Weekly Parent News

Upcoming Dates

October 7 - Picture Retake Day (am)
October 13 & 15 - Parent Teacher Conferences
October 17 - Senior Cap & Gown Orders Due
October 31 - Half day of school

Attendance Notes

To report your student’s absence or upcoming appointments, please call us in advance @ 616-878-6610 or send us an email bchsattendance@bcpsk12.net. Help us help you by connecting ahead of time!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held in person on Monday, October 13 & Wednesday, October 15 from 4:00-7:00 pm by appointment only. Sign ups are available through October 10 using this link. Code: ghrc

Homework Support

As part of our Homework Support process, parents will receive an email from the HWS team if their student has missing assignments.

If a student turns in the assignment by 2:15pm on their scheduled HWS day (Tuesday or Thursday), they will not be required to attend that session.
Parents can help by checking PowerSchool regularly for missing assignments to see if their student needs to stay for that afternoon.
Students are encouraged to inform their teachers when late work is turned in so it can be updated in PowerSchool and no longer marked as “missing.”

Thank you for supporting this process as we work together to keep students on track with their learning.

Phone Policy Community Survey

We are now in year two of our revised phone policy and we would like your feedback! We are seeking input from students, staff and the community on their overall satisfaction with how phones are managed at BCHS. Please complete this survey by Friday, October 10.

Email Reminder

Please remind your student to check their email every day. This is how most information is communicated to them such as club updates, dance guest forms, Homework Support/Detention notices, mail pick up, etc.

KCTC Program Visits

All 10th and 11th grade students received an email regarding upcoming visits at KCTC. If they would like to visit, they have a google form that needs to be filled out! If they hope to attend KCTC next year, a visit is required prior to requesting enrollment in March.

Career Speakers

BCHS English teachers are looking for individuals willing to share information about their careers with our senior English students. We want our students to have the opportunity to explore a wide range of professions before they graduate from high school. Our goal is for our students to learn about your journey toward your profession, what a typical day looks like and your reflections on your job as they consider these careers for themselves.

All career presentations take place during our FLEX time on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:25 PM - 1:50 PM from September through December. If you are interested in speaking with some students about your career, please contact Pam Gillespie at pgillespie@bcpsk12.net or 616-878-6635.

Military Recruiters

Local military recruiters are able to request student information for our junior and senior classes. This includes their first and last name, home address, phone number and school email. We are required to provide that information unless you opt your student out. This was an option labeled, "Release Directory Info", which you were able to select during the registration process. If you already selected "no", you do not need to do anything further. If you are unsure, or want to change your "yes" to a "no", please complete our Google form using this link by Friday, October 31. If you have any questions, please email Pam Gillespie at pgillespie@bcpsk12.net.

Parents of Seniors

Please refer to the Important Dates For Seniors document for all senior event information, dates and times. This will be updated as needed to provide you with the most current details.

Class of 2026 Senior All Night Registration Form

Cap and Gown Orders

On Tuesday, September 23, seniors attended a class meeting where we discussed ordering their cap & gown for graduation. It may feel early, but planning ahead is key to making sure everything is ready for their big day.

Jostens has provided this link to order online. There are many package options to choose from. Their basic package is $52 and that includes the following four items needed for the ceremony: gown, cap, tassel and stole.

If your student is planning on using a sibling's or former students' gown, please make sure they are the same size.

Orders are due by Friday, October 17th. If you have any questions, please contact Pam Gillespie at pgillespie@bcpsk12.net or 616-878-6635.

SAN 2026 Apple Pie Sale

The Annual Byron Center Senior All Nighter Apple Pie Sale has begun! Seniors will be selling Apple Pies thru October 1. They will assemble and distribute them October 18. Pies can be picked up at the school cafeteria Saturday, October, 18 from 10am-1pm. Pies are $15 each or 3/$40. Please connect with a senior OR email bcsan2026@gmail.com.

Updated Honor Cords Requirements

As a reminder, BCHS has made adjustments to the GPA requirements for students to receive honor cords at graduation. All changes were made after reviewing historical grade data and determining the percentage of BCHS students who meet the criteria.

All changes are being phased in so each freshmen class enters high school knowing the requirements to earn honor cords. Please see the tables below for a summary of the requirements:

Class of 2026 and Beyond

Summa Cum Laude

4.0 or higher

Magna Cum Laude

3.85-3.99

Cum Laude

3.75-3.84

BCHS Spirit Store

The Spirit Store is open online for business! Please visit BCHS Spirit Store to make your purchase. Orders are typically filled within two business days. GO BULLDOGS!

Yearbooks

There are still many yearbooks waiting to be picked up from the 2024-25 school year. If you ordered a yearbook for your student last year, please encourage them to stop by Mrs.VanderLaan’s room #505 before or after school to pick it up. If you still want to order a yearbook for the 2025-26 school year, you can do so by visiting Byron Center High School Yearbook 25-26.

Ski and Snowboard Club

A club for 5th through 12th grade students who enjoy hitting the slopes together. This pre-paid club transports students to and from BCHS and Bittersweet Ski Resort six Tuesdays in January and February.

An option to meet at Bittersweet (no bus transportation) will be available for those who prefer to meet us there.

See the informational document for details.