The Digital Dragon




Student, Family & Community 

SuccessLink School Year Job Applications are NOW OPEN!

Looking for a job this school year? Between the ages of 14 to 18?

The application for the SuccessLink Youth Jobs program is now open! Click here for more information!


AM Youth Summer Employment

The Academic Mentoring Dept. will be hosting a summer job site for youth. Youth will learn about Mentorship, Peer Leadership, while getting paid. This fun and interactive position will be the beginning of having more student involvement in our year-round program and decision making. 


Students 14-18 years old, and Boston residents are encouraged to apply. 

Click Here for Application


I am inviting you to join us at Hibernian Hall on Friday, June 16, at 7pm to experience the works of art our students have been crafting through our Peak Sessions! I highly encourage you to share the event details with your family, friends, and any youth in your community. All proceeds will go towards our youth programming to help us continue our work in the Boston community! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. 

Please use this link to purchase a ticket: https://bit.ly/617PeakShowcase

For more info on us, please check out our website and socials: https://linktr.ee/617peak


STEAMfest Announcement

Please join us for the BPS PK-12 STEAMfest at Madison Park on Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 10am-3pm. Pre-registration is now open for our family/student workshops (walk-ins will be welcomed)! Join us for lunch and hear from Superintendent Skipper and our inspiring keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen Alkins, as well as the presentation of our BPS Excellent STEAM School Award. In the afternoon teams of students will compete in the BPS Innovation Challenge! Check out our website for more detailed information. 


If you’re still interested in registering your team for the Innovation Challenge, it’s not too late! We are looking for teams of students to work on a design challenge at school or home, then compete with a pitch and prototype during the STEAMfest. First place teams will receive a trophy and each member will receive $100 and a medal!


Interested in Girls Soccer? Information here:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17kwYBsZpWEkEvogOtoZMFXjrPSTJW8irbkohln3DO1c/present?slide=id.p13


 TAG | ALERTA

We are glad to share that the TAG | ALERTA summer application is available now! This Summer we plan to offer students ELA, STEM, Arts, Sports, field trips and more. TAG | ALERTA's goal is to support Latinx, multilingual and multicultural students through project-based classroom practices and a learning environment that fosters students' cultural pride, civic engagement, and leadership skills. See our website for more information about who we are and what we plan to do this summer.


Important details about this Summer:



Attached are this year’s flyers in English and Spanish and we’d appreciate it if you could share it with your students and their families. Please let us know if your school will be having any events that we could join to promote our Summer Program to the families you currently support.


The TAG | ALERTA Application comes in 3 steps:




If you, any of your students or their families have any questions or need assistance with the application process, feel free to email us to tag@umb,edu , or call/text us at 857.301.7850! 


Fresh Films

Teens 14 - 18 can get paid to build film skills and make movies this summer! Starting July 10th, teens will meet Monday - Friday for 5 weeks at Charlestown High School as they learn the ins and outs of filmmaking while creating film projects! In the Fresh Films Paid Boston Summer Film program, teens will get hands-on experience using professional film equipment including cameras, boom mics, lighting and audio recording. Plus, under the guidance of industry pros, teens will be fully immersed in the pre-production, production AND post-production process of filmmaking!

Who: Teens 14 - 18 looking to get creative this summer!

What: PAID, hands-on filmmaking program

When: Monday - Friday starting July 10 - August 11 | 10am - 2pm

Where: Charlestown High School (240 Medford St., Charlestown MA 02129)

Applications are open NOW! Space is limited and spots are first come first serve- so apply today at https://freshfilms.org/boston/

All program participants will be paid by Fresh Films! 

I have attached step-by-step instructions on how to sign up for the program via SchoolMint below. If anyone has any issues registering, please reach out to Kyle (kylebarkalow@freshfilms.org) or Leah (leahcrandell@freshfilms.org)

Program Trailer!


This 6-week program is open to all currently enrolled Boston Public School females (and anyone who identifies as female) in grades 7-12. This program provides a full fitness assessment, instruction and exercise designed to prevent injuries, strength training and confidence building. The program will be led by athletic trainers, physical therapists and BPS coaches.


Applications for Boston PIC summer internships are still being accepted on a rolling basis.

The PIC targets students in their Junior or Senior year and students must be 16 years. Sophomores who are 16 and older and have had previous employment are also encouraged to apply. 


Jóvenes en Acción (JEA) program.

It’s that time of year again, where we begin to set our eyes on the upcoming summer. As y’all are getting through this 4th quarter we wanted to share a couple of summer opportunities for your students. 

We want to start off with a huge thank you to all of you that have shared our Jóvenes en Acción (JEA) program. Our Summer paid JEA opportunity opened up and we have gotten a huge amount of applications. If you have any student that is looking for a summer program where they can: 

Please send them our application link soon. I’ll attach our flyer and information sheet as well. We are close to being full, but have an active waitlist. If you have any student you assisted with an application and would like to know their status please reach out. I would be happy to share where they are in our process. 

