Oct 24 Newsletter

Athletics

Autumn by H.W. Longfellow

With what a glory comes and goes the year! The buds of spring, those beautiful harbingers Of sunny skies and cloudless times, enjoy Life’s newness, and earth’s garniture spread out; And when the silver habit of the clouds Comes down upon the autumn sun, and with A sober gladness the old year takes up His bright inheritance of golden fruits, A pomp and pageant fill the splendid scene.

• Vetarans Day, No School 11/11

Class of 2025FUNDRAISER

Academics

• Vocational Exploration Days 11/3

Hello OC Community: Frank Sinatra may have made Russian immigrant Vernon Duke’s song; “Autumn in New York” famous but I think Autumn in New England is much more inviting. We had a spirit filled “Spirit Week” this month that was topped off with a festive and lively Homecoming Game and Dance. It was great to see so many students enjoy themselves. I have to mention that I did not see the students on their phones as much as I have in the recent past. I see a trend where young folks are seeing the value of enjoying the moment rather than recording it. There were two articles this month in the Boston Globe that cited the trend of young people disconnecting from their phones. The articles cite research that indicates significant physical and mental health benefits from disconnecting from our devices. The first was titled: “New Rule at Night Clubs; Put Your Phones Away and Dance;” and the other was titled “‘Please Stop Doing This.’ Why We Need to Finally Ban Phones From Schools?” We have not banned phones but I do share these articles as food for thought. Thank you for your time and consideration. Please check out our district calendar to see the full list of exciting events coming up and enjoy our October Newsletter! Sincerely, Gary Linehan

Vocational News

Guidance

• Vocational Exploration Open House 11/3

PTO

• Trunk or Treat 10/19

Upcoming Events

from the principal

October 2024

Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School

NEWSLETTER

Late Bus We have late buses available Monday - Thursday every week, with the exception of half days or days where we don’t have school. Buses leave promptly at 3:50pm.

Extra Help All teachers are available either on Tuesday or Thursday of each week. Students should be sure to take advantage of this time.Check teachers’ Google Classrooms for availability.

Cougar Connection Since September 23rd, ninety-six students have signed into Cougar Connection! During these visits students across all grade levels and abilities have engaged in a variety of activities from receiving extra help to using the maker space. Students can sign in to Cougar Connection in the library every Monday through Thursday after school. It’s a great way to meet students with similar interests and to form friendships. There are teachers in the library all four days to answer any questions. Late buses are provided and they depart at 3:50. However, Students who drive or can arrange for a ride home are welcome to stay until 4:30.

Here’s What’s New MCAS results were released on October 1st. Here at Old Colony 46% of students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts, 46% of students met or exceeded expectations in Mathematics, and 54% of students met or exceeded expectations in Biology. Tutoring has begun for students who must retest in November. This year teachers in both CVTE and academic areas will participate in a new literacy initiative. The initiative involves writing across the curriculum using the Claim - Evidence - Reasoning (C-E-R) model. Teachers will receive ongoing training and support throughout the school year to help students make claims, identify evidence, and to connect claims and evidence through reasoning. Consistent practice of C-E-R improves higher order thinking skills, which are necessary for achievement in school, work, and life. A separate cohort of teachers from CVTE and academics will be attending an AI Summit on October 18th. They will learn about AI technology, its impact, and how to mitigate the negative effects of artificial intelligence in educational spaces.

The school year is well underway, and that means MOMENTUM for learning!

Academic News

For the first time in OC history, the OC cheerleaders will be taking their show on the road and competing in their very first Varsity cheer competition. The competition will be held at Tri County RVTHS on Sunday, 10/20 with a performance time of 2pm. They will be competing against 3 other teams in the Mayflower division. The 12 girls that made the competition squad have been working really hard and while they are nervous about their debut, they are also really excited and proud to be the first team to represent Old Colony in competitive cheer. Below are the athletes who will be competing. Please join us in wishing them luck this weekend! Thank you for all of your support of the OC cheerleaders. Makayla Bowlby- Captain Ella Morgado- Captain Madison Burnham-Captain Addie Tyler- Captain Maddie Bowlby Audrey Perkins Ashley Marcelino Ella Vinjerud Jadyn Antao Miley Bowlby Natalie Fitzgerald Devin Hill

Athletics News

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Go to https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/ for list of Test Optional schools.

