The Dragon Review

February 2024

As we close out the month of February, I am reminded of the warmth and love that permeates throughout our school community. Despite the winter chill outside, the spirit of camaraderie and dedication within our halls continues to thrive. The strength of our school community will be on full display at the upcoming Brick & Beyond event that is collaboratively sponsored by both BTHS and BMHS. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 28 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This event offers students the opportunity to explore post secondary opportunities, participate in workshops sponsored by our counseling department, and engage with school clubs and organizations. The Brick & Beyond event is a representation of our learning organization's value in supporting our student’s increased access and opportunity for future success and engagement. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in attendance.

Additionally, it should be noted that all eleventh grade students will be required to participate in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA), which consists of an ELA and a mathematics component. The NJGPA will be broken into four test sessions, each day completing one 90 minute testing unit. There are a total of two testing units for ELA and two testing units for mathematics. The NJGPA will be administered on March 12, March 13, March 14, and March 15. BTHS will operate on a modified delayed arrival to school on these testing dates. Grade 11 students will arrive at school at the normal time, while students in the remaining grade levels will arrive at 9:45. Moreover, students in Grade 10 will take the PSAT-10 on Wednesday, March 13. On this date Grade 10 students, who have pre-registered, will arrive at school at normal time to participate in the PSAT-10. Information regarding the modified schedule impacted by the NJGPA and PSAT-10 testing sessions is included in this newsletter. BTHS - NJGPA Parent Information Letter. Please direct any immediate questions to your child’s school counselor.

I hope all of our students and staff are off to a great start to the second semester, feeling a renewed sense of focus and commitment to the learning process. I want to remind all members of the BTHS community of the importance of attending school daily, arriving on time, and remaining engaged in learning. This includes the necessity to limit access to cell phones during times of instruction. It continues to be our commitment to deliver the most effective instruction in a safe and supportive learning environment. Supporting students in their journey towards achieving success in a safe learning environment remains our top priority. To that end, attendance matters and being at school every day makes a difference. Thank you to all parents and students for supporting our school goals, core values, and being an integral part of the Dragon Family!

Respectfully,

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Principal

Hello Dragons!

BTHS Administration and Staff hopes everybody had a great start to the 2nd Semester! Here is an update about what has been happening and what we are looking forward to on campus here at BTHS. The Winter Sports Season is winding down as all the teams are competing with great effort over the past month as they head into the PostSeason. Congratulations goes out to the Boys Varsity Ice Hockey Team for defeating Bernards in the First Round of the State Sectional Playoffs. They will move on to the Quarter Finals where they will travel to Howell on Friday, Feb. 23rd. The BTHS Varsity Wrestling Team competed in the NJSIAA District 22 on Feb. 17th. The wrestling team had 4 medallists, Lucas D’Elia, Ricky Gordillo, Travis Trempy, and Will Walsh who will move on to compete in the NJSIAA Region 6 tournament.

The National Honor Society hosted BTHS Family Game Night on February 8th. The event was a great night for all the families who attended BTHS. Families enjoyed the variety of activities that the National Honor Society has planned and was a huge success. Spirit Week will take place the week of February 26th. Spirit Days are as follows: Monday 2/26 Barbie Day, Tuesday 2/27 Groufit, Wednesday 2/28 Swiftie vs SuperBowl, Thursday 2/29 Class Colors, and Friday 3/1 Green and White day. The week will culminate with Battle of the Classes on Thursday 2/29 from 3- 5 pm in the East Gym. BTHS faculty and students are looking forward to a great event!

BTHS is looking forward to Brick and Beyond which will take place on Wednesday, February 28th at Brick Memorial High School from 5- 7 PM. This is a great night for the community to come and see what Brick Township High School has to offer and also what opportunities there are for the students post high school.

Each month we ask students to candidly share their highlights from the past month. Here is a sample of some of the feedback we received from this past month:

"I enjoyed beating my sister in a round of Roshambo during spirit week." Paula C.

"I loved working on decorations for Battle of the Classes. Go Seniors!" -Kaylee H.

"I really enjoyed my hockey senior night." Aidan R.

"I like how my teachers taught me more about Black History month." -Christian B.

"Reading Beowulf in Mrs. Esposito's English class with my

friends made my mornings better." -Dean C.

Brick Township High School will once again host the District Arts Festival. This event will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. We hope to see all of our parents and students at this event as it offers us an opportunity to celebrate our love of the arts. There will be art installations located throughout the building, representative of all of our schools throughout the district. There will also be several performances by our music department. See you there!

