Restructuring the Elementary School Experience to Align with State Mandates
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Recent mandates delivered by the New Jersey Department of Education and the State Board of Education aim to prepare students for future learning and employment in a globally-connected and technologically savvy community. These pieces of legislation require the Middletown Township Public School District to adjust the design of its educational programming accordingly.
designed to inspire students to pursue personalized learning opportunities that apply foundational skills to their innovative, creative, and critical thinking practices. The program’s structure promotes collaboration between students and their teachers, and encourages the showcase of their learning journey at district Innovation Fairs, SPARK Tanks, and Gifted and Talented Share Fairs.
The legislation stated that each school district will adhere to the reporting schedule connected to its New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continue Review, and will include in that report “the number of staff employed by the school district whose job responsibilities include identification of and providing services to gifted and talented students.” As such, the district will now staff two elementary Personalized Learning Teachers who will implement our G&T program.
These new standards and curriculum frameworks will be the foundation of the new elementary technology course taught by our Digital Literacy and Design Teachers. Our educators will design and implement grade-level appropriate lessons that help our students develop and build upon the necessary technology skills throughout their elementary education. Typing skills are a cornerstone of this foundational plan, which also addresses some of the feedback the district received during our Strategic Planning Public Forums, regarding consistent technology and typing instruction at the elementary level.
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Student Web Series Features
In-Depth Interview With Dr. George
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Since making the transition to virtual home instruction, High School North student Sophia
Haber Brock has continued her personalized learning journey by launching a weekly web series in which she interviews different members of the community.
She has already spoken to Middletown Mayor Tony Perry, as well Monmouth County Freeholder Susan M. Kiley, in addition to featuring classmates in a round table discussion regarding the social-emotional impact of the isolation that accompanies social distancing mandates.
This week Sophia sat down with Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., to discuss a multitude of topics, including district graduations, revised grading policies
, quarantine, personalized learning, virtual learning, social emotional learning and his recently announced retirement.
Please click the image above to watch the full interview.
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BOE Formally Adopts State-Approved
Virtual Home Instruction Plan
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On May 13 the Board of Education formally adopted the district's state-approved Virtual Home Instruction Plan.
The adopted plan includes all updates the community has been apprised of the past weeks, including practical revisions to grading policies, daily schedules and an expanded Extended School Year program.
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Introducing Mrs. Maureen McCormack
as New Middletown Village Principal
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On Friday, May 15th, Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., introduced Mrs. Maureen McCormack as the new principal of Middleton Village Elementary School for the 2020-21 school year.
"
Mrs. McCormack brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her position and she has proved herself a valuable member of our administrative team," said Dr. George in a community letter.
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Students Asked to Take Part
in the MTPS Poetry Challenge
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Sponsored by the district's media specialist team, the MTPS Poetry Challenge is asking students of all grade levels to tap into their creativity and submit works to be shared with the school community.
Students may enter multiple, school-appropriate, poems and winners from each level (elementary, middle and high school) will be awarded with a Barnes & Noble gift card.
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The district is seeking community feedback regarding programming and budgetary planning for fiscal year 2021. Please take a moment to participate in the Middletown ESEA Stakeholder Needs Assessment Survey.
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Virtual Home Instruction Internet Technology Support
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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 device repairs, technology team members are available on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
in the lobby of High School North from 8 a.m. to Noon
. For more information
please follow the link
.
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New Jersey celebrates
the second week of May as Special Education Week, a time to
recognize the contributions of students, staff, administrators and parents for their efforts to ensure educational access and equity for all students.
Thank you to all members of our MTPS family for working to maintain
and further develop
our inclusive school community.
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Watch the May 13th BOE Special Voting Meeting Video
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The Board of Education held a special virtual rehire meeting on May 13th on the district's Zoom platform.
The full meeting is now available for review by following the link to the right.
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Nut Swamp Elementary Student Making a Big Impact
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In the first week of April, Nut Swamp Elementary School second graders took part in a lesson about philanthropy, and learned how even the smallest acts of kindness can make a large impact on an individual or a community.
