Just over a week before the holiday break, which is hard to imagine! Check out some of the happenings around the school below. (Don't miss the spotlight on construction technology!)

Winter sports are underway, and students are participating in basketball, ice hockey, swim, and cheer. Great student participation means a full season of competition. Schedules for winter sports can be found on ArbiterSports.

There is one day left for the toy drive! Please bring in unwrapped toys for donation!

Progress reports are available tomorrow - please take some time to review student progress and reach out to guidance counselors or teachers with concerns about performance. The new year is almost here, and it's a great time to set goals and reaffirm a commitment to learning.

***Check out "Understanding and Navigating AI for Parents & Guardians" on Eventbrite!***

Congratulations to the Booster Club for hosting another successful holiday fair last weekend! Thanks to everyone who made it out to support the Boosters and our students. Great job to all who helped and coordinated this huge event!

School Council - This is a call to any parent who wishes to apply to be a part of School Council. If you are interested, please email gzini@bluehills.org with your interest, and your child's name and grade. We try to keep parents on the council for two years, but terms can be flexible. What is School Council? School Council is an advisory board that consists of two students, two teachers, parents, and community members at-large. The board meets during the school year, usually four times, and provides input and feedback on such guiding documents as the School Improvement Plan, Program of Studies, and Parent-Student Handbook. The council meets via "google meet," typically on selected Tuesdays at 2:30. This year's tentative meetings are: January 21, February 25, April 1, and May 6. Please reach out if you are interested in joining! Thanks -

BHR students in the construction technology program partnered with BHR parent, school council member, and Early Education and Care advisory board member Kim Lynch and the Clarke School for Hearing and Speech to build personalized stepstools. It was an awesome project and brought smiles to a lot of kids' faces - ours and theirs! Thank you to Mr. Doherty, Mr. Eby, Mr. Blakeley, and Ms. Lynch for arranging this community project.

Slides Order Link Below!!

Class of 2025 Lawn Signs: For purchase, here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-senior-lawn-signs/items?cart

Previously ordered signs will be available for pickup at the next meeting!

2024-2025 Remaining Meeting Schedule

~ Tuesday, 12/17

~ Wednesday 1/8

~ Tuesday 2/11

~ Wednesday 3/12

~ Tuesday 4/8

~ Wednesday 5/14

~ Tuesday 6/10

• Meetings are held at 7 p.m. in the Chateau de Bleu (School Restaurant)
• Dates subject to change; changes will be posted to the Blue Hills Boosters Facebook Page

As of May 3, 2024, the Department of Public Health has released new guidance for COVID-19. BHR follows the current recommendations, found here under "School and Childcare Settings." Details can be found at this link: Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses | Mass.gov.

Please obtain a letter from the pediatrician to cover the days your student misses from school due to illness. You may share that letter with the attendance manager, Christine Connolly at: attendance@bluehills.org.

Your student is responsible for communicating missed work with teachers and/or checking work online to stay on track, if they are well enough. They may return to school and resume normal activities with precautions as long as they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications, and their symptoms are improving.

For at least the first 5 days after resuming normal activities, extra precautions are recommended, but not required. These include:

• Avoid crowded indoor spaces.

• Wear a mask indoors around other people.

• Wash your hands often

• Cover your coughs and sneezes

This year, we are rolling out our "Vision of a Graduate." Each month, there will be a theme that we'll focus on around the building. Our students of the month will be selected using the theme as one of the criteria. The Vision of a Graduate is a great tool to help focus the entire school community on our ultimate outcome - producing graduates that are equipped and ready for their future.

December's Vision of a Graduate Theme is "Empathetic."

"We serve a purpose, seek understanding, and demonstrate empathy." - Blue Hills Vision of a Graduate

Visit the cafeteria's page for more information!

https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1708116494561

(September 12, 2024)

1. Headphones and ear buds are not allowed in hallways or classes, unless a teacher grants specific permission to use them. They are only allowed in the cafeteria during breakfast or lunch. Students will receive detention hours if they are not complying with this rule.
2. Hoods are not allowed during the school day (7:48 to 2:20)
3. Bus arrival times at bus stops are approximate. Students should arrive 15-20 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Traffic patterns greatly impact how fast bus routes are completed.
4. ONLY students who are eating breakfast should get off the bus upon arrival. All students not eating breakfast should remain on the bus until released at 7:40.
5. Attendance has been outstanding to start the year for most students. Please review the attendance policy at the bottom of the newsletter - tardies, dismissals, and absences all contribute to the total absences a student has during the year. Be here and be on time!

