03/31 BHS Tiger News
Week of March 31st, 2024
Belleville High School
Good afternoon, Belleville Families, and WELCOME BACK! This is Week #10 of Semester 2 - the end of Quarter #3 - and we are prepared for a strong finish! With this, we are also continuing to practice for State Testing next week; the schedule is below. Please remind your student to bring their VBPS Chromebook 💻 DAILY, fully charged. Digital practice is taking place, and they will NOT be able to use a personal device. If your student does NOT have a district chromebook for any reason, please have them visit the Tech Office in Room 123 between classes or right before their lunch period.
📝TESTING WEEK - Grades 9 through 11
The Spring Testing adjusted schedule begins next week. It is important that ALL testing students are present on their testing day, as any makeups will take them away from classroom instruction. Please click the link below for more information on testing days and times.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GqlPe1V3Lav8d8g4iUmmG5gHK_mPYXvMC1kku1C146s/edit?usp=sharing
Juniors Attendance after SAT Testing
Parents and Guardians, if you would like to excuse your student from classes after taking the SAT on April 10, 2024, please complete the Goggle Form below. This form will only be valid for students taking the SAT on April 10th. Please understand that classes will still be held, and your student must make up any missing work.
The SAT and PSAT are now DIGITAL!
Please use the link below for important information regarding the SAT and PSAT, given the week of April 8th. More details - including schedules - will follow upon our return from break, however, these videos provide important information regarding how the test is structured and what students need to bring. STUDENTS MUST USE THEIR DISTRICT-ISSUED CHROMEBOOKS ON THE TEST. Students will not be able to use any personal devices. https://youtu.be/a7LUE8EQSLM
In Purpose, Excellence, and ACHIEVEMENT - GO TIGERS!!
Belleville High School’s Class of 2024 Graduation Information
Date: May 23, 2024
Time: Doors Open for Families at 6:00 PM
Location: George Gervin GameAbove Center
Address: 799 N Hewitt Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
General Admission
Families and guests do not need tickets for the ceremony. All stadium seating is general admission. The hearing impaired section is located in section 108.
Suites for Rental
If your family would like to have a suite, beginning on Friday, April 12th, you can call EMU to purchase one. The cost is $400.00. Each suite can hold up to 20 guests. Pop and water are supplied with each suite purchase.
Suites Contact: (734) 487-3669
Safety Information
As you might expect, the Eastern Michigan University Department of Public Safety will enforce expanded security initiatives for high school graduation ceremonies.
Please be aware of prohibited items and allow for a few extra minutes before the start of the ceremony to participate in the screening process. All individuals will be subject to a metal detector screening upon entry into the Center. All guests should be prepared to place their wallets, cell phones, and keys into a bin during the screening process.
Security staff and law enforcement professionals will be available to answer any questions prior to entering the facility.
The following items are prohibited:
Weapons including handguns, tasers and chemical sprays
Fireworks
Knives, box cutters and scissors
Laser pointers
Book bags, purses, briefcases, backpacks, paper bags, luggage, duffel bags, camera bags, wrapped gifts or gift bags
Balloons
Selfie sticks
Beach Balls or other projectiles
Banners with poles/sticks
Umbrellas with pointed tips
Skateboards/rollerblades
Noise making devices
The following items may be allowed after inspection:
Diaper bags
Medically necessary items
Child carriers
Small clutch purses 4.5" x 6.5"
Clear bags (must be no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a gallon Ziploc -- one side of the bag has to be completely free from décor)
Parking, Entrance, & Exit
Parking is free for all families and guests. There is parking across Hewitt Road for overflow.
Families and guests must use the main entrance, East Entrance.
After the ceremony, students are not permitted to go back into the Center. Families will meet their new graduates at the South Entrance outside of the Center.
Live Stream Broadcast
Belleville High School will provide a live stream broadcast of the graduation ceremony. The link will be sent out the week of the ceremony. You can also find it on the Belleville High School Facebook page on May 23, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact Paula Slingerland @ Pslinger@vanburenpublicschools.net.
Mama Mia!
🎭 Tiger Drama presents Mama Mia on April 18th, 19th, and 20th! We're excited to be able to witness the talent, skill, and musical ability of our students as they have been rehearsing for several weeks already. Don't miss this opportunity to be both entertained and amazed by our students. Go Tigers!
