BELLEFONTE AREA

HIGH SCHOOL

New Student Orientation

Monday, August 19, 2013

WELCOME,

NEW STUDENTS!

Special Thanks!

We would like to send a special thank you to the following people for helping with this year’s

orienta�on program:

Weis Markets

Ni�any Meats

Li�le Caesars Pizza

Dr. Cheryl Po�eiger

Dr. Michelle Saylor

Mrs. Barbara Eckley

Mr. Rick Knepp

Mrs. Karen Truesdale

Mr. Kevin Harman

Mr. Luke Skerpon

Mr. Jay Zimmerman

Mrs. Jennifer Brown

Mrs. Sommer Garman

Ms. Melissa Duckworth

Mrs. Jamie Ervine

Mrs. Kim Gasper

SWPBS Student Commi�ee

Student Volunteers

Mr. Seth Miller

Mrs. Carol-Beth Book

Mrs. Sandy Shirey

Mrs. Ruth Jackson

Mrs. Vicky Confer

Ms. Jody Schnars

Mr. Jon Virgilio

Mrs. Ally Durney

Mrs. Elizabeth Fegert

Ms. Ashlie Crosson

Ms. Elizabeth Dincher

Mr. Mike Willis

Mr. Shawn Barbrow

Dr. Jeanie Burns

Ms. Jeanne Weaver

Mrs. Amanda Dodson

Mr. J.P. Mayes

Ms. Carla Weaver

Mrs. Jennifer Walter

Ms. Jennifer Richardson

Mrs. Jessica Lloyd

Student Council members

Mr. Edward Fitzgerald

Ms. Rebecca Leitzell

Ms. Bonnie Gephart

Mrs. Carol Olson

Who to Contact

Too often, parents are not sure who should be contacted at the school regarding a particular

question or concern. In order to assist you, the following has been prepared for your guidance:

Concern/

Question

Classroom

(academic)

Guidance General Discipline Special

Education

1st

Contact

Classroom

Teacher

Guidance

Office

Main Office Classroom

Teacher

Classroom

Teacher

2nd

Contact

Guidance

Counselor

Mr. Fedisson/

Mrs. Garman

Mr. Fedisson/

Mrs. Garman

Mr. Fedisson/

Mrs. Garman

LS Case

Manager

3rd

Contact

Mr. Fedisson/

Mrs. Garman

Mrs. Brown Mrs. Brown Mr. Brown Mr. Fedisson/

Mrs. Garman

4th

Contact

Mrs. Brown Dr. Potteiger Dr. Potteiger Dr. Potteiger Mrs. Brown

5th

Contact

Dr. Potteiger School Board

President

School Board

President

School Board

President

Dr. MacFalls

6th

Contact

School Board

President

Dr. Potteiger

Guidance Services

The Bellefonte Area High School has three guidance counselors that are available to meet with

students and parents and assist in a successful high school experience. Students are assigned to a

specific counselor for the school year, as noted below:

Grade 9, A-K; Grade 10 -- Mr. Shawn Barbrow

Grade 9, L-Z; Grade 11 -- Dr. Jeanie Burns

Grade 12 -- Mr. Michael Willis

Students are encouraged to meet with their assigned counselor when necessary, but a student

must get a pass from the appropriate teacher in order to be released from class or homeroom.

Scheduling a Guidance Appointment

Please call the guidance secretary at 355-4833 (x8520) if you need to schedule an appointment

with your child’s guidance counselor.

Attendance

Please call the attendance secretary at 355-4833 (x8503) or 353-5325 if you need information

regarding excuses, late arrivals, or early dismissals. You may also submit excuses via email at

droan@basd.net or fax to 353-2412.

BELLEFONTE AREA HIGH SCHOOL

ORIENTATION MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

6 P.M.

MRS. JENNIFER BROWN Principal

MRS. SOMMER GARMAN Vice-Principal

MR. MICHAEL FEDISSON Vice-Principal

DR. CHERYL POTTEIGER SUPERINTENDENT

MRS. BARBARA ECKLEY Director of Food Services

MR. RICK KNEPP Director of Information Services

MRS. KAREN TRUESDALE SCHOOL NURSE

MR. SHAWN BARBROW Guidance Counselor

MS. MELISSA DUCKWORTH SWPBS Coach

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ACTIVITIES THAT ENABLE STUDENTS TO BECOME MORE

INVOLVED IN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

ACADEMIC Academic Decathlon

Ananda

Chess Club

Future Business Leaders of America

Future Farmers of America

International Club

Math Club

Mock Trial Team

Model United Nations

National Honor Society

S.A.D.D.

