November 2020
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The Messenger Monroe Township Public Schools Williamstown, New Jersey November Visit our web site: www.monroetwp.k12.nj.us 2020 The Monroe Township Public School District, an education team, is dedicated to the development of the potential and uniqueness of the individual student to become effective participants in an evolving, global society, while providing a safe educational environment for students to attain the skills and knowledge specified in the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Dear Monroe Township School Community, This Messenger issue reflects a time before my arrival but I can attest to the kindness, generosity of time, and willingness of the Monroe community to give of themselves to a better purpose. All this while proceeding through a pandemic. At MTPS it is important to recognize that each and every child brings value to our classroom, and that we bear great responsibility to ensure they feel safe and welcomed (by our staff and our students). We believe that modeling and teaching students how to be kind and respectful to others can make a positive impact in our school communities. We will continue to promote kindness, compassion and respect for others. In light of our current challenges, it is important that all of us remember to bring kindness, patience, and flexibility to our interactions. The challenges brought on by the pandemic and life in general are not easy, but we will support each other. I want to thank all of our staff, our students, and our parents/guardians for applying the virtues of kindness in conversations, communications, and interactions of all kinds. Treating each other with care and concern will help to make all of this easier to deal with. Putting an emphasis on kindness does not mean things aren’t hard. These are not easy times, but if all of us can work to bring the milk of human kindness to the challenges before us, the burdens will not be any heavier than necessary. My best, Susan B. Ficke Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN SCHOOL and didn’t have to wear a mask? (Except when it was part of a lesson.) IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? Mrs. Monzo's class at Whitehall Elementary performed 'surgery' while learning about contractions. They practiced cutting out letters from words and using apostrophes to create contractions. They did a great job showing off their doctor skills while operating on words. DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY The Oak Knoll PTO held their second annual Winter Wonderland Dance in February. Approximately 300 happy students attended with a parent . Everyone had a wonderful time and danced the night away courtesy of second grade teacher and master DJ, Mr. Czbas. Thank you PTO for hosting a fun-filled evening. LOVE THOSE HATS! Hats off to Reading! Radix celebrated the Cat in the Hat during Read Across American week with a special hat day. THEY LOVE SINGING Eighth graders at our middle school are eager to perform at all sporting events held at home. The group sings the National Anthem for the audience. The Students practice with Mrs. Gerelli during their lunch period and after school. BLACK HISTORY MONTH As everyone knows, February is Black Histo- ry Month. The WHS African American Cultural Society hosted a fabulous school-wide assembly in celebration of the achievements by African Americans and serve as a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. History. Radix was proud to host a school-wide assembly called “NED’S Kindness Adventure”. Students were excited to learn about how you can show kindness by changing the way you think and feel about people that are different. Through the assembly, students were taken on a virtual field trip to Kenya. They were taught about different customs and traditions of the people in Kenya, and learned that there are many ways that we can help from America. Radix knows that they can spread kindness- not just at their school, but around the whole world! JOINING WITH OTHERS On March 7, 2020, five Whitehall Elementary students from Monroe Township participated in the South Jersey Choral Directors Association's 37th Annual Elementary Choral Festival hosted at Investor's Bank Auditorium at Washington Town- ship High School. Directed by clinician Dr. Andrew Lesser, the students participated in a 158 student chorus. Congratulations to (Left to Right) Alyssa Tabamo, Sophia Schumin, Eric Robinson, Emma Miller, and Nathaniel Ennis! ENGINEERING CHALLENGE WEEK Engineering Week 2020 was February 16-22. This year’s theme was Engineers: Pioneers of Progress. Like all pioneers, engineers use their knowledge, creativity, and sense of adventure to cross frontiers. TAG teachers Ms. Fensch and Ms. Ungvarsky organized for all four Monroe elementary schools to recognize Engineering Week by having students