Good Afternoon Students, Parents, and Community Members:
This week we started our first week of our Distance Learning Plan (DLP). We hosted a call on Monday with students, parents, and staff to discuss our DLP, senior events like graduation and prom, April vacation, and more. Please see below for the minutes from the Parent/Student meeting on Monday. In addition, we added expectations for students and parents to help with the success of the DLP.
Parent/Student DRAFT Distance Learning Plan (DLP): The creation and adoption of the Bristol Aggie Distance Learning Plan truly symbolizes the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child. Now more than ever, we are asking for your assistance to help educate our students and your children to ensure they continue to grow in a safe and healthy environment. We created some basic expectations for students and provided some guidance on how parents can assist with our Distance Learning Plan. Please click here for the full DLP.
Parent/Student Expectations
Students will:
We ask that parents/guardians assist with the Distance Learning Plan expectations above. We understand that as a family you may have additional daily challenges, and we ask that you keep the lines of communication open between you, teachers, guidance, and administration to ensure the success of your child. We ask for your support in the following areas:
This global pandemic has highlighted even more brightly the importance of effective school leadership—especially from assistant principals, who must now move seamlessly from distributing meals to monitoring online learning. Today through April 10, NASSP, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators are recognizing the contributions of assistant principals to the success of students across America both during this crisis and year-round—and we invite you to join us.
A simple “thank you” goes a long way, but we can help you go even further. Visit www.nassp.org/apweek to get involved in the week’s virtual activities.
2020 Bristol Aggie Prom: The results are in! Friday, July 17th at the Taunton Holiday Inn (same location) at 6:00 pm. Contact Mrs. Chevalier and Ms. Reilly for more details.
Aggie Website- COVID 19 Updates: Check the Bristol AGGIE COVID-19 Information website for answers and resources. This website is updated frequently as more information becomes available.
COVID-19 Family Economic Impact: If your family has been impacted economically, please check out this website to see what resources are available for you and your family.
Parent/Student DRAFT Distance Learning Plan (DLP): The creation and adoption of the Bristol Aggie Distance Learning Plan truly symbolizes the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child. Now more than ever, we are asking for your assistance to help educate our students and your children to ensure they continue to grow in a safe and healthy environment. We created some basic expectations for students and provided some guidance on how parents can assist with our Distance Learning Plan. Please click here for the full DLP.
Parent/Student Expectations
Students will:
- Check their school emails daily
- Check their Google Classroom and PowerSchool regularly to ensure their assignments are completed
- Make every effort to complete assignments within the time allotted.
- If a student has an issue (is sick, has an emergency, technical challenges), the student will communicate directly with their teacher in a timely manner.
We ask that parents/guardians assist with the Distance Learning Plan expectations above. We understand that as a family you may have additional daily challenges, and we ask that you keep the lines of communication open between you, teachers, guidance, and administration to ensure the success of your child. We ask for your support in the following areas:
- Assist your child with the organization of their new schedule (see Student Distance Learning Organizer)
- Ensure that assignments are completed within the time allotted. If there is an emergency, please encourage your child to contact the teacher directly.
- If you child cannot meet the Distance Learning Plan expectations (is sick, has an emergency, technical challenges), please contact the following:
- Main Office Secretary Mrs. Welshman (DWelshman@bcahs.com)
- Guidance Counselor Ms. Costa (Grades 10 & 12) (KCosta@bcahs.com)
- Guidance Counselor Ms. Eddlem (Grades 9 & 11) (MEddlem@bcahs.com)
- Assistant Principal Mr. Higgins (BHiggins@bcahs.com)
This global pandemic has highlighted even more brightly the importance of effective school leadership—especially from assistant principals, who must now move seamlessly from distributing meals to monitoring online learning. Today through April 10, NASSP, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators are recognizing the contributions of assistant principals to the success of students across America both during this crisis and year-round—and we invite you to join us.
A simple “thank you” goes a long way, but we can help you go even further. Visit www.nassp.org/apweek to get involved in the week’s virtual activities.
