Financial Aid Events at Burlington High School

Burlington High School will be hosting two upcoming financial aid events. We highly recommend Burlington High School senior parents attend. Since both events are in January we felt it was important to remind parents before the December vacation. Please be sure to check out the side bar on the Guidance Blog for links to more specific information in regard to financial aid and scholarship information. Below are descriptions of each event:

Event: M.E.F.A. (Massachusetts Educational Financial Authority) Financial Aid Seminar
Date: Thursday January 9, 2014
Location: Burlington High School
Description: This seminar covers the financial aid process in detail. A Financial Aid Advisor will be the presenter beginning at 7:00 P.M. in the BHS auditorium.
We recommend Senior AND Junior parents attend this event. 

Event: FAFSA DAY 2014- http://www.fafsaday.org/
Date: Sunday January 26, 2014 1 :00 P.M.
Location: Burlington High School
Description: This is a non-profit volunteer driven effort across the state. Parents and students will receive:

• Free assistance completing the FASA

• Access to experienced financial aid administrators, and FAFSA experts, available to answer FAFSA questions.

• Guidance on the financial aid process and next steps after filing the FASA.

Parents MUST register at http://www.fafsaday.org/. Although computer labs are available, it is highly recommend that parents bring a laptop that day. Also if any parents are interested in volunteering as a Support Volunteer (registration tables, setup, cleanup, etc)  please feel free to register at http://www.fafsaday.org/volunteer.php

College Snapshots

In an effort to provide the Burlington High School students and their families with relevant and up-to-date college information, the Guidance Staff will be visiting various colleges and universities and providing you with information. We plan to post numerous colleges or universities throughout the school year.The colleges visited do not represent a preference on the part of the BHS Guidance Department towards any particular school.

In the college search process many things are taken into consideration. Things that are considered, but not limited to are: Campus size, location, student population, majors, tuition prices, distance from home, athletic programs, clubs and activities. When considering a college students must also make realistic decisions based on personal interest, grades, test scores, etc.

The department feels that the college visit is an integral part of the process. The information we provide is only a small snapshot into each respective college. We hope to add information about other schools in the future and as always we appreciate any feedback that you have that would help us provide our students and their family’s useful information in the sometimes overwhelming college search process.

Furthermore, we ask that you also research colleges by using your Naviance account and scheduling to meet with your counselor on a consistent basis. Please feel free to contact your son or daughters respective counselor if you have any further questions.

Please click here for the Blog called " College Snapshots"

PSAT Results to be mailed home

PSAT score reports will be mailed home to parents on Monday December 9, 2013 to Sophomores and Juniors that participated in the exam on October 16, 2013. The PSAT/NMSQT exam is a measure of three key areas: critical reading, mathematics problem solving and writing skills. The exam prepares students for the same types of questions on the SAT exam. In addition, juniors who achieve high PSAT/NMSQT scores may qualify for National Merit competition and corporate scholarships.

The PSAT score report is very parent/student friendly. Parents/students should take notice of the section at the bottom of the score report called "Improve your skills”. This section gives specific data based on the student’s individual PSAT exam. All Sophomores and Juniors will have an assembly on January 13^th in which the BHS Guidance Department will give an overview on interpreting and using these results. Also the BHS Guidance Department will host a "PSAT Results" breakfast on January 29th at 8:30AM

For the past ten years roughly 90 % of BHS seniors take the SAT exam. The Guidance Department strongly recommends that juniors take the exam in either March, May or June. SAT registration information can be accessed through collegeboard.org

The KAPLAN program offers SAT/ACT test prep courses at Burlington High School. Burlington juniors receive a subsidized rate of $249.00. Please click here to see the KAPLAN schedule and enrollment instructions. We recommend that BHS Juniors take advantage of either the free SAT practice teston Saturday January 25, 2014 at 9 AM or the free ACT Practice Test on SaturdayFebruary 8, 2014, both practice tests are offered at BHS. Please register by calling 1-800-KAP-TEST.

