School Motto Spero Bene Agere Hope to do well
Principal: Mr. Mark Sherman
Vice-Principal: Mr. Murray Hunt
Principal’s
Message
My,
how the summer is flying as our Tuesday, September 1st – start date
comes quickly into view. Hats off to
all the school and LKDSB personnel that have been busy all summer making BDHS a
great place to work and learn.
For
parents, please be advised that the School Advisory Council’s first meeting of
the year is Thursday September 10th at 7 pm in Room 10. All parents and guardians are invited to
attend. Monthly meetings throughout the
year give a chance for you to see and give input into what’s happening behind
the scenes at the school on a regular basis.
For those people making long range plans, please note that we have made
a change to commencement this year and it will take place Friday,
October 9th this fall rather than our usual Thursday night
scheduling. We also have a new Grad
Information Night taking place on Tuesday, October 20 at the school from 6:30 –
8:30 PM. The School Advisory Council is
sponsoring this open evening for all parents, guardians and senior students who
wish to get a running start on application processes, dates, possible awards,
bursary details and so on for the coming year.
We
hope to see everyone out for registration this year and just a reminder that a
debit machine is available for your convenience at that time and throughout the
year. Please remember that all the
important dates are in the Student Handbook Planner and on the Dates To
Remember page as shown on the school website http://www.southkent.net/~bdhs/.
M.
Sherman
Principal
Tuesday, August 25,
2009 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Please
pick up your timetable and be prepared to pay all fees. Payment
can be made by debit or cash only. A
payment plan can be set up for families in need. Call the main office to make arrangements prior to
registration. Correct
the enclosed Student Registration Verification form and bring it to
registration with you.
Registration
This is a full day of
classes, beginning at 8:00 a.m., following the Regular Day Schedule. Students are expected to have a
notebook, pen or pencil, as regular teaching will occur. Any student not attending opening day
risks being excluded from their classes, which may be overcrowded.
Opening Day, Tuesday, September 1,
2009
Guidance
Office The Guidance staff encourages all Bobcats to make use of
the resources available in our office.
Course Load Students in Grades 9 – 11 must take 8 courses or credits. Students are eligible for a “study period” only when they have completed 23 credits.
Part-time programs are notconducive to appropriate preparation for post-secondary education and the work world. All BDHS students are
expected to be full-time, with a minimum of three (3) courses per semester – any exception to this policy will need administrative approval.
We have worked diligently to fulfill student timetable requests. When necessary, substitutions have been made to create full-time timetables for
every student. Some student choices have been wait listed because of mandatory class size caps. Students may request course changes,
but these should all be finalized by the end of the first week of school.
College Information Night College programs will be held at local colleges this fall. This is a valuable event for Grade 11 and 12 students who plan to
pursue a college education.
St. Clair College in Chatham will host this event:
Thursday, October 22 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Ridgetown College will hold the same event:
Friday, October 23 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
University Information Night This event is for Grade 11 and 12 students who plan to pursue a university education.
It will be held on Thursday, October 22 at Ursuline College in Chatham at 6:30 p.m.
Ontario Universities’ Fair September 25 – 27, 2009 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. All Ontario Universities will be represented at this event.
Parents and students are welcome and admission is free. This is a worthwhile opportunity for senior students and parents
to visit exhibits, attend information sessions, and learn about undergrad programs for all Ontario universities.
Online Courses The Lambton Kent Virtual Campus will again be offering
selected Senior Credits online.
First Semester Second Semester
CGW4U Canadian & World Issues BAT4M Financial Accounting
CHI4U Canada:
History, Identy & Culture CHY4U World History
ICS3C Intro. To
Computer Programming ICS3U Intro. To Computer Science
ICS4C Computer Programming ICS4U
Computer Science
LWSBD Spanish MCV4U Calculus
& Vectors
LWSCU Spanish
MDM4U Math for Data Management
SPH4U Physics
Both Semesters
CHA3U American
History
EWC4U English
– Writers, Craft
FSF3U French
FSF4U French
HSB4M Challenge & Change in Society
Students may use computers at home
or in the school to complete these courses.
However, it is highly
recommended that students have internet access at home. These courses may be
very challenging and require students to be well-organized and self-disciplined. Online courses provide students with the
opportunity to achieve credits not available in the classroom. Students interested in taking an online
course should contact the
Guidance Office. Further information is
available at www.lkdsb.net/program1/secondary/elearning/index.htm.