Send an E-Card
One thoughtful yet easy way to participate: Send an e-card! You can send a virtual thank-you anytime, anywhere. Browse the selection of ready-made cards, add your personalized message, and schedule delivery. This year’s variety has options designed for students, fellow assistant principals, principals, and anyone else to show their appreciation.
Aggie Website- COVID 19 Updates: Check the Bristol AGGIE COVID-19 Information website for answers and resources. This website is updated frequently as more information becomes available.
COVID-19 Family Economic Impact: If your family has been impacted economically, please check out this website to see what resources are available for you and your family.
Aggie Family Table: During these challenging times, the Bristol Aggie Food Services team wants to stay connected to our students and families! The team has decided to create the Aggie Family Table Cooking Series! Follow our food services team as they create meals from common food. Do you and your family have a favorite recipe? Upload and tag @bristolaggie You may find it on our future school menus! Click here to view this week's episode on making bread with Food Service Manager Theresa Vernazzaro.
Parent/Student Engagement Pictures: We are requesting students to share (kbraga@bcahs.com) some of the work they are doing at home. If you are working on an assignment and you want to share your work, please send it along to me so we can keep up the Aggie Weekly classroom updates. Additionally, if you are working on your baseball/softball/LAX swing/skills in your backyard, please share those as well. Feel free to tweet @BristolAggie if you use Twitter.
Click here to see Jade practicing here LAX skills.
Gone Fishin’! This week, Hannah Rapoza was able to go outdoors and she caught a Golden Trout at Toste Farm, RI. Great work Hannah!
From the Nurse’s Office:
Handwashing is important to protecting yourself and others from germs that can cause severe illness, especially respiratory infections like coronavirus (or COVID-19). Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds at key times during the day to stay healthy and prevent spreading germs to others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you should also clean hands:
- After you have been in a public place and touched an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, gas pumps, shopping carts, or electronic cashier registers/screens.
- Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth because that’s how germs enter our bodies.
Concerned About Youth Vaping at Home while Schools are Closed?
During these extraordinary times, when our lives are disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, schools, organizations, and activities are closed. While parents work to establish new routines at home and help their teens adapt, they may also be thinking about how to help their teens quit vaping or smoking. Youth are spending more time in the house and maybe more stressed than usual. Parents may especially want to encourage quitting because of evidence coming out that vaping, like smoking, harms the ability of the lungs to fight infection.
Quitting vaping or any tobacco product can be hard since these products contain nicotine, an extremely addictive substance. But, with support and by using proven quit strategies, teens can become nicotine-and tobacco-free.
There are two free programs to help Massachusetts youth become nicotine-and tobacco-free, This is Quitting powered by truth® and My Life, My Quit™.
- This is Quitting powered by truth® is a free and confidential texting program for young people who vape. Text “VapeFreeMass” to 88709.
- My Life, My Quit TM has youth coach specialists trained to help young people by phone or text. Young people can call or text "Start My Quit" to 855-891-9989 for free and confidential help or sign up online at mylifemyquit.com.
More information for parents and caregivers is available at GetOutraged.org or by contacting me at mvital@sevenhills.org.
The Southeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership supports communities’ efforts to lower smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke; enhance state and local tobacco control efforts by exposing tobacco industry tactics, mobilizing the community to support and adopt evidence-based policies, and changing social norms. Funded by the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, Community Partnerships serve as a resource for local coalitions, health and human service agencies, municipalities, and workplaces on tobacco intervention efforts.
Parent/Student Meeting with Administration (Superintendent Sands, Principal Braga, and Assistant Principal Higgins)
Agenda: Monday, April 6th
- Check in with Bristol Aggie Family
- When will the school year end?
- Monday- June 22nd is the 185th school day
- When is school going to return? Sports?
- Currently our return date is May 4th.
- Sports will resume on May 4th if we return at that date.
