I hope you are all surviving the blast of cold weather the last several weeks (and upcoming!) have brought us. No snow, yet, but it is New England - anything can, and probably will, happen with the weather.

We are excited to host "Understanding and Navigating AI for Parents & Guardians" tonight, January 16, at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Come and hear from Greg Kulowiec about the pitfalls and opportunities of AI in education. There is still room - register here!

A few reminders as we approach the 50% mark of the year:

Grade 9 vocational placements are taking place this week; students will be informed of their placement before Monday. While this can be a challenging time for students who do not receive their top choice, it is important to stay positive and focus on learning skills, regardless of placement.

We are nearly half-way through the year; term two report cards will be issued on January 31. This is a good time to review grades and progress in classes. Also keep in mind that the attendance policy, posted at the bottom of each week's newsletter, will impact students that are out beyond the 15 allowed days. Multiple tardies and dismissals also count toward these absences, so please be aware of student attendance. Summer school is required for excessive unexcused absences.

Finally, a reminder that cell phones and earbuds are not allowed during instructional time (class!) without the express permission of instructors. Earbuds are not allowed during the day in the hallways at all. Students using devices at prohibited times will receive detention hours or Saturday detention; repeated infractions will carry more several consequences.

Enjoy the day off of school on Monday, January 20, as we honor Martin Luther King, Jr.!

9th Grade Screenings at BHR

The nurses will perform health screenings for 9th graders beginning on February 24, 2025. This screening includes hearing, vision, and posture. Please notify the school nurses in writing by Feb 10, 2025 if you wish for your child to opt-out of the Grade 9 screening at: nurse@bluehills.org. This notification must be done annually. The student may still opt-out on the day of their scheduled screening.

Congratulations to Ms. Poliseno, Coop Coordinator, who received the prestigious Paul Harris Award from the Neponset Valley Sunrise Rotary Club last week. You can read about the award from the Rotary Club here.

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.

January's Vision of a Graduate Theme is "Resilience."

"We are resilient, independent, adaptable, and forward-thinking" - Blue Hills Vision of a Graduate

Slides Order Link Below!!

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

2024-2025 Remaining Meeting Schedule

~ 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

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.

January 20: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 24: Term 2 Ends

January 29: Faculty Meeting, No 3:10 buses

January 31: Report Cards Term 2

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.