cbillings's blog

Hello Parents,

  Thank you so much for your patience this season!  With the snow day yesterday we have had to make some adjustments to the schedule in order to make sure that all necessary games are played before the tournaments.  Please be advised of the changes for this week and next week.

1.  The B Team will not be playing Orland tomorrow.  The game was originally scheduled for tomorrow and the coach changed it last week to yesterday.  With the snow day yesterday, we cancelled the game and are looking at playing it in February, perhaps.  We will keep you posted.

2.  The A Girls and A Boys Teams missed their game with PenBrook yesterday as well, due to the snow.  Because we are running out of available time before the A Team Tournament held at GSA the first weekend in February, the A Teams are going to each play two games tomorrow.  The A Girls team will play PenBrook in Brooksville tomorrow @ 4pm and the A Boys team will play PenBrook at home tomorrow at 4pm. 

3.  The B Team will not be playing Deer Isle on Tuesday.  Because there are older, less advanced players on the Deer Isle team we decided to not play it and instead substitute that game with one with the Castine team.  The Castine team is younger and more on our level which should make for fun games for all.  The B Team will play Castine on Wednesday the 27th at 3:45.

4.  With the snow this week came the cancelling of the 8th grade open house at GSA.  The open house has been rescheduled for Thursday, the 28th.  Because the home game for the A Team  is with a team that is not in our league, we have decided to cancel the game.  This will allow the 8th graders plenty of time to finish homework and make it to the open house on time. 

Although the basketball season is winding down, there are a few very important things that both parents and students need to remember:

1.   If you would like your child to stay after school for study hall prior to a game, your child must arrive with work to complete or a book to read.  Some students are repeatedly arriving at study hall with no work and no book.  It has been made very clear that study hall time during the week is for academics.  On a Friday afternoon, study hall can be just a place to relax, but during the week students are expected to arrive prepared to work quietly.

2.   There has been some confusion about basketball players wanting to go to Merrill and Hinckleys after school this week.  The school provides a study hall for students between the end of school and the beginning of a game or practice in an effort to support the academic programs here at school.  If players do not wish to stay at the study hall, students must go home.  Parents may also give their child permission in writing to leave school grounds after school to go to M&H, the public library, a downtown shop, etc. if they choose.  In this case, players are expected to report directly to their coach only in time for the game.  Players may not leave and then return to hang out at the gym or roam around the halls at school.  The coaches need the time between the end of school and the game to prepare for the game.  I am monitoring the study hall, so I can't also supervise students at the gym.  Please be advised that if you give your child permission to leave school grounds, there is no adult keeping track of their whereabouts until they return for the game.

     The A Game scheduled for Friday, December 18th with Pemetic Elementary school has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict with Pemetic.  We will not be rescheduling that game this season.

     For the week of December 14th, A team players will have a practice on Monday, the day off on Tuesday because of the K-4 Christmas Concert, an away game on Wednesday, a practice on Thursday, and a day off on Friday.

Thanks! 

Intramural Basketball for third and fourth grade students will begin on Monday, November 16th.  Look for schedules and permission slips that will be coming home this week- the week of November 9th.  Only students who have returned permission slips will be permitted to participate.

Mrs. McKechnie and Mrs. Billings

Calling all 5th - 8th Grade Basketball Students:

2009- 2010 BHCS Basketball Season Begins

 TEAM BUILDING

On Monday and Tuesday (November 9th and 10th) the coaches for the basketball teams will hold two beginning practices called "team building".  Team Building will give coaches an opportunity to see the players fifth through eighth grade demonstating basic basketball skills: dribbling, shooting, passing, and working with other players as a team.  Coaches will use the information collaboratively to build teams for the 2009- 2010 basketball season.  The teams will be built in compliance with out BHCS Athletic Policy, which goes into greater detail about how players are assigned to a team.  The BHCS Athletic Policy is available on the school website (click on the Athletics link).  Interested players in grades 5- 8 must attend team building sessions.

*Boys eligible for the A or B team should attend the Boys session:

Boys team building sessions will be held from 4pm- 5:30.

