Blue Hills News
Dear Blue Hills Families,
Seniors: It is crucial that you pay your student fees and outstanding bills as soon as possible. If not, you will not receive your cap and gown. Invoices have been sent out throughout the year, and were sent out again last week. Thank you for your assistance.
All students: As the year comes to an end, please make sure you are watching your attendance. Students who accumulate 16 absences for the year are required to attend summer school. We do not excuse single days. We do "reduce" consecutive days to count as one absence when a doctor's note is provided. We also fully excuse all covid related illnesses, so please report these to the nurse. Family trips, weddings, graduations are not excused days. If you have questions, please contact your child's guidance counselor who can review your child's attendance with you.
Seniors: The attached letter was sent out earlier this week. Please make sure you have carefully reviewed it. Pay attention to the graduation rehearsal dates: 5/15, 5/24, and 5/31. These rehearsals are mandatory.
Summer Work: Any student looking for summer work, please visit our job posting site: https://www.collegecentral.com/bluehills/ The username is your student ID #
Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week
This week, we celebrated teachers and staff at Blue Hills for their dedication and commitment to our students! A special thanks to the Student Council, who provided an ice cream sundae for staff on Thursday, and our Boosters Club, who provided lunch for all staff today.
This year's "theme" was Sunshine - we have a "sunshining" group of professionals who try to brighten days, enlighten young minds, and shine brightly as role models, advisors, teachers, leaders, coaches, nurses, and support staff. We have a great faculty and staff - thank you for all you do at BHR!
On Wednesday, we also recognized our school nurses, Ms. Etheart and Ms. Sera, for their tireless work in providing health services and support for our faculty, staff, and students. Thank you!
Day on the Hill
BHR culinary students joined others from across the state in preparing food at the State Capitol for MASC's annual "Day on the Hill." You can take a look at BHR getting recognized by Senator Timilty here, at approximately 6 minutes into the video: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Sessions/Detail/4399.
Mr. Spada and Mr. Giuffre along with Mason Watchendonk, Olivia Verity, Despina Grigoriadis, Jesse Lawton, and Sarah Jocelyn attended the Day on the Hill event at the Mass State House. Along with 20 other culinary departments from across the state, they catered lunch for several hundred school committee members and state legislators. While there, they were treated to a tour of the Senate chamber by Senator Walter Timilty and Senator Paul Feeney, who represent towns in the BHR district. The students were able to sit in during an informal session of the Senate, and were individually recognized by the Senator on the floor during the season. Afterward, they were able to hold the gavel and sit in the speaker's chair.
Congratulations BHR culinary!
Varsity Baseball
This season may go down as one of a kind for the Varsity Baseball team. The team just defeated Tri-County to improve to five wins on the season - and it was their third no-hitter of the year! Congratulations to Eoin McDonagh, Senior in Auto Repair, for throwing an 8 strikeout, complete game gem.
According to Coach Manders, it is also amazing that each no hitter has been a different pitcher with a different catcher - incredible!
Tommy O’Connell w/ Joe Mercuri
Tristan Camarra w/ Keegan Bowles
Eoin McDonagh w/ Ryan Young
Congratulations to the team and good luck the rest of the way!
DVC Art Show!
Comedy Night - Co-Sponsored by Boosters Club!
Recent Updates...
Mental Health Care
We are pleased to introduce a new partnership between Blue Hills and Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care and support for our students and communities.
There is an introductory letter attached below that I hope you'll read. This service is available to all students, faculty, staff, and student families at no charge. They will connect you with mental health providers accepting all medical insurances - information entered on the Care Solace platform is completely confidential.
We know that mental health challenges have been on the increase over the past few years, and we hope that by providing this service, we can help to support our entire BHR community in a positive way.
Upcoming Events
May 12 - Credit For Life
May 15 - Grade 12 - First Graduation Rehearsal & Grade 12 Field Day
May 18 - MVADA Track and Field Meet
May 24 - Art Show 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
May 25 - Senior Awards Night, 6:00 p.m.
May 31 - Last Day for Seniors/Senior Breakfast --- Faculty Meeting
**Previous Information**
**Past Information**
A reminder from the Academic Office:
Please note the dates for this year's MCAS, below.
It is imperative that all grade 10 students are present for these state-required evaluations. The state only allows medical excuses for absences during testing dates. If you need any clarification on this year's MCAS administration, please do not hesitate to reach-out to the Academic Office at your earliest convenience (pbavuso@bluehills.org).
English Language Arts: March 28 and March 29
Mathematics: May 16 and May 17
Biology: June 6 and June 7
Attendance
Just a gentle reminder about our attendance policy. Students who accumulate 16 absences for the year are required to attend summer school. We do not excuse single days. We do "reduce" consecutive days to count as one absence when a doctor's note is provided. We also fully excuse all covid related illnesses, so please report these to the nurse. Family trips, weddings, graduations are not excused days. If you have questions, please contact your child's guidance counselor who can review your child's attendance with you.
- 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.
- 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.
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:
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.