SUMMER 2017
BELLARMINE Summer
MAILING No.1 Supporter of Your Student's Success
Preparing for the 2017-2018 School Year A.M.D.G.
#GoBells
For All Bell Families Learn More About ... Welcome (back)! Academic Calendar Highlights Event Calendar Highlights Campus Ministry Counseling Services Parent Education Events Student Schedules Summer Reading/Work - Ten Things to Know About the Library Bellarmine Athletics Commuting to BCP The Bellarmine Cafeteria Ways to Participate in the Bellarmine Community Web Resources, Social Media Student Co-curriculars PLUS A Primer on the Christian Service Program for Freshman Parents
Welcome
to the 2017-2018 School Year
We're excited for your sons to join us (back) on campus in a few short weeks.
New Students The beginning of the school year is always filled with anticipation, and that is especially true for our incoming freshmen and transfer students. To help them with their transition, we'll host two days of New Student Orientation, the primary goal of which is to create an immediate support system and to encourage them to quickly become full and active participants in the total Bellarmine experience. Friday, August 18: 8:15 am - 12:30 pm (freshmen and transfer students), Leontyne Chapel Monday, August 21: 8:15 am - 1:00 pm (freshmen); 8:30 am - 1:00 pm (sophomore transfers); 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (junior and senior transfers). Freshmen will meet in their homerooms - check room assignments posted on campus that morning; sophomore transfer students will meet in Leontyne; junior and senior transfers will meet outside of the library.) Both days are mandatory school days for new students, and we start promptly at the times indicated, so please have your son on campus early. The days' activities will be carried out in a relaxed atmosphere to make all students feel comfortable. Students are required to bring their Bellarmine-issued Surface to orientation on Monday. It is suggested that he carry the Surface in his backpack to protect it and to help mitigate losing it. Students should not bring any books or other supplies on Friday. Along with building camaraderie and removing any apprehension about attending a new school, orientation will also provide valuable information for a successful beginning at Bellarmine. Student pictures to be used for the yearbook and student ID cards, and finger-scanning for meal accounts will take place during these days. Information regarding photo packages available for purchase will be given to students. In between the days of orientation, we welcome our new families into the Bellarmine community with the Get Acquainted Picnic and Mass on Sunday, August 20, hosted jointly by the Bellarmine Mothers' Guild (BMG) and Dads' Club. Check-in begins at 9:00 am, followed by Mass at 10:00 am and lunch at 11:15 am. The day will give you a chance to meet your BMG area reps, who will connect you with other families from your neighborhood. As with all Bellarmine liturgical celebrations, all faiths are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Register online here.
Sophomores NEW THIS YEAR! Sophomore Homeroom Day - August 21: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Leontyne Chapel ALL sophomores will begin their school year with this new event - a mix of fun, fellowship and food. Students should meet in Leontyne Chapel.
All Students We'll see ALL students on campus for the first day of classes on August 22nd. The day will begin with homeroom at 8:15 am, followed by our traditional Mass of the Holy Spirit. This is a dress up day!
Academic Calendar Highlights New Student Orientation - 18, 21 Sophomore Homeroom Day - 21 1st Day of School, Mass - 22 of the Holy Spirit (Dress Up Day) Senior College Guidance - 27 Orientation
Frosh: Service Day, Soph: Pre-ACT - 11 Jr: PSAT, Sr: UC/CSU App Workshop Mini College Fair - 11 Classes Do Not Meet - 12-13 Freshman Retreat (Overnight) - 21-22 Open House - 29 Classes Do Not Meet - 30 Junior & Senior CSP Hours Due - 4 Frosh & Soph CSP Hours Due - 5 Mass, Feast of the Immaculate - 8 Conception (Dress Up Day) Finals - 15, 18-20 Christmas Break - 21-31
Ash Wednesday (Dress Up Day) - 14 Winter Break - 17-25
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER NOVEMBER
1 - All Saints Day Liturgy (Dress Up Day) 21 - Thanksgiving Prayer Service (Dress Up Day) 22-26 - Thanksgiving Break
DECEMBER JANUARY
1-7 - Christmas Break (cont) 15 - Martin Luther King Holiday
FEBRUARY
MARCH Spring Break (cont) - 1-8 Senior CSP Hours Due - 10 Junior CSP Hours Due - 11 Classes Do Not Meet - 16 Sophomore CSP Hours Due - 17 Freshman CSP Hours Due - 18 Confirmation - 30
4 - Labor Day Holiday 14 - St. Robert Bellarmine Masses (Dress Up Day) 18 - Classes Do Not Meet 21 - Jesuit College Fair 22 - Transfer Student Retreat
28 - Bishop's Holy Week Liturgy (Dress Up Day) 30, 31 - Spring Break
APRIL MAY
16 - Awards Assembly (Dress Up Day) 17, 21-23 - Finals 18 - Classes Do Not Meet 24 - Baccalaureate Mass 26 - Graduation
A pdf of the complete calendar is available on the B: Parents | Documents & Forms webpage.
