12/03 BHS Tiger News

Greetings Belleville Families, this is Week #15 and we are 3 weeks out from Winter break. This is a most important time for learning, so please make sure your student is in attendance EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! Once we return from break, there will only be 2 weeks left in the semester, which INCLUDES Midterm Exams. Encourage them to stay focused - and to take full advantage of all academic supports.

BHS is excited to announce that our Journalism Class has produced it's FIRST EDITION of their online newspaper, Beneath The Stripes! This was shared with students last week, and students will utilize feedback from students and staff to make continuous improvements. Visit beneaththestripes.com to see what they have accomplished so far. Go Tigers!!

• December 6th: Early Release, 12:04pm Dismissal
  

• December 7th: Test Out Options - scheduled in advance with their BHS Counselor

• December 7th: Jazz Band Concert, 7:30pm

• December 14th: Varsity & Symphony Bands Concert, 7:30pm

• December 21st: Choir Concert, 7:00pm

• December 25th-January 5th: Winter Break (School resumes January 8th)

As we get into the colder season, colds and the flu are going around and our students are in constant need of tissue. Please donate one, two or even a few boxes of tissue for the teachers to have available for use.

ATTENTION PARENTS AND GUARDIANS: Students will ONLY be receiving detention notices via email. They will no longer receive paper notices. Since we ALWAYS copy the parent/guardian on these notices, we ask that you remind your student, as needed, about their obligation. We appreciate your partnership!

Remember, for EVERY 3 tardies, students will serve 1 detention. This also applies to other infractions, such as Dress Code Violations.

If a student needs to reschedule a detention, they must see Mrs. Dawn Spicer during the student's designated lunch time. Mrs. Spicer will be located in the lunch room to address rescheduling or questions regarding assigned detentions. Students are NOT permitted to leave class to speak with her regarding detentions.

Lunch detentions will only be assigned for special circumstances; an administrator must approve lunch detentions. For every after school detention, a student will serve two lunch detentions.

Detention Rules:

1. You must be on time to detention and sign in electronically. After school detention starts at 2:15 and ends at 3:15. Students have 5 minutes from the first lunch bell to get to the Tiger Den. Saturday detention starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 10:00 AM.
2. You will need to check in your phone with an administrator.
3. If serving lunch detention, you will wait until the lunch lines are clear of students and administrative approval before getting a lunch.
4. You will not talk or sleep during detention.
5. You will clean up after yourself: clean any trash, push in chairs, and put away anything borrowed.
6. If serving lunch detention, you will wait until you are released before leaving the Tiger Den.
7. If you get kicked out, other consequences may happen including out of school suspension.

It's the most wonderful time of the year - the Michigan winter weather is upon us. With the cold, darkness, ice, and snow, traffic at student drop off will be slow. Please be patient and kind! Here are some tips to help make drop off faster and safer for all:

• The only drop off and pick up area for students is on the west entrance, the entrance into the Central Office building. To enter the main entrance, you MUST have a parking pass!
• Please make sure your students are only crossing the roads when the safety patrol is present and has stopped traffic. They will let your student know when it is safe to cross.
• Please ask your students to be prepared to get out of the vehicle with all of their belongings as soon as the vehicle stops.
• If you are the first vehicle in the drop off line, please STOP at the "Student Drop Off" sign. This will help more cars get to the sidewalk to drop their students off.
• Make sure to pull all the way up to the car in front of you UNLESS you are in the crosswalk. If you are the second vehicle in the group, you will be the one nearest the crosswalk; leave enough space between your car and the first one in the group for students to cross safely.
• Please follow the staff's driving directions. The stop sign/signal to stop is not a suggestion; you must stop! This is for staff and STUDENT SAFETY!
• Do not drop students off in the passing (left) lane! Students should only exit the vehicle from the right lane (nearest building and sidewalk).
• If your student needs more time exiting the vehicle, there is a spot on the right just past the "Student Drop Off" sign; park there. This way traffic can continue to flow.
• Make sure your lights on on.

There will be some BIG changes in the Belleville Cafe after winter break! However, before these changes happen, the lines have been long. Here are some tips to make the lunch lines go faster and lunch more enjoyable:

• Make sure students have their student IDs present before getting into line. They can scan them at checkout. This will expedite the time in line.
• If students are buying snacks or drinks not provided with the free lunch, have the cash in hand ready to give to the cafeteria worker, or you can add money to the student's account.
• Please clean up your trash and place it in the proper containers on your way out of the cafeteria.
• Lastly, if you have suggestions for food ideas or quality, please speak to an administrator or Chef Craig. We want you to enjoy the food and the entire lunch experience.

