BHS Parents Group

Dear BHS Community,

This will be my last message until January 12, 2025. Please have a good school break and a Happy New Year!

As you may have heard, last week the staff and students executed our Secure Campus procedure calmly, efficiently and effectively. Burlingame Police Department, as always, responded immediately, professionally and exuded confidence that they had swept our perimeter, were in communication with other law enforcement agencies to evaluate any reports and to keep school administration abreast of news. 

Parents may not have been aware that a "Secure Campus" is not an imminent threat within the BHS campus. Unfortunately, schools are targets of many hoaxes like the one last week. Out of an abundance of caution however, we followed Secure Campus protocols. For clarity, last week's Secure Campus event is not the same as a Lockdown. A Lockdown/Barricade means likelihood of a serious, imminent threat. Last week's experience was not a Lockdown.

For reference, BHS, SMUHSD and police departments receive training using a county-wide safety protocol that varies by need called The Big Five.

While I genuinely understand your concern during any incident, it is important that parents refrain from calling the school to find out what is going on for several reasons. In a true emergency, we need to keep phone lines open to communicate with police and other first responders. In all circumstances, staff will send Parents/Guardians a message via Parent Square. 

Secure Campus protocols are meant to allow instruction to continue as normal because we are taking precautions. We are able to convey additional messages to students and staff to maintain a calm environment. A flurry of texts and calls could cause stress and panic that is out of proportion to the situation. At BHS, we perform safety drills to prepare for and respond to several potential emergencies. For example, when we received the Tsunami Warning through phone alerts, it was important to announce that no emergency protocols were needed at the time. If there had been an aftershock however, we would followed the "Drop and Cover" protocol.

In other news, good luck to everyone with Finals next week. Please review the bell schedule changes for Tuesday-Friday. Upon return from Winter Break, January 7, 2025 some students may have slight changes to their schedules and should check Aeries. We will also have a new Interim Assistant Principal on January 7th.

Best wishes and Happy New Year!

Principal Jen Fong

jenfong@smuhsd.org

Dear BHS Families,

Happy New Year! I hope this message finds you well and that you had a restful and enjoyable holiday season with your loved ones.

As we step into 2025 and the second half of the school year, there’s a lot to look forward to! With so many activities going on, time will fly, and before you know it, we’ll be talking about graduation!

We are making steady progress on the Excellence Fund, and we’re currently at nearly 70% of our target. With a strong push in January and February, we’re hopeful we’ll hit our goal soon so we can stop talking about fundraising and focus on putting those contributions to work. If you’ve been planning to give but haven’t had the chance yet, now is the perfect time! Every gift, no matter the size, helps us support our students and programs. Click Here to Donate

Finally, mark your calendars for our next Parent Group meeting on February 12 at 7:00 PM in the Alumni Room. We’re working on the agenda and will share details soon. It’s a great opportunity to stay informed and connect with other parents!

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2025!

Mike Jarrett

President, BHS Parents Group