Have a Happy Halloween Weekend!!! |
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MTPS Arts Academy
Students Put Multimedia
Creativity on Display
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On Thursday, October 28th, students enrolled in the MTPS Arts Academy participated in a showcase of their multimedia creativity at the program's annual art walk. Check out some of the many highlights from the show below. |
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BayshorePartners with NJDOE & Rutgers to build Stronger School Support System |
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Bayshore Middle School announced earlier this week it has forged a partnership with NJ Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJ PBSIS), a collaborative initiative between New Jersey schools, the NJDOE and Rutgers University Office of Special Education to help provide comprehensive professional development to support the implementation of tiered interventions that offer equitable access to a range of school intervention needs, including conduct, behavior and social-emotional wellness.
The partnership is the result of an application submitted by Bayshore in June. Following a competitive review process, Bayshore was one of 30 schools who had their submission accepted to the 2021-2024 cohort.
Over the next three years, Bayshore will work closely with NJ PBSIS to design a responsive tiered intervention framework for the school community. NJ PBSIS will provide Bayshore staff with training, coaching and planning support at no cost to the school or district.
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Ocean Avenue Works to
Kick Cancer Overboard
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Yaseen Sadek, a 2nd grader at Ocean Avenue Elementary School, was nominated by a family friend to the Kick Cancer Overboard committee, a organization that works to offer those impacted by cancer an all-expenses paid cruise to help ease the mind, body and soul.
Ester Jordan, who voluntarily makes bracelets to support Kick Cancer Overboard, donated her bracelets to the Ocean Avenue community to help launch a fundraiser in support of their classmate, and with hopes of generating enough proceeds to send he and his family on a cruise.
Those efforts proved successful, as Kick Cancer Overboard committee members visited Ocean Avenue earlier this week to surprise the Sadek family.
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Thompson Boys Soccer Closes Out Undefeated Season |
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Earlier this week the Thompson Middle School Boys Soccer Program concluded its season with a conference championship after successfully capping an undefeated 2021 campaign with a perfect record of 10-0.
Congratulations to the Lions on their incredible year!
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District Recognizes Academic Achievements of Students |
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The Middletown Township Public School District Administrative Team and Board of Education recognized a number of district students on Oct. 25th for their academic achievements in the National Merit Scholarship Program, as well as those who received exceptional marks during Advanced Placement Testing.
Semifinalists in the 67th National Merit Scholarship Program
The following students were commended for qualifying as 2022 National Merit Program Semifinalists. The students have demonstrated exceptional academic promise and potential for success in rigorous college studies by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test used for program entry. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be awarded next spring.
- Daniel Burke
- Ava Collins
- James Conway
- Benjamin Gotlieb
- Joseph Kunego
- Vivian Mead
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Advanced Placement Recognition
The following High School North and High School South students have achieved recognition on one or more Advanced Placement exams. The Advanced Placement program offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students whereby colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. We congratulate our students for their successful efforts to prepare for their college academic goals.
- Alyssa Estrada, AP Scholar w Honor - Highest score AP Human Geography and Macro Economics
- Charlotte Parauda, AP Scholar with Honor
- Elizabeth Welch, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score English Language, Human Geography and US History
- Olly Banerjee, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Macro Economics
- Colin Mullee, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Environmental Science, Statistics, US Government and US History
- Joseph Kunego, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Caluclus AB, Chemistry, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles and Physics
- Elizabeth Rankin, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Calculus AB, Human Geography, Macro and Micro Economics
- Benjamin Gottlieb, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Calculus AB, Computer Science Principles, Macro and Micro Economics
- Emma Danza, AP Scholar with Distinction - Highest score AP Biology, Statistics and US History Naomi Corboy, AP Scholar with Distinction
- David Hussey, AP Scholar - Highest score in Macro Economics Vincent Dorozynski, AP Scholar - Highest score in AP Macro Economics
- Ryan St. Clair, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Statistics
- Victor Medl, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Macro and Micro Economics
- Samantha Gambale, AP Scholar - Highest score AP English Language
- Chenye Lenhard, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Computer Science Principles
- Jonathan Beyer, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Calculus AB and Computer Science Principals
- Jack Latore, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Calculus AB and Computer Science Principles
- Kayla DePalma, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Calculus AB and Computer Science
- Ava DiLouie, AP Scholar - Highest score AP Calculus AB
- Alexandra Dean, AP Scholar
- Liam Drumm, AP Scholar
- Ronan Dunn, AP Scholar
- Dimintri Martin, AP Scholar
- Mohammed Shata, AP Scholar
- Luciano Alfano, Highest Score AP Environmental Science
- Daniel Burke, AP Scholar with Honor
- Venkata Chalamalasetty, AP Scholar with Distinction
- Stephen Citranglo, Highest Score AP Computer Science Principles
- Sarah Cohen, AP Scholar
- James Conway, AP Scholar
- Cassandra DeGeorge, AP Scholar with Honor, Highest Score AP United States History
- Orlando Faria, AP Scholar
- Collin Greiss, AP Scholar
- Matthew Klimovich, AP Scholar with Honor, Highest Score AP United States Government and Politics
- Ryan Lavelle, AP Scholar
- Jacinto Lopez, Highest Score AP Human Geography
- Jacob McGowan, AP Scholar with Distinction, Highest Score: AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics
- Jada McKnight, AP Scholar
- Sydney Monchik, AP Scholar
- Kaitlyn Nickerson, AP Scholar
- Kaitlyn Pedersen, AP Scholar
- Jorge Rivera, AP Scholar with Honor, Highest Score: AP English Language and Composition, AP Physics 1
- Timothy Roche, Highest Score AP Computer Science Principles
- Evan Romano, AP Scholar
- Liam Ruane, Highest Score AP World History: Modern
- Antonette Rutigliano, Highest Score AP World History: Modern
- Kaleigh Siemer, AP Scholar
- Justin Spinella, Highest Score AP Calculus AB
- Emmanuel Villa, Highest Score AP Calculus AB
- Rebecca Walsh, AP Scholar with Honor Maya Yesalonis, AP Scholar with Distinction
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Unified Sports Taking Root in District High Schools |
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During the winter of 2019, on the court at High School South, members of the MTPS Unified Sports Basketball Program celebrated a victory in the inaugural Shore Conference Unified Basketball Championship.
