BCIT Brief
January 2016, Edition #14
Editor: Mrs. Laura Geltch, District Program and Community Coordinator
A letter from Dr. Nagy, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, BCSSSD & BCIT
Dear BCIT Community,
Our first winter storm marks the half-way point of the school year. It is a great time to look back at our progress and look forward to positive changes for the remainder of the year, while having an eye on the future.
To this end, I invite you to visit my blog that was launched last week. I will attempt to capture items of interest each week and encourage parents to visit it. The blog may be accessed on the District website on the right of the page under the heading of Announcements. A visit to the blog will also give access to special education resources and applied positive psychology articles and links. Resources can also be accessed by clicking on the following link: http://www.bcsssd.k12.nj.us/domain/310.
Given the importance of literacy, we now have a Supervisor of Literacy Development, Jacqueline Brownell. Ms. Brownell will be a real asset to our district and special education department. Over the past two months, we have been conducting research on possible ways to address students’ reading deficiencies as they relate to dyslexia, fluency, word accuracy and comprehension. According to Brownell, "we are working to develop a full-year program to target identified 9th grade students in order to address their specific literacy needs at the onset of their careers at BCIT. In this way, we will be able to help them be better prepared to meet the rigor of the state’s standards, meet graduation requirements, and be college/career ready." Though in its infancy stages, more will follow as the plans unfold.
We appreciate the gift of your child and look forward to the continual growth and opportunities that our newest efforts will provide for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris Nagy
Assistant Superintendent, Special Education
A Message from your Superintendent
Dear School Community:
The BCIT Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year! There is much activity and important work under way in our BCIT school district. BCIT continues to expand programs to prepare students for careers and college via:
- Introduction of county-wide career academies
- Commitment to initiatives improving student reading and literacy skills
- Introduction of blended/online coursework
- Extraordinary growth in Adult Education enrollment
- Continued partnership with Rowan College at Burlington County
Your Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools realize our County Career and Technical Schools are, more than ever, a critical and vibrant aspect of promoting workforce development and preparing students for success in life.
We look forward to a banner 2016 for BCIT. Enjoy this e-newsletter packed with important and interesting information about our schools.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris Manno,
Superintendent of Schools
A letter from the BCIT Adult Education Principal, Patrick Cruet
Dear BCIT Adult Education Community Members,
BCIT Adult Education has some exciting news in the upcoming months! Potential students will now be able to view our course catalogs online, register online, and make payments online. In addition, students will be able to utilize a new online software called emsi, which will directly connect education to careers. Emsi will give potential students a vision for the future by providing them with valuable insight on occupational growth and decline, industry trends, labor market data, workforce Intel, and a regional economic analysis of Burlington County as well as surrounding counties. With emsi, you can explore the most in-depth local labor market data available, presented in a way that real people can understand.
BCIT Adult Education offers a variety of courses and programs that may be completed in as little as a few weeks to under a year. BCIT Career and Technical Adult Education prepares adults for a wide range of careers and further educational opportunities by equipping them with core academic skills, employability skills, and job-specific, technical skills. According to the U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education, one-third of college students are involved in career and technical programs, and as many as 40 million adults engage in short-term postsecondary occupational training. A listing of BCIT’s career-ready programs can be found on our webpage. The website will also provide additional information about specific program areas.
If you have additional questions feel free to attend one of our career exploration events or call the adult education office for assistance. Please continue to check out our recently updated Career Exploration events (with scheduled dates that run through June) to provide you with the opportunity to see our many career program offerings, visit our career and technical shops and classrooms, and ask any questions you may have about our programs. Can’t make one of those dates? No problem, call the Adult Education office and we will assist you with your career options.
Sincerely,
Patrick Cruet
BCIT Adult Education Principal
BCIT Adult Education Career Exploration Fairs - FREE!
Congratulations to our BCIT Adult Education Dental Assisting students!
Ten Adult Dental Assisting students took their first National Board Exam and all ten passed!