* In addition, Kaplan offers Free on-line PSAT, SAT and ACT test prep using the below access codes effective January 1. Go to http://www.kaptest.com/College/SAT/sat-prep-courses.html and select On Demand (regularly $699). The codes beginning January 1, 2014 will be:

KAS2014SAT (This is for practice SAT)

KAS2014ACT (This is for practice ACT)

Sophomore Parent Breakfast

The Guidance Department at Burlington High School will be hosting a Sophomore Parent Breakfast on Wednesday November 13, 2013, from 8:30-9:30 AM in the BHS Guidance College and Career Center. The purpose of this breakfast is to give parents of sophomore students the opportunity to have an open dialogue with all members of the guidance staff. The BHS Guidance Department has a variety of resources available for parents and students, and many topics will be covered that are relevant to sophomores, such as the MCAS, PSATs, career and college exploration, utilizing the Naviance program, and academic planning. Please join us for this informative event. We look forward to seeing you! Please RSVP at by calling 781-270-1780.

Day 8 for Class of 2016

Members of Class of 2016:

The Guidance Department would like to make sure your Naviance account is activated and you are able to access it. You can access your Naviance account by clicking here. 

Guidance will stop by your homeroom for any assistance you may need during period 8.

Dual Enrollment Info. Session on 10/30/13 at 6:30

Please join representatives from Middlesex Community College and Burlington High School on Wednesday, October 30, at 6:30 pm in the Burlington High School cafeteria to learn more about the BHS dual enrollment program.  Burlington High School currently offers 2 dual enrollment courses, Honors Calculus and Honors Portfolio/Advanced Art. This session will give a brief overview of the program and allow parents and/or students the chance to ask any specific questions.

We highly recommend that any student that is currently enrolled OR plans to enroll in Honors Calculus or Honors Portfolio/Advanced to attend this session. 

College Fair Reminder On Tuesday October 22nd, 2013 from 6:30 -8:30 p.m

On Tuesday October 22nd, 2013 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 150 colleges 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 tips.  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. Please click here to view a list of college and universities attending.

Senior Parent Breakfast

On Wednesday October 23rd  at 8 30 A.M. in the Burlington High School College and Career Center the Guidance Department will host a breakfast for senior parents. The purpose of this breakfast is so the counseling staff can give a very brief overview of the college application process, but our hope is to spend most of the time answering any questions or concerns from parents about the college process. Please join us for this informative event. We look forward to seeing you on October 23rd at 8:30 AM. Please RSVP at 781-270-1780.

New Frontier for the BHS Guidance Department

As in years past the BHS Guidance staff puts a tremendous amount of focus on incoming freshman. As an incoming 9^th  grader many challenges in the transition to high school can occur. Freshman deal with new challenges such as: new school, new teachers, more freedom and responsibility, etc. The Guidance staff makes every effort to be in tune with this process and to serve as a resource.

Each year Guidance Counselors meet with freshman students in small groups within the first month of school. We call students to the Guidance Office and introduce ourselves and make them aware of the many resources available to them. Although we have found this process useful, we also feel it is not enough. In fact, what we have learned from our freshman over the past two years is that they prefer to hear about graduation requirements, academic expectations, how to go about making a level change, etc.

Last year Guidance staff members met with the Burlington High School Health teachers. Our purpose was to discuss how the Guidance Department can integrate Guidance Curriculum in the classroom. After much discussion and planning, we developed guidance related topics that we felt was most applicable to freshman students. That theme was around understanding graduation requirements and knowing how to take steps when academic intervention is required.

With this topic two Guidance staff members, Ms. Diozzi and Ms. Minty, worked over the summer to develop a lesson plan. During summer professional development the Guidance Department reviewed and finalized the lesson. We are happy to say we saw all this planning come to life in freshman health classes last week. We crossed the line as Guidance Counselor to classroom teacher. As a department we are very happy to be seen in the classroom setting and hope that the freshman class found our lesson useful. Moving forward our hope is to improve and expand the classroom model and teach a lesson at each grade level.

Senior College Planning Night on BCAT

For senior parents that missed College Planning Night hosted by the BHS Guidance Department please tune it to BCAT. College Planning Night will be televised Wednesday (10/9) through Friday (10/11) at 4:00PM and this Saturday ( 10/12 ) and Sunday (10/13) at 11:30 AM. If you would prefer to view this event at another time feel free to watch the streaming video recording at http://www.bcattv.org/programming/video-on-demand/. Once on this page you can click on "Education", then "College Planning Night".

College Fair on 10/22

On Tuesday October 22nd, 2013 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 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 tips.  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. We will post a list of colleges and universities attending within the next few weeks.

