The Week Ahead 1/19

Due to construction, the only way to enter the main entrance on Tuesday is to either go in the side door at the end of the A hallway or to walk around and enter the walkway path under the overhang. There is going to be a crane on the sidewalk near the front of the main section of the building and the bus circle will be blocked off for traffic due to the dumpster.

Congratulations to this week's winner, Amira Seddiki! Make sure to listen for the Mr. Paranto's question after the notices and make sure to get your guesses in via email to Ms. Smalarz (bsmalarz@webster-schools.com) as soon as possible to hopefully win the weekly prize!

Looking for some new Bartlett Gear? BHS has partnered with Josten's to create a new way to order. Check out the Mascot Shop and get some new clothes for our Spirit Fridays!

Here is the link to this year's handbook. Please make sure to review this book with your student(s).

Days: Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (not offered on Tuesdays or half days)

Time - 2:15pm-2:45pm

Location - BHS Cafeteria

All high school students are to sit in the middle to back of the bus. High school students should not be sitting with middle school students in the front of the bus.

Make sure to keep reminding students that Saturday School is available to them. Its a great way for them to stay or get back on track!

This week (January 24) is the last week for students to make up the points that they lost due to their absences in Quarter 1. Please encourage your students to come if they still have points that they need to earn back. Those students that lose points due to attendance in Quarter 2 will be notified when the report cards go out, and will then have all of Quarter 3 to make up the points that they lost. The Quarter 2 Saturday School dates are: January 31, February 7, February 28, March 7, March 21, and March 28.

Saturday School is held at the Webster Middle School from 8am-12pm. Breakfast and a snack is provided. Students will need to bring their work with them, as teachers will not be able to provide it to individual students over the weekend. Students will need to stay the entire time and should also come with a fully charged chromebook and charger as there are no loaners available. There is no bus provided to or from Saturday School this year. Please talk to your student and remind them that cell phones need to stay away during the this time.

The Basement in C Section is considered to be an Unauthorized Area at all times, unless you are directly with a staff member. If a student is found in the basement, a consequence of a Saturday School will be assigned immediately.

If you play a sport and need to access the basement to drop off athletic equipment, the only available time to do so is before school starts from 7:10am - 7:20am. If you do not make it between that time, you will be responsible for carrying your own equipment with you throughout the school day.

If you are part of a club, you must remain academically and socially eligible to participate. If someone is no longer eligible, families will be contacted by the club advisor. Social probation has been added to the consequences for daily tardies. This may also affect the students eligibility to participate. If students reach their 6th (or higher) tardy, they will be placed on social probation for 7 days for each tardy. During this time of probation, they cannot attend any meetings or events during that period of time. An administrator will be reaching out to families of students who are placed on social probation due to tardiness to school.

If a student is going to be absent, tardy, or dismissed on any given school day, the parent/guardian must call the main office at 508-943-8552 to report it. When calling, please state:

• Your student’s name

• Reason for absence/tardiness

• Phone number where you can be reached during the day in case a return call is necessary

A note documenting the reason for the absence, tardy, or dismissal must be sent into the main office within two (2) days of the conclusion of the absence or tardiness. However, please note that a phone call and/or note only verifies the student's absence; it does not excuse the absence. When an absence, tardiness, or dismissal can be anticipated, advance notice is requested.

Absent

From School

• If a parent/guardian has notified the school of their student’s absence, the student will be coded as “Absent” in PowerSchool

• Students who are absent from school on any given day are not permitted to participate in any school or extracurricular activities on that day.

• On the 5th+ absence from class, the teacher will engage in two-way communication with the parent/guardian to develop a plan to make-up academic deficits resulting from absences

• All missed assignments due to absences (not truancies) will be graded as a “0” (with the icons “missing” and “absent” both highlighted in Powerschool) until the assignment has been completed and submitted

• Students are required to make-up all missed assignments due to any absence (not truancy)

Truant

• Students who are absent from school without a documented reason (ex. doctor note, call from parent/guardian) will be considered truant

• Missed assignments due to truancy will receive a grade of zero (0) without the ability to make it up

Tardy

• Tardiness will be excused only if you have a note of acceptable explanation, such as a dentist or doctor appointment. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Tardiness to school is counted as time lost within the provisions of the Attendance Policy.

