This week our student’s enjoyed a short week, with Monday’s snow cancellation and Thursday’s half day for staff professional development. We continue to work as a staff to ensure our student’s are challenged and prepared for their next phase whether it is in industry or higher educaiton. Today, student’s in grade 9-11 received their course selection forms. Please take time this weekend to review course options and evaluate how it fits with your future plans.
Next Phase for Seniors: We are proud to share with you our senior’s plans for their next step in their 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 each 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. 
- Emma Duarte
- SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill, NY
- University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
- Chaylene Ferreira
- Johnson and Wales University, Providence, RI
- Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
- Olivia Garcia
- Wheaton College, Norton, MA
- Rhode Island College, Providence, RI
- Peyton Patota
- SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill, NY
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
- University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME
- Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
- UMASS Amherst, Amherst, MA
- Becker College, Worcester, MA
- Meghan Sherman
- Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA
- Nicole Simas
- University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
- University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME
- Mia Slater
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA
- Kristi-Rose Teixeira
- University of Maine Orono, Orono, ME
- Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
- Canisius, Buffalo, NY
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Attention Students Grade 9-11: STUDENT SCHEDULING
Today, your student was provided with a course selection form (see below). The purpose of this form is to provide student voice in course selection. We want to encourage our students to challenge themselves, however, please understand that we may not be able to fulfill every student course request. Any student who is looking to move levels (College Prep to Honors, or Honors to Advanced Placement), must have completed the “Raising the Bar” essay (see bottom of Course Selection form). This must be given to the teacher for the level you are looking to switch by Friday, March 15th (email is an option). For instance, if you are currently in college prep history and would like to move to honors history, please submit your essay to your history teacher. These must be into your teacher by next Friday. I would also suggest that you schedule a time to meet with your guidance counselor to discuss this move.
Requesting a level change may not be recommended by your teacher if the student is not meeting expectations in their current classroom. If there is a conflict, then a student may wish to meet their counselor to discuss options.
Courses selected will be assigned on a space available basis. We will do our best, however, we retain the right to assign courses to students based upon individual student needs and career goals.
Today, your student was provided with a course selection form (see below). The purpose of this form is to provide student voice in course selection. We want to encourage our students to challenge themselves, however, please understand that we may not be able to fulfill every student course request. Any student who is looking to move levels (College Prep to Honors, or Honors to Advanced Placement), must have completed the “Raising the Bar” essay (see bottom of Course Selection form). This must be given to the teacher for the level you are looking to switch by Friday, March 15th (email is an option). For instance, if you are currently in college prep history and would like to move to honors history, please submit your essay to your history teacher. These must be into your teacher by next Friday. I would also suggest that you schedule a time to meet with your guidance counselor to discuss this move.
Requesting a level change may not be recommended by your teacher if the student is not meeting expectations in their current classroom. If there is a conflict, then a student may wish to meet their counselor to discuss options.
Courses selected will be assigned on a space available basis. We will do our best, however, we retain the right to assign courses to students based upon individual student needs and career goals.
Please click the following links below to help you select your courses next year.
- Program of Studies- Course Descriptions
- Current Grade 9 Course Selection-example below
- Current Grade 10 Course Selection
- Current Grade 11 Course Selection
Student Scheduling Time Frame:
- Step 1: March 8-March 15: Student receives course selection form and discusses class options with parent/guardian.
- Step 2: March 19-29: Teacher and student meet to discuss student request and teacher recommendation.
- Step 3: April 1-5: If there are no conflicts with student requests and teacher recommendations, then the students will log into PowerSchool and “Accept” their recommendation. More information to follow. If there is a conflict, student will schedule a time to meet with their guidance counselor.
- Step 4: April 5-June 1: Once all requests and recommendations have been submitted and accepted, we will begin to build the schedule for the 2019-2020 school year. Students will have tentative schedules prior to leaving this school year.
