October 2023
Get caught up on all things happening
in October for our Eagles!
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
A message from Spiritual Formation Director, Jay Johnson:
Hume Spiritual Emphasis Retreat 2023
It was no surprise to most who know me, that I was excited to go to Hume Lake for the BCHS Spiritual Emphasis retreat. The work that God does at Hume is often life-changing, and this year was no exception.
There are a number of references in scripture that read of Christ retreating to a mountain with the purpose of spending time with the Father. For many students at BCHS, Hume Lake provides this same opportunity. Once away from the normal schedules, pressures, and so many other parts of our life that pull us away from God, the opportunity to grow and spend time with God presents itself. At Hume Lake, guests are surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation where they can play, rest, walk, sit, swim or boat, all in a quiet and peaceful environment which is so different from what most students experience. They also get the opportunity to worship God through music and time in the Word, both in the morning and evening. Putting all this together, leads to students and other guests feeling “close to God”. Add to it a gospel presentation, and you get to see God work in some of the most impactful ways in a person's life. All of this happened on our retreat to Hume Lake this year. It was amazing to see God work in the lives of all who attended!
Here are some of the highlights of the retreat:
Over 70 commitments to Christ in response to a clear Gospel presentation at chapel.
Many of the students stated a desire to turn from the sin in their lives.
There was an overwhelming number of students that committed to walk closely with God with honesty, purity and integrity.
There were amazing times of fellowship together.
Overall, relationships grew deeper between students, faculty and staff.
There are so many opportunities for individuals or families to retreat into the beauty of God’s creation. Here in California, we get the best of both worlds, the mountains or beach, and I encourage everyone to make time to retreat. It can be as simple as taking your Bible and getting some much needed time in the Word while enjoying God’s creation. It can be for a day or weekend, but take some time to reflect on when the last time this happened for you and other members of your family. Is there someone that you are close to that could benefit from some kind of retreat and spending time with God? Take time now to plan this very important time away with God.
STUDENT LIFE
Homecoming
Homecoming week brings much activity on campus and we are excited to begin the month of October with all the festivities. There will be float construction, dress-up days, lunch time games, food truck sales, a rally, homecoming court and a football game with a dance on campus to follow. See more details and information below about “Once upon a Homecoming”!
Float Construction
BCHS's longtime tradition of building floats continues this year. Supervised float construction kicks off Saturday, September 30 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Thereafter, float construction will be every weekday (October 2-6) until 7:45 p.m. Homecoming (October 6) will be a minimum day; float construction may continue until floats are presented during the half-time of the Varsity football game.
Homecoming Week Dress-up Days
Monday, 10/2 - USA Day
Tuesday, 10/3 - Team Tuesday
Wednesday, 10/4 - Rhyme without a Reason
Thursday, 10/5 - Throwback Thursday
Friday, 10/6 - Support your Float
Club Rush
We will be hosting a Club Rush on Tuesday, October 3. Students are encouraged to come out and see what clubs to join. There is quite the variety, so check them out and get involved.
Visitation Day
On Thursday, October 5, BCHS will host junior high age students and their parents for a day to catch a glimpse of all BCHS has to offer. Many of our students are integral to the success of this day; we greatly appreciate their participation and involvement and it truly exhibits what makes BCHS special. The day will be a closed campus for all students and we will have a food truck sale at lunch. Please bring money to purchase lunch and items from a variety of vendors.
Homecoming Rally
Friday, October 6, BCHS will be on a special minimum day schedule with an end of day rally; school will end at 12:31 p.m.
Homecoming Dance
Once the Football game concludes on October 6, let the dancing begin! All BCHS students are invited to attend the Homecoming Dance in the Sports Center right after the game. Refreshments will be served; attire is casual and school dress code will be enforced. We expect all students to honor the standard code of conduct including behavior becoming of an Eagle. The dance will conclude at 11:30pm and is only for BCHS students so be sure to bring your school ID.
Make-up Picture Day
If you missed school pictures in August or are interested in retakes, Hall Photography will be on campus Tuesday, October 17.
Closed Campus
As a reminder, BCHS is a closed campus except for senior students who have permission to leave during extended lunch or lunch. We do not allow other students to be excused for lunch and drive themselves off campus. This is a safety concern and we ask parents to please partner with us in not giving your student permission to leave for lunch.
Attendance
Please remember to clear absences within 48 hours either by calling the office and leaving a VM after business hours, contacting the office staff during business hours or via email at attendance@bakersfieldchristian.com. As a college prep school, it is vital that students are at school and on time each day. Thank you for your adherence to ensuring attendance on the BCHS campus.
Parking Permits
Every student who parks on campus must have a parking permit. We have noticed many sophomores and juniors without one. Please come to the office to get a permit request and return it with a copy of your driver’s license and proof of insurance.
