The Dragon Review

January 2024

I hope all of our dragon families have had a wonderful start to 2024. At BTHS, we have entered the new year with a renewed sense of focus, energy, and commitment to success. Friday, January 26 marks the end of our first semester and conclusion of marking period two. Report cards will be available to students and parents through the parent portal on Friday, February 2. Students were recently asked to participate in our school wide Mid-Year survey. Feedback gathered from this survey will help improve the educational community, learning conditions, and the school’s overall environment. Maintaining a positive school culture is essential to the success of our school. This time of the year offers an opportunity to reflect and reset as each of our actions and interactions contribute to the wellness of our learning organization. It is the responsibility of each member of our school community to positively contribute to our school culture.

Students will be reminded, during morning announcements, of essential school procedures. Students will specifically receive reminders of practices surrounding cell phone usage in the classroom and the importance of not only attending school but arriving on time. These reminders will prepare our learners for a successful second half of the school year. Our school day begins at 7:10 AM. Any students arriving after 7:10 AM are considered late to school. All students arriving late to school, after 7:10 AM, will need to enter through the main office. Consistent tardiness will result in disciplinary action. Additionally, I would like to remind all students of the importance of remaining engaged in classroom instruction. Students must adhere to classroom rules and procedures surrounding cell phone access. Any insubordination surrounding teacher expectations associated with cell phone access and usage will be grounds for teacher referral to administration, resulting in disciplinary action. We want our students at school on time, engaged, and ready to learn.

I hope all students are able to take time to reflect on their personal goals, individual progress, and achievements realized during the first half of this school year. Participating in regular reflective practice allows all of us to engage in a process of continuous learning. As we reach the second half of the school year, I would like to thank all of our parents for their continued support of our students. I speak for the entire BTHS faculty and staff, when I say that we will continue to honor and emphasize the value in our partnerships with parents and students as we work together to achieve our goals.

Wishing all of our Dragons a great start to the second semester, continue to demonstrate our core values of tradition, pride, acceptance, integrity, and respect. “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” Theodore Roosevelt

Respectfully,

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Principal

Hello Dragons!

BTHS Administration and Staff hopes everybody had a great winter break! Here is an update about what has been happening and what we are looking forward to on campus here at BTHS. The Seal of Biliteracy Testing took place in the BTHS IMC on January 10th, 11th, and 12th. This was the most students that have ever tested for BTHS which shows great enthusiasm for our students and foreign languages. The BTHS Staff/Student Winter Drama Club performance fundraiser took place on January 18th as staff and students performed A Simpler Time. The performances were outstanding and it was well attended. The first semester will end on Friday, January 26th with final exams taking place on January 24th and 25th.

Good Luck to all students on their exams and as a reminder that Semester 2 for all students will begin on Monday, January 29th. BTHS is looking forward to Brick and Beyond which will take place on Tuesday, February 13th at Brick Memorial High School from 5- 7 PM. Also, the National Honor Society will be hosting BTHS Family Game Night on February 8th. This event is great for families to come to BTHS and enjoy the variety of activities that the National Honor Society has planned.

Each month we ask students to candidly share their highlights from the past month. Here is a sample of some of the feedback we received from this past month:

"I enjoyed seeing my teachers outside of the classroom at A Simple Time" - Abby A.

"Graduating from Hogwarts at the end of the semester in Harry Potter class"- Rylee W.

"Winning my last Brick v. Brick basketball game!" - Kiley G.

"I enjoyed trying a new sport this season. Go Brick Swim!"- Clare A.

"I had so much fun dancing at the basketball games with the dance team!" - Kendyl M.

"I loved the Film Analysis class with Mrs. Repko and I'm going to miss it." - Dean C.

"Winning our first swim meet after a 3-year losing streak" -Paula C.

A highlight of this past month was our Drama Club’s fundraiser in the form of a Winter Production of A Simpler Time, which was a student staff production. This production took the audience back in time to embrace the simplicity and charm of days gone by. The audience was highly entertained as the humor in human nature was highlighted within various skits performed with historical context. Our school’s culture strengthened as staff and students worked together, under Ms. Best’s direction, to put on a wonderfully successful show. The show was a huge success. Special recognition to all of the staff and students who took part in this performance.

The BTHS Parent Teacher Student Association is accepting membership for the 2023-2024 school year. Please consider joining the Brick Township High School PTSA.

