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Weekly Update
April 22, 2020
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From the President's Office
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Dear Families,
I hope you were able to make the most of this Easter season and break under these very unexpected circumstances. I thought I'd share a little glimpse into my life at home and my own family's Easter experience.
Being stuck at home with no Easter mass or family events to attend, we thought we would at least try to get the kids into the classic, coordinated Easter photo. After many attempts to wrangle Enzo (4), Edi (2) and Maria (9 months) - this is what we got:
A memorable moment that really captures the times for me! I have to admit - many times over these past weeks, I have felt just like baby Maria in this photo: uncomfortable, upset, off balance, just trying to get through an experience I didn't ask to be part of. I know that each of you are feeling those same kinds of emotions, and more, as we continue to stay at home.
It was such a treat to see a flood of seniors sending in photos with their Class of 2020 signs that popped up on their yards and doors last week, special delivery from our Leadership Team, on behalf of our entire faculty and staff. Despite feeling a lot like baby Maria in my photo, I witnessed seniors sharing smiles, creating memories and making the most of these challenging times. We are thrilled seniors and their families enjoyed this gift. Please check out this short video of our sign deliveries for the Class of 2020; Be True, Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Strong.
As we continue our distance learning through the weeks ahead, we are working on more ways to make this time memorable for all of you, especially our seniors. We will update you on plans for big milestones like graduation, and continue to surprise you with some little things in between.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day - a time to stand in awe of the beauty and power of God's creation and recommit ourselves to its protection.
Tony DeSapio
President
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From the Counseling Center
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FINAL TRANSCRIPTS TO COLLEGES AND SENIOR SURVEY
Seniors need to complete the Senior Survey on
Naviance. Parents, please remind them to log on to Naviance: Go to the About Me tab --> Surveys --> Surveys Not Taken. Select the Senior Survey - Counseling + Development from the menu. This will take 5-15 minutes for students to complete and is REQUIRED. This survey is the only way for you to tell us where to send their final transcript. Due date: May 2, but please take care of this ASAP.
BRAVES HELPING BRAVES - COLLEGE RESOURCE
Our Alumni network has come together virtually to support our current BBHS Juniors and Seniors navigating the college search and decision process, by making themselves available to answer questions about their college and university choices, majors and post BBHS experiences. BBHS Juniors and Seniors can access this database and reach out directly to alums. Many of the alums have written encouraging messages to the Class of 2020 and 2021; encourage your student to check it out. Do you have a recent Brave grad in your family that hasn't joined the database yet? They can click here to complete the short survey form. Thank you Brave Alums!
COUNSELING OFFICE DISTANCE LEARNING BULLETIN
TESTING UPDATES
The testing scheduled for April 4, 2020 was rescheduled for June 13, 2020 by state mandate. There is also a July 18 date scheduled.
update on April 15 from College Board:
"We will not be able to administer the SAT and SAT Subject Tests as planned on June 6, 2020. Students will have opportunities to take the SAT to make up for this spring's lost administrations. If it's safe from a public health standpoint, we will provide weekend SAT administrations every month through the end of the calendar year, beginning in August. This includes a new administration in September and the previously scheduled tests on August 29, October 3, November 7, and December 5.
"Students will be able to register for these administrations beginning in May. We'll communicate directly with students when the exact date is available. Eligible students will be able to take the exam with a fee waiver. Students who were registered for June and those in the high school class of 2021 who do not have SAT scores will have early access to registration for the August, September, and October administrations."
JUNIORS - COLLEGE CONFERENCES
Despite distance learning, college conferences for Juniors and their parents will still take place between March and May via Zoom video conferencing. Juniors received signup instructions soon from their counselor.
Parents and guardians are invited to these meetings: please speak with your juniors and have your student sign up for a time that works for your family. The goal of this meeting is to discuss the student's plan for their college search and application process, regardless of where they may be along this journey.
In the meeting, please be ready to discuss some of these topics:
- possible majors or career interest areas
- priorities for the college search (locations, majors, cost, size, etc.)
- standardized testing plans and results
- potential list of colleges
- using Naviance in the college search process
- one or two possibilities for teacher recommendations
Online Resources for Juniors:
SENIORS - SCHOLARSHIP OFFER LETTERS
As your senior receives scholarship offers from colleges, please email a copy of all scholarship offer letters to Ms. Moehring in the Counseling Center at [email protected] so we can recognize their achievement in the end of the year programming.
COUNSELING DEPARTMENT AVAILABILITY
Our counselors are available via email and Zoom video conferencing if students have questions, concerns or just need a little help.
