Blue Hills News
From the Desk of the Principal - February 11, 2021
Dear Blue Hills Families,
I hope that you and your families are well and enduring these months of cold and snow as well as you can!
Important Notes:
- Grade 9 Exploratory: 9th graders are selecting remaining programs that they would like to explore prior to final placements happening sometime in early April. Please speak with your 9th grader about their experiences in Exploratory and the programs that they are best suited for!
- The schedule for the two weeks following February vacation is listed below. We will send out additional schedule information when we return from break.
- The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is urging families to use caution during February vacation. As we get inch closer to a vaccinated general public, we hope to return to more and more in-person learning in the coming weeks and months. Here is the message from DESE:
The Department recognizes that the upcoming February vacation may pose a challenge to districts in their efforts to limit students’ and staff’s exposure to COVID-19. The Department encourages district and school leaders to remind staff and students about the best practices that the Department of Public Health has outlined. These include limiting the size of any gathering, limiting get-togethers to only people who live together or to a small group of individuals with whom they are regularly in contact, and avoiding travel. Anyone considering travel should review and abide by Massachusetts travel orders, and people who want to travel to another state that is not a lower-risk state should be aware of the quarantine requirements involved with such travel. The Department appreciates all that educators, students, and families are doing to limit their risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.
- Many thanks to a number of our faculty who have been working to promote student discussions and forums on race. This newly formed group - "Conversations About the Culture and Climate at Blue Hills (CCC)" - will meet regularly for students to openly and constructively discuss concerns about issues that affect they way they perceive themselves and others in the school community. The goal of this group is "to cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect through collaboration, inclusion, and relationships." Though many have been involved, a special thanks to Ms. Wariboko and Ms. Magnani for leading these efforts and forming this group. Students received an invitation to join this group earlier this week.
Have a wonderful, relaxing, and safe February vacation!
Sincerely,
Geoff Zini
Principal
Upcoming Schedule - IN-PERSON Days
(subject to change)
Booster Club!
The Blue Hills Booster Club can be found on facebook for general information. You can find more detailed information through the school website by clicking on the Student/Parents tab then click on the Booster Club.
The Booster Club meets via zoom on the 4th Wednesday of each month. The calendar will provide information on store hours, meeting notes, times, and link to zoom, and upcoming events. If you should have any further questions or concerns please email us at bluehillsboosters@gmail.com.
Upcoming Event: Friday February 12th at 7pm: "The love of Boosters Basket Raffles"
(See below! More information can be found on the Boosters Facebook page or the school website.)
Free and Reduced Lunch: PEBT Information
STEM Opportunity!
Covid-19 Information - From Nurse Gainey
Reminder:
Massachusetts has called off the flu shot requirement for this academic year, but it is still recommended that students receive a flu shot.
Flu Requirements (Available in English and Multiple Languages)
Please send your records of physical exams to Nurse Gainey.
COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES
*DAILY SYMPTOM CHECK
*MASK
*HANDWASHING
*PHYSICAL DISTANCING
EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS CAN HAPPEN
What you do next will help control the spread of the infection:
TESTING, TRACING, ISOLATION, COMMUNICATION
- If you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms please stay home and get tested.
- If someone in your home tests positive you must quarantine for 14 days and get tested in 5-7 days or sooner if you become symptomatic.
- If you are informed that you are a close contact (within less than or equal to 6 feet for 10 to 15 minutes over 24 hours with or without mask or if someone coughed or sneezed directly in your unmasked face) you MUST quarantine for 14 days and get tested in 5-7 days or sooner if symptomatic.
- If a family member is identified as a close contact, and you are NOT symptomatic, you are expected to come to school. If that family member tested positive you would then be considered a close contact and be required to quarantine for 14 days and get tested in 5-7 days or sooner if you became symptomatic.
- If you return from out of state travel, you will be required to quarantine for fourteen days.
- Please notify the school jgainey@bluehills.org asap or call Mrs. Gainey RN @ 781-828-5800 X 2230 or Mrs. Pica @ X 2250 in Student Affairs if you are absent or to report a COVID-19 concern.
Lunches
All students will receive free lunch and breakfast through the end of this school year.
Students that are learning at home are eligible for meal pickup - please click on the link below to place orders and learn more:
https://www.bluehills.org/students-and-parents/lunch-menu-and-remote-learner-meal-pickup
IT Support & Remote Learning
What remote schedule am I following???
Vocational "Remote" Days - these all look the same! If you are on a vocational week and are remote, simply follow your shop's instructions for the synchronous meeting times (8:30 and 1:30, usually) and work independently or as needed during the day. Failure to attend both synchronous sessions will lead to the student being marked as "absent" and potentially receiving no credit for the day.
Academic "Remote" Days -
- "Blue Days" - Mostly on Mondays and Thursdays. Refer to the released schedule to make sure you have the right day. On these days, you'll meet "live" with periods 1-4. The rest of your day is extra help and independent work.
- "Green Days" - Mostly on Tuesdays and Fridays - Refer to the released schedule to make sure you have the right day. On these days, you'll meet "live" with periods 5-8. The rest of your day is extra help and independent work.
- "Wednesdays" - On Wednesdays, follow the Wednesday schedule! You'll meet with all of your academic classes throughout the day. HINT: We may occassionally use this schedule on other days, or schedule Wednesday to be in-person.
For both vocational and academic "remote" days: Please remember that school runs from 7:48 to 2:20. At any time in this period of time, you can be asked to meet with a teacher, attend a session, or do extra help/support activities. If class begins at 8:30 or 9:00, you may very well have things to do and prepare for prior to the start time. Be diligent in checking your email and google classroom. Getting an education is your "job" right now, and is the best investment you can make at this stage of life!
Blue Hills Regional Technical School
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.
Website: www.bluehills.org
Location: 800 Randolph Street, Canton, MA, USA
Phone: 781 828 5800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Hills-Regional-Technical-School-549020528796565/
Twitter: @bhrtech