Architecture/ Design College Fair | Boston | Oct. 26

Architecture/ Design College Fair | Boston | Oct. 26

College Planning Night

Senior College Planning Night was well attended with roughly 100 parents. Many aspects of the college planning and application process were covered. For parents that missed the event, BCAT will be streaming the event within the next few weeks. College informational packets were distributed as well. If you would like to pick up a packet please feel free to stop by the Guidance Office.

Also for parents that missed the event last night we will hold our annual "College Topics for Parents of Seniors" breakfast on October 23rd at 8:30 AM in the BHS Guidance College and Career Center. This informative event will cover the various topics relating to the college selection and application process for parents of Burlington High School seniors.

In terms of financial aid, two very important forms were mentioned last night. The FAFSA and the CSS profile. We encourage parents to investigate both applications ASAP. Please remember that the BHS Guidance Department will host a Financial Aid Night on Thursday January 9, 2014 and BHS will be a location this year for FAFSA Day on January 26th.

Freshman Parent Breakfast

The Burlington High School Guidance Department will be hosting a breakfast for all parents of freshman students on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 in  the BHS Guidance College and Career Center from 8:30 to 9:45 am. The Guidance Department at BHS has recognized that it often takes a full year for students and parents to understand and access the numerous programs, resources, and committed staff we have at Burlington High School. Our goal is to expedite this process for you by discussing topics important for the transition to high school. Please join The Guidance Department for this informative and open dialogue. Please RSVP by calling 781-270-1780.

College Planning Night on 9/26/2013

Senior Parents and Seniors are reminded that College Planning Night will be held on Thursday September 26th, 2013 at 6:30 in the Burlington High School Auditorium. The evening will cover a variety of topics in regard to the college selection and application process. The entire guidance staff will be at this event and we look forward to seeing you.

If you cannot make the event, it will be televised on BCAT. The showtimes will be posted soon.

Free PSAT or SAT at BHS on 9/21

Burlington High School students can take either a free SAT or PSAT test at BHS on Saturday 9/21 beginning at 9AM. In order to take the free test students MUST register (registration information below). We strongly recommend students in grades 9 and 10 and 11 consider taking the practice PSAT. BHS will offer the full PSAT exam on Wednesday October 16, 2013.

Seniors that want 1 more chance to take a free practice test OR a senior that has NEVER taken an SAT exam should strongly consider registering for this free opportunity. The SAT exam will be offered at BHS on 10/5, 11/2 and 12/7.

In order to register please call 1-800-KAP-TEST. 

BHS Guidance Schedule of Events

The Guidance Department is happy to announce a full schedule of BHS Guidance Events for the 2013/2014 school year ( links can be found on the right hand side of this blog). In addition to ALL the BHS Guidance Events, we have the schedule for the Guidance Parent Breakfast Series. Based on parental feedback the Guidance Department has identified a variety of topics to cover throughout the school year for any interested parent.

FALL KAPLAN COURSE

Once again KAPLAN will be offering SAT test prep courses this fall for BHS seniors. Information will be mailed out next week, but we wanted to post the schedule for students/parents that wanted to get an early jump on test prep. registration. Registration must be completed as soon as possible. Burlington students only pay $249, which is a reduced price. To register please call 1-800-KAP-TEST. 

Also Kaplan will be offering a FREE practice test on Saturday September 21st at BHS beginning at 9AM. Students must register by calling 1-800-KAP-TEST

In addition, Kaplan offers Free on-line PSAT, SAT and ACT test prep using the access codes. You can find the access codes by clicking here. 

Go to kaplanatschool.com/burlington and enter:

Code KAS2013SAT for SAT Prep
Code KAS2013 ACT for ACT Prep
Code  KAS2013 PSAT for PSAT Prep

Still available spots for Juniors and Seniors to take a Bay Path College Course.

As many know we share a campus with Bay Path College. Bay Path is offering a business course called “Dynamics of Management” available to juniors and seniors.  Students can take one less course during the school day and receive college credit. We have been offering this course for the past three years and the huge benefit  is students graduate with 5 BHS credits and 3 Bay Path College credits. Click here for an application. Below are some specifics about the course:

COURSE:  BUS 235-10 --- DYNAMICS OF MANAGEMENT – 3 credits        

Instructor:  Jane Nabokin

Location:  BHS – Room 137

Saturdays 8:00 am – 12:30 pm (8 Saturday Sessions); September 21, 2013 – December 14, 2013 (No class on 10/5, 10/26, 11/2, 11/30 and 12/7)

This course is an introduction to the basic functions and theories of management in the context of a dynamic environment.  Emphasis is on the role of managers in making organizations effective and efficient, in part through developing an understanding of how to assess and capitalize on the changing internal and external environment.  Case studies and exercises will be utilized.

