2026 Back to School BHS Student Letter

August 18, 2026

Dear BHS Students and Families,

I am excited to welcome you to the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.  Our team is ready to greet students with positivity, high expectations, and the support they need to thrive. We will continue to focus on building a school community rooted in connection, inclusivity, and academic excellence.

We know the transition back to school can be full of energy and questions, so please take a look at these important updates and upcoming events.

Welcome to BHS!
We are pleased to announce the following new additions to our staff:
Erica Doktor-Science Teacher
Jeffery Burnham-Technology/Business Teacher
Jennifer Reagan-ELA Teacher 
Sophie Adam-School Counselor

Anastashia Spikes-Secretary, Assistant Principal's Office

Our counselors are currently working on balancing and completing schedules.  Tentative schedules will be posted on Parent Square during the last week of August.

Popcorn with the Principal   Wednesday, August 26th from 5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. @ BHS Cafe 

• Parents will have the opportunity to come and meet Principal Wesp and Assistant Principals, 
  Ms. LaSpina and Mr. Doore. 

Parent Orientation for Freshmen & Transfer Students     Wednesday, August 26th from 6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. @ BHS Library

• Parents will have the opportunity of meeting our counselors and administration who will introduce them to High School policies, programs, and expectations.

• All first time BHS parents will find this informational session helpful in transitioning their child to High School.  This is also an opportunity for parents who once again have a student at BHS to learn about any new changes. All parents are welcome even if your child is not new to the school.

Orientation for Freshmen - Link Day - Student Event
     Wednesday, September 2nd from 9:00 a.m. - 11:35 a.m. 

 Link Day gives freshmen a confident, positive start! Students will connect with upperclassmen mentors through fun community building activities, tour the school, learn where their classes are, and practice using lockers. It’s all about building connections and starting high school with support.

• Bussing available for our registered bus riders

First Day of School - ALL Students     Tuesday, September 8th

• All Students report to your Block 1 - “A” Day class as indicated on their schedule.

• In your Block 1 class you receive an updated schedule if changes have been made. 

• All classes start at 8:05am. All students need to be on time for their Block 1 class, including all Study Hall assignments.   

Cell Phone Policy - In accordance with NY state law and a policy adopted by the Batavia City School District Board of Education the following procedures are in effect on the first day of school and remain in place each school day from arrival to dismissal.
~High School students will be required to turn in internet-enabled devices each morning upon arrival. Students will place their device(s) in a pouch in a folder labeled with their name, which will then be securely stored in a locked system for the day. Devices will be returned to students at dismissal. Any medical needs must be submitted with a note from your child's physician and approved by the nurse/administration so an individual plan can be created. 

Lockers and Backpacks - Each student will be assigned a locker. Freshmen will learn of their locker assignment and combination during Freshmen Orientation - Link Day. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will receive their locker assignment and combination on their printed schedule. Students may not carry backpacks throughout the day, unless for a medical need. Any medical needs must be submitted with a note from your child's physician and approved by the nurse/administration so an individual plan can be created.  

Chromebooks - Will be distributed to freshmen on September 2nd, and to all other students the 1st week of school. Students are required to sign a “Sign-out Receipt” and are responsible for the school-issued Chromebooks.  Billing for lost and/or damaged Chromebooks are handled through the Assistant Principal’s Office (343-2480 ext. 2001)

Dress Code for Students - Students are expected to exercise good taste and judgment in what they wear to school. Administrators will make the final decision as to whether particular dress is permissible in school. Students who violate the dress code will be asked to change or be sent home. Please refer to the Batavia City School District Code of Conduct which can be found on our district website. 

E-cigarettes/Vapes are strictly prohibited on school property. We are concerned about the addictive properties and the chemicals in the fluids. We are committed to educating students and parents about these dangers and working to eliminate students bringing vapes to school. 

Community Expectations: At BHS, we value a safe, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Behaviors such as bullying or fighting go against our shared values and will be addressed. When harm does occur, students will be issued consequences (per Code of Conduct) but also will be expected to participate in restorative practices that help repair relationships and strengthen our community.

Extended Day (X-Day): Students are offered additional opportunities for academic support through our Extended Day program. We have certified teachers who are available every morning in our Library from 
7:00 am - 8:00 am, and afterschool Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3:20 pm - 4:20 pm. Any student who stays for Extended Day is eligible to ride the late bus home, which comes at 4:20 pm. 

