Students

Saint Francis Bell Schedules and Pickup Times

K-4 students are dismissed at 2:45pm. These children must be picked up promptly.

Parents who also need to pick up students in grades 5-8 are asked to leave the pick up lanes and come back for the older child at 3:10, or park in the SFC parking lot.

Please inform the school as soon as possible if your child will need an alternative pick-up plan.

5-8 students are dismissed at 3:10pm. All students must be picked up no later than 3:30pm.

The SF Times

The SF Times, Edition 1, October 22, 2020

Saint Francis Uniform Requirements

Students at Saint Francis Catholic School are required to conform to the following dress code/uniform policy. The building principals reserve the right to determine what is appropriate. Consequences for dress code violations may be administered.

Daily Dress Code:

• Pants / Shorts / Skirts / Capris:• Color: Tan/khaki, black and grey
  • Shorts may be worn during the 1st and 4th quarter of the school yearShirts: Polo / Blouses / 1/4 Zip with collars:• Color: white, grey, black, forest green.
  • Spirit wear logo is allowed on shirts (St. Francis, Rams, Central)
  • Manufactured logos must be smaller than 2 in X 2 in, if on a solid approved color garment
  • All shirts must have sleevesSweatshirts / Sweaters with or without hoods:• Color: white, grey, black, forest green.
  • Spirt wear logo is allowed on sweatshirts no limits on size (St. Francis, Rams, Central)
  • Manufactured logos must be smaller than 2 in X 2 in, if on a solid approved color sweatshirt
  • NO Sweatshirts from non-school clubs, little league, traveling teams, etc.
  • ONLY plain or Billings Catholic School spirit wear sweatshirts shall be worn.
  • Sweatshirts may not be turned inside out to meet dress code criteria; all hoods are removed once inside the building.Dresses / Jumpers:• Color: Tan /khaki, grey, black, forest greenSprit Wear Dress Code: On Friday’s students will be allowed the following adjustments:• Pants / Shorts / Skirts / Capris / Dresses / Jumpers:• No change from daily dress code listed above• Shirts:• Daily dress code listed above is allowed and the following additions:
   Spirit wear logo: T- Shirts, sweatshirts, school designed T-Shirts and other tops of choice
  • Shirts must contain Ram, Central or St. Francis logo / lettering.
  • No shirts from non-school clubs, little league, traveling teams, etc.Free Day Dress: Jeans Day• Only on designated days
  • No sweat bottoms, gym shorts or other athletic wear.
  • Distressed jeans are ok, as long no skin is showing.SHOES/SANDALS/SOCKS/LEGGINGS• Flip-flops (sandals without back-straps) are not permitted.
  • Sandals with back-straps may be worn during the first and fourth quarters.
  • Solid white, grey, or black socks must be worn with shoes. BC Rams logo socks are permitted.
  • Leggings (footless) or tights (with feet) white, grey or black may be worn under skirts or jumpers.HATS/STOCKING CAPS

  • Hats and stocking caps may not be worn indoors.
  • Sweatshirt Hoods are to be down and off the head once in the building.

  MASS ATTIRE:

  • Students at St. Francis Catholic will be required to wear a solid black polo shirt or solid black, 1/4 zip shirt to ALL masses. The polo shirts can be long or short sleeved, with or without the SFC logo. Manufactured logos (Nike, Under Armor, etc.) must be smaller than 2 inches X 2 inches. Shirts with the SFC logo may be purchased at St. Francis Catholic School or on-line with the link
  provided. Uniform bottoms (khaki) are also required for all masses.

  The building principals reserve the right to determine what is appropriate. Violation of the dress code may result in further consequences.

SFC Student Drop Off and Pick Up Map

Click the image to download a PDF of the map:

SFC Health Services

Billings Catholic Schools strives to maintain the highest level of health and wellness among our students and staff. Managing health concerns requires a collaboration with students, families, and physicians. Healthy students learn and perform better. Our goal is to help each student reach their fullest potential.