LINK to Memberhub

BTHS Students of the Month - January

Congratulations to our Students of the Month. Students are nominated by BTHS staff members for outstanding effort in the classroom and positive contributions to our community. Students will be honored with a certificate, gift, and their names will be displayed on the marquee.

Lillian Spaeth, Grade 9

Lillie is a hard-working student who loves learning and goes beyond expectations to create expressive, dynamic writings. Her diligence and appetite for learning make her a valuable member of our class community! - Mrs. Stansbury

Marlen Martinez, Grade 10

Marlen is a hard worker. She goes above and beyond everyday in English class to make sure she is getting her work completed on time and done well. Marlen is a member of the band and balances her academics and extra-curricular activities well. She participates in class, asks questions when she is unsure or unclear, and always makes a notable effort. Marlen sets goals for herself and is consistently meeting and exceeding them. She has a growth mindset and perseveres when she faces challenges. Marlen is a pleasure to have in class. I am so proud of her progress. I know she will continue to be successful in all she does. - Mrs. Wojcik

This is my second year having Marlen for a class. I have seen a great deal of growth in her academically and personally. Marlen completes her assignments, attends class regularly and is always on time. She is kind, respectful and a good friend to her classmates. She is often seen helping other students when her work is complete. She avoids drama and focuses on her academics. Marlen is an asset to our class and I'd love to see her recognized for her efforts. - Mrs. Merola

Dan Lohmeyer, Grade 11

After hearing that I needed something to display ceramic artwork for the upcoming art show, Dan made easel type display pieces for the art department in his wood shop class. We are so appreciative of his efforts! - Mrs. Pavao

Amaya Dalton, Grade 12

She has been planning important senior activities such as Powder Puff, Seniors Trips, fundraisers (popcorn), helping out with the Homecoming events and being an amazing role model to our students. Great job Amaya! - Mrs. Ianniello

The Winter Sports Season is underway as all the teams are competing with great effort over the past month. Congratulations to Trinity Maloney on receiving Sectional Recognition at the NGSCA banquet for this fall’s soccer season.

Boys and Girls Winter Track season is moving along nicely. The teams competed in the Ocean County Championships this past weekend with quite a few medal winning performances.

Highlighting this event was Gianni Campione placing 3rd in the High Jump in the Ocean County Tournament. Congratulations goes out to BTHS’s Girl’s Track and Fields: Caitlyn Chandler for placing 2nd in the Ocean County Tournament in the High Jump and 4th in Pole Vault, Kiera McHugh for placing 3rd in Ocean County in the 3200, and Sarah Barcus who placed 4th in the Ocean County Tournament in Shot Put.

The wrestling team has a record of 5-8; however, they have won five of their last seven matches, including a second place finish at the Rumble in the Pines over the winter break! The BTHS Varsity Wrestling Team placed top three in both of their Winter Tournaments: Placing 3rd in the Timmy Groves W. Orange Tournament as a team and 2nd in Lakewood’s Rumble in the Pines Tournament.

The ice hockey team is 3-8-1. The team has played a very difficult schedule, but they have hung tough against some of the State’s best teams!

Boys and girls Basketball seasons are mid way through. The boys are 2-10, one of the wins was a dramatic, triple overtime thriller against cross-town rival Brick Memorial. The girls team is 3-8, and they have been playing much better as of late.

The Boys and Girls Bowling season is rolling right along at a high level. The teams are competing at a high level this season!

Students enrolled in Honors Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology were given the opportunity to select their own research topic based on course curricula and standards. Through their own personal interests and independent exploration, students worked since September developing, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to defend their own hypotheses. Students were set up in the library prepared to share their research with staff and students. It was evident, in each engagement opportunity, that students were well versed and passionate on their topic of exploration.

The VFW sponsors the Voice of Democracy contest each year where students compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme. This year's theme was "What are the greatest attributes of our Democracy?" There were several submissions throughout the county. Brick Township High School was highly successful as three of our students placed in the contest. The winners of the Voice of Democracy Award were 3rd place: Jeyah Tawfik, 2nd place: Matthew Kuperman, and 1st place: Angela Barberie. Congratulations Dragons!

