CB West High School
West Times Newsletter January 8, 2024
CB WEST PARENT COUNCIL
Our next parent council meeting will take place on January 10th. Please note that this date has been changed from the original posting. All meetings take place in the Tower room beginning at 9:00am and conclude at 10:30am.
Click HERE for the full list of meeting dates and times
Click HERE to join the link for the CB West Parent Council Meetings
FINAL EXAM INFORMATION FOR MBIT STUDENTS
During final exams, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology is open and running on a full regular day schedule.
The First Semester final exam schedule has been finalized and can be found below:
Thursday, January 18 REGULAR SCHOOL DAY
Elective areas are given during normally scheduled class time.
Friday, January 19 REGULAR SCHOOL DAY
World Language and AP Computer Science exams are given during normally scheduled class time. Monday, January 22 FINAL EXAMS (no classes)
Students report for final exams only. 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Math 9:15 AM – 10:45 AM English
Tuesday, January 23 FINAL EXAMS (no classes)
Students report for final exams only. 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Science 9:15 AM – 10:45 AM Social Studies Wednesday, January 24 Half-Day Schedule (all classes meet)
Make-up exams (Library) Busing will be provided as it normally is on an early dismissal day during exams.
PM MBIT students will take their exams on 1/22 and 1/23 in the morning and then go to MBIT in the afternoon as they normally do.
AM MBIT students must communicate with their teachers what day they will take their exams based on the scenarios above so that teachers can plan accordingly. No final exam may be taken earlier than the scheduled date.
Students are only required to report to school on 1/22 and 1/23 if they have a final exam. When not scheduled for a final exam but present in school, all students must report and sign-in to a supervised Study Hall in the Cafeteria on 1/22 and/or 1/23.
Transportation will only be provided in the morning and at midday for HS students (either to go home from final exams, from AM MBIT to West, or to go to PM MBIT. MBIT students should continue to attend MBIT programs if they are not taking a final exam.
Transportation will be provided. PM MBIT students will be transported home directly from MBIT.
2024 CB SAVE THE MUSIC CONCERT INFORMATION
The 2024 CB Save The Music Concerts are coming up on Friday, January 26th (7:30 PM) and Saturday, January 27th (3 PM and 7:30 PM). We are looking forward to another great year of music based around this year’s theme, Elements of Music. The CB West Orchestra and Choir will be performing on the Friday, January 26th show and would love to see you there.
WHAT ARE THE CB SAVE THE MUSIC CONCERTS?
The concerts feature CB music staff, alumni, students, and friends performing an array of popular music styles from through the years all in the spirit of helping others through music education! We are doing something new this year with our donation and will be splitting it 2 ways: 90% will go to the Save The Music Foundation (targeted for The School District of Philadelphia), and 10% will stay here in CB to help provide scholarship instruments for students in need. For more information about the concert, CLICK HERE.
TICKET SALES ARE ROLLING!!
Tickets for this year’s shows are already moving fast. In just under 3 days, we are already approaching $13,000 in ticket sales – a new record for the concert! If you would like to attend the concert, please buy your tickets sooner rather than later. Be sure if you are coming to support a specific student performer that you check with them to be sure you know in which show(s) they are performing. You can use the following link: www.purplepass.com/cbstm24.
CALLING ALL BUSINESSES!!!
See the attached PDF for various levels of sponsorship from under $150 all the way up to $5,000. We need local businesses to help us out in many ways to make the concert a success. If you have a business, please consider sponsoring the event, and if you know other local business owners, please consider passing the information along.
DONATIONS AND HELP NEEDED WITH REFRESHMENTS & BASKET BONANZA
Lastly, we are also in need of people to donate items to this year’s Basket Bonanza (our annual fundraising raffle) as well as refreshments for the concert. We also need some folks to help out before and after each show. Our amazing volunteers are hard at work putting all of this together, but we need more help! If you are interested in donating/participating, please click on the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4DACAE2EAA8-46708635-cbsave
Thank you all in advance!
The CBSTM Cast and Crew
Save_The_Music_2024_Donor%2C_Sponsor%2C_Partner_Letter.pdf (257.6 KB)
SENIOR T-SHIRTS
Senior t-shirts have arrived and are on sale for $10 in the school store during Lunch and Learn. Cash, Apple Pay, and credit cards are accepted. Sales will run until the end of January. Thanks for supporting the Class of 2024!