Contact The Nurse
Saint Francis Catholic k-8 School Nurse
sfnurse@billingscatholicschools.org
Phone 406.259.5037
Fax 406.259.9119

Click the links below to access the following documents and forms:

• SFC Health and Medical Information
• Allergy Action Plan
• Asthma Action Plan
• Seizure Action Plan
• OTC Medication Permission Form
• Prescription Medication Permission Form
• Guidelines for Sick Children
• Vaccination Requirements

Health Screenings
Vision screening will be performed annually for students in Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. New students or students identified by teachers as having a possible vision issue may also be screened. The screening is performed by Registered Nurses with the assistance of parent volunteers.

Click the following links to access helpful websites:

• CDC Healthy Schools
• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
• Kids Health
• Screen Time and Children

BCCHS Bell Schedule

Yearbook Guidelines

Senior Picture Yearbook Guidelines

For senior photos submitted to the yearbook, please follow these guidelines:

• Head shot, forward facing preferred
• No hands in photo
• No earrings or facial hair for men
• Modestly sized or no jewelry for women and men
• Dress code appropriate – no spaghetti straps, bare shoulders, or logo t-shirts

Photos can be submitted digitally via email to Billings Central Catholic HS. Do not submit a hardcopy photo. Your photographer can email the photo for you as well. Photo dimensions should be 1500×2100, and the size 400KB or larger or resolution 300 pixels/inch. For more information, call 406.245.6651.

Senior Baby Ads

Yearbook baby ads are available for senior parents to buy for their graduating seniors. Ads are a full or a 1/2 page. Each ad contains a message and pictures of your child as a baby or toddler, as well as current pictures, and everything in between. To see examples, look in the back pages of past yearbooks.

Drug Testing Information

Download Drug Testing Consent Form

Mandatory Student Drug Testing

All BCCHS students in grades 10-12 are required to participate in a mandatory drug-testing program that also includes monthly random testing. BCCHS students in grade 9 will be included in monthly random testing only. The testing is conducted by Chemnet, who will manage all aspects of testing including collection, communication with the school administration, appeals, and randomization of participants. All information will remain confidential and comply with HIPAA regulations. Initial and random testing will be paid for by the school. Follow-up testing, if necessary, will be paid by the student’s parent or legal guardian. Drug test forms are available in the school office, and require a parent or legal guardian’s signature.

BC Chronicle

The BC Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Billings Central Catholic High School, and all of our reporters, photographers, and editors are students at BCCHS. Our mission is to provide information that is important, interesting, and relevant to the BCCHS community. Our goal is to create a more informed student body and to highlight student voices and perspectives in our publications. We strive to publish news that is student-oriented while maintaining the highest high school journalistic standards. Click below to read:

2021-22 School Year

• BC Chronicle Edition 7, May 24, 2022
• BC Chronicle Edition 6, April 11, 2022
• BC Chronicle Edition 5, February 7, 2022
• BC Chronicle Edition 4, December 14, 2021
• BC Chronicle Edition 3, November 3, 2021
• BC Chronicle Edition 2, October 13, 2021
• BC Chronicle, Edition 1, September 23, 2021

2020-21 School Year

• BC Chronicle Archived Editions, 2020-21

Graduation Requirements

4 credits English
4 credits Religion
3 credits Mathematics, including geometry
3 credits Social Studies
3 credits Science, including biology
1 credit Computer Science
1 credit Fine Arts
1 credit Physical Education
½ credit Health
3.5 credits of elective courses
24 total credits required

Recommended College Prep Program*

4 credits English
3 credits Mathematics
3 credits Social Studies
3 credits Science
2 or more credits of same Foreign Language

*Some colleges and universities may require additional coursework in the above areas. Review course selection with the college advising counselor

BCCHS Counseling Center

Contact Your Counselor

School Counselors are available daily from 7:45am-3:30pm for Academic Needs, College Advising, and Emotional or Social Support

Katie Hogan
406.544.4658
khogan@billingscatholicschools.org

Angela Hirt
406.672.1271
ahirt@billingscatholicschools.org

See Something, Say Something
Click the link above to confidentially report any concern or worry you may have about another student or member of our BCCHS community.

SUICIDE HOTLINE
If you, or someone you know, are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for immediate, confidential help, or go to the nearest emergency room.

CRISIS TEXT LINE offers FREE 24/7 access to crisis counselors. To access this service, text MT to the number 741-741 and a crisis counselor will respond immediately to provide assistance.

