All 2012-13 BH-BL varsity teams achieve Scholar-Athlete recognition

For the third year in a row, the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School students have shown that they excel both on the sports fields and in the classroom.

BH-BL is again on track to be named a state "School of Distinction" based on the fact that all 26 of its varsity interscholastic sports teams have been named "Scholar-Athlete" teams for achieving grade point averages above 90 percent. READ MORE & VIEW GPAs

Way to go, Spartans!

Planning to play a sport next fall??

A Health Clearance Form (yellow sheet) is required for students to tryout for any sport.  The Health Clearance form needs to be obtained from the school nurse within 30 days prior to the start of the sports season once all needed paperwork is on file in the nurse's office. Dr. Sipperly will be at school on May 21, 2013 to do free sports physicals.  This is the last time the school will offer sports physicals before the fall sports season. Stop by the nurse's office to sign up.

What to Bring to the Nurse

In order to obtain a Yellow Sheet, students should bring the following to the nurse:

• A copy of their physical with the date of the exam being within one calendar year of the start of the sport (or check with the school nurse to see if the physical on file is current).  Physical Form in pdf format School / Sports Health Exam.

• A Sports Health Recertification form to be completed by parents ONLY if the physical was done more than 30 days prior to the date of tryouts.  The Health Recertification form updates health information from the date of the physical to the date of the start of the sports season.  Health Recertification Form in pdf format School / Sports Health Recertification Form.

Please contact the school nurse with questions or concerns. At the High School: Mrs. Fredericks, ext. 83102.  At the Middle School: Mrs. Greco, ext. 84035.

AP Exam Schedule

Please use the link provided to view the upcoming AP Exam Schedule.  AP Exam Schedule

June 2013 Exam Schedules

Please use the link provided to view the upcoming June 2013 Exam Schedules.  June 2013 Exam Schedules

Support BH-BL PTSA by Buying Smith's Orchard Pies!

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake PTSA Pie Fundraiser deadline is fast approaching!  Your support of our BH-BL PTSA pie fundraiser would be appreciated.  Please use the link provided to order some delicious pies by Wednesday, May 1st.  Pick-up time for the pies is Wednesday, May 22nd from 2:30-6:00 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria.  Pie Order Form

Prom Information

The Junior-Senior Prom will be held on Friday, May 17, 2013, from 7:00 p.m. - 12:00 midnight, at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs.  Dinner is included.

A post-prom party will be held at the Bayou Cafe from 12:30 a.m. - 3:30 a.m.  PTSA donations support a significant portion of our After Prom.  If you would like to support the After Prom, cash donations may be sent to the high school. 

Important Information for Seniors

Our Honors Assembly program will be held on Wednesday evening, May 22, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

The annual Senior Banquet will be held on Friday, June 7, 2013 on the Lac du Saint Sacrement from Lake George.  Students should dress appropriately for the banquet -- boys in slacks and a shirt, girls in dress pants/skirt and blouse or dress.  Students should not wear shorts or jeans.  Bus transportation will be provided from the high school at 5:30 p.m. sharp.  Buses will return to the high school at about 11:00 p.m.  Seniors are required to ride the bus transportation both ways in order to participate in the boat trip.

Stop in at Mail & More on Route 50, Burnt Hills to order your graduation invitations.

Graduation rehearsal will be held at the high school on Monday morning, June 17th, at 10:00 a.m.  All graduates who plan to participate in the graduation exercises must attend the rehearsal.  Rehearsal should last no more than an hour and a half.  Caps and gowns will be available in the gym that same day from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.  The cap and gown fee is $24.40 - Checks may be made payable to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School.

Graduation will be held at noon on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at SPAC.  Tickets are not required.

Northeast Natural History Conference

Congratulations to Klara Widrig, who presented at the Northeast Natural History Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts.  This conference promotes the study and stewardship of the natural environment in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada.

Klara presented her poster entitled "Determining the Effects of Eurasian Watermilfoil Hand Harvesting on Biocontrol Populations."  Klara is shown with her mentor, Brent Kinal of the New York Natural Heritage Program.

