Letters from the Administration 

Dear Parent,

We hope that you and your family had an enjoyable and restful summer.  

As the school year approaches, there is a great deal of information to share.  Some important topics and expectations are covered in this letter and below; please be sure to bookmark and visit this site often for more updates and details about the start of the school year.  We introduced this site a couple years ago to improve and streamline communication, eliminating many of the individual emails we used to send.  We hope it is a “one stop” location for any information that you need.

Welcomes and Farewells

This year, we welcome several new partners in our mission to Bishop Guertin.  Mrs. Lena Ferreira joins our Mathematics Department from Lowell High School, where she taught high-level courses.  Dr. Kevin Wilk comes to us from industry and a research background in astronomy and will be teaching Physics.  Mr. Jay Blasko also joins our Science Department with undergraduate studies in biochemistry as well as experience in coaching.  Dr. Matthew Lomanno brings teaching experience from St. Anselm College and Holy Family Academy to our Theology Department.  Ms. Megan Miller joins our Social Studies Department after nearly two decades of teaching in the Nashua School District, including her recent studies and research at the American Academy in Rome.  Ms. Christina Sarmas joins our English Department, having spent several years teaching at several public and private schools.  Bishop Guertin graduate and longtime coach and staff member Mr. Steve Duprat re-joins the Bishop Guertin community in our Health and Fitness Department.  Welcome back, Mr. Duprat, and welcome to all of our new partners in the mission.

We congratulate Mr. Brian Starck and Ms. Katina Smith, who will be assuming new responsibilities as the Associate Deans of Student Formation.  They will be supporting Mr. Forrester and working on initiatives to maintain the high expectations and strong student culture of Bishop Guertin.  Both bring experiences as educators and in other fields, and will bring their passion and insight to this new role.

We wish all the best to Mr. Ferolito, Mr. Christiansen, Dr. Sherwood, Mr. O’Neal, Mr. Cookson, and Mr. Fischer as they begin their next chapters.  We again recognize the retirements of Mr. Gadecki, Mr. Boucher, Nurse Turner, and Mr. Jackson and acknowledge their service to Catholic education and to Bishop Guertin.

Other School Updates

The summer has brought much activity to our campus, and beyond.

On the lower level, next to the Keegan Leadership Center, students will find visible updates to our Student Life Center, which will develop into a meeting space and hub of our student life and leadership programs.  Work by Harvey Construction should be wrapping up by the start of school and new furnishings will be arriving shortly thereafter.  

We also look forward to our ongoing field improvements.  If you have driven down Groton Road, you have seen the progress there on the Keegan Athletic Complex, thanks to the rapid work of Lynch Excavation.  We expect that at least one of the fields will open for usage this fall with a grass surface and temporary parking and track while construction continues on the remainder of the complex throughout the year.  You can see below a recent aerial shot of the site, as of a week ago.

Meanwhile, following some delays beyond the school’s control, the Elliott Field upgrades on the main campus (turf field, lights, and seating) are nearing their groundbreaking upon the issuance of final state and local permits.  We also look forward to parking and driveway improvements, which will enhance the traffic flow throughout the campus.  While we expect that these projects will cause some disruption to parking and traffic on the campus, which our contractors will strive to minimize, the long-term benefits are clear, and we thank you for your patience and flexibility throughout the year.

Important Reminders

Here are some reminders of important policies.  Please note that the latest edition of our Student Handbook is published online.  All parents and students have agreed to support the policies outlined in the Student Handbook as a condition of their enrollment contract.

Traffic - Parent Pickup and Student Drivers

Traffic and driving are always topics of concern at the start of the school year.

Parents who are dropping off students at school should note:

• In the morning, student drop-off will continue to occur via the front loop (please pull forward to the Gymnasium or Field House entrances) or via the back entrance (by the white tent).

• In the afternoon, please pick up only in the front loop until 3:00 PM.  After 3:00 PM, pickups may occur either in the front loop or rear of the school.

• Avoiding lining up at the side of Lund Road by the tennis courts.  Also, do not park along Almont Street.  Cars (and especially large SUVs) in these areas block visibility of drivers exiting the parking lot and have led to numerous accidents in the past.
  