ATHLETICS
Fall Sports
We are now in South Yosemite Valley League play. Be sure to view our sports calendar in the parent portal and/or our BCHS Athletics Instagram and continue to come out and support our BCHS Athletic programs: Football,
Cheer, Girls Volleyball, Girls Tennis, Girls Golf, Boys Water Polo, Girls Water Polo, Boys Cross Country, and Girls Cross Country.
Athletic Packets & CIF Transfer Paperwork
All families that have student-athletes competing or planning to compete in any sports program must complete and submit their Athletic Packet and CIF Transfer paperwork to Sergio Furtado (Athletic Director) before participating in practices and/or competitions. Contact the Athletic office if you have any questions.
GoFan Digital Ticketing
Reminder digital ticket sales will be used for all sporting events here at BCHS and KHSD. This means that games requiring a ticket for all home events and most of our away games must be purchased online. You can visit our GoFan page at https://gofan.co/app/school/CA7876 to see our available ticket sales. We have also added GoFan tablets and card readers to be used for ticket sales at the ticket booths.
Eagles Club
We invite and encourage you to become an Eagles Club member today and take part in helping boost our athletic programs. The Eagles Club Barn Dance will be held on November 4 and tickets are now available. You can sign up to be an Eagles Club member and/or purchase your Barn Dance tickets by visiting www.bchseaglesclub.com. You can purchase Spirit Gear in the office during regular office hours or you can also purchase by visiting the Eagles Club online store at https://stores.inksoft.com/bchs/shop/home.
Vertical Raise Fundraiser
Our first ever BCHS All Athletics Vertical Raise fundraising efforts began on September 25 and it will run through October 16. This 21-day social donation campaign has simplified the way teams can raise money. All we ask, is that each parent/guardian help their participant(s) reach out to their family’s networks and gather 20 or more email addresses, 10 or more text messages, and by sharing on all social media platforms. Emails and messages will be sent to potential donors where they can view our fundraiser page and decide if they want to donate. If not, they can easily delete the email/message or help by sharing the fundraiser. We are confident there are many people eager to help support our student-athletes and Vertical Raise’s platform affords them the opportunity to help if they choose. Emails are only used for fundraising and will never be sold or redistributed. Your contacts are strictly PRIVATE, PROTECTED and will never be REDISTRIBUTED.
Save the Dates
● Homecoming – Friday, October 6
● Barn Dance – Saturday, November 4 (tickets can be purchased through Veracross at: https://events.veracross.com/bchs/27-barn-dance)
Grandparents Passes
Grandparents Passes are now available for purchase in the office for $20 per couple. These passes entitle holder and/or spouse admission to all BCHS home games and are valid through September 30, 2024 (excludes all CIF playoffs).
Thank you so much for your support of BCHS Athletics!
Fly 🦅 Fly
ACADEMICS
School-day SAT for Seniors
Seniors have the opportunity to take the SAT on campus, during the school day on Wednesday, October 11. Students must register through the Parent/Student Portal to reserve a seat for the school-day SAT. The cost of the test is $60. Full payment must be made to reserve your seat. Registration instructions will be sent later in September.
School-day PSAT
DATE CHANGE: The PSAT will be held on Tuesday, October 10 for those who have pre-registered. For the first time, the PSAT will be taken on iPads. Test-takers will be excused from Periods 1-4 and are expected to attend the remainder of their classes.
Counseling Center
Mrs. Lynch and Mrs. Wilson are available to seniors during Period 5 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Seniors can stop by Room 616 to ask questions about future plans and get help with college applications.
Midterm Progress Reports
Progress Reports will be available on the Portal prior to parent-teacher conferences. We encourage parents/guardians to regularly check students’ assignments and class gradebooks on the Portal. Under the My Children heading select Classes & Reports to view detailed academic information for your student.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Save the date for Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday, October 23. Parent-Teacher Conferences are a great opportunity to touch-base with your student’s teachers. Parents/Guardians can review their students’ progress report in the Portal before arriving on campus.
Parents/Guardians will meet with teachers on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents/Guardians should plan to be on campus for at least a couple of hours to meet with teachers.
To give the most opportunity to the most parents we ask that conferences are brief. Conferences will likely last 4 to 5 minutes. Parents/Guardians who need more time in discussion with the teacher should be prepared to set up another meeting time with a teacher if the need arises. At any time throughout the school year, we encourage parents/guardians to email teachers with any concerns they may have.
Fall Play – Dorothy in Wonderland
This year our theatre students will be performing "Dorothy in Wonderland" - a mashup of Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland with all of the familiar characters. Please join us for the BCHS fall play. Tickets are available online – $7 for students/children and $10 for adults.
Friday, October 27 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 28 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 29 at 3 p.m.
ADVANCEMENT
PERCH has established a new committee this year and we are excited to share it with our families.