Video conferencing classes will be
offered this year in French. Video conferencing
classes are teacher-led and timetabled in specified periods. Multiple classrooms within the school board
district will be connected to the host school. The courses which are available to BDHS students are FSF3U and FSF4U.
Liaison
Visits A number of college
and university representatives visit BDHS during the fall to conduct
information
sessions with Grade 11 and 12 students.
Visit the Guidance Office to sign up
for these
valuable opportunities to explore post-secondary choices. Check your planner
for more
specific dates and times.
Pathways
to Success All parents and students are
encouraged to explore our Pathways to Success website at www.step4step.ca.
Free Dental Clinic The Public
Health Unit is offering a FREE Dental Health Screening Clinic at BDHS on
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 for youth up to their 18th
birthday. Those students who could
benefit
from some preventative work, such as scaling or polishing, will be treated at
the
school
if time permits. Those students who
need a referral to a dentist for further work will be
given
a referral slip to allow for urgent dental treatment free of charge for all
eligible youth
(who
have no dental insurance coverage or financial means to pay for the dental
work).
Flyers
and information letters will be available in the Guidance Office at the school
in early
September. Students will be asked to make their
appointments through the Public Health
Unit
for the BDHS Clinic.
Learning Centre The
Learning Centre staff helps support students who have been identified through
IPRC
as
having behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical or multiple
exceptionalities
and
may require special education programs and/or services to benefit fully from
their
school
experience.
Special
education services support instruction and assessments provided to the general
student population. These may take the form of accommodations such as specific
teaching strategies, preferential seating, and assistive technology. The primary goal of
Assistive Technology for Learning is to support all students, including those
with special needs, in achieving the learning outcomes of the Ontario
curriculum or their individual learning goals.
With this in mind, the LKDSB purchased the rights to Premier Suites, a
computer program that is accessible to all students of the board and available
online for home installation. Check on
the school website or contact the school for more information.
September will see the identified and new-to-the-school
students interviewed by the Learning Centre staff. Discussion will include review of the IEP, learning styles and
day planner use. All will be encouraged
to be self-advocates. Support needs to
be obtained as soon as a student starts to struggle with subject/assignment
material. The lines of support include the classroom teachers, peers in the class, Learning
Centre staff and subject help sessions set up by department.
A
current IEP will be sent home in early October. You are asked to review this and contact the Learning Centre if
you wish any changes or additions to be made to the document. Please sign and return the sheet to the
School.
The
Learning Centre staff share the belief that all children can learn and reach their full
potential — given opportunity, effective teaching and appropriate resources.
Student Success Re-entering
school or facing challenges in addition to your course load? You may be a candidate
for one of BDHS’s many support
programs designed to make you a successful learner. Please speak
with Ms. Marilee Asher in early in September.
Grade 9 Bobcats- This info is for you!
Welcome all incoming Grade 9
Bobcats. After you have registered, be sure to stop by the Grade 9 table to pick up your free goodie bag, including valuable
coupons for Aug’s Video and Wayne’s Pizza. Helpful Grade 10 students are
willing to take you on a personalized tour following your timetable and show
you how to operate those tricky school locks. At the same time, pick up a copy
of the BDHS Scavenger Hunt. Fill it
out and enter your answers to win valuable prizes (first prize - $15 of CAF
cash). Sign up for activities - sports
and clubs - now so that you can receive a personal invite and info to attend
the first meeting or try-out.
We
want you to feel comfortable and welcome in your new school - right from day
one!
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to stay in the classroom if the teacher does not
arrive due to an emergency or unforeseen circumstance. A representative from the class is expected
to report the situation to the office.
The Ministry of Education and
Training states that 110 hours of classroom instruction is required for a
single credit course. There are no
partial credits granted for high absenteeism.
Students must make every
effort to attend school punctually and regularly. Students should not miss class to do homework, avoid tests, or
report for part time work. The only
valid reasons for absence are:
- personal illness
- bereavement, family emergency
- important appointments or family commitments certified by the
parent and approved by administration
- approved school activity (field trip, athletic contest, college and
university visits)
Students who are 18 years of
age or older may sign their own notes.
They may sign out only for the same valid reasons applying to students
younger than 18.
