The Dragon Review

June 2026

Hello Dragons!

It is hard to believe another school year is drawing to a close. I would like to recognize and congratulate all of our BTHS staff and students for their accomplishments this past school year. I continue to be impressed with our students’ ability to achieve. It is through the practice of active collaboration among all stakeholders that we are able to attain our goals. These past weeks presented multiple opportunities to observe the high level of student character present at Brick Township High School, recognizing our school’s core values of Tradition, Pride, Acceptance, Integrity, and Respect. This past month was highlighted by the outstanding performances of our BTHS Band and Choral programs during their Spring Concert. The professionalism displayed by our students and the exceptional quality of the performances were truly remarkable. Events such as these serve as a powerful reminder of the incredible talent within our school community and the commitment of our students and staff to excellence.

As we complete another year, we express our gratitude to the Class of 2026 for their leadership and commitment to BTHS throughout these last four years. The entire BTHS faculty and staff are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to celebrating their achievement at the upcoming graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 18 at 2:30 PM. As our senior class prepares for life after BTHS, I wish all of our underclassmen a restful, safe, and enjoyable summer break. I urge all of our BTHS families to remain connected throughout the summer as important information will be posted on our school website and, when necessary, pushed out through our mass notification system. As always, if you need help in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at the school using one of the guidance or administrative contacts below!

Please make sure to spend time reviewing all of the information present in this school year’s final edition of the Dragon Review as it contains important information regarding end of the school year information, end of course exam procedures, and detailed information surrounding the upcoming Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, June 18 at 2:30 PM.

Respectfully,

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Principal

Brick Township High School will be operating on an Early Dismissal Schedule on Wednesday, June 17 through Friday, June 19. School starts promptly at 7:10 AM and dismisses at 11:30 AM.

Seniors will take their exams on Monday, June 15 and Tuesday, June 16. All underclassman will take their exams on Wednesday, June 17 and Thursday, June 18. Students missing their exams on the scheduled exam dates will need to make arrangements with their classroom teacher to complete a make-up exam prior to the end of the school year. Any student failing to take a make-up exam, prior to the end of the school year, will need to schedule their make-up exam with the guidance department. All make-up exams must be completed by Thursday, July 2.

This year's graduation ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 18 beginning at 2:30 PM on

Keller Memorial Field (BTHS Football Stadium). There are no tickets needed for the outdoor

ceremony. Students will be expected to report to the BTHS Auditorium by 1:15 PM to check-in for

the event. A Rain Date of Friday, June 19 at 1:00 PM has been set if there is inclement weather

and the planned graduation ceremony needs to be postponed. Any changes to the scheduled

graduation date and time will be pushed out to families through the blackboard mass notification

system, however, all efforts will be made to hold the graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 18

at 2:30 PM.

Please follow the presented parking plan to facilitate a smooth arrival and dismissal from our

Graduation event.

• Students - Park behind the school. Enter school through Door 14 by Mr. Hesnan’s Office.
• Parents - Park in the West Parking Lot. The West Parking lot is the lot with the solar carports. Overflow parking will be at the Warren H. Wolf ECDC complex.
• Parents in Need of Assistance - Park in the East Parking Lot near the athletic office. There will be staff available to offer assistance. If handicapped assistance is needed, please contact Mrs. Strich at ext. 2029 or Mrs. Sura at ext. 2038.
• Overflow Parking - If you arrive at BTHS and have difficulty finding a parking space, please proceed to Warren H. Wolf ECDC complex. BTPS transportation will be providing a shuttle service, beginning at 1:30 PM, for anyone parking at the WHW complex.

Cap & Gown Distribution as well as BTHS Device Collection will take place on Tuesday, June 16

according to the following schedule:

• 11:00 Seniors Last Name A - Da
• 11:30 Seniors Last Name De - I
• 12:00 Seniors Last Name J - Mo
• 12:30 Seniors Last Name Mu - Sa
• 1:00 Seniors Last Name Sc - Z

All outstanding financial obligations or fines (Library, Textbook, Café, etc.) must be resolved with

Ms. Zimmer by Friday, June 12 in order to receive your Cap & Gown. Ms. Zimmer can be reached at Ext. 2004.

The BTHS faculty and administrative team is excited to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating seniors. We are looking forward to a successful graduation ceremony, however, it should be noted that participation in the ceremony is a privilege. Administration reserves the right to remove any student whose behavior or appearance is deemed objectionable. Appropriate dress attire for graduation includes slacks, collared shirts, dress pants, skirts, dresses, dress shoes, and sandals. Students may only wear school issued graduation attire (stoles/cords) over their gowns for the ceremony. No flowers are to be worn on clothing. Jeans, shorts, flip flops, sneakers, and sunglasses are unacceptable for this occasion and will not be permitted. No purses, yearbooks, cell phones, or cameras are allowed. Students will be permitted to decorate their caps, with administrative review and approval on the day of graduation.

