Frequently Asked Questions
Back to School
Attendance Questions
Medical Questions
Academic Questions
General Questions
Back to School
Q: What should new students expect for the week-long Transitions classes?
A: Academy Transitions is a week-long program (August 22-26) designed to strengthen certain academic skills. Incoming students who attend Academy Transitions participate in either or both of the following courses:
- Math for Physics, 8:30-11:00 a.m.: A study of the mathematics necessary to succeed in 9th grade Physics. Students should plan to bring a notebook, writing utensils, and a TI-84, TI-83, TI-83 Plus, or TI-83 Plus Silver edition graphing calculator.
- Writing & Study Skills, 12:00-2:30 p.m.: A review of the elements of good prose and argumentation, a crash-course in proper note-taking and study habits, and an introduction to FirstClass. Students should plan to bring a notebook and writing utensils in preparation for this class.
Students should arrive to the Academy no later than 10 minutes before the start of class. Those attending both classes will eat lunch in the Academy Lunchroom at the GSU and should plan to bring a lunch or money to purchase lunch.
Q: What is the schedule for the first week of school?
A: All students will return to the Academy for the All School Orientation on Thursday, September 1. BUA will be closed for the Labor Day weekend on Friday, September 2 and Monday, September 5. Academy and University classes will begin on Tuesday, September 6. A more detailed schedule for the opening days of school can be found here.
When the regular class schedule begins, the Academy will open its doors at 7:45 a.m. for the 8:00 a.m. first period and lock its doors at 4:45 p.m. For students who are dropped off before or after regular Academy building hours, students should plan to wait next door in the George Sherman Union.
Q: What time does the school day begin and end?
A: School hours are 8:00 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. with the exception of Wednesdays when students are dismissed at 1:50pm because of faculty meeting. The Academy building is open from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Q: What does my child need to bring for the first week of school?
A: Students will need their class schedule, notebooks, writing implements, and schoolbooks during the first week of school beginning on Tuesday, September 6. Students do not need to bring their books for the Academy’s All School Orientation on Thursday, September 1. Students should also plan to bring lunch or lunch money for the first days of school until their Terrier Card is initialized with their “convenience points.”
Q: What paperwork do students need to submit before the first day?
A: Families should submit the following paperwork by the first day of class: Data Verification Form, Emergency Contact Card, All Year Field Trip Permission Slip, Dining Points Form, MBTA Pass Form, optional Terrier Card Convenience Points Form, Hometown News Questionnaire, and their Health and Immunization Forms. *Please be advised that, by law, a student will not be allowed to attend class until the school has their up-to-date health and immunization records on file.
Q: When will students receive their schedules?
A: Schedules will be available to parents through PORTA and will be mailed home to students before September 1. Students should bring their schedules with them to the first day of classes on Tuesday, September 6.
Q: Does BUA offer MBTA student passes?
A: The MBTA offers two different CharlieCards for high school students, which the Academy makes available to BUA students. Both CharlieCards are durable plastic cards with an embedded chip that stores value. To use either type of card, students simply tap their CharlieCard on the black target at the fare box on buses or the fare gate at subway stations.
For students who will be commuting to school daily on the Subway, Bus, or Commuter Rail Zones 1, 1a, and 2, Student T-Pass CharlieCards will be valid from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday at the cost of $20 per month. Students must submit an MBTA Pass form along with payment to the school receptionist for as many months as desired (many families pay for the 10-month school year up front). For students who are signed up for this pass, no additional money needs to be added to the card for the months that have been prepaid. Student T-Pass CharlieCards are personally assigned to each student by an ID # that begins with ‘SM’ and is typed in yellow ink.
For high school students who plan to use the MBTA less frequently, the MBTA offers a second CharlieCard option which allows students to add money to their card through an MBTA fare vending machine on an as-needed basis. These cards are reusable and allow students to receive half-priced fare Monday through Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. when school is in session. To distinguish from Student T-Pass CharlieCards, this version has an ID # typed in gray ink on the front of the card.
Q: What is Camp Wing?
A: Camp Wing is a residential field experience program for all ninth and tenth graders that is designed to build confidence, improve communication, and strengthen the Academy community. This year’s trip will again be held at Camp Wing in Duxbury, Mass. from October 5 through October 7. Parents who are interested will have the opportunity to speak with counselors from Camp Wing at Back to School Night on Thursday, September 15, and students are required to submit permission slips by Friday, September 16.
Q: What do the abbreviations on the University schedules mean?
A: The letters used to represent the days of the week are, respectively, M, T, W, R, F. Class locations are represented by a three-letter building abbreviation followed by a room number. A complete list of abbreviations and explanations is available on the Office of the University Registrar website.
