The Falcon Flyer Email Newsletter/April 2017/Edition #20
MONROE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Falcon Flyer Email Newsletter 
April 2017
Your Monthly News & Updates
A Message From The Superintendent's Office...

Dear Falcon Community,

April 2, 2017 is World Autism Awareness Day and April is National Autism Awareness Month. According to the Autism Society, " National Autism Awareness Month represents an excellent opportunity to promote autism awareness, autism acceptance and to draw attention to the tens of thousands facing an autism diagnosis each year." Many organizations show their support for this cause with a Light It Up Blue campaign, which the Monroe Township Middle School staff has embraced by wearing blue every Friday in April.

Tentative Approved Budget for 2017-18

The Monroe Township Board of Education approved the Tentative General Fund Budget for 2017-18 at its public meeting on March 16, 2017. This budget is then sent to the Middlesex County Office of Education for final approval. The presentation of the 2017-18 school district budget can be found  here. On behalf of the Board of Education, Mr. Gorski, CPA and Business Administrator and Dr. Dori Alvich, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, I am proud to announce that the proposed increase for the average assessed home of $312,219.00 is $37.43 per year . This budget represents the lowest increase, with the exception of the re-assessment year, in 18 years. The budget meets the needs of our students, includes new staffing positions to account for our growing student population and new facility upgrades, while keeping all non-instructional costs to an absolute minimum. We are acutely aware of the burden on the Monroe Township taxpayer and we strove to keep additional costs as low as possible. Mr. Gorski aggressively negotiated the lowest health insurance premiums he could while Dr. Alvich ensured the needs of our students and staff were met. While we were able to keep our costs for next year at a minimum, the district will need additional revenue to accommodate our growing student population in the next few years. Therefore, we are aggressively pursuing our fair share of state aid.

State Aid

The Monroe Township Board of Education formed an Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by Board member Ken Chiarella, and comprised of Board President Kathy Kolupanowich, members of the community, adult community members, staff, parents, Monroe Township Council Vice President Ms. Betty Schneider, Monroe Township Education Association, School Board members and school district administrators, to advocate for fundamental fairness in state aid school funding. On March 29, the Board held a special meeting to pass a resolution endorsing legislative initiatives outlined in a letter to the Governor, Speaker and Senate President. Ad Hoc Committee members will be stationed at public locations, such as the Monroe Township Library, school events and frequently visited locations throughout Monroe Township, asking community members to sign a petition to be presented to Governor Christie and the Legislator prior to final adoption of the State Budget in June. We are also looking for community members to join the fight for fair funding by attending the Senate and/or Assembly Hearings in Trenton on April 24th and/or May 2nd. If you can attend, please sign up by clicking here . As a member of the Ad Hoc Committee, I respectfully ask for your support as we work together to secure our fair share of state funding.

Planning for Growth in Student Enrollment

We are continuing to work with our architect to finalize the plans for new schools and an addition to our high school. Environmental studies and other mandated studies are being conducted, and Mayor Tamburro and the Town Council have offered tremendous assistance to the school district by offering to purchase the land needed for a new middle school. We have also been working with our Principals to plan for the influx of new students expected next year. Every available space is being converted to classroom space and we are making adjustments to keep the number of students in our elementary classrooms below twenty five students. The middle and high school class sizes are inching higher and higher each year. Although we have made arrangements for the 2017-18 school year, we will most likely need trailers to house our students beginning in the 2018-19 school year. The Monroe Township School District (MTSD) prides itself on the quality of education offered to its students. If we are going to continue to uphold the excellent reputation of the MTSD, we are going to need your support for building schools to accommodate our growing student population and relieving the stress of our crowded classrooms, cafeteria and hallways. In order for the community to support us, we need to ensure all eligible residents are registered to vote. If you are eligible and have not yet registered to vote, please click here .

Monroe Township School District on Channel 28

The third Focus on Education Show aired recently on Channel 28. This show focused on students from Brookside School collaborating with Senior Citizens at the Monroe Township Senior Center on the Empty Bowls Project, which raises awareness about hunger while also raising money for local food pantries.  Mayor Tamburro featured a story about this project in his Around the Town Newsletter.  You can see the Focus on Education shows by visiting the MTSD website .  
               