Event Calendar Highlights Get Acquainted Mass/Picnic - 20 for New Families New Parent Partnership Night - 24 Party in the Quad - 25 Back-to-School Night - 31 Sophomore Parent Night - 5 TEDx Event - 6 Mother-Son Event - 8 Junior Parent College Night - 9 Freshman Parents: Screenagers - 17 Fall Theatre Production - 27-29 Father-Son Work Day - 28 Open House - 29 Father-Son Christmas Mass/Brunch - 3 Percussion Concert - 6 Sophomore Parent College Night - 7 Winter Ball - 8 Fiesta de Guadalupe Mass - 10 Jazz Concert - 12 Solidarity Dinner - 1 TEDx Event - 2 Bell Wars - 4 Sophomore Parent College Night - 8 Black Student Union Cultural Event - 10
Alumni Hall of Fame - 7 Senior Parents: Transition Night - 11 Father-Son Golf Tournament - 16 Incoming Freshman/Dads BBQ - 22 (Dads' Club event) Symphonic Band Concert - 26 Junior Prom - 28 Confirmation - 30
AUGUST SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
7 - Immersion Info Night 8 - Football Tailgate 15-17 - Chezy Champs Robotics Tourney 19 - Freshman Parent Night 23 - Back to School Mixer 27 - Seniors/Senior Parent Financial Aid Night 2 - Spirit Rally 2-4 - Fall Theatre Production 4 - Spirit Week Date Dance 6 - Parents' Counseling Night: Resiliency 12 - Diwali Celebration 13 - Suds for Duds Dads' Club Event 14 - College Admissions in Visual/ Performing Arts 18 - Fashion Show for Financial Aid 30 - Symphonic Band Concert
21 - Mother-Son Liturgy/Brunch 22 - Junior Parent College Night 28 - Santo Nino Celebration 2-4 - Winter Theatre Production 3 - Lunar New Year 5 - Planning Ahead to Pay for College 8-11 - Winter Theatre Production 10 - Golden Bell Auction 22 - Memorial Mass 25 - Grandparents' Day Mass 27 - Band Solo & Ensemble Concert 2 - Percussion Concert 5 - Senior Ball 8 - Bells Give Day 12-13 - Spring Theatre Production 15 - Jazz Concert 17-19 - Spring Theatre Production 20 - Mothers' Guild Installation 24 - Baccalaureate Mass 26 - Graduation
A pdf of the complete calendar is available on the B: Parents | Documents & Forms webpage.
Campus Ministry Ms. Melissa Scott-Florez, Director of Campus Ministry Campus Ministry strives for all students to grow in self-knowledge and the awareness of God's presence in their lives. To that end, we offer grade-level and school-wide opportunities for the community to develop a deep and lasting commitment to the Ignatian vision of "men for and with others." Liturgies (Bold = dress up days) Daily Liturgies - Leontyne Chapel - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:30 am August 20 - Get Acquainted Mass (and Picnic) - BCP Quad August 22 - Mass of the Holy Spirit September 6 - Magis Mass #1, Leontyne Chapel, 8:15 am September 14 - Feast of St. Robert Bellarmine October 20 - Magis Mass #2, Leontyne Chapel, 8:15 am November 1 - All Saints Day Liturgy November 15 - Magis Mass #3, Leontyne Chapel, 8:15 am November 16 - Salvadoran Martyrs Remembrance, Quad, 12:10 pm November 21 - Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Service December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception December 11 - 15 - Advent Reconciliation (with Religious Studies classes) January 24 - Magis Mass #4, Leontyne Chapel, 8:15 am February 14 - Ash Wednesday Prayer Service March 5 - 9 - Lenten Reconciliation (with Religious Studies classes) March 22 - Justice Summit Prayer Service March 28 - Bishop's Holy Week Mass April 20 - Magis Mass #5, Leontyne Chapel, 8:15 am May 24 - Baccalaureate Mass, Quad, 5:30 pm Daily Prayer Any student can sign up to lead the morning prayer. They may share scripture, a favorite prayer, or something that they've written themselves. Eucharistic Ministers If your son is confirmed and wants to share the Eucharist during liturgies, he is welcome to join us! Altar Servers If your son has already been an altar server or would like to learn, he is welcome to join our group. We meet every week. Choir If your student likes to sing and make music, we encourage him to share his talent by becoming a member of the Bells Choir. (See the Bellarmine Choirs info in the Student Co-curriculars section of this summer mailing for more information.
Campus Ministry Programs Freshmen Freshman Retreat - Saturday, October 21 - Sunday, October 22 Freshmen and their Big Brothers will explore the dimensions of spirituality, service and community that make Bellarmine unique during this overnight experience. More information will be distributed in the fall, but it is important for all freshmen to be present for this retreat.
Sophomores Sophomore Leadership Overnight Retreat - various dates throughout the school year ALL sophomores will attend this retreat, which is centered on servant leadership, with their homerooms. It is a two-day, one-night experience. Students will reflect upon their gifts and talents, examine characteristics of leadership evident in Jesus' ministry, and share in service together. Activities include inspiring presentations, time to share with peers in small groups, community service, and exciting high and low rope courses. Information on the dates each homeroom will attend will be available in the fall.
Freshmen & Sophomores The CompaĂąeros Freshmen and sophomores are invited to share their leadership skills and grow in a community of faith by planning and leading all-school prayer experiences. Watch this video for more information. Come to the Campus Ministry offices in the Student Life Center as the school year begins to sign up and get your t-shirt.