Calling ALL BHS Dads, Father Figures, and Male Mentors: Men's BFast - April 6th
Maximizing Your Potential! We will be speaking to the student, the mentor and discussing the resources we have within Belleville High School.
To get an accurate head count please RSVP by Thursday, April 4th at 2:30pm.
Important Dates and Upcoming Events:
April 3rd: Early Release 12:04, Professional Development Day
April 4th: Senior vs Staff Basketball Game, 6:30pm-8:30pm
April 5th: End of 3rd Marking Period
April 6th: Band-O-Rama, 4pm
April 8th-12th: State Testing Week, grades 9-11
April 8th: 4th Marking Period Begins
April 18th-20th: BHS Musical - "Mama Mia" - presented by Tiger Drama
April 24th: BHS Tiger Parent Meeting, 6pm
April 25th: Community Career Day! 8:00am - 10:30am
April 25th: Bring Your Child to Work Day
April 26th: College Fair
April 26th: NHS Induction, Distinguished Graduate Ceremony, 7pm
April 30th: McBride & Jazz Band Concert, 7pm
🍌 BREAKFAST & LUNCH MENUS: https://vanburenschools.nutrislice.com/menu
Belleville Community Career Day
For our 2nd Belleville Community Career Day on April 25, 2024, we’re looking for businesses, representatives for all career pathways, and corporations to talk about careers and employment opportunities. This event will be held in the BHS Commons. We hope to continue to foster connections between employers and students and learn how to prepare for careers, discover opportunities, and develop a professional networking circle.
Interested in being involved? Scan the QR Code or use this link for pre-registration.
For questions, please contact Mrs. Paula Slingerland:
(734)697-9133 x2011
Belleville Fire Department
2023 Community Career Day
All Things Great Events
ATHLETICS NEWS
Congratulations to the Girls Basketball team for making the Final Four. Unfortunately they were defeated by Grand Blanc in the Semifinals at the Breslin Center, but it was a fantastic season. Finished the year with a 24-3 record, a KLAA East Division Championship, a KLAA Conference Championship, a District Championship, a Regional Championship, and a Final Four berth.
For all other Athletics Information, including upcoming practices and game schedules, click the LINK below. GO TIGERS!
BHS Athletics Homepage | Belleville High School (vanburenschools.net)
From Your STUDENT COUNCIL - Your Guide to Student Activities!
Upcoming Dates:
April 4, 2024 - Senior vs Staff Basketball Game..see the link for details.
April 5, 2024 - Class of 2024 Spring Senior Shirt Order Form Due
April 8, 2024 - BHS Dine to Donate at Red Robin, Ypsilanti from 11 am - 10pm See link for flyer
April 10, 2024 - Last Day to purchase Prom tickets
April 15, 2024 - BHS Dine to Donate at Hungry Howie's, Belleville from 11am - 11pm
Class of 2024 Information:
Class of 2024 Spring Senior Shirt Order Form - Due by Friday, April 5, 2024
April 3, 2024 - Senior meeting during 2nd/3rd hours in the auditorium
April 4, 2024 - Senior vs Staff Basketball Game…..be there or be square. The Class of 2024 and BHS Staff will be battling it out for staff/student bonding and the ultimate bragging rights. The game is from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm. The cost is $5.00 per person. (Due to this being a Senior Class fundraiser, athletic passes will not be accepted) Come and experience this awesome event!
Here is the link to the Senior Class of 2024 Informational Packet. This link includes UPDATED dates and information for Seniors.
Senior Class of 2024 information can be located in the Senior Informational Packet below.
This Week in Counseling
Friday, April 5th- FAFSA Friday- Seniors can receive help completing the FAFSA every Friday during the month of April.
Preparing for Spring State Testing
Starting in spring 2024, students in the U.S. will take the digital SAT and PSAT. Get to know the Bluebook™ digital testing application. Explore the exam preview or take a full-length practice test. Then, go to mypractice.collegeboard.org to review your results. Learn more about practicing for the digital SAT at sat.org/digital-practice.
Additional Test Taking Tips
1. Read through the full question carefully
Time is absolutely a luxury on the SAT, but there are some things you just cannot afford to rush through. One of them is skimming through the questions. Reading through the full question slowly and carefully may take up a few precious seconds, but that is time well spent. If you don’t understand the question, you’re likely to get the answer wrong after all! And at least some of the answer choices will be designed to confuse you on top of it.
