This week's Masked Announcer was Mr. Rumbaugh! Congratulations to Madison Lyons for correctly guessing our special guest! Thank you to all who participated! Keep up the awesome school spirit and good luck next week! Remember to send in your guesses via email to Ms. Smalarz (bsmalarz@webster-schools.org) immediately following the announcements next Friday morning to enter into the contest!

The bathrooms will continue to stay monitored this week just as they were last week. The only choices for bathrooms will be those in the main building, with the gender neutral bathroom remaining available in the mobiles during transition. As explained earlier, this change is due to the obvious vaping in the bathrooms. No student is to use a staff bathroom, to include the guidance area. All students must fill out a pass and Ms. Ludwig will now accept all of the passes when space is available in the order that they come in. If there is an emergency, and a student needs to go quicker, they can continue to use the nurse's bathroom.

We are offering a new semester 2 elective for the second semester this year that will begin on January 19. Depending on interest, we may run 1 or 2 sections of this course. We cannot guarantee that it will fit into your schedule until we see the total number of students interested and what period it will be offered on. So, if you have a semester 2 elective (not a full year course) that you would like to possibly change to this new course, please let your counselor know early this week.

The Biology of Illness and Disease

Teacher - Mr. Bsoumai
Purpose - This course will explore how the body’s immune system and homeostatic mechanisms interact with illness and disease. Through an in-depth examination of various illness from chronic diseases like cancer, to everyday infections like the common cold, we will uncover how diseases develop, thrive, and impact our biology. Students will learn the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors influencing disease progression and gain insights into preventive strategies
and modern medical approaches. Our goal is to empower students with knowledge that bridges biology and health literacy, fostering curiosity and critical thinking about the human body’s resilience and vulnerability.

This past week's attendance at Saturday School was low in attendance due to the weather, but we hope to see many more of you in attendance on the 25th!

This week was the last opportunity for students who lost points due to attendance for Quarter 1 to make up their points. Moving forward, parents/guardians and students can sign up for a Saturday session using either the "Student Interest" or the "Parent/Guardian Interest" form that is attached below. Teachers can also recommend students using a "Teacher Recommendation" form. Those students that lose points due to attendance in Quarter 2 will be given invitations to attend once the quarter closes. Saturday school may also be used as alternatives to suspension moving forward.

Here are all of the upcoming dates for our Saturday Schools, which will run from 8:00am-12:00pm at the Webster Middle School.

January - 25

February - 1, 8

March - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

April - 5, 12

May - 3, 10, 17, and possibly 31

We are looking for students that would like to be part of our parent advisory council. This advisory committee will meet once a month beginning in late January. The council will be comprised of the principal, elected parents, teachers, student representatives, and community members. The role of the parent advisory council is to assist the principal in the identification of educational needs of students, review the budget, and the formulation of a school improvement plan. The make up of the council encourages diverse perspectives in the formulation of a consensus plan. Please email gnieves@webster-schools.org if you are interested in being elected as a representative of the parent advisory council. Also, if you know of any community members who may be interested in joining the council, please pass along the above contact information. The day/time of the monthly meetings will be decided soon.

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out daily)

StudySync Benchmark 3 makeups will occur in Semester 1 English classes only

7:30am - A Day Period 1 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

9:00am - A Day Period 2 final exams for semester 1 ONLY course

2:15pm - NHS Meeting in B221

2:15pm - Marching Band Club Meeting in Mobile 6

2:15pm - Yearbook Club Meeting in A228

2:15pm - Drama Club Meeting in Mobile 1

5:00pm - JV Basketball vs. Tantasqua (away) at Tantasqua Regional High School

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball vs. Tantasqua (away) at Tantasqua Regional High School

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out daily)

StudySync Benchmark 3 makeups will occur in Semester 1 English classes only

7:30am - B Day Period 1 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

9:00am - B Day Period 2 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

2:15pm - DECA Club Meeting in B107

2:15pm - Freshman Class Officer Meeting in A145

6:00pm - Acapella Club Meeting in Mobile 7

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out daily)

StudySync Benchmark 3 makeups will occur in Semester 1 English classes only

6:45am - DECA Club Meeting in B107

10:30am - A Day Period 3 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

12:30pm - A Day Period 4 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

2:15pm - Art Club Meeting in A228

2:15pm - LGBTQ Meeting in Mobile 1

2:15pm - Junior Class Officer Meeting in Mobile 8

5:00pm - JV Basketball vs. Sutton (home) at St. Joseph's School

5:30pm - Boys/Girls Track teams travel to Northbridge High School to take on Millbury

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball vs. Sutton (home) at St. Joseph's School

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out daily)

7:30am - DECA District Competition at Nichols College

10:00am - Senior Scoop in A209/A211

10:30am - B Day Period 3 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

12:30pm - B Day Period 4 final exams for semester 1 ONLY courses

2:15pm - Senior Class Officer Meeting in B214

2:15pm - Sophomore Class Officer Meeting in Mobile 8

ACCESS Testing for EL students will occur throughout the day (schedule will be emailed out daily)