2024 Digital SAT SAT Test Date: November 2, 2024 (Location of your choosing) Register by October 18, 2024 Late Registration Deadline: October 22, 2024 Visit Collegeboard.org for more information/registration SAT Test Date: December 7, 2024 (Location of your choosing) Register by November 22, 2024 Late Registration Deadline: November 26, 2024 Visit Collegeboard.org for more information/registration SAT Test Date: March 8, 2025 (Location of your choosing) Register by February 21, 2025 Late Registration Deadline: February 25, 2025 Visit Collegeboard.org for more information/registration

SAT Information:

• 10/24/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 11) - Worcester State University

Information Session with Admissions Counselor Alex Gariepy

• 10/30/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 11) - Bristol Community College Information Session with Admissions Counselor Jenna DeBortoli
• 11/1/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 11) - Westfield State University
• 11/7/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 12) - UMass Dartmouth
• 11/13/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 12) - Lasell University (on-site admissions available at request)
• 11/15/2024: Cougar Time (Gr. 12) - College Applications

Upcoming Guidance Happenings:

• Signing Co-op paperwork for seniors.
• Helping seniors with college applications.
• Writing letters of recommendation.
• On-going student support as needed. SAT Prep, College Info Sessions (with College Admissions Counselors), and College Applications Cougar Times
• College/career/future classroom sessions with seniors

October Highlights in the OC Counseling Center:

Follow us on Facebook - Old Colony Guidance Department - to stay up to date on all guidance happenings

Guidance News

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Students interested in applying through the START Program must be pursuing calculus-based majors, such as Engineering, Math, Computer Science or Physics. Applicants applying to the College Now/START Program are not admissible through the Office of Admissions. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to complete developmental and credited courses in order to matriculate into the university. College Now/START is a Fall admissions program only.

(1) Be of low-income status, as defined by federal guidelines and/or (2) Be first generation college bound

Students interested in applying to the College Now Program must be either a U. S. citizen or a permanent U. S. resident for at least one year and cannot exceed 24 transferable college credits. Although not limited to students who only meet the criteria below, applicants who satisfy one of the following criteria below are encouraged to enroll and receive support services through our program:

The College Now/START program: Will begin accepting student applications for Fall 2025 cohort through their alternative admissions at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Due to the program’s limited space for incoming students; applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early and complete an in-person meeting with the admissions team prior to April 1st, 2025. Students interested in the College Now/START Program can apply by using the UMassD online application or the Common Application. Please note when completing the application, students must select either College Now (COLNW) or START (START) as their 1st choice of major and second choice should be their major of interest.

www.commonapp.org

Seniors: What is the Common Application? The Common Application is a single online college application form used by over 900 colleges and universities. Instead of filling out the same general information—like your address, GPA, and extracurriculars— a dozen times, you only have to do it once. Community Colleges do not use the Common App.

Juniors: Interested in the National Merit Scholarship? Please see your guidance counselor for more information.

Guidance News

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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an application that parents/guardians can complete to see how much federal financial aid they qualify for. Completing the FAFSA form can be confusing, but it is an integral part of the college process. This year, seniors students and their parents/guardians will be invited to schedule individual appointments at the Educational Opportunity Center for FAFSA support. Members from the EOC will work one-on-one with families to complete the FAFSA form. Please be sure to bring all required documents to this meeting. Educational Opportunity Center Programs of Seven Hills 10 Welby Road New Bedford, MA 02745 Contact information will be shared shortly once the FAFSA form becomes available to families (likely in December).

