This week's Masked Announcer was Ms. Ciaschini! Congratulations to Alesana Wimer for correctly guessing our first special guest! Thank you to all who participated! Keep up the awesome school spirit and good luck next week! Remember to send in your guesses via email to Ms. Smalarz (bsmalarz@webster-schools.org) immediately following the announcements next Friday morning to enter into the contest!

We have held our first Saturday School this past Saturday 1/4. Those students that took advantage of their invitations were able to complete many assignments with assistance if needed.

At this time, students are invited based on the need/desire for Academic Point/Credit Recovery from Quarter 1 attendance policies. Moving forward, we will continue to invite based on these protocols, but we would also like to hopefully invite students that are interested in attending, because they are interested in receiving additional academic help outside of the school day. We will also be asking teachers for their student recommendations in regards to who they feel would benefit from additional assistance. Saturday schools may also be used as alternatives to suspension moving forward.

We will send out a teacher referral form to teachers, as well as a student interest survey to students and families later this week. Below are all of the upcoming dates for our Saturday Schools, which will run from 8:00am-12:00pm.

January - 4, 11, 25

February - 1, 8

March - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

April - 5, 12

May - 3, 10, 17, and possibly 31

Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp in Pomfret, CT offers both overnight and da camp programs for boys and girls 6-15 years of age. Campers have the opportunity to participate in a variety of programs each week. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

We still have several new winter jackets. They are all youth size 18. If you or a family member are in need please reach out to Ms. Smalarz in the guidance department (bsmarlarz@webster-schools.org) and she will arrange for a pickup.

We are still looking for more parents, community members, students, and teachers to be part of our parent advisory council. This advisory committee will meet once a month beginning in late January. The council will be comprised of the principal, elected parents, teachers, student representatives, and community members. The role of the parent advisory council is to assist the principal in the identification of educational needs of students, review the budget, and the formulation of a school improvement plan. The make up of the council encourages diverse perspectives in the formulation of a consensus plan. Please email gnieves@webster-schools.org if you are interested in being elected as a representative of the parent advisory council. Also, if you know of any community members who may be interested in joining the council, please pass along the above contact information. The day/time of the monthly meetings will be decided this week, and posted in our next letter.

7:30am - iReady Math Testing (all students in homerooms and/or small groups)

2:15pm - NHS Meeting in B221

2:15pm - Marching Band Club Meeting in Mobile 6

2:15pm - Yearbook Club Meeting in A228

2:15pm - Drama Club Meeting in Mobile 1

2:15pm - Senior Class Officer Meeting in B214

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out weekly)

7:30am - iReady Math Testing (all students in homerooms and/or small groups)

6:00pm - Acapella Club Meeting in Mobile 7

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out weekly)

6:45am - DECA Club Meeting in B107

2:15pm - Art Club Meeting in A228

2:15pm - LGBTQ Meeting in Mobile 1

2:15pm - Junior Class Officer Meeting in Mobile 8

5:00pm - Boys JV Basketball vs. Narragansett (away) at Narragansett Regional High School

5:30pm - Boys and Girls Track vs. Northbridge, Grafton, Notre Dame, Oxford, and Southbridge (away) at Northbridge High School

6:30pm - Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Narragansett (away) at Narragansett Regional High School

PBIS TFI Walkthrough

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out weekly)

StudySync Benchmark 3 will occur in Semester 1 English classes only

7:30am - DECA District Competition at Nichols College

2:15pm - Senior Class Officer Meeting in B214

2:15pm - Sophomore Class Officer Meeting in Mobile 8

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out weekly)

StudySync Benchmark 3 will occur in Semester 1 English classes only

1:50pm - PBIS Raffle Drawing

2:30pm - Winter Sports Team and Individual Photos at WMS Back Gym

Wednesday 1/8

5:00pm - JV Basketball team travels to Narragansett

5:30pm - High School Track teams travel to Northbridge to take on Grafton, Notre Dame, Oxford, Southbridge, and Northbridge

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball team travels to Narragansett

Friday 1/10

2:30pm - Casson Foster team & individual pictures at Webster Middle School back Gym (Coaches have order forms)

ACCESS Testing for EL students will begin on Tuesday 1/7. This testing will take place daily until mid February. Students will be pulled from classes to take these tests, they will be allowed makeup time for the work that is missed during the time they are out of your classroom due to this testing.

Monday 1/6 and Tuesday 1/7

7:30am - Students will report to homeroom, once attendance is taken small groups will be called to the appropriate rooms via intercom, and testing will begin

Wednesday 1/8, Thursday 1/9, Friday 1/10

Makeup Testing - will be completed as students complete work in their academic classes.

Thursday 1/9 and Friday 1/10

All students who are in a Semester 1 ELA class that utilizes the StudySync curriculum will take the StudySync Benchmark 3 during their English class. This pertains only to the classes that end on January 17th.

All semester courses that end on January 17, 2025 will administer a final exam on the dates assigned below. The only semester courses that will not give a final exam are: Prealgebra, Learning Lab, Life Skills Concepts, and Half Year Pathway Internships.

