Byron Nelson High School Bobcat Camp 2014 Parent

Byron Nelson High School Bobcat Camp 2014 Parent Presentation

LEARN, SERVE, LEAD Vision The vision of BNHS is to be an exemplary community empowering learners with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary for life long success in an ever-changing society.

Campus Mission BNHS, in partnership with students, parents, and community, will ensure a premier education for all learners. Through innovative educational opportunities students will be challenged, engaged, and offered leadership experiences, thereby, creating the Byron Nelson culture.

Commitment to Graduate Byron Nelson is a C 2 G Model School, and we will do all that we can to ensure your student is ready for college & career, the global workplace, and personal success.

Byron’s Motto 2014

Byron Notifications @BNHS 2018 www. facebook. com/pages/Byron -Nelson-High-School-Freshman. Initiative/1442484806034577

Introductions Dr. Ron Myers – Principal Teresa (T) Snider – Principal’s Administrative Assistant Kara Lea Deardorff – Associate Principal Jami Wilson & Linda Gray – Associate Principal’s Admin. Assnts Josh Withers, A – La – Assistant Principal Paige Smith, A – La – Counselor Cheryl Hunt, Le – Z – Assistant Principal Megan Thomas, Le – Z – Counselor Sandra Drake – Assistant Principals’ Administrative Assistant

Introductions Post-Freshman Year Assistant Principals 10 th Grade: Paige Cantrell 11 th Grade: Branden Richardson 12 th Grade: Andrea Lasher (A – La) and Kerry Knisley (Le – Z) Post-Freshman Year Counselors A – D: Leah Berry E – La: Chris Bell Le – Rh: Shana Greenwood (Lead Counselor) Ri – Z: Surnedra Simmons

Freshman Initiative • We have decided to truly put our resources together and focus on our freshmen this year through a system of support. • “A school within a school” • We will follow the NISD Code of Conduct but we will also implement a philosophy of discipline called “restorative discipline. ”

Freshman Initiative Problem of Practice The transition to high school is difficult for many freshmen. Decisions made during the 9 th grade year will affect students throughout their high school career. If we are going to hold our freshmen to high social and academic standards, then we need high levels of support for these students from all stakeholders.

Freshman Initiative Guiding Beliefs • Ninth grade year lays the foundation for a high school career of academic excellence and service. • The culture of the “class” is set in 9 th grade. • No freshman can be left behind, no matter what. Ninety percent of all drop-outs were retained their freshman year. • We believe that freshmen need a support circle made up of parents, teachers, upperclassmen, administrators, counselors, and community members. • Students need accountability for their decisions, both positive and negative.

Freshman Initiative Restorative Discipline • A harmful choice violates the relationships between individuals. Thus something meaningful must occur after every incident to restore that relationship. The purpose of restorative discipline is not to punish the action but to restore the relationship. This goal can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to student-initiated conversations, written letters of apology, counseling and administrative conferences, talking circles consisting of pertinent stakeholders, as well as disciplinary procedures in line with the NISD student code of conduct. • The purpose of the Freshman Initiative’s disciplinary procedures is to be proactive and preventative instead of reactive. For each scenario staff will input a note into e-school. This procedure will act as the documentation for our talking circle conversations as well as a place to follow up on restitution.

Freshman Initiative

Freshman Initiative On Our Webpage: • Contact Information • Problem of Practice, Guiding Beliefs, Servant Leadership • Goals and Assurances of Success • Restorative Discipline • Talking Circles Information • Social Media Contacts

Support Staff • Barb Bankston and Cyndi Huizenga – Front Office – 817 -698 -5600 • Laura Weaver, School Nurse and Kristi Mc. Camie, LVN – 817 -698 -5703 • Robert Mastropiero – School Resource Officer – 817 -698 -5701 • Christine Mitchell (A-La) and Kathy Custer (Le-Z) – Attendance (slide to follow)

Nurse/Medicine Info • Please communicate with Nurse Weaver about any health concerns or issues. • Students cannot carry medication on their person at school. This even includes Tylenol or other OTC meds. • All medicine MUST be checked in with the nurse. • Any student caught with medicine that is not checked in will be subject to the NISD Code of Conduct. Prescriptions are of particular concern.

Attendance (A-La) (Le-Z) Christine Mitchell Kathy Custer 817 -698 -5695 817 -698 -5612 Attendance Information • We want your student to be successful, and being in class everyday is a necessary part of that success. • Please call in absences by 10: 00. Please state in the phone call your student’s first and last name, reason for absence, and ID number (if known) and contact phone number. • Send a note the next day. Please make sure you put the first and last name of your child and a phone number where you can be reached. If your child went to the doctor, please get a medical note and send it with your student the following day. • If you email teachers about your student being absent,

Attendance • Unexcused and excused absences are the same, which means they count against the student for credit and exemptions. Excused simply means we received parent communication as to the absence reason. • If your student is 20 minutes late to class, he or she is ABSENT. • Every class takes attendance. If a student is at school and leaves early, he or she is not considered present for the whole day. • Students can be exempt for their semester exams if their grades and attendance meet certain guidelines. Please stay up with turning in medical notes. • If a student has 9 or more absences in a semester, the student is considered excessive and will be contacted by their AP about making up time to receive credit. (90% in attendance state law). • If a student loses credit due to excessive absences, he or she will not be able to get a VOE (Verification of Enrollment) form for a driver’s license. The student will have to wait until the end of the next semester, provided he or she is in good standing, to get a VOE.