Attendance Questions
Q: How do I notify BUA if my child will be absent from or tardy to school?
A: A parent or guardian, not the student, must call the Academy at 617-353-9000 before 8:00 a.m. All planned absences must be pre-approved by the Director of Governance, Nick Dent.
Q: What do I do if my child has to be dismissed early?
A: A parent or guardian must provide the Director of Governance with a written request at least five class days in advance for approval of a planned absence. Students must sign out at the front desk before leaving the building.
Q: How can I locate my child during the school day?
A: Parents will be able to view their student’s schedule through PORTA though Ny Martin has copies of daily schedules at the front desk. Students are not allowed to use their cell phones during the day, except in designated areas outside of class periods. Should a parent need to contact their child in an emergency, Ny Martin will be able to page the student between class periods.
Q: How do I know if the Academy is closed due to inclement weather?
A: The Academy will be closed whenever the University closes too. University closings and delayed openings will be made between 6-9 a.m. on the following radio and television stations: WBUR 90.0FM, WBZ 1030AM, WRKO 680AM, WBZ-CBS Channel 4, WCVB-ABC Channel 5, WHDH-NBC Channel 7. To check on the University status, you can also call 617-353-SNOW (617-353-7669).
To check on the Academy status, if the University stays open, students may read “Academy Announcements” on FirstClass, check the main page of the Academy’s Web site, or call 617-353-9000 for an updated message. The Academy will also post on 7News (Channels 7 and 56) and WRKO 680AM. If the Academy closes but the University remains open, our building will open during normal hours to accommodate the juniors and seniors.
Student safety is the Academy’s primary concern. As weather conditions can vary across Greater Boston, it is not always possible to make decisions that work for all families. Please take into account your own family’s circumstances, and feel comfortable keeping your student home if hazardous conditions so warrant. Families are required to notify the Academy if their student will be late or absent because of weather.
Academy Snow Closing Procedures
Medical Questions
Q: What should my child do if he/she feels sick while at school?
A: Students who are not able to participate in class due to illness must call a parent or guardian to arrange for an early dismissal from school. Students with medical emergencies are transported by ambulance to the hospital.
Q: What if my child requires medication?
A: Students are responsible for the storage of their own medication. Faculty and staff will not store or dispense student medications and a student cannot store more than one day’s supply at the Academy.
Academic Questions
Q: When can I expect to see grades and comments?
A: During the Fall semester, mid-semester grades will be available to parents through PORTA in late October, and end-of-semester grades and comments will be available in early January. During the Spring semester, mid-semester grades will be available to parents through PORTA in late March, and end-of-semester grades and comments will be available in mid-June. For students receiving bi-weekly progress reports, parents will be able to directly access those through PORTA. Additionally, all historic grade reports can be accessed through PORTA.
Q: What happens if my child needs extra support with academic work?
A: When students feel they need extra support in a course, the first resource is the classroom teacher. Normally, a teacher can provide the student extra help after school. If a student needs more general support or experiences academic difficulties in more than one class, they should arrange a meeting with their advisor.
Parents or guardians wishing to secure an outside tutor for their child may contact the Michelle Cannon, who will work with the family to assess a student’s needs and suggest appropriate resources. Peer tutors are also available for students seeking help with a particular assignment or subject. Peer tutoring requests can be made through FirstClass or by completing a Peer Tutor Request Form.
General Questions
Q: When is the calendar for the next school year available?
A: A tentative calendar is set in late winter for the following school year. Families can view the coming year’s complete calendar online by August, and each family will receive a wall calendar by the start of school as well.
Q: Whom do I notify with address or phone changes?
A: You may submit changes to Ny Martin at 617-353-9000 or at ny_martin@buacademy.org.
Q: How do I put more money on my student’s Terrier Card?
A: Convenience Points forms are available at the Front Desk and online in the Parents Documents section. Parents should fill out the form and students should return it WITH PAYMENT to the front desk drop box. Please make all checks payable to Boston University Academy.
Q: How do I replace my student’s lost Terrier Card?
A: Students who have lost their Terrier Card will be required to pay a $30 fee. Once lost, the student should report his or her card missing to Ny Martin who will provide a receipt for the student to take to the Terrier Card Office in the basement of the George Sherman Union (775 Commonwealth Avenue). The Terrier Card Office will issue a new card and transfer the student’s Convenience Points balance to it, thus automatically invalidating the old card.
Spotlight on the Academy >>
-
Phil Gambone Receives National Recognition
BUA's own Phil Gambone has been selected as an NEH Summer Scholar from a national applicant pool to attend one of 22 seminars and institutes supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Endowment is a federal agency that, each summer, supports these enrichment opportunities at colleges, universities, and... [ More ]