National Summer Program Fair
The National Summer Program Fair: Princeton Area, is a free event for high school students and their families occurring Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 4:30-7:00PM at the Recreation Center @ The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing. This in-person event will showcase around 100 ways high school students can spend summer 2024, including on-campus pre-college programs at the nation's most prestigious universities, study abroad opportunities, STEM programs, teen travel, art/portfolio prep, test prep, and local nonprofits seeking summer volunteers.
Students and parents need to pre-register to attend, and should do so now to reserve their place and receive event reminders. Students and parents will receive a QR code to show at the event for easy access.
For any questions, please visit www.summerprogramfair.com or reach out to info@summerprogramfair.com
STUDENT SERVICES
Program Planning for the 2024-2025 School Year:
Please visit the Program Planning Website for up-to-date information, resources, and links for students and parents regarding course registration for the 24-25 school year. Current CB West students will watch a live stream presentation during extended Advisories on Thursday, January 11th. Counselors will review the program planning timeline, process, required credits and course suggestions for students.
Tuesday, January 2: Program of Studies will be available on the District Website.
Interested in Middle Bucks Institute of Technology? Please check out their Programs and their Application webpage for more information!
Thursday, January 4: Curriculum Fair for Rising Sophomores only at CB West at 6:30PM.
Friday, January 5: Portal opens for student course input. The portal will remain open until Sunday, February 4. Instructions for course registration on the portal will be posted on the Program Planning website. Students will enter course selections online through the Student Portal. While the portal is open, students will meet with their school counselors individually to answer questions about courses, levels, sequencing, and how their programming can relate to future pursuits.
Thursday, January 11th : School Counselors will present Program Planning information during an Extended Advisory to 10th and 11th grades, including how to register for courses, choose classes, and determine appropriate levels (Academic, Honors, AP).
Friday, January 12th: AP & Elective Fair Students will have the ability to go and visit classrooms during Lunch and Learn to learn about elective and AP offerings before they choose their courses for next year!
Tuesday, February 6- Fri, March 15: Sophomore and Junior counselors will meet with each student to review requests, prerequisites, graduation credits, and will address all questions and concerns with students. Counselors will contact students to schedule appointments during this time.
Friday, March 15 Verification of course requests will be available on the student portal. Students and parents should review courses for accuracy and must notify their counselor immediately regarding any final changes to their course requests.
Wednesday, March 20 All changes to requests must be submitted to a counselor by this date. No changes will be allowed for the 2024-25 school year unless it is due to a level change supported by the recommending teacher or a failure to meet a prerequisite.
Apply Day with Bucks County Community College
Seniors, if you are hoping to enroll at BCCC for next school year, stop by on Tuesday January 9th from 11:30-12:30 for an Apply Day in the Student Services Conference Room. You will meet with an admissions counselor to officially enroll! Reach out to your counselor with any questions!
College Applications!
Seniors, if you have received information from any college that you have applied to that they need 1st Marking Period grades, please see Mrs. Press in the Student Services office as soon as you receive that email. Please also make sure you are updating your college decisions in Naviance!
Career Training at Bucks County Community College
Have a Senior who is exploring non-college pathways after high school? Bucks County Community College offers FREE training programs in several different fields. Visit the BCCC Workforce Development page for more information: https://www.bucks.edu/workforcedevelopment/.
FINANCIAL AID
The FAFSA (link) is the primary way to access need based financial aid for college. Students seeking need-based scholarships and student loans to help pay for college should plan on completing the FAFSA; see site for availability.
Some colleges and universities will require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA for need based aid consideration. This requirement should be listed on the college’s website, but you should also check the list of schools requiring the CSS Profile on the College Board website (link). The CSS Profile can be completed prior to the FAFSA, and you should submit it as soon as possible.
We also held a virtual session Financial Aid session, please use the (link) to access the slides and recorded presentation.
Several FAFSA videos have been posted to YouTube you may find helpful! https://www.youtube.com/@FederalStudentAid/videos
The University of Wisconsin- Madison created a helpful FAQ page that can help you prepare for the FAFA (link).
Upcoming Financial Aid Sessions
Need specific help with filling out the FAFSA once it is available in the New Year? On February 21st 6-7pm and April 9th 6-7pm PHEAA Access Partners will present a Line-by-Line Overview of the 2024-25 FAFSA Process to guide students and families through a step-by-step process of filing the FAFSA and PA State Grant applications.
By late winter, many students will receive financial aid packages from colleges, but it can be overwhelming to understand how to compare those packages. On Wednesday, March 20th 6-7pm PHEAA Access Partners Amy Sawdey and Wendy Dunlap will present Understanding and Comparing Financial Aid Offers which provides information on the steps students should take after completing the FAFSA. They will discuss the financial aid process, strategies to review and understand financial aid offers from colleges, and how to compare different types of aid.