Schedule Update

We are so excited to inform students of some outstanding opportunities available at Burlington High School for the 2013/2014 school year. Each summer the Guidance Department meets with many students in order to choose available alternate elective courses. Over the years we have been limited to what is listed in our program of studies. However, for the 2013-2014 school year, we have some new and exciting opportunities as part of the course offerings that students need to be aware of. We believe students and parents should strongly consider some of these options. Below are the highlights and details for each unique option.

As many know we share a campus with Bay Path College. Bay Path is offering a business course called “Dynamics of Management” available to juniors and seniors. Students can take one less course during the school day and receive college credit. We have been offering this course for the past three years and the benefit here is students leave BHS with 3 college credits. Click here for an application.

Lastly, for juniors and seniors, many students take advantage of the VHS program. The VHS (Virtual High School) Program offers many unique and interesting courses NOT offered at BHS. We have had students take courses such as AP Psychology, criminology, contemporary Irish literature, screenwriting and forensic science. In order to take VHS course students should complete an VHS application by clicking here.

All applications must be delivered to the BHS Guidance Department in person.

2013 2014 Schedules

Schedules are in the mail (mailed on 6/26). Please remember that all students must carry six academic courses each semester plus physical education and/or health. The one exception to this is if a junior or senior is enrolled in two or more AP courses.

Also if there is an error or omission in the schedule you need to make arrangements to correct the problem. If your schedule reads “Please Schedule an Appointment with Guidance” then your schedule is invalid and it is imperative that you call to schedule an appointment. There are several options available:

Beginning Monday July 8th and continuing through July 25th, then again August 12^th to August 22^nd  , Mr. Joseph Attubato, Support Services Coordinator, and several Guidance Counselors will be available (by appointment only) Mondays through Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Please call Mrs. Patty Lewis at 781-270-1780 beginning on June 24^th to schedule an appointment.  The office will be closed beginning June 28^th and re-open on July 8^th.

Guidance Counselors will be available during the week of August 19^th through August 22^nd  from 8 A.M. to 12 Noon. During this week, students will be helped on a first come first serve basis.

You are encouraged to correct any problems in your course schedule as early as possible. Doing so will ensure a smooth opening of school for you. If you were not enrolled in your first choice elective course please call the guidance office to be added to a wait-list. Also, please be advised that specific teacher requests cannot be honored.

Annual Advice for the Eighth Grade

Each year the BHS counselors visit Marshall Simonds to introduce themselves to the eighth grade.  Last year, we started asking the current ninth graders for advice they'd give to incoming students.  Here is some of what they've recommended:

Advice from the class of 2016 to the class of 2017:

Get involved and don't be afraid to try new things.

Try your hardest in class because it really does matter.

Play sports or get involved and you'll make a ton of new friends.

Be prepared to work hard.

Don't procrastinate.

Really put your focus on academics first and sports second.

Join clubs & sports.

Be confident!

Finding people who share common interests really helps.

The high school is not as confusing as it looks.

Always do your homework.

Do not use your iPad for social reasons. Don't let them distract you. They're actually really good for school if you use them right.

Don't spread yourself too thin.

Don't let the freedom go to your head.

Be open to making new friends.

Study!!

Get a lot of sleep.

*************

We look forward to welcoming next year's students to BHS in the fall!

Dual Enrollment at BHS

BHS is in its 3^rd year of offering Dual Enrollment courses with Middlesex Community College. These courses are offered during the school day. Many students and parents have questions about the process and program. Below are some common questions:

1. What is Dual Enrollment?  Dual enrollment is when a high school student not only receives high school credit, but college credit as well.

2. What Dual Enrollment courses does BHS currently offer? BHS offers Honors Calculus and Honors Portfolio Advanced Art as dual enrollment courses. These courses are listed as MAT 270Calculus I and ART 191 Independent Study: Portfolio on the Middlesex Community College transcript.

3. Who teaches these courses? The teachers teaching these courses are not only considered BHS teachers, but adjunct professors at Middlesex Community College.

