Celebrating the Class of 2020 with Virtual Graduation and Promotion Ceremonies

The Class of 2020 experienced unprecedented challenges this year, but rose up to clear each hurdle and cross the finish line this past week, as our eighth grade students celebrated their promotion to High School on June 17th, before our seniors were honored with virtual graduation ceremonies the following afternoon. You can rewatch the middle school and high school promotion and graduation ceremonies below by following the links. High School North and South students were also recognized with virtual graduation montage videos:  High School North Graduation Montage High School South Graduation Montage

A Single, United, Class of 2020

For the first time in his tenure as Superintendent of Schools, Dr. George addressed the graduating Class of 2020 as a single, united, student body. Review his promotion and graduation speech to our middle school and high school students below.

Mayor Perry Addresses Our High School Class of 2020

A Vision for Social Justice in our Schools

The Middletown Township Public School District is committed to providing opportunities for our students to openly discuss meaningful and relevant topics and assist them in reaching their full potential as lifelong learners and globally responsible citizens. Members of our student body, alumni and school community stand together in solidarity for justice and equity. On Thursday, June 18th, Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., delivered an address in response to an open letter published by current MTPS students and alumni to he, the Board of Education and our faculty, which called for reflection and action. "If personalized learning, self-reflection, and the ability to grow ethically and morally are foundational concepts we endorse and use to educate future leaders, then we must ask ourselves if we can do better to inspire the change we wish to see in the world," said Dr. George. To read his full community letter please follow the link. RELATED COMMUNITY LETTERS Developing a Culture of Anti-Racism in our Schools (6.10.20) MTPS Supports Voice of High School North Valedictorian Let us Learn, Lead and Stand Together During These Difficult Times

MTPS Summer Learning Resources Guide

Please follow the link below to review a helpful guide of summer learning resources for your student.

District Honors High School Seniors with Virtual Awards Ceremonies

MTPS Arts Academy Hosts Virtual Showcase

B The Second Annual MTPS Arts Academy Showcase went virtual in 2020. To watch our district's rising stars place their talents on full display please click the image below. Be sure to review the showcase program by following the link.

Access the June 24th Board of Education Meeting via Zoom

Thank you for your interest in attending the June 24th virtual Board of Education Workshop/Voting meeting. Executive sessions will begin at 6 p.m. The public portion of the meeting will begin at approximately 7 p.m. NOTE:  You will not be able to join the meeting until approximately 6 p.m. Please follow the link, or the U.S. dial-in phone option, to attend. Please follow the link to join the meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94615942970 Telephone: +1 312 626 6799 If prompted please enter the Webinar ID: 946 1594 2970 YouTube:  If you do not wish to participate via the Zoom platform, the meeting will be streamed live on the district  YouTube channel . Email comments:  For those who do not wish to engage with board members in the Zoom platform, comments may be submitted to  boardmeeting@middletownk12.org. For additional meeting procedures please follow the link.

Opinion: Racial Insensitivity Exists Everywhere, We Are Not Immune

By Luke Ferrell, High School North Senior NOTE: This article was previously published in another publication Middletown, it’s time that we have a conversation about race. Merriam-Webster defines a conversation as “an oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas”. Let’s “exchange” ways to make our community a better place without “exchanging” hate or negativity. I’d like to explain why even the “fifth safest city in America to raise a child” (SafeWise, 2016) cannot be excluded from hearing stories of overcoming racial adversity. As a proud Middletown High School North senior and a Middletown resident, I would have never in a million years imagined that the community I love and cherish would ever be subjected to any sort of racial prejudice. Up until the past few days, I have confused what I now consider hurtful and insensitive comments and slurs with humor. We’ve always been taught to treat everyone equally, but have also often been taught that it’s better to “stay out of it” or “not get involved” when it doesn’t concern us. Standing up for what is right and speaking out, even when it is unpopular, has been demonized for too long. A statement made by my classmate and good friend will change the way I see the world for the rest of my life. On Monday, June 1, Middletown High School North’s 2020 valedictorian, Jada Tulloch posted a video on Instagram, now with over 28,000 views, 7,754 likes, and 1,453 comments. Her video is in response to students organizing a protest outside of the Middletown Township Board of Education office to push for an in-person graduation. While we all desperately want a way to celebrate our accomplishments as a class, I think our greatest accomplishment can be uniting against an issue we’ve let persist for too long. Jada states, “For me graduation represents the fact that I’ve survived years of racial discrimination, oppression, and disgusting comments from the close-minded people that I surround myself with in this god-forsaken town”. This powerful statement has opened my eyes to realize that I have been quiet for too long. Whether I was walking down the sidewalk or the hallways of my high school, I have heard racially insensitive comments and made excuses for it– usually I brushed it off as humor. Meanwhile, a person of color could’ve overheard the same comment and felt threatened and worthless. Today, I realize that not only is it ignorant to allow these comments to reach my ears without hesitation or action but that my beloved hometown isn’t in a bubble secluded from the issues of the rest of the world. Every community displays instances of racial insensitivity, and worse; however not recognizing that this is a problem in a particular area just because of its location or socioeconomic class often normalizes racially inconsiderate sentiments. This ultimately allows a snowball effect of acceptance of more and more “jokes” and slurs that target minorities. Jada has shared an important and disheartening message in an attempt to make our town a better place. It is simply impossible to dismiss her message without understanding her experience. Few of us have walked in the shoes of a person of color. To continue reading this article please follow the link.