7:45am - Semester 1 Makeup Exams (pre-approved students ONLY will be called to the assigned location)

1:50pm - PBIS Raffle Drawing

3:30pm - Freshmen Basketball vs. Auburn (away) at Auburn High School

5:00pm - JV Basketball vs. Auburn (away) at Auburn High School

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball vs. Auburn (away) at Auburn High School

Monday 1/13

5:00pm - JV Basketball team travels to Tantasqua

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball team travels to Tantasqua

Wednesday 1/15

5:00 - JV Basketball team hosts Sutton @ St Joseph's School Webster Ma

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball team hosts Sutton @ St Joseph's School Webster Ma

5:30pm - Boys/Girls Track teams travel to Northbridge High School to take on Millbury

Friday 1/17

3:30pm - Freshmen Boys Basketball team travels to Auburn

5:00pm - JV Basketball team travels to Auburn

6:30pm - Varsity Basketball team travels to Auburn

Purpose of Scholarship:

In accordance with National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s (NIAAA) purpose to promote, facilitate, and increase the knowledge and understanding of the vital role of interscholastic athletics in the educational system, this scholarship program will foster and acknowledge the partnership between the NIAAA and secondary education.

The scholarships will recognize the distinguished scholastic, leadership, and citizenship attributes of high school student athletes, and the importance of high school athletics in each student’s life.

Criteria:

1. Applicant must be a Senior

2. Applicant must have achieved at least two (2) of the following:

a. minimum of B+ average;

b. Ranked in the top 25% of class;

c. ACT score of 24 or an SAT score of 1100 (Math and Reading)

3. Applicant must have participated in two sports for at least two years in each sport

4. Applicant must have earned at least one varsity letter in each of two sports

5. Applicant must complete attached scholar/essay application

6. Applicant must have a letter of recommendation from the high school athletic administrator/director

7. School athletic director must be an NIAAA member and a member of their respective state athletic administrators association

8. The principal or athletic director must sign the application to insure that the academic information submitted is accurate

9. Due Date: February 10, 2025. All applications MUST be submitted through FinalForms (see attached instructions).

MSSADA will award $500 to the two Massachusetts winners.

ACCESS Testing for EL students continues this week. This testing will take place daily until mid February. Students will continued to be pulled from classes to take these tests. They will be allowed makeup time for the work that is missed during the time they are out of your classroom due to this testing. Ms. Doherty and Mr. Leonard will be administering these tests.

Monday 1/13, Tuesday 1/14, and Wednesday 1/15

All students who are in a Semester 1 ELA class that utilizes the StudySync curriculum that have not completed their benchmark as of yet will take the StudySync Benchmark 3 during their English class. This pertains only to the classes that end on January 17th.

All semester courses that end on January 17, 2025 will administer a final exam on the dates assigned below.

If you are a 12th grader, you may be exempt from taking a final exam. Exempt students MUST still be present in class even if they are exempt. The exemption expectations as listed in our school handbook are: "Seniors will qualify for an exemption from their final exam(s) if they have achieved at least an “A-” (90) average for the year with no grade lower than a “B” (83) in any quarter for a specific course. Any student qualifying for an exemption who wishes to take a final exam will be offered the opportunity to do so."

If a student is absent on the day of your exam, they will be held to the expectations as listed in our school handbook:

• If a student is going to be absent from an exam and wishes to be granted the opportunity to take a makeup exam, a parent/guardian must contact the administration in writing or by phone (main office) prior to the day of the exam. However, this opportunity is only allowed for excused absences as noted by the school’s attendance policy in this handbook. Students that are absent due to a vacation, will not be allowed to make up final exams.

• If a student is absent from an exam and the administration has not been contacted in advance, the student will not be given a make-up exam and will receive a grade of a “0.” zero.

• Make-up exams will be given on Friday 1/17,. Administration will call for these students to report to a specific location shortly after the morning notices.

Final Exam Schedule:

Monday 1/13 - A Day Periods 1 and 2

Tuesday 1/14 - B Day Periods 1 and 2

Wednesday 1/15 - A Day Periods 3 and 4

Thursday 1/18 - B Day Periods 3 and 4

Friday 1/19 - Pre-Approved Makeup Exams

Science MCAS Extra Help with Ms. O'Connell is in full swing! It is held on Thursdays from 2:15pm - 3:15pm now through January 30th! Students that will need to take the Biology Retake Test in February have received invitations and all are welcome to attend. Please encourage your students to take advantage of these sessions to get some extra help before the test!

Due to a recent change in state law, students who have already taken, but have not passed, the February MCAS test are no longer required to take the retake test in order to graduate. However, if these students chose not to retake the test, they will still need to meet local competency requirements which are still currently being developed.

There is a group of students that will need to take this test per the state's guidelines, and they will be notified by their guidance counselor this week.

Please check out our brochures to see what the Pathways have to offer!