Attention Class of 2024. The PTSA is holding a Graduation Lawn Sign fundraiser. You may place your order by clicking on the link below. The orders will begin be filled once received. All Graduation Lawn Signs must be ordered before June 1, 2024.

Class of 2024 Graduation Lawn Sign - PTSA Fundraiser Document

BTHS students attended the ELKS Peer / Pathway to Leadership Conference from February 1 - February 4. The purpose of the conference was to develop and implement an alcohol, tobacco, and drug use prevention project in their community. We are proud of the student leadership and individual contributions of each of our student representatives. It is rewarding to see our BTHS students stand out amongst their peers. We ware fortunate to have such wonderful student leaders who will share this message of positive choice with their peers.

The BTHS STRONG Club offered students and opportunity to represent their understanding of Love during Valentine's Day. This activity was in conjunction with Teen Dating Violence awareness month, empowering students to have a voice and advocate for positive decision-making. Students had an opportunity, during lunch, to represent "Love is..." messages on a heart.

BTHS Students have been excited to see their names highlighting academic achievement. Students achieving Honor Roll or Distinguished Honor Roll can find their name on full display in the main hallway outside of the guidance office. Students have been excited to find their names, take pictures, and boast about their accomplishments. We are proud of all of our students. Keep up the pursuit of academic achievement!

The BTHS Parent Teacher Student Association is accepting membership for the 2023-2024 school year. Please consider joining the Brick Township High School PTSA.

LINK to Memberhub

BTHS Students of the Month - February

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

Gracie O’Brien, Grade 9

Effort - Gracie has done A+ work on every assignment and assessment so far. Gracie was a model student this month in Environmental Science. - Mr. K. Lynch

Liana Clarke, Grade 10

Liana is a diligent student who gets started right away and does quality work, She takes pride in her work and strives to get every answer correct. She off to a great start and has been a pleasure to have in class. - Mr. Dahl

Ryan Kemp, Grade 11

Ryan brings positive energy and participates daily in physical education classes. - Mr. Groschel

Christopher (CJ) Bayles, Grade 12

CJ has been a big help to me. He helps others with a smile. He is doing great work in woodworking and a pleasure to have in class. - Mr. J. Lynch

Congratulations to our Winter Sport athletes and teams!

The ice hockey team is currently 8-13-1. The team made the Dowd Cup this year winning in round one, but losing to eventual champions, Southern Regional in round 2. The team is now in the midst of the state playoffs and already had one win under its belt.

Boys and girls Basketball seasons are now over. The boys finished the season with winning two of their last four games. The girls won three of their final five games on the their way to an NJSIAA playoff berth. The team fell to highly ranked Ocean in round one.

The wrestling team has a record of 11-11. The team won five matches in a row and six of their last eight matches to end the season. Four boy wrestlers made it out of Districts and head to Regions with a trip to AC on the line. One female wrestler heads to regions in the hopes of getting to AC!

Boys and Girls Winter Track season is winding down. The teams had several athletes place in the sectionals and one athlete, Caitlyn Chandler qualified for the Meet of Champions in the HJ.

The Boys and Girls Bowling seasons are still going. The boys and girls are in the middle of the NJSIAA playoffs. The girls team also sent four girls to the individual championships.

The swim season has been completed for a little while now. The biggest highlight of the season was Super Frosh, Ava Aguanno breaking two school records this season! Congratulations Ava!

The Mock Trial concluded their season this month with their culminating competition against BMHS for the coveted Mayor's Cup. It was a highly contested match, however, BMHS was able to take this years title of Mayor's Cup champion. Our Mock Trial team is recognized for their successful season as well as the continued demonstration of passion, dedication, and preparation. Congratulations!

BTHS sent two teams of three students each to the Monmouth University High School Programming Competition on February 16th. This was the first in person computer programming competition that students have participated in since the lockdowns. The students had a fun day with hands-on programming experience in a competition with a total of 21 teams participating from NJ. The first team (Grace Rodenberg, Tommy Tran, Josie Gondek) finished in 7th place, while the second team (Karlos Gordillo, Mariam Mustafa, McKenzie Collins) finished in 10th place.

Congratulations to the Hufflepuffs, winners of the House Cup in the Harry Potter course, semester 1! Students accrued points through exemplary work, personal achievements, and Dragon spirit Friday participation.

Experience the MAGIC of learning when Hogwarts returns in fall 2024!

