The Golden Herd

(HOMECOMING 2016: FABULOUS 50s!Homecoming Spirit Week: October 17-21Monday: Comfy Cozy - no pajamas/slippers/ bathrobesTuesday: HolidayWednesday: TV/Movie Character day - no masksThursday: 1950s StyleFriday: Fan Friday - wear class colors (Freshmen - grey, Sophomores - gold, Juniors - white, Seniors - Black)The Homecoming Game is Friday, Oct. 21st at 7:00 p.m. The Homecoming Parade is Friday, Oct. 21st at 6:30 p.m.The Homecoming King and Queen will be announced at Halftime.Homecoming Dance: Saturday, Oct. 22nd, at 2016 8:00-10:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold during Spirit Week at lunches.  Cost is $8.00 per person. Outside guest permission forms will be outside of Room 3 starting Monday, Oct. 3rd, and will be due back to Mrs. Click no later than Friday, Oct. 14th.) (From the Counselors’ DesksPSAT—The PSAT will be offered at BGHS on Wednesday, Oct. 19th. Taking the PSAT provides excellent practice for the SAT or ACT; therefore, college-bound juniors are urged to sign up. The PSAT may qualify juniors for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The test provides feedback that will indicate areas of academic strength and weakness. All sophomores planning to apply to Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School next year must take the PSAT as a requirement of the application process. The registration deadline for the PSAT is Oct. 7th. The cost of the test is $15.00. See your school counselor if you qualify for free/reduced lunch as you may qualify for a fee waiver. Students who have registered for the test need to arrive to school on time (no exceptions) and bring two Number 2 pencils. They will miss all of first and second block classes that day. SAT/ACT—College-bound seniors should have taken the SAT or ACT at least once by this time. If students would like to improve their scores, they need to take the test as soon as possible. Students can pick up registration and practice information for these tests in the Career Center.College-bound juniors are encouraged to take the SAT or ACT this winter or spring. These exams are an important piece of the admissions process for four-year colleges. The academic material learned during first semester is valuable preparation, as is spending time with the online materials provided by SAT and ACT. Students can pick up information and registration materials in the Career Center. See your school counselor if you qualify for free/reduced lunch as you may qualify for a fee waiver. ASVAB—This year BGHS will be participating in the ASVAB—one of the most respected aptitude assessments in the world. All juniors are invited to take part in this free career inventory being given on Oct. 31st. Any seniors interested in entering the military or undecided on their plans after high school are also strongly encouraged to take part in this opportunity. Students will learn careers that would be a good fit based on their skills in the following areas: general science, arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, mathematics knowledge, electronics information, auto and shop information, and mechanical comprehension. By taking the ASVAB students will be linked to a variety of career exploration resources for over 1,000 occupations. The test will be administered by employees of the military, but scores will not be released to military recruiters. If a student wishes to enlist in the military, it is his or her responsibility to submit the ASVAB scores to a recruiter. Students should see the Career Coach, Mrs. Morris, or their school counselor to sign up. More information can be found at www.asvabprogram.com.)Volume 3October 2016

(SCA Looking AheadAt the end of October, Trick or Treat during the school day!  More information will be on the announcements.Starting in November the SCA will once again sponsor the Turkey Drive! Help Gap raise money along with Wilson and Fort to provide food for families in need at Thanksgiving.  More information to come!)

(Latin ClubOn Friday, Oct. 28th, Latin Club will be decorating pumpkins with mythological, Roman, or Greek designs!  All Latin Club members are encouraged to prepare for their group decorating project.  See Mrs. Collins if you need any special items or objects.  Pumpkin judging will take place the following week.  Any student or faculty member is encouraged to vote for his or her favorite pumpkin!  The 1st and 2nd place pumpkins will be placed on display for the school to see!) (Powder Puff FootballOn Monday, Oct. 17th, at 6:00 p.m., come and support your class as teams from each grade level battle to win homecoming week spirit points and glory!  The concession stand will be open, so come hungry!  All proceeds support the Junior Class and Prom 2017.  Admission is $5.00 for adults and high school students and $2.00 for middle and elementary school students.)

(Students Ready to “Fall” into a New SeasonChange is in the air. Fall has graced our calendars. The transition from summer to autumn is one that many people look forward to, including the students of Buffalo Gap High School. When we asked students in the yearbook class what they look forward to, one responded sarcastically that she liked “to scare kids on Halloween.” Others responded that they liked to play in the leaves, go to a pumpkin patch, watch scary movies, or sleep. No matter who you are, fall represents change you can live with.Autumn is packed full of fun and exciting activities and festivities like carving pumpkins, drinking apple cider, or trying the latest pumpkin spice flavored coffee from Starbucks. Fall sets the stage for holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, which a lot of students and teachers look forward to. There are also a plethora of activities at school such as spirit weeks, homecoming, and rival football games. Fall also brings activities for students outside of school. Haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides top busy weekend agendas. Even the clock seems to turn in favor of fall fans. Daylight savings adds an hour of sleep and reminds people to slow down and smell the pumpkin pie. Here at Buffalo Gap, it would be an oversight to fail to mention a favorite fall pastime: hunting. Deer hunting, in particular, is embedded in our culture. It is a pleasurable distraction in the midst of busy days. It brings a sense of balance and reminds us of the beauty that surrounds our community. Hunting brings people together. With the challenges and responsibilities people contend with on a regular basis, it is easy to lose track of friends. Hunting is a group activity and a conversation piece. Hunters congregate around pickup trucks and tree stands to talk what about what they “bagged,” saw and didn’t see. They share stories of the ones that got away and the strategies for the next hunt. They are conversations that may not change the world or solve any serious issues of the day; however, they do connect people, remind them of their common interests and strengthen bonds.Fall is fun. The weather and foliage remind us how special Virginia is. Traditions bring people together, activities return balance to people’s lives, and the clock provides an additional hour of rest. Change is in the air, and with it is a sense of excitement and anticipation, all for the price of turn the page on your calendar.) (Indoor/Winter TrackIndoor/Winter track will begin Mid -November.  Please be sure you have a physical. Be ready to have some fun and become an athlete!!)

