The Dragon Review

January 2022

Dear Parents and Students,

I hope all of our dragon families have had a wonderful start to 2022. At BTHS, we have entered the new year with a renewed sense of focus, energy, and commitment to success.

Looking ahead, the end of this month marks the end of our first semester and conclusion of marking period two. As a reminder, we will have an early dismissal schedule for students on the following dates: Wednesday, January 26; Thursday, January 27; and Friday, January 28. Students will be dismissed at 11:30 AM on these dates. These early dismissal dates are essential as it offers our staff and students an opportunity to refocus their mindsets prior to the transition to second semester. Moreover, it offers our staff an opportunity to participate in professional development, close out semester one, and effectively prepare for semester two courses. Report cards will be available to students and parents through the parent portal on Friday, February 4.

I hope all students are able to take time to reflect on their personal goals, individual progress, and achievements realized during the first half of this school year. Participating in regular reflective practice allows all of us to engage in a process of continuous learning. It is important to remember that there is no one ‘correct’ way of performing this essential practice as it will assist in future planning, personal growth, and improve individual well-being. The easiest way to get started with the practice of reflection is to ask yourself questions on the experience you want to reflect upon. Question prompts can be as simple as, What did I learn? What do I need to learn more about? What was challenging? How can I improve in the future? Beginning at the start of semester two, students and staff will be offered an opportunity to participate in a daily mindfulness break. This one minute daily reset will afford all staff and students a voluntary opportunity to reflect and refocus.

As we reach the second half of the school year, I would like to thank all of our parents for their continued support of our students. I speak for the entire BTHS faculty and staff, when I say that we will continue to honor and emphasize the value in our partnerships with parents and students as we work together to achieve our goals.

Wishing all of our Dragons a great start to the second semester, continue to demonstrate pride, respect, and excellence. “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” Theodore Roosevelt

Respectfully,

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Principal

In an effort to promote a love and appreciation of reading and literature throughout the school community, a school-wide Book Club entitled Classics with Kasyan has been initiated. The Book Club will meet at the end of each month to review and discuss a selected text. This month's selection is The Pearl by John Steinbeck. The school-wide book club is off to a great start! It was a pleasure connecting with students after school to discuss last month's book, Animal Farm.

The meeting to discuss this month's book, The Pearl, will take place after school on Wednesday, February 23 in the library. The meeting will conclude prior to late bus dismissal. All students are welcome to join. Any student looking to participate should grab a copy of The Pearl and start reading. There will be an open dialogue and discussion of the book at our scheduled meeting, reading the book ahead of the meeting will allow you a better opportunity to add to the conversation.

If you would like to borrow a copy of The Pearl, please send an email to our district literacy coach, Ms. Monninger at jmonninger@brickschools.org, and one will be provided.

I am looking forward to collaborating and connecting with our student body on Wednesday, February 23. Start Reading!

Thank You,

Dr. Kasyan

Drama Program Promotion

This past month Mrs. Best and Mr. Capone hosted eighth grade students from LRMS in a day long engagement of the arts. These students were exposed to a Musical Theater Workshop. The entire day was a huge success. See pictures below of the event.

Honors Marine Biology

Mr. Amoroso’s Honors Marine Biology Class is hosting a Science Symposium on Thursday January 27, 2022 in the IMC during all blocks to celebrate the completion of their science projects. Only science classes will be invited to view them in person, but staff is welcome to stop by on their prep. This is a great opportunity for the students to celebrate and show off their end of the year science projects.

VFW Essay Contest Winner

Congratulations to Hannah Storch, who won third place in the VFW’s Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Contest. The topic was “America: Where Do We Go From Here?” Her recorded essay excelled in originality, content, and delivery.

Our Dragon Athletes have been on fire as the Winter season heats up on the court, at the track, on the ice, in the pool and on the lanes!

The boys and girls Indoor track teams are heading into the busiest part of their season. They have recently competed at the Ocean County Relays with top 8 performance by both Sprint Medley Relay teams. This last week saw the teams at the NJSIAA Relays and Mid-Winter Frosh/Novice meets. Unfortunately spectators are not allowed at the TR Bubble, but we send good luck and wishes as our Dragons compete in the upcoming Ocean County Championships.

The Boys & Girls Bowling teams are in the heart of their season. The Boys are holding on tight to 3rd place in A South with a record of 22-14 as of mid-January. The Girls are sitting at 4th place with a record of 17-19.