LAST WEEK'S TIGER VICTORIES!

-Varsity Boys Football 2 year reign as MHSAA Division 1 State Champions came to an end on Sunday. The Tigers lost a close game 36-32 to Southfield A & T at Ford Field to become State Runner-ups this year. All in all, it was another fantastic season for the team with them winning Division, Conference, District, Regional, and State Runner-up titles. Congratulations!

Upcoming HOME events:

- 12/7 Varsity Boys Swim & Dive vs Flat Rock. 6:30pm

- 12/8 Boys F, JV, and V Basketball vs Romulus. 4/5:30/7

- 12/8 Girls JV/V Basketball vs Romulus. 4:00/5:30

- 12/8 Boys & Girls Bowling vs Canton @ Lodge Lanes. 3pm

For all other Athletics Information, including upcoming practices and game schedules, click the LINK below. GO TIGERS!

BHS Athletics Homepage | Belleville High School (vanburenschools.net)

BHS Student Council will be sponsoring a Toys for Kids Drive December 4th - 12th during all lunches.

BHS Upcoming Dates:

• BHS Toys for Kids Drive - December 4th - 12th during all lunches.

• BHS Dine to Donate at Applebee's on December 18th from 4pm - 9pm. See link for flyer

Class of 2024 Information:

If you missed the Senior Parent meeting, here is the link to the slide presentation. Also see the Class of 2024 Senior Informational Packet below updated information.

Thursday, December 7th- Course Test Out. Students are required to register with their counselor to participate in December Test Out Session.

Thursday, December 7th- FSA-ID Workshop, held hours 1st-6th. Seniors will need a pass from their classroom teacher and SSN to participate in workshop. Parents are welcome to attend.

As the days get shorter and the long, dark nights of winter settle in, a lot of people find their mood gets darker, too.

During the winter months, especially after all the fun and festivities of the holidays are over, many people feel tired, irritable, or a bit down. These feelings are so common that there’s even a name for them: the “winter blues.”

Most people only experience a mild version of the winter blues, and can continue living life as normal without too much effort. Others, however, have a more severe type of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Both are probably caused by sensitivity to the lack of sunlight from the shorter winter days, which disrupts your body clock and messes with hormone levels. This in turn affects your mood and makes you want to sleep more (even if it’s hard to fall asleep at night).

If like most people you don’t have the luxury of just going back to bed until it gets warmer outside, there are some simple things you can do to lift your mood:

1. Lighten up.

Your body and your brain are craving more daylight, which makes your body release the feel-good hormone serotonin. Walk outside during the day, even when it’s cold, to get some sun exposure. Sitting closer to windows during the day can also help you get an extra dose of sunshine. You may feel your worst in the morning, but make an effort to open up the curtains and soak in the morning rays. Remember: hibernation is for bears, not you!

2. Eat to improve your mood.

Certain foods such as chocolate have been shown to improve moods and help relieve anxiety. Candy and carbohydrates, like cookies or white bread, on the other hand, feel good when you’re eating them, but make you feel worse later when your blood sugar crashes. Little comforts that don’t lay on the carbs, like a cup of tea or small piece of dark chocolate, can help you relax without sabotaging yourself later. It’s also important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which can leave you feeling more optimistic in the long run. Eat vegetable soup or chili to get the cozy feel of a cup of hot chocolate without the sugar crash.

3. Get moving.

More and more research suggests that exercise is a great way to help deal with (and maybe even prevent) depression. Exercise as simple as walking for 30 (or even 10!) minutes can have a significant impact on your mood. Bundle up and go for a walk, play basketball with friends indoors at a community center or gym, or dance around your living room. Staying active helps stop winter weight gain, too.

4. Listen to an upbeat playlist.

Research suggest that listening to cheerful music can improve your mood, even after the song ends. So put away the ballads for the winter, and listen to something with a good beat that you can dance to!

5. Help others.

Volunteering your time to help someone else can improve mental health and how satisfied you feel with your life. Help out a local organization. Clean out your closet and donate the clothes you’ve grown out of. Put in some extra effort around the house to help out your family. Do something kind for a friend. The possibilities are endless!

6. Stay social.

You may feel inclined to spend more time alone. However, spending time with friends and loved ones can have a serious impact on your mood. If you begin flaking on your friends more during the fall and winter, ask someone to help you keep those commitments.