Inspired by the lesson, Nut Swamp student Sophia Collett used her passion for sewing to create 100 safety masks that she donated to local medical professionals at various medical centers and hospitals.
But her work was far from finished.
Since that initial donation, friends, family and community members have contributed to her cause with monetary donations that Sophia used to provide lunch and dinner to essential staff in the labor and delivery department at Monmouth Medical Center, as well as veterinarians at the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, and Middletown Township police officers.
Collett has continued to feed her passion for sewing by crafting special "Hero Headbands" for frontline workers at the Monmouth Medical Center's COVID-19 unit, as well as those at Memorial Sloan Kettering, IMA Urgent Care and Jersey Shore Medical Center.
Thank you to Sophia for utilizing her passions to support those who need it most, and inspiring others to do the same.
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Dr. George Announces Retirement After Nearly 9 Years with Middletown Schools
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On May 8, Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D. announced his retirement from the Middletown Township Public School District effective September 1, 2020.
Dr. George has spent nearly nine years with the district, and in a community letter he offered the following sentiment.
"I am very grateful for the support I have received from students, staff and parents during my tenure. The success we have achieved together was only possible due to our talented and dedicated educators and staff who work tirelessly on behalf of our outstanding students every day, as well as our supportive Board of Education. The true evidence of the success of the Middletown schools can be found in the performance of our exceptional students. Our students’ resilience during this challenging time continues to provide inspiration for all of us. The Middletown school community will always hold a special place in my heart and I will continue to display my #MTPSpride going forward. Thank you."
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Dr. George Addresses Virtual Grading Policies for High School & Middle School Students
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The district recently released its virtual grading policies
for middle school and high school students for the 4th marking period, which, in accordance with Governor Murphy's May 4th mandate, will be completed in a virtual learning environment.
Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., addressed the virtual grading policies in a community letter distributed on May 5.
"The district’s virtual middle school and high school grading policy was developed in collaboration with teachers, students and administrators," said Dr. George. "These
protocols consider the varied needs of our students, including those who are contending with anxiety related to financial, connectivity and technological concerns, as well as those who must provide care to younger siblings while their parents continue to work. No situation at home is the same, and we did our best to address these social-emotional concerns while stressing the importance of a strong academic program that aligns with our district goals and New Jersey student learning standards."
For more information, please review Dr. George's community letter in full by
following the link.
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Governor Announces School Closures for
In-Person Instruction for Rest of Academic Year
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On May 4, Governor Murphy announced that the statewide school closures for in-person instruction will be extended through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. In accordance with the Governor’s communication, the Middletown Township Public School District will continue to implement our virtual home instruction plan.
Since the district’s March 16 transition to virtual home instruction, the administration has collaborated with staff and students to develop a virtual learning plan that could be sustained for an undetermined amount of time. The model we introduced and updated has uniquely positioned our school community as a state and national leader in this unprecedented period of time. It is designed to carry us through the end of our academic year and the extended school year, if necessary.
For more information please review the May 4 community letter from Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D. by
following the link.
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Watch the District Celebrate 32 MTPS
Students who Earned the NJ Seal of Biliteracy
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In 2016, New Jersey became the 17th state to implement a statewide Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy seeks to encourage students to study languages by certifying attainment of biliteracy.
Evidence of biliteracy provides employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills and provide universities with a method to recognize and award academic credit to applicants seeking admission.
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Language proficiency strengthens intergroup relationships, affirms the value of diversity, and honors the multiple cultures and language of a community. We are proud of the Middletown students who achieved the Seal of Biliteracy and the teachers and administrators who facilitated and supported the initiative.
This virtual celebration is to honor the 32 high school seniors from the Middletown Township Public School District that recently earned their New Jersey Seal of Biliteracy. Congratulations to all!
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Dr. George Thanks the MTPS Nursing Staff on School Nurse Appreciation Day
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May 6th marked National School Nurse Day, a moment to celebrate our nursing staff for the heroes they are to our community every day.
