June 2023

Hello Dragon Nation!

It is hard to believe another school year is drawing to a close. I would like to recognize and congratulate all of our BTHS staff and students for their accomplishments this past school year. I am most proud of the active collaboration observed throughout the school year between our staff, students, and parents to achieve targeted goals and academic excellence. It is through these partnerships we are able to attain our greatest achievements.

These past few weeks presented multiple opportunities to observe the high level of student character present at Brick Township High School, recognizing our school’s core values of Tradition, Pride, Acceptance, Integrity, and Respect. Our Seniors were recognized at the Senior Scholarship and Awards night, where over 90 scholarships and awards were presented during the ceremony totaling over $110,000. Congratulations to all of the seniors who were recognized. Students committing to military service following high school were recognized at our Military Recognition Ceremony. Students within our STEM program, under Mr. Paxton's leadership, assisted with getting our school certified as a Jersey Friendly Gardens School. Moreover, our BTHS Band and Choral programs put on an awe inspiring Spring Concert this past month. The level of professionalism and quality of music was magnificent. I continue to be amazed at the talented students attending our school.

As we complete another year, we express our gratitude to the Class of 2023 for their leadership and commitment to BTHS throughout these last four years. The entire BTHS faculty and staff are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to celebrating their achievement at the upcoming graduation ceremony on Tuesday, June 20 at 3:00 PM. As our senior class prepares for life after BTHS, I wish all of our underclassmen a restful, safe, and enjoyable summer break. I urge all of our BTHS families to remain connected throughout the summer as important information will be posted on our school website and, when necessary, pushed out through our mass notification system. As always, if you need help in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at the school using one of the guidance or administrative contacts below!

Please make sure to spend time reviewing all of the information present in this school year’s final edition of the Dragon Review as it contains important information regarding the upcoming Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, June 20 at 3:00 PM.

Sincerely,

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Principal

On Tuesday, June 13 - Monday, June 20, Brick Township High School will be operating on an Early Dismissal Schedule. School starts promptly at 7:10 AM and dismisses at 11:30 AM.

Final Exam will be administered on Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday June 14. Students missing their exams on the schedule Final Exam dates of Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 need to make arrangements with their classroom teacher to complete a make-up final exam prior to the last day of school, Tuesday, June 20. See the Final Exam Schedule below

This year's graduation ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 20 beginning at 3:00 PM on Keller Memorial Field (BTHS Football Stadium). There are no tickets needed for the outdoor ceremony. Students will be expected to report to the BTHS Auditorium by 1:30 PM to check-in for the event.

A Rain Date of Wednesday, June 21 at 10:00 AM has been set if there is inclement weather and the planned graduation ceremony needs to be postponed. Any changes to the scheduled graduation date and time will be pushed out to families through the blackboard mass notification system, however, all efforts will be made to hold the graduation ceremony on Tuesday, June 20 at 3:00 PM.

Please follow the assigned parking locations to facilitate a smooth arrival and dismissal from our Graduation event.

• Students - Park behind the school.

• Parents - Park in the West Parking Lot. The West Parking lot is the lot with the solar carports. Overflow parking will be at the Warren H. Wolf ECDC complex.

• Parents in Need of Assistance - Park in the East Parking Lot near the athletic office. There will be staff available to offer assistance. If handicapped assistance is needed, please contact Mrs. Strich at ext. 2029 or Mrs. Reddan at ext. 2038.

• Overflow Parking - If you arrive at BTHS and have difficulty finding a parking space, please proceed to Warren H. Wolf ECDC complex. BTPS transportation will be providing a shuttle service, beginning at 2:00 PM, for anyone parking at the WHW complex.

Thank you in advance for following the provided parking plan.

Cap & Gown Distribution as well as BTHS Device Collection will take place on Thursday, June 15. Students will begin being called down during Block 1 to participate in this event. All outstanding financial obligations or fines (Library, Textbook, Café, etc.) must be resolved with Mrs. Schuster by June 14 in order to receive your Cap & Gown. Ms. Schuster can be reached at Ext. 2004.