(Art Takes Field Trip and Hosts Kenyan ArtistOn Thursday, Sep.15th, the Art Department took advanced art students on a field trip to Charlottesville.  Students started out the day with a tour of the University of Virginia's Rotunda and Lawn area.  Students learned about the history and formation of UVA and about the architecture of the university. Students then toured the Fralin Art Museum and viewed the featured Andy Warhol exhibit.Nicholas Sironka, a batik artist from Kenya, Africa, visited Buffalo Gap High School on Monday, Sep. 26th.  This amazing opportunity was on behalf of the Augusta County Gifted and Talented program.  Mr. Sironka presented a program on his Maasai culture, and then he did batik workshops with the students. Batik is a beautiful art form that is painting with wax and dyes. Nicholas travels around teaching the techniques and history of Batik art, along with an understanding of the Maasai culture. His philosophy is that art is society, and society is the raw material from which art is made. For more information check out http://go.utk.edu/events/nicholas-sironka/.)

(FFA HappeningsFFA is in full swing this month. We have two teams competing in the Agriculture Demonstration Contest and one team competing in the Horticulture Demonstration Contest at the State Fair of Virginia. Fruit, cookie dough, bacon, and ham sells began Friday, Sep. 23rd, and will end Monday, Oct. 31st. Please see an FFA member or call Buffalo Gap High School at 540-337-6021 and ask for the Agriculture Department if you’re interested in purchasing any of the products. Later in the month, FFA members will attend the Virginia Leadership Conference in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Food Science and Technology Team will compete to earn a trip to Nationals on Thursday, Oct. 6th. Additionally, FFA will be participating in the Tractor Driving Contest and Livestock Judging at Keystone International Livestock Show.)

(Did you know?The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.) (Freshman Candle SalesThe freshman class will hold a fundraiser candle sale during the month of October. Forms will be distributed in homeroom during the first week of October.) (Discrimination Policy Augusta County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.  The following persons have been designated to handle inquires regarding the non-discrimination policies.                Title IX Coordinator Section 504 CoordinatorEric W. Bond, Ed. D. George EarhartAssistant Superintendent for PersonnelAssistant Superintendent for Administration6 John Lewis Road                                                               6 John Lewis RoadFishersville, VA 22939                                                           Fishersville, VA 22939(540) 245-5107                                                                      (540) 245-5108)

(Calendar of Events)

Page 1

October

October 3rd

· Chick-fil-A Night—Sophomore Fundraiser

October 4th

· Volleyball—East Rockingham: Away/5:30

October 5th

· Cross Country—Page County & Stuarts Draft: Away/5:00

· Competition Cheerleading—@ Stuarts Draft Invitational: Away/TBD

· JV Football—Stuarts Draft: Home/6:00

October 6th

· Senior Make-up Pictures

· Volleyball—Wilson Memorial: Away/5:30

October 7th

· Varsity Football—Stuarts Draft: Away/7:00

October 8th

· Competition Cheerleading—Bison Invitational: Home/TBD

October 11th

· End of First Grading Period (9 weeks)

· Ham Sandwich Sale Begins—Senior Class Fundraiser

· Volleyball—Riverheads: Home/5:30

October 12th

· Cross Country—Luray & Wilson Memorial: Home/5:00

· Competition Cheerleading—@ Wilson Memorial Invitational: Away/TBD

· JV Football—Luray: Home/6:00

October 13th

· Picture Retakes for Underclassmen

· Debate Tournament—@ Broadway High School/4:30

· Volleyball—Stuarts Draft: Home/5:30

October 14th

· Early Dismissal

· Varsity Football—Luray: Away/7:00

October 18th

· Volleyball—Luray: Home/5:30 (Dig Pink Game)

October 19th

· Competition Cheerleading—Conference Tournament @ Stuarts Draft: TBD

· JV Football—Stonewall Jackson: Away/6:00

October 20th

· Report Cards Distributed

· Volleyball—Stonewall Jackson: Away/5:30

October 21st

· Homecoming Football Game/ 7:00

· Cici’s Pizza Night—Sophomore Class Fundraiser

· Varsity Football—Stonewall Jackson: Home/7:00

October 22nd

· Homecoming Dance/ 8:00-10:30

October 25th

· Ham Sandwich Sale Ends—Senior Class Fundraiser

· Volleyball—Page County: Away/5:30

October 26th

· JV Football—Page County: Away/6:00

October 27th

· Volleyball—East Rockingham: Home/5:30 (Senior Night)

October 28th

· Varsity Football—Page County: Home/7:00 (Senior Night)

October 31st

· Academic Team—Page County: Home/6:00

Looking Ahead…

November 8th

· No School—Election Day

November 9th

· Ham Sandwiches Delivered—Senior Class Fundraiser

November 15th

· Progress Reports Distributed

November 23rd – 25th

· No School—Thanksgiving Break

Newsletter 5