The Week Ahead 12/15

Congratulations to this week's trivia winner, was Jeremiah Rotimi! Trivia happens every week, 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!

We will be having a spirit wear week this week, and our first ever Winter Games!

Please join in on the fun by dressing up with us!

Monday (12/15) - Holiday Character Day

Tuesday (12/16) - Holiday Pajama Day (Onesies encouraged)

Wednesday (12/17) - Grinchmas Day

Thursday (12/18) - Holiday Accessory Day (socks, hats, antlers, beads, etc)

Friday (12/19) - Ugly Sweater Day

In the afternoon on Friday, we will all move into the cafeteria and enjoy watching and cheering as the students participate in the Winter Games! The students in second lunch will be moved right into the gym, and once settled, we will call for the remainder of the school to join us. We will hold in 4th period until all students and faculty are called to the gym via the intercom (ignoring the bells to go to 5th period).**Signups can be done using the forms below!

Game #1 - Christmas Tree Race

Game #2 - Tug-o-War

Game #3 - Wrapping Race

Game #4 - Holiday Lip Sync Karaoke

2:00pm - Dismissal from the gym

Do you like solving problems, building things, or exploring new tech? The Robotics Club is starting up, and we’re looking for students who want to design, build, and program real robots. No experience needed — just curiosity and a willingness to learn.

As a member, you’ll get to:
• Work hands-on with tools, sensors, and microcontrollers
• Learn coding and engineering skills in a fun, supportive environment
• Build robots for challenges, competitions, and school events
• Collaborate with creative teammates to bring your ideas to life

If you’re ready to make cool stuff, learn new skills, and be part of something awesome, come join us!

Robotics Club: Where imagination becomes engineering.

More information coming soon!!

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! They have sent us some coupon codes below if you are interested in ordering.

Teachers CANNOT send students out of class to get breakfast. Breakfast time is BEFORE first period, if students need/want breakfast, this MUST happen before they enter their first period class. If they are late to class, then they will need to go get a tardy pass from the main office. Teachers will no longer be allowing students to go to class and then leave to get breakfast and then come back when finished. Breakfast is available to students who are tardy until 7:45am, and must be eaten in the cafeteria.

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. With a new quarter just starting, its a great way for them to stay on track!

Students can continue making up the points that they lost due to their absences this upcoming Saturday. Please encourage students to do this early so that they do not run out of time. They will have until Saturday, January 24th to recover any points lost! The dates for the remaining Saturday schools this quarter are: January 10 and 24.

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.

Students in the cafeteria during lunch block are not allowed upstairs. If they do go upstairs, they are in an unauthorized area. If a student is found in the upstairs without permission, a consequence of a Saturday School will be assigned immediately.

If a student in C section needs to use the bathroom from a classroom, during either first or second lunch blocks, they must put a pass in for the Second Floor bathrooms, not the first. They will not be allowed in the first floor bathrooms during this time.

If you are part of a club, you must remain academically and socially eligible to participate. Quarter 1 grades are being looked at to see if anyone is now ineligible 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.

School Guidelines

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.

From Class

• 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

To School

• 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

To Class

• 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.

Monday - Friday - Regular Schedule

Bartlett High School is proud to announce its recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. This award is based upon their high achievement on the MCAS exams, which qualifies them to receive a four-year scholarship upon their acceptance to a participating Massachusetts public institution of higher education, including the undergraduate campuses of the University of Massachusetts, all nine state universities, and all fifteen community colleges. This is a great recognition of achievement and Bartlett High School is proud of their hard work! The Class of 2026 John and Abigail Scholars are :

(Pictured) Kiaralix Colon, Chloe drisco, Niel Duszlak, Georgia Lapierre, Josephine Medina, Eryk Piwowarczyk, Johensy Rodriguez, Travis Russell, Elijah Sanchez, Lawrence Smith, (absent from picture): Nathan Cole, Naomie Orelien, Michael Pagan, Tais Tapia Martinez, Luigi Villegas

Exciting news. Worcester State and Bartlett High School will be offering an after school course starting January 21st through May 15th. Based on student interest and faculty availability the course will be Intro to Criminal Justice. The course will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:15 - 3:30. Attendance at each class session is required and part of the grade. Students who register and pass the course will receive 5 credits in social studies equivalent to an AP course and 3 credits from Worcester State University transferable to almost any college or university. This course can apply towards the general education requirements for most degrees as a social science course.

