Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School

ADMISSIONS POLICY

Introduction

Massachusetts state regulations (603 CMR 4.00) require all state-funded career/vocational technical education (CVTE schools and CVTE programs at public high schools) to develop and implement admissions policies that comply with state and federal law, as well as relevant guidelines issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the U.S. Department of Education.

I. Admissions

Career/vocational technical education schools and programs are designed and equipped to serve a specific maximum number of students safely. When Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School receives more applications than it has available seats, a combination of a lottery and selective criteria will determine which students will be admitted. The criteria for Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is approved by its school committee, and the school committee approves the use of the criteria annually. Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School’s admission policy is on file at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Applicants in grades nine through twelve at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School are evaluated using the procedures and criteria contained in this Admissions Policy.

II. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement & Equal Educational Opportunity

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School fosters an inclusive environment that values the diversity of our school community and respects individual differences. Each individual is embraced, celebrated, and treated equitably. We aim to foster a dialogue conducive to learning, acceptance, and cultural enrichment. GNB Voc-Tech promotes its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through discussion, education, and promotion of an environment that encourages scholarship, learning, and respect for diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to prepare students for lives in a multicultural society.
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School admits students and makes available to them its advantages and courses of study without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, or housing status.

If a student’s primary home language is not English, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School’s online application process through Go2CTE can be translated into various languages or Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School will make every effort to provide an application form in their home language. Students and families can contact the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Admissions Office at (508) 998-3321 Ext. 740 with questions or those in need of assistance completing the application.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is committed to providing educational opportunities to students experiencing homelessness. Students and/or families experiencing homelessness and who may need assistance regarding the admissions process, please contact Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School’s liaison at 508-998-3321 Ext. 700.

Students with disabilities and English Language Learners may voluntarily identify themselves to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School for the purpose of requesting reasonable accommodations during the completion of the application and admissions process. Information submitted voluntarily by students with limited English proficiency and/or students with disabilities, for the purpose of receiving assistance and accommodations during the entire application and admissions process, will not affect their admission to the school.

Consistent with Massachusetts regulations, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School has created a plan with “deliberate, specific strategies to promote equal educational opportunities and attract, enroll, and retain a student population that, when compared to students in similar grades in sending districts, has a comparable academic and demographic profile.” Each year Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School does the following:

1. Provide community outreach in our sending communities, where families feel most comfortable, in order to educate residents of the opportunities and offerings at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and assist students/families complete the application process.

• • Host the district’s Annual Open House and provide multilingual staff to directly assist with application completion.
  • Host ‘Application Nights’ at GNBVT and provide multilingual staff to directly assist with application completion.
  • Attend ‘Choose Your High School’ nights at local middle and high schools, upon invitation as required by the regulations and provide educational presentations to sending schools.
  • Host individual and group tours at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.
  • Work collaboratively to provide education and assistance through partnerships with community-based agencies and organizations that may include: the Inter-Church Council, Immigrants Assistance Center, New Bedford chapter of the NAACP, YWCA, City of New Bedford’s Regeneration Committee, Boys & Girls Club, Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC), and other interested community agencies, etc.
  • Increase marketing and visibility through social media, radio, television, and strategically placed informational materials.

2. Improve identification of and support for students/families who require assistance with the application process due to language barriers.

• • Go2CTE has included additional application questions to help districts identify students/families whose first language is not English and who may require assistance with the application process.
  • Go2CTE has improved the admissions platform to include a more prominent ‘Language Translation’ icon on the front page for students/families to have the application translated into any language; and/or

3. Collaborate with our sending middle schools to improve their knowledge and understanding of the admissions process and educational (academic and CVTE) programming and expectations.

1. • Host an annual Middle School Admissions Breakfast for sending school representatives; including counselors, special education facilitators, ELL liaisons, etc.)
   • Offer tours for students, families and staff from our three sending districts.
   • Offer technical assistance to our sending school districts regarding the use of the Go2CTE admissions platform.

4. Adjust admissions criteria and the scoring rubric in order to ensure the use of any criteria does not have the effect of disproportionately excluding persons of a particular race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability (more commonly referred to as a “disparate impact”); unless the criteria demonstrate that (1) such criteria have been validated as essential to participation in vocational programs; and (2) alternative equally valid criteria that do not have such a disproportionate adverse effect are unavailable.

