BLUE HILLS REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL

ADMISSION POLICY

 

 

I.           INTRODUCTION

An admission process is necessary in vocational technical schools where space is a limiting factor. Vocational technical laboratories (shops) are designed and equipped to serve a specific maximum number of students safely. Consequently, a complex of such laboratories lacks both the space and flexibility to accommodate the possible needs and/or interests of all applicants. Therefore, a selection process is necessary to determine which applicants may most benefit from such educational opportunities. All applicants to grades nine through twelve at Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy. The Blue Hills Regional Vocational School District Committee approved this policy on December 2, 2003.

 

II.         EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School admits students and makes available to them its advantages, privileges and courses of study without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability. 

 

If there is a student with limited English proficiency, a qualified representative from Blue Hills will assist the applicant in completing the necessary forms and assist in interpreting during the entire application and admission process upon the request of the applicant.

 

Disabled students may voluntarily self-identify for the purpose of requesting reasonable accommodations during the entire application and admission process.

 

Information on limited English proficiency and disability submitted voluntarily by the applicant, for the purpose of receiving assistance and accommodations during the entire application and admission process, will not affect their admission to the school.

 

III.       ELIGIBILITY

Any eighth or ninth grade student who is a resident of the Blue Hills Regional Vocational School District (Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton, Norwood, Randolph, Westwood) who expects to be promoted to the grade they seek to enter by their local district is eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year, subject to the availability of openings to Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Resident students will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy. Priority for admission is given to District residents.

 

Students who are not residents of the Blue Hills School District are eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year subject to the availability of openings to Blue Hills provided they expect to be promoted to the grade they seek to enter by their local district. Nonresident students will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy.

 

Transfer students from other vocational technical schools are eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year to grades 9-12 at Blue Hills provided they expect to be promoted to the grade they seek to enter by their current school. Transfer students will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy.

 

IV.       ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Blue Hills is a public regional vocational technical school located on a scenic campus in Canton, Massachusetts. Blue Hills is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Blue Hills is committed to providing quality vocational technical programs.

 

It is the responsibility of the Blue Hills Superintendent to supervise the administration of the policies and procedures required to admit and enroll applicants in conformity with this Admission Policy.

 

The Blue Hills Regional Technical School Admissions Board is charged with the process of selection of applicants for admission. This Board is comprised of the Admission and Financial Aid Officer, the Special Education Coordinator, and the Principal.

 

The Blue Hills Admissions and Financial Aid Officer is responsible for disseminating information about Blue Hills through local school assemblies and press releases, and for collecting applications from local schools.

 

According to guidelines set in the District Agreement, there are no set quotas for the number of students who are eligible to apply or who are admitted to the school from individual member towns.

 

Blue Hills does not participate in the School Choice Program.

 

V.         RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Blue Hills Regional Technical School disseminates brochures, pamphlets, posters and application forms to the guidance departments of the district’s sending schools. A direct mailing is also sent to all eighth grade students and their parents in the fall of each school year.  Blue Hills also holds an annual open house in the fall for all residents of the district. Prospective students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) have an opportunity to visit all vocational-technical programs and speak with teachers as well as view a presentation about all offerings.

 

The Blue Hills Admissions and Financial Aid Officer visits each sending school and conducts assemblies for eighth grade students. Subsequent to this, tours of Blue Hills are offered to every prospective student. A video presentation provides potential applicants with information on the vocational program offerings, academic course offerings, sports and extra-curricular activities that are available at Blue Hills.

 

 

 

Included in the Admissions video presentations are non-traditional career options for both males and females.  Non-traditional career information is also included in local cable television ads and other recruitment materials.

 

Parent(s)/guardian(s) may schedule individual visits at a mutually convenient time.

 

 

VI.       APPLICATION PROCESS

APPLICATION PROCESS-FOR FALL ADMISSION* TO THE NINTH and TENTH GRADE

1.   Students interested in applying to Blue Hills for fall admission to the ninth or tenth grade must:

a.   obtain an application from their local school Guidance Counselor as early in the school year as possible. Applications are also available by contacting the Blue Hills Admissions Office directly.

b.   return the completed application form to their local school Guidance Counselor. Completed application packets may also be sent directly to the Blue Hills Admissions Office.

