Updates from BHS: Homecoming

Dear Berkley High School students, parents and guardians,

It’s hard to believe it but we are close to wrapping up our fourth week of school.  Even more unbelievable, however, is that homecoming week is nearly upon us.  When I woke up this morning, it felt quite fitting that the weather cooled off.  It was almost as if Michigan decided to announce that fall is upon us. 

When I think back to my own high school years, I truly can’t even remember what my homecoming week looked like.  In all honesty, I wasn’t really into school dances (shocking, I know).  I also wasn’t the most spirited and involved student.  In fact, I spent a lot of my time trying to keep balanced between school work and whatever job I held at the time.  It wasn’t really until I came to BHS that I realized what I had missed.

Looking back, I still remember my first pep assembly at BHS.  It was about fifteen years ago now and I was a first year teacher.  During that entire spirit week, I could feel the energy in the building.  I could sense that students were excited for all the events of the week and it permeated every inch of the building.  Ultimately, there was this sense of tradition, history and togetherness that I had never really experienced before that moment.  It just blew me away.

I’m hopeful that next week injects all those same feelings back into BHS.  Student Leadership has done a wonderful job bringing back our annual homecoming traditions.  Although they may look a little different than in years past it is, nevertheless, incredibly exciting to continue our return to normalcy.

Here are the upcoming homecoming events for students to participate in:

• Hallway Decorating: All students are welcome to join Student Leadership in decorating the hallways for homecoming week.  Hallway decorating will take place on Friday, September 24, from 3:30-5 PM.  All decorating materials will be supplied.  Students just need to show up and help.

• Spirit Week: Next week is spirit week at BHS.  Here are the following themes for each day.
  • Monochromatic Monday
  • Tropical Tuesday
  • Western Wednesday
  • Neon Thursday
  • Class Colors Friday
    • Freshmen: White, Sophomores: Green, Juniors: Red, Seniors: Blue

• Powder Puff: We are very excited to bring back our annual Powder Puff game this year.  The game will take place on Wednesday, September 29 at 6 PM at Hurley Field.  Tickets are $5 and booster passes are not accepted.

• Senior Sunrise: Next Friday, October 1, is the Senior Sunrise at Hurley Field.  This event is only for the BHS Class of 2022.  Seniors may arrive starting at 6:45 AM for a free breakfast and a chance to enjoy a sunrise together as a class.  A senior class photo will also be taken at this time as well.

• Pep Assembly: This year’s pep assembly will take place outdoors at Hurley Field on Friday, October 1.  We have adapted our bell schedule to accommodate the travel time for our student body to walk over.  We are very excited to have our band lead us over to Hurley to bring back this homecoming tradition.  Here is the adapted bell-schedule (extra flex time built in for travel time).
  • 1st Hour 8:20-9
  • 2nd Hour 9:05-9:45
  • 3rd Hour 9:50-10:30
  • 4th Hour 10:35-11:15
  • 5th Hour 11:20-12:00
  • Lunch 12-12:45
  • 6th Hour 12:45-1:25
  • 1:25-1:45 Band leads student body from BHS to Hurley
  • Pep Assembly 1:45-2:45
  • 2:45-3:15 Return to BHS & Dismiss

• Homecoming Game: Our annual homecoming game will take place on Friday, October 1, at 7 PM at Hurley Field.  Students in attendance must bring their ID to gain admittance.  No bags are allowed in the stadium.

• Homecoming Dance: The homecoming dance will be on Saturday, October 2, from 7-9 PM in the BHS Courtyard.  Tickets are $20 (cash or credit card) and can be purchased from now until Friday, October 1 at the SCAC before school and during lunch.  No outside guests are permitted and tickets will not be sold at the door.

We truly hope that all BHS students are able to participate in many of these upcoming events.  I’m excited for the week and hope you are as well.

Take care,

Andy Meloche

Principal

P.S. As an addendum to the above story, I should mention that it was always SUPER FUN teaching my Algebra students to simplify Algebraic expressions during homecoming week.  I’m almost sure that “solving for x” was the lowest item on their priority list.  I went through the archives and dug up a picture of “first year teacher” Mr. Meloche.  It’s almost hard to recognize that pre-pandemic guy.  He was so young and full of hair.