Each grade will now have parent representatives who are part of PERCH and willing to act as conduits between the school and parents. They have agreed to share their contact information and look forward to helping parents stay connected to BCHS throughout the school year.
The school seeks to communicate regularly via the parent portal and through texts, but this provides an additional avenue to glean information that may be missed or needs clarification. It is also a good way to connect with other parents and create community within the class.
As always, please do not hesitate to call the office anytime. Together, we are all here to help and support one another!
Freshman Parent Reps:
Toni Cooper – tcooper@bak.rr.com – 661-809-9749
Christine Icardo – icardofamily@gmail.com – 661-747-8528
Jessica Prickett – jessicapape78@hotmail.com – 361-771-8947
Dana Vieselmeyer – dmvies@gmail.com – 661-246-9342
Sophomore Parent Reps:
Jessica Prickett – jessicapape78@hotmail.com – 361-771-8947
Cindy Kujala – cindykujala@icloud.com - 661-205-0526
Erika Romanini – erikaromanini@bak.rr.com – 661-340-2327
Junior Parent Reps:
Shanna Treanor Fan – sltreanor@hotmail.com -661-303-0888
Lori Dreyer – laladreyer@gmail.com – 661-204-6525
Estelle van der Merwe – estelle@innovationfruit.com – 661-421-5399
Senior Parent Reps:
Lisa Pech – lisamichelle0609@gmail.com – 661-978-1049
Amanda Trautmann – amandatrautmann@hotmail.com – 661-747-5656
Shelley Cauzza – bwblackdirt@gmail.com – 661-978-5655
Liz Quick – etquick2003@yahoo.com – 661-496-7055
Melanie Wilkes – melaleew@sbcglobal.net – 661-330-3934
Paula Heer – paulabadasci@gmail.com – 661-706-4360
ADMISSIONS
Visitation Day for 7th & 8th grade students!
The 2023 BCHS Visitation Day is Thursday, October 5 in the Sports Center. Arrive at 8:30 a.m. and the event concludes around 12:30 p.m. A snack and lunch are provided. This is the best opportunity for Future Eagles to experience BCHS life, so please invite your friends and family with 7th and 8th grade students to attend (transfer students also welcome). Prospective students will go on tours, experience chapel, and hear from current BCHS students about student/spiritual life, athletics, and the arts. PARENTS ARE WELCOME TO STAY!! Parents will have their own opportunities to hear from school leadership, tour classrooms and learn how BCHS is a fit for their student and family.
Sibling Applicants
Get your student’s application started early. Click here to start the application process. A free Class of ’28 t-shirt is provided to the first 100 students accepted to attend!
Future Eagle Homecoming Float
Bring any Future Eagles to the float building area on campus on Thursday, October 5 after school. We will have them make posters to carry on their very own Future Eagle float that will go around the track during half-time. We will also have a few Future Eagle t-shirts to share.
EAGLE CAFE
Eagle Café serves daily hot specials that are changed monthly. Each special includes a drink of choice.
Here is the month of September’s specials:
Monday: Orange chicken
Served with steamed white rice and sautéed garlic ginger green beans
Tuesday: Beef Taco Bowl
Seasoned Ground Beef, Mexican Rice, Beans, Cheese, Cilantro and Tortilla Chips
Wednesday: Popcorn Chicken
Popcorn Chicken, mashed potatoes with country gravy, and buttered corn
Thursday: Chicken Alfredo
Fettucine Alfredo topped with Grilled Chicken, and steamed broccoli
Friday: Pizza
Pepperoni, Cheese, or Pizza of the Month, and your choice of chips
Pizza of the Month: Chicken Alfredo
Burger of the Month: Western
Salad of the Month: BBQ Chicken Salad
Parent volunteers play a vital role in the success of lunch service and sports concessions. Your commitment makes our students’ lunch period and sport activity a positive experience. If you have not signed up to volunteer for lunch or concessions, please email Ashley Jones
(ajones@bakersfieldchristian.com) our Food Services Director or call her at (661) 410-7000 ext. 1435.
Student Accounts and Balances
The Eagle Café is available to take cash and check payments during breaks and lunch. Please feel free to send your child with either of these forms of payment. If your student reaches a negative balance of $25 or more, we will still provide them with lunch items, but they will be ineligible to get snack items that are sold in the snack bar (candy, baked goods, soda, etc.) Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your student’s lunch balance, feel free to reach me at ajones@bakersfieldchristian.com or (661) 410-7000 ext 1435.
PERCH
PERCH takes place the last Thursday of every month (unless otherwise scheduled) and is open to all parents. We meet in the Student Union Meeting Room at 8:30 a.m.
MOMS IN PRAYER
Moms in Prayer will be meeting two different times each week: Thursday’s at 2:30 p.m. with Melissa and Friday mornings at 5:30 a.m. with Tiffany. Both meetings will be held in the Student Union Meeting room, unless there is a conflict and that relocation will always be text out in advance.