All students have an opportunity to receive extra help during Block 5 in the content areas of Science, Math, and English Language Arts. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to have support and guidance from our master teachers.

Dr. Kasyan's Book Club will continue with another highly acclaimed novel. The next selection will be The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The Book Club will meet after school on Thursday, April 25 in the library and will conclude prior to late bus dismissal. All students are welcome to join. Any student looking to participate should grab a copy of The Alchemist 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 Alchemist, 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 Thursday, April 25. Start Reading!

Attention Brick Township High School - Yearbooks are on sale Now!

See the graphic below for ordering information.

Click Here to Order your BTHS Yearbook

Senior Parents

The back of the yearbook is dedicated to Senior Recognition Ads, where you can create a personal message to celebrate your senior and add pictures. Click here to purchase and design an ad! Save $10 when you order before December 1st.

Stay connected and informed about BTHS happenings through SGA (Student Government Association). Join the SGA Google Classroom (q2hav5z) and follow SGA on Twitter and Instagram (@bths_sga). SGA General Membership meetings are open to everyone and take place once a month in Cafe 2. New members are always welcome. Additionally, the Principal's Cabinet meetings will take place on the last Wednesday of each month in Cafe 2. We welcome one representative from each BTHS organization to participate. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with Dr. Kasyan and collaborate on school-wide initiatives.

BOTC24 Spirit Week is here! Students are currently playing a schoolwide game of RoShambo (rock, paper, scissors) in an attempt to secure their positions in the final matchup at Battle of the Classes. BOTC24 is this Thursday, February 29 in the East Gym from 3-5 pm. Students who are interested in participating should sign up with their class advisors. If you don't want to participate on the team, you can still cheer your team on as a spectator. Be sure to come out and support your class by wearing your team color. Seniors-pink, Juniors-yellow, Sophomores-blue, and Freshmen-purple.

Battle of the Classes is our next exciting event which will take place on February 29th from 3-5pm in the East Gym. Seniors will proudly be wearing our battle color PINK in an effort to win the trophy for our class! Our final round of the Double Good Popcorn fundraiser will take place from Monday, March 4 until Friday, March 8. Due to our success with this fundraiser, we are giving our class an opportunity to reduce the price of their Senior Ball Bid or Six Flags Grad Night Senior Trip cost. Take advantage of lowering the cost of your senior activities and sell more popcorn!

Members of the Class of 2024 should join our Google Classroom with code ozvfp3p. Please reach out to Mr. Lucchetti flucchetti@brickschools.org in room 205 or Mrs. Ianniello lianniello@brickschools.org in Guidance with any questions!

Save the Dates

Senior Ball: May 23 at South Gate Manor in Freehold, NJ 5-9pm

Senior Picnic at Brick Beach 3: May 28

Senior Breakfast: May 30

Grad Night @ Great Adventure: June 7

The Class of 2025 continues to plan out the last minute details of their Junior Prom. Tickets can be purchased starting March 4th through March 11th. Students can pick up prom bid packets in Mr. Pazmino's room (300), Ms. Velez's room (23) or in any of the three offices or guidance. Reminder that the out of school guest application must be submitted no later than February 26. This month the class of 2025 will also be sponsoring a volleyball tournament here at BTHS. Students are encouraged to create teams and/or come out and support. Please login to our Class of 2025 Google Classroom page for more details. Lastly, the Juniors are very excited to compete in another Battle of the Classes event. Students are looking forward to take on the Seniors and underclassmen. If anyone has any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mr. Pazmino (Room 300) at cpazmino@brickschools.org or Ms. Velez (Room 23) at mvelez@brickschools.org

The sophomore class had a successful fundraiser at Chipotle last month and they are getting ready for Battle of the classes this month. We are looking forward to participation and school spirit from the class of 2026. The sophomore battle color is BLUE. If you have any questions, you can see Ms. DePoto in room 408 & 415 or Mrs. Buell in 306 & 310.

Google Classroom lf4subd

Instagram @bths_classof2026

The Class of 2027 has their poster ready, dance almost perfected, and is all set to compete in their FIRST Battle of the Classes here at BTHS! Students are excited to see what it's all about and to really challenge the other classes as the "freshest" out there. Everyone has been helping out and getting ready for one of the most fun events of the year. Anyone interested who hasn't already signed up, please see Mrs. DeBonis (306) or Ms. Scip (202). Can't wait to see you there! Any questions, please see Mrs. DeBonis (room 306) or Ms. Scipione (202).