In addition, two BCIT Adult Dental Assisting advanced standing students took their final board, the general chairside exam. They both passed and are now Certified Dental Assistants.
BCIT/BCSSSD Board of Education Policies & Regulations
The following policies and regulations have been approved by the Board of Education. Please review and reference pertinent policies as applicable.
Policies/Regulations Exhibit #1 (These items are available on the website.) Revised
9541 Student Teachers/Interns
1st Reading
2510.1 Use of Movies and/or Videos for Classroom Instruction R2510.1 Use of Movies and/or Videos for Classroom Instruction R8500.1 Serv Safe
2nd Reading
8550 Outstanding Food Service Charges
R3224.1 Evaluation Rubric of Principals, Vice Principals and Assistant Principals
2nd Reading
2510.1 Use of Movies and/or Videos for Classroom Instruction
R2510.1 Use of Movies and/or Videos for Classroom Instruction
R8500.1 Serv Safe
Policies/Regulations (Exhibit #2) (These items are available on the website.) 1st Reading
3431.1 Family Leave (Revised) 4431.1 Family Leave (Revised) R5111 Admissions (Revised: Rubric) 9150 School Visitors
7440 School Security
Applying to BCIT is now a snap with InfoSnap!
Dr. Erin Conti
Coordinator of Admissions & Recruiting
Congratulations to BCIT December Students of the Month!
Grade 9 - Haylie Troster
Grade 10 - Destiny Chambers
Grade 11 - Nicolas Pilawski
Grade 12 - Jacob Emig
BCIT Westampton Campus
Grade 9 – Qsaun McGraw
Grade 10 – Rayshawn Johnson
Grade 11 – Monica Dunkerson
Grade 12 – Justin Logan
Student/Athlete –Marcus King
Most Improved – Dylan Haines
BCIT 2016 Summer Camp!
BCIT 2016 Summer Camp Registration is now open!
We are offering 24 Summer Camps this summer on our BCIT Westampton and Medford campuses! Ms. Monique Jenkins is our Summer Camp Coordinator. Please email Ms. Jenkins at mjenkins@bcit.cc with any camp questions.
Camp dates for Summer 2016:
July 11-15
July 18-22
July 25-29
Visit our website at www.bcit.cc to download the BCIT 2016 Summer Camp Brochure and Registration Form. Please note: no cash payments will be accepted this year. Please mail your camp registration form(s) along with a check or money order to:
BCIT 2016 Summer Camp
Attn. Ms. Nereida Mack
695 Woodlane Road
Westampton, NJ 08060
CTE Spotlight: Cosmetology at BCIT, by Danielle Hartman
Donovan Bell and Diamane Marinne are seniors in the Westampton Cosmetology program. They are under the tutelage of teachers Ms. Pinardo and Ms. Williams, both warm, kind teachers with no-nonsense approaches that prepare students to enter the workplace. It is essential that they are prepared because as graduates of the program, students become licensed cosmetologists.
Donovan initially thought he wanted to be a barber, but since completing his coursework, he realized that he also loves doing color. He intends to eventually have his own business and has already begun his work in salons during the summer months. Donovan initially explored both auto body and pre-engineering, but cosmetology was his first choice. His favorite day of the week is Thursday, when clients from the community come to the school to provide the students with authentic salon experiences. He enjoys the interactions with clients and is eager to begin practicing full-time. Donovan notes that cosmetology relies much on the fields of psychology, anatomy and physiology, and science. His interest in psychology and human behavior make this profession enjoyable for him.
Diamani has long known that her profession would be cosmetology; her aunt and uncle own a successful salon in Mt. Laurel where she has been working for many years. Though she mostly shampoos, sometimes she will perform other work on clients. Diamani loves the chance to practice her skills. Each client’s needs are unique; dealing with chemicals that can drastically alter or damage a person’s hair necessitates the utmost care and attention. Ultimately, Diamani would like to become a personal stylist for both hair and fashion, as her chic style and eye for fashion warrant.
