Aggie Weekly

Good Afternoon Students, Parents, and Community Members:

This week we returned from our snow-cation and received excellent news regarding the future of Bristol Aggie. On Saturday, January 6th, the Bristol County Advisory Board voting to approve the Bristol County Renovation Project! We would like to thank everyone for their support and we look forward to working with our school community on the next step!

As we enjoy our long weekend, please take this opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments and efforts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and a leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He was the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for combating racial inequality through nonviolence. Here is a link to Dr. Martin Luther King’s top achievements

Montgomery Bus Boycott: after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white passenger, the boycott lasted 381 days.
SCLC Leader: Traveled across the country giving lectures on nonviolent protests and civil rights such as voting rights.
March on Washington: Dr. King organized on March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful rally designed to shed light on the injustices African Americans continued to face across the country.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For additional information, contact: Ms. Adele G. Sands, Superintendent, at: 508-669-6744 ext. 103 Bristol Aggie: Bristol County Advisory Board APPROVES $103 Million Building Project! (DIGHTON, MA) – January 06, 2018: On Saturday, January 6, 2018, the Bristol County Advisory Board – consisting of representatives from cities and towns in Bristol County – voted to authorize the Bristol County Commissioners to petition the Massachusetts Legislature to raise its bonding cap for this project. According to Superintendent Adele Sands, “This vote of support helps to ensure that Bristol Aggie maintains its reputation as the exemplar in agricultural education “ Originally founded in 1912, Bristol County Agricultural High School has offered a progressive approach to agricultural and science education, allowing students to choose between seven majors, including Large & Small Animal Science, Natural Resource Management, Agricultural Mechanics/Diesel Technology, Arboriculture, Floriculture, and Landscape Design and Contracting. Bristol Aggie is working with HMFH Architects, of Cambridge, MA, to address the concerns of the aging facility. Priorities to be addressed include severe overcrowding and antiquated facilities in order to maximize the full range of educational programs.

Additional Gilbert Hall Plan

Center for Science and the Environment Floor Plan

Taunton Council votes support for $104 million Bristol Aggie project:

By Charles Winokoor - Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter

TAUNTON – City Council President Gerald Croteau says he doesn’t have a problem with improving building conditions at Bristol County Agricultural High School.

But he has a big problem with the vote taken this past Saturday at the Dighton school approving what will be a $104 million improvement project.

“You can’t borrow $100 million on a vote,” said Croteau, especially one that he says was “not a legal vote.”

Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr., who voted in favor of the project on Saturday, said the city will likely issue 30-year bonds to cover an anticipated annual obligation of $172,000.

Councilor Jeanne Quinn, who raised the issue during the “new business” portion of the council meeting, said she was “quite shocked” at the “deplorable” conditions of buildings and classrooms she observed during a walking tour Saturday morning.

The City Council, including Croteau, as part of a motion made by Quinn voted unanimously Tuesday night to support the project “in concept.”

Croteau, a former Taunton schools superintendent, said he wanted specific cost figures related to the project.

“It’s an outstanding school that deserves our support, but I really want to know the numbers,” he said.

Croteau said he’s displeased with the fact that Saturday’s vote did not include representation of all the municipalities from which students attend the school.

County Commissioners of Bristol County administrator Maria Gomes, however, says Croteau is flat wrong in his assessment of the approval process.

“It’s unfortunate that Dr. Croteau is not aware of Bristol County law,” specifically, she said, MGL Chapter 35 Section 28B.

Gomes, who previously worked for the city of Taunton as its human resources director, said the law requires a 26-percent vote of approval for the Massachusetts School Building Authority project.

The vote on Saturday in favor of the project, Gomes said, amounted to nearly 43 percent.

Gomes said of the 20 municipalities in Bristol County, representatives of 12 cities and towns with students attending Bristol Aggie showed up on Saturday.

She said all voted in favor of the measure except North Attleboro, which voted no, and Freetown, which abstained.

The legality of the vote, Gomes said, is based on a simple majority of the quorum present that day.

The 26-percent requirement, she said, is calculated on figures provided by the Department of Revenue and based on a weighted, representative value assigned to each municipality, depending on population and other factors.

Fall River, which now has 56 students attending the school, would have to pay the largest annual amount of $284,000, according to data provided by administrators.

Raynham selectman Joe Pacheco, who serves as chairman of the Bristol County Advisory Board, said public notices were issued two weeks in advance of the meeting to vote.

“We pride ourselves on being transparent, and we gave ample notice,” Pacheco said.

Adelle Sands, the new superintendent of Bristol County Agricultural High School, said the school has been pushing for the improvement project for at least 10 years.

“It’s been a labor of love,” she said.

Sands said one new building would be built to accommodate additional students and new course selections.

She said a new dairy barn will be built and that renovations to other buildings, including the main Gilbert Hall building, will be made.

Sands said the heating system throughout classroom and other areas has been wholly inadequate, to the extent that doors have to stay open to allow hallway room heat to seep in.

She also said the gymnasium in the 104-year-old school is directly above a classroom so that students have to wear headphones while the basketball court is in use.

The student body, which now stands at just over 460, will eventually increase to the mid 600s, Sands said.

“We’ve always had a waiting list of students,” she said.

The vote in favor of the project, Sands said, is representative “of the people of Bristol County who recognize this school as the standard by which agricultural education should be measured.”

Sands anticipates construction will follow a staggered schedule and will be gradual over an extended period.

Bristol Aggie also accepts students from other counties.

Gomes said the state legislature will have to approve special legislation before the project officially moves forward.