The Boys Basketball team had an exciting one-point victory over Barnegat on January 18th which will help propel them to a .500 record. They are currently sitting at 5-6! The Lady Dragons basketball team has been on a 2 game winning streak, but are looking at a tough road schedule ahead in mid-January. The girls are at 3-8 and hoping to get an upset win on the road!

Over on the ice, the hockey team has improved to 6-2-2 with upcoming road games against Manasquan and Nottingham in mid-January. The boys and girls swim teams dropped a tough one to their sister school, Brick Memorial on Senior Night. These water warriors are looking to improve individual performances at the upcoming Ocean County Championships.

Last, but not least, the Wrestling team has seen some big wins in the first couple of weeks of the year. Competing in Quad matches the Dragons have improved to 6-5. The grapplers will host their own Quad on 1/22/22.

Finally, we want to congratulate Rachel Wynkoop! Rachel is Brick Township’s nominee for the NJSIAA - NAGWS - National Girls and Women in Sports! The NAGWS is set to celebrate all nominees on February 2, 2022! See Picture Below. Don’t let the winter blues get you down! Come out and support your Dragons! Schedules can be found at: shoreconferencenj.org - click on Brick Township!

Can you imagine the last year and a half without technology? This is a technology driven world and in order to be successful in college and in the workplace (no matter what career) you can’t just be users of technology, you must be creators of it. Computer Science skills are the new basic skill. Every field has been taken over by software and programming is a valuable skill for any career. There are over 7 million jobs that are non-technical, that now require complex computer Science skills. College students majoring in any of the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), and many other majors, will be required to take a programming class in college. Students will be at a disadvantage if they have not had a computer programming course in high school.

Computer Science is also one of the hottest degrees for new college graduates with almost 1 million jobs going unfilled nationwide. New Computer Science jobs are growing at twice the rate of all other jobs. The Bureau of Labor reports that the median salary in May 2020 was over $91,000 – twice the median salary for all other occupations.

Student course scheduling for next year starts SOON. BTHS is ahead of the curve and offers 5 Computer Science courses. Don’t delay – schedule a course for next year!

Computer Science Courses Offered

Entry Level:

• Java: Computer Programming (A MUST for STEM majors and pre-requisite for AP & Additional Topics. Take by junior year if considering AP Computer Science)

• Exploring Computer Science (Python based – great beginner course)

• Computer Programming for Engineers (STEM)

Advanced:

• AP Computer Science

• Additional Topics in Computer Programming

For more information, please contact Mrs. Segreto – csegreto@brickschools.org.

School Based continues to support BTHS in the mission to support each and every student in their success. During the month of December, a total of 98 students participated by group and 53 participated in individual services for a total of 141 sessions.

School Based would also like to thank everyone who donated and helped out with the STRONG Club's Spa Day Care Package project. We were able to provide the 17 women at Dottie's House with self-care items and show them our support. More importantly, it showed the young ladies of the STRONG Club what it meant to come together as a community to support women!

BTHS Students of the Month - January

Students are nominated by BTHS staff members for outstanding effort in the classroom and positive contributions to our community. Congratulations to our Students of the Month. Students will be honored with a certificate, gift, and their names will be displayed on the marquee.

Madison St. George, Grade 12

Madison is always positive and has a smile on her face. Her positive attitude is contagious to her classmates and staff in the building. Throughout her years at BTHS this has not changed for Madison as her teachers and other staff can attest. -Mr. Marvin

Madison is an example of a true peer leader. A very hard working, respectful and independent young woman. Madison sees no boundaries or challenges . Always offering to assist her friends and/or teacher whenever she can. Her smile and laughter light up the world. She is beautiful inside and out and is a BTHS Dragon that truly will be missed. -Ms. Murray

Sofia Guiro, Grade 11

Sofia is a student that I am lucky enough to have in TWO classes! Her work ethic is admirable. The best part of having Sofia as a student is that she truly values her teachers and makes the most of what they are pouring into her. As a result of her dedication and focus, she was the most improved student on her SAT English benchmark. I truly admire her passion for her future (working in sports management for the New York Rangers), and love when she hums the Sportcenter theme the way that other people sigh heavily. She is a true TREASURE to have in both my classes! - Ms. Repko

Carina Terrizzi, Grade 10

Carina is in my second block English II class. She is constantly completing her work and following directions. In addition, she is polite and kind. She represents an exemplary student. -Mrs. Scipione