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• Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School annually reviews Admissions data to drive decision making for future recommendations of revisions to the criteria within the Admissions policy.
• Maintain a standing Admissions Committee to annually review the admissions policy and subsequent data to recommend any necessary revisions to the school committee.

III. Eligibility

Any rising eighth, ninth, tenth or eleventh grade student who is a resident of the district (New Bedford, Dartmouth, or Fairhaven) may apply for admission to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. Students may only be admitted to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School if they have been promoted to the grade they are seeking to enter. Note: Student acceptance is conditional based upon being promoted to the next grade, maintaining attendance status, and discipline record changes. Acceptance may be rescinded based upon failure to meet the eligibility criteria.

Resident students who meet the minimum requirements for admission shall be admitted prior to acceptance of any non-resident students seeking admission. Students who complete the application for admission as residents of a sending community but who are protected by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA), will be considered as resident students.

Students transferring from Chapter 74 state-approved programs who relocate into the district are eligible to apply for fall admission or admission during the school year to grades 10-12 and will be evaluated using the criteria contained in this Admissions Policy. Students will be placed in a CVTE program if there are seats available within that selected shop.

Non-Resident Students

Students who are not residents of New Bedford, Dartmouth, or Fairhaven are eligible to apply for admission to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. Please be aware that residents of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School who meet the minimum admission requirements will be admitted before any non-residents seeking the same program. Students and families can find information on the Chapter 74 Nonresident Student Tuition Program online.

School Choice

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School does not participate in the inter-district school choice program.The inter-district school choice program, M.G.L. c. 76, § 12B, allows parents/guardians to send their children to schools in communities other than the city or town in which they reside. The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High District School Committee votes annually on whether to participate in the School Choice Program.

Homeless Students

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School will accept homeless students pursuant to the McKinney-Vento Act according to the selection criteria contained in this Student Admissions Policy. Upon acceptance to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High, the district will enroll the student immediately regardless of whether they have the required documentation and/or proof of residency. If the incoming class is at full enrollment, the student will be placed on the waitlist.

Students Living in Foster Care

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School will accept students living in foster care according to the selection criteria contained in this Student Admissions Policy. Once accepted and enrolled, irrespective of the location of a foster care placement, students in foster care will continue to attend their school of origin (Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School), unless after a collaborative decision-making process with the Department of Child & Family Services, it is determined to be in the student’s best interest to enroll in and attend school in the district in which the student resides in foster care. Enrollment of students in the district where they reside in foster care will take place immediately upon such a determination.

Home Schooled Students

Students who are formally home schooled may apply for admission to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, provided all admissions policy criteria are followed. Homeschooled students will be subject to the same admissions standards as other applicants. The home school students’ parent(s)/guardian(s) must submit a copy of the Home School Approval Letter from the local school superintendent. When report cards are not available, grade level work and a representative sample or portfolio of the student’s body of work in English language arts or its equivalent, math, science, and social studies must be submitted. Additionally, three letters of recommendation (not related to student), including one from someone knowledgeable of the student’s academic ability.

Two-Year Programs

Some career and technical education programs at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School are two years in length and are designed for juniors and seniors. For two-year programs, only students entering their junior year may apply. Admissions availability of any two-year program is determined on an annual basis and is subject to change based on space availability.

Late Applications

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School accepts applications on a rolling basis. Applications received after March 8th would be considered but not eligible for the lottery. Applications received after March 8th will be considered for admission, based upon available seating.

IV. Admissions Communication Policies

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School maintains a timeline of events on its website https://www.gnbvt.edu/admissions where it provides information on the admissions process, as well as other information about its programs. Students and their families can request hard copies of the timeline or application by calling or emailing the Admissions Office at admissions@gnbvt.edu or (508) 998-3321 Ext. 740.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School offers tours of its facilities to interested applicants. To request a tour, please call or email our Admissions Office at admissions@gnbvt.edu or (508) 998-3321 Ext. 740. If the agreed-upon time slot for a tour occurs during the applicant’s school day, the Admissions Office will provide confirmation to the applicant’s current school that the applicant attended a tour during this time. Such tours may not be counted as unexcused absences by sending districts. Students in need of transportation to/from a tour should inform their school counselor. Our Admissions Office will work with the student’s sending school to set up transportation whenever possible.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School also shares recruitment information with potential applicants through local school assemblies, our annual Open House in November, post card mailings to all 7th/8th grade students/families in our sending districts, advertisements, press releases, brochures, radio ads, social media and the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School website at https://www.gnbvt.edu.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School utilizes the Go2CTE online application process https://gnbvt.go2cte.org/.  The application system is available in different languages and can be easily accessed on computers, cell phones and other mobile devices. Our bilingual staff are available to support families who speak another language other than English by calling or emailing the Admissions Office at admissions@gnbvt.edu or (508) 998-3321 Ext. 740, and we employ a variety of companies and individuals for interpretation and translation services to assist families who speak a low-incidence language. Applications can be downloaded from our website at https://www.gnbvt.edu/admissions/ and our Admissions Office offers the traditional paper application for any student/family who are unable to access the electronic application. The Admissions Office also communicates with all sending district counselors to offer support and technical assistance they may need to best help their students complete the admissions process.