Attendance • If you are picking up your student early, please send a note with him or her that morning to drop off in attendance. The student will be given a “permit to leave campus” pass with the time on it to be in the front office for dismissal. If the student is leaving from lunch, athletics, or PE, allow some extra time. • Please check attendance online often. If you have a question, contact the teacher as the attendance office cannot change attendance without written notice from the teacher. • If your student is involved in extracurricular activities, please give the attendance office a day to get those absences coded. If after 24 hours the absence is still showing as unexcused, please contact us. • If you receive the automated phone call in the evening and you have a question, please call us. • We recommend having the system call to your cell phone number. • Parents, please check our webpages for valuable information.

Tardies We want students at school and on time; please help us with this. • 1 -3 tardies results in warnings. • 4 -5 tardies will result in a lunch detention. * • 6 -7 tardies results in Extended Classroom Opportunity (ECO) 3 hours on Tuesdays or Thursdays after school from 4 -7 p. m. * • 8 -9 Saturday School from 8: 00 a. m. – noon on Saturday (4 hours). * • The 10 th tardy will result in an office referral. * For each consequence missed, a the amount of time missed will be made up in lunch detention plus an additional one (called “plus one”). For example, if a student misses an ECO, he/she will serve four lunch detentions.

Parent Pick-Up Tips • Send a note with your student the day you will check them out early and have them bring it to the office before school to get a pass. They will show the pass to their teacher and wait for you in the office. • No students will be allowed to check out after 3: 00 p. m. without a parent note prior to the check out. This is a closed campus, so please do not check students out for lunch. You may bring lunch up here and eat with them if you check in the office first. • PLEASE DO NOT TAKE STUDENTS OUT DURING TESTING - testing dates will be available on the website.

Textbooks 2014 -2015 • Textbooks will be available for checkout during all lunches throughout the first 2 weeks of school… • Save your back and your pocket book!!! The majority of the textbooks are now provided in electronic format. Please ask the teachers. • BNHS does not have lockers.

Technology 2014 -2015 • High school students are receiving Dell Lattitude 10 Windows Tablets this year. There are no user fees and there is a one-time insurance fee of $50 to insure these devices for the length of your child’s time at BNHS. • Go to http: //www. nisdtx. org/computingdevices for more info on the tablets and payment. • Students are expected to charge them each night and bring them to school every day!!! • Students can bring their own devices; however, NISD software cannot be loaded on personal devices, and the school is not responsible for loss, damage, or theft.

Tablet Distribution • Before receiving a device, students must submit a completed Student-Parent Device Use Agreement at http: //ws 01. nisdtx. org/Device. Info/. • Students can pick up tablets during lunch the first two weeks of school (not Wednesdays).

NISD Code of Conduct Dress Code Guidelines • Project positive self image • Does not distract from an educational environment conducive to learning • Does not create a hazard to the student’s safety • Must wear shoes or sandals (House shoes are not permitted) • Clothing normally considered pajamas are not acceptable

Dress Code Continued • Clothing should not refer (casually or indirectly) to alcohol, drugs, tobacco, profanity, or anything of a sexual nature • Shall not include hats and caps, forehead bands, bandannas, sunglasses, other head coverings, gloves, or distracting accessories when students are inside school buildings. • Pants, shorts, jeans must be worn at the normal waist level and should not reveal under garments.

Dress Code Continued • Dresses, skirts, and tunics/smocks must be at least mid-thigh (halfway between hip and knee). If you can’t wear it without leggings, it is not acceptable to wear with leggings. Tube skirts rarely follow dress code. • Jeans must be free of holes from mid-thigh up. • Sheer, see-through (mesh) shirts must have an appropriate top underneath. • Tank tops, spaghetti strap tops, or shirts open at the sides are not acceptable.

ID’s • ID’s must be visible and on the student’s upper torso. • A student not wearing an ID must get a tardy pass and will need to get a new ID made before school or during lunch. • If a student must purchase a new ID, a fine of $5 will be assessed on his or her account. • Students are only allowed to “charge” up to 10 IDs. • Unclear record letters will go home quarterly, and there may be a way this year to keep track on fees online.

PTSA Parent Teacher Student Association Website – www. Byron. PTSA. my-pta. org Joy Harrison - President Join today for only $10. 00! Big Cats

Counselors 9 th A – La: Paige Smith 9 th Le – Z: Megan Thomas 10 th-12 th A – D: Leah Berry 10 th-12 th E – La: Chris Bell 10 th-12 th Le – Rh: Shana Greenwood (Lead Counselor) 10 th-12 th Ri – Z: Surnedra Simmons Diagnosticians – Ann Osmus and Kristen Hildebrand Student Services Facilitator (504 s) – Marcela Southerland Melissa Whitfield – Records Manager Mayda Duron and Sheila Polk – Registrars

Extracurricular Activities and Clubs • It is one of our goals that every student is connected to an activity. • Extracurricular activities are good for college applications, especially ones that do community service. • We have club days once a six weeks.