All seniors wishing to walk in graduation must attend both scheduled Graduation Practices on Wednesday, June 17 at 7:15 AM and Thursday, June 18 at 7:15 AM. Seniors will be required to report to the Auditorium by 1:15 PM on graduation day. Seniors should park behind the building.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates and their families may take pictures on the field. Students will receive their diplomas on Friday, June 19. All students must be present on June 19 to receive their diploma. There will be a meeting held at 9:00 in the auditorium to facilitate the Class of 2026 diploma distribution.

The graduation ceremony is a traditional and joyous celebration. We ask that you respect all of our graduates by not using air horns or noisemakers of any kind. Please remain in the stands until the ceremony has ended. After the ceremony has ended, family and friends may come onto the field to take pictures.

On behalf of the entire Brick Township High School community, we thank you for your support over the last four years. These graduates are wonderful students and we feel extremely proud of all their accomplishments.

Brick Township High School is proud to share that recent New Jersey School Performance Reports, which reflect data from the 2024–2025 school year, show BTHS performing exceptionally well among comparable high schools in Ocean County. Our strong Summative Score and Rating highlight the outstanding work taking place throughout our school community and reinforce our commitment to academic excellence, student growth, and school culture. This achievement is a reflection of the dedication of our students, staff, families, and community partners who work together each day to create meaningful opportunities for success. We celebrate this accomplishment while remaining focused on continuous improvement and providing the highest quality educational experience for all students. Data collected from NJ DOE School Performance Reports.

BTHS will be open from Monday - Thursday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM during the Summer months. If you need assistance, please call the school ahead of time to set up an appointment for your visit.

Grade 12 students will return their laptop devices on Tuesday, June 16. This transaction is required prior to receiving a cap and gown for graduation. Grade 9 - 11 students will be keeping their school issued Chromebook for the summer. We recommend the following:

• Fully charge and shut down the device.
• Place the laptop and charger into the provided protective case.
• Store the device in a dry, temperature controlled location.

If you are withdrawing from BTHS and transferring to another high school, please contact our guidance department at 732-785-3000 x2062 to schedule a time to come to the school, complete the necessary paperwork, and return your district issued device and charger.

Yearbooks have arrived! Pre-ordered yearbooks can be picked up in the Guidance Office. See the yearbook advisor Ms. Piwowarczyk.

We have Sold Out of Yearbooks.

Congratulations on a great year!

Class of 2027 Senior Portraits will be June 23rd -25th in Cafe 1!

Follow these steps to schedule:

1. Go to https://schedule.prestigeportraits.com/schedule/home.html and select the appointment code that was emailed to you, OR select search by school and enter 08723, and then select Brick Township High School
2. Enter your name
3. Select the June 23-25 session
4. Choose your session- there are two free options and one $30 option
5. Choose your date and time. Please note- if you do not see any time slots try switching from morning to afternoon on the right side of the screen

Email jpiwowarczyk@brickschools.org with any questions.

Although it was previously announced, this year’s Teacher of the Year, Mr. Darren St.Jean, and Educational Service Professional of the Year, Dr. Christine Velardi, were formally recognized at this past Board of Education Meeting for their accomplishments. Mr. St.Jean and Dr. Velardi are staples for our school organization, directly supporting our school culture by addressing the varied needs of our students. Congratulations to Mr. St.Jean and Dr. Velardi for their achievements as you both are amazing educators, leaders, and advocates of our school’s success.

Special recognition to BTHS Senior, Erica Pokorny, for her contributions to our school community. Along with being our school’s SGA president, Erica provided a monthly report to the Board of Education, highlighting the events and activities that took place at our school on a monthly basis. Erica, your student leadership has been recognized and valued. Best of luck in the next step in your journey!

The Class of 2026 participated in several Senior Events inclusive of a Senior Celebration Walk, Senior Breakfast, and Senior Picnic. Class advisors, Ms. Buell & Ms. DePoto expressed, "The Class of 2026 is truly embracing every moment and creating memories that will last a lifetime. It has been an absolute pleasure serving as their Class Advisors for the past four years and sharing in so many special moments with this amazing group of students. We are grateful for the memories we’ve made together and can’t wait to celebrate all that is ahead for them! Congratulations Class of 2026!"

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Students of the Month! We recently celebrated all of the students

of the month at a special breakfast, recognizing them for their positive contributions to our school

learning community. Thank you for upholding our school's core values of Tradition, Pride,

Acceptance, Integrity, & Respect. It was a honor to celebrate and recognize these amazing

students, celebrating their hard work and commitment to our school.

The Spring Choral & Band Concert was outstanding. Pictures of the event have been included for your reference. The Choral and Band departments, with multiple subgroups, put on a masterful performance highlighting the talents and musical expertise of our students. These programs under the direction of Mr. Capone and Mr. DeLuca have flourished this school year. Bravo to all!