 *Girls eligible for the A or B team should attend the Girls session:

Girls team building sessions will be held from 5:30- 7pm.

 
MANDATORY PARENT MEETING FOR BASKETBALL

There will be a parent meeting from 6pm- 7pm this Thursday, November 12th in the gym.  Important information about the season and coach's expectations for individual teams will be discussed.  We will also hand out the November schedule for practice and games.

 
A TEAM PRACTICES FOR THIS WEEK

On Thursday and Friday evening of this week (November 12th and 13th) the first A Team practices will be held as follows:

A Boys 5pm- 6:30

A Girls 6:30- 8pm

Dear A Team, B Team, & Cross Country Parents,

     Friday the 23rd is our Fall Sports Banquet to recognize all of this years fall athletes at BHCS.  The Sports Banquet will begin at 6pm with a potluck dinner followed by awards given out by each teams respected coach(es).

     Please join us in the cafeteria with your casserole dish or crockpot full of something yummy.  Families are welcome too, just make sure to cook for your family size that will be attending and a little more to share.  We do ask that what you bring should come hot (if necessary) and ready to serve, as we will not be using the school kitchen.

     We have a total of 49 students participating on three teams this fall, so there should be a great crowd of parents and students on Friday.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or email.

     Thanks and we'll see you there!

Mrs. Billings and Mrs. McKechnie

We are at the home stretch for fall sports here at BHCS.  Due to the weather and the rapid decrease in daylight, there are few changes that have been made to the schedule.

Today's A game with Surry has been cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday, October 22nd at 4pm.  Today there will be an indoor practice for the A Team at 4pm until 5:30.

This coming Friday, the 16th, the A Team will have an outdoor practice from 4pm until 5:30 and next Wednesday's practice (the 21st) will be from 4pm until 5:30 also. 

Information regarding next week's sports banquet will be coming home at the end of this week.

Any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Billings or Mrs. McKechnie.

  Thanks to everyone who was able to come out and participate in this weekends Soccer Fun in Castine.  BHCS had 21 soccer players who were able to come and enjoy the day with some action packed soccer games.  For those who were keeping track of scores (in your heads), BHCS fared well against our neighboring schools.  This should be a great season!

  Mrs. McKechnie and I passed out schedules for the month of September yesterday in Castine and will be available to pass them out tomorrow at practice as well.  The September schedule is also available for viewing on our website.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or email.

Thanks,

Mrs. Billings and Mrs. McKechnie

Dear Parents,                                                                 September 8th, 2009

    Welcome back to BHCS!  Mrs. McKechnie and I would like to invite all 5th through 8th graders who are interested in either running cross country or playing soccer to the first official practices this week after school.

    Coach Kim Williamson will be starting practices for the season this Wednesday and Thursday at 2:45 until 4pm.  If you are interested in running cross country, bring your sneakers and wear something comfortable to run in.

    Coach Jeb Billings will also be starting practices for the season this Wednesday and Thursday at 5pm until 6:30.  If you are interested in playing soccer, you will need cleats and shin guards as soon as you can get them, however it is not necessary to have them for this weeks practices.

    Cross Country is considered an A Team sport and 5th through 8th graders will run together on one team.  If there are enough students interested in playing soccer, we will have an A Team for older students and a B Team for younger students.  We do already have coaches for two soccer teams although Coach Billings will be running this weeks practices.  If your student would like to participate this season, it is important that they come to one or both of this weeks' practices so that the coaches will know how large or small their team will be.  Schedules for the month of September will be handed out at practices this week.

    We hope to see your student on the field!  If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email either of us.

  Today's game against MDES in Northeast Harbor is indeed on.  The A Teams will be playing at 4pm.  Today's games will determine who has home field advantage on Monday.

  There will be a playoff game between BHCS and MDES on Monday in Blue Hill at 4pm.  The raindate for the playoff game is Wednesday, June 3rd.

  Coaches will be passing out a paper with this information to the players before today's game.

Any questions?  Please let me know.

Thanks,

Mrs. Billings