2. Answer the Easiest Questions First
Answering the easiest questions first helps in more ways than one. For one thing, it helps you move through the test faster. If you waste time on a difficult question, you run the risk of running out of time and missing out on points for those easy questions you just didn’t get to.
Moving through the test quickly while answering those easy questions will also help boost your confidence and calm your fears. Test takers tend to perform much better when they feel more confident and less anxious.
Answering the easier questions first can also jog your memory, making it easier to go back and answer the more difficult ones you skipped earlier. This can be particularly helpful when answering questions on related topics.
3. Answer the Question BEFORE Reading the Answers Provided
Can you guess the answer to the question without looking at the answers provided? If you can, it’s a pretty good bet that you are right. If one of the choices is the answer you guessed or is similar to what you guessed, you know you’re right. If you don’t see your answer there, you know you need to go back and re-read the question to see if you missed any valuable information.
4. Eliminate the Obviously Wrong Choices
SAT questions tend to throw in 1 or 2 obviously wrong answers into the mix to add to the confusion. If you’re having to guess an answer, you can cross out those incorrect responses to narrow down your options. This increases your odds of getting the answer right, even if you’re relying purely on guesswork. After all, there is no penalty for guessing!
5. Consider ALL The Answer Choices Before Marking Your Final Answer
We said it earlier: the questions and answers provided are designed to trick you. Even if you know the answer to the question, don’t rush to mark it on the test paper. First, take a look at the answer choices. Is one of the choices ‘All of the above’? If it is, you must first make sure that there isn’t more than one correct answer to the question. Go through the answer choices again. Can you identify at least 2 correct answers to the question? If you do, ‘All of the above’ is most likely the correct option.
6. Carefully Read Those Passage Introductions
Most passages will have a little introductory passage in italics. It can be tempting to ignore the passage introduction in an attempt to save some time. This is a mistake and one that could cost you even more time in the end. These introductory passages are meant to give you a better understanding of the context of the passage that follows. Without reading the introduction, you may find it difficult to answer the question asked. On the other hand, you may arrive at a wrong understanding and answer the question incorrectly. Don’t skim it either. Read it properly just as you would the actual passage!
7. Highlight Key Points in Long Questions & Passages
Does a question or passage appear too long with multiple ideas or subsections integrated into it? Overly long questions and passages can be challenging to understand and difficult to answer. One way to simplify it is to mark key points as you come across them. With the key points highlighted, you won’t have to waste time reading the whole question again to locate the answers.
8. Pace Yourself
The SAT is a timed test, but that doesn’t mean you should rush through to try to answer the questions as quickly as possible. You’re bound to make some missteps if you take this approach! The more your rush, the more likely you are to make careless mistakes, misunderstand questions, or entirely miss questions. Rushing and constant glancing at the clock can also leave you stressed. As long as you took practice tests that were timed, you should be able to pace yourself when it comes to the real deal!
9. Have Time Left Over? Review Your Answers
Use any extra time you have to review your test, and don’t simply review your answer selections. You should read over any confusing questions, check that you answered the correct answer in the correct spot, and look for careless mistakes or anything you overlooked. Sometimes those little mistakes can cause you to lose out on points that could bump your score up quite a bit! Nerves and rushing can also increase your chances of making these errors.
However, make sure you are not turning back to previous sections or ahead to the next section. You can only work on a specific section at a time.
These 9 helpful standardized test taking strategies can help you gain an edge on standardized tests like the SAT. If you need help putting them into practice, make sure you take plenty of practice tests before you sit for the real deal!
Scholarships, Scholarships, Scholarships!!!
Take a look below at the scholarships with upcoming deadlines! We have quite a few local scholarships exclusively for BHS seniors!
The Belleville Rotary Club Scholarship is due TODAY!
Belleville Rotary Scholarships, $5,000 each, are available to graduating students who live in the Belleville, Sumpter Township, and Van Buren Township areas.
