Homecoming	September 18th - 23rd
Good to Great Activate	September 24th
Wisconsin Education Fair	September 26th
Career Tech Fair	September 26th
Parent-Teacher Conferences (5:00-7:00 PM)	September 28th
Youth Option Applications Due	October 2nd
Mental Health Week	October 2nd - 6th
NO SCHOOL- Staff PD	October 13th
Fall Choir Concert (7:00 PM)	October 16th
BMJE/BMHO @ GAP (7:00 PM)	October 16th
Key Club Scoopie Night @ Culvers (4:00-8:00 PM)	October 16th
Picture Retake/Activity Group Pictures	October20th
Haunted Harmonies (2:00 PM)	October 22nd
Band Concert (7:00 PM)	October 22nd
Fall Orch Concert (7:00 PM)	October 23rd
PSAT Testing	October 25th

Here are a few reminders:

School attendance is shown to be a determiner of school success for students. Students who attend school everyday and are on time achieve academics at higher rates than non-school attenders OR chronically late students.  At BMHS we promote regular and 'on time' school attendance as creating good habits for a student's future success in high school AND post-secondary choices.

You can report attendance in one of the following ways:

1. Phone 608.361.3405
2. Email: memorialattendance@sdb.k12.wi.us
3. Send a signed note with the student's name, date and reason for absent along with a phone number to contact you with questions

Visit our Homecoming Website for Homecoming Information!

 

It is time to break out your pom poms and show your school spirit for Homecoming week: Hollywood Knights! Kicking off Homecoming week students will dress their best for the Coronation Ceremony where the 2017 Homecoming Court will be introduced.

Friday we break out our purple and show our pride and spirit at the pep assembly followed by the Homecoming Parade.  At 7:00 PM join us at Jacobson Field as our Knights take on Janesville Craig. Homecoming will conclude on Saturday with a dance from 7:00-11:00 PM.

Daily Activities for September 18-23, 2017
Monday: Dress Your Best

Tuesday: Red, White and Blue Day

Wednesday: Class Color Day

• Freshmen: Red
• Sophomores: Blue
• Juniors: GreenPink
• Seniors: Black
• Staff: Wear you Alumni Shirt or Colors 

Saturday: Homecoming Dance (7:00-11:00 PM)

After School Activites
Monday: Trivia Challenge

Tuesday: Scavenger Hunt

Wednesday: Powder Puff

Thursday: Staff vs Student Game

Friday: Pep Assembly/Football Game

 

The first BMHS Choir concert of the year will be Monday, October 16th at 7:00 PM in the BMHS Auditorium. For more information, please contact Mr. Westphal at 608.361.3036

The BMHS Orchestra will start off the Fall Season with their first concert to be held on Monday, October 23rd  at 7:00 PM in the BMHS Auditorium.

 The BMHS Band will present Haunted Harmonies on Sunday, October 22nd at 2:00 PM in the BMHS Auditorium. At 7:00 they will host their first band concert in the BMHS Auditorium.

 

Youth Options

Juniors & Seniors - Are you interested in getting a head start on a technical certificate or associate or bachelors degree? If yes, Youth Options applications are available in the Counseling Office. College courses are offered at BMHS such as Public Speaking, Medical Technology, Fire Behavior & Combustion and Introduction to Corrections. Other courses are available off campus as well.   The Youth Options Program is available for BMHS students to take post-secondary courses at a UW College, Wisconsin Technical School, or a participating state private college.  The School District of Beloit covers the cost for students to take college courses not offered at the high school. For more information or to sign up, please contact Mrs. Snow, School Counselor at 608.361.3028 or  asnow@sdb.k12.wi.us  .

Seniors, are you planning to attend a four year college? Do you need to take the ACT or wish to improve your score? Now is the time to register. Retaking the ACT to improve your score will increase your opportunity for scholarship consideration and college admission. To register, you need to create your account at   www.actstudent.org Students receiving free/reduced lunch qualify for a test fee waiver. Below are the test dates given at BMHS.

SAT

If you are planning to take the SAT you can go to www.satcollegeboard.com to register. Below are the test dates given at BMHS.

Test Date	Registration Deadline
November 4th	October 5th
May 5th	April 6th

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

How do I find scholarships?

• Some scholarships are available by application only and are available in the School Counseling Office or by email notification on an ongoing basis. Please have your student check weekly for any new scholarships that we have received.
• Some scholarship applications are on file in the School Counseling Office. These scholarships are available through individuals, groups and organizations.
• Some scholarships have criteria that will be listed for who can apply for it.
• Some scholarships are only available through the college your student applies to and are offered directly through the college.
• Some scholarships are available through a parent's employer. 
• Websites that are available for scholarship searches include:
  
  www.finaid.org  or www.fastweb.com
• The app  "Scholly" is available on Android and iPhone and will help you identify scholarships specific to your search.
• In November senior students may apply for scholarship through the Stateline Community Foundation.  This foundation has approximately 40 local scholarships available. Students fill out a one time application, but may apply for as many scholarships that they meet the criteria for. You can find these scholarships at statelinecf.org. 
• Many scholarships ask for a personal essay or an essay how the funds would be helpful to the student. Now is the time to prepare those essays.

KEY CLUB SCOOPIE NIGHT AT CULVERS!

Join us and support this philanthropic group!