Application Process for Fall Admission to Grade 9

All Grade 8 students living in the district (New Bedford, Dartmouth, or Fairhaven) receive an informational postcard and invitation to our annual Open House in the mail during November. Information explaining the online application process is available online at https://gnbvt.go2cte.org. 

• Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School opens the admissions portal on or about September 1st. Students and parents/guardians interested in applying to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School for fall admission to the 9th grade must:
  • Complete the application via https://www.gnbvt.edu/admissions/.
• ● Due to the volume of applications received for admission to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, there may be rounds of acceptance throughout the Spring. In order to be considered for the Spring admissions decision, completed applications and all required documentation must be submitted by March 8th. Completed applications received after March 8th will be considered for future acceptance rounds until the freshman class is filled (See Section VIII. Selection Process for additional information). Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School accepts applications on a rolling basis. Applications received after March 8th would be considered but not eligible for the lottery. Applications received after March 8th will be considered for admission, based upon available seating.
• It is the responsibility of the local Guidance Counselor to:
  • Submit the required documents by uploading directly into the Go2CTE system for each applicant. These documents include the following:
  • Report cards from Grade 7 (full year)
  • Grade 8 (first two marking periods)
  • Disciplinary report for both grades 7 & 8 and
  • Records of unexcused absences for both grades 7 & 8.
  • Submit the required documents by uploading directly into the Go2CTE system for each applicant. These documents include report cards from Grade 7 (full year) and Grade 8 (first two marking periods); the disciplinary report for both grades; and records of unexcused absences for both grades.
  • When a hard copy application is completed, the counselor must email, mail or fax the completed application and required documents to the Admissions Office as soon as possible. Documents should be submitted directly to the Admissions Office via mail or drop off at GNBVT Admissions – 1121 Ashley Blvd. New Bedford, MA 02745, email at admissions@gnbvt.edu.

Application Process for Fall Admission to Grade 10, 11, 12

Admissions into 10th or 11th grade is dependent upon whether there are available vocational technical shop openings. This determination is finalized after summer school is completed in August and enrollment numbers are verified. Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School only accepts students in 12th grade who are transferring from another Massachusetts career vocational technical high school (CVTE); and when space in the CVTE area is available.

Students interested in applying for admission into the 10th, 11th or 12th grade should apply online at https://www.gnbvt.edu/admissions.

Students or their parents/guardians should contact the GNBVT Admissions Office and inform the staff they have applied for admissions. It is the responsibility of the student or their parent/guardian to inform their high school and request their final report cards, disciplinary report, and attendance report for the previous two school years.

All required documentation should be submitted directly to the Admissions Office via mail or drop off at GNBVT Admissions – 1121 Ashley Blvd. New Bedford, MA 02745, email at admissions@gnbvt.edu.

• Applications received by July 31st will be reviewed and processed for immediate September openings. Applications received after that date will be processed and considered for acceptance on a waiting list program availability basis.

Incomplete Applications

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

• Students or their parent/guardian can view their application status on the Go2CTE site. Incomplete applications will be coded as one of the following:
  • Started, Awaiting School Data, Need School Recommendation, Incomplete
• During the school year, the Go2CTE system and/or Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Admissions Office will notify the local school guidance counselor responsible for submitting the application that the application is incomplete and will request completion.
• Between June and August, the applicant’s parent/guardian will be notified by the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Admissions Office in the event documentation has not been received or there is a problem that is not resolved by the local school guidance counselor.
• ● All additional efforts will be made to complete the application through direct contact with the local school counselor, parents/guardians and applicant. These efforts will be documented. If after forty-five days the application is still incomplete, the application will be considered invalid. The forty-five-day deadline may be waived by the Superintendent-Director if the parent can show mitigating circumstances.

