Principal’s Newsletter Voorhees High School

Volume 3, Issue 1 September/October 2013

Note from the Principal Calendar for Sept. /Oct. 2013

Welcome, 9/9 Underclass Photos & Senior ID Photos 9/10 Alive @ 25 7:00 PM Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year! 9/11 In-Service – 11:55 Dismissal The opening of school has gone smoothly 9/12 Back to School Night 7:00 – 9:00 PM 9/17 – 9/20 PSAT Registration 10-3 in and we are off to a wonderful start. Each Guidance new school year brings with it a renewed 9/19 PAC Meeting 9:30am Principal’s sense of excitement and it is great to have Conference Room st the hallways and classrooms filled again. 9/19 1 Meeting of Athletic Advisory Council 6:30 in the New Cafe Whether you are new to Voorhees or have 9/19 Fall College Night 6:30 PM had past experiences here, I am sure you are 9/20 New Student Breakfast 8:00 AM looking forward as much as we are to a 9/24 Blood Drive 7:45am – 3:30pm Back Gym productive year for your child. 10/1 – 10/3 HSPA for Seniors needing to retake test Voorhees welcomes the new staff to the 10/9 In-Service – 11:55 Dismissal 10/18 Underclass Photo Retakes Voorhees Family. Please look inside to see 10/18 Dine Italian, VHS cafeteria the names and short biographies of our new 10/18 Homecoming Football Game vs. Hillside staff and to check out familiar names that 10/19 Homecoming Dance are in new roles. We wish you and your 10/24 – 10/27 Fall Play

children a happy and safe school year and

we look forward to seeing all of the parents at “Back to School Night” on September 12 at 7:00PM.

Sincerely,

Ron Peterson

Upcoming Events

The First Blood Drive of the year will be held on Tuesday, September 24 from 7:45-3:30 in the back gym.

Clothing Drive Sept 9-28 – The Voorhees Boys’ Soccer Booster Club is holding a clothing drive from September 9 through 28. What can be donated? – Wearable and usable clothing (for men, women and children), shoes, belts, handbags, scarves, ties, hats, gloves, linens, table cloths, blankets, towels, soft toys. Drop off bags at the tent near the high school’s main entrance. The club will receive a donation for the total number of pounds collected.

School News

As an ongoing Fundraiser for the TV/Video Production program, we are again offering video transfer services to the public. Drop off your old home movie video tapes and we’ll transfer them to DVD for you! Go to www.VoorheesTV.com for more information!

Student Achievements

Key Club is led at the international level by a student board of trustees, representing many districts. Key Club International offices include president, vice president and 11 trustees. Each trustee is responsible for acting as a liaison between the Key Club International Board and at least two Key Club districts. The Key Club International Board and all district governors comprise the International Council. Zack Waldorf, Senior at Voorhees High School, was elected to Key Club International Trustee during the International Convention this past summer in Washington DC.

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

One of the best parts of being an educator is the relationships we develop with our students. As educators, we are always looking for ways to connect with and assist our students in order for them to make the right decisions and reach their fullest potential. High school has its ups and down and keeping communication lines open will hopefully ease their anxiety during difficult times.

I personally enjoy the times when your children stop into my office to just talk or vent some frustrations. A majority of the time it has to do with their relationships with peers. During these occasions, I look at the students more from a parental perspective than that of a principal. Below are some two extracts of an article from abcdparenting.org that offer some good advice for relationships with peers and friends. If you would like to read the entire article it can be found at: http://www.abcdparenting.org/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&Itemid=8&task=view.download& cid=23

Sincerely, Ron Peterson

ISSUES TO THINK ABOUT Relationships between teenagers and parents are critically important. In fact, these relationships are more likely to influence the interactions teenagers have with their peers than the other way around.

Where adolescents experience warm and supportive families, they tend to be more socially competent and have more friendships that are positive.

By contrast, teenagers who feel neglected or not well accepted at home are more likely to be aggressive toward peers and generally rejected.