Bartlett will offer the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy testing later this winter for seniors who qualify. This prestigious award recognizes students who speak, listen, read, and write fluently in English and another language. Recipients receive special honors at graduation, a seal marking this distinction on their transcript, and the possibilities of college credit and improved standing in the workforce as a bilingual employee.

Interested students have returned their forms and they are now in the process of being reviewed.

Congratulations to all of the students who competed in the DECA competition at Nichols College on Wednesday 1/9

We had three students qualify for states.

1st Place in the category of Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making - AJ Heenan and Adam Phillips

4th place in Principles of Marketing - Naomie Orelien

We would also like to shout out to Ryan Spitz and Colin Minarik for being DECA alumni and volunteering to be DECA judges this year.

With winter’s bitter cold this past week remember to layer up.

Remember, Bartlett Bucks can be awarded to students who demonstrate the Bartlett Way expectations of being accountable, honorable, and safe. For specific examples, please refer to the PBIS posters found throughout the building.

Every week in the month of January, you have the chance to win exciting prizes just by putting your Bartlett Bucks into the green PBIS raffle box at the main office, Monday through Friday.
Drawings will be held every Friday at 1:50 PM!

Here’s what you could win:
Week 1: $10 Dunkin' Donuts Gift Card - WINNER - Caden Case
Week 2: Yeti Tumbler
Week 3: Stanley
Week 4: Surprise Gift Card
Don’t miss your chance to win—make sure to enter each week!

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

All orders must be submitted through the online school store link; in-person orders will not be accepted.

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.

Start saving those Bartlett Bucks!

Link to the store: https://forms.gle/6oS5avHhJ3z2TJZBA

If you received a grade reduction in any class due to attendance and have since attended any of the 1.5 hour administrative detention sessions with Mr. Carney or either of the two 4 hour Saturday School sessions, your grades will be adjusted in PowerSchool over the course of the next week.

The attendance committee will be meeting soon to look at the adjustments that need to be made for Quarter 2. Notices will be sent home to parents/guardians with the Quarter 2 report cards.

Loss of Points/Credit due to absences -

5-9 unexcused absences from a class will lose 10 points from their grade in that class for that quarter.

Grade/Credit Recovery Process:

Process 1 - Students can recover those lost points in the following quarter, if and only if, they have no more than 2 unexcused absences from that class during that quarter.

Process 2 (if last quarter of the course) - Students can work to recover lost points as soon as they reach their 5th unexcused absence by attending a 1.5 hour administrative detention session (one missed class per session). Students may attend multiple sessions to recover for multiple courses if needed. Students opting for these administrative detention sessions (ADPs) must designate which course they are attending for.

10 or more unexcused absences from a class will result in an automatic attendance failure for the quarter and receive a grade of a 40 (District Minimum Grade).

Grade/Credit Recovery Process:

Students may earn credit back by attending a 1.5 hour administrative detention session (one missed class per session). Students may attend multiple sessions to recover for multiple courses if needed. Students opting for these administrative detention sessions (ADPs) must designate which course they are attending for. They must attend enough ADP sessions to bring absences below 10 at which point the 10 point deduction will be enforced as noted above.

Attendance Matters! Here is a look at this past week's attendance percentage for each day that school was in session!

Monday 1/6 - 88%

Tuesday 1/7 - 84%

Wednesday 1/8 - 88%

Thursday 1/9 - 86%

Friday 1/10 - 86%

Attendance Matters! Lets see if we can get these numbers back in the 90s next week! See you all on Monday morning at 7:30am!

A public school district may excuse up to 7-day sessions or 14-half day sessions in any period of six months.

Based on this law, students may be approved for up to 7 excused absences in a 6 month period. Excused absences are defined as follows: Illness with medical documentation, A medical appointment that must be made during the school day, Observing a recognized religious holiday when the observance is during school, A family emergency, A planned absence for a personal or educational purpose that has been approved by the school, Educational disruption caused by a student's homelessness, unplanned hospitalization, or placement in foster care or a youth development center, Dismissal by the school nurse for illness.

**Note: Vacations will not be considered excused and should be avoided during days school is in session.

If you are ever in need of something, please come by the Trading Post to see what we have to offer. There are lots of clothing items!

This Week's Hours - Available during both lunches and after school. Just see a guidance counselor or an administrator for some help!

Join us in showing your off Bartlett Pride! Get your new BHS swag here! Remember, if you wear your Bartlett Gear on Fridays, you can wear your jeans!!

Bartlett – Family & Friends – Signature Ink

If you are still hungry after finishing your lunch, you are always welcome to PURCHASE another lunch. There is always extra fruit available as well, you just need to ask a cafeteria staff.

There has also been an increase in the mess left at the salad bar after the students go through the line. Please be more careful when taking what you want from the counter to help avoid cross contamination. If the mess continues, we may need to go back to pre-packaged salads.

Moving forward, the gate into the kitchen area will be closed toward the end of the lunch block, as the number of students entering this area during this time has become unmanageable. All lunches need to be purchased at the beginning of the lunch block, students cannot wait until the end of the period to get a lunch from the kitchen.