4. How do students qualify for dual enrollment? For the calculus course, students are required to take the math ACCUPLACER placement exam and a precalculus challenge exam. If students meet qualifying scores they have the option to earn dual enrollment credit. For the art portfolio course, students are required to take the ACCUPLACER ELA exam

5. What is the ACCUPLACER test? ACCUPLACER is a suite of tests that determines your knowledge in math, reading or writing as you prepare to enroll in college-level courses. ACCUPLACER is used to identify your strengths and weaknesses in each subject area. The results of the assessment, in conjunction with your academic background, goals and interests, are used by academic advisors and counselors to place you in the appropriate college courses that meet your skill level.

6. Why are all students taking ACCUPLACER if they are not required to take the course? All dual enrollment students must take the ACCUPLACER placement test. By requiring students to take the test now makes things much easier next year in the event they would like to receive the credit next spring. Secondly, taking the ACCUPLACER provides the teacher with some very good curricular information before the start of the course and even allows the teacher to adjust the curriculum and/or have a better understanding about where to focus.

7. Are test scores released to any 3^rd party? Test scores are not released to any 3^rd party and are only used for placement purposes.

8. Are students required to take either course as dual enrollment? No, since students are required to pay a reduced fee for college credit, they do NOT have to participate in dual enrollment.

9. Are students guaranteed to be part of the Dual Enrollment Program once they register for the class with BHS? No, students must meet qualifying scores first in order to be considered for dual enrollment. After meeting the qualifying scores students are then required to complete an application.

10. What colleges or Universities accept Middlesex Community College credit? Both dual enrollment courses meet the requirements of the MassTransfer Block, which is a portable block of general education courses. While it is up to the receiving institution to determine if the course qualifies for course credit, we are focused on offering dual enrollment courses that are commonly transferable. For more information on the MassTransfer Block visit http://www.mass.edu/masstransfer/students/TransferBlock.asp.

11. How will my Dual Enrollement course be reported to any colleges that I apply to? This course will read (on the BHS transcript, reports card, etc.) that the student is enrolled in an Honors Calculus or Honors Portfolio Art course. In order for your dual enrollment course to be transferred to a college or university, you must request to have official Middlesex transcripts mailed to each of your respective colleges that you’ve applied to. This request is made through the Middlesex Community College website or Student Information Center.

College Topics For The Summer

The Guidance Department will host a breakfast called “College Topics For The Summer”. The purpose of this breakfast is so the counseling staff can give a very brief overview of important tasks associated with the college selection and application process. Although this event is geared for parents of juniors, ALL parents are welcome to attend. Please join us for this informative event. We look forward to seeing you on June 12th at 8:30 AM in the Guidance College and Career Center. We ask that parents RSVP at 781-270-1780. 

KAPLAN Test Prep

Once again KAPLAN will be offering SAT test prep courses this summer and fall to BHS students. Information will be mailed out next week, but we wanted to post the schedule for students/parents that wanted to get an early jump on test prep. registration. Registration must be completed as soon as possible. Burlington students only pay $249, which is a reduced price. To register please call 1-800-KAP-TEST.

In addition, Kaplan offers Free on-line PSAT, SAT and ACT test prep using the access codes. You can find the access codes by clicking here. 

Go to kaplanatschool.com/burlington and enter:

Code KAS2013SAT for SAT Prep
Code KAS2013 ACT for ACT Prep
Code  KAS2013 PSAT for PSAT Prep

The above codes should be entered on the Payment & Confirmation page when you check out online.

Financial Aid Seminar to be held next Thursday May 16th

Freshman, Sophomore and Junior parents are encouraged to attend a financial aid seminar that will be held on Thursday May 16, 2013. The night will commence at 7:00 in the BHS auditorium. The organization sponsoring the workshop is the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority . The presenter will be Carla Berg, Senior Associate Director at Bentley University. The BHS Guidance department highly recommends parents attend this session. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact the Guidance Office. Although the presentation is designed for Junior parents, all BHS parents are welcome to attend.

College Fair to be held at Arlington High School

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 -AHS SPRING COLLEGE FAIR - This event will be held in the TOZ (Red) Gym from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Each year, approximately 120 colleges from across the country take part in the AHS College Fair.  Many of the college representatives who attend the fair are the same as those who make the admissions decisions for our geographic area.  This is a great opportunity to meet the representatives face-to-face, to ask questions about a particular college major, and to inquire about general admissions requirements. While the College Fair is open to all high school students and their parents, junior year students are strongly encouraged to attend. Please click below for directions and a list of colleges attending the fair. 