Academic Eligibility Policy: BHS wants every student to be connected. We offer rich opportunities in afterschool programming in many areas (sports, music, clubs, etc) and encourage students to participate. Yet, we also need to make sure that students prioritize their learning program. Any student who participates in an extracurricular activity will be held to the requirements below:
Academic Eligibility:
Level 1 Probation: Failing 2 classes → MUST attend 2 hours/week X-Day 
Level 2 Probation: Failing 3+ classes → weekly tracking & X-Day; no contests/clubs until improved
Focus: Learning through mistakes while staying connected

News from Nutritional Services:
Every student enrolled in the Batavia City District will receive all meals at no cost every school day regardless of the family’s household income.

1. Second meals are not covered under the CEP program. It is the families’ responsibility to pay for those meals and payment is due at the time of purchase.
    High School  
   Second Breakfast $1.75
   Second Lunch  $2.75  

2. All ala carte items will remain the same in that families are responsible for payment. Again, it is the cost of a full breakfast and a full lunch that are completely covered by the CEP program. You can continue to use myschoolbucks.com to add money to accounts for ala carte purchases and to monitor your student’s purchases.

3. There is NO charging allowed for additional meals or ala carte items.

4. Students can bring their lunch if they want to. You can supplement your packed meal from home with fresh fruit, milk and vegetable items from our school lunch program at no charge if all three full components are selected.

5. Milk is included with breakfast and lunch or any additional paid meals.

Student Parking: Since student parking on campus is limited, only juniors and seniors are permitted to park on school property. Any 11th and 12th graders who wish to park at BHS must re-register each year and will be assigned a PINK parking sticker. Students must register in the Assistant Principal’s office and complete the required permission form. Safe and appropriate parking and driving behaviors are expected in order to retain parking/driving privileges.

For student safety, the main entrance in front of the school is intended for pull-through drop-off only using both entrances (both sets of doors in the front of the building). There will be no pick-up and/or drop-off in the faculty lot during school hours. Parents may drop-off and pick-up students in the main loop. Parking in the drop-off loop is not permitted at any time of day or night as that interferes with emergency vehicle access to the building.

Note: Be aware the heaviest traffic begins at 7:40-7:55 a.m. The high school building is open at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast and 7:55 a.m. for all other students. 

School pictures will be taken on Monday, September 28th and Tuesday, September 29th. All students will be photographed for their yearbook picture and student ID cards.  School picture retakes are scheduled for Thursday, October 29th. Please keep your student ID cards in a safe place. Batavia High School does not have the capability of re-issuing duplicate student ID cards.

Batavia High School’s annual Open House is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 8th at 6:00 p.m. This is a nice opportunity to meet your student(s) teachers, learn about course curriculum, and expectations for the year.

Speaking of parent involvement in our school, a wonderful opportunity exists for parents to join in with staff and students to focus on issues that impact the quality of our school. Parents and students are welcome to join BHS’s Parent Teacher Group (BHSPTG). The first BHSPTG meeting for the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13th beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the BHS library. The BHSPTG meets the second Tuesday of October, December, February, April and June. Please see our webpage for a description of the many positives that BHSPTG has accomplished toward improving our school’s environment and our students’ academic achievement. As always, we appreciate and encourage our parents’ participation in all aspects of our school.

Parents, please review the “Request Not to Release Information” document enclosed in this letter regarding our legal obligation to release student directory information (name, address and phone number) to recruiters under “No Child Left Behind”. You must complete the attached form if you wish to “opt out” so that directory information about your student(s) will not be provided to military, college or employment recruiters who ask for such information. It is an all-or-nothing proposition - we cannot release that information to some and not all who request it.

Marking periods run approximately ten (10) weeks in length. Report cards and Interim progress reports will be posted on Parent Square, and are also available through SchoolTool Parent Portal. We encourage our students to pursue academic success with 100% attendance in all classes.

Grading calculations for 2026-27: Q1: 25% - Q2: 25% - Q3: 25% - Q4: 25% - All parents/guardians will need to sign up for the SchoolTool Parent Portal within our Batavia City School District. Parent Portal is a confidential and secure Web site where you can get current information about your child’s schedule, grades and teacher contact information. All parents will need to register for the SchoolTool Parent Portal. Registration will be available before the 5 week interim.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: If at any time you would like to initiate a conference with a particular teacher or counselor, please call the Counseling Center to arrange a meeting at 343-2480, ext. 2002.  Students will maintain the same counselors throughout grades 9-12. Miss Sophie Adam (A-D), Mrs. Kelly Garner (E-K), Mr. Joseph Hussar (L-R), Miss Kelley Biro (S-Z) Mrs. Heidi Meides-Judge (Student Assistance Counselor)

The beginning days of school are always some of my favorite days. I look forward to brimming hallways, laughter and joy, and seeing all our students engaged in learning once again. As much as summer can feel like a welcome break for an administrator, we all agree, it is never as fulfilling to come to work, until the students are back in the building.  

I look forward to an excellent year! 

Sincerely,