Tidbits

How and w= hen should we buy uniforms? Books? Gym Clothes?

What sh= ould my child consider when deciding what courses to take?=

How can I learn about what is going on in sc= hool?

High school is not like elementary and middle school, = where you may have been able to count on notes or flyers coming home in your student’s backpack. Bas= ic information about Bishop<= /st1:PlaceName> Ireton High School appears in printed materials provided = to parents and students, comes out in weekly emails sent to all families, and = is posted on the school website (bishopireton.org). The “This Week at Bishop Ireton” weekly email gives up-to-date information on sports, activiti= es, and upcoming deadlines. It is important to note that the Ireton website is fully functional only on Inter= net Explorer rather than Netscape. Up-to-date athletic events are recorded daily on the Athletic Hotline: 703 212-5141

Schedule information, important dates, dress codes, and regulations are sent to parents before each school year begins. The Parent/Student Handbook= , with detailed information about policies, practices, and expectations, is distributed at the beginning of the school year; it is your contract with t= he School and the acknowledgement agreement must be signed and returned to the School in September or your student will not be allowed to attend classes.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Course catalogues for the subseque= nt school year are available in February.&nbs= p; School calendars showing the cycle of class days, early dismissal da= ys, and important events are made available early in the school year; updates a= re placed on the website.

Current information, clarifications, articles, and cha= nges are distributed electronically and in periodicals such as the “Cardin= al Connection.” Bishop Ire= ton follows Fairfax County School decisions for school closings. Subscribe to electronic notices by e-mailing your address to Pearson@bishopireton.org.

The website and Student Directory provide contacts for academic, health, and other concerns. Other parents, including your child’s Parent Advisory Rep(s) a= nd PTO officers, are also happy to answer questions.

How can I obtain a Student Directory?

The Student Directory is ordered when you join the PTO= and distributed in fall of the school year.&nb= sp; Information is included on the PTO membership form.

How can I become involved at Bishop Ireton= ?

There are many ways to get involved at BI. The Parent Teacher Organization of= fers various opportunities, ranging from an hour or two the entire year to a mon= thly event schedule.

There are many good reasons for spending time at Bishop Ireton:

Students develop an appreciation for volunteering when they see their parents volunteer.
One of the benefits of volunt= eering is the interaction and sharing of ideas with other parents dealing with these issues, or who have already been through them with older childre= n.

When you sign up to join the PTO, the Membership form provides the opportunity to volunteer for any of a number of school activities. Most of them̵= 2;for example, providing hospitality at receptions, helping plan and conduct the Annual Dinner and Auction, and setting up special events—are ideal for parents who work during the day. In-school activities, such as working in the Library or Bookstore, generally involve = only a few hours for a day or two a month. Whatever type of involvement works for you, please know that your time and talents are deeply appreciated by the faculty, staff, administration, and the PTO.

What are the hours the school is open; how early and where can I drop off my student and how late can I pick him/her u= p?

School policies are designed to maintain a safe enviro= nment and smooth traffic flow before and after school on public streets as well a= s on school grounds. The two entrances are called the Front (by the gym) and the South entrance. Use the South parking lot (the student parking lot down from the auditorium) to drop your students off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. The only entra= nce each morning is the single door in the auditorium circle near the cafeteria, which opens at 7 a.m. The sch= ool remains open for an hour after dismissal (4 p.m.); any students remaining l= ater must be under the supervision of a teacher, coach, or other staff. The school also provides a shuttle= bus to/from the King Street Metro every morning and afternoon.

Students board school buses for athletic and other aft= er school events at the front entrance. State law prohibits cars operating in = bus loading zones. Not only is th= ere a danger to students, but traffic congestion and blocked fire lanes result wh= en parents use the driveway around the flagpole to pick up students after school. Consider parking on <= st1:Street w:st=3D"on">Cambridge Road and having your student meet you at the car.

How and when should we buy uniforms? Book= s? Gym Clothes?

Selecting “Bookstore” at the Bishop Ireton= web site brings you to links to sources for uniforms, books, PE uniforms, and o= ther items. New school uniforms and accessories are carried by Flynn O’Har= a, whose locations and ordering procedures are available online. Flynn O’Hara brings a full inventory of new uniforms and accessories to Freshman Registration at the end of March.= It is essential that the basic uniform, including polo shirts, sweat= ers, vests, pants and skorts, be those carried by Flynn O’Hara. You may choose to purchase conform= ing socks, oxford shirts, shoes and other accessories elsewhere.