Direction to Arlington High School

Colleges Attending the College Fair

Guidance Breakfast on April 10th

The BHS Guidance Department cordially invites parents of underclassmen ( grades 9, 10 and 11) to join us for the next Guidance Breakfast. The topic will be about "Standardized Testing".  Our hope to provide parents with a better understanding of standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT and PSAT.  The breakfast will be held in the BHS Guidance College and Career Center at 8:30am on Wednesday April 10^th, 2013. Please RSVP by calling 781-270-1780. We look forward to seeing you!

Burlington Scholarship Breakfast

The BHS Guidance Department cordially invites parents to join us for the next Guidance Breakfast called the"Burlington Scholarship Program Breakfast". The breakfast will be held in the BHS Guidance College and Career Center at 8:30AM on Wednesday March 13, 2013.   This breakfast is designed for the parents of seniors and will briefly cover the scholarship application process, but will serve as more of a question and answer session. Please RSVP by calling 781-270-1780. We look forward to seeing you

PLAN Test at BHS is still on for Saturday March 9th

This is a reminder for freshman and sophomore that registered to take the PLAN test on Saturday, March 9^th. They should plan to arrive at the high school no later than 7:45 that morning and their room location will be posted in the main entrance of the school (near the statue). Testing is expected to finish between 11:30 and 12:00. Students should bring with them a #2 pencil, a calculator, and a student ID. We are glad you chose to take advantage of this opportunity for practice on the ACT. 

Course Selection Process Breakfast

The BHS Guidance Department cordially invites parents to join us for the next  Guidance Breakfast.  The topic will be about the "Course Selection Process". The breakfast will be held in the BHS Guidance College and Career Center at 8:30AM on Wednesday February 13, 2013. Please RSVP by calling 781-270-1780. We look forward to seeing you!

College and Academic Planning Night

College and Academic Planning Night was well attended with roughly 100 parents. Many aspects of academic planning, college planning and the college application process were covered. For parents that missed the event, BCAT will be streaming the event within the next few weeks. Below you will find the power point presentation that was given last night. College informational packets were distributed as well. If you would like to pick up a packet please feel free to stop by the Guidance Office.

Sophmore/Junior Academic Planning Night

Sophomore and junior parents and students are reminded that the “College and Academic Planning Night” will be held this Thursday, February 7, 2013 (snow date will be February 14, 2013). The evening will commence at 6:30 PM in the Burlington High School Auditorium. Members of the Guidance Department will cover a variety of topics in regard to academic and college planning. Although the presentation is geared for sophomore and junior parents and students, anyone is welcome to attend this event. If you cannot make the event it will be televised on BCAT. The times will be posted at a later date.

Course Selection Process

The course selection process for the school year 2012-2013 for the class of 2014, 2015, 2016 will commence on February 5th, 2013. The sequence of events is as follows:

Tuesday February 5, 2013

Materials will be distributed to each class: Juniors period 2, sophomores period 3 and freshmen period 4.  At this time, counselors will spend time discussing requirements, prerequisites, levels, credits, etc. with each class.

Monday February 11^th , 2013 to March 5, 2013

·        Students will review materials, visit on-line program of studies and discuss with their parents.

·        Teachers spend time in each of their classes discussing course selection with their students. 

·        Teachers must identify course prerequisites for their students.

·        Parents will review student selections as well as teacher recommendations. 

March 4, 2013 Period 4

An assembly will be held and students will be given registration information for requesting courses on Aspen, the Burlington Student Information System. 

March 6, 2013- March 14, 2013

Student window is open for course requests

March 6, 2013- March 14, 2013

Counselors will be available in the lower library to meet with students. Students can report to the lower library during study period.

March 14, 2013

The student window will close for student requests

PLAN Test Registration Deadline

The PLAN, a practice test for the ACTs, will be offered to any interested freshmen or sophomores on Saturday March 9 at Burlington High School. This test is recommended for anyone who is interested in taking the ACTs as a junior or senior or who is interested in figuring out whether they prefer the ACTs or the SATs. Since the test covers Geometry and Algebra I, it is recommended that students be enrolled in Geometry or a higher math class at the time they take this test. The ACT is a college entrance examination that is an alternative to the SAT and is growing in popularity among Burlington High School students. Please visit www.actstudent.org for more detailed PLAN information. All parents of freshmen or sophomores will be sent a registration form in the mail this week. In order to register for the PLAN your son/daughter must complete the registration form and submit it with a $30.00 fee to the Guidance Secretary.  Each student will receive a packet on test content and sample questions when they register.  The regular registration period ends Friday, February 1^st at the close of school. We hope you will consider taking advantage of this opportunity. 