Attendance
Procedures
Sign In or
Sign Out: Students must sign
in at the main office when arriving at school if they have missed any
classes. Students must sign out
at the main office before leaving the school for any reason.
Sick at School: If you become ill at school, DO NOT LEAVE SCHOOL without first reporting to the Main Office. (eg. Sign Out) Any student who stays at home after lunch must have a parent/guardian phone the school that same afternoon (519-676-5485).
During the Day Planned Absences:
If
you are to be excused for a part of the day (e.g., doctor/dentist appointment)
bring an authorized note to the Office, prior to 7:45 a.m. and obtain an “Excused
Slip”. If/when you return to
school on the same day, report to the Main Office to Sign In, and receive an “Admit Slip”.
Unplanned Absences: If a student is absent all, or any part of a day, a parent/guardian is to phone (676-5485) the school that day, or else the student is to bring a note:
· to the Main Office
· on the day of his/her return to school
All notes from home must include:
·
the date(s) of the absence
·
the reason for the absence
·
signature of the parent/guardian
Lates
1. Students are to be on time to class, which
means in their seats and prepared for work.
2. Teachers are responsible for assigning initial
consequences for lates. Repeated lates
will be dealt with as follows:
·
If less than 5
minutes late, go directly to class and teacher will mark you late.
·
If more than 5
minutes late, report to the main office for a “late slip”.
1-2 lates Teacher discusses punctuality with
student and assigns appropriate consequences (kept
after class)
3-4 lates Teacher notifies parents/guardians
5
or more lates Referral to
administration and disciplinary action
Subject
Fees
Fees and subject supplies required by students taking
particular subjects are all outlined below.
We ask that, if at
all possible, all of these fees be paid at
registration while we are set up with sufficient secretarial service and
composite receipts.
As well, early payment ensures that students will be properly equipped
and able to fully
participate in classroom instruction right from
opening day. We thank you for your
consideration in this regard.
All Lambton-Kent District School Board secondary students
must pay a registration fee. This
enables students to participate in clubs, intramurals, and athletic teams,
attend extracurricular events, dances and to obtain a student card. The fee this year is $20.00.
●Art Students
taking Grade 10 and 11 Art will be required to pay a $10.00 fee. Grade 12
students pay a $15.00 fee to cover the cost
of supplies.
●Business Students
taking classes in (BBI201, BTA301) are required to pay a fee of $4.00. Individual subject teachers will advise
students regarding notebook requirements.
Students enrolled in BAF3M1 will be required to purchase a workbook for
$25.00 to supplement course curriculum.
Students taking Entrepreneurship (BDI3C1) are to pay a fee of $25.00.
●French Students are encouraged to have a French-English/English-French
dictionary. The
Pocket Larousse Dictionary is recommended. All students must have a loose-leaf
notebook. Workbook fees are: FSF2D $13.00
●Mathematics Get Prepared for Math Class!
All
students taking Math are to come prepared for instruction on the first day of
classes. The following materials will
be required throughout the semester by all students:
Ř
pencils and erasers
Ř
a 3-ring binder with a
supply of lined paper
Ř
a supply of graph paper
Ř
a calculator (We
recommend a scientific calculator with fraction capabilities.)
Ř
a ruler
(Students taking MAT 1L1, MAT 2L1, or
MFM 2P1 should have a ruler with both centimetre and inch markings.)
●Music Musical instruments, reeds, oils, and other equipment
will be supplied. Students are to
have
a 3 ring binder for class.
●Physical & Uniforms will be available at
registration. The cost will be $15.00
for shorts (optional if
Health
Education you own an appropriate pair of black
shorts) and $15.00 for T-shirts which are mandatory in all levels of Physical
Education classes. Along with a
uniform, students should also have a gym bag, white socks, light-soled shoes,
deodorant and a towel. For outdoor
classes during cold weather, each student should have a long-sleeved sweater
and long pants available.
The cost for
each course is as follows:
PPL1OW/1OY $15.00 Pool, Arena, CPR training
PPL2OW/2OY $30.00 Pool, Arena, Outdoor Education
PAF3O1 $40.00 Pool, Fitness Club, Rock Climbing
PPL3O1 $40.00 Golf, Curling, Pool, Arena
PLF4C1 $40.00 Pool, Outdoor Education
PPL4O1 $40.00 Golf, Curling, Pool, Canoeing,
Arena
PSE4U1 $40.00 Exercise Science Workbook
●Athletics Due to the rapidly rising costs of
athletics, BDHS will be charging a user fee for all sports.
