Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Here's the Weekly Update for the week of November 27: https://conta.cc/4g7akR4.
Beginning with the Class of 2025, the New Jersey Dept. of Education has added the following graduation requirement for every student in order to receive a high school diploma:
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or be exempted from the requirement in accordance with procedures outlined in the law (waiver).
The FAFSA should be completed by any student, regardless of income, who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs and plans to attend a post-secondary institution (two- or four-year college/university, trade school, etc.). This includes grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. This is a common practice that is now a graduation requirement.
The 2025-2026 FAFSA Application is now available at the following link: FAFSA.
Students and Parents opting not to complete the FAFSA must submit a waiver requesting an exemption from the application requirement. Submitting a waiver does not prohibit a student from submitting the FAFSA application at a later date.
From the website, log into the Parent Portal, go to “Forms,” under “BRHS Forms,” and select FAFSA Parent Waiver Form. This form is to be completed for students under the age of 18 and requires a parent/guardian signature. Or, in the PowerSchool App, select “More,” then “Forms,” then FAFSA Parent Waiver Form.
Students age 18 or older may submit the following form: FAFSA Student Waiver Form. This form will be available in the Student Portal once they reach the age of 18. A parent/guardian signature is not required.
If a student is unable to complete the FAFSA and is unable to complete the waiver form from the student’s parent or guardian, the student’s assigned School Counselor will complete the following waiver form: FAFSA Counselor Waiver Form.
For more information, questions, or concerns, please contact your assigned School Counselor.
The Concert in the Round, the first concert for the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Band program, was performed on Wednesday, November 20.
The high school’s Band Room was the setting where friends and families were able to attend concerts during each of the bands’ classes that were under the guidance of Co-Directors Nick Mossa and Dr. Tom Bourgault.
The day began with a performance form the Wind Ensemble, followed by a concert from the Symphonic Band, and then the event was capped by a performance from the Concert Band.
Last chance! The submission deadline is today at 3 pm. Please take a moment to share some gratitude and positivity! BRHS will nominate one individual for the Educator of the Year award and one individual for the Educational Services Professional award. Nominees will have demonstrated community involvement; dedication to the education profession; and have an excellent rapport with students, parents, and staff. Please click the following link to nominate BRHS staff members: https://bit.ly/3NqT9xN
A lesson in beauty throughout the centuries was shared by Lori Kendis and Giuseppina Bologna during the AP Italian and Culture class on Tuesday, November 19, at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Ms. Kendis, a Social Studies Teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, visited Ms. Bologna’s class when both educators collaborated to guide the students through a fascinating exploration of the evolution of the ideals of beauty across the centuries.
Ms. Kendis provided historical insights, tracing the journey of beauty from the art of ancient Egypt to the diverse expressions of modern art. Meanwhile, Ms. Bologno introduced and enriched the discussion with Italian cultural connections and vocabulary, deepening the students’ understanding of the subject through the lens of language and culture.
This interdisciplinary lesson not only highlighted the interconnectedness of history, art, and culture but also showcased the value of collaborative learning.
Ms. Bologno said that she “was extremely grateful for the opportunity to engage with both historical and linguistic perspectives, broadening all students’ appreciation for history and Italian.”
Ms.. Bologna added:
“Our school community thrives on these enriching connections, and we look forward to more opportunities to learn across disciplines!”
A fire truck sitting in the parking lot at Basilone Field best signified the type of recent play by the Bridgewater-Raritan High School girls' soccer team.
A red-hot Bridgewater-Raritan girls' soccer team was greeted by a resounding send-off by family and friends at 12 noon on Thursday, November 14, when the players boarded their bus that would take them to Kehler Stadium in Westfield for the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state sectional championship game that is slated to start at 2 p.m. Waiting will be top-seeded Westfield High School, which will try to cool off Bridgewater-Raritan.
Bridgewater-Raritan advanced to the sectional final with a 4-0 upset over second-seeded Bayonne High School in the semifinals on Monday, November 11.
The Bridgewater Township fire truck and the gathering of the faithful crowd were the result of the parents of the players, who set up this energetic send-off assembly at Basilone Field.
BRHS is now using the GoFan app for ticketing and purchasing for many school events and activities. This program provides easy access to events and a seamless, secure purchase process. Consider this message as our official stamp of approval. Next up: purchase tickets to our Fall Play, Radium Girls, on December 5-7.