Withdrawn Students

Students who withdraw from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and who are attending or not attending another high school may reapply following the procedures contained in this Admissions Policy and will be evaluated using the same criteria.

VI. Selection Criteria

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School enrolls 565 freshmen at the start of each school year.

The admission process begins with a qualified lottery for the first 285 seats in the class. All completed applications submitted by March 8th will be eligible for the qualified lottery. The lottery will be administered before any students are admitted via the selective criteria established by the District School Committee (described below).

Students will be eligible for the lottery according to the following qualified criteria essential for success at a vocational technical school:

Qualified Lottery Criteria: To be eligible for the lottery, a student must:

Receive grades (70+) in all four major subjects (ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies from sending middle school) and be promoted by their sending middle school.

2. Demonstrate preparedness for the workforce by having an attendance record for grades 7 and 8 that illustrates the student is not chronically absent (using DESE definition of no more than 10% absences during school days) and,

3. Provide an official school record that illustrates the student was not suspended or expelled pursuant to M.G.L. c 71, 37H or 37H 1/2, or for which suspension or expulsion for more than 10 days was imposed to M.G.L. c 71, 37H ¾.

Once all eligible students are identified, the lottery will take place on or before April 15, 2024 at a date determined by the school district with notification provided to all applicants. On the determined date, the first 285 seats for the incoming Freshman class will be offered via the qualified lottery.

Once the qualified lottery has been completed, the remaining seats for the Class of 2028 will be determined by selective criteria essential for success at a regional vocational technical high school as outlined below.

The following criteria, in combination, has historically shown to be crucial to a student’s success at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. Completed applications are processed by the Admissions Office using weighted admissions criteria. Each applicant will be assigned a score derived from the sum of the sub scores of the following criteria as outlined below.

Scholastic Achievement:       Maximum 24 Points

For applications to Grade 9 (fall admission), the average of Grade 7 and marking periods one and two Grade 8 marks in English, mathematics, and science from the local school report card are used.

For application to grades 10 and 11 (fall admission), the average of the previous two school years and any term of the current school year marks in English, mathematics, and science from the local school report card are used.
For applications to Grades 9, 10, and 11 (admission during the school year), marks in English, mathematics, and science from the previous school year and current school year to the date of the application are used.

Attendance:     Maximum 50 points

Please note: Any discrepancies that dispute the unexcused attendance record from their sending school and/or explains the context of their attendance record must be included in the application submission.

7th Grade:     20 Points (Numbers reflect full school year)

8th Grade:     30 Points (Numbers reflect half school year)

For applications to Grade 9 (fall admission), the sum of the unexcused absences from Grade 7 and marking periods one and two of Grade 8 from the local school report card are used.

For applications to grades 10 and 11 (fall admission), the sum of the unexcused absences from the previous school year and current school year from the local school report card are used.

For applications to grades 9, 10, and 11(admission during the school year), unexcused absences from the previous school year and the current school year to the date of the application are used.

School Behavior:       Maximum 26 points

An applicant’s minor behavior or disciplinary infractions will not be considered as part of this admissions criteria. In accordance with 603 CMR 4.03(6)(a), “minor behavior or disciplinary infractions” for the purpose of this policy shall mean any student conduct other than conduct for which suspension or expulsion is imposed pursuant to M.G.L. c 71, 37H or 37H 1/2 , or for which suspension or expulsion for more than 10 days was imposed to M.G.L. c 71, 37H ¾.

Each suspension or infraction will be reviewed to determine a pattern of multiple incidents of major discipline (37H ¾) which may reflect upon the student’s likelihood of success or safety in the vocational school or program. Students who receive zero (0) points will be given an opportunity to explain and clarify the suspensions or pattern of incidents to admissions personnel.

7th Grade:       Maximum 24 Points (Reflects full school year)

8th Grade:       Maximum 16 Points (Reflects half school year)

For applications to Grade 9 (fall admission), the total number of disciplinary suspensions under 37H or 37 H ½; and/or pattern of serious, unsafe behaviors under 37H ¾ in Grade 7; and marking periods one and two of Grade 8, listed on the local school discipline report or provided by the local school are used.