Varsity Books, also with a link at the web site, is the official supplier of books for nearly all of the school courses; an increas= ing number of used books may be available there.

PE uniforms are available at school in the Cardinal= 217;s Nest Bookstore. Some supplies for team sports, logo gear, books and supplies are also available there. A wide variety of spirit wear is available online= as well.

A great source for used school uniforms and used books= is the PTO-sponsored Used Book and Uniform Sale, usually held the first Saturd= ay in August. The Sale provides a service to students for selling their books and uniforms, benefits those who wish to purchase these books and uniforms, and enables the PTO to provide substantial support to t= he school. Students can purchase most summer reading material at the end of the school year, so that they can begin those assignments before the Book Fair = in August.

What is Back to School Night?

Back to School Night is a great opportunity to meet yo= ur student’s teachers and school personnel, and to gather information ab= out the upcoming school year. Par= ents meet the Advisor, receive a schedule for visiting your child’s classe= s, and meet the parent Advisory Rep. You’ll walk the halls, following yo= ur student’s schedule of classes. For abou= t 10 minutes, each teacher will explain, in broad terms, how the class syllabus = will unfold during the year, and explain how to communicate with him or her. School staff and administrators, a= s well as representatives of parent groups, are stationed in the cafeteria to greet parents and answer questions.

How does lunch work?

Students may bring lunch from home or purchase meals from the dining service using their own PIN attached t= o a debit account. You can deposit funds into the Sage Dining account using a personal check made out to Bishop Ireton, or credit card access onl= ine, and you will receive detailed electronic purchase statements each month. It is strongly recommended that you keep your student’s cafeteria account paid in full. Also note that there i= s a service charge for credit card transactions.

Students eat lunch during one of four 25-minute sessio= ns within an expanded fourth period each day. Seniors have their own lun= ch area. Cafeteria menus can be = found on the school website.

How will I be notified about my child’= ;s grades and progress?

Reports cards are sent home by mail four times a year—first quarter, mid term, third quarter, and final. At each mid-quarter, interim grade= s are distributed electronically using the e-mail address you designate. Formal parent-teacher conferences = are scheduled after the first and second quarters at the parent’s request; information about scheduling conferences is included with the report cards.

All teachers will discuss performance with parents as = the need arises. They will let you know the best way to communicate with them on Back to School night.

What is the Advisory? What does the Advisor do? What is a Parent Advisory Rep and = what does that person do?

The Advisory is like a homeroom, in which students gat= her almost every day at 2^nd period. In general, your student will stay in t= he same Advisory for all four years of high school. The teacher who is your student= 217;s Advisor will come to know the student, so that he or she is in a position to recommend and advise about courses to take, write college recommendations, = and provide information about school practices and policies.

Occasional Extended Advisories are scheduled for busin= ess such as distributing materials, elections, and information sharing. Each Advisory provides a basket or similar donation to the Annual Dinner and Auction, participates in the Christmas “Adopt-a-Family” program, and may undertake other fundraising activities during the year.

The Parent Advisory Rep is a parent who has specified functions during the school year for a specific Advisory (like a Room Parent). In general, these functions include collecting funds for the basket each Advisory donates to = the Dinner and Auction, creating a telephone tree, collecting PTO membership fo= rms and dues (at Back to School Night), and encouraging participation in the Sp= ring Clean-up. Parent Advisory rep= s are available to provide information and support to new families, and serve as a conduit of information from the PTO.

What should my child consider when deci= ding what courses to take?

The credits and course distributions required for grad= uation are cited in the Student Handbook and available on the school web site. Students should be sure to conside= r all the options for fulfilling these requirements, including those for Computer Science and Fine Arts. In add= ition, they should look ahead to their remaining high school years to be sure to fulfill any prerequisites for courses they may consider taking in the futur= e. Of course, they should consider an= y required or desired courses recommended by colleges to which they may apply. The student’s guidance counselor is the best resource for any student to = use in determining the appropriate course selections and we strongly recommend = you start with counselors when making course selection decisions.

Registration for the upcoming school year takes place = in the spring. In late February, students will receive a new course catalog and ot= her materials explaining the process and deadlines for submitting course select= ions. Subsequent changes may be necessary because of performance in prerequisite courses, conflicts, or insufficient registration for various electives. There may be a fee for student-ini= tiated changes for other reasons; changes for the purpose of a different teacher a= re not allowed.

How does the disciplinary measure “detention” work? Other disciplinary guidelines?