(September 5, 2024)

1. PowerSchool is our student information system. Login here: PowerSchool Parent Login. Parents who wish to see grades during the term or final term grades need to have access to PowerSchool. Access remains the same for all returning families; new grade 9 parents were sent login information by the Admissions Department.
2. See below for Health Office updates
3. Please review attendance requirements. Students will face summer school if absences exceed the policy limit!
4. Grade 9 Students and Families: Check out the Exploratory Program Guide for help in managing exploratory this year!
5. Drop-off and Pick-up are always busy. Please use the entrance closest to Massasoit and exit through the "main" entrance/exit. Pull all the way up. Do not block buses. We will have staff to help direct folks for the first few weeks.
   
6. Make sure your student arrives at the bus stop early. Bus pickup times are approximate!
7. Phones are not allowed during any instructional time, except with the express permission of the teacher. "Earbuds" and head phones follow the same rules, and may not be worn during the day.
8. Dress Code: We expect students to be in shop uniform during vocational weeks, and dressed professionally during their academic weeks. Per the handbook, tops and bottoms must provide "sufficient coverage" to be allowed, and hoods are not allowed in the building. Clothing must also be appropriate; offensive language or logos are prohibited.
9. All juniors and seniors are required to register their vehicle in order to park on campus. A $25 fee is required for the entire school year. Students, and it must be the student, should fill out the parking form in the form section of their PowerSchool account. Once completed, a message will go to Ms. Fama in the Main Office, and she will send a bill to the student's parents through myschoolbucks.com. Once the payment is received, Ms Fama will issue the parking pass within a few weeks of the start of school.

Please use this First Student provided app to track your bus route. It updates frequently, and is a tool to help provide real-time (or close to it) information.

December 13: Progress Reports

December 19: Faculty Meeting, No 3:10 buses

December 20: Early Release for holiday break, 10:50 a.m.

December 21-January 1: School not in session, holiday break

January 2: School Re-opens, 7:40 a.m. start

The student attendance guidelines are contained within the Parent-Student Handbook. Please be advised:

A student will be required to attend summer school upon the accumulation of sixteen (16) absences in order to fulfill BHR attendance requirements. An additional course will be required for every five (5) absences accumulated after (16). All such courses must be taken at the Blue Hills Regional Summer School. All course subjects must be approved by the (ARB) Academic Review Board. If a student is absent on consecutive days it will be counted as one day’s absence if accompanied by a doctor’s note. Notes must be provided within one week of the student’s return to school. All notes must be originals with an authorized signature and date(s) on the doctor’s office stationary. The student’s home phone number and homeroom must be on all doctors’ notes. Absences on special days, assemblies, etc. will be counted as a full day’s absence. A student must be in attendance for at least half the school day to be counted present. Half the school day means being in school from 7:47 am to 11:00 am or 11:00 am to 2:20 pm.

All out-of-school suspensions will be counted day for day towards a student’s maximum number of absences.

If you are not in class or homeroom by 7:48 AM, you are considered absent from school. You must sign in at Student Affairs Office and receive an admittance pass in order to attend class. If you arrive late for school, you are considered tardy and you must report to the Main Office prior to admission.

On the 4th tardy per term and every 4 tardies thereafter, you will be subject to Saturday detention. You and your parent/guardian may be required to meet with the Principal. Parking privileges may be suspended or revoked. Continued tardies may result in more severe penalties being assigned.

Blue Hills Regional Technical School’s mission is to continue its history of academic achievement, technical training and character development through a curriculum which emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge technical programs and challenging academic courses, enabling its students to become competent, caring and productive people in a diverse and changing world.

Core Values:

Community, Opportunity, Relevance, Employability

Website: www.bluehills.org
Location: 800 Randolph Street, Canton, MA, USA
Phone: 781 828 5800

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The Blue Hills Regional Technical School District is an equal opportunity educational institution. All programs, courses of study and activities are open to all students without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability. The School District is in full compliance with Massachusetts Law, Chapter 622 of the Acts of 1971, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (U.S. Code), and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Individuals may make inquiries relative to Chapter 622 and Title IX from the coordinator, at the school address or by phoning 781-828-5800.