Juniors Mother-Junior Son Retreat - Spring This day-long retreat offers an opportunity to celebrate and strengthen your mother-son relationships in the light of God's love. Consider taking advantage of this opportunity to get to know and appreciate each other more fully. We are enriched by the many faith traditions of our Bellarmine community. Please know that you are welcomed and wanted to attend no matter your religious affiliation.
Seniors Father-Senior Son Retreat - Fall Similar in nature to the Mother-Son Retreat described above, but senior year is dad's turn!
Juniors & Seniors Kairos - various dates throughout the school year - Registration opens July 19 at 8:00 am Kairos is an opportunity to take some quiet time away from the busyness of life in order to prayerfully grow in relationship with God, reflect on important life issues, share your thoughts, challenges, joys and hopes with others, and to develop new friendships. Dates and details are on our website. Wilderness Retreat - April 13-15 Backpack and hike through Yosemite for a weekend, and come to know the grandeur of creation and the Creator of it all. Contact Mr. Paul Spitzmueller at pspitzmueller@bcp.org with questions and inquiries.
Counseling Services We offer academic and personal counseling as well as college counseling services to our students. By establishing a personal relationship with our students, we draw them toward personal initiative and responsibility for learning, and prepare them for their future. We strive to support them by providing a web of adults whose goal it is to develop young men who will be happy and effective adults in the world community. Communication We send emails to students and their parents regularly throughout the school year. If a parent email changes after the beginning of the school year, please contact Mrs. Jean Toohey in the Registrar's Office to update the address we have on file. Senior parents: don't forget to also update your Naviance account with any email updates.
Director, Academic and Personal Counseling Mr. Wil Vargas wvargas@bcp.org 408-537-9268
Director, College Counseling Ms. Katy Murphy kmurphy@bcp.org 408-537-9255
Time Management Your son's growth as a student and a healthy teen are dependent upon balanced intellectual, physical and emotional living. The BCP Time Management Grid is a tool utilized each year in our counseling departments to identify how students spend their time and energy, and might highlight areas of over or under commitment. Used in conjunction with the Course Workload Estimation sheet, you and your son can determine if the time he has to relax, engage in activities, study and take good care of his body are in balance. These documents can be found on the B: Parents portal of the BCP website, under Academics | Scheduling. Counselors by Grade Level 408-537-9251) Class of 2021 Rick Ruddell (rruddell@bcp.org, Abene, Max - Lopez, Sebastian (wvargas@bcp.org, 408-537-9268) Wil Vargas Lorenzo, Ralph Miguel - Zis, David
Class of 2020 Chris Colletti (ccolletti@bcp.org, 408-537-9288) Abi-Hanna, Nolan - Mangla, Shobhan Ed Sarrett (esarrett@bcp.org, 408-537-9265) Mantovani, Luca - Zuniga Gutierrez, Mario Class of 2019 Chris Atkins (catkins@bcp.org, 408-537-9207) Abraham, Matthew - Liu, Isaac Terry Ryan (tryan@bcp.org, 408-537-9269) Liu, Nathan, Zhang, Lewis Class of 2018 Katy Murphy (kmurphy@bcp.org, 408-537-9255) Adams, Mason - Cleary, Liam Ed Schoenberg (eschoenberg@bcp.org, 408-537-9282) Cole, Claude - Iyer, Tenhir Mary Connolly (mconnolly@bcp.org, 408-537-9278) Jacobs, Jeremy - Narayan, Sachin Jack Doyle (jdoyle@bcp.org, 408-537-9216) Nazari, Michael - Smith, Tyler Chris Fleitas (cfleitas@bcp.org, 408-537-9238) Solis Prada, Mateo - Zontos, John Adolescent wellness = a balance of sleep, exercise, nutrition, family time, activities, friends, reading, technology, school work and FUN!
Counseling Notes by Grade Level Freshmen Counseling: Your son has been assigned to either Mr. Vargas or Mr. Ruddell. Assignments are made alphabetically. The counselors will be available when they return to campus in mid-August. You will be able to meet your son’s counselor during the time set aside for his “free period” at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, August 31. Mr. Ruddell and Mr. Vargas will help your son with his transition to Bellarmine and his overall experience as a member of the class of 2021. Your son will meet with his assigned counselor at least once per semester to discuss course schedules, academic performance, responsibility, integrity, appropriate Surface use, and balance. They will encourage your son’s involvement in our extensive co-curricular clubs, sports, Christian Service and Campus Ministry programs to promote his personal growth and leadership skills. The counselors will underscore that Bellarmine is an environment where your son can begin to discover his likes, dislikes, and what he might be good at. There are many ways for him to become involved and define himself as a Bell! Courses: As a college preparatory school, our course patterns and graduation requirements are designed to meet the standards for admission to the University of California and California State University, as well as private colleges and universities. Students’ academic performance in these courses all four years will be very important as they apply to college. You might be interested in referring to the Graduation Requirements and Curriculum Options document on our website, which outlines options for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. College Planning: As your son enters the second semester of his junior year, he will take a two-week College Guidance course and then begin to work with his assigned college counselor. This work will continue through the college application, admission and decision processes. College counselors hold Sophomore and Junior Parent College Nights each semester to introduce parents to the services, opportunities and requirements for college exploration, financing, selection and decision-making.