This summer, we are offering an exciting STEM Summer Camp Academy 2017. Students w ill have the opportunity to participate in a rich hands-on learning environment run by certified teachers and staff. The camp will offer Space Week, Environments Week and Rescue Week. Please see inside for information and registration details.

An environmentally concerned community member requested that I respectfully ask parents to be mindful of the emissions emitted from their cars while they wait for their child before or after school. So, please consider turning off your car if you are waiting for an extended period of time on school grounds.

In this edition, you will find important information regarding school, district and community events. You can also find valuable information on our MTSD Facebook page, @MTSDFalcons Twitter feed, MTSD website and MTSD app.

Respectfully yours,

Michael Kozak

Dr. Michael Kozak
Superintendent
Stay up to date on events and happenings in Monroe Township! 
Download the MTSD District Mobile App!
Stay up to date with Monroe Township School District Events and Information!

Use the links below to download this
FREE mobile app to your mobile device.
 
The App Store:
STAY CONNECTED with the Monroe Township School District:
IMPORTANT DATES:
April 3-5 High School PARCC Testing-Delayed Opening for Grade 12 ONLY
April 6-7
High School PARCC Make-Up Testing
April 3-7
Middle School PARCC Testing
April 18
Middle School PARCC Make-Up Testing
April 19-28 Middle School PARCC Testing 
April 3-5
Woodland School PARCC Testing - GRADE 5 ONLY
April 19-26 Woodland School PARCC Testing - GRADE 4 ONLY
April 27  National  "Take Your Child To Work Day"
April 28 Woodland School PARCC Testing - GRADE 4 ONLY
April 3-4
Brookside School PARCC Testing - GRADE 5 ONLY
April 5-7
Brookside School PARCC Testing - GRADE 5 ONLY Make-Up Testing
April 19-26 Brookside School PARCC Testing - GRADE 4 ONLY
April 28 Brookside School PARCC Testing - GRADE 4 ONLY
April 10-17 ALL SCHOOLS CLOSED - Spring Recess

Click here to view the 2016-2017 district calendar
SCHOOL WEBSITE LINKS
Click here for Applegarth School
Click here for Barclay Brook School
Click here for Brookside School


Click here for Mill Lake Elementary School
Click here for Monroe Township High School
Click here for Monroe Township Middle School
Click here for Oak Tree School
Click here for Woodland School
Click here for Falcon Care
Monroe Township Board of Education
STEM Summer Camp Academy 2017
**REGISTRATION BY April 14, 2017**

Monroe Township Board of Education is happy to present the STEM Summer Camp Academy. If you are interested in enrolling, please review the brochure and click on the link for Registration. Please fill out the registration form for enrollment in the STEM Summer Academy.  A deposit check of $50 per registered week is due by Friday, 04/14/2017. Registration will not be final until payment is received. The remaining balance of $225 per week registered is due by 06/15/2017.  Enrollment is open to the first 100 students registered per week. Registrants will be notified by email if the minimum number of students has not been attained to run camp.
Make the check payable to: Monroe Township Board of Education. Once your deposit is received, you will be notified of your registration status by email.

Space Week
July 31-August 4

Environments Week
August 7-11

Rescue Week
August 14-18

For more information, please view the 
Monroe Township School District
MTHS & MTMS CLASS OF 2017
GRADUATION LAWN SIGNS
 
Celebrate graduation day with a Graduation Lawn Sign personalized with your child's name!

A perfect way to celebrate your child's high school or middle school achievement!
Click here to order for your MTHS Senior Graduate:
Click here to order for your MTMS 8th Grade Graduate:  
$35 each
*price includes tax and personalization
**Order by April 29, 2017**

Completed signs will be available for pick up at Monroe Township High School on:

June 12th   2:30pm-4:30pm
June 13th  2:30pm-6:00pm
 
Proceeds to benefit the 
MTHS Economics & Finance Team and MTHS FBLA.

The Economics & Finance Team is directed by Ms. Terri Weiss and MTHS FBLA is directed by Ms. Deanna Dale. Both clubs operate under the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology.