Emergency Contact Numbers

BCCHS Principal Shel Hanser
406.698.7834
shelhanser@billingscatholicschools.org

BCCHS Assistant Principal Jim Hawbaker
406.670.9571
jhawbaker@billingscatholicschools.org

ACT Test Update

OPI (Office of Public Instruction) shared with Billings Central Catholic High School that they voted to suspend the spring testing requirements, ACT with writing assessment. OPI and the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education are pleased to announce a free, voluntary ACT test opportunity on October 6, 2020. Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Hirt will continue to communicate with OPI and update parents and students about the ACT assessment in October.

We are very excited that students will still be able to take the test once for free and in the comfort of BCCHS surroundings, but please understand October is a late testing date. For the college application process to begin in a timely manner, students will benefit from having an ACT exam complete and ready to report before school begins in the fall. We know that most students increase their score a second time; therefore, the October date will be useful for increase in scores opening more opportunity for merit aid and scholarships.

Click HERE to visit the ACT Website

College Advising and AP Test Updates

College Counseling Handbook

2019 BCCHS Graduate Profiles

2020 BCCHS Graduate Information Form

Please update your college acceptances as they come through on SCOIR.

If you haven’t heard from a college yet, explore their website to see if they are delaying acceptance letters. Each college is different, and their websites have the best information. If you don’t understand your award letter from a college, please call the financial aid department at that school. Scholarships are still open. Click the link below for College Scholarships and take some time to apply. If you need a transcript or a signature please email Angela Hirt.

Available College Scholarships

Click HERE for AP Updates for Schools Impacted by Coronavirus

Letter from the AP Program

March 20, 2020

Dear Colleague,

The health and safety of educators and students are the AP® Program’s highest priorities. As schools and communities navigate the challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we’ll support AP students with free, optional remote learning and at-home AP testing. These options will give students the opportunity to earn the college credit and placement they’ve been working toward all year.

The AP Program will invest heavily in solutions that are designed to be as simple and lightweight as possible for both students and teachers—without creating additional burdens for school leaders during this time.

AP Exam Administration
Students remain eager to take AP Exams and have a chance to earn credit and placement. We surveyed 18,000 AP students and 91% indicated they want to complete this important step, urging us not to cancel this opportunity.

The AP Program will invest heavily over the next month in the following ways:

• For the 2019-20 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. Educator-led development committees are currently selecting the exam questions that will be administered.
• Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be two different testing dates.
• AP curricula are locally developed and we defer to local decisions on how best to help students complete coursework. To be fair to all students, some of whom have lost more instructional time than others, the exam will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March.
• Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they’ve worked this year to earn. For decades, colleges have accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have experienced emergencies.
• Students will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option.
• We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural students from participating. Working with partners, we’ll invest so these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your students need mobile tools or connectivity, you can reach us directly to let us know.

The exam questions are designed in ways that prevent cheating. We use a range of digital security tools and techniques, including plagiarism detection software, to protect the integrity of the exams. Scoring at-home work for an AP Exam isn’t new to the AP Program. For years the AP Program has received and scored at-home student work as part of the exams for the AP Computer Science Principles and AP Capstone™ courses.

We’ll continue to support students with free resources through exam day. And while we encourage students to wait until closer to the test date to decide, any student already registered for an exam can choose to cancel at no charge.

Information about the reduced scope of content that will be covered on each 2020 AP Exam is currently posted on AP Central®. The specific test dates and the free-response question types will all be posted by April 3. We’ll also unlock any relevant free-response questions in AP Classroom for digital use so students can access all practice questions of the type that will appear on the exam.

Daily Online Review AP Classes
Beginning on Wednesday, March 25, students and schools will have access to free, live AP review lessons, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The lessons will focus on reviewing the skills and concepts from the first 75% of the course.

These mobile-friendly classes are:

• Designed to be used alongside work that may be given by schools.
• Recorded and will be available on-demand so teachers and students can access them any time.
• Not dependent on current AP teachers continuing instruction. We know many AP teachers now face challenges that would make that impossible.

The schedule will be posted online today.

Get AP Updates

As we have additional information and resources, we’ll update this webpage and share updates by email, the online AP communities, and our social media channels.

We appreciate your partnership and all you’re doing on behalf of your students.