"Our nurses provide support beyond our virtual classroom walls to our greater Middletown community," wrote Dr. George in a community address to honor our nurses. "After work, some of our nurses conduct health checks of children at the YMCA child care center for essential workers. In addition, every district nurse provides the Middletown Township Health Department with support for community members that have tested positive for COVID-19, their families and close contacts. Our nurses work to provide COVID-19 mitigation education and counseling on isolation/quarantine strategies ensures the safety of all Middletown residents."
Thank you to our nurses for all they do for our Middletown community. Read more about our nurses
by following the link.
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MTPS Recognized for Developing Equitable Virtual Learning Plan
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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."
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Bayview Elementary School Comes
Together in Touching
Video Tribute
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Bayview Elementary School came together in a touching video tribute to celebrate their school community during virtual home instruction. Watch it by following the link to the right.
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District Director Offers Comprehensive
Look at Imagine Learning Platform
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Check out the video to the right in which District Director of Staff Development & Special Programs, Jessica Alfone, offers the school community a comprehensive look at the Imagine Learning platform, providing answers to many frequently asked questions.
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Dr. George's Corner Podcast: The Impact of Student Voice
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Episode 2 of Dr. George's Corner Podcast, features High School North Principal, Dr. Patricia Cartier, and High School South Principal, Mr. Matthew Kirkpatrick.
The trio speaks about the impact student voice has on the educational experience offered by the district, as well as the important role student input plays in this virtual learning environment.
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In this episode, Dr. George, Dr. Cartier and Mr. Kirkpatrick urge students to reach out to them, school counselors and teachers via email regarding the different concepts discussed within.
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Lincroft Elementary School Launches Digital Newsletter & YouTube Page
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The Lincroft Elementary School community has used its virtual home instruction schedule to launch two new digital platforms, including a new online newsletter and YouTube Channel. To review the inaugural edition of The Paw Print newsletter, including student created articles, artwork and videos
please follow the link
.
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To check out the school's new YouTube page, the Everything's Super Pawsitive Network (also known as ESPN), please click the video link to the right.
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Our Future Ready Journey: Growth in the Face of Unparalleled Challenges
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Though we understood the district’s Future Ready journey was preparing our school community for something bigger, what we failed to realize was that bolstering our technological infrastructure and investing in the personalized learning goals of our students and staff would help us lead the way in a national transformation of the educational system.
As we reflect upon our journey toward Virtual Home Instruction and the last four weeks of implementation, it has become evident that our school district was uniquely positioned to structure an online learning environment that would benefit our school community and ensure learning would continue while we did our part to flatten the curve.
When the plan was initially created four-weeks ago, the focus was to capitalize on our current infrastructures, both hardware and in a human-capacity. Our goal was to ensure that learning experiences were aligned to state standards and our current instructional models, while progressing the content.
The Future Ready journey provided us with the tools, capacity, insights and mindset to effectively implement a viable model in a short period of time. More importantly, it has enabled us to continue to reflect upon the initial model and enact practical changes that continue to benefit our school community.
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School Nurses Launch Virtual Food Drive for Middletown Helps Its Own
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Our school nurses have launched a virtual food drive for
Middletown Helps Its Own
. Donations can be submitted to help purchase food for community families in need through Venmo: Middletown-Helpsitsown or through the mail to 66 Main St. Port Monmouth, NJ 07758.
In the meantime, check out what our nursing team has been up to in the video to the right, and
a wonderful article
written about their journey by The Relentless School Nurse.
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District STEM Specialists Help Fight Against COVID-19 Coronavirus
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District STEM specialists Jeanette VanFechtmann and Marc Seigel have joined the local and national battle against COVID-19 Coronavirus.
Both have used 3D printing devices, the same type of equipment they help our students complete projects with, to develop products for healthcare workers to fight this pandemic.
Over her spring recess, VanFechtmann printed several ventilator manifold parts and donated them to Project C.U.R.E., a non-profit organization based in Colorado that aids healthcare centers and hospitals across the nation.
Earlier this week, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry lauded the efforts of Seigel, who partnered with members of the Middletown Township Public Library to create 100 face shields to be distributed to nurses and doctors at Bayshore Medical Center.