69th Annual Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Conference

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Sophomore, Dan Sinopoli presented his science research project on the health of brook trout in the Eastern Adirondacks at the 69th Annual Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Conference in Saratoga Springs.  Dan's research was presented in both the Student and Professional Researchers sections and was viewed by over 400 Biologists and Scientists from across the United States and Canada.

O'Rourke Middle School is going to the Odyssey of the Mind WORLD FINALS!

Congratulations to Matthew Foster, Jack Royer, Rachel Johnson, Therese Erickson, Julia Salvatore, Aidan McKenna & Michael Messere who will be traveling to the World Finals.  Please participate in as many of the following fundraisers as you can--

Pizza Works - May 1; 5-9 p.m.

Burnt Hills Lanes - May 5; 2:30-4:30 p.m. bowling will be $15/pp plus pizza & bake sale.  Contact Cindy Turgeon 860-6595 to reserve 4-5 person teams!

"Flower Shower" - order one for your lawn or shower a neighbor.  Contact Liz Royer for details 885-4011!

Or "Just Write a Check" to the O'Rourke Middle School PTA, earmarked for the Odyssey of the Mind team.  (Send to Laura Foster at Pashley or turn in at any BH-BL school main office.)

Student Art Show of the Capital Region BOCES Art & Enrichment Service

Congratulations to Alyssa Gladding, Quinn Porter, Alissa Ronca, Courtney Parker, Kevin Gideon & Erin Sausville whose artwork has been selected for the Student Art Show of the Capital Region BOCES Arts & Enrichment Service.  The Opening Reception is Tuesday, April 9th. The show will remain up through May and will be open for viewing during business hours.

Times Union Indoor Track and Field All Star Team

Congratulations to six BH-BL students who made the 2013 Times Union Indoor Track and Field All Star Team!  The boys 1600 relay (Matt Bunch, Robert Kirsty, Luke Cameron and John Rabideau) made first team all stars.  Jaleah Owens (55 hurdles) and Kalli Manly (Pole Vault) made the Times Union second team all stars.

Jazz Showcase coming to high school on April 11th

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Fine Arts Department will present a "Jazz Showcase" on Thursday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m. in the High School auditorium. 

Featured guest artists will be singer Kim Nazarian of New York Voices (right), and saxophonist Dave Pietro (below), who will perform along with the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Jazz Ensemble and the Select Jazz Choir.

Nazarian and Pietro will be working with BH-BL students and teachers for a two-day artist in residency program on April 10 and 11 using Arts in Education funding from the high school PTSA and the district budget.

There will be no charge for admission to the April 11 concert.

 "Bringing two world-class musicians like this to the high school is a fabulous opportunity for our student musicians," says Fine Arts department head Mike Danis. "I hope many people can come to the April 11 concert. We've never done something quite like this before, and I anticipate some great music and an exciting evening."

Two students chosen for Bread Loaf Young Writers Conference

Two of our juniors, Alana Picozzi and Lilly Perry, have been admitted into the highly competitive New England Young Writers Conference held at the Bread Loaf Mountain Campus of Middlebury College in Vermont.  From May 16 - 19, Alana and Lilly will have tutorials with world-class published authors, attend workshops run by the authors, listen to lectures on writing, and hone their own poetry and prose. They will be able to share original pieces through oral expression at open mic events, small group readings, and a publication that will be circulated at the end of the conference.  Alana and Lilly are members of the high school's LeFont Writing Club, where Lilly is co-president.

Congratulations, Alana and Lilly!

Greater Capital Region Science and Engineering Fair

Congratulations to the following BH-BL students who were awarded prizes for their science research projects at the Greater Capital Region Science and Engineering Fair. 

Amy LeBel - Association for Women Geoscientist

Samantha Scibelli - Dudley Observatory Award

Klara Widrig - National Association of Biology Teachers Award and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Congratulations, Amy, Sam and Klara!

Greg Parks & Josh Porter earn 2nd place in regional Criminal Justice competition

BH-BL students Greg Parks and Josh Porter won second place in the "Crime Scene Investigation" category at the March 13th  Skills USA Regional Competition at Schenectady County Community College. Greg and Josh are studying Criminal Justice at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Tech program in Colonie. They were among 46 students from area school districts who won awards in a wide variety of topics at the Skills USA Regional Competition.

Congratulations, Greg and Josh!