Massachusetts FFA State Convention
General Information
March 12-15th 2019
Depart BCAHS Tuesday @ 3:00PM
Return to BCAHS Friday @ 2:30PM
Sturbridge Host Hotel
www.sturbridgehosthotel.com
Sturbridge, MA
What to Bring:
2-3 changes of Official Dress
2-3 changes of clothes (school appropriate)
Pajamas
Bathing suit (optional)
Toiletries
Money for lunches on Thursday & Friday
All other meals will be provided.
If you are participating in a career development events, please have all of your required materials packed and in place prior to the end of school on Monday. All students must have their AgScience Project boards/posters, demonstration equipment/props and the chapter exhibit, completed and ready to load into the van. Mr. O’Connell and I will meet you outside of flori at the end of the day to load your projects.
Students, when you arrive on Tuesday morning, please place all of your luggage in the foyer area outside the small gym. At the end of the day on Tuesday, you can retrieve the luggage and meet the coach bus between Gilbert Hall and Flori once the other busses leave.
Mr. O’Connell, the school carpentry foreman and 1997 Bristol Chapter President will be coming along on this trip! He is very excited to get back into the FFA world and is looking forward to attending convention for the first time in 20 years!!!!
MSBA Project Update: We wanted to provide our school community with an update of the project renderings from the north and south campus. These are drafts and are still a work in progress. #BAFuture
DRAFT Rendering of North Campus
DRAFT Rendering of South Campus
DRAFT Rendering of North Campus
DRAFT Rendering of South Campus
In the Classroom:
Arbor: The Landscape junior class is learning chainsaw safety with Mr. Cook.Kaylainii Rodrigues, Isaiah Gomes, Paxton Lima, and Rachel Bass are all pictured practicing their chainsaw skills. The class is learning how to safely operate a very commonly utilized tool. With safety training, they can hopefully remain safe while working.
Arbor: In the freshmen Arbor rotation this term, students have been learning about how trees grow and how to recognize pests that impact tree health. Kendra Morrissey and Robert Myers were using the macro scopes to identify the insects in the leaves. Noel Martins was also dissecting leaves to find the leaf mining insects (insects that live inside leaves). The students have also been exposed to the needs and techniques on how to best manage them. The tree topics matched well with the sophomore Arbor course. In Mr. Cook's sophomore Arbor class, the students are learning a much more intense/involved/technical level of knowledge regarding tree biology. Mr. Cook was demonstrating how trees trans locate water, nutrients and chemicals throughout a tree. The tool he was using is a specialized tool used to inject trees with pesticides as an alternative (more effective) technique for managing pests. The details of the demonstration included the understanding of how trees grow as well as using that knowledge to detect tree problems and manage them using specialized equipment.
Freshmen VoAg. 6 learned how to operate a skid steer loader. Great Job by all.
Arbor: The Landscape junior class is learning chainsaw safety with Mr. Cook.Kaylainii Rodrigues, Isaiah Gomes, Paxton Lima, and Rachel Bass are all pictured practicing their chainsaw skills. The class is learning how to safely operate a very commonly utilized tool. With safety training, they can hopefully remain safe while working.
Arbor: In the freshmen Arbor rotation this term, students have been learning about how trees grow and how to recognize pests that impact tree health. Kendra Morrissey and Robert Myers were using the macro scopes to identify the insects in the leaves. Noel Martins was also dissecting leaves to find the leaf mining insects (insects that live inside leaves). The students have also been exposed to the needs and techniques on how to best manage them. The tree topics matched well with the sophomore Arbor course. In Mr. Cook's sophomore Arbor class, the students are learning a much more intense/involved/technical level of knowledge regarding tree biology. Mr. Cook was demonstrating how trees trans locate water, nutrients and chemicals throughout a tree. The tool he was using is a specialized tool used to inject trees with pesticides as an alternative (more effective) technique for managing pests. The details of the demonstration included the understanding of how trees grow as well as using that knowledge to detect tree problems and manage them using specialized equipment.
