Blue Hills News
Dear Blue Hills Families,
Tomorrow, you will receive your student's progress report via X2. To access the progress report, you will need to log into X2. I encourage students and parents to talk about their classes and their progress. November 4 is the last day of Term 1 and will be here before you know it.
Vaping continues to be a major concern at Blue Hills and at schools across the country. Part of the inherent danger of vaping is that it is difficult to know what is inside a vaping device. One of the latest trends has seen vapes laced with fentanyl - a potentially lethal drug. I encourage you to read this article discussing the concerns with vapes. At Blue Hills, students are not allowed to carry or use vapes at any time, and will be subject to disciplinary measures.
Reminders:
- The Homecoming Dance is set for October 14, from 7-10 p.m. Tickets will be sold at lunches for $10 starting next week.
- Parent-Teacher Conferences will be a mix of virtual (afternoon) and in-person (evening). To sign up for a virtual appointment, please go to this link: https://bluehills.youcanbook.me/. Please note that conferences on October 20 are for grades 9 and 11; conferences on October 26 are for grades 10 and 12. Please see the letter from Dr. Bavuso, our Academic Director, for more information.
There is much more information below and some highlights of recent and upcoming events - enjoy!
Sincerely,
Mr. Zini
NO HATE TOUR comes to BHR
The "No Hate Tour" came to BHR yesterday. Students were able to see some amazing BMX athletes perform in the gym and hear a positive anti-bullying message at the same time. The No Hate Tour visits schools around the country; we were fortunate enough to book the performance and host the group this week. The show was amazing and the message was powerful as students were reminded about the importance of persevering and treating others with kindness. We were definitely holding our breath when the biker flew over Mr. Cavanaugh, and then Mr. Eby!
Booster Club - Needs YOU!
The BHR Booster Club is looking for volunteers and parents who are willing to help out in support of BHR students.
The next meeting is in the library on October 12, 2022 at 7 p.m. (Board meets at 6 p.m.; General meeting at 7 p.m.)
The Booster Club is also looking for Snack Shack volunteers, specifically for October 18, October 19, and November 23. Please contact Ms. Lisa Adams if you are interested in helping!
Spirit Weeks!
BHR's Emily Lehane on WBZ
Did you miss this last week? Emily Lehane, senior in Health Assisting, was profiled by WBZ's Paul Burton. Emily has overcome and accomplished some amazing things on the soccer field!
Check out the story here! Congratulations to Emily!
Students of the Month
Congratulations to our first two students of the month for September 2022! Sarah and Vincent are great examples of hard-working and passionate BHR students!
The Outing Club
The Outing Club was founded last year by Mr. Fischer and Ms. Joyce-Grikis. Students are given the opportunity to explore the outdoors, encounter nature, and develop team building skills. The goal of the Outing Club is to create a sustained community that promotes the development of confidence and skills in all students. Last week, students traveled to a high ropes course and experienced the thrill of climbing! Students interested in joining should speak with Ms. Joyce-Grikis or Mr. Fischer.
#WinAtSocial - The Social Institute
Dear Families,
We are excited to announce that Blue Hills Regional Technical School has launched a partnership with The Social Institute (TSI), a national leader in curriculum designed to equip students to navigate the complex intersection of well-being, social media, and technology.
At a time when students spend many hours a day on digital devices, and cyberbullying and reputation-damaging posts run rampant, TSI equips students to make positive, healthy, and high-character choices that fuel their health, happiness, and future success. Our school will be adopting TSI’s comprehensive program, called #WinAtSocial, which promotes character, empathy, teamwork, and other important life skills.
Whether or not your child uses social media or a device of their own, we hope that you will consider how these free resources outlined below could be useful to your family.
To be clear, information offered through this partnership does not instruct anyone how to parent. Instead, these supplementary resources provide insight into social media, technology, and student experiences, offering family discussion prompts and informative resources that you can incorporate into family conversations as much or as little as you like.
How Your Family Can Participate:
Continue the conversation at home: As students experience #WinAtSocial each month, Family Huddles may be emailed to you as a supplement to a lesson. These are completely optional to run as a family!
Register your free account for the Parent Toolkit. Many families refer to this as the CliffsNotes of social media and technology! Go to the Toolkit, click Activate Account, and enter our school code: 16978DAFA8D154.
Click here for more information on how The Social Institute supports families.
We are excited to be able to offer this important and timely education to our community.