Both students are sure to be well prepared to begin their careers in cosmetology. The skills and experience they gain at BCIT allow them to exit high school fully groomed to gain entry in the field. Undoubtedly, both students will be successful in their future endeavors.
BCPDI Workshop Series
Click HERE for the Burlington County Professional Development Institute (BCPDI) online Workshop Series Brochure
BCIT Senior Varsity Wrestler, Amir Harper Celebrates Most Wins in BCIT Westampton History!
Student Spotlight: Amir Harper, BCIT Westampton Senior
Amir Harper has been wrestling since he was eight years old. Amir started when his football coach told his Father he should try out for the wrestling program. Amir decided to stop playing football his Sophomore year of high school. He was a talented football player, on the field both offensively and defensively, playing as a corner back and running back.
Amir explained his passion for sports and dedication to wrestling, “I fell in love with being on the mat. I love winning and competing. The first few losses were hard. I hadn’t lost in 3 years – those first few losses were hard to handle. I began playing basketball. I played basketball for a year or two and came back to wrestling. I played with all my heart. I have run track, played football & basketball, but wrestling was always my favorite – I put all my effort into it and it’s now my only sport.”
Amir spends his time as a culinary arts student on our Westampton campus. When I asked Amir about his career major, he went on to explain, "I love that I can cook for myself without worrying about burning down the house! I know how to make food I like, as well as try new foods. It’s hard during wrestling season, I need to keep my weight down. It can be challenging to be around sweets. My Dad was a chef and continues to cater, specializing in seafood and vegetarian, island-style foods. I enjoying cooking for my brother--his favorite is shrimp alfredo. Cooking at home relieves a lot of stress on my mom; it’s not her responsibility every day."
Amir is the youngest of three, residing in Willingboro. He has an older brother (20) and sister who lives in Atlanta (33). Amir wants to become a music engineer/producer. When not on the mats, Amir makes music. He creates his own original beats and plays piano.
Amir has applied to Rider University, Drexel University, William Patterson, and NYU, just to name a few. Amir plans to wrestle in college. When asked what BCIT means to him, Amir responded "I would recommend BCIT because there are a lot of good people here. It’s a great place to learn if you’re serious about school. I would not be as successful if I had not come here. It kept me motivated and out of trouble and focused on the right path." At the time of our interview, Amir had achieved 84 wins, a BCIT Westampton record. Best of luck as an athlete, musician, and student, Amir!
--Laura Geltch
Burlington County Times article:
http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/sports/high-school/schools/palmyra/wrestling-westampton-tech-s-harper-came-in-strong/article_5d75950e-b713-11e5-b762-532284f75a78.htmlBCIT Westampton 2015-16 Wrestling Team
BCIT Medford Boy's Basketball!
BCIT Westampton Boy's Basketball
Westampton Girl's Basketball!
BCIT Westampton Pep Rally! Go Panthers!
BCIT Medford Girl's Basketball
BCIT Medford Bowlers hit the lanes!
BCIT Westampton Bowlers First in their League!
Congratulations to our Westampton DECA Students!
The following individuals competed at DECA Regional’s on Jan. 5, 2016. These individuals are in the top 14 in their category and have made it to the 2nd round at States in February!
1. Austin Dasher, 3rd place Overall in Professional Selling
2. Valerie Montrose, Human Resources Management Series
3. Min Dye, 2nd Place Overall Principles of Business Management & Administration
4. Gabriel Casado, Principles of Marketing
5. Chika Oparaocha, Marketing Management
6. Diahann McRoy & D’Nasia Labrew, Travel & Tourism Marketing Management Team Decision Making
BCIT Westampton Diesel Students service Westampton Police Dept. Humvees!
Academy of the Performing Arts, BCIT Medford, presented their first Winter Vocal and Instrumental Concert
The concert was the culmination of student learning during their first semester. In class, students further developed their musicianship skills including identifying and performing chord progressions and inner harmonies, improvising, and arranging. Their knowledge and skills aided them in arranging songs on their own. Students also began developing their improvisational skills; a new experience for most students. Throughout the semester, students also worked on ensemble skills like blend, balance, and collaboration to create an exceptional performance.
