BHS Counseling Dept Weekly Update
Week of October 15, 2024
Short week plus check your Q1 Interim Progress Reports uploaded to Aspen Friday 10/11 afternoon
This week of 10/14 is a special schedule 4 school day week due to the Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday 10/14. Check the 4 day schedule on the right of the visual below. Day 1= Tues 10/15, Day 2= Wed 10/16, Day 3 = Thurs 10/17, Day 4 = Fri 10/18.
Indigenous Peoples Day - Monday 10/14/24
The Brookline Indigenous Peoples Celebration Committee is hosting the annual Indigenous Peoples Celebration Event on Monday, October 14 from 1 to 4pm at the Brookline Health Building (11 Pierce Street) in Brookline Village.
Planning ahead for holidays and 4 day school weeks....
November 5: Professional Development Day – no school for students; teachers and paras report
November 6 : Q1 ends –---> Q1 Report Cards uploaded to Aspen Portal approx 11/15
November 11: Veterans Day – schools closed
November 27-28: Thanksgiving Break – schools closed
Parent - Guardian Information
MGH Survey to be Conducted in 9th Grade Science Classes Weeks of October 21st and 27th
See BHS Head of School Anthony Meyer's Warrior Weekly for this week of Oct 14 for more info
BROOKLINE LGBTQ+ TASK FORCE ANNOUNCEMENT:
A team of PSB educators, students, family and community members is ready to launch the Brookline LGBTQ+ Task Force this year with our first in-person meeting on Monday, October 28th from 6:45-8:00 at Brookline High School (room TBA). We are a group of teachers, students, parents and caregivers, administrators, and community members who are working to make Brookline Schools even more LGBTQ-friendly.
The LGBTQ+ Task Force meets 1x a month in-person or on Zoom. It’s a great way to get involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy in the town of Brookline, and to get to know other people who care about LGBTQ+ issues.
We have picked 4 priority areas to focus on this year:
More Inclusive District-Wide Systems & Policies
Social Networking for LGBTQ+ Students & Families
Updates to Health Curriculum
Creating LGBTQ+ Resource Guides for Teachers, Students & the Community
At our in-person meeting on Monday, October 28th, we will break into these groups and establish our specific goals for the year. If you are interested in joining the LGBTQ+ Task Force, email Kate Leslie (kathryn_leslie@psbma.org) or Leah McGowan (leah_mcgowan@psbma.org) to be added to our listserv.
We are excited to launch the Brookline LGBTQ+ Task Force this year with our first in-person meeting on Monday, October 28th from 6:45-8:00 at Brookline High School (room TBA). We are a group of teachers, students, parents and caregivers, administrators, and community members who are working to make Brookline Schools even more LGBTQ-friendly.
The LGBTQ+ Task Force meets 1x a month in-person or on Zoom. It’s a great way to get involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy in the town of Brookline, and to get to know other people who care about LGBTQ+ issues.
We have picked 4 priority areas to focus on this year:
More Inclusive District-Wide Systems & Policies
Social Networking for LGBTQ+ Students & Families
Updates to Health Curriculum
Creating LGBTQ+ Resource Guides for Teachers, Students & the Community
At our in-person meeting on Monday, October 28th, we will break into these groups and establish our specific goals for the year. If you are interested in joining the LGBTQ+ Task Force, email Kate Leslie (kathryn_leslie@psbma.org) or Leah McGowan (leah_mcgowan@psbma.org) to be added to our listserv.
Better Business Bureau Scam Alert: Watch out for SAT prep scams
Open this link for more information about scams that are happening currently.
Another school district administrator shared this info - "parent reached out to us yesterday stating that they received a call from the College Board looking for their credit card information for a product ordered. They thought something was wrong and asked for a number to call back and the caller hung up"
October is National Substance Use Prevention Month - BPen (Brookline Parent Education Network)
B-PEN has resources. They encourage you to safely dispose of unwanted medication and help prevent the opportunity for misuse before it starts. Too often patients are prescribed more prescription medication than needed; 70-80% of patients have leftover opioids after surgery, which are risky if they fall into the wrong hands, especially adolescents.