WISCONSIN GLOBAL SCHOLAR AWARD

Beloit Memorial High School is proud to offer students the opportunity to graduate with the prestigious Global Education Achievement Certificate (GEAC) in addition to a high school diploma starting this year. Students in grades 9-12 can start working on this process by contacting Ms. Horvath in room D316 at BMHS. This certificate is awarded to students who have studied four credits of a second language and have gained a global perspective through studying and actively participating in our community.

For more information please see the website https://www.globalwisconsin.org/the-policy  

Overview of  requirements to receive the GEAC / Wisconsin Global Scholar Award:

Addressing School Refusal Early Can
Lead to Success

Claudia Klein MS, LPC, LCPC, Student Health Center, Counselor

 

"I'm sick mom, can you please call me in today."

"I'll do my homework, but I have this headache and I don't think I can stay in class all day."

"My friend is doing on-line schooling; I think that would work better for me because I feel uncomfortable at school."

Do you hear these statements from your teen?  Is it becoming more and more difficult to get your teen to school? Are they complaining of stomachaches, headaches, diarrhea, or overall sick feelings without any known medical causes?  Does your teen appear more depressed and withdrawn or anxious and uptight on school days and more relaxed, calm, and their "normal self" on weekends or holidays?  If you answered yes to these questions, you may be dealing with school refusal from your teen.

Attendance at school is a high priority at Beloit Memorial High School, for the city of Beloit, for the whole state of Wisconsin, and in the entire United States.  

The American Academy of Family Physicians presented an article in 2003 titled, "School Refusal in Children and Adolescents".  In this article, they cited studies that noted several long term consequences for teens with perpetual truancy; some of the possible consequences listed are an increase in outpatient psychiatric care as an adult, an increase in criminal behaviors, still living with parents 20 years later, reduction in higher education levels (i.e. technical school or college), and lower paying jobs throughout their adult life.  It is very important for your child to attend school; it is important for your child's current education as well as for their life long goals. Most parents and students agree with this.  However, even with this knowledge, high school students have been known to skip school for a variety of reasons.  Most of the time, their absence can be addressed at home with consequences applied by the parents for missing school or, if these behaviors are habitual, the consequences can be applied through the school and judicial system in the form of truancy tickets and/or an inability to participate in school functions or events. And yet, even with all of these rules in place, some students struggle to attend school due to a problem called "school refusal."

"School refusal describes the disorder of a child who refuses to go to school on a regular basis or has problems staying in school," according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.  Children with school refusal often present with an underlying anxiety or depression issue which can start as early as elementary school or can be triggered by significant life events (i.e. moving, violence in the school setting, divorce/change in the family unit) or can be triggered by typical life changes or events (i.e. an illness where school is missed, a holiday break, starting a new school such as entering high school).  The student will often refuse attending school because of a fear that something will happen to a parent, to themselves, to a peer, or that they will not do well academically.  Absences may be gradual at first and may lead to missing several days in a row, missing weeks of school, or lead to the child not wanting to leave the house at all.  As a result, the child may receive discipline consequences from the school and possibly receive a truancy ticket if they are not in attendance. 

A student with school refusal differs from a student who is perpetually truant in a number of ways.  The American Academy of Family Physicians notes the following differences:

 

If your child is presenting with several of the symptoms in the left-hand column, it is important that you have these issues addressed immediately so they do not lead to a more significant behavioral issue of school truancy. 

So, you may be asking yourself, how can I help my child who is presenting with school refusal?  The first step, keep them in school.  Once a child begins missing school and is allowed to stay home on a regular basis, the behavior can continue and will often escalate.  This occurs when the child who fears attending school is allowed to avoid the fear; this feared situation becomes even scarier, the anxiety increases and the avoidance can become stronger.  If your child has already missed several days of school and you are struggling to get them back into to school, talk with them.  Find out what they are fearful of; they may tell you they are afraid of public speaking and they have speech class, they are being bullied and do not know who to talk to, they are afraid of eating in front of others and are afraid of lunch time, they saw a school shooting on TV and are afraid it will happen at their school.  Whatever their reason is, support them.  Listen, let them know you are there to help, explore possible solutions to their specific problems, emphasize the positive aspects of school (friends, a favorite class), get them involved in fun activities at school, help them build a support system, and work with them on relaxation techniques to reduce their anxiety (i.e. deep breathing, exercise, meditation, etc.). 

However, not all teens are willing or able to talk to their parents about their fears, feelings, and anxieties.  In this situation, seek professional help. Contact your child's school and talk to the school nurse, counselor, or principal.  They can often assist with an educational support plan to help your student transition back to a full school day.  If the school refusal continues, contact your child's pediatrician to see if there are medical issues affecting their attendance.  If no medical issue is determined, seek an evaluation for possible anxiety or depression issues by contacting a local mental health agency or the Student Health Center at Beloit Memorial High School.  Counselors can assess for mental health issues, work with teens and parents on education, teach cognitive and behavioral strategies to address underlying anxiety and/or depression issues that are inhibiting your child from attending school, can teach problem solving and relaxation skills, can address family difficulties affecting your teen, and can refer to a psychiatrist if an evaluation for medication is needed. 

School refusal is a community problem; it affects children, families, school personnel, and the larger community.  Teens who do not attend school have both significant short and long term affects with their academics, with friends and peers, in their emotional development, and in their employment and career goals.  Addressing school refusal early is the key to success.  And you, the parent, are the keeper of the key. With collaboration between parents, school personnel, medical doctors, mental health professions, and the child, school refusal can be reversed and your child can succeed today, tomorrow, and in the future.