Carina works hard on a daily basis. She always completes all of her work on time and listens to constructive criticism. She has a positive attitude and treats everyone with respect. - Mrs. Mount

Isabella DelGado, Grade 9

Isabella works very hard to improve as a musician. She stays after school most everyday to practice. She had two solos on the Holiday Concert and, because of her concentrated effort, did a fantastic job on both! - Mr. Lyncheski

Isabella's classwork is mature and consistent. Well Done! - Mrs. Farnsworth

SGA is busy building our battle plan for the 2022 edition of Battle of the Classes. BOTC '22 will take place on Thursday, February 24th in the East Gym from 6-8 pm. Admission is free with the donation of a nonperishable food item. Key Club will be collecting the food items for donation to a local food pantry.

The Class of 2022 has been busy this month! Keep your eyes and ears open for some FUNdraisers, which will include a bowling night and a volleyball tournament. We also have popcorn sales coming up in February with an incentive program for our seniors to earn themselves a free prom bid! Now that our Senior Ball has been approved we are working out all the details as well as setting up dates for senior breakfast and working on a location for senior picnic. For further details all information will be posted in the class of 2022 google classroom.

The Class of 2023 is excited for our February fundraiser, where we will be selling roses for Valentine's Day. We also have another fundraiser, Pie-A-Teacher, on Thursday, February 10th in the East Gym during the girls' basketball game. We will be selling tickets during lunches and the three teachers with the most tickets will be the "winners". We cannot wait for Battle of the Classes to come back on Thursday, February 24th. We hope ALL STUDENTS show up to support their classes at this event!

If a member of the Class of 2023 has not yet joined our Google Classroom, the code is 4z3x6zp. This is where we post all relevant information and announcements for our class. To receive updates via text from Remind, text @bths2023 to 81010. If a member of the Class of 2023 would like to be involved in class happenings, please see Mrs. Rahbari in room 219 or Ms. Scipione in room 202.

The class of 2024 and Class of 2023 have teamed up for Our “Dragon Apparel” website that is now live.the store will be open until February 18th, 2022. The link to the store: https://bthsapparel.itemorder.com/ We are preparing for battle of the classes and could always use more participation to help make this event a success.

If a member of the Class of 2024 has not yet joined, our Google Classroom code is ozvfp3p This is where we post all relevant information and announcements for our class as well as the building. If a member of the Class of 2024 would like to be involved, see Mr. Lucchetti in room 205 or Mrs. Ianniello in guidance! Keep an ear out for fundraisers and meetings and how to get involved. As mentioned.

The Class of 2025 is going to be sponsoring the "Dragon Cupid Hunt" competition throughout the month of February. Students will have the opportunity to find hidden "Cupid Dragons" throughout the halls of BTHS. If they find the hidden Cupid Dragons they can enter in a raffle for a chance to win a gift card prize at the end of the month. Along with this neat little event to promote school spirit, the Class of 2025 is gearing up for our Battle of the Classes Competition that is scheduled for Thursday, February 24th.

Brick & Beyond is an event for students, families, and staff to attend on Wednesday, February 16th from 5:00PM-7:00PM at Brick Memorial High School. There will be college/university representatives, military, local businesses, as well as counselor workshops presenting on the following topics; Scholarships/Financial Aid, How to Apply to College, SCOIR, Testing (SATs/ACTs), Ocean County College Programs, and Next Year Scheduling.

Congratulations Hannah Storch; Hannah has been selected as a College Board National Recognition Program awardee during our additional application cycle. She earned this recognition because of her academic achievements in school and outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and/or AP® Exams. Hannah accomplished these milestones during an immensely demanding period of her high school career. We couldn't be more delighted to share this great news.

Important Events and Information from the Guidance Department:

1. Online Scheduling through Parent Portal will be open for current high school students and families from February 7-February 25, and for 8th grade students entering 9th grade; February 8-February 25. Please view the Online Scheduling Tutorial on brickschools.org to navigate the scheduling process through parent portal.

2. Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) will have an open house on Thursday, February 3 from 6:30PM-8:30PM. Find details here: https://www.ocvts.org/events/openhouse2022
   

3. ASVAB was offered to our Juniors and Seniors on Wednesday, January 19th.

4. Attention Seniors: Please continue to apply for Scholarships. New scholarships are regularly posted, therefore it would be beneficial to regularly access the attached link. We hope that all of our seniors take full advantage of these opportunities. Click HERE to view the available Scholarship opportunities.