in grades one thorough four complete an engineering challenge. This year, groups of students were asked to build a tower using only 100 toothpicks and two cups of marshmal- lows. It’s a lot harder than it sounds! Just ask the kids! The students had a ball trying to beat their classmates for the tallest tower in the class. While some groups had difficulty getting their towers off the ground, everyone persevered, trying a new idea, or modifying their original idea. The highest towers measured around 16 inches! Materials were donated by each school’s parent organization and Williamstown’s ShopRite. SHOWING THEIR APPRECATION Oak Knoll third grade Kindness Club surprised their wonderful office staff with posters and cards, expressing just how important the office ladies are, and how much they are appreciated. PAINTING & CREATING TOGETHER Members of the Radix community joined the Caring Kids Club for a special event at Juniper Village Assisted Living Home. The home hosted students for a "Paint and Cocoa" event with its residents. Students and residents got to paint a beach scene by following the lead of an art therapist. Great fun was had between the generations as they painted their canvases. Afterwards, they enjoyed conversation over cocoa and doughnuts. AND NOW ... A VERY SPECIAL DAY TO HONOR OUR VETERANS During a zoom lesson, Mrs. Walter's Class at Whitehall Elementary discussed Veteran's Day. They enjoyed a short video and then read about it. Students learned about the origin of the holiday and why it is important to continue to celebrate each year. After that, they completed tasks and a Fact and Opinion sort. Finally, students decorated their booklets. The class really enjoyed talking about the Armed Forces and discussing what they already knew about veterans/active duty members. OPERATIONALIZING OUR REOPENING PLAN FOR WMS & WHS The pictures below show how we have created conditions in to align with our Reopening Plan. Classrooms have been set up to provide distancing between students. Likewise, cafeteria locations are set to provide distancing for students and staff as these locations may be used for instructional purposes as well as study halls. In addition to physical distancing, each school has posted reminders about COVID-19 and how to stop the spread of the virus. Hallways and stairwells have been marked with directionality. STOP...NO BULLYING AT WHITEHALL ALLOWED Whitehall Elementary had a first: the first virtual assembly in Whitehall’s history! Putting on the assembly was our friend Mr. Bromley (you may know him better as Yojo!). He brought his message of no bullying to the students of Whitehall in a fun filled game show called “The Gameshowsters.” He talked about what to do if you are bullied and what to do if you see someone being bullied. He also made sure the students could tell the difference between a “conflict” and “bullying.”. He is helping Whitehall to stay bully free! HOME DESIGN VIRTUAL ART HALLOWEEN - PART OF A LESSON IN CLASS Mrs. Foti's kindergarten class at Holly Glen Elementary had a Spooktacular time the day before Halloween. They played Halloween Letter Hide and Virtual Art at Whitehall Elementary has been a blast! Seek and Would You Rather. They played these Students of all grade levels at Whitehall got to make with the whole class on Zoom. Ended their day with their very own Playdoh, and make their own "Fossils" a toilet paper pumpkin craft. by pressing items around the house into their clay! WELCOME TO RADIX SCHOOL CELEBRATING BEING IN SCHOOL AND MEETING THEIR NEW CLASSROOM BUDDIES First day back at Holly Glen for Cohorts A and B in Miss Jones and Mrs. Boettcher's class. We decorated the classroom with welcome back signs and balloons to welcome the students back to school. We loved getting to meet each student in person! They loved getting their picture taken with the big 4! Fourth grade is sure to be a great year! STUDENTS AT SCHOOL - AT HOME Art has gone virtual at Whitehall Elementary and it sure is exciting. Kindergarten and first graders were instructed to create door hangers for their at home classrooms, this way, when the door hanger is in its place, their family members and siblings will know to remain quiet while students are hard at work! Second through fourth graders learned how to roll paper and create beads that string onto necklaces, all while review- ing their color families! While students were not back in the classroom, they are still able to work with what they have at home to create masterpieces! EMOTIONAL SCARECROWS Mrs. Brower's second graders at Holly Glen learned that scarecrows have feelings too. What do scarecrows do all day? That was the first question they had to think about. These students came up with actions and synonyms for those actions like hanging, leaning, falling, etc. How do they feel as they are hanging, leaning or falling? That was the second question.