Paw Prints Family Newsletter

Dear GNBVT Community,

There is so much excitement in the air, and I couldn’t be more proud of the incredible things happening across our campus!

First and foremost, a huge congratulations to our amazing SkillsUSA students who recently competed in the District Competition. Whether you medaled or simply gave it your all, you represented GNBVT with pride, professionalism, and heart. To those who brought home medals—bravo! Your hard work and dedication have truly paid off.

A special shoutout is also due to our Business Professionals of America (BPA) students for their phenomenal clothing drive and shoe collection campaign. With a goal of collecting 150 pairs of lightly used shoes, this outstanding team crushed expectations with 275 pairs donated! What a powerful reminder of the generosity and unity of the GNBVT family—excellent job!

And tonight is the night we’ve all been waiting for—the Mr. Voc-Tech Competition is happening! Thirteen of our esteemed seniors will be lighting up the stage, showcasing their style in fresh suits and swimwear, performing unique talents, and astonishing the audience with their quick wit during the question round. I can’t wait to see who will be crowned Mr. Voc-Tech 2025—it’s sure to be a show to remember!

Thank you to all of our students, staff, and families who continue to make GNBVT a place where excellence, creativity, and community thrive.

Bears United!!!

Principal Williams

Lunch Menu

GNBVT Website

Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Student Handbook

GNBVT Calendars

Student and Family Technology Support

Mar 17 & Beyond- Candy, Snacks & Beverages Sale: Afterschool: Field House

Mar 21- Trimester 2 Report Cards Published

Mar 28- Volleyball Tournament 5:00 pm - Field House

April 7-10: Junior Banquet Tickets on Sale (Banquet May 9th)

April 12-Spring Fling Dance 6-10 pm - Welcome Center

April 16-MEFA College Planning Meeting: 6-7:30 pm - Auditorium

Friday, April 18- No School- Good Friday

April 21-27- NO SCHOOL- SPRING VACATION

April 28- CLASSES RESUME

The DEI & Community Specialist is available to support all GNBVT families in meeting essential needs such as food, housing, utilities, clothing, and more. By connecting you with local organizations, we can help you access these vital resources in New Bedford and the Greater New Bedford area. For assistance, contact the DEI & Community Specialist at 508-998-3321 ext. 752, email maria.demelo@gnbvt.edu, or visit our DEI Website to complete a Family and Community Referral Form. Additionally, GNBVT has partnered with the Immigrants Assistance Center (IAC) to provide families with up-to-date information on “Know Your Rights” and “Plan for a Family Emergency". For more details, contact Daniel Ledesma at 508-996-8113 or via email at daniel@iac1971.org. We are here to help and look forward to assisting you!

• Trimester 2 report cards will be available in Aspen on Friday, March 21, 2025.
• Please refer to the Reference Guide below to assist in viewing report cards in Aspen.
• Should you need assistance getting into Aspen or navigating to locate report card, please complete a "New Technology Ticket Request" below.

Starting, 3/17, we’re hosting a Candy & Beverage Sale in the Gym Foyer!

This sale is for seniors and BPA chapter members, and all proceeds go toward supporting the After Prom event and the BPA-GNBVT chapter.

Snacks & Soda - $1
Gatorade, Chips & Candy - $2
Location: Gym Foyer
When: Starting 3/17 (and beyond!)
Candy & Beverages available for purchase.

Don't miss out—your support means so much!

Get ready for the Spring Fling Dance on April 12th from 6-10 pm in the Welcome Center, where Ms. Voc-Tech will be crowned! This event is open to GNB Voc-Tech students only.

Theme: is Masquerade
Dress to impress – it’s all about having fun! Wear what makes you feel confident and comfortable, whether it’s semi-formal or a stylish, casual look.

Important Details:

• Masks are allowed, but they must be removable.
• No face paint allowed.
• Don't miss out on an unforgettable night of dancing, fun, and celebration! Tickets will go on sale the beginning of April.

Junior Banquet tickets will be on sale after school from 2:30-3:00pm starting April 7th - April 10th in rooms B213 & B213A.
Permission slips for outside guests can be found on Google Classroom & must be completed by the time you purchase your ticket.