Ms. Terri Weiss

Ms. Deanna Dale
REGISTER READY:  Special Needs Registry for Disasters


2017 FIRE SAFETY POSTER CONTEST 

The local winners of the 2017 Fire Safety Poster Contest sponsored by the NJ Department of Community Affairs Division of Fire Safety and the NJ State Fire Prevention & Protection Association are:

1st:  Neel Chandwani
2nd: Alexandra Cabrita
3rd: Penolope Chen & Jaiden Patel
 
We are proud to announce, Neel Chandwani's poster below was a State finalist.


OAK TREE ENGINEERS

          This year the third grade math TAG students at Oak Tree have taken their engineering skills to new heights! The third grade TAG students have been working alongside the high school engineering classes to create a miniature town. The third graders reviewed and were assessed on their geometry skills to be granted their architectural building permit.  A building from the town was assigned to each group of two to three students. Groups created a paper blueprint of their building with measurement scales. They then used iMovie to create videos to send to the high school engineering students. The high school students reviewed the blueprints and used a CAD program to create the buildings that the third graders designed. They created videos about any modifications that might have needed to be made and sent them back to the third graders. The appropriate adjustments were made in TAG. The third graders used the feedback from the high school students and created to-scale cardboard models of their buildings.


In February, the TAG students traveled to the high school to create a transportation system for their town by using a Maglav track. Each high school student was partnered with two TAG students. They were given a budget, bought various supplies, and had to create a vehicle that used wind energy (a fan) to travel on the Maglav track (magnetic levitation). The partnership between the high schoolers and third graders was full of collaboration and idea modifications. The high school engineering class will 3D print each of the buildings that were designed, and on April 6th they will bring the final models to Oak Tree for a project celebration. We can't wait to celebrate!

The Lemon Juice Challenge at WOODLAND SCHOOL


Woodland School continues to show their "Fish Philosophy" by raising awareness & funds for childhood cancer by participating in the Lemon Juice Challenge.  Woodland School proudly raised $330.
 

EARTH DAY AT WOODLAND SCHOOL

During the month of April Woodland school students & staff celebrate Earth Day!   Our students will learn about our natural resources, water management, recycling and many other important environmental tips by taking a tour of the Monroe Township EnviroMobile.  In addition, our 5th grade students will be  planting in our Environmental Center. 
MTHS FOOTLIGHTS CLUB PRESENTS...
Spring Musical - 9 to 5


April 20, 21, & 22
nd at 7:00 pm
April 23rd @ 3:00 pm 

See a Footlights member or stop by the Main office for tickets
Questions (7
32) 521-2882 x6003
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
A free substance abuse prevention awareness program

Wednesday, April 19th
6:30PM - 8:30PM 
East Brunswick Community Arts Center
721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick
  
Click here to read "Do You Know What To Look For?"
Read Across America at MILL LAKE SCHOOL

This past March Mill Lake celebrated "Read across America". Big thank you to the Monroe Township Education Association for bringing the Cat in the Hat to the students of Mill Lake. All throughout Mill Lake, teachers and students were celebrating Dr. Seuss and reading in general! Mrs. Abrams and Mrs. Berecsky had their 3 rd grade student council students volunteer in Mrs. Deblasio's Pre-School classroom to do different reading enrichment activities. Mill Lake students were treated to different theme days, re-created their own Dr. Seuss Book's, and spent time reading their favorite books in their pajamas. Not only was "Read Across America" a great month-long event to celebrate the work of Dr. Seuss but it continued to be a vehicle for teachers to foster a love of learning and reading within their students. Mill Lake is very fortunate to have educators who provide such robust and engaging learning experiences for their students. 


FCCLA Dominates State Competition

The Monroe Township High School FCCLA Organization realized unprecedented success at this year's State Conference.  The students, co-directed by Ms. Amanda Docherty (Foods / Culinary) and Ms. Pam Valvano (Fashion), collected 12 Gold Medals and over $18,500 in scholarship money at the event.  

These results include senior Caroline Cugini's 1st Place Overall in the category of Art of Garde Manger and freshman Rhea Handa's 1st Place Overall (and perfect score) on Fashion Runway:  Evening wear.  

FCCLA (Family, Community, and Career Leaders Association) is a NJDOE CTO (Career and Technical Student Organization). The state conference features competitive events in categories ranging from Culinary Arts to Early Childhood Education.  The MTHS Chapter has increased its enrollment by greater than 100% since 2015.  