7. Relax.

Being mindful, doing deep breathing exercises, and meditating can all have a significant impact on how you feel. Try taking several deep, slow breaths, filling your belly as you inhale and letting it deflate as you exhale. Concentrate on nothing but your breathing.

8. Be kind to yourself.

We’ve given you a lot of tips on how to deal with feeling down. But when you’re depressed, it can be really hard to find the motivation to actually do these things. If you skip a workout or stay in all day, don’t get mad at yourself. Instead, think about what you’d say to a good friend going through something similar.

These small changes can lighten your mood and help you get through the winter blues.

Mount Sinai Adolescent Center, January 2020

During scholarship month, the BHS Counselors worked with all seniors on completing scholarship applications. We are encouraging all seniors to continue utilizing Going Merry to search for scholarships. Seniors should set a weekly goal for submitting a minimum of 3 scholarships per week. Take a look at our featured scholarship and click on the above scholarship button for additional scholarships and resources.

Inkster Alumnae Chapter Delta Scholar- Must have 3.0 or higher if planning to attend a 4-year university or college or 2.5 or higher if planning to attend community college, vocational or trade school. Due January 26, 2024. IAC Delta Scholar Application Packet

Savage Elementary PTO Scholarship- Must have attended Savage Elementary. Application is available in the counseling office. Due March 25, 2024.

Key Changes

• The 2024-25 FAFSA will open in December 31, 2023
• Streamlined and more user-friendly FAFSA now with fewer questions
• Expanded aid eligibility due to larger income protection allowances
• IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) makes entering tax information easier and will be required for students, spouses, and parents to transfer their 2022 tax information or non-filing status
• Number in college will no longer factor into the FAFSA calculation
• Untaxed items such as payments to tax-deferred retirement or pension plans, veteran’s non-educational benefits, worker’s compensation will no longer be required
• Parent assets will now include net worth of all businesses and net worth of a family farm, if applicable
• Divorced or separated parent changes – the parent who provided the most financial support to the student will need to provide their information. Previously, the parent who the student lived with the most provided their information.

Terms to Know

• Student Aid Index (SAI): calculated by FAFSA data and will determine student aid eligibility. This replaces the EFC that was used in previous years.
• Contributor: a parent, step-parent, student or spouse of student who is providing information to the FAFSA.
• Consent: required from all contributors in order for the IRS to share tax data directly to the FAFSA. Not providing consent will automatically make the student ineligible for aid.
• Direct Data Exchange (DDX): previously known as IRS Data Retrieval; this tool imports tax data directly from the IRS to your FAFSA.
• FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS): a summary of your completed FAFSA information. This replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) that was used in previous years.

Ways to Prepare

• FSA ID
  A Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is required for all contributors including the student. Apply for your FSA ID now!
• Determine your contributors, if applicable. The FAFSA will also offer assistance when filing.
  The student is a contributor. A contributor may also be a:
  • Parent
  • Step-parent
  • Spouse of student
• 2022 Federal Tax Information and W-2s
  All contributors will need this information, if applicable

FAQ

• When will the 2024-25 FAFSA become available?
  December 31, 2023.
• What semesters are covered by my 2024-25 FAFSA?
  Fall 2024, Winter 2025 and Summer 2025
• When is the priority 2024-25 FAFSA filing deadline?
  March 1, 2024
• Is a contributor required to have an FSA ID?
  Yes, all contributors must have an FSA ID.
• My parents are divorced or separated. Which parent is a contributor for my FAFSA?
  The parent who provides the most financial support to the student should be the contributor on the FAFSA.
• Do the invitations to contributors to provide federal tax information and consent expire?
  Yes. Invitations to be a contributor will be deleted when they have been inactive for 45 days. Any previously entered information will be deleted and the process will need to start over.
• How can I be considered an independent student?
  An independent student is one of the following: born before Jan. 1, 2001, married (and not separated), a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, a person with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor, a person who is unaccompanied and homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless

Thank you for your time and attention to this week's Tiger News.

Have a great week everyone, and GO TIGERS!

~ Principal Crockett, AP Mrs. Green, AP Mr. Roberson, AP Mrs. Slingerland, BNT Director Mr. Wilsey, and AD Mr. Brodie

In an effort to continue keeping our students safe, please update your student's Emergency Card. Make sure the CORRECT phone numbers are listed, as well as ANYONE that has your permission to sign your student(s) out of school. You can make changes by calling the Main Office or the Counseling office at 734-697-9122.