Sophomores Sophomores face a more challenging curriculum this year and also have the opportunity to become more involved in service, retreats, leadership, athletics, co-curriculars and other organizations, both on and off campus. We are here to support their academic success, as well as their personal and spiritual development. Sophomores, Naviance & College Planning: Naviance is a data-collecting and sharing resource we use with our students and families as they explore opportunities in learning, careers and colleges. Each sophomore has a Naviance username and password. During the upcoming year, they will be working with their counselors to explore their future educational career options and interests. In the junior year, members of the Class of 2020 will begin to focus on college characteristics and their opportunities. They will be enrolled in the Junior College Guidance course in January 2019 and will receive their college counselor assignments at that time. (Continued on next page)
Juniors During this year, your son will face his toughest academic challenges, and we hope further develop his organizational and leadership skills. He will also become much more involved in the college exploration process. Your son will continue to meet with his personal counselor this entire year, but in January will also be assigned a college counselor to assist in the college search and application process. This collaborative effort provides you and your son with support and guidance as he navigates his junior year. Juniors & Naviance: Naviance is a great source of information on college characteristics which also notifies students of a college's visit to Bellarmine. We strongly encourage juniors to come meet with the college admission officers who visit Bellarmine in the fall. Junior College Guidance Class: All juniors will take the College Guidance class during their Social Justice periods over two days in October and six days in January. The students will learn of their college counselor assignments on January 8. Individual college counseling meetings will begin in February. About Testing: Probably no one factor in college admissions adds more stress than college admissions testing. We encourage our students and parents to consider testing in its proper place. A student does not need to take an SAT or ACT before January of the junior year and should not take more than two of either test unless there is a real reason. Some colleges also require Subject Tests and we find the best time to take those is in June just after the junior year. More information regarding testing and test preparation can be found on our website - B: parents | Counseling Services.
Seniors College Guidance Orientation - Sunday, August 27, 12:45 - 4:30 pm in the gym; optional Mass at noon Seniors are required to attend and remain for the entire program. Parents are encouraged to attend as well! (A senior's failure to attend Senior Orientation will result in his receiving two Saturday JUGs.) The purpose of this program is to acquaint seniors and their parents with the “logistics” of applying: deadlines, teacher recommendations, financial aid, scholarships, transcripts, testing, etc. It is centered around the information in the Senior Handbook which seniors will upload into their Canvas accounts in August. Specific instructions will be sent before the program. We will also present information on the new processes in place to simplify the requests for transcripts and recommendations. Note: Seniors should not establish Common Application or UC Application accounts before this program! Students should wear comfortable clothes and bring their fully-charged Bellarmine Surface, a highlighter, pens and post-its to use during the program, and water and snacks for the breaks. Parent Summer Reading: First priority - Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni; and any of the following - Admissions Matters by Springer; College Admission by Mamlet and VanDeVelde; Colleges That Change Lives by Pope (July 31 event in the Bay Area!); College Unranked by Thacker; The Hidden Ivies or The Public Ivies by Greene and Greene. Parent Summer Homework: Use the Net Price Calculator on the websites of some of the colleges your son is exploring to determine a ballpark figure of what you would have to pay to send him there. Parent Reference: You will be receiving parent reference forms from your son’s college counselor in August. We often use information from these forms as we work with our seniors and write counselor recommendations. We hope you will enjoy this one process, just a little! Please return this to College Counseling by mail or scanned document by email no later than September 11.
Parent Education Events BCP Counseling Department Freshman Parents
Freshman Parent Night - September 19, 7 pm, Sobrato Overview of the freshman year: expectations with tech, academic load, overall balance, study skills, communication, stress reduction and coping.
Senior Parents (and seniors)
Financial Aid Night - September 27, 7 pm, Sobrato Learn the vocabulary and timeline for applying for financial aid for college.
Sophomore Parents
Communicating Family Expectations & Boundaries with the Teen DecisionMaking Process - October 5, 7 pm, Sobrato An in-depth look at your son's physical and mental development; information and strategies on how parents and sons can work together for a successful high school experience.
Junior Parents
Junior Parent College Night - October 9, 7 pm, Sobrato Information on the college admissions world as trends and factors substantively change the ways families choose colleges, and colleges recruit and admit students; info specific to the college planning process and the BCP calendar.
Freshman Parents
SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age - October 17, 7 pm, Sobrato Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston “probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including her own, to explore struggles over social media, video games, academics, and internet addiction. SCREENAGERS reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development and offers solutions on how adults can empower kids to navigate the digital world and find balance.
All Parents
Resiliency in the 21st Century: Developing Non-Cognitive Academic Skills November 6, 7 pm, Sobrato Grit, resilience and growth mindset are three skills/tools that are much discussed in the research and conversations regarding 21st century education. Focus of this evening will be on what parents and educators can do to foster the development of these assets so that students truly develop these skills needed for life.
All Parents (and students)
Admission in the Visual and Performing Arts - November 14, 7 pm, Sobrato Information on types of college programs in the visual & performing arts, requirements in portfolio and audit development, and strategies in admission.