Our Unified Sports Team recently competed against Point Pleasant HS. It was a successful game, where the message of friendship, inclusion, acceptance and fun was spread amongst all participants. The Unified program continues to flourish with high levels of partner and athlete participation. BTHS will take on BMHS in its final competition of the season on June 10 at 6:00 PM at BMHS in the gymnasium.

We are proud to announce the publication of this year’s literary magazine, The Regaler, a celebration of student creativity and voice. Featuring original poetry, short stories, artwork, and photography, this collection showcases the incredible talent and imagination of our students. Thank you to our dedicated contributors and editorial team for bringing this edition to life.

The Regaler - BTHS Literary Magazine 2025-2026 Edition - Click Here.

The National Honor Society celebrated a year of giving back to the community by sharing their Senior Passion Projects. These students have been independent, hardworking, and passionate young people about committing themselves to community service and their passion projects. In particular, these students have each completed 24 of their yearly hours toward these individual projects. We are proud of the outcomes associated with these projects as each NHS passion project made a positive impact in our local community. Congratulations NHS Seniors and Best of Luck!

Class Advisors & Contact Information

Class of 2027 - Mrs. DeBonis & Ms. Scipione

Class of 2028 - Ms. Freedley & Mrs. Rahbari

Class of 2029 - Mrs. Ianniello & Ms. Velez

The School Counseling Department

As the Class of 2027 wraps up junior year, June is the perfect time to reflect, recharge, and refocus on the next year ahead—senior year. Planning ahead is the key to a smooth and successful senior year of high school.

This month, we are outlining the foundation for your senior year with a checklist of essential steps to stay on track. Please click on the link below to access a Senior Year Checklist that includes Standardized Testing, College Research, College Applications, Letters of Recommendation and Financial Aid/Scholarships.

✅ Senior Year Success Checklist ✅

Student Course Schedules for the 2026-2027 School Year will be available for review at the end of August. Be sure to check your classes and connect with your counselor if changes or modifications are needed.

Hello Dragons!

Friendly Reminder- Medication Orders are only current for the School Year for which they are prescribed and Do Not Carry Over from year to year. Any medication orders in the form of Asthma Action Plans, Food Allergy Action Plans, Seizure Action Plans, Diabetic Medical Management Plans, PRN Meds (as needed), &/or other ‘Daily’ Prescription Medications that may need to be administered by the School Nurse for next year will need to be renewed by your attending Medical Doctor, Primary Care Physician, &/or child’s Specialists. All of these forms are located on our BTHS Health Office page for downloading and printing.

Please know that the Nurses do not work during the Summer months and telephone messages may not be returned in a timely fashion for this reason. If there are urgent matters that need to be addressed during this time, please reach out to the Main Office (ext. 2019) for assistance. Emails are the preferred method of communication for the Health Offices during the Summer months, and email accounts will be checked periodically.

Medical Notes pertaining to Physical Education participation. If your child has been diagnosed with an injury, or the need to have surgery over the summer months, please make sure you discuss with your attending physician the need for any Medically Excused Notes relating to Physical Education participation that your child will need to produce to the Health Offices upon the start of classes in September. Also, please Do Not Attach Asthma Action Plans (AAP’s) or Food Allergy Action Plans (FAAP’s) to your child’s Sports Packets upon submission.These documents need to be submitted to the Health Offices separately by the first day of school.

Thank you for your assistance and have a safe and relaxing summer vacation!

Health Office Contact Information:

• Nurse Amanda Cerracchio - acerracchio@brickschools.org - Ext. 2009
• Nurse Jessica Kopenhafer - jkopenhafer@brickschools.org - Ext. 2037

The School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) provides our students year round intervention

and supportive services that are promotive and protective of healthy adolescent development and

well-being. School based staff are valued members of our school community, advocating and

developing for collaborative partnerships with all who share our passion to motivate and empower

our youth. Together we strive to create a safe environment, as well as a place to seek guidance

and mentorship.

Communication associated with upcoming PTSA Meetings is pushed out to members through the Memberhub platform. Please consider joining the Brick Township High School PTSA. LINK to Memberhub

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Assistant Principals

Erin Biancella - Grade 10 & Freshman P-Z

Ryan Hesnan - Grade 12 & Freshman H-O

James Marvin - Grade 11 & Freshman A-G

Athletic Director & Co-Curricular Supervisor

Jason Longo

Supervisor of Guidance

Angela Smith

Guidance Department

Lauren Ianniello - Students: A - Da

Jennie Piwowarczyk - Students: De - I

Kaitlyn Donahue - Students: J - Mo

Dawn Celona - Students: Mu - Sa

Marie Walling - Students: Sc - Z

Lori Roland - Student Assistance Counselor

Child Study Team

Dawn Eberhard

Lorraine Cooper

Christine Velardi

Mike Zuccaro

Website: www.brickschools.org
Location: 346 Chambersbridge Road, Brick Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-785-3000
Twitter: @BTHSDragons