Dr. Kasyan's Book Club will continue with another highly acclaimed novel. The next selection will be Refugee by Alan Gratz. The Book Club will meet after school on Tuesday, February 6 in the library and will conclude prior to late bus dismissal. All students are welcome to join. Any student looking to participate should grab a copy of Refugee and start reading. There will be an open dialogue and discussion of the book at our scheduled meeting, reading the book ahead of the meeting will allow you a better opportunity to add to the conversation. If you would like to borrow a copy of Refugee, please send an email to our district literacy coach, Ms. Monninger at jmonninger@brickschools.org, and one will be provided. I am looking forward to collaborating and connecting with our student body on Tuesday, February 6. Start Reading!

Time is running out! We are THE REGALER, your school literary magazine, and we believe in the power of sharing the words and pictures that stir the soul. Don't be selfish and keep your creativity to yourself. Share it with US! Submit your works by Feb. 28 to BE HEARD! (GCR code: shgtudl)

Your school lit mag wants your creative works. Be heard!

All students have an opportunity to receive extra help during Block 5 in the content areas of Science, Math, and English Language Arts. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to have support and guidance from our master teachers.

Attention Brick Township High School - Yearbooks are on sale Now!

See the graphic below for ordering information.

Click Here to Order your BTHS Yearbook

Senior Parents

The back of the yearbook is dedicated to Senior Recognition Ads, where you can create a personal message to celebrate your senior and add pictures. Click here to purchase and design an ad! Save $10 when you order before December 1st.

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. Additionally, the Principal's Cabinet meetings will take place on the last Wednesday of each month in Cafe 2. We welcome one representative from each BTHS organization to participate. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with Dr. Kasyan and collaborate on school-wide initiatives.

A new year means new goals for SGA: This year's goal is to make Battle of the Classes better than ever! BOTC24 is scheduled for Thursday, February 29 in the East Gym from 3-5 pm. Students who are interested in participating should sign up with their class advisors. If you don't want to participate on the team, you can still cheer your team on as a spectator. Classes will compete in fan favorites like human Hungry-Hippo, tug of war, and pantyhose bowling, as well as new events like beachball relay, and basketball shootout. We can't wait to see you there!

Check out the BOTC23 Video courtesy of Visiontech

Battle of the Classes is our next exciting event which will take place on February 29th from 3-5pm in the East Gym. Seniors will proudly be wearing our battle color PINK in an effort to win the trophy for our class! Sign up with your class officers to get involved. Our final round of the Double Good Popcorn fundraiser will take place from Monday, March 4 until Friday, March 8. Due to our success with this fundraiser, we are giving our class an opportunity to reduce the price of their Senior Ball Bid or Senior Trip cost. Take advantage of lowering the cost of your senior activities and sell more popcorn!

Members of the Class of 2024 should join our Google Classroom with code ozvfp3p. Please reach out to Mr. Lucchetti flucchetti@brickschools.org in room 205 or Mrs. Ianniello lianniello@brickschools.org in Guidance with any questions!

Save the Dates

Senior Ball: May 23 at South Gate Manor in Freehold, NJ 5-9pm

Senior Picnic at Brick Beach 3: May 28

Senior Breakfast: May 30

Grad Night @ Great Adventure: June 7

The Class of 2025 is gearing up for another year of Battle of the Classes next month. Along with that we are looking to complete some fundraisers in order to help offset costs for our Junior Prom scheduled for May 16th, 2024 from 5pm-9pm at Jumping Brook Country Club. Some upcoming fundraisers include a student volleyball tournament and community volleyball tournament as well as a yard games tournament in the Spring. We have been successful with donation dots and candy fundraisers and hope to continue to thrive with the class of 2025. If anyone has any questions please contact Mr. Pazmino at cpazmino@brickschools.org in Room 300 or Ms. Velez at mvelez@brickschools.org in Room 23.

The class of 2026 is selling Gertrude Hawk chocolate bars this month. There will also be a fundraiser at Chipotle in the Brick Plaza on Wednesday, January 31st from 4-8PM.

Order online for pickup using code CMLC6RH or show the flyer in the restaurant. Battle of the Classes is coming up and we are looking forward to participation and school spirit from the sophomore class. Instagram @bths_classof2026 / Twitter @bthsclassof2026 / Google Classroom lf4subd

The Class of 2027 is gearing up for Battle of the Classes in February! We can't wait to have some fun competing in the activities with the rest of the classes. We will be meeting in the beginning of February to discuss participation in the event, so make sure you're in the Google Classroom and listen to the morning announcements...you don't want to miss it! Any questions, please see Mrs. DeBonis (room 306) or Ms. Scipione (202).