- April Vacation
- On Tuesday, April 14th, the Board of Trustees will decide whether or not we will observe April Vacation. Once a decision has been made, we will provide you with more information. If we did have school the week of the scheduled April break, then we would go to school until June 17th
- Graduation, Prom, and other Senior events
- Mrs. Chevalier, Ms. Reilly, Mr. Higgins, and I met with the Prom Committee last week. Mrs. Chevalier
- Graduation Date: Currently graduation is set for Thursday, May 28th. On Tuesday, April 14th, the Board of Trustees will have a meeting to decide on a future date. Graduation is certainly a priority for us. Though we do not have answers at this time ( we do not have a definitive return date), we will keep all seniors and their parents up to date on all things graduation-related. It is very important to us that the seniors have a positive end of their Bristol Aggie experience.
- BA Prom: The current date of May 8th has been postponed. An initial survey was sent out last week to juniors and seniors. Another survey was sent out yesterday to decide between the following two dates: July 11th & July 17th
- PROM: Friday, July 17th at 6:00 pm
- Senior Events (yearbook, Field Day, Pep Rally): We are doing everything we can to keep as many activities as possible.
- Grades (Quarter 3 & Quarter 4)
- Quarter 3: Grades will close Thursday, April 9th- traditional grades will resume for Quarter 3.
- Freshman Voags: We will use grading quarter 1-3 and will forego using the last two rotations as part of this calculation. In late April we will send a Google Form for students to select their majors. Stay tuned for more information. We will place students on Friday, May 1st
- Update Grades Biweekly: Continue to check your students grades on PowerSchool every two weeks
- Make Up Assignments: Contact your teachers asap to determine options to make up assignments. Please check your PowerSchool to see if you are missing any work.
- Quarter 1-3: will have use a traditional grade scale
- Quarter 4: We will move to Pass/Fail for all courses (see rubric below)
- MSBA Update
- Construction continues slowly, but it may be on pause soon due to outbreak
- Distance Learning Plan Questions
- Post 2 (two) assignments per week
- Assignment Timelines: Teachers will continue to establish timelines for assignments (please check PowerSchool for updates).
- Schedule: Observe A WEEK - Teachers are expected to engage students twice a week. Teleconferencing is not required but if it does occur, teachers will be scheduling these classes during the days below during your normally scheduled class time.
- Monday & Wednesday: Math and Science
- Tuesday & Thursday: History and ELA
- Monday & Thursday: Voags (Related and Major)
- Wednesday: Physical Education/Health
- Face to Face/Teleconferencing Guidelines (Click here to view the full form)
- Student Distance Learning Organizer: This template was created by Guidance to help keep students organized.
- Student Training and Support: We wanted to provide some resources to families
Q: What is the plan if school does not resume?
A: We will be in touch with families and provide further information if this is the case.
Q: Can parents weigh in on the April Vacation decision?
A: Yes, please send any emails to Mrs. Sands with your feedback.
Q: What if a class schedules a teleconferencing meeting at the same time as another class?
A: Please see above.
Q: How do parents get access to Google Classroom?
A: Click here for directions
Q: When does the Distance Learning Plan (DLP) start?
A: Monday, April 6th
Q: How does Freshman Placement work?
A: For Freshmen placement, there will be a Google Form sent out mid to late April to allow students to rank the vocations. Last year 88% of the Freshman class were placed in their top 3 choices.
Q: Has the scheduled last day for seniors (Friday, May 22nd) changed?
A: No
Q: Has Spring Expo been cancelled or rescheduled?
A: Yes the Spring Expo has been cancelled for this year. We look forward to having it next year.
Q: If school does not resume this year, how will we be able to get our stuff at school?
A: If this decision is made, we will provide an update with information on how to access your personal belongings etc.
Q: What is the status of MCAS?
A: As of right now, we are waiting on the official word from the Massachusetts Department of Education. We do not anticipate any MCAS testing this year for both freshman biology, and ELA and math for sophomores.
Q: Will you consider having more of these virtual meetings?
A: YES! If we have information or updates (graduation etc), we will continue to have this format to share information and listen to your concerns.
We wanted to create an online Student Job posting to help you get started. Please click the link(s) below to view the job posting(s).