Detention is assigned for a variety of violations of t= he dress code, late rules, and behavioral infractions. The student is notified= of a detention in writing, and a list of those expected to serve is posted aro= und the building. The student normally is expected to serve detention within 48 hours of assignment by attending a 7:00 a.m. or 3:15 p.m. session. Failure to do so results in assign= ment of a 3-hour Saturday detention in full uniform. Only absences from school, or atte= ndance at a retreat, are allowable excuses from these rules. Students serving detention general= ly perform community service.

It is important to emphasize that BI neither endorses = nor allows access to social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook at school. Students using these = sites, at which they are required to identify their school, are subject to school policies as cited in the Student Handbook. (E.g., any profanity authored by a= BI student on the site would be subject to disciplinary action as described in= the Handbook.)

What is the best way to help my student prepare for college? How will= the counselors work with him or her? &nbs= p;

Your student is ultimately responsible for choosing the college(s) to which he or she will apply, determining the admission and application requirements, seeking advice from the guidance counselor, and managing the application process. . The Office of Counseling Services provi= des many resources to students and their families. Overall considerations are address= ed in the comprehensive Bishop Ireton High School Guide to College Planning provide= d to juniors and seniors in hard copy and available on the web site (select Stud= ent Resources, Counseling). In addition, the Office of Counseling Services organizes many useful resources= :

“Getting Ready for College” series of seminars throughout the school year.
It is importan= t to weigh good grades against tough courses—good colleges want to see both. Be sure to look at prerequisites for courses in subsequent years—for example, AP History/English in the sophomore year or AP science courses in the junior a= nd senior years.

Some students will begin to consider colleges in the sophomore year, to get a feel for schools that match their interests and abilities. This helps with co= urse selection and the possibility of campus visits during Spring Break or the summer before the junior year. By the junior year, student should think about taking the SAT in the spring, visiting colleges, considering early admissions/decision schools, and the possibility of beginning the application process during the summer before t= he senior year. As a general preparation for college selection and application, each student should get = to know his or her counselor early in the High School career.

Tidbits

Exams: During testing cycles, each academic department is assigned a day(s)= to give exams for the quarter. However, because of the seven-day cycle, with days designated by the= letters B-IRETON, and needed flexibility in assigning multiple days, your student m= ay have more than one exam on any given day.

Uniforms: Students can wear the winter uniform,= but not the fall/spring uniform, any school day. Be sure your student’s PE uniform is clearly marked with a permanent marker.

Required Forms: There are lots of forms to fill= out at the start of the year. The school requires the nurse to maintain all emergency care, contact, and medication forms. Students ar= e not allowed to self-medicate, and the nurse must have an accurate and up-to-date listing of all medications students are receiving.

Label Books:&n= bsp; Books are expensive; make sure all property is marked clearly with y= our student’s name,

Athletic physicals: Must be dated May 1 or later of the school year a student is entering. Athletic physicals are required prior to students trying out or participating in any sport or sport club activity. The required form is available online or at the school, and the Athletic Boosters Club sponsors a Physical Exam Night in May/June that most families find the easiest and most convenient method to fulfill the physical exam requirement. It is not interchangeable with the school physical.

Teacher web sites: Teachers generally post extensive = requirements for large projects, including intermediary deadlines, on their web pages. It’s a good idea to check th= ese occasionally, and inquire of your students about their progress.

Foreign Exchange Programs: Most years, students from France a= nd Germany visit BI for a few weeks hosted by BI student families, and the host family student is in turn invited to spend a few weeks visiting the participating school in France or Germany.= Information on the programs appears in the emails and the Cardinal Connection.

The Annual Dinner and Auction Gala: This is BI’s largest regular fundraising effort, and your time, donations, and participation are greatly appreciated. In addition, ple= ase be sure to contribute to the basket your student’s Advisory will donate = to the auction.

Science Fair:&= nbsp; BI does have a science fair, usually in January. In general, students participate b= ecause of their interest rather than as part of any class.

Visiting BI: During the school day, all visitors (including parents) should enter through the front (Cambridge Road) entrance by ringing= the buzzer and waiting until the door is opened. All visitors, including parent= s, should proceed to the receptionist’s station to register. The receptionist will notify the appropriate office and direct you to complete = your visit, either in signing in/out a student, or completing an office call or volunteer period. Visitors sh= ould display their guest pass during their time at the school.

May 2007Prepared by the Parent Teacher Organizat= ion of Bishop Ireton High School<= /st1:PlaceType>. Comments and suggestions are welcome! Visit our page at the Bishop Ireton w= eb site for information about the PTO.