Assistant Superintendent of Student Activities and Services, Patrick Rinella, recalled being on hand for the event, and subsequent celebration, calling it a scholastic sports moment he’ll never forget.
“I’ve participated in and witnessed a lot of high school sporting events in my life, and that one ranks up there at the top,” said Rinella. “It was an unbelievable evening. Surrounded by their parents and peers, who were all on hand to cheer them on, this group of special education and typically developing students came together to accomplish something wonderful. It’s one of the best events I’ve ever had the opportunity to be part of.”
Providing all students with authentic experiences was the catalyst for launching a Unified Sports program in the district four years ago, which allows special education and typically developing students the opportunity to collaborate in a safe, fun and competitive athletics environment.
A cooperative effort between Middletown Township Public Schools and the New Jersey chapter of the Special Olympics – which supports the district’s program through grant funding – Unified Sports is available to all high school students, and according to Rinella, is unlike anything the district has offered in the past.
“We’ve had similar programs, but what makes Play Unify unique is the level of competition our student-athletes experience,” said Rinella.
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The district will implement two Unified Sports offerings in the 2021-22 academic year, with its winter basketball program and a spring track and field outfit.
Play Unified includes two stages, beginning with a player development and mentorship aspect, followed by a competition stage, in which student-athletes have an opportunity to experience both wins and losses.
“When the Play Unify trainers come in to help instruct our coaches and directors, they emphasize how the experience needs to be authentic. There are winners and there are losers, and one of the goals of this program is to have all of our athletes learn about that experience,” said Rinella.
A final element of the Play Unify program is an additional physical education elective option listed in the district’s Course Selection Guide as Unified Physical Education. The course is available to all student-athletes participating in the district’s Unified Sports program, and serves as an added opportunity for teammates to develop together on the court, track and field.
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Squatober Comes to
High School South
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The global squat phenomenon known as Squatober has made its way to physical education classes at High School South.
A program followed by coaches, trainers and lifting enthusiasts around the world, the Eagles are pairing Squatober with a bigger cause, utilizing the initiative to raise funds for the United States Navy SEALs Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that dedicates funds and support to all former and current members of this special operations group, and their immediate dependents, including Gold Star Families.
High School South conditioning coach Zach Even-Esh has worked to develop a culture on campus around the importance of teamwork and its connection to familial strength.
“The SEALs represent the ultimate team and family collaboration. They embody the team approach. They don’t care who gets the recognition for a job well done, only that their mission is complete and that their actions lived up to their code: Ready to lead. Ready to follow. Never Quit,” said Even-Esh.
At the end of October students who participated in the Squatober challenge will collect funds pledged by their friends and family members for a collective donation to the Navy SEALs Fund.
“The goal is to help our students learn and acquire the same commitment displayed by the SEALs and apply it to all areas of their lives,” added Even-Esh.
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RESPECT: Village Students Learned it, Earned it and are Ready to Return it |
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On Thursday, Oct.r 7, the students and staff at Middletown Village Elementary School enjoyed an outdoor assembly focused on respect, responsibility and kindness.
Led by Lead U, a collective of educational artists who creatively engage and empower learners of all ages to discover their leadership abilities, the assembly was an interactive way to teach students about managing emotions, listening and empathizing with their peers, managing responsibilities and recognizing kindness in each other.
The students participated in games such as Artist, Clay, Model, Rock, Paper, Scissors, and seven second of silence, as well as the Feelings Game.
"There were lots of smiles, laughs and dancing involved. It was the perfect way to celebrate The Week of Respect," said Middletown Village Principal Maureen McCormack.
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Emojis and the Bill of Rights |
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During a recent lesson in Ms. Heather Engelken's social studies class, Thompson Middle School eighth-grade students reimagined what the Bill of Rights might have looked like if the framers of the Constitution of the United States had smart phones, text messaging and emojis at their disposal.
