Blue Hills News
October 27, 2023
Dear Blue Hills Families
This week's newsletter contains some timely information. Please check out:
- Information on National Honor Society applications and eligibility
- December lunch menu
- Booster Club evening store hours - December 11
Interested in attending games this winter? Check out our athletic schedules here. Good luck to our winter teams, who start their official seasons tonight and tomorrow!
National Honor Society
From the desk of NHS Advisor, Ms. Barley
On Monday, information will be sent out in an email to students who are eligible to apply for membership in the William A. Dwyer Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS). I wanted to take this opportunity to share some more information with our school community about NHS.
What is the purpose of the National Honor Society?
The NHS is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) in order to give recognition to outstanding high school students. The National Honor Society Constitution states: The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.
What criteria must be met to be eligible to apply for membership in the NHS at BHR?
Be a member of the Sophomore, Junior, or Senior class
Have a minimum weighted grade point average (GPA) of 3.75
When and how often are invitations sent out?
Invitations to apply for NHS are sent out once a year. Currently, our school sends out the invitations after Term 1 grades have been posted.
If a student meets the eligibility requirements, do they automatically become a member of NHS?
No. Eligible students must submit a packet of information through Google Classroom to Ms. Barley, the NHS advisor, to officially become a candidate for membership in the NHS. Students are selected to be members of the National Honor Society; membership is not a right, but a privilege.
How are members selected?
The Faculty Council, which consists of five members of the BHR faculty, reviews all of the information that is submitted by and about the candidates. The members of the council consider each student’s scholarship, developing character, service to the community, and leadership qualities. The advisor meets with the council and moderates the selection process, but does not vote. The selection of members is determined by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. Membership is granted only to those students selected by the Faculty Council. The advisor notifies each candidate of the council’s decision by letter. Candidates selected by the Faculty Council are formally inducted into the NHS at a traditional candle lighting ceremony.
What does it mean to be a member of NHS? What do I have to do?
Membership in NHS is both an honor and a responsibility. Students selected for membership are expected to maintain an exemplary academic and conduct record at BHR. All members must maintain the standards by which they were selected and uphold the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Members of NHS are obligated to attend meetings, participate in group service projects, and complete an individual service project. Each year, members must perform 20 hours of community service, either in school or outside of school. All members must take an active role in the annual Induction Ceremony. Members are expected to participate in fundraising activities for our organization as well as for charity. An annual membership fee of $20 is requested to help defray our expenses.
If a student applied for membership to NHS before, but was not accepted for membership, can they still apply this year?
Yes! Non-selection in a previous year does not disqualify a student from applying again. The Faculty Council encourages students who submitted an application previously to highlight their growth in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service since their last submission.
What is the anticipated timeline for the application process?
12/11 Invitation to Apply letters will be sent out to eligible students
12/11 - 1/5: Students complete and submit their applications on Google Classroom
1/8 - 1/12: The Faculty Committee reviews all application materials
1/16 - 1/26: The Faculty Committee meets to discuss and vote on each candidate
1/29 - 2/2: Students and families will be notified of the Faculty Committee’s decision
TBD: Induction Ceremony Time 6-7 p.m
Please direct any further questions about the Blue Hills Regional Technical High School chapter of the National Honor Society to the chapter advisor, Ms. Michelle Barley at mbarley@bluehills.org
Health Office - Important Information
Health Screenings at BHR
BHR nurses will perform health screenings for 9th and 10th grade students beginning January 8, 2024.
Vision/Hearing/Posture: Grade 9
Growth (Height and Weight/Body Mass Index): Grade 10
SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment): Grade 10
All Massachusetts school districts are required to include a substance use preventive screening as part of their annual mandated universal health-screening program. The nurses and guidance counselors, will use the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol with students in grade 10. The SBIRT protocol facilitates a one-on-one conversation between each student and a school nurse or counselor in an effort to prevent or at least delay the start of using harmful substances, such as alcohol and marijuana. This program focuses on reinforcing healthy decisions and addressing concerning behaviors around substance use with the goal of improving health, safety, and success in school.
Nurses and guidance counselors will use the CRAFFT II screening interview, which is the most commonly used substance use screening tool for adolescents in Massachusetts. You can view the CRAFFT tool and other SBIRT resources on the website: www.masbirt.org/schools.
Parents/guardians will be notified if a vision, hearing, or postural screening requires further evaluation. If your student is receiving treatment for a vision, hearing, or postural concern, please provide the nurses with current medical documentation of their condition. Parents may choose not to have their child(ren) participate in any or all screenings, by notifying the nurses in writing. Students may also choose to opt-out on the day of screening.
Please notify the school nurses in writing by January 5, 2024, if you wish for your student to opt-out of a screening at: nurse@bluehills.org. This notification must be done annually. Screenings will begin January 8, 2024.
December Lunch Menu
Booster Club Updates
- Monthly Booster Meetings - 2nd Wednesday of the month @ 7pm in school Restaurant – Chateau de Bleu - **December 13 meeting is in the Cafeteria**
- School Store – open most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10-1.
- Join the Blue Hills Booster Club Facebook page for news and updates!
Upcoming Events
December 13 - Adams Scholarship Ceremony, 8:30 a.m.
December 22 - Early Release, 10:50 a.m. - Holiday break begins
December 23 - January 1 - School Closed/Holiday Break
January 2 - School Reopens
Health Authorization Form
Thank you to the many of you that have completed this already on PowerSchool. In order to provide any medications (even over the counter) to your student, we must have parental authorization. Log into PowerSchool and complete the Health Authorization Form.
Bus App Instructions - FirstView
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.
Attendance Reminder
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.
Past Information
PowerSchool & Attendance note:
We have had some questions from parents about attendance on PowerSchool, particularly around "class attendance." Please note: we do not track class attendance for students, and PowerSchool is not set up to keep this accurately. Therefore, particularly in vocational programs, the system may significantly overstate the number of absences your student does have. The best way to look at your student's actual attendance is to click on "Grades and Attendance" - this will show you a daily attendance list at the bottom with attendance for the year.
- Lunch is free, but students who wish to have a second lunch or snacks must still purchase these. You can add money to your child's myschoolbucks account to enable them to purchase additional meals and food in the cafeteria.
- Pickup and Dropoff - Please DO NOT use the main entrance/driveway to drop off or pick up students. This is causing a logjam at the entrance/exit to the building. Please enter through the East entrance, closest to Massasoit, and proceed toward the main entrance/exit.
- If your student is out, please email attendance@bluehills.org to report them absent. You can also call 781-828-5800 x 2250 - leave a message if it goes to voicemail.
- Athletic Schedules Available Here!
Emergency Contact Information
- Please, if you have not signed up for a parent account on PowerSchool, do so now! Please complete all required forms as soon as you can. Grade 9 students may not receive a Chromebook until permissions/agreements are completed!
- NEW - If you are calling your student in sick, please call the attendance line (781 828 5800 x 2250) OR email attendance@bluehills.org.
- Thank you for bearing with us as we work to safely navigate drop-off and pick-up times. Please enter the entrance closest to Massasoit and proceed along the front of the gymnasium to the main entrance/exit.
- 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.
2023-2024 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:
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.