Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, Faculty, Staff and Interested Others:

I think it is important that I introduce myself to you as the new Principal of Blackstone-Millville Regional High School and more importantly that I introduce you to our new newsletter which will be sent to you every four to six weeks during the school year.

After completing a rigorous interview process, I was fortunate to be appointed as your new Principal. I began my new duties on January 24. The very first impressions I had of BMRHS have been supported throughout these past seven weeks. The most important of these impressions is that students and faculty co-exist comfortably and respectfully with each other every day. The power behind this cooperative environment comes from all involved - all of you to whom this newsletter is addressed. It is clear that your insistence on the daily practice of what it requires to make BMRHS the best it can be continues to be successful. The students are the benefactors as they pursue their futures.

In order to continue along the paths you have determined to be important for the students, this newsletter will provide information about the various events that affect BMRHS, students, staff and others. I will not attempt to replicate the information that is available in other newsletters, for example, the BMR BEAT, the School to Career, Guidance and BMR Technology newsletters or all the information that can be found on our web site (www.BMRSD.net). Instead I will be providing the dates and times of important events in the students' academic lives. An example of this is the announcement of a meeting for the parents of sophomore and junior students who may be interested in enrolling in an AP course next year. This meeting will be held in the auditorium on Monday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. At this time, teachers of the AP courses will explain the requirements, demands and benefits of completing an AP course for college credit while still in high school, and they will be available for questions.

Another important event is the eminent arrival of the 2000-2001 Program of Studies, the catalogue from which all students, grades 8-11, will select their courses for next year. We expect the catalogues will be delivered to us during the last week in March. Parents can expect the Program of Studies to be home, via the students, during the first week in April. This is an important time for both parents and students as this is their first opportunity to choose from our course selections according to the graduation requirements and their own interests for next year. Soon after they arrive, assemblies will be held for each grade explaining the options available to them. After that, guidance counselors will meet with each student individually to discuss course choices and complete the appropriate registration forms. We hope that parents will spend some time with their children helping them to make choices that will guide them toward a happy and successful 2000-2001. The guidance staff will be available to answer parent questions and concerns during the school day.

There is no more important event to any high school than the graduation of its seniors. A calendar of senior events will be sent to senior parents in mid-May so that all of those involved have adequate notice and information in a timely fashion.

It is my hope that this newsletter, as yet unnamed, will benefit all members of the BMRHS community by providing news that sometimes doesn't get home, but is important nevertheless. I also suggest again, that all interested community members log on to our web site (www.BMRSD.net). It is updated frequently, including the Program of Studies and this newsletter. We also try to stay in touch by using the local cable TV stations and radio station WWON.

I welcome your comments and suggestions at any time.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Shimkus, Principal, BMRHS