Bell High School
Principals Update Week 36
From The Desk of Rafael L. Balderas, Principal
Greetings Bell HS Family,
I hope this message finds you and your family in great health and sound in mind.
As we continue on a hybrid learning model, I want to thank our staff for a successful week of SBAC testing in English and math. This coming week we now shift to the administration of our Advanced Placement testing for the next two weeks. Finally we will end with our end of the semester finals along with our in-person graduation on June 10th and 11th. It never seems to amaze me, that through our collective efforts anything is possible. Even though we are on a hybrid model of teaching and learning we continue to move forward without hesitation!
Our next step for our learning community is to reach out to our parents and students and promote the need to vaccinate our community. While we understand here is a lot of misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines. It is important to understand that these vaccines are safe and FDA-approved, and that mass vaccination is the only path back to recovery and normalcy. Parents community members and high school students are encouraged to research and seek out vaccination opportunities available to our community. Learn more about these opportunities at LAUSD vaccinations at: https://achieve.lausd.net/covidvaccineappt
In conclusion, I will continue to reiterate, as we return to face to face learning, EVERYONE must do their part by getting vaccinated, getting tested, wearing a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands. We Got This!
In Partnership,
Rafael L. Balderas, Principal
LAUSD TO INVEST ON BLOCK SCHEDULE TO MITIGATE LEARNING LOSS!
On Monday, May 17th our teachers will review, discuss and vote on next years bell schedule. In an effort to mitigate learning loss due to the pandemic LAUSD is willing to make a 3 year investment to the students of our school community. By moving into a block schedule (4x4 or 2x8 etc.) schools will be afforded many investments to help the school move into a schedule that meets the safety of staff and the academic needs of students. Below are just a few reasons why a change of schedule would benefit the school:
- Health and Safety – this schedule limits the "bubble size" by preventing 6-8
- classes worth of mixing.
- Teachers have fewer preparations and more planning time.
- Extended instructional class periods allows more time to complete in
- depth activities.
- Students earn up to 80 credits during the regular school year
- Provides a pathway for acceleration (math pathways, English Learners,
- concurrent enrollment, CTE pathways, IB, electives)
- Provides more periods for fitting needed intervention and/or credit recovery
- Fewer classes for students in a day and mester. Students can focus on their learning.
- Schools can choose to have AP classes kept together and assign a different non-AP course title during the other two quarters but taught by the same teacher during the same period to extend their learning over the full school year and to add in-seat hours working with the students.
As far as tangible investments by the District to make the block schedule work fro schools include the following:
- Additional teachers to support the schedule at 1 teacher for every 250 students that equates to an additional 9 teachers.
- 8 hours of counselor overtime equates to 64 hours for the school.
- 6 hours of professional development for all teachers this equates to 636 hours.
- All teachers will have a conference period everyday for planning.
- These investments are for committed 3 years.
In the coming week our school staff will be having the conversation on how to best mitigate student learning loss by reviewing the best schedule that will support students and increase staff resources.
COVID-19 TESTING FOR ALL STUDENT ATHLETES!
In an effort to support our student athletes, coaches and families LAUSD will have several locations available for COVID testing. See below in Local District East the two testing sites available are Gage MS and El Sereno MS, see extended hours on Wenesday's till 7 pm at El Sereno MS.
Schedule your appointment today!
1. Register for a parent portal account at parentportal.lausd.net
2. Link your K-12 children in Parent Portal
3. Schedule a COVID -19 test using your child’s student ID at https://lausd-rts.powerappsportals.com/en-US/
@Home Learning? YES We Teach Remotely!
Shout out to everyone for this week of teaching and learning! As a reminder, attendance is MANDATORY, based on the following schoology & zoom logon analytics we have for the following week: (Please note, this week our grade 11 students were SBAC testing)
Week of May 10-14, 2021
Students Virtual Attendance = 2,280 out of 2,373 students for a 96%
Weekly Log-on Grade Leaders (schoology & zoom)
Grade 12 – 95.9% / Grade 11 – 93.5% / Grade 10 – 92.3% / Grade 9 – 93.9%
Congratulation Class of 2021 “Seniors” Grade 12 You Are Still on Top!
Social, Emotional & Mental Health? We Got SEL!
We know from the data that students and families continue to feel isolated and alone, the Los Angeles Unified Launched Mental Health Hotline To Help Students and Families. Please have them call (213) 241-3840 – Please be mindful our students and parents world has been turned upside down and we need to make sure students have the support they need. In the event that you need immediate emergency assistance, please call 911.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call either of the following phone numbers for mental health support:
- LAUSD Mental Health Hotline (213) 241-3840 M-F 6am-6pm
- LA County Department of Mental Health (800) 854-7771
- Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Hotline (877) 727-4747 (24 hours)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK (8255) (24 hours)
- Bell High School Confidential Text Tip Line (323) 989-3750 (24 hours)
For immediate contact with the Bell High School’s Social, Emotional and Mental Health Team, please communicate with one of the following SEL Team Members:
- Sara Soto, PSW – sara.soto@lausd.net
- Keilah Gomez, Psychologist - keilah.gomez1@lausd.net
- Julia Carrera, Psychologist - julia.carrera@lausd.net
- Marissa Franco, PSA - marisa.franco@lausd.net
YES, MONDAY, May 17, 2021 IS PURPLE SCHEDULE!
Purple & GOLD Bell Schedule for Cohort H, Cohort L & Cohort F
As a reminder please follow our Hybrid and Online Tuesday to Friday bell schedule, see schedule below on our Padlet:
https://bellseniorhigh.padlet.org/marioapodaca/backtoschool2021
AP EXAMS? WE GOT AP EXAMS STARTING MAY 18 to JUNE 10, 2021
Attention ALL Advance Placement students, be prepared your AP Exam Schedule is out and it starts on May 18 and ends on June 10, 2021! Please check with your AP teachers on how to do well. Secondly, you will have the option to take the AP exam virtually or in person, please email Mr. Marquez, College Counselor at to Mr. Apodaca, Magnet Coordinator at ASAP.
Good Luck!
How are we doing in feeding our community? We Feed Our Learning Community!
As a reminder our Bell HS Community Food Distribution will continue to serve meals everyday from Mondays 2-3 pm and Tuesday to Friday from 2:30 to 3:30 pm! Please drive up on Pine Avenue to the Cafeteria Gate and NO ID is required. Our motto will always be “No Family Will GO Hungry”.
NEED SUMMER SCHOOL? WE GOT SUMMER SCHOOL 2021!
Mr. Gomez: jrg3922@lausd.net
Ms. Corpuz: cxc3746@lausd.net
Do We Have Social Media? Yes We Got Social Media!
ALPHA Academy @BHS_ALPHA
Bell High School @bellhighschool
AVID Academy @BHSAVID_familia
Global Studies Academy @BHSGlobalStudy
MTCA Academy @bhs_mtca
STEM Magnet @BHSGiftedMagnet
Bell Senior High School
Email: Bell-SH@lausd.net
Website: www.bellhs.org
Location: 4328 Bell Avenue, Bell, CA, USA
Phone: (323) 832-4700
Twitter: @bellhighschool