BCIT MEDFORD NEWSLETTER

The first marking period is complete and we are headed into the crazy holiday season. In this newsletter, we've compiled a wealth of valuable information for you to review. From important dates and upcoming events to insightful tips on supporting your child's academic success, we've curated content to ensure you stay well-informed and involved in your child's educational journey. We believe that a strong partnership between parents, students, and educators is key to fostering a supportive learning environment, and we are excited to work together to make this school year the best one yet. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education, and here's to a year filled with growth, learning, and success!

Thank you,

Mike Parker

Principal BCIT Medford

NOV 27: NAHS Clothing Drive Begins (End date Dec 21)

NOV 30 & DEC 1: Winter Dance Concert 7PM

DEC 1-8: Student Council Toys for Tots Drive

DEC 7: Winter Music Concert 7PM

DEC 11-15: NHS Toy Drive for Kelly's Kidz

DEC 13: 1/2 Day for Students; Teacher In-service

DEC 22: 1/2 Day for Students

DEC 22 - JAN 1: CLOSED Winter Break (Classes resume Jan 2)

JAN 15: CLOSED MLK Jr. Day

JAN 17: 1/2 Day for Students & ASVAB Testing

JAN 25-26: Semester 1 Finals; 1/2 Day for Students

JAN 27: CLOSED for students; Semester Transition Day for Staff

Afterschool Homework Club has begun. The sessions will run every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for Math, Science, English and Financial Literacy.

Students must sign-up in the Counseling Department at least 24 hours in advance so late buses can be arranged.

Any address change must be submitted to the School Counseling Department in writing. This is the only way to ensure proper busing information is submitted to transportation. The Student Address/Telephone/Information Change form is available via the BCIT Medford Campus homepage under School Counseling Center.

As a reminder, BCIT does not coordinate transportation for our students. Any issues that you may have need to be discussed with your district transportation departments.

Click here to view the contact information for all sending districts

The safety of our students is our main priority. Guardians and authorized emergency contacts may pick up a student during school hours in the Main Office. When arriving in the Main Office, a driver’s license or state/federal issued I.D. must be presented. Students will not be released to anyone who does not provide proper identification.

Guardians must send written authorization in the form of an email in order to authorize someone who is NOT listed in Genesis to pick up their student. A representative from the main office will also call the main contact(s) to verify the written notification. The email should be sent to mainoffice@burlcoschools.org from the email address listed in Genesis and include the following information:

• Date

• Student’s name and grade level

• Name of the person picking up the student

• Time and reason of departure

• Your name and relationship to student

• Your phone number (phone number must match what is listed in Genesis)

The person being designated to pick up their student must present a driver’s license or state/federal issued I.D. when arriving at the Main Office. Once the email is received, the student will be released.

Please review the contact information in Genesis for your student to ensure that the most current information has been provided. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Main Office at 609-654-0200 ext. 8411.

Medford Tech online payments are active for General Obligation (ID’s, books, etc.) and various student activity payments (Homecoming, Activity Dues, Senior Trip, Prom, etc.). To make an online payment, please click HERE and create a MySchoolBucks account; then find your product and make a payment.

PLEASE NOTE THAT MY SCHOOL BUCKS IS NOT FOR SCHOOL LUNCH PAYMENTS!

All parents/guardians of freshmen students should create a MySchoolBucks account. Please reference the online user guide below for assistance.

Parent User Guide

Creating A Parent Account (Click link - scroll halfway down page and look for MSB link on right)

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Please used SchoolCafe for online lunch payments.

Visit the Food Services website for lunch menus, free and reduced lunch forms, etc.

IMPORTANT!!!!

Please complete the Free & Reduced Lunch Application to see if you qualify! This will also help with several other educational areas.

How to apply link...

Hard Copy Application...

Online Application on SchoolCafe...

Every student is expected to be in school every day, all day.

• Should the student be absent in excess of six unexcused days per semester, then he/she will be placed on non-credit status.
• Students who exceed a total of nine or more days with excused or unexcused absences from school for the semester will not be eligible for noncredit remediation, and may be referred to the Superintendent for consideration for referral to the Board of Education for action.
• Partial absences caused by lateness to school or early departure from school will be counted toward non-credit. Each partial absence will be equal to at least .25 of a day. Four (4) such partial absences shall equal one (1) day absence for the purpose of non-credit.
• All excused absences require written documentation to verify the nature of the absence. Parent letters excusing a student for attendance purposes are not acceptable. Medical notes need to be from a medical professional. Please review the policy below regarding approved excused days. If your son/daughter is dealing with a prolonged medical issue, please communicate with your guidance counselor and we can work together to develop a plan.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE FULL UPDATED ATTENDANCE POLICY

Please take the time to visit our student-activity information. We encourage every student to get involved in at least one club/activity. Please visit both of the links below for more information.