Help prevent misuse by regularly and safely disposing of unwanted medications. In addition to the Brookline Public Safety Building, here’s a list of year-round places locally to safely return unused drugs.
(To refresh link)
Senior parents - caregivers - Senior Parent Virtual Coffee Q and A - THIS THURS 10/17 @ 8:15am
Have some general questions about your senior's post high school planning? Meet with Mr. Libenzon (BHS College Counselor) and Ms. Neff-Verre (Counseling/Guidance Dept Chair) for the Q&A session about the college process.
Zoom link - https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/6174544903?pwd=Q3N6b0daTlR5THFVd2VvT0duTDZ5Zz09
Join us!
What are the roles of BHS support staff?
Concerned about your student's mental health?
- Talk to your child to support and find out what may be going on.
- Reach out to someone on your student's BHS school support team - counselor, dean, if appropriate - program coordinator, special education liaison, school clinician.
- Consider outside of school counseling support using either:
* Cartwheel Care - Virtual counseling for adolescents and/or parent guidance (contact your child's school counselor)
* Care Solace - therapy referral resource to find a provider that meets your child's needs in the Boston area. See below for more information
School Year 24-25 - Counselors in permanent offices
SEE THE COUNSELOR PERMANENT OFFICE LOCATION (with office numbers, work phone numbers, emails and QR codes) below.
Of course, counselors will be in their offices whenever possible... and let's keep working on students leaving a note on the counselor's/social worker's door if they stop by and no one is available at that time. The counseling staff won't know if a student stopped by and they are in another meeting, etc if a note is not left by the student!
Just a reminder that BHS counselors are here if a student has questions/concerns or just wants to say hello to their counselor. Students are encouraged to stop by their counselor’s office when not in class. Students can be in touch with their counselor for any questions or concerns – school related, post high school planning related, extracurricular activities related, or life related.
We’re here and ready to support EVERY BHS student!
PSB School Year Calendar for upcoming 2024-25 school year below -
Brookline Flu Community Clinics/ PSB Respiratory Guidelines
Public Schools of Brookline Updated Health Guidance for respiratory viruses including Covid-19
Please refer to PSB guidelines on When to Keep Students Home
The continued DESE, DPH and DESE guidance for respiratory viruses including Covid-19
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● Stay home and away from others, returning to normal activities only when symptoms are improving and the person has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
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● Get tested for COVID-19 and flu. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting treatment if you test positive.
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● Stay away from others in your household. Wear a mask when you have to be around them
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● Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use hand
sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
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● Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
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● Clean high touch surfaces (such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs) often.
There is no requirement for a 5-day isolation if testing positive for Covid-19
You should stay home even if you don’t know what virus is making you sick.
Upon returning to normal activities, individuals are encouraged to take these additional measures for 5 days to prevent disease spread:
● enhancing hygiene practices,
● wearing a well-fitting mask,
● keeping a distance from others, ● increasing ventilation to clean air, ● utilizing indoor air filters
Have a question? Have a concern?
Please email Darby Neff-Verre - Coordinator of the BHS Counseling/Guidance Dept - individually for feedback on the Weekly Update.
And always check out the BHS Counseling Dept "Guidance Blog" on the BHS website for past Weekly Updates and info on career exploration, job finding, shared guidance documents and other great resources.
Thank you!
STUDENTS
CAREER EXPLORATION VIRTUAL REALITY EVENT - this Thurs X block, Room 279
Brookline Police Department Offering - Self- Defense class for female-identifying students
The Brookline Police Dept is still looking at dates in October and November. Please fill out this form for availability by Wednesday, 10/9. The BPD will then decide dates based on this information and sign-ups will be shared in a follow-up email, first come-first served. Class sizes are limited to 15 students, and if there is enough interest, BPD will run multiple sessions.
Missed the School Photo session last week? ONE MORE MAKEUP DATE - NOV 29, 2024
Retakes are scheduled for November 29th. Your student will need to be sure to go to the Schluntz Gym, on their own, to have their picture taken.
Seriously thinking about dropping a course? Changing curriculum level?