Regardless of whether your students are able to get into JEA, or not, we want to share about all the other amazing summer paid opportunities here in Boston! I’m sure you know about the Successlink Jobs, but this year there have been a lot of changes. We are hoping it makes the youth application process, especially for non-profit organizations, simpler! Check out their website here to see all the different opportunities. 

There should also be a number of neighborhood fairs coming up where youth could go and potentially get offered a job onsite! Keep an eye out for the events update on the Successlink website.


Paid ICA Student Opportunities

3PointFoundation Summer Academy for Boston middle school students. 


The 3PointFoundation has been working in afterschool programs for the past 10 years in partnership with teachers and administrators to bring our students project based learning but more importantly to connect with kids to help them as they grow into young leaders. 


We also provide a Summer Academy at 3 different locations for 5 weeks in the summer. The Summer Academy is an amazing opportunity for Boston students to get 21st Century Skills, develop a growth mindset, connect with other students and peer role models, and have a memorable and life changing experience.


Here is our website with more information about our work and the students we have helped over the past 10 years! Also attached our summer flier with all our sites and application information below.


Website:

https://go3point.org/


Summer Application

tinyurl.com/3pointsummerapp



Boston Parks is hosting free golf lessons next week if any of your students are interested! And hosting free ultimate frisbee, softball and baseball clinics:


https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-

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BLA Operations 

*If students are staying after school, please be sure that they scan the After School QR code* 

New Grading Policy Key Highlights

Last year the School Site Council voted on the Grading and Assessment Policy. This policy was created with input from many stakeholders and will continue to be highlighted in our weekly memo’s. As part of the feedback there are a few really important shifts to be shared. 

Under the new grading  the following is the expectation:

Upon our return we will begin preparing for Midterms and completing MAP Assessments. Here is what was decided in regards to Midterms and Finals:

Mid-Year and Final Exams

D’s and F’s

Student Receiving Ds or Failing Grades

Massachusetts is moving toward an "access for all" model in which anyone with any presenting issue can access mental health services reliably. To that end, here's the states "Roadmap" as well as CBHC programs and an important resource for LGBTQ teens/youths:


Click here if you wanna know more about how "recent research has found that 40% of adults in the U.S. are struggling with behavioral health issues related to the pandemic" and how MA hopes to combat it. 


BPS DAILY HOME HEALTH CHECKLIST

Please use the BPS daily checklist everyday. The checklist is available in many languages and found HERE

Please remember that we are still strongly recommending students mask up and stay home if they are feeling sick. Please reference my messaging last week particularly these points:

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES & SAFETY


MORNING SAFETY

Library Updates

     Mon-Thur: 6:30am - 3 pm

Fri: 6:30am - 1:40pm

The after-school teacher in charge is Ms. Medina. If you have any questions, contact the librarians.

Nursing/COVID Protocol

If you test positive for COVID, fill out the google form (below) so we can correctly excuse this absence and record this illness. Please follow the directions for quarantine on the form, if you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to Nurse Conlin and Price. You may also visit this website for additional information. 

Google Form for reporting positive COVID case:  HERE

Boston Partners in Education

Boston Partners in Education will match academic mentors with your students to support them 1:1 or in small groups. Our mentors come directly to your classroom for 1 hour each week, for the duration of the school year. Students that may benefit from working with a mentor might: need additional time to understand concepts, lack confidence or motivation in certain subjects, need help following through to complete work, or need stronger organizational and study skills. If you have students that would benefit from an academic mentor, you can nominate them for support at https://bostonpartners.org/educators/. Teachers can also request online after-school tutoring for their students here: https://bostonpartners.org/ils-nomination/

CATIE'S CLOSET 

FRESH FOOD PICK-UP


 

Student Support 

Academic Supports Available to Students: 

Please see below for a list of academic supports available to all students.

Upcoming Events

SENIOR CORNER

In-Person College Info Sessions

Please reserve your spot through Naviance. 

Virtual College Info Sessions

There are many scheduled virtual college info sessions. Please make sure to reserve your spot on Naviance.

College Visit Sign Up Steps (In-person and virtual)

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 

 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

*Flyers with more opportunities found below*

Boston Public School High Schools,

SAIL is a unique leadership program for high school students to engage with successful leaders and organizations through interactive workshops and a trip to Israel, an international hub of discovery and innovation. The deadline is rapidly approaching, and we are looking for you as leaders of your schools to nominate up to two student leaders to apply to SAIL. There are 18 spots, so the application process is competitive. I have attached a copy of the SAIL flyer for you to post in guidance or to submit to your faculty. We know this is a busy time of year for schools and appreciate your time and help. If you have further questions, you can contact myself or Deborah Coltin at dcoltin@lappinfoundation.org.


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Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science 

Federally funded TRIO programs that provide academic support to low-income and first-generation college bound students. To qualify, students must have at least started the ninth grade and attend one of the program’s target high schools that include the Boston Green Academy, Charlestown HS, Josiah Quincy Upper School., Margarita Muniz Academy, Community Academy of Science and Health, Brighton HS, The English HS, Snowden International School or attend a public school and live in one of the program’s target neighborhoods of Dorchester, East Boston, Mattapan and Roxbury.