Summer Academy
Bristol County Agricultural High School is excited to offer two 4-day sessions of our Summer Academy in 2020. (Session I: July 20-23 and Session II: July 27-July 30). There are morning sessions and afternoon sessions offered to students entering grade 5-8. Some sessions have an age restriction. Please read the descriptions on our web site closely. To register on Eventbrite, please click here. Academy offerings include:
We encourage your student to mix and match your morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) sessions. All costs are listed above for each session (plus processing fees which have allowed us to move to online registration). If you are registering for a morning and afternoon session in the same week (full-day students) please use the promotional code ALLDAY2020 for a $50 discount at checkout.
All instructors are MA DESE Certified Teachers in their respective areas of expertise. Refunds are only offered if courses are cancelled. View program descriptions and register online through our link at:
www.bristolaggie.org Questions? Email Kbraga@bcahs.com
Week Ahead:
Q: Can parents weigh in on the April Vacation decision?
A: Yes, please send any emails to Mrs. Sands with your feedback.
Q: What if a class schedules a teleconferencing meeting at the same time as another class?
A: Please see above.
Q: How do parents get access to Google Classroom?
A: Click here for directions
Q: When does the Distance Learning Plan (DLP) start?
A: Monday, April 6th
Q: How does Freshman Placement work?
A: For Freshmen placement, there will be a Google Form sent out mid to late April to allow students to rank the vocations. Last year 88% of the Freshman class were placed in their top 3 choices.
Q: Has the scheduled last day for seniors (Friday, May 22nd) changed?
A: No
Q: Has Spring Expo been cancelled or rescheduled?
A: Yes the Spring Expo has been cancelled for this year. We look forward to having it next year.
Q: If school does not resume this year, how will we be able to get our stuff at school?
A: If this decision is made, we will provide an update with information on how to access your personal belongings etc.
Q: What is the status of MCAS?
A: As of right now, we are waiting on the official word from the Massachusetts Department of Education. We do not anticipate any MCAS testing this year for both freshman biology, and ELA and math for sophomores.
Q: Will you consider having more of these virtual meetings?
A: YES! If we have information or updates (graduation etc), we will continue to have this format to share information and listen to your concerns.
Don’t miss out!
Keep checking the list for updates.
Click Here to view available scholarships.
We wanted to create an online Student Job posting to help you get started. Please click the link(s) below to view the job posting(s).
- Acushnet:
- Easton:
- Middleborough:
- North Attleboro:
- NaturaLawn of America & Mosquito Ranger (updated 3/3/20)
- Norton:
- Somerset:
- Somerset Baseball League (new posting 3/3/20)
- Swansea:
Summer AcademyBristol County Agricultural High School is excited to offer two 4-day sessions of our Summer Academy in 2020. (Session I: July 20-23 and Session II: July 27-July 30). There are morning sessions and afternoon sessions offered to students entering grade 5-8. Some sessions have an age restriction. Please read the descriptions on our web site closely. To register on Eventbrite, please click here. Academy offerings include:
We encourage your student to mix and match your morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) sessions. All costs are listed above for each session (plus processing fees which have allowed us to move to online registration). If you are registering for a morning and afternoon session in the same week (full-day students) please use the promotional code ALLDAY2020 for a $50 discount at checkout.
All instructors are MA DESE Certified Teachers in their respective areas of expertise. Refunds are only offered if courses are cancelled. View program descriptions and register online through our link at:
www.bristolaggie.org Questions? Email Kbraga@bcahs.com
Positive Vibes:
Week Ahead:
- Monday: April 13th - Student Distance Learning Organizer
- Math, Science, Voags (Related and Major)
- Tuesday: April 14th - Student Distance Learning Organizer
- History and ELA
- Board of Trustees Meeting @ 7:00 pm
- Wednesday: April 15th - Student Distance Learning Organizer
- Math, Science, PE, and Health
- Thursday, April 16th - Student Distance Learning Organizer
- History, ELA, Voags (Related and Major)
- Check PowerSchool for Quarter 3 Grades
- Friday, April 17th- Student Distance Learning Organizer
Summer Academy