Talk to your current teacher, parent- caregiver and counselor to consider your next step. An add/drop form needs to be completed, signed and returned by the dates below.
L Grade (Late Entry) is particularly important to avoid for 12th graders whose Q1 grades, including L, will be shared with early application colleges.
Here are the deadlines:
The Leadership Next Gen Fellowship is a joint initiative between the Coalition for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE) & Commonwealth Seminar
These organizations share that applications are now open for the 2025 Leadership Next Gen (LNG) paid youth fellowship program! The deadline to apply is October 18, 2024.
Now in its third consecutive year, this program continues with the support of the MA State Legislature, and this year we are especially grateful for the Barr Foundation's sponsorship of our youth civic leadership pipeline.
Thanks to generous support, we’ve been able to enhance the program in several key ways:
Hired a full-time Program Director to provide deeper support and maximize LNG’s impact
Reduced the number of slots from 20 to 15, allowing for more individualized attention
Increased the stipend from $2,000 to $2,500
As always, selected fellows will join the expanding LNG Alumni Network, gaining access to a remarkable pool of BIPOC community leaders and mentors across Massachusetts and the nation.
Overview of the LNG Program:
The Leadership Next Gen Fellowship is a joint initiative between the Coalition for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE) and Commonwealth Seminar. It is tailored for high school and college students from underrepresented communities of color who are enrolled in accredited schools in Massachusetts. This program aims to equip fellows with essential civic engagement and leadership skills, promoting community involvement and providing hands-on experience in the field.
Applicants must be at least 16 years old by Jan 1, 2025.
For more information and to apply, please visit their website:
https://www.care4equity.org/leadership-next-gen
** THIS IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO BROOKLINE HIGH **
AP testing registration has begun.....
Students can officially sign up for the May 2025 AP exams.
Here is some quick info....
- Any BHS student can self-study for any AP exam and sign up
- We don't accept students who live out of town and want to take AP exams at BHS.
- Deadline to register is Nov. 14th, before the College Board adds a $40 late fee.
- Final deadline to register is March 14th
- Cost of each exam = $105
- Students can request financial aid if needed
More specific info is in the info letter below.
Did you know that BHS students have free full digital access to these magazines, journals and newspapers?
Atlantic Monthly
The New Yorker
The Week
Scientific American
Popular Science
Wall Street Journal
New York Times
Boston Globe
Wall Street Journal
Click here for access to the news.
2024 Congressional App Challenge - Computer Science Competition
Congressman Jake Auchincloss’ office encourages students’ participation in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge.
The Congressional App Challenge is the official computer science competition of the House of Representatives. Since its inception in 2013, the Congressional App Challenge has become one of the most prestigious prizes in computer science. Over 30,000 students have participated in the Congressional App Challenge across 340 Congressional Districts in 50 states and five U.S. territories. This year, we are pleased to announce that the Office of Congressman Jake Auchincloss will be participating in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge.
From now until November 1st, Congressman Auchincloss will be hosting a Congressional App Challenge for middle school and high school students (grades 6-12) of all coding skills who reside in the Massachusetts 4th Congressional District. All students are encouraged to enter the competition, regardless of previous computer science experience.
To learn about the rules, prizes, and more, you can visit the Congressional App Challenge website here.
Kian Dana | District & Constituent Services Representative
Pronouns: he/him/his; Office of Congressman Jake Auchincloss, MA-04
Academic Help Center locations and times
More detailed teacher extra help availability for 9th graders listed in "9th grader" section below
BHS Club info
Keep in mind that students can join most clubs during any point in the school year, not just on the sign up day at the Club Fair. The current list of clubs has been updated. Take a look - https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/clubs-and-activities-list.html
Boston area high school Junior Economic Club info....
The Junior Economic Club of Boston is offering the opportunity to apply to be a part of this Greater Boston area organization.