Spanish Club

Others as Indicated

THE ARTS A cappella Group

Concert Band (class)

Dance Team

Drama Club

Marching Band

Jazz Band

Holiday Brass Ensemble

Indoor Color guard

Indoor Dance team

Indoor Majorettes

Indoor Percussion

Choir (class)

Select Choir

Orchestra

Others as Indicated

SERVICE/SOCIAL Class: Freshman

Class: Sophomore

Class: Junior

Class: Senior

Class Cabinet

Community Service Club

Co-op Work Experience

Key Club

Renaissance

Sign Language

Ski Club

Student Council

Newspaper (Red and White)

LaBelle--Yearbook

Others as Indicated

ATHLETICS Baseball

Basketball – Boys and Girls

Bowling (club)

Cheerleading

Cross Country

Football

Golf – Boys and Girls

Gymnastics

Lacrosse -- Boys and Girls (Club)

Soccer – Boys and Girls

Softball

Student Trainers

Swimming

Track and Field

Volleyball

Wrestling

BELLEFONTE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

2013 – 2014 CALENDAR

2013

August 20, 2013 In-Service Day - All staff is required to attend

August 21, 2013 Clerical Day

September 3, 2013 First Day of School for students

October 3, 2013 Day of Caring – 11th and 12th grade students will participate

October 18, 2013 No School for students – Act 80 Day

November 12, 2013 No school for students - In-Service Day

November 28 and 29, 2013 No School for students - Vacation Days

December 2, 2013 No School for students - Vacation Days

December 3, 2013 No School for students – Act 80 Day

December 23-31, 2013 No School for students - Vacation Days

2014

January 1, 2014 No School for students - Vacation Day

January 24, 2014 No School for students - Clerical Day

February 17, 2014 No School for students – Vacation Day

March 7, 2014 No school for students – Vacation Day

March 17-28, 2014 PSSA Math/Reading/English Language Arts – Grades 3-8

March 31-April 4, 2014 PSSA Writing – Grade 8

April 18, 2014 No School for students – Vacation Day

April 21, 2014 No School for students - In-Service Day

April 28-May 2, 2014 PSSA Science – Grades 4 & 8

May 26, 2014 No School for students - Vacation Day

June 5, 2014 Last Day of School & Graduation (pending snow make-up days)

June 6, 2014 In-Service Day

June 9, 2014 Clerical Day

Marking Period November 4, 2013 End of First Grading Period

January 22, 2014 End of Second Grading Period

March 31, 2014 End of Third Grading Period

June 5, 2014 End of Fourth Grading Period

OUR DAILY CLASS SCHEDULE

Bellefonte Area High School is on a six-day rotating schedule. For the 2013-2014 school year,

we will be utilizing a nine period bell schedule with classes that are 43 minutes in length. The

schedule is as follows:

43 MINUTES PERIODS AND LUNCH

HR 8:01 8:12

1 8:16 8:59 CPI Lv 8:59

2 9:03 9:46

3 9:50 10:33

4 10:37 11:20 CPI Rtn 11:20

5 11:24 12:07 CPI Lv 12:07

6 12:11 12:54

7 12:58 1:41

8 1:45 2:28

9 2:32 3:15 CPI Rtn 3:12

GRADING SCALE

Percentage Grade Letter Grade Equivalent Weighted Percentage Grade

93% - 100% A 97% - 107%

83% - 92% B 86% - 98%

73% - 82% C 76% - 88%

65% - 72% D

Below 65% F

Only courses labeled as Honors or Advanced Placement is weighted with only final grades receiving

weight. A weighting factor of 1.04 is applied to Honors courses and a weighting factor of 1.07 will be

applied to Advanced Placement courses. Only grades of C or better are given a weighting factor.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Credit Requirements for Graduation

SUBJECT

MINIMUM CREDIT

English 4.0 credits

Social Studies 4.0 credits*

Mathematics 4.0 credits

Science 3.0 credits

Physical Education 2.0 credits

Health .50 credit

Driver Education .25 credit

Personal Finance .50 credit

Electives 6.75 credits

Graduation Project Successful Completion

TOTAL CREDITS

25.00 Credits

*Note: Social Studies must include each of the following courses: U.S. History 1, U.S. History 2,

World Cultures, and United States Government or AP equivalent.

