January 26, 2026

Greetings, BHS students, families and community members! This week, we had our first snow day of this school year; I hope you are enjoying the fluffy white stuff and staying warm after a stretch of frigid days.

In the coming weeks, course registration for next school year will begin across all grade levels. Students will be presented with the Program of Studies and materials to review in advance, and then have the freedom to select their preferences. While there are parent info session planned for rising 9th graders and our current 9-11th graders, I encourage parents and guardians to stay involved. 

It's natural and right to cede responsibility to our high schoolers as they chart their own paths and prepare to enter the world as adults. However, it's also really valuable to keep an eye on what courses your student is thinking about to ensure that they are keeping all the doors to opportunity open, appropriately challenging themselves, and taking full advantage of this opportunity for a free education. In particular, I encourage you to review the 2026-2027 Program of Studies when it's released to students and families, ask your child what they are thinking they'll sign up for, and talk through the following questions with your student:

• Are you taking core subjects every year? Colleges and employers look for continuity across high school. Stopping taking classes in a content area early just because minimum graduation requirements have been met could close doors to certain paths later.

• Are you taking the most rigorous classes that you can succeed in? Students should aim to truly challenge themselves for the sake of learning, rather than just optics on a transcript, and should look for balance to avoid overloading and crashing. Also, an "impressive" schedule may not be quite as impressive as it looks if it is crowding out leadership opportunities or extracurriculars that your child cares about, or ample time for sleep or friendships. At the same time, some students need a gentle (or firm) nudge to take on challenges you know they're fully capable of!

• Are you taking a full course load? 9th and 10th graders must sign up for 8 courses (which can include learning lab and study hall). 11th graders must sign up for at least 7 courses, and 12th graders must sign up for at least 6 courses. However, 11th and 12th graders are encouraged to sign up for a full course load rather than the minimum, especially if they have plans to pursue higher education. 

• Are your class choices setting you up for where you want to go next? Many classes (especially AP courses) in the later grades currently require prerequisites in earlier grades. It's worth checking out what is needed to get into the classes your student wants later on, to make sure that they are on track. This might mean opting for Honors, or doubling up on a subject area. And if your student has a sense of what they might want to do after high school, it makes sense to take advantage of any classes that might better prepare them for that next chapter.

• Have you advocated for what you want? Some courses currently require teacher recommendation to be eligible to enroll. Many teachers are already proactively checking in with students about course recommendations, but if that has not happened for your student, they should make their wishes known; they don't need to quietly wait to see if their teacher will recommend them. They are encouraged to let their teacher know what they want, and why they feel ready and able to take it on!

While our counselors meet with all students to have similar conversations and map out long term plans that will support graduating on schedule and success beyond high school, parents and guardians are still influential. Your wisdom, advice, and guidance matters.

Thank you for your support and partnership, and I hope you enjoy these lovely winter days.

With appreciation,

Sabrina Westdijk

P.S. Deep cold requires appropriate gear to stay safe. We have a number of coats available at the school for students who may need one. If you have unused or outgrown winter coats lying about that are in good condition, please consider dropping them off at BHS. Thank you!