** This is not a BHS specific organization**
The Junior Economic Club of Boston was founded in 2021 by students from Lexington High School who saw a need to help the state combat the lack of economic and business education and opportunities for youth. With a fast-growing population and a strong financial culture, Massachusetts has the potential to foster resilient and outspoken leaders in the next generation. As a part of the National Junior Economic Club, the Boston Chapter hopes to provide students in Massachusetts with opportunities to explore finance, business, marketing, and entrepreneurship by working with like-minded students, meeting industry professionals, and advancing leadership skills. Our chapter currently has 80 members from 32 schools in MA, NH, and RI. The club provides the ability to further explore their interests.
They offer all members the opportunity to write articles for the Boston Junior Economist Publication. Writing for our publication enables students to explore various parts of the economic world and showcase their knowledge.
Additionally, they offer numerous opportunities for students to meet with industry professionals by hosting virtual meetings with a range of guest speakers. Guest speakers include politicians, entrepreneurs, and finance professionals. Attending these meetings enables students to ask questions and gain valuable insight into the real industry.
Finally, the Junior Economic Club is planning to run the High Returns Program, allowing students to make a real-world impact, regardless of their interests. The high returns program involves visiting underserved public schools for a day to run a financial literacy workshop for students. There is also a virtual option for more consistent financial literacy classes for some underserved communities.
Click the link above to learn more and apply.
Community Service Opportunity @BHS
Community Service info @ BHS
Community service hours are not a requirement to graduate from Brookline High, but there is great research that confirms that "giving back" is a great way to promote your positive mental health.
In this NACE (Natl Assoc of Colleges and Employers) article, Susan Albers, Psy.D - psychologist for the Cleveland Clinic - says that volunteering can be great for a person’s mental health, too. According to Albers, when you help other people, it activates the reward center in your brain and releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, which is why many people often feel better after volunteering.
Think about experiences you may know of in Brookline or check out this TeenLife Boston area community service info. See your counselor for BHS Community Service talk about possible opportunities. And here's the link to the Community Service page with more options and the required form to get service experiences approved for possible BHS credit.
Read the fine print carefully. There are certain restrictions to the BHS community service for credit options, so read the fine print.
SENIORS
Senior parents - caregivers - Senior Parent Virtual Coffee Q and A - THIS THURS 10/17 @ 8:15am
Have some general questions about your senior's post high school planning? Meet with Mr. Libenzon (BHS College Counselor) and Ms. Neff-Verre (Counseling/Guidance Dept Chair) for the Q&A session about the college process.
Zoom link - https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/6174544903?pwd=Q3N6b0daTlR5THFVd2VvT0duTDZ5Zz09
Join us!
IMPORTANT STEPS if applying for college now:
** Use the correct transcript release link by counselor - see the BHS College Application Guide to find YOUR counselor's link. If you have Kate Kennedy for your senior counselor, please use her link!
** If you are considering a change in your schedule, be sure to complete the Add/Drop form and return to your counselor by 10/28 for accurate transcripts to be sent to colleges.
If you are applying EA or ED or Rolling to colleges with Oct or November application deadlines....
Seniors -
You will be asked to review your unofficial transcript in the senior seminars happening in advisory. Be sure to check for any missing classes or errors on your transcript. Contact your counselor with any questions or concerns.
If you missed a senior seminar or haven't reviewed your transcript, see your counselor now!
It is your responsibility to be sure your transcript is accurate before giving BHS permission to send to any colleges or post HS grad programs.
You should be checking that you are earning all required credits towards graduation this June 2023 too.
English- 4 credits
Science - 3 credits
Social Studies/History - 3 credits including US History
Math - 3 credits (4 years required for UMass State colleges/universities)
World Language - 2 credits (same language)
Elective - 3 credits distributed across Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Career/Tech, Community Service
Wellness - .5 Lifetime Wellness, 3 - .25 wellness credits
+ additional credits to earn minimum total credits of 22
See your Naviance account for your current BHS GPA.
Senior Seminar makeup time - Senior Keepers or anyone who has missed their SENIOR SEMINAR --->
Senior Seminar makeup time with BHS College Counselor, Lenny Libenzon:
- This Thurs 10/17 during X block in the MLK room
Seniors - If you have Oct 15, Nov 1 or Nov 15 Early College Deadlines- DO THESE STEPS NOW
- Set up a meeting with your assigned counselor (If you are a senior who has Kate Kennedy, contact Darby Neff-Verre or Lenny Libenzon).