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION FORM

Naviance Introduced to Freshman

The Naviance Program is a college and career software program that was introduced to all grade 9 students on Monday 1/28/2013. This software program is critical to the BHS Guidance Developmental Model. Not only can students conduct college and career research, they can track graduation requirements, complete a personality assessment to identify possible careers, complete a four year plan, find out information about volunteer work, and connect with their guidance counselor via e-mail.

As part of the first step of using the Naviance program we are requiring ALL freshmen to complete the “BHS Class of 2016- Freshman Survey” which can be accessed using the Naviance program. The Guidance Department asks parents to encourage their son or daughter to complete the registration and survey ASAP. Again the name of the survey is  the “BHS Class of 2016- Freshman Survey”  and can be found under the “about me” tab on your son or daughters Naviance Homepage. The information gathered will help the BHS Guidance Department gain valuable information and help us improve our Guidance service

Understanding PSAT Results Breakfast on Wednesday January 30th

The Guidance Department at Burlington High School and KAPLAN test Prep will host an “Understanding PSAT Results Breakfast” on Wednesday January 30th, beginning at 8:30 A.M. The event will be held in the Guidance College and Career Center (room 106). The purpose of this breakfast is to give parents of students who took the PSAT on October 17^th the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on how to interpret, understand and use the PSAT results.   Attending this breakfast is also open to any other interested parent. Please join us for this informative event on January 30^th. All parents are required to RSVP at 781-270-1780. We look forward to seeing you there.

BHS Program of Studies

The BHS Program of Studies is now available on-line. You will notice a link on the right hand side of this blog titled “2013/2014 BHS Program of Studies PDF Version”. We also included a link to the Burlington High School Academic Chart and VHS Guidelines and VHS application. Next Tuesday, February 5^th , students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will meet with their respective Guidance Counselor and will be given an overview of the program and the course selection process.   

FAFSA DAY 2013

Event: FAFSA DAY 2013- http://www.fafsaday.org/
Date: Sunday January 27, 2013 1 :00 P.M.
Description: This is a non-profit volunteer driven effort across the state. This is the second time that Burlington High School will host this event. Parents and students will receive:

• Free assistance completing the FASA

• Access to experienced financial aid administrators, and FAFSA experts, available to answer FAFSA questions.

• Guidance on the financial aid process and next steps after filing the FASA.

Parents MUST register at http://www.fafsaday.org/. Although computer labs are available, it is highly recommend that parents bring a laptop that day. Also if any parents are interested in volunteering as a Support Volunteer (registration tables, setup, cleanup, etc)  please feel free to register at http://www.fafsaday.org/volunteer.php

Free SAT/ACT Practice Test

BHS Juniors are reminded of the Free SAT/ACT Practice Test opportunity offered at BHS on February 2nd at 9AM. This test is designed to offer students sample questions from each exam (SAT and ACT). Students can use the score reports to determine which test may be more beneficial to take in the spring of junior year.   

Students can register online.

1. Go to www.kaplanatschool.com

2. Where is says READY TO ENROLL enter SKKA3013 and hit search

3. Click on the Green Enroll Button and enter student information

PLAN Test at Burlington High School

The PLAN, a practice test for the ACTs, will be offered to any interested freshmen or sophomores on Saturday March 9 at Burlington High School. This test is recommended for anyone who is interested in taking the ACTs as a junior or senior or who is interested in figuring out whether they prefer the ACTs or the SATs. Since the test covers Geometry and Algebra I, it is recommended that students be enrolled in Geometry or a higher math class at the time they take this test. The ACT is a college entrance examination that is an alternative to the SAT and is growing in popularity among Burlington High School students. Please visit www.actstudent.org for more detailed PLAN information. All parents of freshmen or sophomores will be sent a registration form in the mail this week. In order to register for the PLAN your son/daughter must complete the registration form and submit it with a $30.00 fee to the Guidance Secretary.  Each student will receive a packet on test content and sample questions when they register.  The regular registration period ends Friday, February 1^st at the close of school. We hope you will consider taking advantage of this opportunity.