Sophomore Parents
Fall Sophomore Parent College Night - December 7, 7 pm, Sobrato Information on the college admissions world as trends and factors substantively change the ways families choose colleges, and colleges recruit and admit students; info specific to the college planning process, admissions and testing, and the BCP calendar.
Junior Parents
Junior Parent College Night - January 22, 7 pm, Sobrato College counselors and Bob Mundy, Director of Admission at the University of Notre Dame, discuss how parents can work effectively in the process of college exploration, admission and selection; updates on testing and admission trends; establishing your Naviance account.
Sophomore Parents
Spring Sophomore Parent College Night - February 8, 7 pm, Sobrato College admission officers from a CSU campus, a UC campus, Santa Clara University and an out-of-state college describe the educational opportunities and admission requirements for their institutions. Sponsored by BCP, Cristo Rey, Presentation and Notre Dame.
Freshman, Sophomore Planning Ahead to Pay for College - March 5, 7 pm, Sobrato and Junior Parents Learn the vocabulary and processes involved in applying for financial aid for college; how academic merit scholarships work; the utility of net price calculators. Senior Parents (and seniors)
Senior Transition Night: College is Beckoning - April 11, 7 pm, Sobrato How to help your son make a responsible, sensible and healthy decision with a college selection; how to renegotiate your relationship during this time of transition; how to shape future communication.
Parent Education Events BCP Book Clubs, Coffees, Brown Bags & The Common Ground Speaker Series Our parent education events will center upon the Common Ground Speaker Series topics, along with the Bellarmine Summit on Human Dignity theme of Understanding Race in the 21st Century. The Common Ground Speaker Series is a consortium of area schools that host distinguished speakers in education, parenting and health, and are hosted at venues throughout the San Francisco peninsula. Bellarmine parents, faculty and staff are invited to attend Common Ground events free of charge. Common Ground events are listed below. Look for information about our faculty/staff-led book clubs, and parent-led coffees and brown bag discussions in the Weekly Connection. All Parents
Behave: Why We Do the Things We Do - Robert Sapolsky, PhD September 27, 9:30 am at The Nueva School, Bay Meadows Campus September 27, 7:00 pm at Sacred Heart School Celebrated neurobiologist and primatologist, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, examines human behavior and attempts to answer the enduring question: Why do we do the things we do? (Continued on the next page)
All Parents
Creating Community & Connection Across Cultures - Lee Mun Wah November 7, 9:00 am at Harker Middle School November 7, 7:00 pm at Woodside Elementary School November 8, 7:00 pm at Menlo School The African proverb "To go fast, you must go alone. To go far, we must go together." captures the essence of community and connection on a very intimate level. Yet questions such as "How do we find a way to connect with each other when we live in such separate and divergent communities?" and "How do we break the cycle of fear and distrust, so that we can come together authentically, both multi-culturally and in friendship?" demand answers.
All Parents
Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids - Laura Markham, PhD January 30, 9:30 am at The Nueva School, Bay Meadows Campus January 30, 7:00 pm at Saint Andrew's Episcopal School January 31, 9:30 am at Trinity School Based on the latest research on brain development and clinical experience, Dr. Markham shares how fostering an emotional connection with your child creates real and lasting change. She also explains the crucial necessity to always stay calm, parent with healthy limits, and provide empathy and clear communication to raise a self-disciplined child.
All Parents
Emotional Agility - Susan David, PhD March 13, 9:30 am at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School March 14, 9:30 am at Yavneh Day School March 14, 7:00 pm at Saint Matthew's Episcopal Day School Dr. David speaks about emotional agility - facing emotions and thoughts courageously and compassionately, with self-acceptance, clear-sightedness and an open mind - and emotional intelligence as significant drivers of learning, creativity and well-being in children, and how these skills are best developed in school and at home.
More information about the Common Ground Speaker Series can be found at www.bcp.org/parents.
What you need to know about
Student Schedules
Class schedules will be released in the next few days through the BCP Bridge. Look for an email with step-by-step instructions. Your son's counselor is the first point of contact for schedule changes. Schedule Changes Prior to the Start of Classes There are only two scenarios in which you may request a schedule change prior to the start of classes: 1. There's an error in the schedule you received. Examples that must be corrected include: a. not enough classes: less than 12 total semesters for the year b. missing a required course for a specific grade level c. some other oversight on our part (e.g. 2 Geometry classes but no English class; 2 classes in the same period+term; 5 classes one semester and 7 in the other) 2. Something occurred after the May deadline which now requires a course change (e.g. plans for summer school didn't work out and you now lack a required course; you didn't end up with a credit for a spring sport and now need a PE class in your senior schedule to graduate; you lack the prerequisites/grade minimum for a scheduled course). In these cases, students, parents or personal counselors should bring this to the attention of the Scheduler by sending an email to sched@bcp.org. If you believe that a change to your son's schedule falls into either of these two categories, do not order ANY of his books until the change has been confirmed. Schedule Changes During the First Week of Classes Will NOT Be Allowed No adds/changes/drops in class schedules will be allowed during the first week of classes. Students must attend all classes, as scheduled. Schedule Changes During the Second Week of Classes The only changes that will be allowed are: 1. A straight drop of an elective to get a free period. Note: students who drop an elective will not be allowed to add a course after the drop. 2. A straight add of an elective into an existing free period. Shuffling of classes will not be allowed. 3. A drop of an AP class with no regular-level equivalent into an unrelated regular-level class. Grade bumps and grade transfers from the AP class to the regular-level class do not apply because they are unrelated (different) courses. Schedule Changes During the Fourth Week of Classes 1. You may choose to drop down from an Honors or AP level course to its regular equivalent. Your grade will travel with you with a 10% increase up to a maximum grade of 100%.