Had James Madison been limited to tweets of 280 characters while penning the Constitution and its first 10 amendments, a Bill of Rights formatted solely in emojis certainly would have come in handy.
To learn more about the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, you can visit the National Archives website.
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Take a Virtual Field Trip with Google Arts & Culture |
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Distance is no longer an obstacle for curious minds yearning to learn more about some of the world's most interesting locations and figures of prominence.
Google has developed and released a database of more than 400 virtual field trips for students and families in the fields of Science and Technology, the Arts, Geography, Natural History, and World History, in addition to virtual tours of numerous countries and territories.
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Therapy Dogs In Training Across the District |
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When a mid-morning thunder storm rolled through Middletown last month, a classroom teacher at Leonardo Elementary School noticed the anxiety level of her student intensify with each approaching rumble.
A quick call to the main office brought a visit from Ace, a one-and-a-half-year-old Australian shepherd poodle mix, who was able to calm the nerves of this young student and help them return to class.
Ace is one of eight dogs across the district enrolled in the AIR School Therapy Dog Program, a 38-week training course offered by the Princeton, NJ based nonprofit organization Attitudes in Reverse (AIR), which prepares pups to intervene during significant situations in the lives of students and staff.
“Therapy dogs are trained to respond to tragedy in the lives of adults and students,” said Leonardo Principal Peter Smith. “If something significant happens, an emergency in the district, our course of action is to call our counselors in to assist. In the future, once they are certified and ready to go, we would call our dogs in as well to help students and staff get through any difficult time that may arise.”
Currently there are dogs in eight schools across the district that have completed approximately 10 weeks of training. Through the first eight weeks of the program, the dogs have received eye contact training, leash work, command obedience training and hand signal recognition training.
“We saw AIR implement a comprehensive program in the Hopewell Valley School District where eight admins and counselors were trained to bring dogs to school on a daily basis. With the support of Mr. Rinella and Mrs. Walker, we began our training,” added Smith. “Once our dogs are certified to do so, I’m confident they’ll make a lasting positive impact on the lives of our students and staff members.”
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Civic Air Patrol Cadet Program Open to Students Ages 12 and Above |
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The district is preparing to host a Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program on the campus of High School South. This regional squadron is composed of students from across Monmouth County, and aims to support our communities with emergency response and youth development programming.
“We believe this program will help fill a void for those students who are looking for something different from traditional extracurricular activities like athletics and clubs,” said Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Pickus. “This is a hands-on experience for students as young as 12-years old, and in addition to those students enrolled in the program, it will also help support our students involved in some of our more highly enrolled electives.”
Pickus said the partnership will support students in middle school robotics courses, as well as those involved with aeronautics and design, and rocket development at the high school level.
“The Civil Air Patrol can help provide our students access to equipment and materials like flight simulators and rocket design kits, as well offer color guard services at district events and ceremonies,” added Pickus.
Pickus also noted that with the squadron’s focus on aeronautics and cybersecurity skills training, students will receive instruction in highly-sought after fields, as well as the opportunity for internship experience at Newark Liberty International Airport and the Port Authority. Students enrolled in the program may also receive priority admittance into the various military academies after high school.
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Football Teams Capture Division Championships |
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With a 22-8 road victory over Brick Township on Oct. 8th, the High School North football program improved its record to 4-1 on the season and secured the Shore Conference Independence Division Championship, the program's first division title since 1983.
High School South traveled further down the Garden State Parkway that evening to Southern Regional, where the Eagles won a 21-14 contest, improving their record to 5-0 on the year and capturing the Shore Conference Colonial Division Championship in the process.
Congratulations to both of our football programs on their championship achievements, and best of luck through the rest of the season!
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New Monmouth Students Stomp Out Bullying |
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The New Monmouth Elementary School community closed out its Week of Respect with an effort to Stomp Out Bullying, as students and staff wore blue to partake in World Bullying Prevention Month.
This national initiative conducted across the country throughout the month of October aims to positively change school culture by educating students about the harmful effects of bullying, cyberbullying and discrimination.
Additionally, the Stomp Out Bullying movement promotes civility, diversity, inclusion, equity and equality, while speaking to the importance respect to oneself, classmates, school staff and community members, and highlights the power of peer mentoring programs.
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River Plaza Celebrates National Walk to School Day |
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A long standing tradition at River Plaza Elementary School is to participate in Walk to School Day, a national initiative that promote student health by walking and biking to campus.
The event also serves as a celebration of the school community's culture of safety and support for those students and families who do travel to class by foot or wheels.
Thank you to our community members who are diligent in their travels during school hours, and mindful of students, staff and families navigating to and from our school campuses.
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Nut Swamp Nest Beautification Committee at Work |
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Composed of students, staff and community volunteers, the Nut Swamp Nest Beautification Committee is leaving its mark on the elementary school's campus by maintaining an outdoor area for members of the school community to rest, relax, play and even participate in outdoor learning when weather permits.
Recently the committee has resurfaced the area with a fresh layer of engineered wood fiber, a safe, durable and natural method to covering grounds that offers cushion and protection for students and staff.
Thank you for your incredible efforts, and keep up the wonderful work!
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