OC Class of 2025 FAFSA Support at the Educational Opportunity Center

• Must not have a previous Bachelor’s degree.
• Have physically resided in Massachusetts for at least one year, as of the start of your first enrolled term.
• Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Enroll in at least six credits (two classes) per semester in an approved Associate degree or certificate program.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Free College is now an option! No matter your age or income: if you live in Massachusetts and don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, you can attend a Massachusetts community college for free thanks to the MassReconnect and MassEducate programs. No tuition. No fees. To be eligible to enroll at community college for free, you must:

Guidance News

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If you need help paying for college, there are a few different ways to get financial aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile). Both of these help determine your eligibility for aid — but while the FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal aid, the CSS Profile is a private form that some colleges use to determine eligibility for institutional aid. While most colleges and universities accept the FAFSA, only about 200 programs colleges/universities use the CSS Profile. Most only require the FAFSA form, but you should first check if your potential school accepts the CSS Profile.

FAFSA vs. CSS Profile - What is the difference?

25 26 FAFSA Deadlines

If your students are applying for need-based financial aid, we know the FAFSA has changed! A couple of helpful points: Each FAFSA contributor – student and parent/guardian(s) – must create an FSA ID and password to log in. You MUST have a FAFSA ID before beginning the FAFSA form. It will take 3-4 days to receive your FAFSA ID once you apply for it. Starting this year, contributors must give consent to share IRS data with FAFSA. FAFSA will be available for the 2025-26 academic year in December or January. Be sure your students choose the correct academic year when completing.

Student Social Security number Student date of birth Student email address and access to email Student FSA ID and password if you already have one Student alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen) Married parents social security number Married parents dates of birth

Parent email address and access to email Parent FSA ID and password if you already have one Your parents date of marriage (if applicable) or divorce (if applicable) Student and parent current bank statements and other asset statements that are non retirement (if applicable) If you do not have FSA ID we will need to create one for you and your parent List of the colleges you are applying to

You will also need the following:

In order to complete a FAFSA for the 2025-2026 school year all students will need 2022 financial information. *Dependent students need 2022 financial information for both student and parent. Parent must electronically sign the FAFSA application as well as the student. To be serviced by an educational advisor you will need a copy of 2022 Federal Income Tax Return and W2 statements or other proof of income (TANF benefits, veterans’ benefits, social security benefits, etc.) for student and parent if applicable; along with a signed intake form.

What you Need to Complete a 2025-2026 FAFSA

How To Prepare Upcoming FAFSA

The 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form will be available to the public on or before Dec. 1, 2024. How to prepare for the upcoming FAFSA Form:

The 2025–26 FAFSA Form Coming Soon:

Guidance News

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Adjustment Counselors: Scott Boyle, sboyle@oldcolony.info, x149 Kristyn Falcione, kfalcione@oldcolony.info, x263 Guidance Secretary: Brittany Lestage, blestage@oldcolony.info, x126

Guidance Counselors: Kelly Hevey, khevey@oldcolony.info, x128: House & Mill Carpentry, Health Careers, Metal Fabrication & Joining Technology, Electrical; Freshmen with last names beginning with A-F. Caitlin Vandal, cvandal@oldcolony.info, x127: Automotive Technology, Business Technology, Cosmetology, Machine & Tool; Freshmen with last names beginning with G-O. Daniel Wright, dwright@oldcolony.info, x129: Architecture & Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Electronics Engineering Technology, Graphic Communication & Design; Freshmen with last names beginning with P-Z.

Old Colony Guidance Department:

Wareham New Bedford Elks Lodge Student of the Month: Junior Mark Bowman of the Metal Fabrication vocational program was identified as the Wareham New Bedford Elks Lodge Old Colony RVTHS Student of the Month for October. Congratulations, Mark!

On-Site Admissions: Coming Soon! Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth will be coming to OC on December 11th and January 15th, respectively, to hold individual on-site (at OC during the school day) admissions appointments with interested senior students. This is an opportunity for students to complete their application (fee waived) with an admissions counselor and receive an acceptance decision on the spot. Sign up google forms to follow!

