Weekly Update

Dear BHS Parents,

BHS's 30-hour community service requirement is intended to ensure that all students experience for themselves the serendipitous and surprising benefits that come from lending a hand in our community. During this festive season the BHS Community Engagement website lists upcoming events where your student can bring a buddy, make themselves useful, learn something and have a great time in the process. Also, our "What Can I Do?" poster series shows ongoing opportunities at five local non-profits, and addresses the unique scheduling and transportation challenges faced by teens. While service is often its own reward, it's also convenient that the Young Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor recognition is available to every student in grades 9-11 who completes 50+ hours of community service in the 2022 calendar year. And of course Career Exploration activities can count for up to 10 hours of the CS requirement - see Ms. Myers to get set up for a job shadow or internship. Whatever motivates your student, we can find a community-based opportunity to match.

Best,
Troy Henninger

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – this topic can be really hard for people to talk about but it’s so important that we do–especially with teens. Often, people only associate domestic violence with physical abuse, while overlooking other red flag behaviors. Many people in unsafe relationships struggle to identify that they are in an unsafe relationship because there are usually aspects of the relationship that feel loving and supportive. Elements of emotional abuse, such as jealousy, are frequently associated with passion and love. We often see this present in adolescent relationships as they begin to navigate the confusing and complex elements of romantic partnerships.

If you are seeing your teen act in a way that is concerning with their partner, do not panic. Teens are new to romantic relationships and the feelings they are having can be overwhelming, confusing, and challenging to express. It’s likely that they need some education around understanding their feelings and how to express them in a more respectful way. If you are worried about your teens current relationship or are seeing behaviors that feel unsafe, it’s important to talk to them about it in a non-blaming and supportive way. We can use DVAM as an opportunity to talk to teenagers about the components of a healthy relationship and help them be safe and supportive partners.

Two great resources to start this conversation are the Teen Power and Control Wheel and the Equality Wheel for Teens. The Teen Power and Control Wheel shows 8 different elements that can be present in a concerning, unsafe, or abusive relationship. You can use the wheel to help your teen recognize behaviors that should not be present in their relationships. In contrast, the Equality Wheel for Teens shows 8 elements of healthy relationships. This wheel can help your teen identify what they can and should expect from a healthy relationship as well as how they can bring these elements to their relationships.

Our local domestic violence resource center is called Through These Doors. They have a 24-hour helpline that can be used by people currently in a dangerous relationship, survivors, parents, and concerned loved ones. You do not have to be in crisis to call this number–they offer emotional support, guidance, safety planning, and can help parents brainstorm ways to talk to their teen if they are concerned. Their 24-hour helpline can be reached at 1-800-537-6066.

If you are concerned about your student, and would like to speak to someone at school, please reach out to their school counselor: Mary Moore (R10, OCLC, ESOL), Diane Cook (A-F), Scott Bradley (G-N), Christina Ring (O-Z). You can also reach out to Meredith Vogel (general education social worker) or Mary Kunhardt (special education social worker).

The Counseling Office hosted a successful Financial Aid Night on October 12th with over 70 families and students from grades 9-12 in attendance. Bill Smith of ScholarFITS discussed the financial aid process-- what financial aid is and where it comes from, how eligibility is determined, what the CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile) is and how it is different from the FAFSA, and how colleges put together a financial aid package.

Below is a copy of Bill's Slide Show Presentation for those families interested.

FAFSA Completion Workshop

Sponsored by FAME (Finance Authority of Maine)

Tuesday, October 25th

Region #10 Technical Center

Multipurpose Room

68 Church Road, Brunswick

207-729-6622

5:30-6:30 FAFSA Overview

6:30-8:00 FAFSA Help - Personalized FAFSA Filing assistance from FAME and other financial aid experts

Seniors – Especially those who are applying Early Decision or Early Action to college. Please make an appointment with your counselor soon so you can pick up and review the Senior Packet.

SAT’s will be offered at BHS on Saturday, November 5. Late registration deadline for the November SAT is October 25. Follow this link to the College Board Registration site. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration. If cost is an issue, please see your counselor for a fee waiver.

Multiple Pathways for Learning - Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) can provide multiple ways for students to earn credit outside of the classroom and achieve credit toward high school graduation. Options include: Career Quest, Work Based Learning, Field Work, Educational Leadership, Community Service Learning, Virtual/Online Learning, and Extended Learning Class (ELC). Students – check with your counselor to explore options.

Early College Opportunities - The Early College Program allows students to take college courses while they are still in high school. Students can take these courses either tuition-free or at a reduced early college rate. Courses are offered through the various campuses of both the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System. To learn more about Early College opportunities visit the Early College websites: For the UMaine system, https://umaine.edu/earlycollege/ and for the Community College System, https://www.mccs.me.edu/our-programs/early-college-programs-courses/. Students – check with your counselor to explore options. Many students are also participating in dual enrollment classes at BHS or Region #10. Currently over 80 students are enrolled in a variety of these options.

Bowdoin College Mentors – We are excited to announce that we currently have 10 matches of BHS students with a Bowdoin College mentor and are open to 5-7 more. Meetings typically meet after school on Fridays for about an hour and students receive community service hours!

The Counseling Office is here to provide academic, social and emotional support to students, and to support our parents and guardians as well. Counselors schedule appointments, but students feel free to make your own appointment or stop by the Counseling Office when you have a study hall or FLEX. Parents – you are also welcome to reach out to your student’s counselor in an email or phone with any questions or concerns and to set up an in person meeting.

Counselor Mary Moore (students at Region #10/OCLC) 844-2357 7:30-3:30 email mmoore@brunswicksd.org

Counselor Diane Cook (students A-F) 844-2358 7:30-3:30 email dcook@brunswicksd.org

Counselor Scott Bradley (Students G-N) 844-2355 7:30-3:30 email sbradley@brunswicksd.org

Counselor Christina Ring (Students O-Z) 844-2353 7:30-3:30 email cring@brunswicksd.org

Dear Families,

Would you like to know what is happening daily at BHS? Please consider using all of the following options:

#1: Signup on your PowerSchool Portal to receive them via email

#2: Apple or Android App

#3: BHS Website

Please click the picture for more information

Please contact Geno Ring (gring@brunswicksd.org) for more information on vaping and how it affects our students. Thank you!

Please refer to the Brunswick School Department's Community Newsletter for the most recent COVID-19 Health and Safety Updates.

Please call our school nurse, Jennifer Strout, with any questions or concerns: 207-319-1917

Troy Henninger, Principal

Tim Gagnon, Assistant Principal

Katelin Urgese, Dean of Student Engagement

Aaron Watson, Athletic Director

Mary Moore, Guidance Director

English

If you need to translate this document or would like the help of an interpreter, send an email to dbishop@brunswicksd.org with your name, telephone number, and the language you require.

Portuguese

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Lingala

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Spanish

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French

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Arabic

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Japanese

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Lao

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Mandarin Chinese

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Tagalog

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Thai

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Vietnamese

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