Updates from the School Counseling Department

As a reminder, we would like to invite all Brick Township High School parents and students to attend our Brick and Beyond event that will take place on Wednesday, February 28th. This is a district event that will take place in Brick Memorial’s gymnasium between the hours of 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The event will offer BTHS and BMHS students and parents an opportunity to meet with post secondary institutions including 4 year colleges, 2 year colleges, vocational/technical schools, military, as well as gain an awareness of what our district has to offer in the form of high school courses and co-curricular activities. Please contact your child’s school counselor with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

Career Day is just around the corner and we are excited to announce that it will be held on March 20th during Blocks 1 & 2. This event is proudly sponsored by the School Counseling Department and the Brick Chamber of Commerce. There will be over 40 speakers in attendance to provide valuable insight about different career paths. Student signups will open on March 4th and we encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity to explore potential career options.

School Counselors are meeting with the junior class during the months of January and February to discuss post-secondary options, graduation requirements, and scheduling for the 2024-2025 school year. The Counselors are hosting Scholarship Working Lunches every Wednesday during A and C lunches, in the School Counselor offices for the next few months so students can ask questions in regards to scholarship applications. The Scholarship Program has been announced for the Class of 2024. Please view the Scholarship letter for families for more information. Click Here for Access to the BTHS Scholarship Letter for Families. Moreover, the Ocean County Vocational Technical Program application is available for current sophomores and juniors; Seniors interested in applying for a post secondary program should go to the website. Please see your school counselor for more information.

Hello BTHS Community!

Every year February is recognized as “American Heart Month,” raising awareness to the importance of heart health while encouraging all Americans to take preventative measures to reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Understanding your risk for developing heart disease is the first step towards maintaining a healthy heart. Some factors can be changed, and others cannot. You have a high risk if you have high blood pressure, are overweight/obese, have pre-diabetes or diabetes, smoke, do not get enough physical activity, have a family history or early heart disease, have unhealthy eating behaviors, or are older (55 yrs. and over for women and 45 and older for men). You can modify or make gradual changes over time with how physically active you are, making healthier diet choices and quitting smoking (if you are a smoker). In addition, try to get enough sleep each night (8-10 hours of sleep per night for teens) and reduce stress levels by going for a walk or doing things that you love.

• Physical Activity: It is recommended that you have 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

• Sleep: It is suggested that teens get 8 to 10 hours per day and adults get 7 hours or more in 24 hrs.

• Manage Stress: Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as physical activity, relaxation exercises, or meditation can help lower your heart rate and overall risk of coronary artery disease. Long term stress can affect your heart, nervous system, and hormones to your lungs and gut.

The health offices have begun our Health Screenings on all of our students, which includes height/weight and blood pressures for all students (9th-12th). In addition, scoliosis (9th & 11th), vision (10th), and hearing (11th). Follow-up referrals will be sent home whenever the recordings obtained are out of the normal parameter range.

AHA Blood Pressure Categories- English /AHA Blood Pressure Categories- Spanish

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 your child has tested positive for the Flu or COVID-19, please contact Mrs. Yarbrough in the health office.

Health Office Contact- Nurse Tammy Yarbrough & Nurse Bridget Blunda

• West Nurse Office - Ext. 2037 - Nurse Tammy Yarbrough
• East Nurse Office - Ext. 2009 - Nurse Bridget Blunda

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.

• We are continuing to deliver LifeSkills curriculum to all freshman health classes, and at this point have delivered/are in the process of delivering it to over 125 students.
• Gabriella's "Mind and Body" club has been growing in membership and this month led an activity with a group of students centered around expressing emotions through art/painting. The club meets Wednesday's after-school in our group room.
• We participated in the NHS's Family Game Night on 2/8 and facilitated a game with families and provided information on SBYSP (pictures attached)
• Our STRONG club facilitated a tabling event for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and members of the club had tables in the cafeterias. They had students fill out hearts completing the sentence “Love is…” to spread positive messages about love. Information on healthy relationships and dating was also available at the tables. These hearts are on display outside our office. (I previously sent you pictures of this in a separate email).
• I will be bringing a small group of students to the Be S-Well Summit at Georgian Court University on February 27th

Principal

David Kasyan, Ed.D.

Assistant Principals

Erin Biancella - Grade 11 & Freshman P-Z

Ryan Hesnan - Grade 10 & Freshman H-O

James Marvin - Grade 12 & 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

Janet Maciel

Antoinette Sirico

Christine Velardi

Mike Zuccaro

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