The BTHS administrative team is looking forward to recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of our graduating seniors. We are looking forward to a successful graduation ceremony, however, it should be noted that participation in the ceremony is a privilege. The Administration reserves the right to remove any student whose behavior or appearance is deemed objectionable. Appropriate dress attire for graduation includes slacks, collar shirts, dress pants, skirt, dress, dress shoes, and sandals. No flowers are to be worn on clothing. Jeans, shorts, flip flops, sneakers, and sunglasses are unacceptable for this occasion and will not be permitted. No purses, yearbooks, cell phones, or cameras are allowed.

All seniors wishing to walk in graduation must attend both scheduled Graduation Practices on Friday, June 16 at 8:00 AM and June 20 at 7:30 AM. Seniors will be required to report to the Auditorium by 1:30 PM on graduation day. Seniors should park behind the building.

A LifeTouch photographer will be on-site during graduation to take pictures of the graduates as they receive their diploma cover. Pictures are available for purchase through the LifeTouch website if desired. At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates and their families may take pictures on the field.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Graduates may pick up their diplomas from guidance staff at the designated tent area out on the field. Any graduate that fails to pick up their diploma, following graduation, will need to make an appointment to pick up the diploma in the guidance office during the school's summer hours.

The graduation ceremony is a traditional and joyous celebration. We ask that you respect all of our graduates by not using air horns or noisemakers of any kind. Please remain in the stands until the ceremony has ended. After the ceremony has ended, family and friends may come onto the field to take pictures.

The entire Brick Township High School community thanks you for your support over the last four years. These graduates are wonderful students and we feel extremely proud of all their accomplishments.

BTHS will be open from Monday - Thursday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM during the Summer months. If you need assistance, please call the school ahead of time to set up an appointment for your visit.

Grade 12 students will return their laptop devices on Thursday, June 15. This transaction is required prior to receiving a cap and gown for graduation.

Grade 9 - 11 students will be keeping their school issued Chromebook for the summer.

We recommend the following:

• Fully charge and shut down the device

• Place the laptop and charger into the provided protective case.

• Store the device in a dry, temperature controlled location.

If you are withdrawing from BTHS and transferring to another high school, please contact our guidance department at 732-785-3000 x2019 to schedule a time to come to the school, complete the necessary paperwork, and return your district issued device and charger.

Our school literary magazine, The Regaler, is LIVE! See it on our school homepage of the Brick Schools website, or use the link here. Enjoy your rewind into the 80s as you enjoy the creative talents of our Dragon writers, artists, and photographers. Thank you to staff and students for your contributions to this year's issue.

Guest speaker Christine Conti visited last week to inspire our Mindful Immersion students to foster resilience, achieve their dreams, and use setbacks to create comebacks. She also demonstrated acupressure points on the body to aid in stress management. We are so grateful that she gifted our classroom with two free copies of her latest book, Split-Second Courage: What If Your Fears Were the Key to Your Dreams? Christine Conti is a motivational speaker, podcaster, published author, medical fitness educator, entrepreneur, competitive ultra-endurance athlete, and former BTHS English teacher - we are so fortunate to have her as a resource!

The class of 2025 STEM Academy students have worked towards getting our school certified as a Jersey Friendly Gardens School, with the assistance of Ocean County Soil Conservation District, the Barnegat Bay Partnership and Cooperative Extension of Rutgers University. They received a grant to design and build a rain garden to reduce erosion in our courtyard. As part of their participation, they learned how to design a rain garden using native plants. Students learned about and tested the soil to determine which plants will do well in their garden. They learned techniques to use less and natural fertilizers, and how to reduce the amount of water needed. Students designed, tested and built drainage remediation to eliminate the erosion in the area due to excessive rainwater from the downspouts. They were shown how gardens reduce the lawn size and create wildlife habitats. Students repurposed materials from around our school to help build the garden. Our Creative Woodshop class built Bluebird houses and bird feeders and Ms. Ryan's class painted all of them and stones to help finish off the garden.

Congratulations to Stephan Saullo, BTHS Junior, for winning the County Fire Prevention poster contest. Stephan was recognized at the by the local fire department and mayor's office. His entry has now been sent to the state level. Congratulations Stephan and Best of Luck!