Thank you to both of these teacher-leaders for their efforts to support those on the front lines of this fight.
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Our Future Ready Journey: The Work Continues
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Our journey began in fall 2014 in the back of the middle school media center. A small group of administrators and teacher-leaders who shared a passion for educational technology, met for the first time to discuss best practices and how to empower educators and students to use our brand new one-to-one devices effectively and meaningfully.
(
NOTE:
Please listen to a new podcast by Dr. George by following the link to the right)
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After a few productive meetings of sharing ideas (and fears), one member of the team pulled up the Alliance for Excellent Education’s website, which showcased the new Future Ready Schools’ Framework. The seemingly daunting task of implementing equitable digital learning was organized simply into seven “gears,” and at the center of the framework was the phrase, “Personalized Student Learning.”
It was on this day, in that moment, that things started to click for those of us who realized technology’s growing role in education, but had not yet realized its full potential. Technology was not about the latest and greatest apps or hardware; it was (and is) about how it can transform a teacher’s classroom into one where every student has the skills, resources, and information at their fingertips to accomplish their individual goals and succeed as unique learners. However, there was important work that needed to be done in order to get to this level of learning. So what was our first step? Commitment; to the shared vision and to the process of change. By first completing the Future Ready district self-assessment, we were able to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses that would help guide our strategic planning, school and district goals, professional development, budgeting, and technology infrastructure. By early 2015, Middletown Township Public Schools was committed to becoming a “Future Ready” district.
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Fun, Free & Creative Ways to
Contend with Social Distancing
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The isolation of social distancing may seem overwhelming at times, but plenty of activities are emerging for students and families to fill their time in fun and creative ways.
Earlier this week a video of Ocean Avenue fifth grade student Leah Johnson was circulated on the district’s social media platform and celebrated by the greater school community. The video featured Johnson in her backyard delivering a graceful rendition of the well-covered Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah.”
The vocal showcase,
which you can watch here
, was Johnson’s response to a recent challenge articulated by MTPS Arts Academy Director Steven Graziano. Earlier this month Graziano posted a YouTube video that prompted Middletown students to tap into their creativity in whatever media they are most passionate about, capture their work in a video clip or photo, posting it to Twitter with the hashtag #MTPSArtsChallenge, and tagging @MTPSArts and @MTPSpride.
To find more fun activities and challenges to enjoy by community partners like The Middletown Arts Center, Historical Society, Public Library, our own MTPS Library and more,
please follow the link
.
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Supporting our Students' Emotional Wellbeing
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The importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) for students has come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our support staff, consisting of Social Behavior Support Specialists, Guidance Counselors, Student Assistance Counselors, and School Nurses, has risen to the challenge of maintaining and augmenting SEL in a virtual setting.
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The support staff has worked collaboratively to create combined Google Classrooms complete with social-emotional support, health updates and activities that offer meaningful messages of hope and perseverance. Schools have designated days to highlight the importance of students' social and emotional wellbeing through instruction on stress reduction techniques such as mindful breathing and yoga, as well as practices to promote positive self-image. Students continue to engage in character education activities through interactive lessons modified for virtual learning, and more than 1,900 students have signed the
Student Civic Pledge to Support Social Distancing
.
Supporting our students emotionally is a top priority for our district. Since transitioning to an online platform of learning, the support staff has established Google appointments that provide students an opportunity to participate in telecounseling/teletherapy sessions. Support staff members are also participating in Google Hangouts and regularly communicating with students to monitor their social and emotional wellbeing. If needed, mental health resources are offered through our partnership with the YMCA and CPC, as well as other local mental health organizations. YMCA counseling in all schools is continuing virtually as well as CPC counseling at the high schools. Additionally, student organization advisors and athletic coaches are providing students with opportunities to participate in virtual clubs and athletic activities that allow students time to connect with their peers and continue to pursue their interests.
Social-Emotional and Mental Health Resources
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Interested In Employment
Opportunities with the District?
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Throughout the year new employment opportunities arise for educators, paraprofessionals, and more.
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