Next Phase for Seniors: We are proud to share with you our seniors’ plans for their next steps in college and career exploration. Based on the knowledge and skills, learned during their 4 years at BA, we are excited to publish acceptances into colleges, universities, military plans, and any career pathways cach week. Please let Ms. Dias know in Student Services, so we can update our list weekly. Thank you for your dedication to excellence and drive to maintain Bristol Aggie Excellence.

Olivia Aguiar- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA

Camryn Badger- Unity College, Unity, ME

University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA

Ariana Brand- Stonehill College, Easton, MA

Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA

Taylor Burrell- Dean College, Franklin, MA

Mount Ida College, Newton, MA
Curry College, Milton, MA
Mass Bay Community College, Framingham, MA

Eve Gannon- Unity College, Unity, ME
Kayla Johnston- Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, NH

Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA

Emma Knox- Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL

University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME

Jacob Livesey- Universal Technical Institute, Norwood, MA
Gabriel Moreno- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA
Moriah Morris- Unity College, Unity, ME
Noah Pacheco- United States Air Force
Cassie Palmer- Unity College, Unity, ME
Brian Rayner- Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smiths, NY
Bret Tetreault- Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smiths, NY
Jacquelyn Teixeira- Bristol Community College, MA
Amber Wells- Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
Joseph Wuebker- University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME

Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA
Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA

Extends Date Change:

Due to the Monday holiday, the after school support Extends Program will take place next week on Tuesday, January 16th. Extends will then follow its regular schedule moving forward.

MCAS Parent Letter:

Dear Parents/Guardians for the Class of 2020:

The administration and faculty at Bristol County Agricultural High School are about to administer the state-wide testing program, the MCAS. The MCAS 2018 tests will be administered to our current tenth grade class on February 5th and 6th in Biology; March 27th, 28th, and 29th in English Language Arts; May 23rd and 24th in Mathematics. All tenth graders will be tested. Any students who are absent for a testing session will be required to take the missed test during a make-up session. Students should plan to complete make-up testing the day they return to school with the exception of the ELA Composition make-up date which is scheduled for April 5, 2018.

The MCAS 2018 test results will be used to determine student eligibility for a high school diploma. Students who are members of the graduating Class of 2020 are required to pass the Grade 10 MCAS English Language Arts test, the MCAS Mathematics test, and the MCAS Science & Technology test and meet all local graduation requirements in order to receive a high school diploma. Therefore, it is to his or her benefit to perform the best he or she can on these tests. The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship and Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery are given to high school students who perform exceptionally well on each of the MCAS exams and would give the students the opportunity for reduced tuition at a Massachusetts state college or university.

We strongly encourage consistent attendance during the assigned MCAS testing days, urge your child to eat a nutritious breakfast on the days of testing, and suggest your child gets as much sleep as possible on the nights prior to the tests enabling him or her to concentrate more effectively, settle down quickly, and be alert maximizing his or her chances of success.

If you have any additional questions and would like to speak with us, please feel free to reach out at 508.669.6744. Thank you for your help and cooperation.

Respectfully,

Kevin Braga

Principal/Assistant Superintendent

Scholarship Opportunity:

Another Scholarship Opportunity: At HarborOne, we believe education fuels future success and we are truly excited to renew our efforts to support exceptional students throughout the region. HarborOne’s ONECommunity Scholarship celebrates and honors a commitment to academic excellence and community.

Awards:

Twenty $5,000 one-time scholarships sent directly to college

Criteria:

Must be a high school senior
Plan to attend a 2 or 4 year accredited college or university
Someone in the immediate family* must have an active HarborOne account in good standing opened by March 15, 2018 * Immediate family includes: parents, stepparents, guardians, siblings or applicant·
Immediate relatives** of HarborOne employees, Board of Directors and Corporators are ineligible ( **Immediate relatives includes: children, grandchildren, stepchildren, step grandchildren, siblings)

Online application available January 15, 2018. Application due March 15, 2018

Visit: www.harborone.com/scholarship for more information. Also Check us out on social media

Facebook: @HarborOnebank
Instagram: @HarborOnebank
Twitter: @harborone

In the Classroom:

Mrs. Noel’s Junior English class is hard at work here in cooperative groups (photos): analyzing, summarizing, instructing, and explaining literature to each other. In this case it is a section of Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Students used the Expert Jigsaw Strategy to teach each other the material. The benefits abound with this method as everyone is actively engaged while contributing to and participating in the learning process; students work hard, create a visual teaching aid, and enjoy learning from one another. Way to implement great teamwork juniors!

From the Athletic Director’s Office:

The deadline for NHS seniors to apply for an NHS Scholarship is January 30. If you have students in the running, have you finished their recommendations? The recommendation deadline is February 5. Questions?Read our FAQ »

Activities and Athletics:

Ski Club: Forms and payment are Due back by February 9, 2018. Please see below to print forms.

Girls Basketball: Bristol Aggie 40, Southeastern 32: The Hawks (2-4) were led by Jasmine Hamilton (13 points), Nia Mendes (eight points), and Asha Molin (seven points).

Drill Team: Check out the Drill Team’s performance on Wednesday, December 20th! Bravo!

The two teams worked extremely hard before school through the months of November and December to put together two different performances for their family and friends. The two teams were composed of veteran drill team members and new, first time team members. We hope you enjoy their performances as well as their fashionable ugly sweaters!

FFA

The FFA Officer team attended the Chapter Officer Training-East Conference held at Silverlake Regional High School. Together with students from Cape Cod Tech, Upper Cape and Silverlake, the officer team planned their Program of Activities, set goals for the remainder of year as an officer team and learned about coaching and mentoring.

MIAA: Malarie Pittsley and Trevor Clapp attended the winter huddle on Friday January 12th. The event focused on community service projects, being strong leaders, and provided the opportunity to meet other student athletes from throughout the state.