Music in Our Schools Month

On Monday, March 18th, the BH-BL High School Orchestra under the direction of Karen Russell performed at the Empire State Plaza.  March is designated as Music In Our Schools Month by the New York State School Music Association, and this year marks their 40th anniversary.  The High School Orchestra was selected by an application process and received a participation plaque for their performance.  The group was introduced by New York Assemblyman Jim Tedisco and was one of many schools performing daily throughout March at the Plaza.

High School Interim Reports go paperless!

Parents:  Interim reports are now available online through our Parent Portal. To view your child's interim report, use the button on the right to sign into the Parent Portal. Once in, use the buttons on the left to see either “Grades or Attendance” or “Teacher Comments.” These two reports will provide you with the same information we previously mailed you in printed form.  (Be sure the Reporting Term selected in Teacher Comments is "P3")

If you need assistance signing onto the parent portal, please email powerschool@bhbl.org  If you require a printed copy of the Interim Report, please contact the guidance office.

New York State Public High School Athletic Association Honors BH-BL Team!

At the end of each sports season the New York State Public High School Athletic Association honors teams that excel in the classroom.  Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake's Varsity Field Hockey Team was recognized as the Fall 2012 New York State Scholar Athlete Champion Field Hockey Team for having the highest average of any field hockey team in the state with a 96.378 team average.  Team members include:  Alexandra Ball, Nicole Beardsley, Kimberly Bennison, Madeline Berkowitz, Stephanie Guzzi, Aubrey Kamppila, Christina Krowel, Ashley Lamere, Meghan Largo, Nykia Leach, Amy LeBel, Mackenzie LeVan, Danielle Neumann, Hayden Pollard, Shauna Ryan, Sarah Ryan, Brittany Ryan, Samantha Scibelli, Mackenzie Wetzel and Elise Zwicklbauer.  The team was coached by Kelly Vroomen and Lisa Ball.

Upstate Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

Congratulations to Klara Widrig and Samantha Scibelli who recently competed at the state-level Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.  Klara won third prize in the General Biology and Environmental Studies session, and Samantha won second place in the Physical Sciences session.

Parent Forum on Cyber Safety is March 27

The Middle School Family & Consumer Sciences Department is hosting a district-wide forum on Cyber Safety.  Parents of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake students are invited to attend Wednesday, March 27th from 7-9 p.m. in the Middle School Cafeteria.

Trooper Schmidt of the New York State Police-Troop G, will explain basic techniques in understanding and navigating current online trends including texting, social-networking, and media sharing sites.

The presentation will provide strategies for monitoring your child's safety on the internet and distinguishing cyber bullying behavior.  Strategies in recognizing and addressing risky or illegal online conduct, as well as related legal consequences will also be identified.

Students are welcome to attend at their parent's discretion.

Tickets available for musical Curtains performances on March 15 & 16

Boston's Colonial Theater is giving the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage, the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan!

To find out what happens next, please join us as the high school Drama Club presents Curtains on March 15 and 16 at 7 pm. The cast includes  Colin Foster and Detective Cioffi, Vincent Fulgieri as Bobby, Kelsey Ward as Carmen, Marion Kinosian as Niki, Gabby Rao as Georgia, Kris Van Nostrand as Belling, and Kent Benwell as Aaron.

Tickets: $7 students and $10 adults are available at ShowTix4u.com or at the door.

National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Congratulations to Allie Rose Brenon for being recognized as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.  Approximately 1.5 million juniors in over 22,000 high schools entered the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT).  The pool was then narrowed to approximately 16,000 Semifinalists and then to 15,000 Finalists.  Finalists are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

New 2013-14 High School Course Guide available

Students thinking about courses they want to take in the future at the BH-BL High School can download our Curriculum Guide for 2013-14 in pdf format. (Warning to dial-up users: This is a huge file.) Students will receive a printed copy of this 36-page booklet from their guidance counselor soon. Parents should also take a look at the list on page 6 of the many courses that offer pupils a chance to earn college credits while still in high school.

Eastern Junior Science and Humanities Sub-Regional Symposium

Congratulations to Samantha Scibelli, Amy LeBel, Maya Schank, and Klara Widrig, who won prizes at the Eastern Junior Science and Humanities Sub-Regional Symposium on Saturday, February 2nd.  Samantha, Amy and Klara will be three of the thirty speakers statewide competing for a chance to present at the National JSHS Competition, and Maya will be participating in the poster competition.  Nice job, ladies!