Contact the guidance department for more information regarding any of the events listed.

School Counselor Google Classroom Codes

Class of 2025 cpgycc4

Class of 2024 bbnv4vs

Class of 2023 vzgx2iq

Class of 2022 qgqsw3m

SCOIR

Create a SCOIR Account with this QR code.

Hello BTHS Students and Parents!

January is ‘Teen Driving Awareness Month’ and there is no better time to discuss such an important topic regarding the health and safety of our teenage children when they are behind the wheel, especially when driving on the roads can be even a little more treacherous during the harsh winter months of January and February. One of the most integral aspects in keeping your child safe starts way before you hand them the keys, as the importance of parental guidance in setting the ground rules for your young driver and in knowing NJ’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program can not be overstated. Every state across the nation has a GDL Program, however they do vary from state to state. These programs have proved vital in reducing crashes among young teen drivers by as much as 50% nationwide since their inception when effectively utilized in their defined approach. NJ’s Program has the following components:

1. Learner Stage - supervised driving, culminating with a driving test

2. Intermediate Stage - limiting unsupervised driving in high risk situations

3. Full Privilege - a standard driver's license (minimum age = 18 years old)

Remember, familiarizing yourself with the restrictions placed on your teen's license can better assist you in enforcing those laws. Establish important ground rules for your teen driver, such as:

• Restrict night time driving and limit the amount of passengers,

• Prohibit driving while using the cell phone or other electronic devices,

• Always require seat belts to be worn at all times - it is the Law!

• And be a good role model when it comes to driving - your child looks to you as an experienced driver, so practice safe driving and set aside time to take your teen on practice driving sessions. (It can be a great way to spend time together and to allow your teen to improve some basic driving skills.)

• Don't rely solely on a driver's education class to teach your teen to drive - Driver's Education Classes are just a part of the GDL educational system.

• Hold up on buying your teen a new car (According to a study by GHSA, when a teen first has a driver's license they are more likely to speed in their own vehicle versus driving the family car).

• Lastly, talk to your teen about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, reminding them that it is illegal to drink under the age of 21, and it is illegal—and deadly—to drink and drive. If a teen is under 21, his or her Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) should always be at .00, not just under .08, which is the legal limit for drivers over age 21. I have included a fact sheet which can aid parents in these endeavors when speaking with your child. Alcohol and Driving | NHTSA

Respectfully,

Nurse Mary Carlsson

A few friendly reminders from the BTHS Health Office:

• Please do not hesitate to bring any important health-related information to the attention of the health office. Students should stay home when not feeling well or developing signs of illness.
• Notification: If you suspect that your child has been exposed to COVID-19, please contact Ms. Carlsson in the health office as soon as possible.

Health Office Contact

West Nurse Office - Mary Carlsson Ext. 2037

East Nurse Office - Ext. 2009

The Brick Township School District is committed to providing our staff and students a safe and healthy learning environment. The district plan addressing COVID protocols and procedures is posted on our district website. You may also click here for quick access. This plan was developed in support of the guidance provided by the NJ DOE Road Forward: Health and Safety Guidance for the 2021-2022 School Year. Students will be expected to follow the district issued COVID guidelines and procedures throughout the duration of their implementation.

The BTHS Parent Teacher Student Association is accepting membership for the 2021-2022 school year. Please consider joining the Brick Township High School PTSA.

LINK to Memberhub

Please direct any questions to our PTSA President Mrs. Maria Velez at mvelez@brickschools.org

The PTSA is looking forward to the next opportunity to collaborate with our school community. A meeting link will be sent out to all parents and PTSA members the week prior to our next PTSA meeting.

Principal

David Kasyan

Assistant Principals

Erin Biancella - Grade 12 & Freshman P-Z

Ryan Hesnan - Grade 11 & Freshman H-O

James Marvin - Grade 10 & Freshman A-G

Athletic Director & Co-Curricular Supervisor

Peter Panuska

Guidance Department

Lauren Ianniello - Grade 9 A-L

Angela Smith - Grade 9 M-Z

Jennie Piwowarczyk - Grade 10-12 A-De

Jenna Domingo - Grade 10-12 Di-K

Dawn Celona - Grade 10-12 L-Ri

Marie Walling - Grade 10-12 Ro-Z

Student Assistance Counselor

Lori Roland

Child Study Team

Janet Maciel

Antoinette Sirico

Mike Zuccaro

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