Guidance News

Guidance News

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Extra-Curricular Activities This year the PTO is giving funding to the following extra-curricular activities: Game Night Robotics Club Drama National Honor Society MASkillsUSA Old Colony Chapter

A & E Technology: Survey Transit Automotive Technology: 3 ipads ELA Department, Freshman English: 28 copies of Refugee by Alan Gratz, The New Boy by Tracy Chevalier, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Chessy Prout ELA Department, Junior English: 28 copies of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Being Henry David by Cal Armistead and The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert Electrical: Commercial & Industrial Wiring Equipment Graphic Communication and Design: Painting supplies for a large scale indoor mural Carpentry: Little giant ladders Carpentry: Sheetrock Equipment Physical Education: Bows, targets and a timer School Adjustment Counseling Initiatives: Heart of the Cougar recognition award, floor lamp with USB charging ports and aromatherapy nasal inhaler tube kits

Congratulations to the following min-grant recipients. Over $11,000 was given out in the fall cycle.

Mini-Grant Program

Upcoming Events: October 19th 3:00-5:00 NHS Trunk or Treat October 25th 5:15 Movie Night November 14th 6:00 Monthly Meeting

Board Members: Debra Quin - President Krystle Empey - Vice President Darnell Gray - Secretary Brianne Crook- Treasurer Ana Alcock - Community Representative

Our monthly meetings are held on the second Thursdays at the school. Our next meeting is November 14th at 6:00. We hope to see you there. To be added to our mailing list email: oldcolonypto1@gmail.com

PTO News

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s festival a huge success! Parents, students and OC staff all volunteered to make this a great day for families. Thank you to the MA National Guard, Army, Boy Scout Troop 31, Trish Tyler and Kevin Richmond from It’s the Music Entertainment for donating their time and resources to our event. Thank you to the Rochester United States Postal Service, Lakeville Public Works, Mirabito and the Souza family for sharing their vehicles with the families of the greater OC community. A special thank you to the Rochester Culture Council for awarding us a grant for music at this year’s festival. Enjoy the pictures below.

Old Colony PTO 4th Annual Fall Family Festival and Touch a Truck

PTO News

HEALTH CAREERS: The 11th-grade Health Careers students have begun their clinical rotation at the Newfield House in Plymouth, MA. Here they will apply the skills learned in the past 2 years and provide quality, compassionate care to the elderly residents. They are eager to apply their nursing assistant skills and learn about and develop relationships with the elderly population.

AUTOMOTIVE: Twenty-four Automotive Technology students had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Jay Blake, the founder of Follow a Dream and the only totally blind crew chief in professional racing. Jay lost his sight due to a mechanical accident, which became a transformative experience that taught him invaluable lessons. He now shares his journey, resilience, and hope through his "5 Tools for Your Life's Toolbox." These tools include Positive Attitude, Education, Passion, Determination, and Teamwork. Jay exemplifies these principles, using them to turn his dreams into reality. Remarkably, he can disassemble an entire car by touch, showcasing his exceptional skills as a mechanic. Through his personal story of overcoming adversity, Jay inspires others to pursue their dreams in the world of auto racing.

NON-TRADITIONAL CLUB: CONGRATULATIONS TO FAITH YOUNG! Faith Young was selected to serve as a 2024-2025 Massachusetts Girls in Trade Student Leadership Council State Officer! We are thrilled she has been given this opportunity and will represent Old Colony at the State level. We look forward to her contributions to this organization.

Exploratory Program: Just a reminder to take time to review the expectations and requirements for each vocational program, included in the Exploratory Program Overview, prior to entering each exploratory program session in their rotation. These expectations and requirements will have an impact on the student’s exploratory grade, which could affect the student’s ultimate vocational program assignment.

