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BCS News & Notes
A newsletter for parents, students, staff and community |
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P.O. Box 10007
Birmingham, Alabama 35202
(205) 231-4610
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Learning never stops
We are quickly bringing to a close the 2011-2012 academic school year. While some school districts may slow down to prepare for the next, here at the Birmingham City Schools, we are just gearing up for a summer full of a variety of learning opportunities!
From fine arts to math and science to writing and the Superintendent's Academy, summer learning abounds in more than 40 program offered across the district. Click here to read more about the programs offered.
We are pleased to have our teachers as well as university staff providing enrichment and acceleration based on students' needs and interests.
In addition, Birmingham City Schools will continue its partnership with the Birmingham Public Library System for the Summer Reading Challenge. It is always great to see our students out and about throughout the summer sharing the number of books that they have read.
Summer may be a time for relaxing, but, for the Birmingham City Schools, learning never stops. .
Sincerely,
Craig Witherspoon
Superintendent
Birmingham City Schools
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JROTC Pass In Review includes all seven high schools
Instructor of the Year, outstanding cadets honored
The Birmingham City Schools Annual JROTC Pass In Review and Awards Ceremony was conducted April 6 in the Carver High School stadium. Units from all seven BCS high schools, as well as Gadsden High School, participated. More than 500 cadets were in the brigade.
Dr. Martha S. Barber, chief academic officer, was the guest speaker. During her speech, Dr. Barber praised the appearance and performance of the cadets.
 Lt. Col. Retired Levy Forte, a BCS counselor with more than 25 years of active Army service, was the reviewing officer. The audience included Superintendent Craig Witherspoon, district administrators, parents and students from Carver.
Ramsay High School was named the Honor Unit for the district.
Sgt. First Class James Littlepage of Wenonah High School was honored as JROTC Instructor of the Year.
Awards were given to an outstanding cadet from each school. They are:
- Ramsay -- Cadet Maj. Jordan Jones
- Carver -- Cadet Lt. Col. Alexander Chenier.
- Parker -- Cadet Sgt. DeQuane Kemp
- Jackson-Olin -- Cadet Lt. Col. Tonisha Gilmore
- Huffman -- Cadet Capt. Salla Oliver
- Wenonah -- Cadet Lt. Col. Jeanae Cade
- Woodlawn -- Cadet Lt. Col. Robert North
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Board of Education approves items on April 10 agenda
Makeup plan for Putnam Middle School included
The Birmingham Board of Education approved items on the agenda for its April 10 meeting. The agenda included a plan for Putnam Middle School to make up instructional time lost because of the mercury spill there in March.
To read more, click here.
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Transportation Department honored
Council of the Great City Schools recognizes operation
The Birmingham City Schools Department of Transportation was honored recently by the Council of the Great City Schools. The system was named a 2011 Top Performing District in the transportation area for demonstrating "efficient and effective use of resources in maintaining its school bus operations."
The recognition was given April 5 at the council's annual meeting of chief operating officers. The achievement was based on the key performance measures reported in the council's 2011 report, "Managing for Results in America's Great City Schools."
BCS Transportation Director, Ronald Schappacher participated on a panel discussing the processes/operating procedures currently in place in the district that account for these results. |
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Ramsay students shadow executives
Students learn about professional and personal growth
Four Ramsay High School students were selected to participate in the Shadow an Executive Program, which is sponsored by the city of Birmingham and Mayor William Bell.
The objective of the program is to provide students with an introduction to the concepts of professional and personal growth by giving them an opportunity to meet executives in their chosen fields, observe them in the workplace and become familiar with the work skills that contribute to being successful. |
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Woodlawn freshmen participate in Blueprints program
Focus is on encouraging students to attend college
A group of ninth-graders at Woodlawn High School are completing a nine-week program in partnership  | |
Students talk to a college representative |
with the Alabama Poverty Project: Higher Education Alliance. Called Blueprints, the program involves weekly meetings with a group of mentors from the University of Alabama at Birmingham during activity period. Blueprints focuses on preparing students for education beyond high and begins the process for gaining financial assistance for college. This unique yet intense program identifies and provides options for those obstacles that many students fear as they move through high school and consider college. The goal is to keep the students focused on the aspect of college as a means to a better life as they move toward adulthood. The program encourages students to interact with their peers and exposes them to college as the better option in life. Blueprints exposes participants to colleges by organizing a college fair and taking them on tours of Lawson State Community College UAB. It also provides financial aid workshops for seniors and their parents. |
BCS science students compete at state level
Students bring home awards
Birmingham City School System students represented the system well at the recent Alabama Science and Engineering Fair.
Jordan Turner, a freshman at Huffman High School, won second place in the the engineering: materials and bioengineering category with his project entitled "Which Fence Design is the Most Protective against High Winds?" During the special awards ceremony, Jordan received the Department of the Navy's Naval Science Award for the Most Outstanding Engineering Projec,t as well as an honorable mention award from Boeing.
Stephon Seward, a senior at A.H. Parker High School, placed fourth with his project entitled "The Effects of Stimulus Contrast on Sensory Gating in the Human Visual Cortical Evoked Potential."
Stephon completed his project last summer as a summer intern through the UAB Community Outreach Research and Development Program. He worked in a lab under the supervision of Dr. Timothy Gawne. Stephon won the Summer Research Scholarship of $80,000 at UAB. He plans to attend Tuskegee University and major in environmental science and chemical engineering.
Jamarcus Ellison, a student at W.J. Christian K-8 School, also competed in the state science fair. |
Ramsay senior is Gorgas finalist
Patrick Blackmon wins $75,000 scholarship
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Patrick Blackmon |
Patrick Blackmon, a senior at Ramsay High School, is a finalist in the Alabama Science Scholar Search and Gorgas Scholarship Competition. He has earned a scholarship to the college/university of his choice in the state of AL. This scholarship is valued at more than $75,000. The Gorgas Scholarship Program is named for Gen. William Crawford Gorgas, the Alabama physician who conquered yellow fever in the Panama Canal Zone and who later became the surgeon general of the United States Army. The purposes of the Gorgas competition are to promote interest in science and to aid in the education of promising students. The Alabama Science Scholar Search and Gorgas Scholarship Competition is a program of the Alabama Academy of Science and the Alabama Power Foundation. |
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It's kindergarten registration time!
Parents can register children through April 27
Parents of children who will be in kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year should register them this month. Kindergarten registration begins at all elementary and K-8 schools Monday, April 9, and continues through Friday, April 27. Schools will be closed April 20 and 23.
Children must turn 5 by Sept. 2 in order to be eligible for kindergarten
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Parents should bring the child's birth certificate, social security card and blue immunization form. Proof of residence -- a lease or deed and two current utility bills -- and a photo ID of the parent or legal guardian also are required.
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Students get summer internships
Woodlawn student is top pick for Fox6 Kids and Jobs
Students from the Birmingham City Schools were three of the top six picks in the Fox6 Kids and Jobs program for 2012.
Christian Sumlin of Woodlawn High School was the first round draft pick selected during a live broadcast April 12. She will intern at Advantage Marketing.
Other top picks were Joshua Holmes of Wenonah High School, who will work at Vulcan Materials, and James Beese of Huffman High School, who was chosen by Jefferson Credit Union. |
Coming events
The Policy Committee of the Birmingham Board of Education will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, in the board room of the Administration Building, 2015 Park Place. |
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