The Bronco Blast

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• 8/16: Staff In-service Day
• 8/16: Freshmen/Transfer Student Orientation 3-5 p.m.
  
• 8/19: First Day of School Semester 1 Begins
• 8/21: First Day of Kindergarten
• 8/29: Back to School Night 7 p.m.
  
• 8/30: Half Student Attendance Day - HS 8:30 - 11:15
• 9/2: Labor Day No School
• 9/9: PTO Meeting
  
• 9/11: Senior Advisory - all periods in the Auditorium
  
• 9/12: Q & A Seniors/Parents with Post-Secondary Counselors
• 9:28: Homecoming Parade/Game/Dance
• 9/30-10/3: School Photos
  

The first day of school is Monday, August 19. We will be running a special schedule with double the passing period time to kick off the school year.

Dear BHS Families,

We are excited to welcome students back to school for the 2024-25 school year on Monday, August 19!

As many of you are aware, we had several exciting construction projects occur on our campus over the summer as part of the district’s Build 220 initiative. One project included renovating our parking lots in order to improve traffic flow throughout the campus. In order to ensure that traffic runs smoothly during the first week of school, we wanted to provide you with a few logistical updates. Please refer to this campus map when reviewing the following:

• Main Street Lot

• During arrival and dismissal, only staff and buses will be permitted to enter this parking lot.

• Throughout the remainder of the school day, visitors will also be permitted to enter this parking lot and use the Visitor Parking near the Main Entrance of the building.

• The main portion of this parking lot is reserved for staff, while the portion directly east of the auditorium is reserved for bus drivers.

• Beginning Thursday, August 15th, the Main Street entrance/exit can no longer be used as an exit. All traffic must use the Hart Road exits.

• Hart Road Lot

• During arrival and dismissal parents/guardians should use the entrance/exit off Hart Road to access the pick-up/drop-off locations.

• Entrance 34 will be utilized as the main student drop offs and pick up location.

• This lot is predominantly reserved for the parking of senior students with a valid parking permit.

• During arrival and dismissal, students must use the entrances/exits off Hart Road.

• Stadium Lot

• This lot is reserved for staff parking throughout the entire school day.

• Fields of Dreams Lot

• The Lower (South) Lot will be utilized for permitted Junior parking by semester.

• The Upper (North) Lot will be utilized for Building & Grounds as well as additional remaining construction vehicles.

We will have additional Barrington 220 personnel and police officers positioned around the high school campus during the first few days of school to provide directions and assist with heavy traffic periods during arrival and dismissal times. Please allow enough time for possible traffic flow delays during the first few days of school. As we open the newly configured parking lots and adjust to the new driving patterns around the high school, we ask that everyone drive carefully and be aware of and considerate of other drivers, as well as our students walking to campus. This will ensure that all of our students can arrive and leave the campus safely.

Sincerely,

Mr. Steve McWilliams

Principal, Barrington High School

This year important new procedures regarding student ID cards that will be implemented to enhance the safety, security, and efficiency of our school environment.

Beginning the first day of school, students will be required to scan their ID cards when entering and exiting the school building at the beginning and end of their scheduled school day (if leaving early).

Additionally, we will have students scan their ID cards when entering certain additional areas of the school building that include the Cafeteria, Nurse, Coffee Bar, Library and/or Upper/Lower Atrium.

This information has been sent to all BHS students on August 14.

As we continue to make preparations for our students back on campus, we want to take this opportunity to share important information pertaining to student parking at B.H.S.

Here is a link to the Student Parking communcation that was sent on August 9 for your reference.

The start of a new school year is a great time to highlight our continued commitment to fostering an optimal learning environment for all students. As part of our ongoing efforts, we’d like to communicate the existing Digital Mobile Device Guidelines to minimize distractions and enhance face-to-face classroom connections. Our theme, "The Place to B," emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment and fully engaged in learning experiences rather than being distracted by social media and mobile devices.

Expectations:

• During Class: All cell phones and personal electronic devices must be powered down and stored out of sight from bell to bell in all academic and support settings.

• Non-Class Time: Personal devices may be used in common areas during non-class time.

• Support Areas: Devices should be powered off and put away in support areas such as the nurse’s office, student services, and academic resource centers.

Restrooms and Locker Rooms: Digital mobile devices are to be powered off and put away in restrooms and locker rooms.

Please see this document for more information.

