BHS Parents Group

Dear BHS Community,

Congratulations to Ms. Yamamoto (conducting while under the weather) and all of our talented musicians for a delightful winter concert. We have so many outstanding singers and musicians who have worked so hard all semester to produce such high quality. If you missed it, pencil in the spring concert for an evening of outstanding performances.

Did you notice that last week was Excellence Week? I donated both $$ and a physical item to the Staff Appreciation raffle. How about you? I know, I don’t need to donate, but I believe so strongly in all the enrichment that the Excellence Fund is able to provide to our students through the generosity of this amazing community. It is not too late to show your Panther Pride.

Prepare for finals intensity by joining as a family: everyone charge phones outside the bedroom and go to sleep early. My son uses an app to limit his screen time. I’d recommend an hour of sleep over an extra hour of studying. Sleep is critical for consolidating memories and learning, and being alert for the upcoming finals.

And really, really talk to your children about academic integrity. No matter how sly they think they are, we regularly catch students violating academic integrity policies. Getting help on an answer could result in a zero on an exam, a Drop F for the semester and a note on their permanent record. Don't do it.  (And if they are being pressured by others to help them cheat, have them report it anonymously on Stop It.) 

Please ask your kids how they are feeling about grades and their courses, but don't react. They might articulate some anxiety and speak hyperbolically about how badly they are doing or how unfair something is. This may or may not be true. They need a space to vent, or possibly to motivate themselves. I’m <<pretty sure>> that my daughter was exaggerating when she said she might drop a core college class due to low grades. So I tried normalizing that she previously experienced significant grade inflation, and that it was normal to get Bs and the occasional C in college. My son has never shown me his college transcript, but he also kept up his GPA well enough to maintain academic standing and financial aid. He is the struggle in silence type.I share my own stories of mishaps and re-directions so they can understand how to build resilience and overcome setbacks. Please know that if your child is truly struggling, BHS Counselors and Wellness are here to help.  

Go Panthers!

Principal Jen Fong

jenfong@smuhsd.org

December 14, 2025

Dear Families,

As we head into finals week, we wish all our students the very best. Thank you for continuing to support them as they prepare, study, and finish the semester strong.

We are also incredibly grateful for the strong support of our fundraiser—thanks to you, we are almost at 60% of our goal! Your generosity and partnership make a tremendous difference for our school.

We encourage everyone to stay safe and take care during the holidays. We know this time of year can be joyful, but it can also be difficult for some in our community. Please know we are here to support all our families.

This week, we will be celebrating our amazing BHS staff. There's still time to volunteer or lend a hand if you’re interested—your help is always appreciated and truly makes the week special.

Thank you for being such an important part of the BHS community.

Warmly,

Ingrid Gauthier, BHS Parents Group President

ingridgauthier@bhsparentsgroup.org