AP Exams:
If your child is taking an Advanced Placement class second semester, communication will be shared in February in preparation for the March deadline.
College Admissions Exams
See the CB West Student Services “testing page” for suggested college admissions exam plans: https://www.cbsd.org/Page/1002
CB West Peer Tutoring Academy – The Peer Tutoring Academy for the 2023-2024 school year is underway! Students may request a Peer Tutor through their counselor. Students will be given the contact information for their Peer Tutor, and it will be their responsibility to reach out to their tutor to set up sessions at mutually convenient times (either in-person or virtual).
National Summer Program Fair
The National Summer Program Fair: Princeton Area, is a free event for high school students and their families occurring Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 4:30-7:00PM at the Recreation Center @ The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing. This in-person event will showcase around 100 ways high school students can spend summer 2024, including on-campus pre-college programs at the nation's most prestigious universities, study abroad opportunities, STEM programs, teen travel, art/portfolio prep, test prep, and local nonprofits seeking summer volunteers.
Students and parents need to pre-register to attend, and should do so now to reserve their place and receive event reminders. Students and parents will receive a QR code to show at the event for easy access.
For any questions, please visit www.summerprogramfair.com or reach out to info@summerprogramfair.com
CB REALIGNMENT INFORMATION
In anticipation of the grade level realignment for the 2025-2026 school year, the district extends an open invitation to parents, guardians, students, and community members to provide their questions and feedback here. We greatly value your input as it plays a vital role in our decision-making process, ensuring that our choices are in the best interest of our entire community. To learn more about this initiative, please visit our website: www.cbsd.org/cbrealign.
WEST YEARBOOK INFORMATION
Don’t forget to reserve your child an Antler yearbook for this school year - books can be reserved until April 30th. After that, they will only be sold on a first come, first serve basis. For the past five years, we have had an increase in the demand for yearbooks, so be sure to order your yearbook online at www.jostens.com .
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION LETTER
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH INFORMATION
Link to English video: https://vimeo.com/748146211
Link to Spanish video: https://vimeo.com/748143109
Click HERE for frequently asked questions
Laptop Breakage Information
Laptop Breakage
We have seen a rise in the amount of screen breaks for student laptops. Our policy covers for 2 broken screens per device. If your child’s laptop screen breaks 3 times, we will be required to send you an invoice for the repair and labor. The current cost for this is $200. Please remind your child to care for their laptops. Some simple steps to assist are:
- Use two hands when holding or moving the device.
- Use clean hands while using the laptop or iPad.
- Use only the provided digital pen or finger on the screen.
- Use only the power adapter that came with the device.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the screen.
- Keep device stored in the provided case. This includes traveling through the hallways, on buses, or anytime the device is not being utilized.
- Make sure nothing is on the keyboard, close the lid, and remove all cables if any are plugged into the laptop. Place laptop in your bag carefully.
- Be careful when placing your case on the floor. Keep the device off the floor so screens do not get stepped on by others.
Parents of Student Drivers
Our goal each day is make sure that all students, faculty, buses, and drivers exit our school campus safely. To ensure that safety, we are requesting that you please reinforce safe driving habits with your student driver. There have been several vehicle accidents that may have been prevented through safer driving practices.
- Drivers should maintain a speed of 15 MPH or less while driving on MacFarlane and in the school zone area.
- Drivers are to stop for pedestrians entering the crossing areas.
- Drivers are not to change lanes on MacFarlane
- Drivers should not be using electronic devices while driving.
- Drivers/Students should not be yelling from one vehicle to the next or getting out of one vehicle to get in another.
- Please try to limit the number of passengers in the car with your student. This will assist in being more attentive while driving.
Thank you for your assistance !
From the Attendance Office
* ANYTIME you come or go from CB West during the school day you MUST check in with attendance.
- ANYTIME you leave school for early dismissal we MUST hear from a PARENT or GUARDIAN via phone or the portal.
- PARENTS or GUARDIANS can put early dismissals, late arrivals, absences, and vacation time in the portal.
- Absences and tardies can be excused for valid reasons with a note, a phone call, or through the portal by PARENTS or GUARDIANS ONLY.
- PARENTS or GUARDIANS have three days to excuse absences or tardies. (Exceptions may be made)
- Students are NOT PERMITTED to leave for lunch during Lunch & Learn.
Children’s Health Insurance Program
CHIP is Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program for uninsured children and teens up to age 19.
Click on the link for more information about CHIP.