The FCCLA, Foods / Culinary Program, and Fashion and Design Programs operate within the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology.  

MTHS Concert Band Earns Gold Rating

We are pleased to announce that the Monroe Township High School's Wind Ensemble (directed by Mr. Martin Griffin) received a Gold Rating at CJMEA Concert Band Festival.   This rating marks the first time in school history one of our concert bands has received such a rating . The Wind Ensemble also received the award for having the event's top Woodwind Section.

The MTHS Concert Bands are directed by Mr. Martin Griffin (Wind Ensemble) and Mr. Alf Hadinger (Symphonic Band).  The students in the bands also receive instruction from our district's instrument specialists via the Monroe Township Vertical Teaching Initiative.  The Music Program in Monroe Township operates within the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology.    
BROOKSIDE CULTURAL FAIR 2017
By: Gazala Bohra


The Brookside Cultural Fair is an annual PTA sponsored event in which countries from around the World are displayed and presented to the students in Brookside school. During this event the Brookside gym magically transforms into a colorful and lively exhibition of artifacts, culture, attire and even music from various parts of the world. Every classroom visits the fair for one period and spends 5-6 minutes visiting each country on display. In that short span of 5 minutes the presenters talk to the students about various geographical facts, historical events and interesting cultural traditions in each country. In 40 minutes a student gets a very visual, up close experience of several countries they may never have been to before. Students are encouraged to wear the colors or the traditional attire of their own country to school this day and share their culture and heritage with their friends.

The success of this event is totally dependent on parents and teachers who volunteer their time to set up a display for a country they have their roots from or even a country that they have interest in or have travelled to. The number of countries represented depends on how many people volunteer to help with this event. In the past we have had as many as 16 countries. Which countries are being represented is something that is determined by who is able to help and what country they belong to or have an interest in presenting. This year 11 countries were represented. Four of these were represented by Brookside teachers, Mrs. Dudzinski who did Czech Republic and also exhibited Poland the artifacts for which were donated by our school Custodian who is Polish. Senora Arons did Spain, Ms. Canzano did Italy and Mrs. Lin our media specialist helped with China for part of the day. Parents who helped with this event were Julia Leung - Germany, Vicky Siew and Kathryn Crowley - China, Paula Romanczuk - South Africa, Elizabeth Falkowski - Ireland, Hedy Zahran - Egypt, Akhila Krishnamurthy, Monika Kumar and Yashika Purswani - India, Koren Kratchman and Alyson Black - Israel and ToniAnn Dibenedetto - Australia.

The cultural fair culminated with the classes participating in a Trivia contest based on the countries they had visited and the presentations they had heard. The top three winners, Tyler Siryj 4th Grade, Sarah Perlmutter 3rd Grade and Aniha Mathur 4th Grade won Travel Books sponsored by the BBBS PTA.

Whether it was the discovery that Porsche cars are made in Germany, Ugg boots are made in Australia and mean Ugly boots, China is the worlds most populated country, Western wall in Israel has little cracks through which you can put notes with prayers to God, that India has over 1600 different languages or that it took 100000 men 20 years to make the Great Pyramid of Giza, the kids definitely raised their eyebrows at some point as they spent a period globetrotting. Not to mention the bonus of trying their hand in the art of Rangoli decorating from India, learning to yodel in Germany , trying their hands at Chinese calligraphy and for some trying the little bounce and kick of the Irish Dub Step. The cultural Fair is a fun yet educational event that the PTA takes pride in hosting each year for the Brookside school students. 
MTHS/FBLA - FBLA SLC - March 15-17, 2017
Congratulations to the following FBLA Students that placed within the TOP 5 in the state with some individual and team events advancing to the National State Leadership Competition (NLC) in Anaheim, CA from June 28 - July 3, 2017.