Congratulations BH-BL Reflections Winners!

The Reflections committee is proud to announce that three PTSA Reflections art contest winners at the High School and the Northeast Regional level were selected to represent our school at the state level.  Congratulations to Kaylee Gillespie and Nathan Gier (visual arts) and Shelby Kislowski (photography)!  Outstanding job, students!

BH-BL Senior is 2013 Intel Finalist

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School is proud to announce that Samantha Scibelli has become the first Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake student to be named an Intel Science Talent Search Finalist.  Her project entitled "Census of Blue Stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey" involved surveying over 12,000 objects in the sky and reclassifying them based on spectra and photo metric results.  Samantha is currently enrolled in the Science Research Program at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School taught by Mrs. Regina Reals.  Samantha also traveled to Long Beach, California to present her work at the 221st American Astronomical Society meeting.  Samantha's mentor is Dr. Heidi Newberg of RPI.

Samantha and 39 other students from around the country will gather in Washington, D.C. for a week-long event from March 7-13, during which they will undergo a rigorous judging process and meet with national leaders.  In past years, this has included a visit with the President of the United States, interaction with preeminent scientists and display of their research to the public at the National Geographic Society.  Top winners will be announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on March 12th.

Samantha is the only Capital Region student bestowed with this honor this year.

High school art "All Stars" on exhibit in Saratoga

Twelve works of art by 11 Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake high school students will be featured in the annual Saratoga Arts Council High School All Stars Exhibition from January 12 - 26. 

The artists -- Morgan Almy, Vanesa Chen, Nate Coffey, Rachel Dotterweich, Kaylee Gillespie, Aubrey Kamppila, Kelly Lavoy, Katrina Little, Sara Potter, Makenzie Riley, Madilyn Sausville -- are students of teachers Regina Capobianco, Wendy Corrigan and Christine Layden.

The show is on display at the Saratoga Arts Center gallery, 320 Broadway, in Saratoga from 9:00 - 5:00 weekdays and 11:00 - 5:00 Saturdays. The opening reception is Saturday, Jan. 12 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Go to the FINE ARTS HOMEPAGE for photos and attributions of all 12 BH-BL works.

Student Emergency Information Update Forms

An Emergency Information Update sheet was mailed home in December 2012.  Parents are asked to review the information that the school has for your student, and either update and return, or sign and return to the High School Guidance Office if there are no changes.  It is very important that the school has the most current information for all students.  If you do not receive the form along with the progress report, it is because you have already updated or verified your information.

Michael Kirsty performs at Conference All-State

BH-BL junior Michael Kirsty, a cello player in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Orchestra, was selected to perform in the Conference All-State String Orchestra. Michael was selected based on his perfect score in his NY State School Music Association solo performance at the spring 2012 NYSSMA Solo Festival. 

Over 6,000 students from across New York State competed for some 600 slots in the Conference All-State ensembles. Michael will join the best string players from the entire state in 3 days of rehearsals under the direction of Eduardo Navega, a native of Brazil who is an internationally recognized conductor. The All-State String Orchestra performed in the world famous Eastman Theater in Rochester on Saturday, December 1st. 

Congratulations to Michael on this outstanding recognition!

Spartan 2013 Yearbook Information!

The High School Yearbook is printed by Balfour and can be ordered through their secure website. Click here to go to the yearbook site.

Calling all veterans!

Veterans to be honored with breakfast & ceremony on Thursday, November 8

Area veterans from any branch of the military are invited to attend the annual BH-BL Veteran's Day Ceremony that will be held at Freedom Circle in front of the BH-BL High School, 88 Lakehill Road, Burnt Hills, starting at 9:15 AM on Thursday, November 8, 2012.

The ceremony will be followed by a free breakfast to further honor our veterans in the school cafeteria. Both events are sponsored by the high school Student Government Organization.

Veterans who plan to attend are asked to RSVP so that adequate food can be prepared. Please contact SGO co-advisor Renee Tolan at 399-9141, ext. 83236 or rtolan@bhbl.org with your questions or to RSVP.

