Application Process
Who can apply for admission?
Eighth- and ninth-grade students are invited to apply for admission into the 9th or 10th grade at Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Students who attend a state-approved (Chapter 74) vocational technical school program in another school may apply as transfer students. Homeschooled students must provide documentation from their local superintendent showing approval of curriculum and evidence of work reflecting state benchmarks. Students may only be admitted if they have been promoted to the grade they are seeking to enter, so students should be aware that their admission is conditional until proof of promotion is confirmed. If promotion is not granted, admission will be rescinded.
Priority for admission is given to a student who is a resident of the Blue Hills Regional Technical School District. The Blue Hills Regional School District includes the following towns: Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton, Norwood, Randolph and Westwood. Non-residents of the Blue Hills Regional School District will be considered for admission after all qualified resident students.
Complete an Application
Blue Hills Regional Technical School has an on-line application that is adaptable to languages other than English. Simply click here: Apply Now! to begin the application. Applications are available to send by mail and will be adapted to languages other than English upon request, as well. It there is a student with limited English proficiency, a qualified representative from Blue Hills Regional will assist the applicant in completing the application and assist in interpreting during the entire application and admission process upon the request of the applicant. Please contact the Admission’s Office at 781-828-5800 ext. 2270, if you have any questions or need help filling out the application for admission.
Blue Hills Regional Technical School is committed to providing educational opportunities to students experiencing homelessness. Please contact our school’s liaison, Angelo Dimitriou, at adimitriou@bluehills.org, by telephone at 781-828-5800 ext. 2241, by fax at 781-828-0794 or in person with any questions. Students with limited English proficiency and/or disabilities may voluntarily self-identify themselves on the application to request reasonable accommodations during the entire application and admission process. This information 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 Blue Hills Regional Technical School.
All components of the application must be completed before it will be reviewed. Please be sure that you fill out the application completely before submitting your application online or to the Admissions Office or your guidance counselor.
Most students apply for fall admission to enroll by the first opening school day of September, while some students may apply for admission during the school year. Admission is subject to the availability of openings and the ability to benefit therefrom.
Apply for Admission into the 9th Grade
The best time to apply is early fall. Interested students should complete an Application for Admission, along with their parent(s)/guardian(s) and submit it online or return it to the Admissions Office at Blue Hills Regional Technical School or their guidance counselor by early December to start school on opening day in September. This will allow a guidance counselor the time needed to complete your application packet by our December 16th submission deadline. Upon receipt of the completed application packet, each applicant will have an interview at either their sending school or Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Our goal is to have all interviews completed by the last day in January, January 31, 2023. Applications, completed by our priority submission date of December 16, 2022 are priority for interviews to take place on or before January 31, 2023. Please be aware that later applications, received after the priority submission date of December 16 will be scheduled for an interview date after January 31, 2023.
Apply for Admission into the 10th Grade
Students should complete an Application for Admission for the 10th grade, along with their parent(s)/guardian(s) and submit it online or return it to the Admissions Office at Blue Hills Regional Technical School or their guidance counselor before mid-June to start school on opening day in September. This will allow a guidance counselor the time needed to complete your application packet by our June 16th submission deadline. Upon receipt of the completed application packet, each applicant will have an interview at either their sending school or Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Our goal is to have all interviews completed in July, July 21, 2023. Applications, completed by our priority submission date of June 16th are priority for interviews to take place on or before July 21, 2023. Please be aware that later applications, received after the priority submission date of June 16 will be scheduled for an interview date after July 21, 2023.
Late applications are considered for admission. However, it may limit your opportunity for admission. Non-resident applicants are considered for admission only after all qualified in-district students have been enrolled.
Blue Hills Regional Technical School has a published admissions policy that is made available to all applicants and parent(s)/guardian(s) as part of the application process. This policy gives the admission criteria, as well as a description of the entire admission process. The admission policy is provided along with the application and is available on our website www.bluehills.org and in the Admissions Office.
A completed application consists of:
- A completed Application for Admission Form by the Applicant and Parent/Guardian
- A complete submission of official grades from the school
- 9th grade applicants: 7th grade and term 1 grade 8
- 10th grade applicants: previous school year grades and current term 1 grades
- Transfer students: previous school year grades and current term 1 grades
- If applying during the school year, the previous school year and the current school year to the date of application grades will be considered.
- A completed Recommendation Form by teacher, guidance counselor or school designee. This form will be provided to the school.
- Section A: Recommendation on potential for success
- Section B: School Discipline/Conduct Activity
- A completed Attendance Evaluation Form by guidance counselor or school designee. This form will be provided to the school.
