Middlesex Partnership for Youth.

The pressures and challenges students face today are ever increasing. The Burlington High School Guidance staff is seeing more students requiring social/emotional guidance. We are fortunate to have a newly added staff member this year. Mary Clare Hayes, School Psychologist, will be assigned to the high school full time. This is an excellent service that will certainly add to Guidance services offered to the families of Burlington.
Mary Clare attended a conference and is very eager to share the below information with the community.

I went to a conference on bullying and cyber-bullying sponsored by the Middlesex Partnership for Youth. The keynote speaker was Rosalind Wiseman, a well-known author in this field. This little biography comes from her website: "For more than a decade, Rosalind Wiseman has been an internationally recognized expert on teen girls, relational aggression, social justice, and ethical leadership. Her books, Family Circle column, and other writings, are founded on the belief that every person has the responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity."

I'm passing along the link to her website because it is full of useful information about all kinds of topics that adolescents face. Some of her videos are responses to emails she receives from parents and teenagers.
www.rosalindwiseman.com
Enjoy!
Mary Clare Hayes
BHS School Psychologist

College Fair on Tuesday October 27, 2009

Dear Parents and Students,

On Tuesday October 27th, 2009 from 6:30 -8:30 p.m., a college fair will be held at the Shriner's Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. The Burlington High School Guidance Department co-sponsors the event with many other Middlesex League High Schools. Usually over two-hundred colleges will attend. A college fair can be a very overwhelming experience for parents and students. The National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) has developed a very helpful list of questions that you can bring to the fair. We also recommend bringing a pre-determined list of schools. Make it a priority to visit the schools on your list, then time permitting check out some other schools. Below is the most up to date list of colleges attending.
College Responses as of 10/16/09


Albertus Magnus College

American International College

Anna Maria College

Assumption College

Bay Path College

Bay State College

Becker College

Benjamin Franklin Institute

Bentley College

Berklee College of Music

Binghamton University

Bloomfield College

Boston Architectural Colllege

Boston University

Bowdoin College

Brandeis University

Bridgewater State College

Bryant University

Bunker Hill Community College

Castleton State College

Catherine Hinds Institute

Chester College of New England

City Year

Clark University

Colby-Sawyer College

College of Mount St. Vincent

College of Saint Joseph

College of the Holy Cross

Connecticut Culinary Institute

Curry College

Daniel Webster College

Dean College

Drew University

Eastern Nazarene College

Elms College

Emerson College

Emmanuel College

Endicott College

Everest Institute

Fairfield University

Fisher College

Fitchburg State College

Florida Institute of Technology

Framingham State College

Franklin Pierce University

George Washington University

Gordon College

Green Mountain College

Hair's How School of Beauty

Hamilton College

Harvard College

Hawaii Pacific University

Hesser College

High Point University

Hofstra University

Ithaca College

ITT Technical Institute

John Cabot University

Johnson State College

Johnson and Wales University

Keene State College

Lasell College

Lawrence Memorial/RC Nursing & Med. Radiography

LeMoyne College

Lesley University

Lincoln Technical Institute

Long Island University

Lyndon State College

Lynn University

Manhattan College

Manhattanville College

Marian Court College

Marietta College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Merrimack College

Middlesex Community College

Mitchell College

Mount Holyoke College

Mount Ida College

National Aviation Academy

Nazareth College

Newbury College

New England College

New England Hair Academy

New England School of Photography

Nichols College

Northeastern University

Northern Essex Community College

North Shore Community College

Northwestern University

Norwich University

Paul Smith's College

Pennsylvania State University

Personal Financial Management Plus

Pine Manor College

Plymouth State University

Polytechnic University

Providence College

Purdue University

Quinnipiac University

Randolph-Macon College

Regis College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rivier College

Roanoke College

Rochester Institute of Technology

Roger Williams University

Sacred Heart University

Saint Anselm College

Saint John's University

Saint Joseph's College - Maine

Saint Lawrence University

Saint Mary's College of Maryland

Saint Michael's College

Saint Thomas More

Salem State College

Salve Regina University

Seton Hall University

Siena College

Simmons College

Smith College

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern Vermont College

Springfield College

Stonehill College

Suffolk University

Stonybrook University

SUNY - Cobleskill

Susquehanna University

The Art Institute of Boston @ Lesley University

Thomas College

Tufts University

United States Air Force Recruiting Office

Massachusetts Air National Guard

United States Army Recruiting Station

United States Marine Recruiting Office

United States Navy Recruiting Office

Unity College

University at Albany

University of Bridgeport

University of Connecticut

University of Hartford

University of Maine-Orono

University of Maine-Farmington

University of Maine-Machias

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

University of Massachusetts - Boston

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

University of New England

University of New Hampshire

University of Rhode Island

University of Southern Maine

University of Tampa

University of Vermont

Utica College of Syracuse University

Vermont Technical College

Villanova University

Wellesley College

Wells College

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Western New England College

Westfield State College

Wheaton College

Wheelock College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester State College

Reading Scholarship Foundation

Reading Cooperative Bank

Grade Point Average ( G.P.A.)

Dear Parents and Students of the Class of 2011 and 2012.

Please be advised that student GPA’s have been updated on your Naviance account. For those that aren’t familiar with the Grade Point Average (GPA) process we have included below the process of how it is computed annually. Colleges and Universities require students to submit G.P.A (along with many other pieces of information) when applying to college (usually in fall of senior year). Please remember that when grades are reported to colleges and universities only FINAL grades are submitted from each year (with the exception of senior year). The cumulative record of final grades is called the, “transcript”. Some colleges and universities also require a Rank, which is simply the ranking of G.P.A's from highest to lowest. Rank is available for the class of 2012.