APPLY ONLINE
Local Scholarships
Savage Elementary PTO Scholarship, $500- Application available in counseling office- Due March 25, 2024
Belleville Rotary Scholarship- Due March 31, 2024
Edgemont PTO Scholarship, $500- Application available in the counseling office- Due April 15, 2024
Keystone Academy Perseverance Scholarship, $1,000- Application available in the counseling office- Due April 16, 2024
Van Buren Association of School Administrators- Due April 19, 2024
Belleville Fire Aux. Scholarship, $750 - Application available in the counseling office- Due April 30, 2024
Regional and National Scholarships
Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS Science Scholarship- High School senior- Due March 31, 2024
Superpower Scholarship- U.S. citizen, 14 years of age. Due- March 31, 2024
Martin Vocational Scholarship Program- High School senior- senior- Due April 1, 2024
Foundation for Eternal Excellence- Male Senior- Due April, 1, 2024
Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship Program- Due April 1, 2024
Lockheed Martin Vocational Scholarship Program- Due April 1, 2024
Michigan Retailers Scholarship- Due April 1, 2024
WSU- Detroit Leadership Award- for incoming freshmen- Due April 1, 2024
Golden Apple Scholars Program-Senior- Due April 1, 2024
Vision Fair Foundation- Senior-2.8+ GPA- Sue April 7, 2024
Van Buren Association of School Administrators- Due April 19, 2024
Michigan Achievement Scholarship
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Students who graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma or certificate of completion or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after may be eligible for more financial aid from the State of Michigan:
- Up to $2,000 if they attend a career training program in Michigan, per year, up to two years
- Up to $2,750 if they attend a Michigan community college, per year, up to three years
- Up to $4,000 if they attend a Michigan private college or university, per year, up to five years
- Up to $5,500 if they attend a Michigan public university or are enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a Michigan community college, per year, up to five years
Thank you for your time and attention to this week's Tiger News.
Have a great week everyone - in Purpose, Excellence, and ACHIEVEMENT - GO TIGERS!
~ Principal Crockett, AP Mrs. Green, AP Mr. Roberson, AP Mrs. Slingerland, BNT Director Mr. Wilsey, and AD Mr. Brodie
♻️ REPEAT INFORMATION ♻️
🚫 Detentions and ISS 📵
As we close the Semester, there are several students (approximately 70) who have accrued multiple detentions or who have failed to take advantage of several rescheduling opportunities will serve In-School Suspensions (ISS). Beginning Semester 2, students who fail to serve Saturday detentions will serve an In-School Suspension instead of being suspended out of school. The goal is to have students present and in a monitored environment where they can continue to be productive. For questions or concerns, simply reply to any of your student's previously sent Detention emails.
🌟Student Newspaper - 2nd Edition
BHS is excited to announce that our Journalism Class has produced it's NEXT edition of their online newspaper, Beneath The Stripes! This was shared with students before the break, and our journalists will utilize feedback from students and staff to make continuous improvements. Visit beneaththestripes.com to see what they have accomplished so far. Go Tigers!!
TRAFFIC AND PARKING REMINDERS
It's the most wonderful time of the year - the Michigan winter weather is upon us. With the cold, darkness, ice, and snow, traffic at student drop off will be slow. Please be patient and kind! Here are some tips to help make drop off faster and safer for all:
- The only drop off and pick up area for students is on the west entrance, the entrance into the Central Office building. To enter the main entrance, you MUST have a parking pass!
- Please make sure your students are only crossing the roads when the safety patrol is present and has stopped traffic. They will let your student know when it is safe to cross.
- Please ask your students to be prepared to get out of the vehicle with all of their belongings as soon as the vehicle stops.
- If you are the first vehicle in the drop off line, please STOP at the "Student Drop Off" sign. This will help more cars get to the sidewalk to drop their students off.
- Make sure to pull all the way up to the car in front of you UNLESS you are in the crosswalk. If you are the second vehicle in the group, you will be the one nearest the crosswalk; leave enough space between your car and the first one in the group for students to cross safely.
- Please follow the staff's driving directions. The stop sign/signal to stop is not a suggestion; you must stop! This is for staff and STUDENT SAFETY!
- Do not drop students off in the passing (left) lane! Students should only exit the vehicle from the right lane (nearest building and sidewalk).
- If your student needs more time exiting the vehicle, there is a spot on the right just past the "Student Drop Off" sign; park there. This way traffic can continue to flow.
- Make sure your lights are on.
HOW TO: Pay for Things!💲
LUNCH LINES & FOODSERVICE NEWS
There will be some BIG changes in the Belleville Cafe after winter break! However, before these changes happen, the lines have been long. Here are some tips to make the lunch lines go faster and lunch more enjoyable:
- Make sure students have their student IDs present before getting into line. They can scan them at checkout. This will expedite the time in line.