Despite the strength of relationships with parents, there are important differences between teenager/parent and teenager/peer relationships. While peer friendships are mutual and equal, parents have a role that involves guiding and controlling. Healthy, open relationships with parents and peers are highly compatible and normally they coexist very well and supplement each other in many ways. While most teenagers enjoy their peers, for some, the whole area of friends and peers is difficult. There are occasions when teenagers can reject one of their peers. Dislike is a common reason for rejection; however, there are many other reasons for it also. It is not unusual for children who are rejected to have a lack of positive social interaction skills, such as being cooperative and helpful.

In situations where children who are aggressive become rejected, they often bully others and display disruptive, impulsive and domineering behaviour. They are then more likely to display problems such as delinquency.

On the other hand, non-aggressive rejected children are often depressed, withdrawn, anxious, and socially awkward or have low self-esteem. These teenagers are most likely to suffer privately and keep their people problems to themselves.

IDEAS There are numerous suggestions, some very simple, that parents can adopt if they want to encourage teenagers to develop rewarding relationships:

• Give your teen empathy, warmth and support. Good parent-child relationships are likely to encourage positive feelings towards peers. You may want to review some of the other sheets in this series for some ideas about how to do this. • Let your teens know your values and encourage them to think about their own. Encourage them to trust their own sense of what is right and wrong and to think for themselves. • Be a good role model. Parents who are enthusiastic about spending time with friends are more likely to have children with lots of healthy friendships. • Do what you can to help your teenagers develop positive social traits such as trustworthiness, honesty, acceptance, being helpful, cooperative, considerate, and supportive, forgiving and not being overly argumentative. • Give teenagers space to have friends in your house. Set clear house rules but encourage adolescents to welcome their friends at home. • Teach children how to manage conflict in relationships. Especially highlight the damage caused by such negative behaviour as gossip, exclusion and physical and verbal aggression.

If you are not comfortable with the friends that your teens have – do not criticise them or place a ban on certain friends. Such bans can very often backfire. A smarter approach is to keep communication lines open, listen to your teenager’s point of view and calmly explain your concerns. It is also important not to try to choose your child’s friends for them.

Athletics

VOORHEES HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS AWARDED FOR SPORTSMANSHIP

For a second year in a row, the Voorhees High School athletic program has received the NJSIAA Sportsmanship Award for the -Raritan Division for the 2012-2013 school year.

Voorhees High School was selected for the NJSIAA Sportsmanship Award based on feedback from opponent schools in the Skyland Conference that competed against Voorhees in athletic contests. At the end of each sports season, coaches in each conference in the state are asked to rate their experiences with opposing schools. Coaches give each school a score of 1 to 5 (poor sportsmanship to outstanding sportsmanship), which should encompass the behaviors of the coach, athletes and spectators of the opposing school. The overall feedback received from the fall, winter and spring seasons then determines which school in each conference and each division has shown the most sportsmanship for the school year.

“The athletic department and the entire Voorhees community are very proud about winning this award for a second year in a row. It is a testament to our athletes, coaches and fans being a proud representation of Voorhees High School and what interscholastic athletics is all about,” said Al Stumpf, Athletic Director of Voorhees High School.

In addition to Voorhees High School, Bridgewater- won the NJSIAA Sportsmanship Award for the Skyland Conference-Delaware Division and Mount Saint Mary Academy won for the Skyland Conference-Valley Division.