• Students are considered tardy if they are not in their 1st block classroom by 7:25am (Please note: Being in the school building by that time is not the same as being in class by that time)

• Tardy students are required to report to check in with the main office upon arrival

• Tardy students will be required to dispose of any purchased coffee/morning beverages upon arrival. If a student refuses to dispose of their beverage immediately, they will be issued a Saturday School

• Students that are chronically tardy to school (more than 3 times in a quarter) will be subject to progressive disciplinary action

• Promptness to class is as important as promptness to your job when you go to work. Good school citizens are never tardy to class because that interferes with their own education and disrupts the whole class. You have five minutes to pass between classes, and during that time you can reach any place in the school from any other place.

• If you are with a staff member or doing an errand that cannot be done at some other time, and if this results in your being late to class, please be sure that you get a pass from the staff member in charge before leaving that staff member. It is YOUR responsibility to get a pass whenever you are going to be late to class.

• Students who are not inside of the classroom when the bell rings are considered “tardy” to class.

Dismissal

• There are times when illness or personal family business of a serious nature occurs and you need to miss part of the school day. At that time, you may request an early dismissal. To obtain an early dismissal, bring a written request from your parent/guardian to the main office as soon as you arrive at school. All notes should include the first and last name of the student, phone numbers where the parent/guardian signing the note can be reached, time to be excused, reason for the request, and first and last name of the parent/guardian signing the note. Eighteen year olds must also have a pre-approved note from a parent/guardian. BHS reserves the right to verify all parent/guardian notes prior to approving student dismissals.

• Students will be called to the main office when being dismissed

• All students, who are dismissed for any reason, must sign the dismissal log before leaving school

• ALL individuals dismissing students will be expected to come into the building and present a valid picture ID before any student will be released from the school

• Students must be in school for 4 hours from the start of the school day to be considered present for the day. Students attending school for less than four hours will be considered “absent” from school that day.

• Students dismissed from school are ineligible to participate in athletics or extra-curricular activities on that day or the ensuing weekend should it occur on the day before a weekend.

• For eligibility purposes, with respect to athletics or extra-curricular activities, students dismissed for medical, dental, legal appointments, etc., must have the appointment verification documentation turned in to the office or to the coach or activity advisor upon their return to be eligible to participate (parental/guardian notes will not suffice)

• Any student clinically dismissed by the nurse due to illness may not return to school and is ineligible to participate in athletics or school activities

• If/when a student returns to school from a dismissal, they must sign back in on the dismissal log in the main office and produce their documentation for the time out of the building

• No student, except in emergencies, will be signed out after 1:30 pm

Tardy to School Progression of Consequences

When a student reaches the numbers below, the corresponding consequence will be assigned:

#3 - one call from the office

#4 - administrator detention (phone call will be made)

#5 - Saturday School (one call and email will be given)

#6 and above - Saturday School and 7 days of Social Probation for each tardy (one call and email will be given) *social probation means that the student will not be able to attend anything after the 2pm bell at school, to include athletics and/or clubs during that time.

*if tardiness to school does not improve, and administrator will be reaching out to set up individual meetings to discuss further plans/consequences.

No School

Regular Schedule

Scholarships have begun to be posted! Make sure to see Ms. K. Granger if you need any assistance when applying!

• The Hagan Scholarship: Deadline: December 1, 2025. Visit https://haganscholarships.org/ for more information

• Henry David Thoreau Foundation Scholarship: Deadline February 1, 2026. Visit www.thoreauscholar.org for more info

• 2026 Big Y Scholarship: Deadline: Feb 1, 2026. Visit https://www.bigy.com/community/scholaships for more information and to apply

• Greater Worcester Community Foundation Scholarship: Opens The Dec. 1st and deadline is 2/25/26. Visit https://greaterworcester.org/scholarships for more information and to apply

• Dudley Woman's Club Scholarship: Deadline March 2, 2026. See Mrs. Granger for a paper application or download via Naviance.