12th grade students may be exempt from taking final exams. Exempt students MUST still be present in class even if they are exempt. The exemption expectations as listed in our school handbook are: "Seniors will qualify for an exemption from their final exam(s) if they have achieved at least an “A-” (90) average for the year with no grade lower than a “B” (83) in any quarter for a specific course. Any student qualifying for an exemption who wishes to take a final exam will be offered the opportunity to do so."

If a student is absent on the day of your exam, they will be held to the expectations as listed in our school handbook:

• If a student is going to be absent from an exam and wishes to be granted the opportunity to take a makeup exam, a parent/guardian must contact the administration in writing or by phone (main office) prior to the day of the exam. However, this opportunity is only allowed for excused absences as noted by the school’s attendance policy in this handbook. Students that are absent due to a vacation, will not be allowed to make up final exams.

• If a student is absent from an exam and the administration has not been contacted in advance, the student will not be given a make-up exam and will receive a grade of a “0.” zero.

• Make-up exams will be given at a time to be determined by an administrator.

Final Exam Schedule:

Monday 1/13 - A Day Periods 1 and 2

Tuesday 1/14 - B Day Periods 1 and 2

Wednesday 1/15 - A Day Periods 3 and 4

Thursday 1/18 - B Day Periods 3 and 4

Friday 1/19 - Pre-Approved Makeup Exams

Science MCAS Extra Help with Ms. O'Connell is in full swing! It is held on Thursdays from 2:15pm - 3:15pm now through January 30th! Students that will need to take the Biology Retake Test in February have received invitations and all are welcome to attend. Please encourage your students to take advantage of these sessions to get some extra help before the test!

Due to a recent change in state law, students who have already taken, but have not passed, the February MCAS test are no longer required to take the retake test in order to graduate. However, if these students choose not to retake the test, they will still need to meet local competency requirements which are still currently being developed.

Students that would like to retake this test to better improve their score to possibly be eligible for the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Award, then we encourage them to do so. Information regarding this award is listed under the Student Support Services section of this newsletter.

Any student that would like to retake the February Biology MCAS Retake MUST let their guidance counselor know by 2:00pm on Monday, January 6th.

There is a group of students that will need to take this test per the state's guidelines, and they will be notified by their guidance counselor during this upcoming week.

Please check out our brochures to see what the Pathways have to offer!

Students in the Principles of Biomedical Science class took part in a Heart Dissection Lab.

Bartlett will offer the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy testing later this winter for seniors who qualify. This prestigious award recognizes students who speak, listen, read, and write fluently in English and another language. Recipients receive special honors at graduation, a seal marking this distinction on their transcript, and the possibilities of college credit and improved standing in the workforce as a bilingual employee.

Interested students have returned their forms and they are now in the process of being reviewed.

Every week in the month of January, you have the chance to win exciting prizes just by putting your Bartlett Bucks into the green PBIS raffle box at the main office, Monday through Friday.
Drawings will be held every Friday at 1:50 PM!

Here’s what you could win:
Week 1: $10 Dunkin' Donuts Gift Card
Week 2: Yeti Tumbler
Week 3: Stanley
Week 4: Surprise Gift Card
Don’t miss your chance to win—make sure to enter each week!

Thursday 1/9

PBIS staff will be walking through the building and talking to staff and students regarding our school's PBIS program. Make sure to share your knowledge of the "Bartlett Way".

Be Accountable, Honorable, and Safe!

Welcome to the PBIS School Store! It will be open all year long. Please see the items available to purchase with your Bartlett Bucks!

All orders must be submitted through the online school store link; in-person orders will not be accepted.

Orders placed by Wednesday at 2:00pm will be delivered by Friday of that week. Items placed Thursday and Friday will be delivered the following week.

Start saving those Bartlett Bucks!

Link to the store: https://forms.gle/6oS5avHhJ3z2TJZBA

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides a credit toward tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university. For this scholarship, merit is based on student scores on the 10th grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test.

The purpose of the award is to:

• Reward and inspire student achievement;
• Help attract more high-performing students to Massachusetts public higher education; and
• Provide families of college-bound students with financial assistance.

Based on their high academic achievement on the MCAS exams, the following students have qualified to receive a four-year John and Abigail Adams Scholarship upon their acceptance to a participating Massachusetts public institution of higher education, including the four undergraduate campuses of the University of Massachusetts, all nine state universities, and all fifteen community colleges.

Congratulations to all of these students!

Gracien Boucher

Wynter Cady

Jayden Casey

Hope Cooper

Sydney Fuller

Avery Gifford

Justin Ilarraza

Lexani Lewis

Daniel McIlhargey

Samaya Mulbah

Leonardo Oliveira

Leximee Phanthavong

Adam Phillips

Rafael Trivino

Adam Urato

Harry Zhu

The Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery provides a credit toward tuition at Massachusetts public colleges and universities. The application process for the Koplik Certificate of Mastery is an online system that will be open to eligible students in the late winter/early spring (Feb/March) of 2025.

How to Apply?