  

Despite our best efforts, there are brief periods of traffic congestion in the morning and afternoon.  From both a traffic and educational standpoint, there are benefits to dropping off earlier or picking up later.  More time at school permits students to become involved in activities, socialize with peers, work on homework, or seek assistance from teachers.  An earlier or later time also reduces the time you spend in traffic and minimizes the overall congestion around campus.  We encourage you to make arrangements outside the busiest few minutes of the morning and afternoon.

Students driving to school should be aware:

• Student drivers park in assigned spots only and enter through the cafeteria, gym/field house, or locker rooms.  At the end of the school day, student drivers may only exit via Almont Street.  The Lund Road exit is closed at dismissal time for safety reasons.

• All student drivers are expected to drive courteously and safely in the vicinity of the school.  Students are expected to avoid aggressive or obnoxious driving behaviors in the neighborhood (speeding, loud music, etc.).  There is significant concern by neighbors, the city, and the police about student (and adult) drivers in the vicinity of the school.  It is important that we be good neighbors.

• Student drivers may enter and exit the campus on Lund Road and Almont Street but should not take shortcuts on the side streets (Forest Park, Fairlane, Knollwood, Alder, etc.) unless their car is parked there.  These quiet residential side streets are not “drag strips” for avoiding the congestion on the main road.

• Parking on campus is limited and is a privilege.  A single incident of irresponsible driving may result in the revocation of parking privileges.  Especially as we are limited in our parking availability, there is always a “waiting list” for parking spaces, and we award this privilege to those who will take responsibility for safe driving.

• The school also fully supports the frequent efforts by the Nashua Police Department to enforce speed limits and driving laws near the school.

Substance-Free Pledge

We remind you about (1) the Substance Free Pledge which you signed electronically and (2) the Drug and Alcohol Policy (p. 20 of the student handbook) to which you and your student have agreed.  These rules apply 24/7, all year, in school and out of school.  The use of drug, tobacco, or alcohol products is always a violation of our policy (even if they are used in a locality that has legalized them).  Also, the use of electronic vaporizing devices, “vaping,” is a violation of the Substance Free Pledge and school policies.  These devices deliver THC and nicotine, often at a much higher concentration than traditional cigarettes, and are difficult for parents or the school to detect.

We encourage your family to review the policies to which you have agreed and to discuss your family's consistent expectations around the use of substances.  There is clear research demonstrating the susceptibility of young people to addiction.  We now know that teenage "experimentation" with substances is not harmless; many lifelong addictions start during the teenage years.  The policies to which you and your student have agreed are intended to create a structure for helping our students to avoid these pitfalls.

Social Media and Phones

Another issue that requires your support is social media and phone use.  

Often, social media and text/video messaging is the underlying issue behind issues of mental health, anxiety, sleep deficits, bullying, and academic difficulty.  Our Digital Citizenship Policy (p. 21 of the student handbook) outlines expectations and also the limitations on the school's ability to be the arbiter of social media activity.  It is important to understand that the school is unable to supervise or address the majority of behaviors that occur online and in non-public communication channels.  Cardinals are expected to conduct themselves appropriately at all times.  The administration reserves the right to determine which matters fall under the school’s oversight.  As a parent, you ultimately own the digital device and the service plan and it is your responsibility to monitor or set parameters on the use of social media outside of school.

We continue our “no phones” policy during the school day, and ask that phones be left in the student’s locker.  Phones will be confiscated by teachers or staff members if the phone is seen in a student’s possession.  We ask for your support of this rule by not contacting your student during their classes and by supporting our enforcement of this rule as we strive to offer "the gift of focus" to our students.  In case of emergency, you or your student can always reach out to the Main Office for assistance in making contact.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Nearly four years after the release of ChatGPT, the conversation continues surrounding artificial intelligence, its role in education, and its importance to the future of our students.  Over the upcoming school year, the society as a whole will grapple visibly with the opportunities and dangers of AI, its effects and impacts, and the role that it will play in the future.  As elections approach, these discussions are likely to take on a political flavor with regards to data centers or regulations (including how schools will be pressured to handle AI).