Freshmen VoAg. 6 learned how to operate a skid steer loader. Great Job by all.
NRM; Conserving New England's Only Native Rabbit
Populations of the New England Cottontail have declined and it's range has drastically contracted. New England’s only native rabbit is disappearing along with the shrubby, early-successional habitat it requires. The introduced Eastern Cottontail is replacing the native species as it eagerly moves into our grassy lawns and other open, mowed areas. The little, brown rabbits feeding in backyards likely are Eastern Cottontails. New England Cottontails rarely leave the security of their thickets.
The Natural Resource Management (NRM) Department at Bristol Aggie is engaged in a unique, regional partnership to assist in saving our Bay State bunny. Mass Wildlife biologists trap rabbits, Roger Williams Park Zoo wildlife veterinary staff takes samples for genetic testing and medically treats the animals as needed, and US Fish & Wildlife Service biologists will transport them to the Nomans Land National Wildlife Refuge and monitor the island population. The Bristol Aggie Natural Resource Management Department is working with these partners to hold the rabbits, with guidance from the zoo's director of conservation, until the trapping season ends and transportation to the island is ready. The plan is to move ten to twelve rabbits this year. The Nomans Island population will serve as an assurance colony. As habitat management work continues and shrubland-thicket habitat is restored cottontails from the island will be repatriated to the ancestral sites with appropriate habitat.
We are thrilled to work on this project and as part of this team. While the NRM Department has worked with both state and federal agencies for years to conserve several endangered reptiles and amphibians, we are honored and thankful to be part of this effort to conserve this imperiled, native mammal.
Floriculture: Sophomore students celebrated spring by creating designs using the spring plants that they grew. They grew and harvested anemones, freesia, daffodils, snow drops, fritillaria, and muscari for their displays. Juniors harvested flowers and sent a small spring vase to all of the teachers.
Ocean Bowl
Above, our A team (Jessie Power, Abby Bruno, Nicole Simas, Alex Cameron, alternate Hannah Bruno, and not in the frame- Madison “Sharkie” Kruger). Below, our B team- Myles Rumson, Lexi Wells, Hope Siddall, Ana “Bee” Thompson, Emma Forgit.
The Ocean Bowl team competed in the annual Blue Lobster Bowl tournament this Sunday March 3 at MIT. Two teams from Bristol Aggie, including a student from Dighton-Rehoboth competed against 13 other teams from 7 schools around the state. The competition consisted of 5 rounds of buzzer-style questions and team written challenge questions, followed by a long-form problem solving and data analysis project, known as the McDowell Science Challenge. The students also met with current graduate students in the ocean sciences fields and attended a presentation on Ocean Engineering. Although we did not bring home any trophies, our teams held their own, learned a lot, and had fun!
“Bullying, Incognito: Deliberate Social Exclusion” by Maryann Wei
When we think of bullying, a picture of aggression is typically conjured — the taunting, name-calling, and physical abuse. Beyond the playground in the adult world, however, bullying often takes place masked in more insidious forms. Deliberate social exclusion can manifest in many ways across situations, occurring in the context of university, work, or within a group if people not connected by their field of study or job.
You may, at some point in your life, have been in a recurring situation where you approach a group of people in mid-chatter only to have conversation come to an abrupt halt. Perhaps a social gathering was organized after work one night, which you found out about while unsuspectingly scrolling through your newsfeed on Facebook the next day. In another example, a message containing important information was purposefully disseminated to everyone for whom it was relevant — except you.