Updates from the School Counseling Department

• OCC Dual Enrollment Course Registration - If you plan to take a Dual Enrollment course for Semester 2, Ocean County College will be at BTHS on February 1st to assist with online registration.
• School Counselors met with the freshmen class to register for our college and career planning platform, SCOIR and to review graduation requirements and the course selection process for the 2024-2025 school year. They were also introduced to the Program of Studies and completed the NJCAN (NJ Career Assistance Navigator).
• School Counselors are meeting with the junior class during the months of January and February to discuss post-secondary options, graduation requirements, and scheduling for the 2024-2025 school year.
• The Counselors are hosting Scholarship Working Lunches every Wednesday during A and C lunches, in the School Counselor offices for the next few months so students can ask questions in regards to scholarship applications.
• The Scholarship Program has been announced for the Class of 2024. Please view the Scholarship letter for families for more information. Click Here for Access to the BTHS Scholarship Letter for Families.
• Sadie Vickers Resource Center serves as an informational bridge, connecting individuals and families in the community to service providers that will assist in improving their quality of life.
• The Ocean County Vocational Technical Program application is available for current sophomores and juniors; Seniors interested in applying for a post secondary program should go to the website; https://www.ocvts.org/admissions The OCVTS OPEN HOUSE is Thursday, February 1, 2024 6:30-8:30PM at ALL locations. Please see your school counselor for more information.
• Brick & Beyond will be hosted at Brick Memorial High School in the Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 from 5pm-7pm. There will be information on high school programs as well as a postsecondary opportunities. More information and details will be provided in the coming weeks.

Hello BTHS Community!

We will be starting to perform health screenings. For the 9th and 11th grade students it will include a Scoliosis screening. Scoliosis screening is mandated by the state of New Jersey for students ages 10 through 18 years old biannually. If you do not want your child evaluated please notify the health office prior. Scoliosis is considered a deformity of the spine. A spine with Scoliosis takes on a curve that resembles the letter C or S, normally the spine looks like the letter I. The goal of Scoliosis screening by the school nurse is to detect if there is a potential deformity that may need further evaluation. If your child receives a referral for Scoliosis it just means that they need to follow up with their doctor or orthopedist for further evaluation. Catching and managing Scoliosis early will usually prevent it from progressing to an extreme deformity.

January marks the 55th anniversary of National Blood Donor Month. The National Blood Donor Month was started in 1970 by President Richard Nixon to pay tribute to donors and encourage new donors to join. This is a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets for those in need. Blood donors of all types are needed, but especially type O. Unfortunately, during the winter months there are conditions that can reduce the amount of blood donations, so we urge you to donate if you can. This year the Red Cross has partnered with the NFL to make being a blood donor more interesting. Anyone who comes to donate blood through the month of January through the Red Cross will be entered to win a trip to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Donors can schedule appointments on redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-Red-Cross.

A few friendly reminders from the BTHS Health Office:

• Please do not hesitate to bring any important health-related information to the attention of the health office. Students should stay home when not feeling well or developing signs of illness.

• Notification: If your child has tested positive for the Flu or COVID-19, please contact Mrs. Yarbrough in the health office.

Health Office Contact- Nurse Tammy Yarbrough & Nurse Bridget Blunda

• West Nurse Office - Ext. 2037 - Nurse Tammy Yarbrough
• East Nurse Office - Ext. 2009 - Nurse Bridget Blunda

The School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) provides our students year round intervention and supportive services that are promotive and protective of healthy adolescent development and well-being. School based staff are valued members of our school community, advocating and developing for collaborative partnerships with all who share our passion to motivate and empower our youth. Together we strive to create a safe environment, as well as a place to seek guidance and mentorship.

The Brick Township High School Wall of Fame Committee accepts nominations throughout the year. All submitted nominations will be considered for our next induction, which will take place in the Spring of 2025. Click Here for the BTHS Wall of Fame Nomination Form.

Principal

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Assistant Principals

Erin Biancella - Grade 11 & Freshman P-Z

Ryan Hesnan - Grade 10 & Freshman H-O

James Marvin - Grade 12 & 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