A little information about the instructor:
William Keefe is a 30 year law enforcement professional (Webster and Dudley), an experienced adjunct professor for Worcester State University and Nichols College, and a veteran teacher of several Early College classes for our program. As someone who has worked in the field he is able to bring his experience into the classroom.

Deadline for registering for this class is December 20, 2025. To register, please complete the google form below. We will hold an information meeting prior to the start of classes to go over more details.

Students in Mr. Jenness' Internship Program have started a Grinch Hunt! Keep your ears open for a very important clue during the morning notices. Be the first student to find the Grinch and return it to Mr. Jenness' room in Mobile 13, and win a prize made by the interns!

Youthworks Trip to BV Hub

ICP Healthcare & Social Assistance students visited the Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation, which highlights the 200-year evolution of health care and medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Students participated in a one-hour panel with a respiratory therapist and the manager of the Animal Enrichment Program. Both speakers explained how they found their career paths and provided multiple examples of entry points into the healthcare and medical fields.

Students engaged in a thoughtful Q&A session, followed by a self-guided tour of the museum, where they viewed the iron lung and had the opportunity to try the robotic surgery trainer.

On Friday, December 12, our students participated in Student Solves, presenting their learning and skills to industry professionals!

PLTW BioMedical Students got to work with a Sanofi mentor on generating ideas for a more effective way to help doctors explain how Dupixent works to prevent the atopic march.

PLTW Engineering students got to work with a PlayLab AI mentor designing AI-powered solutions that help PLTW students become more creative and/or collaborative.

They showed incredible communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills that we’ve been working on every day in our PLTW class. We’re so proud of how they represented our schools and district!

This was a busy week for our Health Care and Social Assistance Pathway. Our principles of biomedical science students work on identifying different parts of the nervous system and understanding what happens when people have TBIs or suffer with CTE. They studied the brain and its anatomy and some classes even got to dissect a brain!

In the Human Body Systems courses, students were testing how muscle fatigue affects overall muscle production and testing several different hypotheses revolving around how will power and mindset can affect actual muscle production.

Our medical interventions students studied how epidemiologists work to protect public health during cases of extreme exposure to sickness and disease.

On Friday, December 19th, Mr. Carney and the choir students will be visiting all of the schools singing some holiday carols. The schedule and list of students is below.

Bartlett: 8-8:30

Middle School: 8:45-9:15 (BUS PICK UP AT 9:15 AT WMS)

Park Ave: 9:30-10

Accord Adult Day Care: 10:15-10:45

Christopher Heights: 11:00-11:30

Central Office: 11:45-Noon (BUS DROP OFF AT 11:45 AT CENTRAL OFFICE)

Students Attending

Baker, Alexander

Barrientos Caraballo, Edyleana

Benito Torres, Zuaylianice

Bermudez, Abdiel

Bucasas, Kylee

Casper, Nathan

Coleman, Jasmine

Kiaralix Colon

Crawford, Madisyn

Czernicki, Matthew

Elmaola, Norma

Francis, Annabelle

Gardner, Calee

Greeson, Makayla

Juberline Jean, Jean

Longdaye Yambete, Francois

Nascimento, Kathryn Nixon, Darius

Place, Makayla

Predestin, Doudeline

Pyke, Aoife

Ramsey, Lindsey

Remillard, Kristie

Ruiz Acosta, Carmen

Sepulveda, Mya

Shevchuk, Luis

Vanlamoen Lopez, Johan

Verissimo Silva Neves, Jades

Wimer, Alesana

Woodard, Joseph

Young, Logan

The students in the BHS 18-22 program attended the Transition Learning Community (TLC) dance at Leicester high school. They were joined by their peers from 8 different school districts and spent the day dancing, making new friends and enjoying lunch together. This event was pure joy!

The Students of the BHS 18-22 program created a Christmas window display at the Sturbridge Host Hotel.

Last chance!! The students in the 18-22 year old Vocational Program are selling Herbs as a fundraiser. If you are interested in purchasing any of the following, please complete the form below.

$10 - 7-9 inch Window Sill Planters includes 2 herbs (choose from: Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme)

$15 - 12 inch Planter includes 3 herbs (choose from: Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme)

$4 each - Individual Herb starts (planter not included) (choose from: Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme)

Deck the Doors continues this week and will run through December 16th, students can pair up with a staff member to decorate their classroom or office door with a holiday theme from around the world. Students are encouraged to reach out to teachers & vice versa to spread cheer around all campus! The doors (or windows in C section) can only be decorated after school, and a faculty member of that room must be present at all times. Doors will be judged via a google form on December 17th, and the winner will be announced on December 18th. Will Mr. Hopkins take the "Best Decorated Door" two years in a row?

