District Honored at 2019 NJSBA Workshop
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Educators across the District are engaging students in personalized learning opportunities that build the skills necessary to one day flourish during college studies, a trade school education or in a rapidly evolving global work environment.
This forward-thinking approach to education is the mission of Future Ready Schools New Jersey (FRS-NJ), an organization dedicated to establishing a culture of innovation and empowerment in our schools.
FRS-NJ is a coalition of the New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the New Jersey Department of Education.
The coalition recognized the District for its Future Ready efforts on September 16th, and honored our schools with a ceremony at the 2019 New Jersey School Boards Association Workshop in October.
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Harmony Elementary Stands Up To Cancer At Luca Strong Day
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Harmony Elementary School students and staff rallied for Luca Iacono on Oct. 25, 2019 at the third annual Luca Strong Day, an event in which students are invited to wear pink and blue clothing in support their fifth grade classmate and friend who continues to battle against cancer.
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In 2006, Kristen Gillette lost her daughter Kortney to a brain tumor. In the ensuing months, Gillette was moved to found the
Kortney Rose Foundation
, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for pediatric cancer research. To date the group has raised more than $2.3 million, a total that includes fundraising contributions from Middletown Township Public Schools.
District students helped the foundation raise $10,312 last year, and Gillette hopes that total can be surpassed with this year’s “Kortney’s Cash for the Cure” event.
Fundraising materials for the month-long effort arrived in our schools Oct. 15. The deadline to donate is Nov. 15. For more information about “Kortney’s Cash for the Cure” please reach out to the front office of your home school. To learn more about the Kortney Rose Foundation, or to donate, please visit the
organization website
.
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Thorne Middle School
Accepts Rachel's Challenge
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On Tuesday, Oct. 15 Thorne Middle School Students were introduced to Rachel’s Challenge, the emotional tale of Rachel Joy Scott, whose life was taken in the tragic events of Columbine High School in 1999.
To learn more about Rachel's story and the Thorne community's reaction please visit the
District website
.
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Stakeholders Help Shape Future at Planning Forums
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The District's 2020-2025 Strategic Planning process is underway, and hundreds of stakeholders from across our Middletown community attended the first three public forums held Oct. 17-19 at Bayshore, Thompson and Thorne Middle Schools.
The town hall-style meetings were led by Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., as well as former New Jersey Commissioner of Education, David Hespe, and former Executive Director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, Lynn Strickland.
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Hespe and Strickland are partners with
Schoolhouse Strategies
, a consulting firm specializing in assisting school communities navigate the rigorous planning process.
Additional information about the planning process and upcoming meeting dates in November and December are also available on the
website
.
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A University Model in
Active Learning Classrooms
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The District has adapted the university "Active Learning Classroom" model from Rutgers University, and designed and implemented five new rooms in our middle schools and high schools. Research shows that active learning, when compared to individualistic learning, improves academic achievement, the quality of interpersonal interactions between peers, and a student's self-esteem. Learn more on the
District website
.
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The Middletown Township Historical Society (MTHS) is an outstanding community partner dedicated to preserving, documenting, and sharing the history of one of the oldest European settlements in the state.
For more information about MTHS, including upcoming educational event, please visit the
organization's website
.
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Important Upcoming Dates
To view a full list of your school's events please visit the calendar on your school's website.
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NOVEMBER LUNCH MENUES:
The District has published the monthly food menus for November on our website. Please view them on the
Food Services page
.
GIFTED AND TALENTED:
The District has started mailing information about the Gifted and Talented Program. For more information about mailing dates and program start dates please visit the
District website
.
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District Working to Develop
Global Citizenship Education
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District Supervisor of Social Studies and Technology, Wendy Morales, is emphasizing the concept of global citizenship education during the 2019-20 school year. As technology continues to transform higher education and workplace environments the importance of global competency for our students is rapidly increasing. To learn more about the District's global citizenship education efforts
please continue reading.
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Parent Information Council Hosts First Meeting of Year
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The Parent Information Council (PIC) is an organization that meets monthly at Central Office. PIC consists of Parent Faculty Association (PFA) representatives from each of our District schools. The group comes together to discuss various topics of importance with PIC Chair Margie Rafferty-Criscione and District personnel. Watch the first meeting of the year above. Visit the Parent Information Council web page on the
District website
.
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The Middletown Township Public Library (MTPL) is conducting a surplus Halloween candy collection.
The collected candy will be donated to Holiday Express, a local nonprofit organization that delivers food, music, gifts, financial supports and friendship to those in need during the holiday season.
All donations can be made at the Middletown Township Public Library.
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Dr. George's Corner - Leading and Learning
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As an educator, district leader, and lifelong learner, I am fortunate enough to work in a school district where I learn something new every day. My daily interactions with students, teachers, support staff, administrators, parents, and many others have allowed me to consider unique perspectives and challenge my own beliefs.
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For two decades I have had the privilege of serving as an adjunct professor. This opportunity has allowed me to learn alongside educators with different expertise who serve in a variety of district roles. Instead of seeing myself as their professor, I choose to see myself as a “lead learner” inspiring other educators to embrace the infinitely unfinished process of learning.
Each day, we as educators have the ability to motivate all learners by inspiring them to maximize their potential through learning experiences that cultivate their strengths and passions.
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