- A complete interview
Application Process for Transfer Applicants
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 if they relocate from their current school. For Fall Admission to the 9th and 10th grade, applicants may pursue a different program of study and 11th and 12th grade applicants must pursue the same program of study at Blue Hills Regional Technical School. For admission during the school year, 9th grade applicants and 10th grade applicants during their first term may pursue a different program of study. 10th grade applicants during their second term, and 11th and 12th grade applicants must pursue the same program of study at Blue Hills Regional Technical School. All transfer applicants must complete the application process described above. Annually, there are limited seats available.
Application Process for Non-Resident Applicants of the Blue Hills Regional School District
Students who are not residents of the Blue Hills Regional School District are eligible to apply for admission subject to the availability of openings. Non-resident applicants are evaluated using the same criteria as resident applicants and will be placed on the waiting list after resident applicants. Nonresidents must file an application for admission and a Chapter 74 Vocational Technical Education Program Nonresident Student Tuition Application (located at: https://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/cvte/admissions/ ) no later than March 15th of the preceding school year with the Admissions Office for completion of Part I and Part II. In addition, By April 1 of the preceding school year, the non-resident student must forward the application to the Superintendent of the student’s district of residence for Completion of Part III in accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Education Guidelines for the Vocational Technical Education Program Nonresident Student Tuition Process pursuant to M.G.L. c.74 located at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/cvte/admissions/. Upon receipt, the Superintendent of the student’s district of residence must either indicate approval or disapproval of the application. The application must be returned to the Admissions Office within ten (10) business days. The student’s parent/guardian or school that has been denied nonresident tuition by the district of residence may request that the Commissioner review the denial of tuition. The application and supporting documents must be submitted in writing to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for review no later than May 1 in accordance with the Guidelines for the Vocational Technical Education Program Nonresident Student Tuition Process pursuant to M.G.L. c.74, M.G.L. c.74. Section 8A requires that the municipality of residence provide transportation to students admitted to Blue Hills Regional Technical School as nonresidents under M.G.L. c.74 Sections 7 and 7C.
Non-resident applicants for fall admission will be considered after May 6th. Additionally, a Chapter 74 Non-Resident Tuition Application must be approved by the sending town’s Superintendent of Schools in order to qualify for admission.
Application Process for Withdrawn Students
Students who withdraw from Blue Hills Regional Technical School and wish to reapply for admission to Blue Hills Regional may do so. Students must complete the application process described above and will be evaluated using the same criteria contained in the admissions policy.
The Interview
All applicants must be interviewed following receipt of the completed application packet from the local school. Interviews take place at either the district public schools and on campus at Blue Hills Regional. Interviews are arranged with the district public schools and/or directly with parents.
For students applying for the 9th grade, interviews are targeted to be completed by January 31st. Applications for the 9th grade, completed by our priority submission date of December 16, 2022, are priority for interviews to take place on or before January 31, 2023. Please be aware that later applications, received after the priority submission date of December 16th will be scheduled for an interview date after January 31, 2023.
For students applying for the 10th grade, interviews are targeted to be completed by July 21st. Applications for 10th grade, completed by our priority submission date of June 16, 2023, are priority for interviews to take place on or before July 21, 2023. Please be aware that later applications, received after the priority submission date of June 16th will be scheduled for an interview date after July 21, 2023.
Decision Notifications
A notification letter will be sent to applicants on or after February 24th. A second round of notification letters will be sent to notify late applicants and/or students on the waiting list of their status on or after March 17th. Later notification letters will be sent until the number of openings are completely filled.
A notification letter will be sent to applicants applying to the 10th grade on or after August 18th until all seats are filled by the first day of school. Later notification letters will be sent until the number of openings are completely filled for fall enrollment.
Final admission notification letters are sent in August. In order to enroll at Blue Hills Regional Technical School, applicants must have been promoted to the grade they wish to enter by their sending school district. An official final transcript of grades/report cards is required to be submitted to the Director of Admissions prior to enrollment.
Confirmation of Intention to Attend
Accepted 9th grade students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the Director of Admissions of their intention to attend Blue Hills Regional by March 3rd. Recipients of Decision Notification Letters sent in the second round of notification letters must notify the Director of Admissions of their confirmation to attend by April 7th. Later confirmation dates will be scheduled until the numbers of openings are completely filled.
Accepted 10th grade students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the Director of Admissions of their intention to attend Blue Hills Regional by August 25th. Later confirmation dates will be scheduled until the numbers of openings are completely filled in the fall or prior to first term of the school year if there are any openings available.