- Follow the steps listed on the BHS College Application Guide - see below for digital version
- Be sure to complete the transcript release form link FOR YOUR COUNSELOR and include ALL of the information requested on this link. See the digital BHS College Guide below for these links or contact your counselor. You can add one school at a time or up to 5 schools that you know you're applying to. Use this link again if you apply to more colleges later on.
By completing this link, you are giving BHS permission to send all of your needed school documents to these colleges - transcript, BHS school profile, counselor recommendation and 1-2 teacher recommendations. In addition, you are agreeing that BHS guidance will send your 1st and 2nd term grades to these schools when available (usually starting around Nov 18). Last, you will inform us which college you are planning to attend in May and this permission link allows us to send your final transcript after graduation to that college.
- Be sure to do the FERPA waiver and the "Matching" steps (see the BHS College Application Guide for easy instructions) to allow BHS guidance to send your BHS documents - transcript, school profile, counselor recommendation and teacher recommendations. WE CANNOT SEND YOUR DOCUMENTS TO COLLEGES UNTIL YOU DO THESE STEPS!
- Reminder - students cannot add to the "Colleges I'm Applying To" section on Naviance. This step is done by the counseling dept secretaries after a transcript release form has been shared.
- Senior seminars have started in some advisories and will continue through mid Oct. Please attend advisory so you don't miss more important info!
- BHS College Counselor Lenny Libenzon is available for additional support after the student has met with their assigned counselor.
Be sure to share your completed Self - Description Questionnaire ....
with your counselor 3 weeks before your 1st college deadline date. See below for a copy of that questionnaire or complete a digital version by going to your Naviance account and look under "school surveys".
YOUR COUNSELOR CANNOT WRITE A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU WITHOUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE BEING COMPLETED AND SHARED WITH THEM IN A REASONABLE TIME BEFORE YOUR APPLICATION DUE DATE.
Parents-Guardians - Support your senior by completing the Parent Brag Sheet
See below for this form. When done, please share directly with your senior's counselor or have your student drop it off to the counselor's office.
This Brag Sheet is available in other languages if needed. See your counselor or Lenny Libenzon for more info.
College Representative visits continue at BHS ......
College Admissions representatives from multiple universities continue their visits to BHS to meet with seniors almost every block until early Nov. This is open to SENIORS ONLY (no parents).
Students can see the list of visits & sign up for them on Naviance, under College Visits. Parents can view the list on BHS Calendars page, scroll down (https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/calendars.html)
In order to attend the visits, students need to sign up on Naviance and then get their teachers to sign the college visits absence form at least a day before the meeting. Please give the signed form to Mr. Libenzon during the meeting. No form is needed if you are not missing the class. Please note that absences from class do count towards the N rule, so plan your time well!
Seniors should consider doing BOTH campus visits (in-person or virtual on college websites) whenever possible. The college reps who will show up for the rep visits at BHS are often the initial readers in the admissions offices for our students. It's a great opportunity to hear more (some info may be repeated from the campus visit), but really helpful for students to introduce themselves in person. If they have some questions that have come up re: that particular school, then this is a perfect time to ask.
College reps do keep track of both who visits their campuses (if the visit included the official college info session and tour) as well as who the students are who come to the rep visits at BHS.
If a college tracks demonstrated interest in their application process (not all do!), these signs of interest can be valuable.
Of course, this is all balanced with the senior not missing too much class time since the MOST important thing college admissions will be looking at are the applicant's grades on their transcript, including their 1st and 2nd quarter grades in senior year.
CHAT GPT and college applications (from College Data): Quick Answer is Don't Do It!
And.... use your own words! Don't count on CHAT GPT to give you the most accurate
info on "good fit" colleges and your chances of getting into any particular school!
Your best resource is your BHS counselor for next steps and questions!
GAP YEAR info....
Check out this list of accredited Gap Year programs - https://www.gapyearassociation.org/accredited-gap-year-programs/
Considering military service after graduation?