The Spring Choral & Band Concert was outstanding. Pictures of the event have been included for your reference. The Choral and Band departments, with multiple subgroups, put on a masterful performance highlighting the talents and musical expertise of our students. These programs under the direction of Mr. Capone and Mr. Lyncheski have flourished this school year. Bravo to all!

Special recognition and homage was paid to Mr. Lyncheski as this evening marked his final performance prior to retirement. Mr. Lyncheski has been a valued member of the BTHS school community. It is emphasized that we all appreciate your unwavering dedication, passion, and musical expertise. Your commitment to nurturing the talents and abilities of our students is truly unparalleled. You have not only imparted your knowledge and technical skills but have also instilled a genuine love and appreciation for music that has clearly resonated with all students under your tutelage. Thank you for your years of dedication to our music program.

Congratulations to the Senior Scholarship and Award Recipients of the Class of 2023. This was a celebratory evening for over 80 senior students and we awarded approximately $110,000. Thank you to the donors for their generous awards to help our students as they embark on their educational endeavors.

This year, BTHS joined with BMHS to celebrate our seniors enlisting in the military on May 25th, 2023, Military Recognition Day. Our Mayor, Dr. Farrell, Administration, Veterans, Parents and students were in attendance. The seniors received certificates from the State Legislature and their school. A Proclamation was read by the Mayor to dedicate the day. Students and Veterans were led in an unofficial oath by Lieutenant Fultano from the U.S. Navy and the Voices of Fire choir sang the "Salute to the Armed Forces." It was a great celebration and recognition of the 19 students that will be dedicating their lives to serve our country. We salute them and thank them for their sacrifice. BTPS Pride.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Every year during the month of May, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. Together, they fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support the millions of people in the U.S. affected by mental illness.

In alignment with our district's initiative in promoting Mental Health awareness, the Junior and Senior Class were presented with an assembly by Matt Bellace, a public speaker who focuses on overcoming adversity. He is the author of two books and was recently featured in a PBS documentary series called "Voices of Hope". We are grateful to be a school partner with the Tigger Stavola Foundation who generously sponsored the program. The event was spectacular. Students were actively engaged for the entire performance.

Attention Class of 2023 - PTSA Fundraiser.

Yard signs are available for pickup at the high school starting this week. You can come to the main office for pick up. If your child drives and you would like them to pick up on your behalf they may do so at the end of the day. If you are unable to pick up please contact me for other arrangements. Thank you for your support!

If you are interested in participating in a Fall Sport it is important that you have a physical. Physicals are accepted all summer, with a deadline of July 21. All forms (pre-participation physicals and health history) must be handed into the school. We are no longer uploading forms to the computer. Hard copies are required. Physicals are valid for 1 year. As a reminder no athlete may try out for an athletic team until they have a valid sports physical on file. Additionally, a student must maintain 15 credits to be academically eligible for the Spring and 30 credits for Winter and Fall. Click Here for More Information.

Take a moment to enjoy some pictures from our last Unified Sports competition where the Dragons & Mustangs took on the Toms River East Raiders at the Field of Dreams. Our next Unified Sports Kickball game is on Thursday, June 15 at 6:00 PM. The Dragons will take on the Mustangs at Veterans Memorial Middle School Turf Field.

We would like to Congratulate all of our Students of the Month. Thank you for upholding our school's core values of Tradition, Pride, Acceptance, Integrity, & Respect. We recently held our Student of the Month breakfast, inviting all students in receipt of this honor to come together to celebrate their had work and commitment to our school.

Stay connected and informed about BTHS happenings through SGA (Student Government Association). Join the SGA Google Classroom (q2hav5z) and follow SGA on Twitter and Instagram (@bths_sga). SGA General Membership meetings are open to everyone and take place once a month in Cafe 2. New members are always welcome.