Sincerely,

Advanced Placement Program

Letter from the Principal

March 31, 2023

Parents, Teachers, and Students:

This letter is primarily for those of you who have a senior approaching the milestone of graduation. However, because so many people are involved in the process and ceremony, I want to include this information for everyone. General end of year information that applies to all is also included.

We are very proud of each of our graduating seniors. There are many individual and collective accomplishments of which this group can be very proud, and through the end of the year more are on the way. Graduation marks achievement, and it is a ceremony of honor and recognition that links your student to the Billings Central Catholic High School graduates of the past and future. Congratulations to you and your graduate as they begin to prepare for the next step in their life journey.

Graduation for the class of 2023 will take place in the BCCHS Nelles Center. The school will do everything possible to make this an honorable and holy celebration. We request that you assist in following guidelines below for graduation and ask that you support our efforts.

• Seating for parents and relatives will be in the bleachers and designated floor area. There will be a designated area for those in wheelchairs. If you have special needs, please let me know.
• Graduates and staff will be seated in chairs on the gym floor.
• Graduation at BCCHS takes place in the context of the Eucharistic Celebration and is a solemn, reverent occasion. The celebrant is Most Reverend Bishop Fleming. The procession will begin promptly at 6:00pm on Sunday, May 28, 2023. We request that all in attendance give this ceremony the respect it deserves from beginning to end.
• LifeTouch Photography will take a picture of each graduate receiving their diploma. This eliminates the need for picture taking on stage. All graduates will have their picture taken and pictures will be available for purchase online.
• Dress for graduation is important. Graduates are required to dress in ‘business casual’ clothing under their graduation robe, including dresses, pants suits, dress slacks, shirts and ties or collared dress shirts. Dress shoes are required for all graduates – no tennis shoes, flip-flops, etc. are allowed. Students not following dress code will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.
• Graduates are not allowed to decorate or write on the mortarboard.
• Additional Graduation Stoles (tribal, international, etc.) must be approved by the administration by May 12^th otherwise they will not be allowed.

The following are important dates for the end of the year.

• Thursday, April 6^th – Monday, April 10^th – No School
  • Easter Break – Happy Easter!
• Saturday, April 22^nd
  • Prom – DanWalt Gardens (8pm-11pm)
• Saturday, May 13^th
  • RamJam MasterLube Fundraiser
• Thursday, May 18^th and Friday May 19^th
  • Senior Finals and Last Academic Day
• Sunday, May 21st -Tuesday, May 23^rd
  • Senior Retreat (Details TBA) – Required Event
• Wednesday, May 24^th
  • Senior and Underclass Awards Assembly, 8:15am
  • Senior Farewell Mass, 10:30am
  • Senior BBQ and Check-Out, 11:30-12:45
  • Senior Farewell at SFC, 2:00-2:30
  • Senior Farewell to BCCHS, 3:00
• Thursday, May 25^th
  • Senior Refocus Period for make-up work or additional testing time if needed, 8:00am-9:00am and 10:00am-12:00pm
  • Senior graduation practice, 9:00am, Nelles Center
• Sunday, May 28^th
  • Graduation Day
    • Senior Breakfast, 10:00am (Details TBA)
    • Senior Class Picture, 5:10pm Sharp! (Nelles Center)
    • Graduation 6:00pm
    • RamJam to follow graduation (Details TBA)
• Monday, May 29^th
  • No School
• Wednesday, May 31^st – Friday, June 2^nd
  • Final Exams—Grades 9-11

All of us are looking forward to graduation and the end of the year and more details will be provided as we get closer. Please do your part to promote good choices by our students and a safe and healthy spring. If you have any questions, feel free to call or stop in for information.

God Bless,

Shel Hanser
Principal, BCCHS

College Information from Mrs. Hirt, School Counselor and College Advising Counselor
Most colleges require you to pay a deposit by May 1 to complete your admissions. Don’t miss this date! Final transcripts will be sent to the college listed as your attending college in Scoir. This is the only source that will be used. You will get strongly worded letters telling you that your transcript is needed, but don’t worry, we will get them out on time. In June Mrs. Hirt will confirm that final transcripts are sent to each student’s attending college. If you are a college athlete make sure that you are registered with the appropriate governing body, i.e. NCAA or NAIA. Transcripts will be sent to those organizations at the same time as college transcripts are sent. If you have any special concerns or requirements, stop by the College Advising Office.