I hope that everyone had a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend following what was a pretty smooth first week of school.  As we near the end of week two, I want to urge parents to begin looking at Power School weekly to help your student stay on track for success by turning in all assignments and studying for tests.  This Friday will be the final day to return their documents that had to be completed, signed, and turned in for their first informal grades in all of their core classes.  This is an easy way to get their grades off to a good start so please double check that your child returns these by tomorrow. 

 

The car rider line is getting shorter as more students ride the bus and fall athletics and other after school activities begin.  I want to encourage parents of car riders to use Mayes Road to Bailey Road and come past Hough High School to help reduce the back-up coming from Rt. 115 to Bailey Road.  This also enables the flow of traffic on Bailey Road to provide access for buses to get to our lot earlier enabling quicker bus dismissal as well. Thanks in advance for helping us improve morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.

 

Concerns with mental health and anxiety issues with teenagers across the country continues to be an ongoing point of discussion as we try to create and promote support structures to help students cope with their struggles.  Next week is "National Suicide Prevention Week" which is sponsored at Bailey by our Counseling Department in hopes to engage students in conversations about how to help themselves and their friends through stressful or difficult situations.  Unfortunately, a growing number of our own students have contemplated or even attempted self-harm as a means to escape their reality.  As parents from a different generation, we don't understand the current pressures our kids face, yet we have the obligation to better understand and help minimize these more readily.  Finally, I would encourage you to reach out to a counselor if you see any drastic social or emotional changes in your Bronco.  This can manifest itself in their mood, online activity, friendships, eating habits, etc.   We can help them see that persevering through tough situations, and even failure, will make them stronger and more resilient when real adult problems arrive in the future.