• James L. Place Memorial Scholarship: Deadline: April 15, 2026. See Mrs. Granger for a paper application or download via Naviance.

Students Earn MACWIC Level 1 Certification

Congratulations to our students who have earned their MACWIC Level 1 Certification:

Dhyey Patel, Willow Dennis, Don Ta, Sebastian Melendez, Angela Sarfo, Xavier Sarfo, and Yonsue Tolentino.

These students will be recognized at a special MACWIC graduation ceremony on May 15, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

MACWIC Level 1 is a Massachusetts-recognized manufacturing credential that builds foundational skills in math, blueprint reading, measurement, safety, and workplace readiness. The certification serves as a pre-apprenticeship pathway to entry-level positions and advanced training in high-tech manufacturing.

We are proud of our students for reaching this important milestone!

Congratulations to Luis Shevchuk for being chosen to perform at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Central District Senior Festival Concert. Luis attended several rehearsals, and then performed with the choir this past Saturday evening at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA.

Congratulations to

Week 2 Raffle Drawing

January 23rd

Students can put their Bartlett Bucks into the drawing during both lunches every day for a chance to win. The winners will be drawn each Friday afternoon in the month of January, and will be announced at the end of the day each Friday! Make sure to give out those Bartlett Bucks every time someone is following the Bartlett Way! If you need more, please see Sam Beaudette.

Thursday, February 12th at 6pm-8pm

Just $5 for a night of fun!

Extra cards for $5

Prizes will be awarded

Snacks and drinks available for purchase

Saturday, March 28th at 8am-10am

Just $5 for a full breakfast: EGGS, HASH BROWNS, SAUSAGE, FRUIT, JUICE, and COFFEE

Prizes, Raffles, Photo Ops

Looking for a way to spend those Bartlett Bucks?

Welcome to the PBIS School Store! It will be open all year long. Please see the items available to purchase with your Bartlett Bucks!

Orders placed by Wednesday at 2:00pm will be delivered by Friday of that week. Items placed Thursday and Friday will be delivered the following week. (Some items may be delayed based on stock availability - you will be notified by email of any items that we are unable to deliver by Friday)

You will need to pay for the items with Bartlett Bucks when they are delivered. If you do not have enough Bartlett Bucks on you at the time of delivery you will not receive the item.

The WIDA ACCESS test measures English Language Proficiency (ELP) for English Learners (ELs) in four domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing, assessing their skills to participate in academic English across subjects like Math, Science, and Social Studies, guiding instruction and tracking progress towards reclassification from EL status. All EL students (including those that have opted out) will be included in this testing.

Ms. Doherty will be completing the testing, and Ms. Ludwig will be covering her classes.

January 21 - Periods 1 & 2 (A Day)

January 22 - Periods 1 & 2 (B Day)

January 23 - Pre-Approved Make-Up Exams (completed with an administrator)

Congratulations goes out to Lawrence Smith (Quarter Back) and Tyler Whiting (Offensive Lineman) for being selected to the MHSFCA All State Football Divisional All Star Team. Jasean Atkins was also selected as Honorable Mention.

The Bartlett High School Indoor Track Team competed in the CMAC (Small) indoor track meet last week at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and posted an impressive day of performances and personal records achievements.

Leading the way was senior captain Eryk Piwowarczyk, who set the BHS indoor high jump record with a personal-best jump of 5 feet 10 inches, tying for the highest jump, overall, in the event.

In the dash, Xavier Sarfo placed third overall in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.96 seconds. Personal records in the Boys’ 55 meter dash were also set by Hunter Claypool and Jaid Montesinos. For the Girls’, the 55 meter dash saw personal bests from Deborah Lamptey, Brittany Jubin, and Jetsun Lama.