Athletic Schedules:

Parents can sign up on the link below to be notified via text message or email when there are any changes made to the athletic schedule such as cancellations, additions or time, site or date changes. http://www.skylandconferencenj.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=380&school_id=21&G5button=13

Athletic Advisory Council First Meeting Date and Time: September 19th @ 6:30PM Place: New Cafe

The purpose of the Athletic Advisory Council (AAC) is to support and promote interscholastic athletics within the total educational program of Voorhees High School. The AAC will be open to our student-athletes, coaching staff, parents, board members and administrators, who, by working together, develop and strengthen a sense of personal responsibility and wellness among the student-athletes, the administration, and the community. The AAC will meet approximately once a month. Meeting times are in the evening to accommodate for our busy schedules. The purpose of AAC is long range and strategic planning. It is not a governing or policy making committee, but it does provide vision to the school when considering school improvements, programs, and general operating issues. Topics of discussion might include athletic facility planning, athletic policies and procedures, student athletic recognition, building competitive programs and other pertinent issues. The AAC is a fantastic way to further strengthen the bonds within the student-athlete community. Through the AAC, all stakeholders are granted a voice in the enhancement of our programs.

New Staff to Voorhees

Physical Education/Health

Sarah Hamm –Sarah joins the Voorhees Staff after a maternity leave replacement at Eisenhower Middle School in Succasunna, NJ. She completed her student teaching at Voorhees in 2011 and graduated from Kean University in December of 2011. In the spring of 2012 Sarah was assistant varsity softball coach at Voorhees.

Social Studies

Cory Kent– Corey begins his teaching career at Voorhees after graduating from Lehigh University in May 2013. He has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Education.

Karlie Leonelli– Also joining the social studies department is Karlie Leonelli. Karlie attended Rutgers University where she earned a B.A in History and Art History and an Ed.M. in Social Studies Education.

Brittney Fanelli– Brittney is a maternity leave replacement for Lauren Canonico. She received her B.A in History and her Masters in Social Studies Education from Montclair State University.

World Language

Dr. Christine Scarloss - Christine will join the World Language department as a German Teacher. She received a B.A in German from the University of Montana, a M.A in German Language and Literature from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in German Language and Literature from Rutgers Unviersity. Before coming to Voorhees Christine taught German at Phillipsburg High School.

Jessica Wallace – Jessica comes to Voorhees from Hunterdon Central High School. She received her B.A. in Spanish from Rutgers University with a concentration in Literature and Cultural Studies.

Special Education

Kaitlyn Escott – Kaitlyn joins the special education department, coming to Voorhees from Harmony Township School in Phillipsburg. She received her B.A in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and her teaching certification in Special Education from King’s College.

Carolyn Baumann – Carolyn comes to Voorhees from Morris Hills Regional High School where she was a teacher of students with disabilities. She is also a private ABA Therapist. Carolyn received a B.A in History from Kean University and a M.A in Special Education from City University.

Math

Lauren Watson – Lauren returns to Voorhees after traveling from Ireland to China by land (no planes), visiting the UK, Sweden, Denmark Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Mongolia and Hong Kong. She navigated the Tran Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing and also traveled extensively in Australia and New Zealand! She was a Math teacher at Voorhees from 2004 – 2010, teaching Calculus, Geometry, Discrete Mathematics and Algebra I & II.

English

Mark Davis - Mark has had several long term positions in the English department at Voorhees as well having just completed a long term at Somerville High School. He received his B.A in English from Centenary College in 2010.

Technology Education

Joseph Assise – Joe received his B.S. in Education from Millersville University. He has been working in Freelance Design, specializing in the creation of websites, video content, and print media.

Science

Oksana Fitzmaurice – Oksana is a maternity replacement for Melanie Kerr. She received her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Chemistry and Teaching from Donetsk National University, Donetsk, Ukraine.

Gifted & Talented

Jessica Gorton – Jessica replaces Megan Grilli-DeRobbio in the Gifted & Talented office. She completed her internship in social work at Voorhees during the 2012-2013 school year. Jessica received her B.S. in Human Services with a concentration in administration and family policy from the University of Delaware and her Masters of Social Work from Rutgers.

Traveling from North Hunterdon

Jillian Ritchie – Teaching Mandarin Chinese Thomas Fario – Teaching German Ida Valipour – Child Study Team

ESPs Moving from North to Voorhees

Maria Viscel Tim Wenger