September 2026 BASA Newsletter

September was a busy month at BASA! From hands-on learning and creative projects to exciting activities, student achievements, and opportunities to connect with our Blazer community, our students and staff have been making the most of the new school year. Check out some of the highlights from around BASA!

Students in Literature & Composition IV have been studying Arthur Miller’s The Crucible through both the written play and a professional stage production. As we read, students have examined characterization, conflict, historical context, and visual/performance choices, considering how each shapes an audience’s understanding of the story. Students are now finishing the play by tracing character arcs and analyzing how Miller uses characters’ choices and consequences to develop larger ideas about fear, reputation, power, integrity, and responsibility. These activities are building toward our upcoming literary analysis assessment, where students will apply these same skills to new texts and media.

Prior to this, the students completed a gallery walk about the Red Scare/McCarthyism in preparation for reading The Crucible. Each station had different primary source documents from the time period for students to analyze. Then, they synthesized the information in a reflection about what they learned. 

Literature & Composition I students are exploring how the same story can be reshaped across time and cultures through their Odyssey Across Time project. Students are examining how creators’ choices influence what audiences understand about characters, themes, cultural values, and the meaning of heroism!

Unit 2 in Biology was Cellular Energetics, and a major topic students learned about was cellular respiration, which is the process cells use to turn food into energy. Cells break down sugars to make ATP, the energy that powers all living things. Students had the chance to bring their learning alive with a hands-on, real-world example: making a sourdough starter! Tiny wild yeast cells break down sugars in flour to make ATP. As they do this, they release carbon dioxide gas, which creates the bubbles that help bread rise. This hands-on example helps students see how cellular respiration works in living organisms every day! Students can take the excess starter home to continue to grow their own and make their own naturally leavened baked goods. As a cross-curricular extension, they're partnering with Chef Joseph and his Dual-Enrollment students to bake bread using their active starter!

Chemistry students learned about chemical reactivity and valence electrons with a flame test lab. Then, they studied reaction types of the Law of Conservation by creating golden pennies.

Environmental Science is finishing up their unit on the atmosphere and biogeochemical cycles. They will dive into the hydrosphere after fall break!

World History students are exploring Mesoamerica and examining the impacts of the Columbian Exchange. AP World History is reaching the halfway point of the course and will begin studying the Enlightenment and Revolutions after break. US History students have been learning about the Civil War. World Geography students are learning about political geography. Seniors are wrapping up Economics and will be starting Government after Fall Break. 

BASA HOSA is giving back to our community! In September, members raised money for the Cancer Foundation by selling yellow ribbons and bracelets in support of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. In October, HOSA will continue its efforts by selling pink ribbons and pins for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Funds raised will be donated to this local organization, continuing HOSA’s commitment to making a difference in our community. 

The mission of HOSA is to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience.

During September the Intro to Software Technology students got a chance to "dissect" old computer towers and Chromebooks. They were able to identify motherboards, CPUs, firmware, RAM, etc. It was a little dusty but really fun!

Georgia Milestone End-Of-Course assessments for Algebra, Literature and Composition 2, Biology, and US History are scheduled for Monday, December 7 - Friday, December 18. End of Course assessments count 10% of the student's final grade in the course. Please reach out to the BASA Testing Coordinator, Dr. Heather Hawk (heather.hawk@barrow.k12.ga.us) with any questions. 

The Georgia Milestones End-of-Course (EOC) assessment is a state-required assessment given at the end of designated high school courses to measure student mastery of Georgia’s content standards; currently, EOCs are administered in Literature & Composition II, Algebra: Concepts & Connections, Biology, and U.S. History, and the EOC serves as the final exam for the course (10% of the course grade).