Does my son have
Summer Reading/Work? The specifics of summer reading and/or summer work are sent directly to students (via email) by their teachers. To help you stay informed, following is a list of those classes which do have summer requirements: Biology AP Confirmation English 2 Honors English Literature AP Spanish 4 AP US History AP World History AP
For more information, please visit www.bcp.org/students.
Bellarmine Athletics Mr. Joe Romano, Athletic Director Baseball - Basketball - Cross Country - Football - Golf - Lacrosse - Soccer Swimming - Tennis - Track and Field - Volleyball - Water Polo - Wrestling Entering my fourth year as Bellarmine’s Athletic Director, I am excited to celebrate our accomplishments from this past academic year, and to contribute to the planning of the upcoming year. Over the course of the 2016-2017 athletic seasons, our athletes forged strong relationships that led to many outstanding sporting accomplishments. We strive to enrich the lives of our young men with healthy competition, character-building challenges, selfless attitude development and a consistent effort toward positive sportsmanship - across all levels of our program. With more than 1,000 athletes participating in our program, we are blessed with the opportunity to impact many lives. The effort and selflessness of our student-athletes, combined with the dedication and expertise of the coaching staff, push our program forward and provide a unique athletic experience. With the support of the Bellarmine community, we are inspired to seek, at all times, an Athletics Program that is studentcentered and rooted in Bellarmine’s Jesuit mission. Sportsmanship is not a goal at Bellarmine, but instead an expectation. We hold ourselves to the highest standard, both within the competition and while attending events. Bellarmine athletics has a proud tradition, and whether during competition, practice or simply out in the community, we expect all Bells to conduct themselves in a manner that brings credit to their families, their school, their team and their coaches. With this important expectation in mind, we ask that all parents and fans model that positive sportsmanship whenever supporting our Bellarmine teams. Our online resources help you in planning for and/or supporting the upcoming year: Find schedules, scores, news and general information about our athletic program at www.bcp.org/athletics. Follow us on Twitter @BCPSports Athletics Tryout Information - team tryouts (or practices for no-cut sports) will begin on the dates indicated below. An * designates a no-cut sport. August 4: JV and Varsity Football Tryouts August 5: Soph, JV and Varsity Cross Country Practice* August 8: Frosh Football Information & Sign-up Meeting August 9: Frosh Football Tryouts; Frosh, JV and Varsity Water Polo Tryouts August 14: Frosh Cross Country Practice* October 30: Basketball, Soccer & Wrestling* January 29: Baseball, Golf, Lacrosse, Swimming*, Tennis, Track and Field* & Volleyball To be eligible to tryout/practice, all students must have a physical on file and have completed the parent permission, transportation and concussion awareness forms as part of the online enrollment process that takes place in the summer. If you have any questions related to our teams, please contact the coach directly (contact information is included on www.bcp.org/athletics. If you have general Athletic Department questions, please feel free to contact me at jromano@bcp.org. Thank you for your support and ... Go Bells!
More specifics about football tryouts Varsity: August 4 - 8:30 am JV: August 4 - 7:00 - 9:30 am Freshmen: August 7 - Sign-up Forms Due to Coach Benson (forms are available at www.bcp.org/athletics) August 8 - Information and Sign-up Meeting in the Quad, 12:00 - 1:00 pm August 9, 10 and 11 - Tryouts, Time TBA at the Info Meeting
More specifics about water polo tryouts Varsity: August 9 and 11 - 8:15 - 10:15 am and 2:15 - 4:15 pm August 10 - 8:15 - 11:15 am August 12 - 7:00 - 10:00 am JV: August 9 - 10:15 am - 1:15 pm August 10 - 11:15 am - 2:15 pm August 11 and 12 - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Freshmen: August 9, 10 and 11 - 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Commuting to BCP You have options!
Zum is a new door-to-door ride service which provides reliable and safe transportation for children. Details on all of these options are available on the B: Parents | Documents & Forms webpage.
The Bellarmine Cafeteria The Bellarmine Cafeteria is a convenient place for your son to eat breakfast and lunch, or to grab a snack. Fresh and healthy choices are prepared daily on campus, using wholesome ingredients, and prices are competitive and reasonable. For about $5 a day, students can choose a balanced and filling meal from a variety of items (i.e. one meal or sandwich and a drink). PREPAID CAMPUS LUNCH PROGRAM – FAST, SAFE, AND EASY Our Prepaid Campus Lunch Program uses safe and easy biometrics, i.e. a finger scan, to identify your student and charge his account. Parents can conveniently load funds into their student’s account and not worry about him forgetting or losing cash. Plus, the program captures up to 30 days of his purchase history, and offers low balance notifications. When using the biometric system, students can get through the cafeteria line more quickly and have more time for lunch. Benefits At a Glance • Cash free • Safe & convenient – use of biometrics avoids possible misuse of his funds • Faster lunch lines – 3 designated registers for students using the program • Easy to load/reload the account online or by sending a check to BCP • Parental access to monitor food choices and balance Sign Up Today – It’s FREE! Bellarmine wants to offer this service to every student so we are waiving set-up fees.