The cost is
$40.00 per major sport and $30.00 per minor sport played.
Major Sports Minor Sports
Basketball Badminton
Football Cross Country
Soccer Curling
Volleyball Golf
Rugby Tennis
●Science From the first day of classes onward, students are required to have the following
supplies:
·
Pens, pencils, eraser
·
Scientific calculator
·
Metric ruler
·
3 ring binder supplied
with lined paper (exclusively for use in Science)
●Technological All students
in senior courses should consider obtaining the basic instruments/tools
Studies pertaining to their area of interest/studies. Information on items required and sources of purchase may be obtained on opening day.
A $2.00 fee for the rental of safety glasses will be charged to the students taking any course that begins with TMJ, TCJ, or TTJ. TGJ3M1 and TGJ4M1 students are asked to pay $7.00 for supplies.
●Yearbook Please
place your order for the 2009-2010 BDHS Bobcat Yearbook during registration at a
cost of $45.00. After registration the cost will be $50.00.
The yearbook, once again, will be
designed and compiled by the Yearbook classes.
The 2008-2009 BDHS Bobcat
Yearbook will be distributed when it comes in from the publisher - which is
usually early October. A few copies are still available to have set aside -
$50.00 - call the school and reserve your copy at your earliest convenience.
If you are looking for a
past (old) yearbook, call us; we might just have a copy. Past yearbooks are
sold at the current yearbook cost of $50.00.
Yearbooks last a life time
and longer. A yearbook is an excellent way of remembering your High School years.
Please place your order during registration.
●Graduation June
2010 graduating students are asked to pay a $25.00 fee to cover graduation and gown
costs.
●Printer Services $10.00 is
assigned to all students to assist in the paper and cartridge costs associated
with photocopying and printing materials that is not
available in textbooks or other research formats.
●Bus Levy $5.00
is assigned to all students for use of the school’s highway cruiser bus for the
various field trips and sporting events. A number of staff have become certified to
drive the bus to further lower costs associated with field trips.
●Locks & Lockers Students will be assigned a lock and locker during
registration. For the protection of
both
students and school supplies, students must use the
school lock and specific locker provided to them. Remember, do not let anyone know your combination and do not
share your locker. The school is not
responsible for lost or stolen articles.
Mark all valuables with some identifying symbol. Do
not take money to your Physical Education class; leave anything of value in
your locked locker. Replacement
locks are available for $5.00 in the main office.
Replacement “Lost
copy” policy. Students who lose their
copy of a timetable, report card, option
Copies sheet,
etc. are going to be charged $1.00 to receive another copy.
Outstanding Students
have already received an outstanding obligation form. If you have not yet
Obligations fulfilled
last year’s responsibilities for such items as textbooks or library books, or
if you feel that an error has been made, please come to the main office prior
to registration to clear up this discrepancy.
These outstanding obligations must be cleared up before you can
register at BDHS or any other high school.
Synrevoice To
communicate between BDHS and parents, the office will continue using the
automated call home system called Synrevoice.
This computerized system will inform parents of a student’s absence
during the school day. Parents are
still expected to call the school on the day of the absence or send a note,
explaining the absence.
Dates to Remember
|
|
Sept. 10 Picture
Day
Blenheim District High School 163 Chatham Street South P.O. Box 990 Blenheim, ON N0P 1A0 Phone: 519-676-5485 Office Fax: Guidance Fax: 519-676-8153 E-mail: E-mail address website: southkent.net/~bdhs
Sept.
11 Niner’s Night
Sept. 16 Spirit Night
Sept. 26 Black & Gold Dance
Sept. 26-28 University Fair in Toronto
Sept. 29 P. D. Day
Oct. 9 Commencement
Oct. 13 Thanksgiving
Oct. 20 Grad Information Night
Oct. 30 Halloween Dance
Oct. 31 P. D. Day
Nov. 2 Daylight
Savings
Nov. 5 Take
Our Kids to Work
Nov. 14 Midterm Report
Nov. 18 Parents Night
Nov. 21 Full
Disclosure