2.   It is the responsibility of the local school Guidance Counselor to:

a.   complete their portion of the application form.

b.   forward the completed applications to the Admission Officer at Blue Hills by March 1^st. Complete applications include:

(i)        Completed application form (including required signatures).

(ii)       For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the average of grade 7 and term 1 grade 8 marks in English language arts, social studies, math and science from the local school report card/transcript are required. For applications to grades 10 (fall admission) the average of the previous school year and term 1 of the current school year marks in English language arts, social studies, math and science from the local school report card/transcript is required.

         For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the sum of grade 7 and term 1 of grade 8 unexcused absences from the local school report card/transcript are required.

         For applications to grades 10 (fall admission) the sum of the previous school year and term 1 of the current school year unexcused absences from the local school report card/transcript is required.

         For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the sum of grade 7 and term 1 grade 8 assessments of behavior from the local school are required. For applications to grades 10 (fall admission) the sum of the previous school year and term 1 of the current school year assessments of behavior from the local school are required.

         For applications to grade 9 and 10 (fall admission), the local school’s recommendation is required.

(iii)     Following receipt of a completed application packet, an interview with each applicant will take place. All interviews are targeted to be completed by April 1^st.

 

3.   If incomplete applications are received, the following procedures will be followed:

a.     The Admission Office at Blue Hills will notify the local school Guidance Counselor responsible for submitting the application that the application is incomplete and will request completion.

b.     The applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified by the Blue Hills Admission Office in the event that the problem is not resolved by the local school Guidance Counselor.

c.     If after notifying the local school Guidance Counselor and parent(s)/guardian(s), the application remains incomplete for ten school days, the application will be placed on ‘inactive’ status, until such time as the additional information is received.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS - FOR ADMISSION TO THE NINTH AND TENTH GRADES FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR*

 

1.   Students interested in applying to Blue Hills for admission for the current school year must:

a.   obtain an application from Blue Hills or from their local school Guidance Counselor.

b.     return the completed application form to their local school Guidance Counselor as soon as possible. Completed applications may be sent directly to Blue Hills.

c.     attend an interview at Blue Hills. If the applicant or parent/guardian cannot provide transportation, a representative from Blue Hills will go to the local school to interview the applicant.

2.   It is the responsibility of the local school Guidance Counselor to:

a.   complete their portion of the application form.

b.   forward the completed applications to the Admissions and Financial Aid Officer at Blue Hills. Complete applications include:

(i)     completed application form (including required signatures)

(ii)    For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) the current school year to the date of the application marks in English language arts, social studies, math and science from the local school report card/ transcript are required.

For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) the current school year to the date of the application unexcused absences from the local school report card/transcript are required.

For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) the current school year to the date of the application assessments of behavior from the local school are required.

For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) the local school's recommendation is required.

3.   If incomplete applications are received, the following procedures will be followed:

a.     The Blue Hills Admission Office will notify the local school Guidance Counselor responsible for submitting the application, that the application is incomplete and will request completion.

b.     The applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified by the Blue Hills Admission Office in the event the problem is not resolved by the local school Guidance Counselor.

c.     If after notifying the local school Guidance Counselor and parent(s)/guardian(s), the application remains incomplete for ten school days, the application will be  placed on ‘inactive’ status, until such time as the additional information is received

LATE APPLICATIONS

Applications received after March 1^st will be evaluated using the same criteria as other applications and their composite score will be integrated in rank order on the established waiting list.

 

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Applications from students who are enrolled in a state-approved (Chapter 74) Vocational Technical School program in another school (transfer students) will be considered for admission (including admission during the school year) if they relocate away from their current school and wish to pursue the same program of study at Blue Hills. All transfer applicants must attend an interview at the Blue Hills. If the applicant or parent/guardian cannot provide transportation, an official from Blue Hills will go to the local school to interview the applicant. Their applications will be evaluated according to the provisions of this Admission Policy.

 

WITHDRAWN STUDENTS

Students who withdraw from Blue Hills and who are attending or not attending another high school may reapply to Blue Hills following the procedures contained in this admission policy and will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admission Policy.