For parents of the class of 2011, 2012 and 2013 The Guidance Department will be co-hosting a very valuable planning night called “ Gearing up for College” The main presenter will be Mark Montgomery of Montgomery Educational Consulting. More information will soon be following in regard to this event.

Class Rank Computation

A student’s grade point average (GPA) will be based on student performance in all courses having a level designation and graded using the traditional A, B, C, etc. grading system. Rank in class will be a ranking of student GPAs. The GPA will be developed according to a weighted formula. Class rank will be computed annually commencing at the conclusion of sophomore year. Transfer students will not have their G.P.A. included in the class rank unless the transfer student has attended BHS for two full academic years. Furthermore, only courses completed at Burlington High will be utilized in the calculations for class rank and G.P.A.


Letter Grade                      Equivalent Percent                Definition


A+                                       97-100                                      Excellent
A                                         93-96
A-                                       90-92
B+                                       87-89                                        Above Average
B                                         83-86
B-                                        80-82
C+                                      77-79                                         Average
C                                         73-76
C-                                        70-72
D+                                       67-69                                        Below Average
D                                         63-66                                        Passing
D-                                        60-62
E                                          50-59                                        Failure (Make-Up Allowed)
F 49                                     Or Below                                 Failure (No Make Up)


Weight used in levels program to determine rank in class:
Mark         AP/Honors               College Prep I                  College Prep II


A+             4.0                               4.0                                        3.7
A               4.0                                3.7                                       3.5
A-              3.7                               3.5                                        3.3
B+              3.5                               3.3                                        3.0
B                3.3                               3.0                                        2.7
B-               3.0                               2.7                                        2.3
C+              2.7                               2.3                                        2.0
C                2.3                               2.0                                       1.7
C-               2.0                               1.7                                       1.3
D+              1.7                               1.3                                       1.0
D                1.3                               1.0                                        0.7
D-               1.0                               0.7                                        0.3
E                 0.0                               0.0                                        0.0
F                 0.0                               0.0                                        0.0

Senior College Visits

Seniors and Parents,
The Guidance Department will continue having a variety of colleges and universities come to BHS to speak with interested seniors. Below is the list of colleges and universities that will be attending BHS this month. Seniors are reminded that they MUST sign up for a visit in advance and also get teacher approval. For seniors that miss, please inform your guidance counselor so she may pick up any information that you need. Seniors can sign up through Naviance.

Bentley Mon, October 19th 8:30 a.m.
Middlesex CC Mon, October 26th 11:00 a.m.
State Univ. of New York Tues, October 27th 9:00 a.m.
University of NH Tues, October 27th 11:00 a.m.
Nichols Tues, October 27 12:30 p.m.
MCLA Wed, Oct. 28 8:00 a.m.
Fisher College Wed, Oct. 28 9:00 a.m.
St. Joseph’s College-ME Wed, Oct. 28 9:30 a.m.
Wheelock college Thursday, Oct. 29 8:00 a.m.
Sacred Heart Univ. Thursday, Oct. 29 10:30
Providence College Thursday, Oct. 29 11:15 a.m.
Western NE Friday, Oct.30 8:30 a.m.
Framingham State Friday, Oct. 30 9:45 a.m.
MCPH Friday, Oct. 30 1:00 p.m.
Westfield State Mon, Nov. 2 9:30 a.m.
Connecticut Culinary Mon, Nov. 2 11:00 a.m.
Emmanuel College Thursday, Nov.5 10:00 a.m.

Senior College Planning Night

Dear Senior Parents and Students,
A few weeks ago the BHS Guidance Department hosted a College Information Night for seniors and parents. Many topics were covered pertaining to the college search, selection and application process. The college information night will be televised Saturday October 17, 2009 at 8:30 A.M. on BCAT. You also have access to the program 24/7 through a live feed . You can access the feed by clicking here, then select education specials, then select senior college planning. Please feel free to listen to the entire presentation or just a portion.

Freshman Parent Breakfast Follow-up

A big thank you to all of the parents who turned out for our first "Breakfast with Guidance." We were happy to provide you with an overview of BHS Guidance with the hope it helped to ease the freshman transition and answer your questions.

We appreciated your positive feedback and are looking forward to keeping you apprised of changes based on your continued input.

One question that came up was about the scholarship points which can be earned over four years and submitted as part of senior scholarship applications. Scholarship points are part of the Adopt-a-Class program which is part of the Burlington Community Scholarship Foundation. Students can begin to earn these points during their freshman year, and events are well publicized throughout the building on flyers and on the daily announcements.  The advisor to Adopt a Class, for all grades, is Mr. Sheldon Bishov.

Please check out this link from the Burlington Community Scholarship Program which explains Adopt-a-Class in detail.     http://www.burlington.org/BCSFAdopt.htm

If you have any further questions about the program, please contact Mr. Bishov at the high school.

Another question that came about was in regard to being able to comment on blog posts. We think we fixed that problem, so please feel free to submit a comment and let us know for sure!

Again, thank you for your continued engagement in the goings-on at Burlington High. We look forward to working with your children and with you for the next four years.

New and Improved Naviance!

If you log on to your Naviance account, you will notice that everything is in a new format. Naviance has made the site much more user-friendly and clear. For example, new emails and college visit alerts are much more obvious, and college search information is much more streamlined.

We know this is a change for the seniors, but since Naviance is implementing the new format regardless, the counselors agreed that it was best to go with the new format immediately in order to give seniors plenty of time to become familiar with it. Don't worry. All student data, including college lists, test scores, GPAs, etc. was successfully transferred.

Please use this as an opportunity to log on to your account and update it. Remember your guidance counselors can answer any questions about the new format.

The web address again is http://connection.naviance.com/burlington

(Freshmen, you will be given Naviance accounts during an assembly later on in the year.)

Log on and tell us what you think!