Strong improvements continued in the 300-meter run, with personal records from Brittany Jubin, Jetsun Lama, Xavier Sarfo, Eryk Piwowarczyk, Hunter Claypool, Jaid Montesinos, Benjamin Horan, and Alexis Benito Torres. In the 600-meter run, Josh Gonzalez set a new personal best, and in the 1,000-meter run, Ben Horan recorded his fastest time, as well.

In the girls’ shot-put, Brittany Jubin made her personal-best throw, while Cameron Forsythe and Hunter Adams each set personal records in the boys’. Xavier Sarfo added another personal best in the high jump event, rounding out a strong all-around performance.

Overall, the team continues to show growth, effort, and commitment to improvement. Congratulations on all of your achievements.

All teams MUST enter and exit through the back of the gym after school, this includes all coaches and athletes. There should be absolutely no entry in or out of the C section hallway that is labeled as "Gym" on the outside door. Parents, please pick up your athletes at the back entrance to the gym after practices or games, not at the entrance closest to the BHS basketball courts.

If you are part of a sports team, you must remain academically and socially eligible to participate. If someone is no longer eligible, families will be contacted by the coach. Social probation has been added to the consequences for daily tardies. This may also affect the athletes eligibility to participate. If athletes reach their 6th (or higher) tardy, they will be placed on social probation for 7 days for each tardy. During this time of probation, they cannot attend any meetings, practices, or games during that period of time. An administrator will be reaching out to families of athletes who are placed on social probation due to tardiness to school.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will be hosting a Webex Webinar Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online: A Project Safe Childhood Presentation for Parents. The webinar will take place on the evening of Tuesday, February 3rd at 6:30 pm in a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations Digital Forensics/Child Exploitation/Cyber Crime Unit. The registration flyer is attached. Advanced registration is required, and the capacity of the Webex webinar platform is 1000. In the event we reach capacity, those who are unable to register can email USAMA.PSCOutreach@usa.doj.gov to be put on the list for the next webinar.

Registration can be done either via the attached flyer or the link below.

Webinar topic:

Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online: A Project Safe Childhood Presentation for Parents

Date and time:

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 6:30 PM | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Register link:

https://usao.webex.com/weblink/register/r83f7d49f6565b65bce8bb420f1cfef7c

The webinar will bring awareness to the dangers children face online today and will educate adults how to keep children safe online. The webinar will not be recorded. In the event someone is not able to attend on February 3rd, we hope to host several more throughout the school year.

Seniors with MCAS qualifying scores in ELA were recently emailed a link to a Google form regarding interest in the Seal of Biliteracy.

The Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy is an honor offered to any student who demonstrates proficiency in English and any other language, whether they speak or sign the language other than English at home or learned it at school or in the community.

The State Seal of Biliteracy aims to:

1. Encourage students to study and master languages;

2. Certify attainment of biliteracy skills;

3. Recognize the value of language diversity;

4. Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills;

5. Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of

high-level skills in languages;

6. Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society; and

7. Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.

Qualifying scores are MCAS ELA of 472 or higher. Students with a score of 501 or higher would be considered “with Distinction” should they also get higher scores on the Language portion of the test.

The interest form is the way students who qualify with their MCAS score let us know if they want to test in the other language (such as Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Twi, Tagalog, Gujarati, etc.). In order to be awarded the Seal of Biliteracy, students must also get qualifying scores on the “other” language assessment.

We are very excited that we have 66 seniors who are eligible to take the language portion of the Seal of Biliteracy. If interested, please send back that Google Form! If families have questions, please reach out to Dr. Mackay, Assistant Superintendent at pmackay@webster-schools.org or 508-943-0104 x. 40030.

The WMS band/chorus is having a fundraiser through Papa Gino's and D'Angelo's on Tuesday, January 20th from 11:00am to 8:00pm. The band/chorus will receive 20% of profits from all orders at either of the two restaurants. Just mention the fundraiser when you place your order on the phone/in-person, or use code 19 at checkout, if you are placing an online order. Thank you all in advance!

Are you a Grandparent raising a grandchild(ren)? Have you wondered how other grandparents are handling the stress of raising grandchildren? Are you looking for a “judgment-free zone” to vent? You are not alone! Come join our support group. Please see the flyer for more details.