SAMPLE MENU ITEMS BREAKFAST • Breakfast burritos • Bagel, sausage, egg & cheese sandwich • French toast sticks • Variety of cereal & oatmeal • Fresh fruit LUNCH • Fresh sandwiches • A variety of hot meals that change daily like parmesan chicken & pasta, hamburgers & fries, or chicken fajitas- just to name a few • Options for vegetarians and/or special need diets • Fresh salads & fruit
Create your new account at www.myschoolaccount.com. Add funds: • Online at www.myschoolaccount.com ($2 transaction fee; 24- hour window for funds to be credited to your account) OR • Send a check with your son for cafeteria cashiers to add to his account (no transaction fee; funds immediately loaded) QUESTIONS? Contact Jamon Osby at josby@bcp.org.
CAFETERIA HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 3:00 pm Check out menus on the B: parents |Cafeteria Account webpage.
Ways to Participate in
The Bell Community Parents are key partners in the educational success of their son. Bellarmine parents are involved in the life of the school by volunteering their time, talent and treasure. There are many great opportunities through the Mothers’ Guild, the Dads' Club, the Campus Store (see below), special event support such as the Golden Bell Auction, and especially with our fundraising efforts. We ask that all parents consider a gift to Bellarmine over and above tuition—at any level commensurate with a family’s financial circumstance. Parents are invited to support the Bellarmine Fund, Direct Financial Aid Fund and capital project needs, when applicable. Gifts to the Bellarmine Fund, in particular, help provide necessary resources for all areas on and off campus. This fund supports each and every student by covering the actual cost of a Bellarmine education, which is $3,000 more than the current tuition of $20,350. The Bellarmine Fund supports: • Academic enhancements • Ministry and service opportunities • Visual and Performing Arts • Athletics and other co-curricular activities • Professional development • Emerging and pressing needs What matters most isn’t the size of the gift, but the full participation of our parent community in helping maintain and improve the Bellarmine experience for our students. Your 100% tax-deductible donation makes an immediate and daily impact in the lives of over 1,650 young men. For more information, please contact David Holquin, Director of Development, at dholquin@bcp.org, or Brian Christensen, Director of Annual Giving, at bchristensen@bcp.org.
Reserve the dates for the Fall Parent Phone-a-thon! Please answer the phone when Bellarmine calls September 6 – 7 and September 12 – 14. We appreciate your support!
Campus Store Parent Volunteers Needed ... to commit to a 3 1/2 hour shift - once a week or once every two weeks - on days when school is in session. Choose a shift that works for you from the 10 listed below: Mondays Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays Fridays Shift 1 8 - 11:30 am 8 - 11:30 am 9 - 11:30 am 8 - 11:30 am 8 - 11 am Shift 2 11:30 am - 3 pm 11:30 am - 3 pm 11:30 am - 3 pm 11:30 am - 3 pm 11 am - 2 pm Training will take place in the Campus Store located in the Br. Ryan/Fr. Shinney Student Life Center on August 16, 17 and 18 from 10 am - noon. You only need to attend one training session.
Contact Gary Cunningham at gcunningham@bcp.org or Nancy Janda at njanda@bcp.org to sign up for a shift and a training date.
Web Resources, Social Media www.bcp.org Hover your cursor over The B: Community to navigate to the B: parents or the B: students. You can also go directly to those sites via www.bcp.org/parents or www.bcp.org/students, respectively. Buttons on the homepage are often dedicated to upcoming events - whether simple notifications or linked to ticket sales. Quicklinks to calendars and the Daily Connection are included in the footer of every webpage. Website Redesign … we're working on a complete redesign of the Bellarmine website. Look for more information in the Fall.
www.bcp.org/parents Hover your cursor over PARENTS to see the next level of navigation. Look for: - the bell schedule under Academics - commonly-referenced handbooks, Dean's Office forms, scheduling info etc. under Documents & Forms - key contacts under Faculty & Staff Directory The B: Connected provides links to auxiliary web resources
(Continued on the next page)
More on Auxiliary Web Resources Canvas ... is where homework is posted. Teachers post homework daily and in a variety of methods optimized for their course structure. Students will receive instruction as to how to access homework online. This system can be accessed via the web from the B: Connected panel on our Parents home page (www.bcp.org/parents) or via an app for iOS and Android (search for “canvas instructure”). PowerSchool … is our student information and gradebook system. This is where you should look to keep track of your son’s grades/progress. You might see some grades in Canvas but they are only final once in PowerSchool. The system may be accessed via the web from the B: Connected panel on our Parents home page (www.bcp.org/parents) or via an app for iOS and Android (search for PowerSchool in the app store – on iOS it’s called PowerSchool Mobile and even works with the iWatch – on Android it’s called PowerSchool for Parents). Logging In … works the same for all of these systems. We have enabled Single Sign-On (SSO) which means you can use the same login and password to access these systems (as well as our Bridge site). Getting Help The BCP helpdesk answers questions about all of our online systems (and will try their best to redirect any unrelated questions to the appropriate party). If you have specific questions about website content, please email webmaster@bcp.org directly. Helpdesk staff work 7:45 am - 3:45 pm and can be reached at helpdesk@bcp.org. The beginning of the school year is their busiest time so we thank you for your patience as they respond to your message in the order received.