 

VII.     SELECTION CRITERIA

Completed applications are processed by the Admission Committee using weighted admissions criteria. Each applicant will be assigned a score derived from the sum of the sub scores of the following criteria:

A.  Scholastic Achievement: Maximum 25 points

 

Grade Averages	Points
90 - 100	25
80 – 89	20
70 - 79	15
60 – 69	10
0 – 59	0

 

For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the average of grade 7 and term 1 grade 8 marks in English, social studies, mathematics and science from the local school report card/transcript are used. For applications to grades 10 (fall admission) the average of the previous school year and term 1 of the current school year marks in English, social studies, mathematics and science from the local school report card/transcript are used. For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) the current school year to the date of the application marks in English, social studies, mathematics and science from the local school report card/ transcript are used.

 

B.    Attendance: Maximum 15 points

 

Number of Unexcused Absences	Points
0 – 2	15
3 – 4	10
5 - 6	5
7 or more	0

 

For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the sum of grade 7 and term 1 grade 8 unexcused absences from the local school report card/transcript are used. For applications to grades 10 (fall admission) the sum of the previous school year and term 1 current school year unexcused absences from the local school report card/transcript are used. For applications to grades 9 and 10 (admission during the school year) unexcused absences from the five previous completed terms will be used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.    School Discipline/Conduct: Maximum 25 points

 

Discipline/Conduct Rating	Points
Excellent	25
Above Average	17
Average	10
Below Average	5
Poor	0

 

For applications to grade 9 (fall admission), the sum of grade 7 and term 1 grade 8 assessments from the local school are used. For applications to grade 10 (fall admission) the sum of the previous school year and term 1 current school year assessments from the local school are used. For applications to grades 9, 10 (admission during the school year) the current school year to the date of the application assessments from the local school are used.

 

D.    Local School’s Recommendation: Maximum 10 points

 

Rating	Points
Excellent	9 - 10
Above Average	7 - 8
Average	4 - 6
Below Average	.2 - 3
Poor	0

 

 

 

E.    Interview:  Maximum 25 points

 

Rating	Points
Excellent	25
Above Average	17
Average	10
Below Average	5
Poor	0

 

After points are given in each area, the points are totaled for each applicant. A maximum total of one hundred (100) points can be earned.

 

 

 

 

VIII.   SELECTION PROCESS

The Admission Committee at Blue Hills will examine, discuss and make recommendations for action on the applicants.

 

The Admission Committee considers scholastic achievement, attendance, school behavior, local Guidance Counselor's recommendation and interview results. Applications are reviewed, processed and assigned points by grade level.

 

After a point total for each resident applicant has been determined, all resident applicants are placed in order of their "point total". Resident applicants are then accepted in order of the point total they have achieved. The resident applicant with the highest point total is accepted first, the resident applicant with the second highest point total is accepted second, and so on until all seats are filled. All resident applicants are accepted, declined, or placed on a waiting list. Applicants who have a point total of 65 or higher will either be accepted or placed on a waiting list. Applicants with scores below 65 will be declined. If openings occur, the seats are filled by accepting resident applicants from the waiting list. These resident applicants, like those accepted earlier, are accepted in order of their place on the waiting list determined by the total points given according to the selection criteria.

 

Non-resident applicants are evaluated using the criteria in this Admission Policy and will be placed on the waiting list after the resident applicants. Non-resident applicants on the waiting list will only be accepted if all resident applicants on the waiting list have been accepted. Non-resident applicants for Fall Admission will be considered only after May 1^st.

 

Applications received after March 1^st will be evaluated using the same criteria as other

applications and their composite score will be integrated in rank order on the established

waiting list.

 

All applicants whose completed applications are received by Blue Hills by March 1^st will be interviewed. It is expected that interviews will be completed by April 1^st. Applicants will be notified of their status by a letter to the student by mid-April. Applicants whose completed applications are not received by Blue Hills by March 1^st will receive a letter informing them of their status.

 

Accepted students must notify Blue Hills of their intention to attend Blue Hills by May 1^st. If no such notification is received, applicants on the waiting list will be accepted in their place. Thus a second round of acceptance letters will be sent after May 1^st. These letters will be sent by May 10^th. The number of acceptance letters sent will be based on the number of unfilled openings as of May 1^st.

 

Students accepted in the initial round who notify Blue Hills after the May 1^st deadline will be placed on the wait list based on their rank order score.

 

Accepted students from the second round must notify Blue Hills of their intention to attend Blue Hills by May 21^st.

 

A third round of acceptances will take place, if openings remain, based on the process described above.

