Principal's Update

I hope you are healthy and enjoying these warmer days. I know with the increase in sunshine, the motivation to complete your work is dwindling. Stay the course! Set a schedule for yourself to complete your work before noon if you can so you can enjoy the warmer afternoons. We want you to be outside, getting some much needed recreational time, but we also need you to complete your course work to a satisfactory level. We need you to continue to focus on school work so that you will not be faced with more courses to complete next year. If you do find yourself falling behind, our Guidance department will be contacting you in regards to summer school or your fall schedule. If you are finding it difficult to complete your work due to circumstances beyond your control, it is your responsibility to communicate that to your teachers, who will ultimately decide whether you have learned enough to receive credit. Your teachers are trying to make contact with you on a daily basis, avoiding that contact will only increase your likelihood of repeating a course in the fall. So pick up the phone, send an email, or respond when someone tries to contact you. We can be successful IF we can work together, and we need you to do your part.

Remember that since your assignments have been condensed, it is very important that students reach a certain level of proficiency. We do not have an entire semester of points gathering to compile grades, instead we look for proficiency, or level of understanding. Anything below an expected level of understanding does not demonstrate enough knowledge to show proficiency to earn credit.

Are you finding that you say to yourself "I have time, I can get that done later"? And then eventually time runs out and you have nothing done? If so, you are a procrastinator, like many others in this world. Unfortunately, we procrastinators have a little monkey in our brains and we need to learn how to keep him at bay. Please watch the short video linked below to learn more about the monkey in your brain and what it is most afraid of. Let's get these courses done!

As always, stay safe, stay healthy, stay positive, and stay BUCKSTRONG!

Sincerely,

Mrs. DeMaio

If your family needs help with food...

Here are some local resources that can assist:

Redbud Area Ministries (269-695-5083) Pre-packed curbside food items are available by driving up to the RAM garage doors at 708 Redbud Trail North on T-F from 9:00-12:00. No need to call in advance.

Niles Salvation Army (269-684-2660) Food, family, housing resources

www.mi211.org or Call 211 (844-875-9211) to speak with a community advisor that can provide information & referrals for everyday needs in times of crisis. You can also talk to 211 via online chat at mi211.org or by texting your zip code to 898-211

Buchanan Little Free Pantry Boxes Misc. free food items available in two locations: 1) the city box by the Masonic Lodge parking lot between Oak St. & Main St. and 2) the yellow township box on Main St. next to the Buchanan Township Fire Department. Due to high need and turnover please be aware that the boxes can empty quickly but donations keep coming in at a quick pace.

BCS Free Student Lunch Buchanan Community Schools provides free lunches for

all students 18 years & under during closure weeks, Mon. - Fri. The menu is a lunch

pak for that day and a breakfast snack for the next day. Students do not have to be present and the to-go meal can be picked up at Buchanan High School (drive up or walkers) from 11:00–12:30 in the tennis court parking lot. In addition, BCS Food Service will also take food out to these bus stops at these designated times:

Ottawa School Bus Stop 11:00-11:25

Moccasin School Bus Stop 11:35–12:00

Victory Park Bus Stop 12:10-12:30

Stark School Bus Stop 11:15-11:40

Rynearson Apartments 11:50-12:15

Hill’s Haven 11:00-11:30

Riverside Estates 11:45-12:15

If your family can help others with food…

Please consider monetary or other donations to our local Redbud Area

Ministries at 708 Redbud Trail North. Donations of both money/non-perishable

food items can be made by driving up to RAM garage doors on T-F from

9:00-12:00 for curbside drop off service. OR

Support our Little Free Food Pantry Boxes. “Take what you need, donate what

you can” boxes are located by the Masonic Lodge between Oak St. & Main St.

AND on Main St. by the Buchanan Township Fire Department. Due to high

need and turnover the boxes can empty very quickly. All shelf stable

items appreciated but especially useful: mac & cheese, canned soups/stews,

peanut butter, jelly, rice, beans, and canned/powdered milk.

Together. Apart. Bucks Unite!

If you are a student who requested paper copies of your work you need to pick those labeled materials up from the bottom drawer of the file cabinet located in front of the high school under the overhang on the east side of the competition gym. This work is essential for students to complete the school year and earn credits. It can then be turned in when finished in the top slot of the same file cabinet.

Monday - All Math Courses

Tuesday - All ELA Courses

Wednesday - All Science Courses

Thursday - All Social Studies Courses

Friday - All Elective Courses (Art, Band, Spanish, PE & Health, Seminar, Tech, Transitions)

Ms. Southwell and Mr. Pearson will be available Monday - Friday in a virtual ASA Google Hangout from 1 p.m. until 2p.m. They will be there in real time to help with class work, a friendly chat or with any issues you may be having. Each student can access ASA by going to their personal BHS calendar and clicking on the link for that day or by contacting Ms. Southwell or Mr. Pearson directly for the link.

Our IT Helpdesk is a simple email (helpdesk@buchananschools.com) or phone call (269-695-8428) away! If you need access to the Internet to complete any of your coursework, our Tech Team has installed access points in the parking lot of our building. Students should park in the high school student parking lot and your district provided device will automatically connect to the High School hotspot. If you are using your own device, you may connect to the BCS_GUEST network at any of our four campuses. The free guest network is available to everyone and does not require a username or password. The Internet provided through this service is filtered the same as it would be if the student using were using a computer inside the building. If anyone should experience problems connecting, they may contact the Help Desk through email at helpdesk@buchananschools.com or phone at 269-695-8428.

If you need to contact the school by phone, please be sure you use Option 1 or Option 2 only. Emails are best as they can be checked more regularly from home offices.

We are in the process of updating our social media accounts.

Email: sdemaio@buchananschools.com
Website: www.buchananschools.com
Location: 401 West Chicago Street, Buchanan, MI, USA
Phone: (269) 695-8403
Twitter: @BHS_Bucks