As part of our ongoing commitment to cybersecurity and the protection of personal information, Barrington 220 is implementing important changes to how apps and software are accessed on district-owned devices. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, all Mac laptops and iPad devices used by students will transition to a secure-access-only environment. This means that users will only be able to install and access applications that have been vetted and approved through the district’s self-service system. When students return to school next week, software applications for iPad and MacBook will only be available through self-service.

These changes are part of our efforts to mitigate the increasing risk of cyberattacks targeting educational institutions, which have seen significant breaches in recent years. While this shift to secure access may require some adjustments, it is crucial for maintaining a safe and secure digital environment for our students and staff. The technology team will work closely with all users to ensure a smooth transition. For any questions or concerns, please reach out to your building LTA.

Our annual back-to-school night will be held in person on Thursday, August 29, from 7 PM to 9 PM. 1st period begins at 7:00 pm, and 8th period ends at 8:55 pm. Follow your child's daily schedule and meet their teachers. More information on schedules will be sent out next week.

Dear Families,
We are so grateful you are a part of the school community this year.
One of the aims at our school is to equip young people for all the realities of today’s
world. With that in mind, we have partnered with CharacterStrong - an organization that
provides training for educators and social & emotional learning curriculum for students.
Their work in grades 6-12 focus on 3 main outcomes: increasing a sense of belonging for
all students, improving skills that support student well-being, and deepening student
engagement in their academics, in their school, and in their community.
Here’s what the data tells us:
• A sense of belonging in school is one of the most important conditions for
learning and a fundamental support for social and emotional well-being. Nearly
1⁄3 of all students report a weak sense of belonging in their schools. Roughly half of
6th - 12th grade students say they don’t enjoy coming to school most of the time.
• Mental health challenges for teens have been increasing and 7 out of 10 teens
in the U.S. (between 13 and 17 years old) have named anxiety or depression as a
major problem among their peers.
• Student engagement drives learning and supports school success.
This curriculum was created to support school communities as they engage in the
work of preparing young people to thrive in the 21st century. The research supports the
effectiveness of social & emotional learning in schools to increase student’s academic
success and college & career readiness. The lessons focus on developing skills and
mindsets around building positive habits, understanding our emotions, and increasing
empathy for people and communities who have lived different lives than us. The
curriculum helps students think about things they want to improve in their school, their
relationships, and their world and then provides tools for them to work individually and
in teams to close the gaps they’ve identified.
One of the key parts of nearly every lesson is the “CharacterDare” for Middle School
students and the “To Be List” for High School students. These are invitations near the end
of most lessons to put the content that they are learning into action in the real world.
If you ever want to play an active role in the CharacterStrong curricula, simply ask your
student about the most recent CharacterDare or To Be List challenge. Maybe they’ll
invite you to try one yourself!
To learn more about CharacterStrong, check out characterstrong.com to discover other
resources for students and families.
Looking forward to a great year!

We are very excited to introduce our new college and career readiness platform, SchooLinks, to help your student explore and plan for their post-secondary goals. SchooLinks will replace our current platform, Naviance, and is available district-wide. However, we are starting this rollout with our high school students (grades 9-12), ensuring both students and parents have access to its many features.

As a parent/guardian, you will have the opportunity to join your student in their career and college exploration process and have conversations with them about their future. You will have access to SchooLinks through your own account.

SchooLinks allows you to:

• View the results of your student’s career interest, strength, and mindset assessments to learn more about their interests and what careers might be right for them.

• See what colleges and careers your student has favored and set as goals.

• Check your personalized dashboard for upcoming events and important reminders and to-dos for your student.

• Complete your own research on colleges, careers, and more to help you have informed conversations with your student.

• Compare college costs and explore expected financial aid, scholarships, and out-of-pocket expenses.

We look forward to getting started and helping you help your student!

More information about how to enroll will be shared with your student in the coming weeks.

WELCOME BACK BHS!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR FIRST PTO MEETING:

Sept 9th @ 9:15 in Room C271

For more information Please visit our webpage:

https://bhs.barrington220.org/families/pto

Celebrate your last year at BHS with an official Senior Class of 2025 t-shirt. Order your class
shirt to display your pride in your accomplishments and excitement for graduation. As an added
benefit, profits from this sale help pay for senior celebration events this spring.
Order Deadline: August 23 @ 11:59PM
Cost: $20 (additional cost for 2XL & 3XL sizes)
Click Here to Order: Tee Shirt
Pickup information will be shared after the sale is closed. Please watch for communications with
times and the location.
For more information, please contact the BHS PTO at barringtonhspto@gmail.com.

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