For applications to Grades 10, 11 and 12 (fall admission), the total number of disciplinary suspensions under 37H or 37 H ½; and/or pattern of serious, unsafe behaviors under 37H ¾ from the previous school year and the current school year, listed on the local school report card or provided by the local school are used.

For applications to Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 (admission during the school year), the total number of disciplinary suspensions under 37H or 37 H ½; and/or pattern of serious, unsafe behaviors under 37H ¾ from the previous and current school year to the date of the application, listed on the local school report card or provided by a staff person from the local school district, are used.

VII. Selection Process

Based on scholastic achievement, record of unexcused absences, and school behavior, each applicant is assigned a point total (Maximum of 100 points). The point totals are listed in rank order from highest to lowest. The applicant with the highest point total is accepted first, followed by the next on the list and so on until the remaining openings are filled.

In the event that scores for acceptance and waitlist are of the same point total, a secondary lottery will be conducted with all applicants of the same score placed into the lottery process. The number of students selected will correspond to the number of available seats.

The remaining students will be placed on a waitlist and offered acceptance consistent with the process described above until the maximum number of students have accepted enrollment at Greater New Bedford Voc Tech.

VIII. Enrollment

In order to enroll at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, applicants must have successfully passed English Language Arts or its grade equivalent, mathematics or its grade equivalent, and been promoted by their local school district to the grade they seek to enter. Students who fail English Language Arts, Mathematics, or Science or its grade equivalent for the year will not be accepted and will have their acceptance letter rescinded.

Acceptance and enrollment at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is conditional upon the accuracy and completeness of a student’s application. Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School reserves the right to revoke its conditional acceptance of any student, at any time, if it determines that the student, the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s), or the student’s sending school district provided inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information during the application process. Additionally, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, reserves the right to further review applications in situations when the applicant’s final report card reflects a significant difference in attendance, discipline and/or academic performance, in terms three and four from the initial information received in the application for terms one and two. This review may lead to the re-calculation of the application and possible revocation of student’s acceptance to Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.

IX. Review & Appeal Process

If Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School does not accept an applicant, or places them on a waitlist, the applicant or their parent/guardian may request that the Superintendent/Director of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School or their designee review that decision within two weeks. The parent/guardian should provide additional documentation in the areas they dispute as part of their appeal request. These requests can be made in the following ways:

The Superintendent/Director or their designee will respond to these requests for review in writing and indicate whether the decision to deny admission to the student, or waitlist the student, will stand or be overturned. In making this determination, the Superintendent/Director or their designee will review the following information:

• Student’s application packet
• Student’s Appeal Letter
• Additional documentation provided by the student or parent/guardian

The Superintendent-Director or his designee shall maintain documentation as to the specific admissions requirements used for waitlist applicants or to deny admission; and shall provide the documentation to the Department or the student’s parent/guardian upon request.

X. Maintenance of Records

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School maintains records of all students who apply, enroll, or are waitlisted, as well as their score on admission criteria (if used), to facilitate analysis of its admissions system and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School will provide this information to the Department upon request.

Legal References:

M.G.L. Chapter 74
603 CMR 4.03
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

ESSER

X. Organizational Structure

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is a regional vocational-technical high school. The school serves the communities of New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven. Founded in 1908, it was one of the first vocational schools in the country and has gained an excellent reputation for providing quality vocational and academic programs. Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent-Director to supervise the administration of the policies and procedures required to admit and enroll applicants in conformity with this Admissions Policy. The Admissions Director is directed by the Superintendent-Director to oversee the admissions process.

The Superintendent of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is:
Michael P. Watson
michael.watson@gnbvt.edu
(508) 998-3321 Ext. 275

The Principal of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is:
Warley J. Williams
warley.williams@gnbvt.edu
(508) 998-3321 Ext. 782

The Director of Admissions at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is:
Jeffrey M. Caron
jeffrey.caron@gnbvt.edu
(508) 998-3321 Ext. 490

The Admission Committee is appointed by the Superintendent-Director. The committee consists of the Principal, Director of Admissions, Executive Director of Student Services, Executive Director for Operations and Compliance, Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Family Engagement, and Directors of Academics and CVTE. Responsibilities of the committee include:

1. Adherence to the standards and criteria for admission as approved by the District’s School Committee.
2. Development and implementation of admissions procedures.

Admissions Timeline

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all students. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, homelessness, immigration status or veteran status in its education programs and activities, including admission to or employment in such programs or activities.