As much as you don’t want to care, and as much as you hate to admit it, it still hurts. The definition of bullying is not limited to overt harassment, but encompasses any repeated actions intended to cause distress physically or emotionally. Being quietly victimized by “under-the-table” torment of sort can deal an equally or even more damaging blow to the individual than bullying in its more explicit form. Even more frustratingly, no tangible evidence necessary for a confrontation exists for you to point to; nothing really that couldn’t be turned around and used to paint you in an unfavorable light, or to make you feel and appear paranoid and oversensitive. This brings us to the first of the few suggested ways to cope if you are on the receiving end of deliberate social exclusion:
1. Consider if the exclusion was indeed intentional.
There is always the possibility that the reason you were not invited to a particular event was situation-related; for example, a gathering of friends from the same high school of which you did not attend. Perhaps you were not in the loop concerning an important piece of information because everyone involved simply assumed another member of the group had told you. In contrast, bullying occurs with consistency and malicious intent. It is important to evaluate and identify what is going on.
2. Reflect upon yourself.
If you have identified with some certainty that you have been systematically left out of a social group — with more consistency than could be attributed to accident or coincidence — stop to have a think about whether the exclusion was a reaction to something you might have done. Did the exclusion represent a change in how you previously got along? Are you able to pin down this turn in behavior to any particular point in time or event? If so, it may be important for you to maintain these relationships — either because you see them on a regularly basis, or simply enjoy their company. Make it known to them that you acknowledge having made them feel bad or uncomfortable, and apologize where in order. People naturally respond well to sincerity, and chances are that they would be willing to overlook misunderstandings of past. If you are absolutely unable to come up with anything you might have done to evoke being treated hurtfully, read on.
3. Know that it’s not you (No, really).
While being left out can sometimes feel like a “group attack”, the experience of social exclusion is more frequently the product of a single person’s determination in making you feel bad. As hard as it may be to believe that someone who has succeeded in making you feel small on numerous occasions is acting based on their own insecurities, this is often true of bullies.
This is meant to serve as an explanation rather than a justification for their behavior; people who gain relief from devaluing others are clearly unhappy in their lives, and likely struggle with feelings of inadequacy of their own. It is nonetheless unfair that one person’s insecurities should make it difficult for you to spend time with the mutual friends you have between you, with whom you get along with well.
As an attempt to make you feel invisible, the bully in question might go out of their way in making it a point to address everyone in a group situation except you. Confrontations, as earlier discussed, are not likely to work under circumstances like these — not to mention you don’t have time for dramatic trivialities in your busy schedule. Be the bigger person: play nice, even when they don’t. Besides, nothing discourages a bully more than a lack of response.
4. Make other connections.
The last thing you want to do after a long and grueling week is to spend Friday night navigating a complex social milieu someone has set up just to make things difficult for you. As a result, the sad but unavoidable truth is that you probably end up seeing the friends you have in common with your bully on a less frequent basis that you’d like. It is important to ensure you feel like there are people you can turn to for simple, uncomplicated and meaningful interactions without hidden motives embedded in every corner. This might involve some work, like calling up friends you don’t encounter on a regular basis. It will be worth the effort, nonetheless; chances are high that they would be happy to hear from you too.
5. Keep being you.
There is clearly something about you that your bully sees, probably lacks and covets, and feels extremely threatened by. You are not a smaller person just because someone has tried to squash you down into an ill-fitting mold in hope of containing your positive qualities. This is a sign, in the least, that you’ve got a thing or two right in life.
When we think of bullying, a picture of aggression is typically conjured — the taunting, name-calling, and physical abuse. Beyond the playground in the adult world, however, bullying often takes place masked in more insidious forms. Deliberate social exclusion can manifest in many ways across situations, occurring in the context of university, work, or within a group if people not connected by their field of study or job.
You may, at some point in your life, have been in a recurring situation where you approach a group of people in mid-chatter only to have conversation come to an abrupt halt. Perhaps a social gathering was organized after work one night, which you found out about while unsuspectingly scrolling through your newsfeed on Facebook the next day. In another example, a message containing important information was purposefully disseminated to everyone for whom it was relevant — except you.