About Upward Bound

Upward Bound is a part of the federally funded TRIO program that provides academic support to low-income and first-generation college bound students. To qualify, students need to either meet TRIO low-income guidelines or be first-generation college, meaning neither parent has obtained a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, to qualify, students must have at least started the ninth grade and will attend one of the program’s target high schools that include the Margarita Muniz Academy, Community Academy of Science and Health, Brighton, English, Snowden or attend a public school and live in one of the program’s target neighborhoods of Dorchester, East Boston, Mattapan and Roxbury. Students attending a target high school are given priority in the admission process.

Boston University Upward Bound is a college preparatory program that is a part of the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development’s College Access and Student Success Office. In addition to Upward Bound, the office also hosts Upward Bound Math Science.


Learn More Here


ABCD Summer Works & Work SMART Youth Employment

In Youth Services, we provide opportunities for career exposure for youth between the ages of 14 - 24 years old by providing a meaningful work experience through our partners. *Note, youth wages are paid by ABCD.


SummerWorks is open to income eligible Boston and medford residents age 14 to 21 


Music Forward Foundation

Engages youth across the country for opportunities in the music industry. Last summer, we launched our inaugural Boston internship program for recent high school grads. For 6 weeks, I had the pleasure of overseeing students from various Boston Public Schools as they immersed themselves in the live music industry and learned important career development skills.


We are excited for the second year of this program, and I wanted to share with you information and the application in the hopes you'd be able to disperse among your own students as they begin to explore opportunities beyond high school. The application is rolling, with a closing date of May 31.


Additionally, Music Forward offers a free program for high school juniors and seniors to tour local music venues and learn more about the behind-the-scenes of the live entertainment world. We have several partner venues, including the House of Blues and Citizens Opera House, that will be happy to host BLA students this spring for a site visit. These tours are usually 1-2 hours, Mon-Wed, during school hours (11am-2pm). You can learn more here, and register today for upcoming dates. We can provide assistance for travel accommodations upon request.



Interact Boston Club

Want volunteer hours? Join Interact Club and interact with Boston. We will volunteer around Boston and help solve community issues! Questions? mpimentel18@bostonk12.org


SuSHI 

SuSHI is an after-school program for greater Boston high schoolers who are Asian/Asian American and are interested in learning more about health, wellness, identity, resilience, and other important topics and participating in group discussions in a supportive space. Please use this link to register:  (https://tinyurl.com/sushispring).


African Carribbean club 

I am pleased to announce the new addition to the clubs at BLA; The African Carribbean Club has been established for all students to have a safe space to be themselves and embrace their cultures. Join now!! Questions? Email -Kuukuwa Darkwa (kdarkwa@bostonk12.org ) , Eryssah Joseph ( ejoseph31@bostonk12.org) 

Yoga Club Dates Switched

Due to a scheduling conflict, Yoga Club will take place on the second Wednesday of every month.  Therefore, the next club meeting will be on Wednesday, December 14th in Room 201 with Ms. Conway.  Namaste. Questions? cconway2@bostonpublicschools.org

Knitting Club Startup 

Community Service Opportunity here: The Knitting Club is restarting this school year. With this club, students not only get the opportunity knit crafts, but to also send their crafts to underprivileged communities for service hours. It is in room 326 (Mrs. MacIsaac's Room) after school with the first meeting being next Tuesday (11/22). There will be games and music! No experience is needed! To sign up fill out the attached google form: https://forms.gle/n82qSUNmisYXnHsBA 

Interact Boston Club

Want volunteer hours? Join Interact Club and interact with Boston. We will volunteer around Boston and help solve community issues! Questions? mpimentel18@bostonk12.org

Knitting Club Startup 

Community Service Opportunity here: The Knitting Club is restarting this school year. With this club, students not only get the opportunity knit crafts, but to also send their crafts to underprivileged communities for service hours. It is in room 326 (Mrs. MacIsaac's Room).There will be games and music! No experience is needed! To sign up fill out the attached google form: https://forms.gle/n82qSUNmisYXnHsBA 



Book Club!

Monday After-School Math Club for Grade-7 & Grade-8 Math Enthusiasts


Join Seniors Kenny Mai & Symone Armstead on Mondays at 1:40 to 2:40 in Room 326 for fun & interesting math activities.  Students will work on group problem solving, hands-on explorations, team competitions, and maybe create a Math Video or Animation Video for the MathCounts Video Challenge annual contest.  


The MathCounts Club will begin on November 7th.  Email Ms. Linda Coffey at blamathcounts@gmail, if you would like to join the group.  Reach out to amacisaac@bostonpublicschools with any questions. 


Fabric Arts Club


High School Band 

Greek Club! 

Recycling Club 

Crochet Lunch Bunch!


Join BLA Dragon Tales School Newspaper!

Join The Academy Actors 

Join The Christian Club :

Please review the Special Education Basic Rights (below)