As a school, we are driven by our mission of whole-person formation.  We will strive to achieve the balance of preparing students for an AI-infused world, while ensuring that our students retain the ability to think critically, solve problems, interpret information, and make informed decisions using their own well-developed capabilities.  Recent research has raised serious concerns about the over-reliance on AI tools and its impact on learning and personal development.   No matter how the economy evolves in the “Age of AI,” we all intend for our students to be literate and prepared to function independently.  In order to achieve this, we recognize that all learning and growth takes effort, and AI cannot be used to avoid this effort if the growth is to be achieved.

For that reason, our teachers will continue to set clear boundaries around the use of AI tools, and the school administration will support their judgment and decisions.  As a general rule, AI may not be used to substitute for the student’s own effort and work.

As the technology improves, the use of AI is increasingly difficult to detect.  Only by engaging in dialogue with our students about how their learning and effort now are connected to the people they wish to become, and helping them to develop good judgment and intuition about the use of these tools, can we hope that they develop their own ability to make informed decisions about AI.  We urge you to have these conversations at home about how and when AI can be utilized, and the importance of putting in the effort.

Our school theme this year is intended to support a robust discussion of AI - there is much more to discuss about AI, and we hope that you will stay tuned!

Goal Setting 

On a more positive and optimistic note, the beginning of the school year is an excellent opportunity for students to reflect upon their goals for the year.  It is often helpful for students and parents to discuss questions such as these:

• What are my academic goals for the coming year? 

• What are my longer-term goals (college, career, etc.), and how can I advance towards these goals?

• What are the important priorities for my time?  What should I spend more time doing?  What are time-wasting activities that I should avoid?

• What qualities do I seek in my friends, and which of my friends help me to be a better person?  Are there ways that my friends or peer pressure detract from my goals?

• What are some new activities that I can pursue, or some existing talents that I can develop?

• What are the boundaries that I can decide now so that I don't slip into bad decisions later (eg. work habits, sleep, social media, gaming, harmful substances, relationships, etc.)?

We hope that you will encourage this discussion at home as we start the school year.  In particular, creating and posting written goals makes it more likely that the goals will be achieved.  August always represents a blank slate.  Consider setting a weekly time to revisit and review progress towards these goals.

Partnership and Communication

As usual, I close with some thoughts about partnership and communication.

Our partnership starts with respectful and constructive communication to the appropriate individuals.  For your convenience, please reference our "key contact" list (p. 36 of our student handbook) to guide you if you need to reach out.  Generally, the individual who is listed will be the best person to resolve the matter and is empowered to make any decisions that are necessary, or to connect you with the best resource(s).

Often, the best way to communicate about routine issues is via email.  Just as we educate our students to follow appropriate decorum in their communications, we ask that you identify yourself and your student and provide any context so that we can respond fully and correctly.  All Bishop Guertin faculty and staff members have email addresses corresponding to last name + first initial @bghs.org (eg. "strnistej@bghs.org").  Teachers and staff members check their email daily when school is in session.  In general, you can expect a response time of 1-2 days.  Teachers and staff members do not monitor their email as frequently outside of school hours, on weekends, or during school vacations.

Teachers and staff members will send information and opportunities to students via their student email accounts, and students are responsible for this information.  Please encourage and remind your son/daughter to establish a routine of checking email regularly, especially when school is in session.

When problems arise, we always urge that the student be encouraged to resolve most situations on their own.  Self-advocacy skills are critical in preparation for college and life.  Ultimately, our partnership is about working together to help each student to take ownership of their growth as a person.  However, if you sense that a matter may be beyond your son or daughter's ability to resolve on his/her own, do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher, coach, or school counselor before a concern grows into a larger issue.  When significant challenges arise, we all share the same high hopes for your child, and "we must work together." (- Br. John Louis Collignon, early BG Principal)

Welcome to the new school year!  Thank you for your attention to all of the above information, and most importantly, for the trust that you have placed in us.  We are honored to partner with you in the formation of your son or daughter.  We look forward to an outstanding 2026-2027 school year!  

Please be sure to review the information below about upcoming events and check back often!

Sincerely,

Jason Strniste
Principal