 

 

 

IX.       ENROLLMENT

In order to enroll at Blue Hills Tech for the fall, applicants must have been promoted to the grade they wish to enter by their local school district. In addition, they must have passed courses in English language arts or the equivalent and mathematics for the school year immediately preceding their enrollment at Blue Hills.

 

X.         VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL PROGRAM PLACEMENT

All ninth graders who enroll in Blue Hills Regional Technical School participate in a vocational technical exploratory program designed to help them learn about their talents and interests relative to a variety of different vocational-technical programs. Students initially explore each vocational technical shop for one period. Then, students rank all programs and explore eight of them for one week. Students are evaluated and scored (0-50 points) by each shop teacher during the week in each shop. At the end of this eight-week exploratory period, each student selects his/her program of choice, as well as a second and third choice. Students are admitted into the shop of their choice based on the point total they received in all shops combined. For example, a student with a point total of 392 would be admitted before a student with a point total of 390. If a shop fills, based on point total, before a student gets his/her first choice, the guidance counselor then moves to the student’s second or third choice depending upon whether there is an opening in the shop. Again, the student is admitted based upon overall point total. If a student’s point total in all shops combined is so low that they were not placed in their second or third choice shop because the shops were filled by students with higher point totals, the guidance counselor will meet with the student and present a list of the shops with openings which the student explored and ask the student to choose one of them. Again, students selecting shops from among the shops with openings, which the student explored, will be admitted based on their point totals. The process continues until all students are placed.

 

Students who enroll in Blue Hills Tech after grade nine may explore vocational technical programs that have openings, before making a program selection. Students are evaluated and graded by each shop teacher during the period of exploration. If the number of enrollees seeking a particular shop exceeds the number of openings, the evaluative grades received by the students rank ordered would determine the enrollee or enrollees who are

placed in the particular shop program.

 

Students who wish to transfer from one shop to another during the school year may apply for transfer. Transfer requests will be considered subject to the availability of openings in the requested shops. Each transfer applicant will be interviewed and counseled individually to determine the appropriateness of the transfer for the particular student.

 

XI.       REVIEW and APPEALS

The applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s), upon receipt of a letter from Blue Hills indicating that the applicant was not accepted or placed on a waiting list, may request a review of the decision by sending a letter requesting a review to the Principal within thirty days of the receipt of the letter. The Principal will respond in writing to the letter with the findings of the review within thirty days. If after the review, the parent/guardian wishes to appeal the findings of the review they may do so by sending a letter requesting that they be scheduled to appear before the Superintendent to appeal the Principal’s findings. The Superintendent will respond in writing to the parent/guardian with a scheduled date for the appeal within thirty days of the receipt of the letter. The Superintendent will respond in writing to the letter with their decision on the appeal within thirty days of the Superintendent meeting when the appeal was presented.

 

The applicant's parent/guardian, upon receipt of a letter from Blue Hills indicating that the applicant was not accepted or placed on a waiting list for a particular program (shop)(major) list, may request a review of the decision by sending a letter requesting a review to the Principal within thirty days of the receipt of the letter. The Principal will respond in writing to the request with the findings of the review within thirty days.

 

 

XII.     PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFICATION OF SENDING TOWNS

 

The Blue Hills Admissions Department will send to the Superintendent of Schools of each of our member towns, on or before October 1^st of each year, a list of all students enrolled in Blue Hills for that year. This is required by statute, and is for the purpose of maintaining consistency in the reporting of student enrollment in the annual Department of Education SIMS report.

 

We want to ensure that no town is being assessed for any student that is not truly resident in that town. To that end, we will send to each town by July 1^st of each year a list of all accepted applicants claiming residency in that town, whose residency may be in question. Students who have attended private schools, out of district schools, or whose residency appears unclear for other reasons will be included on this list. Students who are applying to Blue Hills whose 8^th grade transcript is being forwarded by that town’s own school will be assumed to have valid residency.

 

We will work cooperatively with our member towns to verify residency of any given student. The following notice is included on all applications:

 

Notice:

All applicants must reside in one of our member towns (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76), unless approved under the MGL Chapter 74 Vocational Program Non-Resident Process. Falsifying residency information for the purpose of attending Blue Hills Regional Technical School is illegal. Blue Hills has and will seek financial reimbursement from the parent or guardian of any applicant who is admitted based on fraudulent residency claims. Blue Hills will also fully cooperate with any member town that chooses to investigate residency claims by applicants.