Naveen Gedupoori, Pranay Narang, Swarnima Roychowdhury
3 rd Place - Management Information Systems 
(Advanced to the NLC in Anaheim, CA)
 
Pari Pandey
4 th Place - Business Plan 
(Advanced to the NLC in Anaheim, CA)
 
Jason Antunes, Garrett Buchanan & Palmer Stolly:
5 th Place - Computer Game & Simulation Programming
 
Simran Dhillon & Ria Patel
5 th Place - Community Service Project (March of Dimes World Prematurity Day)
 
Manan Shah
5 th Place - Public Speaking I
 
Vikram Manisankar, Pranav Narang, Dhivya Shankar
5 th Place - Management Information Systems

  Thank you to all of the students who competed at the FBLA State Leadership Competition (SLC) on March 15 - 17, 2017.

FBLA is directed by Ms. Deanna Dale and operates within 
the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology
MTHS/FBLA
Trading Day 2017 @ Stevens Institute of Technology 
 
Congratulations to The FBLA team of Ritik Patel, Naveen Gedupoori, Akhilesh Reddy, Abhijeet Regatte for being one of 20 teams selected to compete in the  2017 Trading Day competition at Stevens Institute of Technology on  April 28, 2017.  

This competition is unique for the emphasis the university puts on creating an authentic, live trading experience that's right at home across the river on Wall Street. Working in teams, students use Bloomberg systems to access market data and trade their way to the top as they compete against dozens of other schools.

Congratulations and Good Luck! 

FBLA is directed by Ms. Deanna Dale and operates within 
the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology
MTHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CLASS INDUCTEES

MTHS inducted it's first Athletic Hall of Fame Class on March 25, 2017  at Knob Hill Country Club.  Pictured below is the 1987 State Champion Boys Soccer Team.  

(R to L) Marc Levy, Donny Lala, Jeff Belkin, Jason Grossman, Tommy Mirande,Brad Damore, Allen Capton, Ryan Connolly, Mike Griffen, Billy Faille,Brian Gordon, Dave Faupel, Dave Beninda, Coach Packard.

Also inducted were:
  • Hugh Walsh
    • Athletic Director 1974 -97
  • George Packard
    • Soccer Coach 1979-92
    • Bowling coach 1996-2007
  • Mike Mischler
    • Class of 1985 Footbal, Wrestling, Baseball
  • Donny Lala
    • Class of 1988 Soccer, Wrestling, Baseball
  • Nicole Scarmato
    • Class of 1994 Soccer, Basketball, Track
  • Melissa Martenak
    • Class of 1995 Soccer, Softball
There was a large gathering and a great time was had by all!
Autism Speaks 
"LIGHT IT UP BLUE"

Since 2008, April 2nd has been commemorated as an international day of awareness for individuals who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The "Light It Up Blue" campaign was created as a way to recognize, support and celebrate people living with Autism. Sanctioned by the United Nations as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), families, large organizations and even some of the most recognizable buildings in the World will "Light It Up Blue."

Autism is a brain-based disorder that is characterized by weaknesses in the areas of communication, social skills, and behavioral challenges. The most current statistics indicate that the prevalence of Autism is 1 in 68 children.  With such a high rate of diagnosis, it's important to keep in mind that Autism is a spectrum disorder, which can present itself in very unique ways. For that reason, the puzzle piece has become the most well-known symbol to represent Autism awareness.

Throughout the month of April, our schools will be hosting various events to celebrate Autism awareness.   Fundraisers, classroom readings on ASD, and wearing blue are just a few of the ways in which Monroe is showing support. You may even notice our very own #LightItUpBlue campaign as you drive throughout the town! The blue ribbons around trees as well as the blue lights at the school security desks are all courtesy of Mrs. Toto.  We truly appreciate her time, dedication and advocacy in bringing attention to Autism Awareness month. We hope that you become inspired by the meaning of WAAD and the Light It Up Blue Campaign to do something this month to show inclusion, support, and acceptance. 
BABYSITTING & CPR CLINICS 
Tools to Handle the 
Challenges of Child Care and Emergencies

Monroe Township Community Education

TRY SOMETHING NEW

BRING.....NEW COURSES!
  • ARTS INSURANCE COVERAGE SEMINAR
  • WATERCRAFT AND SAFE BOATING, PERSONAL
  • 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM IN NYC
  • INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING
  • IPHONE TIPS AND TRICKS
  • GET PAID TO TALK
  • LOSE WEIGHT WITH HYPNOSIS
  • SOCIAL MEDIA CLASSES
  • SUPERPOWER MEMORY
  • FINANCES FOR WOMEN
  • STILL LIFE DRAWING WITH PASTELS
DON'T DELAY - REGISTER TODAY! 
7 NEW COURSES TO START IN MAY!
 