Burnt Hills student Siena Wilder named "Player of the Week"

WNYT News Channel 13 Sports has named BH-BL senior Siena Wilder as one of its "High School Sports Player of the Week." In addition to her greatness of the volleyball court, Siena has the 98% grade point average, is president of the Student Government Organization, and is a great example of a BH-BL Scholar-Athlete.

You can see the WNYT video clip with her here.

Way to go, Siena!

High School Homecoming features football, barbecue & fun, Sept. 29

The public is invited to celebrate Homecoming at the BH-BL High School on Saturday, September 29, 2012, on the athletic fields behind the school at 88 Lakehill Road.

Kickoff for the varsity football game versus Gloversville is at 1:30 pm

 READ MORE & VIEW PHOTOS FROM 2011

BH-BL student's book for sale on Amazon & elsewhere

There aren't many high school students who can say that copies of their novel are available at local bookstores. But BH-BL junior Erin Billings can.

Her novel Sincerely about a girl with cerebral palsy was published this year by Open Door Publishers in Malta. It is now for sale for $14.95 on Amazon. Locally, the Open Door Bookstore at 128 Jay Street, Schenectady, is a holding a book signing party featuring Erin on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 1:00 - 2:30.

You can read all about Erin and her book in this story by Daily Gazette reporter Michael Goot. (The district thanks the Gazette for permission to share this story.)

Safety Reminder: High School pupils should have identification at sports events

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake parents and students are reminded that 8th grade and younger pupils may NOT attend evening varsity interscholastic sports contests without an adult. This policy means that older (high school) pupils may need to show identification to document that they may attend without an adult. This policy has been in effect since 2006 due to the number of youngsters previously being left unsupervised at games and incidents of fighting, belligerence and other inappropriate behavior. Read more

PowerSchool Parent Portal

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District has new software called PowerSchool for managing, reporting, and storing student data. One feature of PowerSchool is that it allows enhanced communication between the school and home via a Parent Portal where parents/guardians can log on to the system and check their students’ progress at any time. Currently there is school-wide use of the Parent Portal at the High School.

Parents who have their log-in information can click Parent Portal to set up their account. If you previously created an account, you do not need to create another one. Simply log in, click "Account Preferences," then click "Students" and then "Add" to add a new student.

For more information, download the Parent Portal User Guide  If you have questions about the portal, please email powerschool@bhbl.org or call The Principal's office in the High School.

American Museum of Natural History's Young Naturalist Contest honors Maya Schank

Congratulations to Maya Schank who was recently named a national semi-finalist in the American Museum of Natural History's Young Naturalist contest. 

She was honored for her paper entitled "Comparative Analysis of Georeferenced Datasets for Ascertaining the Accuracy of Geographic Origin Estimates of Chimpanzee Populations in Nigeria and Cameroon."

BH-BL students shine at Honors Night on May 23

The high school auditorium was packed on the evening of May 23, 2012, as an 8-page list of honors won by our students was announced. Awards were made to all types of students for their academic, civic and/or athletic accomplishments. Announcements included more than $4 million worth of college scholarships for members of the BH-BL Class of 2012, and many individual awards sponsored by local businesses, families and organizations. The evening is a microcosm of BH-BL culture and values, including many inspiring stories of people past and present associated with this school district and community. See the complete list of 2012 awards and this year's recipients.

Kathleen Fogg is Holocaust Essay Contest winner

Kathleen Fogg is the 2nd-Prize winner in the High School category for the Holocaust Essay Contest.

She received a certificate and prize of $150 at the award ceremony on June 6, 2012 at the United Jewish Federation of Northeast New York in Albany.

Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF)

Congratulations to Kathleen Bashant and Craig Maughan who participated in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The premier international science fair, it features projects of the world's top science students from 65 different countries including Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Japan. 

Kathleen was awarded a 4th place award for her work on Lyme Disease.

High School performing groups receive High Honors at NYSSMA Festivals

In April 2012, the Concert Choir, String Orchestra, and Concert Band performed for adjudication at Major Organizations Festivals sponsored by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA).  Under the direction of Ann Derrick, the Concert Choir performed Level 5 music and received a Gold Award. The String Orchestra, under the baton of Karen Russell, received a Level 6 Silver Award. The Concert Band, conducted by Peter Giroux, received the highest possible rating, Level 6 Gold "with Distinction." This is the sixth year in a row for such as achievement, and the eleventh time since the year 2000.