Graduation requirements for the class of 2017 and beyond may be subject to change based upon

the Keystone Exams and State requirements.

Health Room Notes

My name is Karen Truesdale and I am the school nurse at Bellefonte Area High School. If you had attended Pleasant Gap Elementary School, or Bellefonte Elementary School, you may remember my name, as I was the school nurse in those buildings for many years. Presently, I am now the school nurse at Bellefonte Area High School; however, I also travel to Benner Elementary School and Pleasant Gap Elementary School. So, although I travel to other buildings in the district, there is always some available in the high school health room.

There are a few very important topics that I wish to have presented today. First, the emergency care cards.

• Please complete both sides of the emergency care card and return it to you homeroom teacher by Friday of the first week of school.

• Please make sure that all of the information is complete and that there is an emergency contact listed.

• If you do not have a land line phone, please make sure that your cell phone is on and working during school hours. It is of extreme importance that I can reach a parent should your child become injured or ill during the school day. Also, please make sure that all work numbers and emergency contact numbers are accurate and functional.

Second, medication brought to the health room.

• All prescription and over the counter medication must be brought to school by a parent, guardian or responsible adult.

• All prescription and over the counter medication brought to school, must be accompanied with a signed doctor’s order. Please do not ask the school nurse or other health room personnel to administer any medication without an order from the doctor. If, the school nurse or health room aide does not have a doctor’s order to administer the medication, the parent will be called to come to school and administer the medication to their child.

Finally, physical education excuses.

• All physical education excuses written by a doctor must have a start date and an end date for when the student may begin to participate in physical education class once again.

• If at any such time a student is medically cleared for physical activity such as: athletics, band, band front, club sports, the student will not be excused from Physical Education Class.

Good luck to all new students!

Student Orientation

Handbook Highlights

Attendance:

• Excuses need to be turned in within three days of returning from absence

• After ten excuses from home, medical notes need to be provided

• School consequences will be assigned after every five tardies

• Tardies are separate for class and school

• Tardies do not “start over” or “reset” throughout the year

• Excessive unexcused absences can lead to involvement of the District Magistrate

• Skipped classes result in zero grades for the class that day

Electronic Devices:

• Phones, I-Pods, etc. may be used between classes; not in class unless teacher approved

• Parents will have to pick up confiscated items

• Students will lose privileges if misused

Dress Code:

• Remove headwear; Bandana-like material may be utilized as a headband but the width

of the headband should not exceed two inches. The headband must be worn in the hair

as a traditional headband and not on other parts of the body.

• Tank top straps must be at least three inches wide.

• Shorts and skirts must be at least mid-thigh in length.

Lockers:

• Keep them locked

• Do not share lockers

• You are responsible for what is in your locker

Smoking/Tobacco:

• Cigarettes, smokeless tobacco (chew, snuff), electronic cigarettes, cigars, etc.

• School consequences and possible fine from District Magistrate

Drugs/Alcohol:

• Controlled substances, look-a-like drugs, , alcoholic beverages, anabolic steroids, drug

paraphernalia, any volatile solvents or inhalants such as glue and aerosol products,

substances that when ingested cause a physiological effect that is similar to the effect of

a controlled substance as defined by state or federal law such as herbal incense or other

products containing synthetic cannabinoids, prescription or nonprescription (over-the-

counter) medications, except those for which permission for use in school has been

granted pursuant to Board policy.

• Possession, use, distribution, intent to distribute, or misrepresentation can lead to

consequences

• Suspension and/or expulsion from school and/or police involvement

Weapons:

• A device, instrument, material or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for or is

readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury. This includes firearms of any

kind (operable or inoperable, loaded or unloaded) and ammunition.

• Suspension and/or expulsion from school and/or police involvement

School Safety

Students:

If a crisis situation occurs, remember these guidelines...

1. Remain Calm

2. Listen to your teacher

3. Follow the procedures that are practiced throughout the year

Parents:

1. If a crisis occurs, a message from School Messenger will be sent to your phone/email

to update on the situation.

2. Please do not call in to the school. It is important for us to keep phone lines open to

communicate with Emergency Responders.

3. The district has procedures in place to help keep your child safe in a difficult situation.