- If students are buying snacks or drinks not provided with the free lunch, have the cash in hand ready to give to the cafeteria worker, or you can add money to the student's account.
- Please clean up your trash and place it in the proper containers on your way out of the cafeteria.
- Lastly, if you have suggestions for food ideas or quality, please speak to an administrator or Chef Craig. We want you to enjoy the food and the entire lunch experience.
The BHS Cafe - A Greater Dining Experience!
From the The Belleville High School Café:
Students, to keep things timely and smoothly, please remember these tips:
- Please be patient and do not cut in line
- There are two lines: PIZZA and Other Entrees
- You must get a fruit or vegetable in order for the meal to be free
- Only one juice or milk per meal/student
- Only one entrée per meal (additional entrees are $2.00 each)
- Pop, chips, snacks cost money, but you can use your school account to pay
- If you are not purchasing any extras, please go through the line that is not for buying snacks (clipboard side)
Parents & Guardians: Food Account Payments
In order to fund your child's lunch account, please follow the steps below:
- Login to the MiStar ParentConnect Portal with your PIN and Password. Your school secretary can assist you if you need this information.
Click on your student's name, and you will see a variety of options on the menu at left.
Click on the Cafeteria link in the menu at left
Click on the "Online Food Service Payment" at far right.
Enter the amount you would like to add to your student's cafeteria account.
Follow the prompts to enter your payment information.
Thank you for making the first week enjoyable and check out our menu online.
STUDENT HANDBOOK AND DRESS CODE
An excellent educational experience is always undergirded by a safe and orderly environment. Please take the time to review the Student Handbook, which includes the BHS Student Dress Code. For a quick review of items to avoid, please click the link for COMMON DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS.
In particular, students will not be wearing:
- Hoods
- Crop Tops
- Ski Masks
- or any bedwear or grooming attire, including pajamas, blankets, pajama bottoms, hair scarves or durags.
Link to Student Handbook: 2023 - 2024 BHS Student Handbook
🚫 NOTICE FOR DETENTIONS!!
ATTENTION PARENTS AND GUARDIANS: Students will ONLY be receiving detention notices via email. They will no longer receive paper notices. Since we ALWAYS copy the parent/guardian on these notices, we ask that you remind your student, as needed, about their obligation. We appreciate your partnership!
Detention for Tardies
Remember, for EVERY 3 tardies, students will serve 1 detention. This also applies to other infractions, such as Dress Code Violations.
If a student needs to reschedule a detention, they must see Mrs. Dawn Spicer during the student's designated lunch time. Mrs. Spicer will be located in the lunch room to address rescheduling or questions regarding assigned detentions. Students are NOT permitted to leave class to speak with her regarding detentions.
Lunch detentions will only be assigned for special circumstances; an administrator must approve lunch detentions. For every after school detention, a student will serve two lunch detentions.
Detention Rules:
- You must be on time to detention and sign in electronically. After school detention starts at 2:15 and ends at 3:15. Students have 5 minutes from the first lunch bell to get to the Tiger Den. Saturday detention starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 10:00 AM.
- You will need to check in your phone with an administrator.
- If serving lunch detention, you will wait until the lunch lines are clear of students and administrative approval before getting a lunch.
- You will not talk or sleep during detention.
- You will clean up after yourself: clean any trash, push in chairs, and put away anything borrowed.
- If serving lunch detention, you will wait until you are released before leaving the Tiger Den.
- If you get kicked out, other consequences may happen including out of school suspension.
MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) Events
You may have heard from your students about several classroom holds (where students remain in classes and are not allowed in the halls) due to MERT calls happening in the building. MERTs happen any time there is medical event happening with a student or staff member. The protocol below was developed along with our district Nurse, Nurse Munoz, and is as follows:
- A staff member is alerted of a potential medical emergency anywhere in the building.
- The staff member alerts the Main Office.
- The Main Office calls for a Classroom Hold over the PA system (students remain in classrooms and the hallways are cleared).
- The MERT team reports to the announced location to assess the situation and determine next steps.
- If paramedics are called, students remain in classrooms in order for first responders to efficiently support the student or staff member, and transport them to a more private location or to an emergency room if needed.
- The classroom hold is then lifted and the hallways are now accessible as normal.
If you have any questions about the process, feel free to reach out to Nurse Munoz at dmunoz@vanburenschools.net.