An In-Depth Look at our Revised 2020-21 Elementary Schedule

Based upon productive feedback and dialogue with the school community, we have updated our elementary schedule for the 2020-21 school year to expand upon inclusive and equitable learning opportunities for all students, as well as to ensure that our curricula and programs align with recent revisions to NJ Student Learning Standards and the draft 2020-2025 district strategic plan. For an in-depth look at next year’s schedule please follow the link.

5 High School Students Nominated for Count Basie Awards

Every year, the Count Basie Center for the Arts' Education department forms an evaluation committee who then attend and score upwards to 50 local school productions. Several weeks later, a capacity crowd typically packs the historic Count Basie Theater in Red Bank to watch selections from school performances and cheer on the nominees and winners. This year, due to the pandemic, the Basie Awards were hosted virtually on Tues. June 9th.  Middletown High School South came out with two nominations for their fall production of "U- A Play", directed by Alexis Kozak. The nominations included Danny Decrescenzo for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama and Camille Pugliese for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. We also congratulate Seniors  Camille Pugliese and Gianna Dinardo who both won Arts Impact Scholarships! Middletown High School North came out with three nominations for their fall production of "Our Town", directed by Amanda Faria. The nominations included  Mackenzie Kanach for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Drama, Joshua Yantin, (Sophomore Middletown School's Arts Academy student) for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama, and New drama teacher to High School North this year, Amanda Faria for Outstanding Direction in a Drama. Ms. Faria added "It is a very prestigious honor to be nominated against so many competitive theater arts programs, actors, and directors. Ms. Faria also added "we look forward to future productions!" Although our nominees did not win, it is a nod to the expertise and talent that our students and arts staff possess in the Middletown School District. I am so proud of all the nominees and can't wait to see what our students will bring forth in the future!

District Poetry Contest Winners Unveiled

Hosted by the district's Library team members, there were an incredible 630 poems entered into our MTPS Poetry Contest! Of those entered, four winning poets were selected and are listed above. Please note, at the middle school level there was a first place tie. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to our winners! You can read the winning poems by following the link.

Bayshore Students Earn Recognition In NPR Podcast Contest

For the second year in a row, Mrs. Strongarone’s 7th grade social studies classes participated in the national NPR Student Podcast Challenge. The challenge asks students in elementary, middle, and high school to record a 3 to 12 minute podcast on a topic of their choosing. Over 2,000 entries were submitted to the contest and the podcast “Brain Breaks for Students” by Olivia Badrick, Sara Burdzy, and Ayva Cappadona received honorable mention recognition. Their podcast included interviews with Mr. Gannon and Mrs. Berg. They discussed the benefits of short breaks for students to socialize with friends, have time to themselves, or participate in another activity to help their brain relax during the day. Olivia, Sara, and Ayva’s podcast has been announced publicly as an honorable mention by NPR and the girls will receive certificates for their achievement. Listen for their podcast on your local NPR station or by following this link.

Speech Department Connects with Students During Virtual Home Instruction

Though social distancing mandates have kept us apart, our educators have used their ingenuity and creativity to advance instruction and development. Follow the link to see how our Speech Department has continued to connect with students during virtual home instruction.

Interested in Learning More About the Virtual Advanced Placement Experience?

Middletown Township Public Schools advanced placement students and teachers recently engaged in a round table discussion regarding their virtual experience with Advanced Placement course work and assessments. The group came together to help prepare future advanced placement students.

District Presents Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives Draft; BOE Seeks Community Input

During the May 27th Board of Education Workshop/Voting Meeting, a presentation was delivered to inform our school community about the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives, which were developed with public input expressed in a district survey and during seven public forums. Watch the presentation by following the link to the right, and review the slideshow by following this link. The Strategic Planning Committee is seeking community input on the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives Draft through Wednesday, June 10. Community members should email their comments to  strategicplanning@middletownk12.org.

The May 27th BOE Meeting Video is Now Available

The Board of Education held a virtual workshop/voting meeting on Wednesday, May 27th via the district's Zoom platform. The full meeting is now available for review by click the video icon to the right. To watch previous Board of Education meeting videos please follow the link.

Virtual Home Instruction Internet Technology Support

During Virtual Home Instruction days the district internet technology team is available to answer your technical support questions. Please email technology@middletownk12.org with any questions or concerns. For more information please follow the link .

MTPS Recognized for Developing Equitable Virtual Learning Plan

The District was recently recognized by the Alliance for Excellent Education for the development and implementation of its virtual learning plan. An excerpt from the article reads... "Like many districts across the nation, Middletown Township transitioned its nearly 9,500 students to full-time remote learning in mid-March when it closed schools to slow the spread of the  novel coronavirus (COVID-19) . In many ways, the suburban school district already had most of the necessary elements in place to support a successful transition, thanks in part to the  five-step planning process  district leaders undertook in working through the  seven gears  of the  Future Ready Framework . The district had an existing one-to-one initiative that provides each student in third through twelfth grade with a personal device. Additionally, to implement that program successfully, the district enhanced its  infrastructure , particularly the bandwidth available at its schools, and provided teachers and other school staff members with  personalized professional learning  to support student-centered instruction." Continue reading the article by following the link.

On Jan. 22nd the District's 2020-2021 School Calendar was adopted. To view the calendar please visit  www.middletownk12.org/Calendar

Interested In Employment Opportunities with the District?

Throughout the year new employment opportunities arise for educators, paraprofessionals, and more. Learn more about new openings by visiting www.middletownk12.org/JobPostings