Class Advisor Contact Information

Class of 2023

Mrs. DeBonis & Ms. Scipione

Class of 2024

Mrs. Ianniello & Mr. Lucchetti

Class of 2025

Mr. Pazmino & Ms. Velez

Class of 2026

Mrs. Buell & Ms. Depoto

All minors under the age of 18 who work in New Jersey must have an employment certificate, also known as “working papers,” or a special permit (for agriculture, newspaper carrier, or theatrical employment). An employment certificate is required for each employer.

STARTING JUNE 1, 2023: All working papers applications will be completed online by the minor worker, caregiver (parent/guardian) and employer. To learn more, click here.

Yearbooks are still available for purchase, however, at this time quantities are limited. Yearbooks may only be purchased in person at this time. Please see the yearbook advisor, Ms. Piwowarczyk, in the guidance office to purchase a yearbook. High school only lasts a few years. With a Visiontech print yearbook, your memories live on forever.

Hello BTHS Community!

IMPORTANT End of Year Health Office Reminders:

1. Please contact the Health Offices for Prescription Medication pick-up to be conducted on June 15th, 16th, or 20th. Please speak to the West Wing or East Wing Health Office Nurses to discuss ‘other’ medications that are currently being housed for your child that will need to be retrieved.

2. Friendly Reminder, Medication Orders Do Not Carry Over from year to year and are only current for the School Year for which they are prescribed. Please have your child’s Primary Care Physician, &/or child’s Specialists to renew all Asthma Action Plans, Food Allergy Action Plans, Seizure Action Plans, Diabetic Medical Management Plans, PRN Meds (as Needed), &/or other ‘Daily’ Prescription Medications that may need to be administered by the School Nurse for next year. All of these forms are located on our BTHS Health Office page for downloading and printing.

3. Please know that the Nurses do not work during the Summer months and telephone messages may not be returned in a timely fashion for these reasons - if there are urgent matters that need to be addressed during this time please reach out to our Main Office line at extensions 2019 or 2093 for further assistance. Emails are the preferred method of communication for the Health Offices during the Summer months, and email accounts will be checked periodically.

4. Medical Notes pertaining to Physical Education participation. > If your child has been diagnosed with an injury, or may need to have surgery over the Summer months, please make sure you discuss with your attending physician the need for any Medically Excused Notes relating to Physical Education participation that your child will need to produce to the Health Offices upon the start of classes in September. Also, please Do Not Attach Asthma Action Plans (AAP’s) or Food Allergy Action Plans (FAAP’s) to your child’s Sports Packets upon submission = these documents need to be submitted to the Health Offices separately by the First Day of School.

Thank you for your assistance and have a Safe & Relaxing Summer Vacation!

Respectfully,

Nurse Tammy Yarbrough & Nurse Mary Carlsson

Health Office Contact

West Nurse Office - Mary Carlsson Ext. 2037

mcarlsson@brickschools.org

East Nurse Office - Tammy Yarbrough Ext. 2009

tyarbrough@brickschools.org

The Brick Township High School Wall of Fame Committee accepts nominations throughout the year. Nominations for the 2023 class are closed, however, we will be accepting nominations throughout the school year for candidate consideration for future inductions. Click Here for the BTHS Wall of Fame Nomination Form.

The BTHS Parent Teacher Student Association is accepting membership for the 2022-2023 school year. Please consider joining the Brick Township High School PTSA.

LINK to Memberhub

Principal

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Assistant Principals

Erin Biancella - Grade 10 & Freshman P-Z

Ryan Hesnan - Grade 12 & Freshman H-O

James Marvin - Grade 11 & Freshman A-G

Athletic Director & Co-Curricular Supervisor

Jason Longo

Supervisor of Guidance

Angela Smith

Guidance Department

Lauren Ianniello - Students: A - Da

Jennie Piwowarczyk - Students: De - I

Kaitlyn Donahue - Students: J - Mo

Dawn Celona - Students: Mu - Sa

Marie Walling - Students: Sc - Z

Lori Roland - Student Assistance Counselor

Child Study Team

Janet Maciel

Antoinette Sirico

Christine Velardi

Mike Zuccaro

Website: www.brickschools.org
Location: 346 Chambersbridge Road, Brick Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-785-3000
Twitter: @BTHSDragons