There are some great resources on National Hispanic Heritage Month from the National Archives. From their website: "We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. The observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The theme for 2022 is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation."
https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/hispanic-heritage-month
Update from the School Health Office:
We continue to have self-testing kits available in the main office and in the nurse's office. These are a limited supply and will only be provided if they are available and if you are symptomatic.
If you test positive for Covid-19, please email letheart@bluehills.org and include in your communication the day your symptoms started. You will receive a response back with your isolation dates and the date of return to work or school. Remember, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
Symptoms include:
- Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- New loss of taste or smell
- Muscle aches or body aches
- Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
- Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
- Nausea, vomiting, when in combination with other symptoms
- Headache, when in combination with other symptoms
- Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
- Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies), when in combination with other symptoms
Reminder: although there is no statewide requirement for masking at school, masks are required when entering the school health office. They are available upon entry.
Covid and Flu Vaccine Clinic - Offered by Town of Canton
**Previous Information**
**Past Information**
- Homecoming and Spirit Weeks will take place the weeks of October 11th and October 17th.
- The Homecoming Dance is set for October 14, from 7-10 p.m. Tickets will be sold at lunches for $10.
- Parent-Teacher Conferences will be a mix of virtual (afternoon) and in-person (evening). To sign up for a virtual appointment, please go to this link: https://bluehills.youcanbook.me/. Please note that conferences on October 20 are for grades 9 and 11; conferences on October 26 are for grades 10 and 12. Please see the letter from Dr. Bavuso, our Academic Director, for more information.
- Please review the school calendar for the upcoming month - Progress Reports on October 7, no school on October 10, and In-Service/Late Start on October 13.
- Seniors may be eligible to start co-op. Please email Ms. Poliseno at kpoliseno@bluehills.org for more information.
- Important Note: There is a viral social media challenge re-emerging called the "One Chip Challenge" - you can read about it here - that can cause physical harm to participants. There is no place for this at any school, and that goes for Blue Hills. Please talk with your student about the serious injury that can occur from eating these chips, and the danger of following certain social media trends. Please be advised that Blue Hills does not condone this type of dangerous activity during the school day. Students please note that there may be consequences if you are involved in this type of activity.
** Please Read** Dismissal Procedures:
Please help us by sending a note in with your student on the day that they will be dismissed. They should bring the note to the main office in the morning. This allows your student to sign out at the appointed time and meet you at your car. Otherwise, we need you to come into the building and identify yourself, at which time we have to call your student's classroom or shop to dismiss them. It is far easier and faster if you send a note in the morning. Thanks for your help with this.
Other Information:
- Aspen X2 is used by Blue Hills to record student grades, attendance, discipline, family contact information, and much more. If you need assistance logging in to Aspen X2, you may follow this link. For further assistance, you may call the Academic Office at 781-828-5800 X2670.
- Breakfast and Lunch are available for free again this year. Through the first few days of school, we have noticed many students getting off the bus, waiting in line for breakfast, and immediately throwing it out or giving it away. This is not the intention of the free breakfast program, and those students will be asked to remain on the bus instead of coming into the cafeteria.
- Please be reminded: Earpods/headphones may not be worn during the school day except with the explicit permission of the teacher. This includes breakfast, lunch, and passing times. Earpods will be confiscated if seen, and consequences assigned.
- If you have not, please complete the SY 2022-2023 Mandatory Registration & Student Emergency/Contact Information on Family ID. This is required of all students each year, and includes the Parent-Student Handbook. This helps us keep your emergency contact information up to date in our system.
- Grade 9 Parents Night Information: The presentation is available here.
Upcoming Events
October 7: Progress Reports
October 10: Columbus Day, No School
October 12: Advisory Board Dinner, 5:30 p.m.
October 13: In-Service, Late Arrival for Students (10:40 a.m.)
October 14: Homecoming Football Game, 5:30 p.m.
October 14: Homecoming Dance, 7-10 p.m.
October 20: Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades 9 & 11) - Early Dismissal 10:50 a.m.
October 26: Parent Teacher Conferences (Grades 10 & 12) - Early Dismissal 10:50 a.m.
November 2: Open House 5:30 p.m. for prospective students - Early Dismissal 10:50 a.m.
November 3: In-Service Late Arrival - 10:40 a.m.
November 4: Term 1 Ends
2022-2023 School Year Calendar
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
BHR on: