Math Boosters
The Math Boosters are a group of parents that provide support for the Academy's math team. The team had great success last year and we expect this year to be successful also. Parents of math team members are invited to join by sending your email address to Fay Sharit at faydave@optonline.net or David Drucker at ddrucker@stratag.com. You will receive regular updates about the team. If you are on our list but your email address has changed, please send us your new address. Our website, academyppo.com/math/index.shtml has a list of the Math Boosters offcers and email addresses, news updates, competition schedules, and helpful links.

On October 26, the Math Boosters will be conducting our Second Annual BCA Math Competition for 4th through 8th graders. This is our largest fundraiser. It was very successful last year, drawing over 400 students. Please notify Fay or Dave at the addresses above or James Chung at jameschung@bowne.com if you can help that day. Registration begins at 9:30AM and the competition will be over by 2:00PM, but you do not have to be available the entire time to help out.

PPO MEETING WRAPUP  - SEPTEMBER 9
The year's first General Meeting of the PPO was held with Principal Pat Cosgrove and all the Deans present to give a general overview of the "State of the Academy."  New for this year are revised school closure procedures (student email notifications instead of parent phone chains unless other forms of communication break down),  on-line Academy materials (Links and the Course Catalog available only on line, plus website updates),  an upcoming agreement with FDU to allow Academy students to access their college library, and- fewer Academy sponsored summer trips, due to lack of participation. The Princeton Plasma Lab trip will continue and will also include a molecular biology group.

Several hundred parents and students received much information and assurance on the college application process from members of the Guidance Department during a "senior survival meeting" on September 15. Here's some of the meeting highlights.
    All parents received by mail during August a packet containing such information as the student's transcript through junior year, and transcript release, faculty recommendation and early decision forms. If not already done, the transcript should be reviewed for accuracy and forms completed, signed and returned to school immediately.
    When filling out college application forms and supporting material:

*Put student's name and Social Security number on all documents.
*Whether "hard copy" from the college application packet, on-line application (which can be downloaded and completed in many instances) or Common Application, follow directions carefully and completely.
*Look at the college's deadlines and Bergen County Academies deadlines for submitting paperwork to Guidance.
*Make sure student has completed all required testing (SAT I, SAT II, etc.)
*Type - don't handwrite - applications.
*Sign applications in black ink.
*Essays are very important... they enable college admissions people to know who student "really is"... can make the difference in acceptance process.
*Check and double-check for spelling errors.
*Don't use correcting fluid if a mistake is made; start again with a clean sheet of paper.
*Print and save at least one copy of every piece of paper (applications, essays, etc.)
*Submitting on line? Make sure to hit "submit" button when you're done.
*If teachers are sending recommendations directly to colleges, students must provide stamped, addressed envelopes to teachers.
*BCA will submit the following to each college to which students are applying:
--Transcript with raised seal
--Test records such as SAT , HSPA, although many colleges want to receive SAT I and II scores directly from the College Board
--Guidance counselor recommendation
--Teacher recommendations (unless teachers send recs directly to colleges)
--School profile and grade distribution sheet specific to each academy
--Postcard to verify that package was received by college

*Two people in Guidance will check each package to ensure that all material is being sent to the college. Don't panic if a college calls to say something is missing; contact Guidance. This is why it is vital to keep copies of all documents.
*A student cannot apply to two schools on an Early Decision basis. Some schools will not accept Early Action applications from students who have applied to a school Early Decision.
*The Bergen County Academies do not rank students by GPA. If a scholarship program insists on a ranking, the parent may send a letter to Guidance and the ranking will be calculated and submitted to the scholarship program. But neither the parent nor the student will know that ranking.
*Students should put the CEEB code of his or her specific academy on all relevant papers and must put the name of the specific academy, not Bergen County Academies.
*Now more than ever, students should check their e-mail daily, since this is the primary and, at times, only means of communication for such information as scholarship programs and college visitations at BCA.
*Students must have an organized plan for completing all parts of the application by the deadline.
*Many public colleges and universities have a Rolling Admissions process whereby students acceptances are made soon after applications are submitted. It is to the student's benefit to submit these applications as soon as possible.
                                                                    --Dave Bickofsky,  Senior Parent Liaison

*The Freshman class advisor, Nancy Sytsma, can be reached at nansyt@bergen.org. Assistant class advisors are Bonnie Obojkovits at bonobo@bergen.org and Dan Kurz at dankur@bergen.org.
*Freshman guidance seminars are scheduled once a week for two mods. Seminars include the guidance counselor and 15-18 students.  Students are divided according to Academy.  Seminars follow a set curriculum, including topics such as  time management and stress reduction.
*Take the time and visit the website at www.bergen.org/ACADEMY
*The faculty is in the process of updating the course catalog.  The course catalog is available online, but is not updated. The update should be completed in approximately one month.
*Electives:
a. Freshmen will participate in the Electives Fair for the second and third trimesters.
b. The Electives Fair is offered at the mid-point of each trimester.  Two days prior to the Electives Fair, students receive their schedules for the next trimester, along with elective course descriptions.  Students may review their schedules and elective choices with their parents prior to the Electives Fair.
c. Freshmen should indicate 4 choices since they are on the bottom of the elective food chain (which follows grade order, Seniors first)
d. Individually scheduled electives are available for Freshmen.
e. Students may sign up for a sport at the Electives Fair.  Participation in a sport is viewed as an elective. Students participating in sports may replace physical education classes (and gym mods) with sports electives. 
f. Elective forms MUST BE SIGNED by a parent and returned in a timely manner.
*Clubs are not scheduled through Guidance.
*The next Electives Fair is October 29 (which is also Back to School Night).
g. All students must fulfill three Humanities and three Art requirements prior to graduation.  Students should consider this requirement when selecting electives.
--Mary Ann Hoogerheyde & Linda Stanton
    Freshman Parent Liaisons