Students meeting the initial eligibility requirements must register for an online account to complete the application. You may register by completing and returning the Koplik Interest Form to Ms. Granger in guidance no later than April 15, 2025.

Application Process: Koplik Certificate of Mastery Academic Achievement Pathways

Parents/guardians of eligible students will receive a notification letter from Ms. Granger in Bartlett's Guidance Department in the late winter (Jan/Feb) of 2025. The letter includes a Koplik Interest Form and a "Next Steps" Document , these documents explain the remaining requirements should the student wish to pursue the Certificate.

All applications and supporting documentation must be submitted directly through the online system; documents sent to DESE will not be processed.

For any questions you may have regarding the Koplik Certificate of Mastery, please contact Alexia.J.Cribbs@mass.gov .

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to your guidance counselor.

If you received a grade reduction in any class due to attendance NOW is the time to schedule your makeup time with Mr. Carney for Wednesday January 8th or 15th or attend Saturday School on January 11th! Remember, this time must be completed before the end of Quarter 2 which is on January 19, 2025, so these are the last 3 opportunities for Quarter 1 recovery.

The administrative detention sessions will be held every Wednesday from 2pm-3:30pm starting November 13th through the end of Quarter 2. These sessions are for point and/or credit recovery. Each session applies to one class for one day missed. It is expected that you will serve for the entire time or it will not count, and be prepared to have work to complete during this time. Mr. Carney will be responsible for running these sessions.

Saturday Schools will be held on selected Saturdays, beginning in January through May. These sessions are for point and/or credit recovery. Each session applies to up to 3 classes for one day missed each (or 1 class for 3 days missed, etc). It is expected that you will serve for the entire time or it will not count, and be prepared to have work to complete during this time. A combination of WMS and BHS staff will be responsible for running these sessions.

FAQ: If I serve one administrative detention session will I get back all the points for all the classes?

Answer: Depends on the situation. If you only have one class deducted and you only have 5 unexcused absences from that class, then yes. Most times, this is not the case and you will need to serve multiple sessions to gain the points back for all the classes.

Example: You have 6 unexcused absences from math and 5 unexcused absences from ELA. You will need to attend 3 sessions to recover the lost points for both classes (2 for math to bring you below 5, and 1 for ELA to bring you below 5).

Another example: You have 11 unexcused absences from Science. You will need to attend 2 sessions to bring you below 10 at which point the 10 point deduction will be enforced.

Loss of Points/Credit due to absences -

5-9 unexcused absences from a class will lose 10 points from their grade in that class for that quarter.

Grade/Credit Recovery Process:

Process 1 - Students can recover those lost points in the following quarter, if and only if, they have no more than 2 unexcused absences from that class during that quarter.

Process 2 (if last quarter of the course) - Students can work to recover lost points as soon as they reach their 5th unexcused absence by attending a 1.5 hour administrative detention session (one missed class per session). Students may attend multiple sessions to recover for multiple courses if needed. Students opting for these administrative detention sessions (ADPs) must designate which course they are attending for.

10 or more unexcused absences from a class will result in an automatic attendance failure for the quarter and receive a grade of a 40 (District Minimum Grade).

Grade/Credit Recovery Process:

Students may earn credit back by attending a 1.5 hour administrative detention session (one missed class per session). Students may attend multiple sessions to recover for multiple courses if needed. Students opting for these administrative detention sessions (ADPs) must designate which course they are attending for. They must attend enough ADP sessions to bring absences below 10 at which point the 10 point deduction will be enforced as noted above.

Attendance Matters! Here is a look at this past week's attendance percentage for each day that school was in session!

Thursday 1/2 - 85%

Friday 1/3 - 85%

We are back and in full swing! Time to get back on track! See you all on Monday morning at 7:30am!

A public school district may excuse up to 7-day sessions or 14-half day sessions in any period of six months.

Based on this law, students may be approved for up to 7 excused absences in a 6 month period. Excused absences are defined as follows: Illness with medical documentation, A medical appointment that must be made during the school day, Observing a recognized religious holiday when the observance is during school, A family emergency, A planned absence for a personal or educational purpose that has been approved by the school, Educational disruption caused by a student's homelessness, unplanned hospitalization, or placement in foster care or a youth development center, Dismissal by the school nurse for illness.

**Note: Vacations will not be considered excused and should be avoided during days school is in session.

If you are ever in need of something, please come by the Trading Post to see what we have to offer. There are lots of clothing items!

This Week's Hours - Available during both lunches and after school. Just see a guidance counselor or an administrator for some help!

Join us in showing your off Bartlett Pride! Get your new BHS swag here! Remember, if you wear your Bartlett Gear on Fridays, you can wear your jeans!!

Bartlett – Family & Friends – Signature Ink

Advisory - 7:30am - 8:25am

Block 1 - 8:30am - 9:40am

Block 2 - 9:45am - 10:55am

A Lunch Block - 11:00am - 11:35am

Block 3A- class time - 11:30am - 12:45pm

Block 3B- class time - 11:00am - 12:10pm

B Lunch - 12:15pm - 12:45pm

Block 4 - 12:50pm - 2:00pm