ASVAB
If you are considering enlisting in the US Armed Forces, you will be required to take the ASVAB. The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces. Newton North High School will be offering the ASVAB test on Thursday, October 24th.
REGISTER: To register please email Mr. Larry Allen at allenl@newton.k12.ma.us no later than October 17th. Parent permission will be required if the student is not 18 years old.
This Wed 10/16- HBCU college reps & student panel at BHS @10am to 12pm - MLK
AND HBCU College Fair at Reggie Lewis Athletic Center - Thurs 10/17
What is College Affordable... & why is it VERY IMPORTANT for you / parents-guardians to know more?
Please view the College Affordable information sheet below.
To access this critically important resource, please register with College Affordable!
We’re excited to continue our partnership with College Affordable for the 2024-25 academic year. For those of you who are not familiar with the program, they offer financial aid support for our members of our community. In addition to being your resource for all questions related to the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and financial aid eligibility, they also hold monthly webinars specifically designed to support families where they are in the financial aid process.
This month they will present two webinars in September explaining how to complete the CSS Profile and FAFSA. They will review both forms in detail and highlight the common issues and areas most likely to result in errors.
Last Thursday, 9/12/2024 (register to have access to this recorded webinar)-
Part 1: Errors are costly - completing the CSS Profile
Thurs 9/26 (Back to School Night at BHS) -register with CA to have access to recorded webinar-
Part 2: Errors are costly - completing the FAFSA
All families who are new to College Affordable and their support, should click on this link and continue to our school icon to register with the program. This page is also a great resource for you and will house information related to different program aspects you can take advantage of and contain all their contact information.
If you previously registered with College Affordable and need to just sign up for these webinars, please follow this link.
All questions can be directed at College Affordable via email financialaid@collegeaffordable.org or call/text 781-343-1941.
The Ultimate BHS College Application Guide
SENIORS and JUNIORS
SAVE THE DATE -Tue, Oct 22 @ 6:30 zoom - Virtual panel discussion of college admissions
This event is sponsored by the BHS Counseling Dept.
Admission representatives from a diverse group of colleges/universities will give updates about their schools and then answer audience questions. Panelists will include representatives from BU, MassBay, UVM, UMass Amherst.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/98924369934?pwd=NuI1CFFainbPnKWGcaHSb8JYavVdcf.1
Meeting ID: 989 2436 9934
Passcode: 407165
JUNIORS
PSATs at BHS - DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS THIS FRIDAY 10/18
PSAT - Practice SAT - coming to BHS on Saturday October 26 - See registration info below
This is the only date that BHS will offer this practice test, based on College Board tlme lines.
The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) will be administered at Brookline High School on the morning of Saturday, October 26th from 7:45 am- 12:15 pm.
The PSAT will be offered in digital form for all students.
The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills. Brookline High School recommends that juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT in order to receive feedback about strengths and weaknesses in verbal and mathematical abilities and be able to compare their performance with that of thousands of juniors across the country who also take the test. The PSAT helps prepare students for the SAT later on in their school experience. Lastly, juniors are also automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship competition.
For the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT, students at Brookline High School will be registering online. This registration will take a few minutes and can be completed from any computer with internet access using the link: www.TotalRegistration.net/PSAT/220445
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● Registration deadline is Friday October 18, 2024
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● Students must answer all of the questions in the registration to complete the process. A confirmation page will show up at the end of registration to confirm you’ve fully completed the process.
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● Because the PSAT is now digital, be sure to indicate if you plan to bring your own device (laptop or iPad) or you want the school to provide you with a Chromebook just for this practice test. Visit this link to see if your device is approved for testing (https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students/approved-devices)
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● If you plan to bring a school-issued Chromebook, the Bluebook app is already uploaded. TEST IT BEFORE COMING TO PSAT - https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students
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● If you choose to bring your own device, YOU MUST DOWNLOAD THE “BLUEBOOK” APP AND TEST IT BEFORE COMING TO PSAT - https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students
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● Brookline High School is excited to offer families the convenience of paying exam fees online at the time of registration. The cost to take the PSAT is $25. Please be sure to have a debit or credit card available before beginning registration. Paying online is a great way to make sure that payment has been made while avoiding mailing payment. If you have not paid for your testing by October 23rd, your test registration will be cancelled.