2012 Northeast Natural History Conference

BH-BL student Klara Widrig presents a poster at the 2012 Northeast Natural History Conference in Syracuse.  This conference is the largest regional forum for researchers, natural resource managers, students, and naturalists to present current information on the varied aspects of applied field biology (freshwater, marine, and terrestrial) and natural history for the Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  It will serve as a premier venue to identify research and management needs, foster friendships and collegial relationships, and encourage a greater region-wide interest in natural history by bringing people with diverse backgrounds together.

Teacher Joanne Owens named State 2012 Work-Based Learning Coordinator of the Year

Congratulations to Joanne Owens for being named the 2012 Work-Based Learning Coordinator of the Year  by the Work Experience Coordinators' Association of New York State at their annual conference on March 29-30, 2012. Ms. Owens coordinates the BH-BL Corporate Sponsors program and is one of our Work Studies and Internship Coordinators.

Congratulations to the following BH-BL Science Students!

The following students won prizes at the Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and the Greater Capital Region Science & Engineering Fair on March 24, 2012.

Robert "Buddy" Herkenham - 2nd Place in the Physical Sciences session at the state level, Upstate Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

US Navy & Marine Corps Award - Mickenzi Schank

US Army Award - Kathleen Bashant & Kaylee Traver

Stockholm Junior Water Prize - Klara Widrig

Ricoh Sustainable Development Award - Elizabeth Besozzi

National Association of Biology Teachers Award - Amy LeBel

Yale Science & Engineering Award - Samantha Scibelli

Samantha also received the $40,000 RPI Scholarship and received 1st Honorable Mention in the Grand Prizes.  To top everything off, Craig Maughan placed 3rd & Kathleen Bashant won the Grand Prize.  Both Kathleen & Craig will now travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to compete in the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair for thousands of dollars in scholarships.

National Merit Scholarship Finalists

Congratulations to Melissa Anderson and Craig Maughan for being recognized as National Merit Scholarship Finalists.  Approximately 1.5 million juniors in over 22,000 high schools entered the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT).  The pool was then narrowed to approximately 16,000 Semifinalists and then to 15,000 Finalists.  Finalists are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Nanotechnology in Principles of Engineering Class

	During a unit on Nanotechnology, students in Mr. Pittman's Principles of Engineering course learn how an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is used to identify things at the nanoscale. Students develop problem solving skills by building and programming a functioning model of an Atomic Force Microscope using computerized Legos.
They then use their models to scan the surface topography of teacher-provided samples demonstrating the three different modes in which the AFM can operate: contact, tapping and magnetic. Students use Microsoft Excel to record the data and create a surface plot of their samples. Principles of Engineering is a year-long course offered at BH-BL through the Technology Education Department.

BH-BL High School named a "Grammy Signature School"

BURNT HILLS:  The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School has been named a "2012 Grammy Signature School Semi-finalist" by the Grammy Foundation.

Only 125 public high schools in the nation received this honor, including two schools in the Greater Capital Region: BH-BL and Guilderland. Finalists in the annual competition will be announced in March. READ MORE

Eastern Junior Science and Humanities Sub-regional Symposium

Six Science Research students were awarded prizes at the Eastern Junior Science and Humanities Sub-regional Symposium held on Saturday, January 28th.  Four students won their respective rooms (out of a total of 7 possible speaker slots allotted to the Eastern Section of NYS) and two others were awarded High Honors and Honors.  Kathleen Bashant, Kaylee Traver, Robert Herkenham, and Elizabeth Besozzi will now compete at the state level (Upstate) symposium for scholarships and an opportunity to present at the national symposium.  Sarah Read and Craig Maughan will be competing in the poster session.  The Upstate Symposium is scheduled for March 19-20, 2012.

Spartan "Iron Chefs" show off their skills

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) department held their 1st Annual Spartan Iron Chefs competition on December 1, 2011. Three teams of students who had taken at least one foods course participated.

The student chefs submitted their lab plan and vegetarian recipes beforehand. They were required to use fresh ingredients and at least one locally grown ingredient. 

SEE STORY & MORE PHOTOS