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From the Athletic Department
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BE THE LIGHT SENIOR EVENT
On Friday, April 17, Bishop Blanchet participated in #bethelightwa, along with many other high schools across the state, to honor the class of 2020 by lighting up stadium lights at 8:20 p.m. (20:20) for 20 minutes. It was a wonderful event full of energy and enthusiasm for this terrific class. Thank you to all who made the event possible and to all who participated by driving through campus during the lighting. Please see our social media accounts for pictures/videos. Additionally, please click
here to view the special video message from our spring sport coaches to our seniors athletes.
BOOSTER CLUB ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
The Booster Club is awarding $2,500 scholarships each to two senior boys and two senior girls who have been participants in our Athletic Program. In order to be considered for these scholarships, students must write a 300-350 word essay on how participation in our sports program has positively influenced their lives. All essays should be submitted to Mr. Gaskill via email at [email protected]. The deadline for the submission of the essays is Friday,
May 8. The scholarships will be awarded virtually at the end of May.
BBHS SPORTS PHYSICALS
For the last couple of springs, the Athletic Department has brought in doctors from around the area to allow our student-athletes to get their physicals completed for the upcoming school year. Due to our current campus closure, this event has been postponed indefinitely.
Sean Gaskill
Director of Athletics
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From the Activities Office
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VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW
Students received an email invitation this week to participate in this year's Virtual Talent Show. Deadlines and instructions are included in the email. Please encourage your student to submit a video application. Once finalized, a link to the video performances will be emailed to students, faculty and staff to share and celebrate the amazing talents in our community!
CLASS CABINET ELECTIONS
Applications are now open for Class Cabinet elections for the 2020-21 school year. Students in 9th, 10th and 11th grades received an email with the application, instructions and deadlines. Please encourage your student to participate in student leadership.
STUDENT LIFE
On Monday March 23,
we launched a new, all-school, Google Classroom to foster community engagement and connection between students, faculty and staff. Content encourages fun, competition, wellness and self-care. Each day of the week is assigned a theme with accompanying activities. There are varying formats for engagement each week. Some days will be passive (view content), others will encourage action (exercise, trivia, surveys), and others will invite interaction (share and view responses from others). Please encourage your students to check their BBHS email regularly, to join the Google Classroom using code eqi42lg and to participate in the activities.
Daily themes are:
- Mindful Monday
- Trivia Tuesday
- Wellness Wednesday
- Throwback Thursday
- Feel Good Friday
Chuck Bocian
Vice Principal of Student Activities
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From the Campus Ministry Office
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LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP
Current BBHS sophomores with a demonstrated commitment to community service are invited to apply for the Mother Joseph Leadership Through Service scholarship award. This award recognizes exemplary sophomores who have served children, people experiencing hunger, homelessness and poverty, the elderly and sick, and sought to improve the environment through service. Two sophomores will be selected to receive a $250 scholarship award toward 2020-2021 tuition. Applications have been emailed to the 10th grade class and are due on
May 12, 2020. Please email questions to Manon.
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From the Development Office
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BRAVE FUND
During the 2020 Week of Giving, all gifts to the Brave Fund, up to $25,000, have the opportunity to be MATCHED. During this challenging and uncertain time
, Bishop Blanchet is committed to offering the most outstanding college prep education to every student
- and can only do so with the generosity of our Brave community.
Each and every dollar matters and supports students in
all aspects of their Blanchet education. P
lease consider making a gift to the BBHS Brave Fund during the Week of Giving. The official Week of Giving is April 27-May 3, 2020, but you can make your gift today here.
Jacqueline Robinette
Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving
AUCTION ITEM PICK UP NEXT WEEK
If you were a winning bidder for a tangible item, you can pick it up next week at Bishop Blanchet. (Note: All gift certificates have been mailed.) We will offer a drive by pick up
Monday, April 27 - Friday May 1 between
10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. daily.
Please enter the school off of N. 82
nd
Street and follow the signs through the parking lot to the
north side
of the school. A BBHS representative will be there to take your name and get your item(s).
Please remain in your car
. Thank you.
Questions?
Sheryl Welch
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From the Office of Diversity and International Student Services
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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM - HOMESTAY FAMILIES
Interested in learning more about becoming a host family next year for one of our International Students? Please click
here for more details. The monthly stipend for the 2020-21 school year is $1,100 per month (for a 10 month stay.) You do not need to have a BBHS student to be a host family.
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Follow us @bishopblanchet
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