Social ... follow us ... like us ... subscribe @BellarmineBells
BellarmineBells
@BellarmineBells @BCPSports @BCPPres (BCP President, Chris Meyercord) BellarmineBells
Student Co-Curriculars Robotics Team 254
NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
All we ask for is enthusiasm, a good attitude and a willingness to work hard. Technical Track - FIRST Robotics: work with veteran engineering mentors to help design, mfg, assemble, program and test complex robots; VEX Robotics: design, assemble and program simpler robots; Zero Robotics: compete in an intl programming competition. Non-technical Track - conduct critical business development activities; write our blog or press releases; track our expenses; design graphics or animations; take photos. Look for fliers on campus at the start of the school year.
Bellarmine Choirs
BCP/Notre Dame Performance Choir The choir performs a variety of music at school and community events. Rehearsals Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3:00 - 4:00 pm in Leontyne Chapel. All Bellarmine students are welcome to audition in early September. Date TBA.
The Bells Choir
The choir sings for school liturgies, special school functions and community events. Rehearsals Mondays and Tuesdays, 3:00 4:00 pm in Leontyne Chapel. All Bellarmine students are welcome to join.
Theatre Program Fall - Spinning Into Butter Mr. Peter Canavese, Director
Other theatre options ... Theatre Tech - Mr. Gregg Carlson, Ms. Maren Lane Costume Design - Mrs. Jean Toohey Improv - Mr. Russ Marcel
Auditions: August 30 & 31 @ 3:30 pm (come either day); Performances: Oct 27-29 & Nov 2-4 Rehearsals: Monday – Friday, 4:00 – 6:15 pm
Choir Musicians Musicians are needed for both choirs. For more information, contact Mrs. Gina Adams at gadams@bcp.org.
Winter - Shrek the Musical Mr. Russ Marcel, Director Auditions: November 8 & 9 @ 3:30 pm (come either day); Performances: March 2-4, 8-11 Rehearsals: Monday – Friday, 3:45 – 6:15 pm Spring - To Be Announced Mr. Jeremy Lum, Director Auditions: March 14 & 15 @ 3:30 pm (come either day); Performances: May 11-13, 17-19 Rehearsals: Monday – Friday, 4:00 – 6:15 pm More information at www.bcp.org/the-arts.
S? BC g in oin t s. j n i /bc a g d r te rm .o res he fo .bcp e t w In tt ou ww l l i F
A Primer on the Christian Service Program for Freshman Parents
Welcome to the Bellarmine community. This is a special place! Following is an overview of our program for freshmen, which you may find helpful as your son begins his Bellarmine experience. All freshmen are required to complete a minimum 15 hours of service between August 18, 2017, and April 18, 2018. All of these hours must be in direct service with younger children. While many students are anxious to get a head start on their community service hours before the school year begins, we give everyone the same starting date of August 18th (the first day of freshmen orientation). Students may engage in a variety of activities working with elementary school children (K – 8). Service may include providing individual or small group assistance, tutoring in basic subjects, assisting with sports or crafts activities, or working in a homework clinic or in the school’s day care program. Some schools provide opportunities for BCP students to assist in a computer lab or with an after-school club. Service may be completed through ANY elementary school, middle school, public library or any of our approved agencies for freshmen listed on our website. Babysitting or tutoring a neighbor’s child will not fulfill our service requirement.
Mr. Steve Pinkston, Director
Bellarmine provides transportation to three local schools for service each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoon during the school year. We will instruct students how to sign up for these opportunities in August. There are several days when classes do not meet which are listed the BCP calendar as optional service days: 9/18, 10/30, 11/22, 1/15 and 4/16. October 11 is a special day when all freshmen are required to complete at least three hours of service. On both 9/18 and 10/11, Bellarmine will provide transportation and supervision for 50+ students to engage in a structured service opportunity at a local elementary school. After the school year begins, we will instruct students how to sign up for these opportunities.
Many students contact a former elementary school teacher and set up a service opportunity on their own during the optional service days, or dates during our Thanksgiving break, our Christmas break, our winter break and our Easter break. This is perfectly fine and encouraged. While I serve as the director of Bellarmine’s Christian Service Program, the service requirement for all freshmen will be supervised by our Alumni Volunteer—Mr. Obi Offorjebe. Obi graduated from Bellarmine in 2012 and subsequently graduated from UC Merced in December of 2016. If you are interested in looking at the service requirement parameters for sophomore, junior and/or senior year, they can be found on our website. Don't hesitate to contact me at spinkston@bcp.org once we return to school in August. (You can also contact Obi at oofforjebe@bcp.org.)
GO BELLS!