Call 732-521-1500, x5248 or go to the District website, Info tab, Community and Adult Education for brochure.
BILL DENNY SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD

Congratulations to Carlton Coleman, MTHS Senior, who received one of the Bill Denny Scholarships at the recent dinner at Rutgers University.

THE ECONOMICS & FINANCE TEAM AT MTHS

The Economics & Finance Team had 15 members participate in the H&R Block Budget Challenge from January 12-March 23, 2017. This event immerses students in the life of a recent college graduate who has been working for six months. Each participant receives a virtual salary and must make smart budgeting decisions take financial actions on bill payments and managing their checkbook. In this interactive simulation, students are challenged to balance current and future financial needs and demonstrate resourcefulness, understanding and practical application of financial concepts. 

Certificates of Participation were awarded to:
Sushrut Awasarmol, Devayani Cheruvu, Naveen Gedupoori, Saanya Lingineni, Nishant Nagalia, Pari Pandey, Aman Patel, Ritik Patel, Shiv Patel, Megha Purohit, Kevin Senkus, Achal Shah, Nishith Shah, Mariah Thompson, and Nikkhil V. Sankar
 
Congratulations to the top performers from Monroe Township High School:
MTHS Team 1st Place Nishith Shah
MTHS Team 2nd Place Aman Patel
MTHS Team 3rd Place Ritik Patel
 

For more information about this challenge, visit http://hrblock.budgetchallenge.com/.

The Economics & Finance Team is directed by Ms. Terri Weiss and operates within the Department for the Applied Arts and Careers Technology.
Applegarth School
Famous American Presentations
On February 24 th , Mrs. Hills's 4 th Grade Class at Applegarth Elementary School provided the 20th annual "Famous Americans" presentation to an audience of pride filled parents. Our Famous Americans presentation occurs annually in February each year to coincide with Presidential Birthdays and Black History Month. The goal of this activity is to promote awareness and educate our students as to the importance their chosen person played in America's history. In January of each year Mrs. Hills' students choose a Famous American who has had a lasting impact on our American History. The students read that person's biography, write a book report then prepare and rehearse their portrayal of their chosen Famous American. Their presentation includes students wearing the garments their Famous American would have worn during that time in history. They recite the various accomplishments of their Famous American on stage in front of their parents who fill the audience each year. Students portray such historic Americans as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Harriet Tubman, Molly Pitcher and, Thomas Edison. The students not only learn about their American History and Famous Americans, but truly enjoy providing their portrayal of the person they have chosen. The portrayals of our Famous Americans take education from the written word to the animated enactment of important people in our nation's history. Mrs. Hills hopes this will be an annual activity that will have an enduring impact on students' lives. 


Applegarth School - STEM Activity
Students in Mrs. Burgess and Mrs. Lizzio's classes participated in an egg drop S.T.E.M. activity.  Students were challenged to think like engineers and design an object that would protect an egg from breaking when dropped from a height of about 2 meters.  Building materials included plastic bags, plastic cups, cotton balls, Popsicle sticks and string.  Students then observed their classmates egg drop devices as they were tested using real eggs.  After the experiment students reflected on their designs and analyzed how they would improve their device in the future.  Students really enjoyed working on this activity!

MTMS PTO
 
MTMS PTO Jersey Shore Kids Tricky Tray:   The MTMS PTO hosted it's 1 st ever Kids Tricky Tray on February 24 th.  It was truly an amazing night filled with so many smiling faces! Thank you to all the volunteers (Parents, MTHS High School Students, MTMS Security and the entire MTMS Custodial Staff) for all the time put in to make the event run so smoothly! A special thank you to the parents, Middle School staff and local families/businesses who donated items to the event. The kids had a blast playing games at the "boardwalk" and winning over 150 basket raffle prizes!
 
Upcoming MTMS PTO Meeting:  Our next MTMS PTO Meeting will be held on April 4 th at 7 pm in the Middle School Cafeteria.  We would like to invite 5 th grade parents to our meeting for an opportunity to learn about our Middle School PTO.
 