Tickets will be $45.00 - Cash Only

The event will be held on May 9th at White's of Westport from 6-10pm. Dress code is semi-formal.

We want to remind you to visit our school's website for the latest scholarship opportunities available for our seniors at GNBVT. You can find current scholarships under the Guidance Page at the following link: https://www.gnbvt.edu/admissions-guidance/scholarships/

If you have questions, reach out to your Counselor.

Jr. and Senior Course Selection: April 1 - 16 (Cycles 23 & 24) - guidance counselors will do junior and senior course selections with sophomores and juniors out of shop or related

MEFA College Planning April 16th 6-7:30PM (Auditorium)-More information to follow

TORCH PROGRAM: Training for Teens April 5th & April 6th
Empowering teens with essential skills in social-emotional intelligence and leadership fosters self-awareness, resilience, and healthy relationships for lifelong success. All teens (13 to 18) get to have this amazing experience at no charge to them or their families.
TORCH LINK: https://www.thetorchfoundation.org/what-we-do.html

DESE: Supporting All Students:

https://www.doe.mass.edu/commissioner/spec-advisories/2025-0207supporting-all-students.html

Cartwheel virtual therapy services are available to GNBVT students offering:

• Licensed clinicians
• Multiple languages
• Acceptance and billing of medical insurance; accepts Medicaid and no insurance have $0 out of pocket costs
• Contact the GNBVT School Counseling Office for a referral:

Starting on April 1st, GNBRVTHS will be conducting state-mandated SBIRT screenings for our 9th grade students. The Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) screening process focuses on the use of alcohol, marijuana, nicotine (vaping) and other substances; along with the importance of making healthy decisions. This screening consists of a series of questions only. The goal of this screening is to let our students know that we are available to them to discuss any questions or concerns related to substance use and assist them in obtaining support and treatment if needed to address substance abuse.

All SBIRT screenings are conducted confidentially by our trained school nurses and counselors in private one-on-one sessions. This program focuses on prevention, which includes healthy choices. If needed, students are connected with school counselors or other community agencies for support and education.

While the Department of Public Health requires schools to carry out this screening, please know that this is VOLUNTARY. As with any school screening, you have the right to opt-out. Parents/guardians, please be on the lookout for an opt-out letter that was provided to your student the first week or so in March during shop. For those parents/guardians who do not wish for their student to participate, there is a signature line and opt-out section to complete. If your student has misplaced the form, they can pick up another copy in the nurse's office.

We encourage healthy choices and we are here to provide support and education. Together, GNBRVTHS and parents/guardians can make a difference in your life and we are all here for you.

For any questions or if you want to verbally opt-out your student, please reach out to the nursing staff in our Health Center:

Ursula Crowell, RN ext 205 Jaala Duarte,RN 204 Kim-Marie Horsfall, RN ext 791

Hello, my name is Jaala Duarte, and I am truly grateful to be a part of the GNBVT nursing team. I completed my Associate’s Degree in Nursing at BCC and later earned my Bachelor’s Degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing. I have been a nurse for 18 years and continue to find joy in what I do.

In my previous role, I spent the last 10 years working for NBPS, and I currently hold a second job in homecare, where I provide medication management. My goal is to earn my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.

In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and dining out. I am happy to be a part of the GNBVT family, and I’ve been welcomed and supported by everyone here. I look forward to caring for our students and staff.

If at anytime, you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the nursing staff:

Nurse Ursula Crowell: ursula.crowell@gnbvt.edu- ext 205

Nurse Casey Clarke: casey.clarke@gnbvt.edu- ext 661

Nurse Jaala Duarte: jaala.duarte@gnbvt.edu- ext 204

Nurse Kim-Marie Horsfall: kimmariehorsfall@gnbvt.edu- ext 791

GNB Voc-Tech Business Professionals of America (BPA) Chapter successfully organized two charitable initiatives to support individuals in need. Through a Clothing Drive for Gifts to Give, which provided clothing for homeless children and families, and a Professional Clothing Drive for GNB Voc-Tech BPA students, staff, and community members came together to make a significant impact locally.

