Brass Lantern Featured in Whitman-Hanson Express

Hello SSVT Community,

The Brass Lantern restaurant and our Culinary students and staff were featured in an article this week in the Whitman-Hanson Express! Great job!

FY14 Budget Update

Hello SSVT Community,

The South Shore Regional School Committee met on Monday night and certified a FY14 Budget that represents  2.36% increase over last year's budget.  The original budget proposed was 4.92%, but in light of economic limitations conveyed by several of our sending communities, the committee opted to reduce the budget by $280,000.

The cuts in the budget avoided core instructional services such as staffing, equipment or supplies. supplies.  Cuts were instead targeted at capital items and funding of OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits).

Over the next month or so, we will begin meeting with town finance committees to further explain our budget.  The budget process then will move to town meetings, typically held in May or June, where each town votes on its spending for the next fiscal year.

The other important budget process is at the state level.  The state provides aid to all public school districts called Chapter 70 aid.  Final state aid numbers will not be confirmed until the state budget process wraps up in June.

If you have any questions, please let me know!  Thank you.

It's In the Mail: Mid Year Competency Reports

Hello SSVT Students & Families,

Early February marks the second half of the school year.  (If the Patriots had made it to the Super Bowl, this would have been a good place to insert football metaphors...but we'll punt on that idea until next year.)

Anyway, February is a good time for students to take stock of what they have accomplished thus far and set goals for the rest of the school year. 

To help start these conversations at home, we are providing families with a new mid year competency report which is being mailed home today. In this report, teachers provide feedback on students performance in specific skill and content standards, rather than relying on letter grades.  

We encourage you to review this FAQ Document on the Mid Year Competency Report.

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The mid year competency report is another example of our faculty's commitment to providing authentic and timely feedback on student performance beyond letter grades.  We want the conversation to focus on how students are learning, and not just whether they have earned a magic number of points! 

It will take an extra step, but we encourage students and parents of 10th-12th graders to follow the steps to log into VTCTS, which is the separate software program that tracks your child's vocational competencies in greater detail. More information will be on the competency report.  These reports will give you a sense of the breadth and depth of skills being taught in our vocational areas.

After reviewing this information, please reach out to teachers, counselors  or administrators with any questions.  Our staff welcomes conversations that will help our students develop strategies to for future success. 

SSVT FY14 Budget Update

Hello SSVT Community,

At the school committee's January 16th meeting, a public hearing was held on the school budget.  There were representatives from three towns finance committees in attendance.  The current budget proposal stands at a 4.92% increase.  The Whitman-Hanson Express covered the meeting if you would like further information.

Over the next few months, the state legislature will begin its deliberations on the state budget, which has a direct impact on how much state aid schools get (referred to as  "Chapter 70" aid).  Also in the next few months, we will begin to meet with town finance committees to discuss the individual town costs ("assessments") that pay for a portion of the overall school budget.

The budget process concludes in May/June when our individual towns hold their respective town meetings and ultimately vote on their assessment.

Please contact me if you have any questions!

Press and Event Updates

Hello SSVT Community,

Here are a few updates and repeats from previous posts:

SSVT recently received some press coverage from the Mariner newspapers for receiving a $120,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Council! Congratulations to grant author Vincent Barba for securing the funds which will go toward purchasing equipment and supplies to support engineering instruction in several vocational programs!

Nominate someone for the SSVT Hall of Fame!  The HOF nomination form is now on the website.  We'd especially like alumni and staff to consider nominating retired employees and volunteers who have made a lasting impact over the past 50 years.

The SSVT Parents Association is hosting a February 7 Fundraiser, Dining for a Cause, at the 99 Restaurant in Rockland from 5:00-10:00 PM.  15% of the guest check will be donated to the PA if you eat in the restaurant during this time and identify to the server that you are participating in the fundraiser.

Have a great weekend.

Congratulations Alison Gurney, January Student of the Month

Hello SSVT Community,

At the January School Committee meeting, we recognized Alison Gurney as January's Student of the Month.  Below is the recognition that was read by Ms. Titus at the meeting.

Alison is pictured with grandmother June Gurney, father Brian Gurney, and
Hanson School Committee Representative Chris Amico (R)

Allison Gurney has been nominated for Student of the Month by the staff of South Shore Vocational Technical High School.  Allison is a 12^th grade Graphic Communications student from the town of Hanson. 

 Why do we become educators?  The answer for many us has to do with that special student whom we have had the opportunity to watch grow into a very special adult.  Allison Gurney is one of those special SSVT students.  When Allison walked into her freshman year, she was a shy, somewhat introverted fourteen year old, who did not seem to have much motivation for school.  Now we a watching a motivated, confident and self assured young woman walking out of her high school and into the receptive arms of the world.  Allison Gurney will become whomever she desires.

Allison is a leader, a critical thinker, an advocate and role model in our school community.  She is a young adult who wants more to life.  She wants to learn, she wants to succeed and she wants to be challenged.  Allison is confident and willing to be herself.  She also focuses her attention on those around her to help make life better for them.   Allison is a creative student who has been instrumental in our creative writing club this year, with the production of a very powerful collections of stories concerning bullying.  She is producing several videos of life at SSVT that will be presented to her senior class and will be a part of her senior portfolio.  Allison is continuing her education at Gordon College majoring in Communication Arts.

We are all very PROUD of Allison Gurney and who she has become.  We are thrilled that she chose to be a student at South Shore Vocational High School.

Abington Mariner Spotlights Nick Lascuola

Hello SSVT Community,

Abington sophomore Nick Lascuola was featured in this week's Abington Mariner.  Check out how Nick combines his passion for cars with charitable activites!

http://www.wickedlocal.com/abington/features/x1631904751/Abington-teen-lives-in-the-wheel-world?zc_p=0#axzz2IkWxFWNd