools are required to provide a One Time Supplement to the Annual Update. This supplement includes a Mid-Year Update which describes the school’s progress towards achieving its annual goals and activities.

A summary of this Mid-Year Update will be made to Birmingham’s school board during its next regular monthly meeting.

Our 9th grade students are off to a strong start this Spring semester. We had some challenges due to the rise of COVID cases and the absences that resulted, but it appears that we are on the up and up. If your children were absent, please remind them to check in with their teachers and make up the assignments that are past due.

It is our intention to not only provide constructive feedback to our students, but also to commend students when they are working hard and doing well. On Wednesday, January 26th, selected students participated in our special honors Feather Ceremonies to recognize their strong work ethic and resulting high GPAs. Three celebrations took place at various times throughout the day. Students on the Silver Honors list earned GPAs of 3.00-3.59 on the Fall 2021 final report card; students on the Gold Honors list earned GPAs of 3.60-3.99; and students on the Platinum Honors list earned GPAs of 4.00 and above.

Recognition will also be given to students on our Most Improved list. Stay tuned for details.

To help assist students who are struggling academically and/or social-emotionally, we have opened up a new class entitled Seminar 9. Students in this class are engaging in executive function skill building as well as community building with their peers and teachers. Some of the topics covered include organization and time management, how to study, dealing with stress and conflict, and self-advocacy and public speaking, to name a few.

We encourage you to ask your children questions about what they are currently learning in their classes, and about their social-emotional well-being. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to anyone on the 9th Grade Team if you need assistance or guidance.

Email: j.navarro@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-5226

9th Grade Coordinator

Email: m.wydra@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-6551

Email: s.brown@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-6553

Email: v.perez@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-4453

9th Grade Counselor (O-Z)

Email: a.palacios@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-6555

Email: y.castillourbina@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-6536

Email: j.granish@birminghamcharter.com
Phone: 818-758-6554

We are enjoying celebrating the academic success of our students in the Fall semester. Over 400 Sophomores made the honor roll with a semester GPA of over 3.0 (A or B average). Well done Class of 2024 - keep it up. By the end of this school year students will be half way through their high school experience.

Because of circumstances beyond our control, this semester has started with a high number of absences due to the COVID surge. It is important that in the event of an extended absence, we all (student, teacher, counselor, parent) work together to ensure it does not hinder the outcome of the student’s semester. That first report card that you will receive shortly is simply an indicator of how the student started the semester. If your child has been absent, because of missing assignments it may not be an entirely accurate representation, and the student must certainly not be disheartened by it. Rather, see it as a call to action to catch up. Remember that the only grade which ultimately counts (for graduation, college, etc.) is the one at the end of the long semester in June.

These challenges are actually a good opportunity to learn/practice 21st century skills. All teachers give extensions for missing work in the case of excused absences, and are mindful that the student will need time to catch up after a return from a long absence. Students should practice their communication skills with their teachers regarding their needs - either face-to-face or over email. Students advocating for themselves is an important skill. Just ask. Lessons can most often be found on Google Classroom, with resources such as video which allow the student to work independently from home, if necessary. As always, we urge parents and students to check Aeries frequently, especially in the case of absences.

On January 27, over 400 Juniors were recognized for their Fall Semester academic achievements on Silver (3.0-3.50), Gold (3.6-3.99), and Platinum (4.0+) Honor Roll. All students received a certificate and gift bag, while Platinum also received a burrito. We are so proud of your hard work and achievements this past semester!!! Keep up the good work!

In March counselors will begin programming for next year. If there are any specific classes you are interested in (AP, elective, etc.) start thinking about them now. You have one year left, make the most of it! They are also working with students to identify missing credits that are required for graduation and working to create a plan to make those credits up.

The 10th and 11th grade teams are starting a new program to mentor new 10th graders to the school. New 10th graders are paired up with an 11th grader who will help them transition to Birmingham.

11th Grade English classes are visiting with the College Center Counselors to learn about higher education opportunities once your student graduates. Please reach out to them if you have any questions or would like further information.

Happy New Year and welcome back to the final semester for Seniors!

January is off to a great start! At the end of last semester, we had an outstanding number of Seniors that made the honor roll. There were 165 of our Seniors that completed their Fall Semester with a GPA of 3.0 - 3.59 earning them on the Silver Honors List . Another 100 students made the Gold Honors Lists by receiving a GPA of 3.6 - 3.99. The Platinum Honors List, was the largest honors list with 220 Seniors achieving a 4.0 or above! Our Birmingham family is proud to recognize all the students who performed diligently in their academics during the Fall Semester. CONGRATULATIONS!

Jostens will be on campus on February 24th during lunchtime at the Quad for Seniors to place their cap and gown order, as well as any other Class of 2022 memorabilia. Don’t miss this last opportunity to speak to our school's representative from Jostens. Any ordering questions and/or concerns pertaining to graduation ordering can be clarified at this time.

Seniors that had 10 or more (non COVID related) absences in the Fall Semester of 2021 will need to appeal in order to attend Prom. Students will be notified via their school email and their parents through postal service by February 4th. At which point students will need to follow the detailed instructions that will be provided to them and must be returned no later than Friday February 18th.

Just a reminder that February is Black History Month and so, we take the time to acknowledge our fierce African Americans’ roles in our U.S. history. This annual celebration recognizes the achievements of these leaders who have brought forth change, fought for rights and desegregation. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

LET’S CONTINUE TO WORK HARD THIS LAST SEMESTER!

12th Grade Level Academy Team

The Career Technical Education (CTE) Department provides hands-on learning experiences for students in 9 different career industries. Students take 2 or 3-year course sequences that leverage a dual college and career focus in these fields. Some of the advantages of taking these courses include earning college credit or an industry-recognized certification while still in high school. Almost half of the Birmingham student body is currently enrolled in the extraordinary CTE programs we offer at BCCHS.

CTE Programs include: Business Management, Engineering Technology, Animation, Filmmaking, Graphic Design, Patient Care, Software and Systems Development, Technical Theater, Culinary Arts.

Students benefit from the upgraded industry-standard equipment and software provided in these courses as a result of robust grant funding, including recent awards this year of over $200,000, which will help pay for two new Apple computer labs for our Graphic Design program. Students also have unique access to industry professionals who attend their classes as guest speakers, host them for field trips and site tours, and connect them to internships and job opportunities. Some industry professionals include local medical experts, business owners, and executives at companies such as Snapchat and ToonBoom.

Our students have earned certifications in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, CA Safe Food Handlers, and First Aid and CPR. Additionally, students have earned up to three college courses in a single career pathway sequence such as Engineering or Graphic Design.

Field trips so far this year have included LA’s ComiCON, watching the award-winning Hamilton at the Pantages Theater, and LA Mission College Culinary Lab Classrooms, to name a few.

This spring, we are gearing up for student teams to compete in various competitions in and around LA County representing our CTE programs.

We are grateful for the hard work, dedication and professional expertise of our CTE teachers who continue providing these amazing experiences for our students.

If you have any questions or want more information about CTE programs at Birmingham, please contact Lindsey Surendranath at L.surendranath@birminghamcharter.com