Please read on below for further details of the impact to the local communities.

The Massachusetts Business Professionals of America (BPA), in partnership with the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School (GNB Voc-Tech), and other local BPA chapters, has successfully completed a Shoe Drive, collecting over 1,000 pairs of gently used footwear for individuals in need worldwide. The initiative aimed to gather at least 150 pairs of shoes but far exceeded expectations, with GNB Voc-Tech alone contributing over 275 pairs, and the Massachusetts BPA Chapter along with other BPA chapters collectively gathering more than 875 pairs in total. Donations included a wide range of footwear, from sneakers and boots to sandals and heels.
Please read on below for further details of the international impact.

SkillsUSA is an organization creating a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA impacts the lives of America’s future workforce through the development of personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics.

SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America’s high-performance workers in career and technical programs. It provides quality educational experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work, including: high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, and pride in the dignity of work.

At Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech on February 28, 2025, 104 students from GNB Voc-Tech competed against the following District 1 Schools: Blue Hills RTHS, Cape Cod RTHS, New Bedford High School, Old Colony RTHS, Plymouth North High School, Plymouth South High School, Silver Lake Regional High School, South Shore VTHS, Taunton HS and Upper Cape Cod RTHS. The first step was a local competition held within the school. This second step is the written portion of the competition where competitors are tested in their trade area, professional development, and safety & health. All gold medalists, most silver medalists and some bronze medalists will continue to the state competition on May 1, 2025 through May 3, 2025 in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School’s results are following:

Overall results:

12 Gold Medalists

13 Silver Medalists

12 Bronze Medalists

Gold medalists:

James Edminster- Architectural Drafting

Jaslene Quinonez- Automotive Refinishing Technology

Michael Silva- Cabinetmaking

Cameron Stapleton- Carpentry

Kieth Kavanaugh- CNC 3 Axis Milling Programmer

Mckayla Gouveia- First Aid/ CPR

Jacob Rocha- Industrial Motor Control

Matthew Prezner- Power Equipment Technology

Brandon Santiago- Robotics and Automation Tech

Makenzie Ortez- Robotics and Automation Tech

Ronny Tino-Tzoc- Sheet Metal

Nylah Merkman- Welding

Silver medalists:

Angie Torres- Architectural Drafting

Arianna Yarro- Automotive Service Technology

Jack Kobza- CNC 2 Axis Turning Programmer

Daevin Hwang- Criminal Justice

Tenaia Santos- Culinary Arts

Gladysbeth Santiago Bermudez- Medical Assisting

Kaden Ventura- Power Equipment Technology

Thomas Desmarais- Team Works

Wyatt Mongie- Team Works

Ian Gilmore- Team Works

Tiago Vitoria- Team Works

Austin Burton- Television (Video) Production

Aiden Buck- Television (Video) Production

Bronze medalists:

Joyce Neves Carvalho- Architectural Drafting

Brady Couto- Automated Manufacturing

Jack Maciel- Automated Manufacturing

Landen Dourado- Automated Manufacturing

Nathan Williams- Cabinetmaking

Venancio Mendoza Morales- Carpentry

Elizabeth Santos- Diesel Equipment Technology

Adonijah Monteiro- Marine Service Technology

Adriana Quiterio-Reis- Medical Terminology

Caden Medeiros- Power Equipment Technology

Colby Furtado- Urban Search and Rescue

Mason Chen- Urban Search and Rescue

We are extremely proud of the student’s accomplishments with 39% of the students that competed going home with a medal. We are looking forward to attending the State Competition with them from May 1 - 3, 2025, with the Awards Ceremony on the 3rd.

Still waiting to see if others qualify

ADDRESS:

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School

1121 Ashley Blvd

New Bedford, MA 02740

508.998.3321

INTERNET/SOCIAL MEDIA:

WEBSITE: www.gnbvt.edu

INSTAGRAM: @gnbvoctechhighschool
X: @GNBVocTechHS