If you feel you qualify for a fee waiver, please indicate that on the online form or contact Ms. Hatzieleftheriadis at Bonnie_hatz@psbma.org
Here are the important dates for the registration process:
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● Monday, Oct 7, 2024 at 6:00 AM - Registration Begins
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● Friday, Oct 18, 2024 at 11:59 PM - Registration Ends
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● Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024 at 11:59 AM - Registrations that have not been paid for will be cancelled and exams will not be ordered.
College Admissions Testing @ BHS this year
October 26, 2024 - Digital PSAT
November 2, 2024 - Digital SAT
December 7, 2024 - Digital SAT
December 14, 2024 - Paper ACT
February 8, 2025 - Paper ACT
March 8, 2025 - Digital SAT
April 5, 2025 - Paper ACT
May 3, 2025 - Digital SAT
June 7, 2025 - Digital SAT
June 14, 2025 - Paper ACT
July 12, 2025 - Paper ACT
What is College Affordable... & why is it VERY IMPORTANT for you / parents-guardians to know more?
Please view the College Affordable information sheet below.
We’re excited to continue our partnership with College Affordable for the 2024-25 academic year. For those of you who are not familiar with the program, they offer financial aid support for our members of our community. In addition to being your resource for all questions related to the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and financial aid eligibility, they also hold monthly webinars specifically designed to support families where they are in the financial aid process.
This month they will present two webinars in September explaining how to complete the CSS Profile and FAFSA. They will review both forms in detail and highlight the common issues and areas most likely to result in errors.
Last Thursday, 9/12/2024 (register to have access to this recorded webinar)-
Part 1: Errors are costly - completing the CSS Profile
Thurs 9/26 (Back to School Night at BHS) -register with CA to have access to recorded webinar-
Part 2: Errors are costly - completing the FAFSA
All families who are new to College Affordable and their support, should click on this link and continue to our school icon to register with the program. This page is also a great resource for you and will house information related to different program aspects you can take advantage of and contain all their contact information.
If you previously registered with College Affordable and need to just sign up for these webinars, please follow this link.
All questions can be directed at College Affordable via email financialaid@collegeaffordable.org or call/text 781-343-1941.
BHS National Honor Society preview for Juniors....
Applications for the National Honor Society will be sent out in the fall of Senior year. To be eligible students must fulfill the following three requirements:
(1) have a GPA of 3.3 or above
(2) Have no academic or conduct violations
(3) Complete 15 hours of community service during their junior year/summer prior to senior year
Students should work towards these requirements during their Junior year in anticipation of the application during Senior Fall. Any questions regarding the National Honor Society process should be directed to the co-advisors, Mr. Whitehead & Mr. Jones, at bhs-national-honor-society@psbma.org.
JUNIOR AND SOPHOMORE STUDENTS & PARENTS
Junior Timeline and College Admissions Testing Overview info and recording
Parents & Students Grades 11 & 10 -
Please join the BHS College Counselor Lenny Libenzon from 6:30- 8pm for an overview of the Junior Post High School Planning timeline, plus a presentation on the current College Admissions Testing landscape with SUMMIT expert Drew Heilpern on everything you need to know regarding ACT and the College Board's SAT testing.
This presentation was recorded - https://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/guidance/standardized-testing-night3428005
Thank you for your patience with the recording since wifi continues to be challenging in the BHS Aud.
** Please note that BHS does not explicitly promote any test prep organization**
9th GRADERS
9th Grade Counselors are visiting Gr 9 Advisories - another chance to get to know your counselor!
The 3 counselors whose offices are permanently in the 115 Greenough building - Mr Gorman, Ms Aggeler & Ms Lopez - will be spending time in the 22 Tappan building too. They will spend 1 full day / week in the 22 Tappan building through Term 1. Look for them in the 231 counseling suite at 22 Tap
Of course, stop by their offices in the 115 Greenough counseling suite too when you are in the main building!
22 Tappan Academic Support - Centers and Teacher Extra Help Times/Locations
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