As an encore, vocal and instrumental music students collaborated by arranging and performing a version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight with a tribute to the original swing style and a nod to the present with a Hip-Hop section. The BCIT Vocal Ensemble is under the direction of Mr. Michael Nikolidakis, and the BCIT Instrumental Ensemble is under the direction of Mrs. Pamela L. Turowski.
BCIT Academy for the Performing Arts presents their Spring Musical:
Dates: April 22, 23, 29 & 30, 7 p.m.
BCIT Medford Performing Arts Center
Congratulations BCIT Medford Performing Arts senior, Evan Vincent on your role as Mr. Mushnik in The Pineland Players Little Shop of Horrors!
Congrats Cast of 12 Angry Jurors! Fabulous performances!
BCIT Medford Culinary Arts students practice for Skills USA competition.
Westampton's Graphic Design students create original works of art.
Ms. Polizzi's Fundamentals of Art class display, BCIT Westampton Campus
Art on Display: Burlington County Human Services Building, Basement Bistro
BCIT Westampton Human Behavior students present their research projects
Morgan's Tire Service BCIT Business Partner of the Year Award
CareerTechNJ, December 2015 issue
South Jersey, The Central Record
http://www.southjerseylocalnews.com/articles/2015/12/30/news/doc5683f6773a70a882053894.txt
Designer Bag Bingo: Save the Date: March 3, 2016
BCIT Foundation will host Designer Bag Bingo on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Westampton campus. Its fourth sell-out event in October was one of the best yet! Game and door prizes came from Coach and Michael Kors, with a few VISA gift cards mixed in for fun. In addition to 16 games that offered full-size purse prizes, the 50-50 game left the winner with nearly $1,200 in her pocket!
Reserve your seats now! Details are online, or contact (609) 267-4226, ext. 8335 or foundation@bcit.cc.
See you there!
Renee Janowicz
Director, BCIT Foundation
BCIT Medford Campus January 2016 Newsletter
TRIBUTE BRICKS make great Birthday, Holiday and Graduation gifts!
Engraved bricks can mark a memory, honor a loved one, or commemorate a special occasion. They are placed within existing walkways near the front entrances of either Medford or Westampton campus, reflecting the legacy of BCIT.
Bricks can be ordered in two sizes, plus a mini replica to keep at home. Details and the order form are on the web pages of the BCIT Foundation. Bricks can be ordered in two sizes, plus a mini replica to keep at home. Details and the order form are on the web pages of the BCIT Foundation.
Let us know if you'd like a personalized certificate to present for an occasion! Call the BCIT Foundation at (609) 267-4226, ext. 8335.
Thank you for your support,
Director, BCIT Foundation
Parent Focus Group with Superintendent, Dr. Christopher Manno
April 2016 - more information to come.
Burlington County Alternative School hosts Parent/Community Network Events
BCIT 2015-2016 School Calendar
Like us on Facebook!
Do you have a story to share?
Our students and staff are unique and truly outstanding Burlington County community members. It would be my pleasure to share student, family, and parent stories with our school's community.
Please contact me if you would like to share your story.
Thank you,
Program & Community Coordinator
BCIT
Parent/Student Tips:
How to create a home for homework:
2ndFloor.org Youth Helpline
In NJ, youth have an anonymous and confidential helpline to call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-888-222-2228 to speak with someone who will listen attentively and compassionately to any issues you are facing.
ANY CALL, ANY TIME - we are always here and ready to help.
Emergency Closing/Delayed Opening Procedures:
In the event of a campus emergency or inclement weather, staff members will be contacted via email, phone message, and text message. In addition, we will post a Special Alert Message on our website.
Staff Members, Help us Contact You.
Have you moved? Have you changed your phone number or email address? Please make sure to update your information with BCIT Personnel.
Students will be contacted using information stored in Genesis, our electronic student database. Parents should be reminded to ensure their contact information is up-to-date. Any changes should be reported to the main office of the student's school.