Click here for the link to all the Medford Clubs

Click here for the STUDENT LIFE Directory.

PRIDE Program promotes positive academic efforts and behaviors - consider donation to BCIT Education Foundation

PRIDE is a nationally recognized program that supports positive student academic achievement and good behavior. The acronym embodies Personal Responsibility In Daily Effort. For many years, our BCIT Foundation has been very generous in the support of our PRIDE Program at BCIT. BCIT students recognize the PRIDE Program as a way to be acknowledged for putting forth his/her best efforts. Students may earn PRIDE incentives through various avenues such as academic accomplishments, club or sport participation, attendance and good behaviors.

Through monies raised by the BCIT Foundation, the PRIDE Program has provided items that supplement our local BCIT high school budgets. More recently, over the past two school years, the Foundation has provided the following:

1. Staff member of the month trophies (prohibited by our purchasing manual)
2. Earned student weekly incentives for PRIDE activities, such as Wawa and Dunkin Donut Gift cards; BCIT water bottles; BCIT PRIDE ear buds
3. Funding for PRIDE events

This past year, almost 500 students on our Medford Campus and 600 students on the Westampton Campus, per marking period, were recognized as PRIDE recipients. Valuing the need to promote the continual support of the PRIDE Program, the BCIT Foundation's hope is that with the popularity of the PRIDE Program and its proven results, parents, local businesses, and members of the community may consider making a donation to the Foundation.

When giving to the BCIT Foundation in support of the PRIDE Program, donations will directly support PRIDE Program incentives.

To learn more about the program, and how to donate, please contact Foundation Director at (609) 267-4226, ext. 8335.

National Honor Society

National Technical Honor Society

National Art Honor Society

All student-athletes must register online each season (fall, winter and spring) for athletics.

Click Here For Athletic Registration Information

In addition, each student-athlete must have a valid physical and other required forms on file with the nurse’s office prior to participation in athletics. The school’s physician must approve all physicals completed by any private physician prior to final clearance.

Our school physician performs physicals at each campus twice a month. We recommend that student-athletes get a physical at school as this helps to streamline the approval process (less paperwork). If a student athlete plans on getting a physical at Medford Tech, they must sign up in advance in the nurse's office.

For more information and updates about Medford’s athletics (coaches, schedules, required paperwork, etc.) please reference the Athletics website.

We encourage all students to get involved in athletics. Especially as an incoming student, becoming part of a team is a great way to instantly make twenty or thirty new friends.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the specific coach or the Athletic Director.

A complete participation packet with signed consent forms must be submitted to the Athletic Department in order for a student-athlete to tryout in any sport. Packets are available on the school Athletics website. Please review the website for additional information regarding our programs. Please ensure to submit all required forms - click the link below for more information.

All Grades:
It is advisable that any student who is currently struggling in a class to reach out to their teacher for additional help. School Counselors are also available, by appointment, to discuss grades and interventions.

Community Service:

Stay involved in school community based extracurricular activities that interest you or enable you to explore career interests.

College-Bound Juniors:

Fall and winter are very important times for you to be visiting college campuses so you know where to apply next September! Campuses give a completely different impression in the summer when they are deserted than during the academic year.

SAT Practice:

SAT Skills and Practice can be found on the www.collegeboard.org website.

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Looking for national scholarships? Complete the registration at www.fastweb.com to receive email notifications of scholarship programs.

Visit www.meritaid.com to find merit-based scholarship opportunities from colleges before you apply. This website can help students with merit-based scholarships from colleges that reflect your accomplishments and interests.

Another good resource for researching scholarships is www.finaid.org .

Paper FAFSAs will no longer be delivered in bulk to high schools. Students are able to obtain a paper FAFSA by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Students are encouraged to file the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov for faster processing. A PDF version of the FAFSA is also available for download at www. studentaid.ed.gov.

The US Department of Education sponsors www.studentaid.ed.gov, which provides helpful information on preparing for college, types of financial aid, determining who is eligible for financial aid, how to apply for aid with the FAFSA, and information on repaying your loans.

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