We want to thank everyone that came out to our first ever Community Craft and Vendor Fair. It was a huge success! We hope that you all had a great time, and were able to get some holiday shopping done! This fundraiser helped raise $1,452 for the senior class!

Thank you to all of our talented crafters and everyone who attended the Class of 2026 Holiday Craft Fair. Your support truly made a difference and helped the Class of 2026 move closer to reaching their fundraising goals. We are so grateful for your participation and generosity.

• Red Thread Leather
• Seven Legends Family Books
• Knotty Woman Macrame & Crochet
• 3d Printed Keepsakes
• Lily Ryan Studio
• Bartlett School Store/Pathways
• Slow Your Roll
• Beth's Sweet Treats
• Let’s Get Hook’d
• KBH Designs
• Paparazzi Accessories
• Creative Customs by Stacy
• Crafty Creations
• Astral House Aromas
• Richard's Paintings
• The New Buzz In Town
• Giftable Words}"
• French Marigolds
• Deb's Diamond Creation
• Wendell’s Colorful Creations
• JW's Woodshed
• Susan Rohr
• The Gift Basket Boutique/The Peaceful Place Day Spa
• Wood 'n Wear
• Grandpa's Hobby
• Made from the Hearth
• Hazel Bloom Creations
• Carol's and Mandy's Sewing Items
• Honeybee Crafts
• Whimsical Windsong
• Doris' Sewing Items
• Enchanted Rose Crafts and Gifts
• Christine's Books
• DCF Foster Care Recruitment Non Profit
• Rita's Sewing Items and Holiday Items
• Sweets Con Encanto
• Scotti Dog Wood Working
• Creative Designs
• JoJo's Crafts
• Round Hill Ranch
• Annie B's Creation
• Tri-Valley, Inc

The Class of 2026 Butter Braids and Cookie Dough Fundraiser orders will be available for pickup on Monday, December 15, after school. All items must be placed in a freezer immediately after pickup. Students will be called down at the end of the day to collect their orders.

We had such a great time at Breakfast with Santa and the Grinch! We hope that you did too! Thank you to everyone that came out and helped to support our PBIS team! This fundraiser helped to raise $850 for the students at Bartlett!

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 Webster Public Schools Athletic Department along with the Bartlett student Ambassadors, Savaeh Butler, Eryk Piwowarczyk, and Kenny Arpin, completed a successful annual Toys for Tots and sock Drive this past week.A huge thank you to all of those that donated to help make someone's holiday brighter!

Mr. Paranto hosted the Winter Sport Season's Chemical Health Night this past week in our BRAND NEW auditorium. The auditorium was filled with athletes and their families as they listened to important information from the athletic director and met their coaches!

Our Football Team participated in this past weekend's Light Parade!

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. Quarter 1 grades will be looked at to see if anyone is now ineligible 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.

Athletes MUST be supervised at all times when in the locker room hallway. If there is not a coach with them, then they will need to wait to go downstairs. All BHS athletes must use the bathrooms in the basement hallway, not the ones in the main part of the building once games and practices begin after school each day.

This month's meeting is on Wednesday, December 17th at 6:30pm in the Superintendent's Conference Room. The question that will be explored is: "Ever wonder what they mean when they say least restrictive environment?". Space is limited, please make sure to register using the link or code on the attached flyers if you plan on attending.

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.

MAPFRE and MA DOT high school PSA Contest:

Students are invited to participate in the 4th Annual Massachusetts High School Road Safety PSA Contest. It’s a chance for your students to showcase their writing and creative skills to influence road safety.

Motor vehicle crashes are among the leading causes of death and serious injury for teens. To tackle the issue, Fundación MAPFRE and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) are once again calling on students to write a script that will reach their peers and curb dangerous driving.

The contest is open to all Massachusetts high school students. There is no limit to how many teams from each school can enter the contest. The winning team will work with a Boston ad agency and road safety experts to produce the public service announcement (PSA) that will be aired online and on TV stations statewide. The winning school will also receive $3,000.

The PSA contest is now open for submissions. Visit the contest site for more information. The deadline to submit is December 19.

See the attached flyer for information on possible internships regarding Clean Energy through Work Based Learning Alliance's virtual platform. The internships are 50 hour paid internships that take place outside of the school day.

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.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling due to the continuation of the ongoing federal government shutdown, here are some community resources that may be able to help.