As much as you don’t want to care, and as much as you hate to admit it, it still hurts. The definition of bullying is not limited to overt harassment, but encompasses any repeated actions intended to cause distress physically or emotionally. Being quietly victimized by “under-the-table” torment of sort can deal an equally or even more damaging blow to the individual than bullying in its more explicit form. Even more frustratingly, no tangible evidence necessary for a confrontation exists for you to point to; nothing really that couldn’t be turned around and used to paint you in an unfavorable light, or to make you feel and appear paranoid and oversensitive. This brings us to the first of the few suggested ways to cope if you are on the receiving end of deliberate social exclusion:
1. Consider if the exclusion was indeed intentional.
There is always the possibility that the reason you were not invited to a particular event was situation-related; for example, a gathering of friends from the same high school of which you did not attend. Perhaps you were not in the loop concerning an important piece of information because everyone involved simply assumed another member of the group had told you. In contrast, bullying occurs with consistency and malicious intent. It is important to evaluate and identify what is going on.
2. Reflect upon yourself.
If you have identified with some certainty that you have been systematically left out of a social group — with more consistency than could be attributed to accident or coincidence — stop to have a think about whether the exclusion was a reaction to something you might have done. Did the exclusion represent a change in how you previously got along? Are you able to pin down this turn in behavior to any particular point in time or event? If so, it may be important for you to maintain these relationships — either because you see them on a regularly basis, or simply enjoy their company. Make it known to them that you acknowledge having made them feel bad or uncomfortable, and apologize where in order. People naturally respond well to sincerity, and chances are that they would be willing to overlook misunderstandings of past. If you are absolutely unable to come up with anything you might have done to evoke being treated hurtfully, read on.
3. Know that it’s not you (No, really).
While being left out can sometimes feel like a “group attack”, the experience of social exclusion is more frequently the product of a single person’s determination in making you feel bad. As hard as it may be to believe that someone who has succeeded in making you feel small on numerous occasions is acting based on their own insecurities, this is often true of bullies.
This is meant to serve as an explanation rather than a justification for their behavior; people who gain relief from devaluing others are clearly unhappy in their lives, and likely struggle with feelings of inadequacy of their own. It is nonetheless unfair that one person’s insecurities should make it difficult for you to spend time with the mutual friends you have between you, with whom you get along with well.
As an attempt to make you feel invisible, the bully in question might go out of their way in making it a point to address everyone in a group situation except you. Confrontations, as earlier discussed, are not likely to work under circumstances like these — not to mention you don’t have time for dramatic trivialities in your busy schedule. Be the bigger person: play nice, even when they don’t. Besides, nothing discourages a bully more than a lack of response.
4. Make other connections.
The last thing you want to do after a long and grueling week is to spend Friday night navigating a complex social milieu someone has set up just to make things difficult for you. As a result, the sad but unavoidable truth is that you probably end up seeing the friends you have in common with your bully on a less frequent basis that you’d like. It is important to ensure you feel like there are people you can turn to for simple, uncomplicated and meaningful interactions without hidden motives embedded in every corner. This might involve some work, like calling up friends you don’t encounter on a regular basis. It will be worth the effort, nonetheless; chances are high that they would be happy to hear from you too.
5. Keep being you.
There is clearly something about you that your bully sees, probably lacks and covets, and feels extremely threatened by. You are not a smaller person just because someone has tried to squash you down into an ill-fitting mold in hope of containing your positive qualities. This is a sign, in the least, that you’ve got a thing or two right in life.
“Bystanders are the Key to Stop Bullying”
From the above article “...Bystanders have immense power to intervene and effectively stop bullying…” Remember, there are NO “innocent” bystanders!
From the above article “...Bystanders have immense power to intervene and effectively stop bullying…” Remember, there are NO “innocent” bystanders!
MCAS Computer Based Testing: 2019 for Grade 10
The Week Ahead-B Week
- Monday, March 11
- EXTENDS 2:30 pm (Library)
- Tuesday, March 12
- Assembly- Report to the gym
- FFA State Convention
- Board of Trustees Meeting @ 7:00
- Wednesday, March 13
- Thursday, March 14
- EXTENDS 2:30 pm (Library)
- Friday, March 15
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