Attention Parents/Guardians, and drivers of ALL ages! Now that it is dark during the time of arrival, please be sure to SLOW DOWN when in school zones! If your student is walking or riding a bike 🚲 to school, PLEASE make sure they are wearing light or reflective clothing, or even that they include lights or flashing lights which can be purchased inexpensively. Let's keep our students safe! Here are a few links for purchasing the lights.

https://a.co/d/6if40Zk

https://a.co/d/0fBTT0Z

https://a.co/d/1vCPke7

BUILDING, STUDENT AND STAFF SAFETY

We have been reminding students recently that school safety is the responsibility of us ALL. Please be intentional about discussing these two items with your student(s).

• Building Entrances/Locked Doors: All entry doors in the building lock at 7:20am. After this, the only doors that may be utilized are at the Main Entrance. Students are not to open, leave from, nor prop open building doors. Failure to follow these safety protocols results in immediate suspension. Additionally, access to the building is limited to needs only, so students who are being picked up early will be able to call and be confirmed from the main entrance parking lot.

• Metal Detecting Wands: BHS utilizes wands as a metal detection option. These wand searches take place in the hallway of randomly selected classrooms during randomly-selected hours. We have developed a swift, yet thorough process to help detect anything that could be deemed as potentially dangerous. We believe that the random selection process will be more effective than announced, routine, or predictable searches. These "wanding" events will be attended and supervised by our local law enforcement.

As always, we appreciate your support and partnership in keeping us all safe.

We wanted to inform you that the Homework Lab and Testing Center at BHS is open. It is put in place to provide additional support to our students. We encourage you to share this information with your respective classes and colleagues. The Homework Lab will be available on Tuesday and Thursday from 2:15 to 3:15. During this time, students can receive assistance with their homework assignments or seek guidance on any academic challenges they may be facing. To ensure a smooth and efficient process, it is required that students sign up using bookmarks before attending the lab. We recommend that they sign up before 1:00 pm to secure their spot.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us.

~ Mrs. Fryske and Mr. de Haan

kfryske@vanburenschools.net, mdehaan@vanburenschools.net

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OTHER STUDY SOLUTIONS AND TUTORING

• Cocoa and Cram on Mondays, and our
• TUTORING schedule,

Also, your student's teachers are ALWAYS letting them know how they can get support in their classes. Help your student take advantage of their resources!

Any student athletes who plans on playing their sport at the college level needs to register with the NCAA eligibility center. Please feel free to reach out to your counselor for assistance.

Schools in the KLAA will be offering options this year for purchasing tickets for athletic events. Belleville High School will be using GoFan exclusively (No Cash at the gate). Card Readers will be available. The concession stands are still using cash. Students under High School age MUST be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all athletic events. Thank you and Go Tigers!

From the The Belleville High School Café:

Students, to keep things timely and smoothly, please remember these tips:

1. Please be patient and do not cut in line
2. There are two lines: PIZZA and Other Entrees
3. You must get a fruit or vegetable in order for the meal to be free
4. Only one juice or milk per meal/student
5. Only one entrée per meal (additional entrees are $2.00 each)
6. Pop, chips, snacks cost money, but you can use your school account to pay
7. If you are not purchasing any extras, please go through the line that is not for buying snacks (clipboard side)

Parents & Guardians: Food Account Payments

In order to fund your child's lunch account, please follow the steps below:

1. Login to the MiStar ParentConnect Portal with your PIN and Password. Your school secretary can assist you if you need this information.

2. Click on your student's name, and you will see a variety of options on the menu at left.

3. Click on the Cafeteria link in the menu at left

4. Click on the "Online Food Service Payment" at far right.

5. Enter the amount you would like to add to your student's cafeteria account.

6. Follow the prompts to enter your payment information.

Thank you for making the first week enjoyable and check out our menu online.

https://vanburenschools.nutrislice.com/menu

An excellent educational experience is always undergirded by a safe and orderly environment. Please take the time to review the Student Handbook, which includes the BHS Student Dress Code. For a quick review of items to avoid, please click the link for COMMON DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS.

In particular, students will not be wearing:

• Hoods
  
• Crop Tops
• Ski Masks
• or any bedwear or grooming attire, including pajamas, blankets, pajama bottoms, hair scarves or durags.

Link to Student Handbook: 2023 - 2024 BHS Student Handbook

Email: ncrockett@vanburenschools.net
Website: https://www.vanburenschools.net/o/belleville-high
Location: 501 West Columbia Avenue, Belleville, MI, USA
Phone: 734.697.9133