More on Community Service • Community Service connects with our BNHS crest of Learn, Serve, Lead: – Link Leaders – Student Council – Class Officers – National Honor Society – Green Cord (100 hours of service per year)

Tips for Success • Help your student be organized and get into a routine from the beginning. • Get involved in their school and activities. • Encourage your students to be involved in school and to set academic goals. We want all of our students in some type of extracurricular activity. • Start talking about plans for after graduation. Get them to think about their future and how to go after their dreams/goals. • Make sure they have their tablets/tech devices charged, attend school daily, and are in dress code when they leave your house.

HS Credits to determine grade level – 0 -5. 5 credits for 9 th grade – 6 -12. 5 credits for 10 th grade – 13 -18. 5 credits for 11 th grade – 19 and up for 12 th grade

Homework • Must stay on this from the beginning of the year. • Different than middle school • Very difficult year for 9 th grade students due to more freedom, but higher expectations. • Please get involved and get in your child’s business!!! • Check students grades and attendance on line frequently. • Find teachers net school pages and/or websites to understand what is going on in the classroom. For school activities, testing dates, news, and upcoming events go to the Byron Nelson Website page

Link Leaders • All of tonight’s activities were organized by the Link Leaders organization. This group will be helping new students and 9 th graders understand Byron Nelson and mentor them through advisory class. • Link Leaders will be wearing their shirts and visiting advisory classrooms. Please encourage your students to ask these student leaders for help anytime. • A special thanks to the Link Leaders and their sponsors for planning this event.

Schedules! • All students will receive a NEW schedule on the first day of school from their Advisory teacher. • Semester 1 may look different from semester 2. This is normal. • There are 4 lunch periods (3, 4, 5, and 6). • All lunches include all grade levels. • Change of lunch period will be granted for medical reasons only.

Reason for a Schedule Change • • Missing a class period Already received credit for the course Athletic reasons (switched sports, cut, etc. ) Fine Art reasons (wrong level, etc) Need course to graduate (seniors only) Did not request course Change level of course (first 10 days of school, end of first marking period, or end of semester 1) • Failed a required course • Hasn’t completed necessary prerequisite course

How Does a Student Make an Appt with his/her Counselor? ? ? • Go to BNHS webpage to Counselors’ Corner. • There is a link allowing students to send an electronic request with a message. • Students are welcome to stop by before school, at lunch, or after school to see if we are available.

Communication is Key! So what is the process? • Encourage your student to be his/her own advocate and communicate with the teacher. • Attend tutorials before school, after school, or at lunch. Teachers will post their tutorial schedules. • Have student make appt with counselor. • Parent makes contact with teacher (email is usually preferred). • Parent may schedule meeting with teacher.

Tidbits • School supplies • No lockers • Textbooks for home (available at lunch during first 2 weeks) • Grades Online/Home Access Center (look for the A+ symbol) • Username and password

More Tidbits • Lunch $$$ • Parent University meetings in the future

Planning for the Future • HB 5 now recommends that counselors meet with students and parents to discuss individual 4 year plans during their freshman year. • Endorsements: – Business and Industry – Public Service – STEM – Multidisciplinary – Arts and Humanities

STAAR Exams Required for Graduation • Students must pass the standard on these five exams: – Algebra 1 – Biology – Eng 1 (Reading and Writing combined) – Eng 2 (Reading and Writing combined) – US History

Who is my student’s counselor? A – La: Paige Smith Le – Z: Megan Thomas Who is my student’s administrator? A – La: Josh Withers Le – Z: Cheryl Hunt

Expectations of BOBCATS! • Be a person of character! – Learn, Serve, Lead • LEARN what it means to be a Byron Nelson Bobcat. • Get involved in school and serve the community. • Respect yourself, each other, the staff, your family, and our school. • “Be Bold. Be Byron. ”

Upcoming Events • Meet the Bobcats – Thursday, August 21 st at the Byron Nelson Stadium at 6: 00 p. m. • Homecoming Week – September 22 nd through 27 h • Open House – Monday, September 15 th from 6: 30 to 7: 30 p. m. • The school store is open tonight in the Student Union. • Please pick up your student at 9: 00 pm tonight.

Upcoming Events • Community Storehouse 15 th Annual “Run in the Dark” (10 K, 5 K, and 1 Mile Fun Run) • Sept 20, 7: 00 pm, Ft. Worth Alliance Airport • Register at www. runinthedarkdfw. com under BNHS so we can win the trophy! • Live music, food trucks, Kid. Zone • Proceeds help children in need in Keller ISD and Northwest ISD

Welcome to Bobcat Nation! Thank you for coming tonight!