BCIT Brief
School Community Newsletter, Winter 2014-15, Edition #3
Edited by Mrs. Laura Geltch, Coordinator of Program and Community
BCIT About Us
Email: lgeltch@bcit.cc
Website: www.bcit.cc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Burlington-County-Institute-of-Technology/194099172381
Senator Diane Allen Visits BCIT to Announce Bill Package to Create Jobs and Support CTE
Because of the high regard in which Senator Allen holds the programs BCIT provides for our County students, she chose BCIT as the venue to announce a comprehensive set of bills to promote workforce development and support Career and Technical Education (CTE).
The bills include:
- The expansion of CTE in New Jersey by creating a commission to study and improve CTE program access.
- A provision for CTE schools to have right of first refusal to purchase closed public school facilities.
- Requirements for local schools to better promote the availability of county CTE programs.
- Requirements for the NJDOE to promote CTE best practices and exemplary programs.
- Incentives for charter and choice school proposals that include approved CTE programs that do not duplicate county CTE school programs.
- Provisions for preferences for businesses supporting critical areas of the economy for state training grants.
- The establishment of a permanent P-20 Council to align early childhood, secondary, higher education and workforce training to better address workforce development needs. County CTE schools would have a seat on this Council.
- Dedicating Workforce Development Partnership Funds to former casino employees to provide out-of-work casino employees with the training needed to find meaningful employment.
While Senator Allen chose BCIT West to tour and to announce the bill package, she praised and acknowledged the good work of both our CTE schools. During her visit, Principals Venuto and Nagy provided Senator Allen with a tour of several shops and eloquently articulated the importance of our work. Most importantly, Senator Allen interacted with our teachers and students, who spoke with knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm for our schools and programs.
The Worthwhile work of our staff and administrators to help our students develop employability skills, job opportunities, career development, and sound preparation for continued higher education were clear and highlighted during the Senators visit. Senator Allen clearly understands that our work is a significant driver for economic and workforce development, and her bill package acknowledges the importance of CTE as a vehicle for independence and life prospects for individuals and families.
These public conversations about the importance of CTE can only fuel our Vision of becoming the premier regional academic and CTE institution serving high school and adult students, which is a driving force for workforce and economic development in our region.
BCIT in the News! 2015 Workforce Investment Initiative
BCIT Exempt from a Full QSAC Review
Revised Policy (Staff Conduct and Field Trips) regarding transporting students in private vehicles
School personnel are prohibited from transporting students in private vehicles under any circumstances.
Important Parent/Community Letters or Information from Dr. Manno
Staff ONLY: Letters, Memos, or Information from Dr. Manno
BCIT Student Exemplifies Role Model Status
Elizabeth is an example to other students that looks are not nearly as important as kindness and caring for another person. She reminds others that that they are fortunate if they have good health because not everyone does. Elizabeth is a truly giving person that put a friend before herself.
Law & Public Safety CTE, by Danielle Hartman
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. In BCIT Westampton’s Law and Public Safety class, students are anything but silent. On the contrary, Law and Public safety is a vibrant, animated shop in which students learn the hands-on basics of forensics, fingerprinting, drug enforcement, law, crisis response, and much more.
Teacher Steve Scalici, former Captain of Detectives for the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, relies on authentic experiences and field experts to provide his students with the
explicit understanding, competency, and skills related to law and public safety. In fact, last year, all upperclassmen earned their CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
certification. This endorsement includes such credentials as fire safety, animal control, emergency rescue, incident command, and terrorism. Experts from Burlington County are
brought in to teach each of the segments so that students receive a genuine understanding of what it means to work in these fields.
Student Briyon Brinson appreciates the experience he gains in class, “This shop is the one for me because it has so many branches. When you graduate, you are many steps ahead of the game because Mr. Scalici teaches you everything.” This is fortunate because Brinson, a junior, plans on staying ahead of the game with a law degree from Georgetown University, “I plan on being a judge or politician, but with the skills I gain here, I could begin as a police officer and work my way up to the level at which I plan to be.” Fellow student Gabrielle Scott also has high aspirations. She plans to attend Howard University to major in criminal justice or forensic sciences. Ultimately, she would like to land a position with the FBI. She credits her classroom experiences with helping her form life goals. “Mr. Scalici brings in a lot of experts, and we take trips to see outside people who influence how we think about things in law. We see different aspects of the professional life.”
Skills competitions keep students busy with contests in crime scene investigation, patrol tactics, and a criminal justice quiz bowl. Both Brinson and Scott named last year’s mock trial competition as their favorite activity. Scott played a role as a witness, and Brinson was the prosecutor. Their team won the regional competition. This year, they plan on winning states, and with the combination of determination, grit, and good teaching, their odds look good.
Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year from BCIT Adult Education
This is the season to be grateful for the gift of family, opportunities and good health. We in the Adult Education Division want to extend to our instructors, staff, businesses, veterans, students and loyal supporters a Happy Holiday Season and Happy New Year.
Though our offices will be closed from December 24, 2014 until January 5, 2015, we are very proud to announce that our households and businesses in Burlington County will receive a postcard with the invitation to enroll for a course in January with a start time in early February. Think about picking up a skill or just take a course to learn something new. There is one additional course that will run on Saturday, January 10, 2015 from 8AM until noon and will be a survey of all of the programs we offer here in the BCIT Adult Division. This is a great opportunity to learn about Allied Health Programs, apprenticeships, trades and veteran opportunities to make the New Year even better. For those who are business oriented, we will be offering an entrepreneurial business course that will assist attendees to develop a business plan, launch or expand a business and learn about the funding mechanisms to support it. Seats are limited. Please see our website for more information.
Over the next two weeks as we continue to expand our outreach and programs, the Employment Weekly Magazine will feature on its cover the BCIT Adult Division invitation to prospective instructors to think about BCIT’s opportunities to shape the future and dreams of prospective and current students. It is a great opportunity to make a difference and to give back to the profession while paying it forward. The ad is also an invitation to interested parties to discover their possibilities and to learn more about BCIT.
We look forward to an exciting future and a Happy New Year and thank you for supporting us!
Dr. Christopher Nagy
Principal
Burlington County Apprentice Coordinator
High Praise for BCIT Adult Education, Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Save the Date!
Support for our Troops! BCIT Medford's community collected necessities for our servicemen and women stationed overseas.
BCIT Westampton hosts the NJ State BoE Recognition Ceremony, December 17, 2014
BCIT Medford: CONGRATULATIONS to our 2015 Educators of the Year!
Teacher Assistant of the Year: Ms. Clara Thornton
Teacher of the Year: Mr. Joseph Lloyd
Educational Services Professional: Ms. Donna Baptiste
BCIT Westampton: CONGRATULATIONS to our 2015 Educators of the Year!
Educational Services Professional: Ms. Marykate O'Neill
Teacher of the Year: Mrs. LaChan Hannon
Teacher Assistant of the Year: Mr. Ron Johnston
BCIT Foundation recently facilitated a donation from Pemberton Fabricators to provide auto-darkening shields for students in the Welding career major at Medford. Thank you, PemFeb for your continued support of BCIT!
BCIT Foundation supports students and staff with education-based technology and post-secondary scholarships. Join the cause at:
BCIT Foundation: The Year in Review
The Foundation took a new direction in 2014, placing its longstanding Monte Carlo Night fundraiser on hiatus and trying a Coach Bingo event instead. The springtime switch was a sell-out success, prompting a repeat in the fall. The next Coach Bingo is set for Thursday, March 19, at the Westampton campus. Reservations will open in late January.
Those events helped BCIT Foundation meet its mission. In 2014, the Foundation was responsible for grants totaling nearly $62,000. The funding offset costs for Robotics Club equipment and competition fees and the construction of a mini home to teach energy efficiencies. It provided industry-standard welding shields. It will reduce the district’s costs of renovating a greenhouse for the new Agriscience Technology program.
In addition, the Foundation awarded three scholarships to graduating seniors who continued their education after BCIT. The Foundation awards one scholarship to a student at each campus, and also the Robert V. Santare Memorial Scholarship to a student from either campus who has shown an early commitment to community service. Foundation trustees are determined to increase the number of scholarships and their monetary values as more students follow high school with a trade school, certification program, two-year college or four-year university.
Learn more about the BCIT Foundation and its Coach Bingo event at www.bcit.cc/foundation.
Program Advisory Dinner, December 3, BCIT Medford. Congratulations to Inductotherm, BCIT's 2014 Business Partner of the Year
Westampton's Culinary Chef, Mr. Tim Witcher, Adult Education Secretary, Ms. Judy Hirt, and students showed their support for a local Burlington County Food Pantry 5k on December 6!
BCIT Medford hosted The Donetsk Nutcracker Ballet on December 19. Co-sponsored by: BCIT, Medford & the Mount Laurel Ballet Company
Westampton's Early Child Care Center Celebrates the Nutcracker Ballet!
New 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. A TEST Emergency Notification Message was sent on November 19, to ensure everyone's information is up-to-date and you will receive our future notifications.
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.
BCIT 2014-2015 Refrigerator Calendar
http://www.bcit.cc/cms/lib04/NJ03000372/Centricity/Domain/1/BCIT%20Calendar%201.7.15.pdf
This is a District Calendar, for staff, student, parent/guardian reference. The Website Calendar is to be used for school events, i.e.: meetings, trainings, activities, sports, etc.