Vocational Exploration: We will be hosting our annual Vocational Exploration Days for 8th-grade students from Ford Middle School in Acushnet, Carver Middle School, Lakeville students from Freetown-Lakeville Middle School, and Mattapoisett and Rochester students from Old Rochester Regional Junior High School. Schools have scheduled their visits beginning October 28th through November 1st. On Sunday, November 3rd, from 10 AM until Noon, we will host our annual Open House for families of 7th-grade and 8th-grade students. Prospective students and their families can tour the school, receive information about the application process, apply on-site, meet academic and vocational instructors, and learn more about our vocational-technical programs.

Program Advisory Committee Meeting: Our annual Fall Vocational Program Advisory Committee Meetings was held on Wednesday, October 2nd. We are currently preparing for our annual Joint School Committee - Advisory Committee Meeting that will take place on November 20th at 6PM. The responsibility of Program Advisory Committees is to advise, assist, and support school personnel in order to improve planning, operation, and evaluation in its program area. Such advice shall be based on adequate and timely information as to workforce and job development demands or job market trends, technological developments, training alternatives, and other factors affecting the quality of the program. The Old Colony RVTHS Program Advisory Committees meet two times per academic year on the first Wednesday in October and the first Wednesday in April.

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Vocational News

• Mason Johnson - Marty's Buick, GMC
• Lyla Kasper - Nemasket Healthcare
• Haley Kittredge - JK Cafe
• Lauren LeBeau - Nemasket Healthcare
• Ella Morgado - Mechanical Systems & Welding Inc.
• Thomas Moura - Town of Middleboro DPW
• Cullen O'Brien - Sullivan Brothers Toyota
• Nathaniel Pepin - Sippican Health Care
• Michael Pimentel - Newfield House
• Kelly Quin - DML Builders
• Ben Raposo - Pocasset Machine Corp
• Santino Serriello - Hughes Sheet Metal Inc
• James Simoes - A&M Associates
• Patricia Spillane-Frates - James Joseph Salon Studio
• Zachary Steed - Autocam Medical
• Evan Sullivan - Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co
• Phillip Tavares - Ace Hardware
• Quinn Thompson - Grieco Ford of Raynham
• Ryan Trudeau - Sippican Healthcare
• Addison Tyler - Prism Salon
• Mason Ventura - Electromechanica
• Rylee Vilacha - Vilacha Inc
• Rye Vincent - Saltworks Marine

• Dante Andrade - D.W. White Construction
• Alec Arsenault - Chasse Industrial
• Cole Ashley - BTech Acoustics
• Sophia Barboza - Grieco Ford of Raynham
• Jason Booth - EAV Solutions, LLC
• Darrin Braley - DML Builders
• Madison Burnham - M&S Automotive
• Kailani Carreras - Sippican Healthcare
• Ella Charron - Nemasket Healthcare
• Ben Cheverie - Town Of Carver
• Colton Churchill - Robertson's GMC Truck, Inc.
• Joshua Correa - Newfield House
• Kelsi Costa - Life Care Center of Raynham
• Logan Crook - Route 44 Toyota
• Ayvia Dasilva - Little People's College
• Davi De Pinho-Coelho - Bigger Builders Inc.
• Benjamin Demers - JW Fishers
• Cameron Dern - Allied Recycling Center Inc.
• Noah Dias - Route 44 Toyota
• Caden Duquette - Autocam Medical
• Cadin Figueiredo - Abco Electric Inc
• Riley Grant - Towne Tavern
• Dominic Haskell - Care One at New Bedford
• Austin Hathaway - Hotte Construction
• Preston Hiles - Sippican Health Care

We rely on our industry partners to support our mission of preparing and supporting students for the global demands of society and the workforce through rigorous vocational-technical experiences that foster responsible, productive citizens in our community. Please see our website for more information:

We would also like to thank our industry partners for their support of our Cooperative Education Program and for hiring our students to work at their place of employment.

Cooperative Education Program:Currently, 36.64% of 12th-grade students participate in our Cooperative Education Program. Congratulations to the following students:

Vocational News