Attention Upperclassmen! Join us tomorrow for Financial Aid Night in the Auditorium.
Wednesday, November 13, is the first day of Quarter 2. We will operate on an E-Day bell schedule.
BR Theatre Arts invites you to attend the fall play Radium Girls on December 5, 6, and 7 at 7 p.m. in the BRHS Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by scanning the code on the posters located around campus. Advance tickets are purchasable through gofan.co
A celebration of 75 years of presenting spectacular singing will be on stage for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District and the community to enjoy and become a part of.
The Somerset Hills Harmony, which is regarded as one of the premier mixed cappella/barbershop ensembles in New Jersey, will celebrate its 75th diamond anniversary with a lively performance on Saturday, November 16, at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
The concert, which will begin at 3 p.m. in the high school’s auditorium, features an impressive list of choirs on the full-day schedule.
The headline performers will be the OC Times, which is an International Gold Medal Quartet, the Parkside Harmony, which is a five International Medalist Chrous,and the Somerset Hills Harmony as well as students from the Bridgewater-Raritan High School choir program.
The Bridgewater-Raritan High School choir program is now under the direction of Lisa Rotondi, who had served in that same capacity at the Eisenhower Intermediate School.
Kim Cook, who is a Third Grade Teacher at the John F. Kennedy Primary School, is a member of the Somerset Hills Harmony and one of the coordinators of this concert.
She explained that the concert will not only provide an opportunity for the community to be entertained but act as a recruiting tool as well.
“We want to attract the community to come to listen but to also provide the chance for people who love music and to sing to join us,” Ms. Cook said. “We have two very high-profile groups in OC Times and Parkside Harmony performing.”
She and her choir also hope to inspire students who have a passion for music in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.
“We are reaching out to students from the high school, middle school and also our intermediate schools, Eisenhower and Hillside,” Ms. Cook reported. “They need to just contact us and we can arrange for a free ticket and any information that they may ask for.”
She said that students can contact Somerset Hills Harmony about attending the concert through the following email:
info@shhchorus.org
They are educators in mathematics but they earned high grades with their imaginations.
The Mathematics Department at Bridgewater-Raritan High School was crowned the champion of the 2024 Halloween Teacher Costume competition that was staged on Thursday, October 31.
The math teachers went to the blackboard and devised a solution that answered with a championship that the students voted on.
They dressed up to represent the many moving parts of Costco, the well-renowned wholesale member-only retail store.
According to the results, 70 percent of the students voted the math wizards from the 600 Building as the champions of this Halloween affair.
Another popular getup was worn by the Social Studies Department who decorated their 400 Building with a theme from Jurassic Park. To match their jungle surroundings, these clever civic educators dressed up as the characters—dinosaurs included.
Kyle Murphy, Special Education Teacher and head coach for the high school's varsity wrestling team, is popular with his Teaching Assistants. The TA staff members dressed up in typical Kyle Murphy outfit—a short-sleeved polo shirt with khaki pants.
A very happy Halloween at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
A Bridgewater-Raritan High School student was honored worldwide with her terrific artwork.
Ana Syed, a senior at the high school, was the recipient of the Artist of the Week that is selected by Artsonia, which is the world’s largest online collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world.
Sara Nasson, Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s Art Teacher and Advisor to the National Art Honor Society reported on the achievement of Ana, who is the President of the National Art Society and is enrolled in AP Art and Design.
“ The work that was selected was a Mixed media piece that Ana did on her mother's childhood home, titled "Stuart Ave."
“Each week, Artsonia randomly picks artworks to be voted on for the Artist of the Week Awards. The winners are chosen by a voting process from Wednesday through Saturday and are announced on Sunday. The winning students receive a $50 gift card for art supplies and the art teacher receives a $100 gift card as well. You can vote once per day per computer login. You can also vote on your smartphone,’ Ms. Nassan explained.
Ms Nassan explained the process further.
“Artsonia's website nominated Ana as the popular artist during the week of October 21. From there people around the country were able to vote on her work as the most popular artist of the week. She won and they sent her a plaque, a $50 certificate to Blick art supplies and a print of her work,” Ms. Nassan said. “ Artsonia also sent a $100 gift certificate to Blick art supplies to the school which Ana has chosen to be used toward Mural supplies for NAHS..”
The Club Fair is today during Unit Lunch in the Large Gym.
For Seniors interested in registering for one additional AP Exam, please follow the following process: https://tinyurl.com/2yhbokfs