MTMS PTO Spring Clothing Drive:  Help support the Middle School PTO!  Our spring clothing drive will be on Saturday, May 20 th at 9 am in the Middle School Parking Lot.  Every bag helps!  Please check our website at 
www.mtmspto.org  for more information regarding items that can be donated.
 
MTMS PTO Spring Bookfair: Mark your calendars! Our BOGO Scholastic Bookfair will be held during the school days from May 15 th to May 18 th.  All proceeds from this sale go to enhance and build the school libraries.
 
Thank you to all for your time, committment and support to the MTMS PTO!
Partner Reading at Barclay Brook
By: Stacy Blum


In celebration of Read Across America Week and Dr. Seuss's birthday, our school partnered up with different grade levels to partner read together.  First and second graders spent 30 minutes reading to one another. After 1 partner finished their book they chose questions to ask from a list of open-ended fiction and nonfiction questions and started a discussion with their partner.  Kindergarten and Pre-School partnered with first and second graders as listeners and were taught how to do partner reading.  The students truly enjoyed being partners with different kids in different grade levels.  Older students truly enjoyed teaching the kindergartners what partner reading was all about.  It was a fun week of reading together for all involved!         
Jump Rope for Heart 2017
Applegarth Elementary School
 
Applegarth Elementary School has participated in Jump Rope for Heart for the past 5 years.  Heart Disease is the number one killer of Americans.  Strokes are the number three and a leading cause of serious disabilities.  The students have learned the importance of a healthy heart and taking care of their bodies by exercising and eating a balanced diet every day. 
 
The events took place on Thursday, February 16, 2017.  Classes took turns coming to the Gymnasium and participating in various jump rope activities such as, individuals jumping rope, partner jump rope, group jump rope, Chinese jump rope and others.
 
The American Heart Association raises money to educate young people about the risks of Heart Disease and keeping your heart healthy.  Donations also contribute to aiding in research and development, as well as community services and training. 
            
Applegarth Elementary School raised over $8,000 this year for the American Heart Association and over the past 5 years, Applegarth Elementary School has raised over $33,000. 
  
We want to thank the Applegarth Community for their help and support throughout the event.  The students did an excellent job participating in the event, encouraging each other, and demonstrating good sportsmanship.



   
(Chartered by Woodland Mill Lake PTO)
New Cub Scouts can join for Spring & Summer Scouting activities starting in April 2017
 
Boys entering K-5th grades in Sept 2017
 
Upcoming Open House activities:
 
Start your Engines and
Let the Adventure begin with Cub Scouts!
Thursday, May 11 - Race Night 6:30-8:00 PM
Stop-in anytime to race boats, cars and rockets!
Monroe Rec Center-Old Gym, 120 Monmouth Rd, Monroe, NJ
 
Cub Scouts is Outdoor Fun at its Best!
Friday, June 9 - Open House Pack Night 6:30 information
7:00-8:30 PM Ceremony and Activity Stations
Monroe Rec Center-Old Gym, 120 Monmouth Rd, Monroe, NJ
 
To learn more today contact: Lumelle Schneeweis
Oak Tree PTA Tricky Tray is on April 7, 2017 at Forsgate Country Club.  Tickets are available. 

Event begins at 6:30
Tickets are $60 
(includes dinner, 3 hour open bar, and 20 Third Prize raffle tickets)

Contact  [email protected]   for more information
 

Monroe Township Schools Host 
Scout Day 
on Wednesday, April 19th
    
Current Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts will wear their Official Scout Uniform to school to promote Scouting.
 
For information about how your child can join Scouting, please find a Cub Scout Pack or Girl Scout Troop that meets your child's grade and location needs using the following websites:
 
Cub Scouts (Boys Grades K-5)
Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos
 
Girl Scouts (Girls Grades K-5)
Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors
 
For more information on Monroe Scout Day 2017, please contact Lumelle Schneeweis, [email protected].
LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING AT
MONROE TOWNSHIP MIDDLE SCHOOL
  • On March 21 st , Ms. Lattinelli's class hosted a presentation to kick off their multicultural experiences.  This presentation was from a local restaurant/food truck called "The Empanada Guy" followed by an empanada sampling by our 8th grade Culinary Arts Students.   He discussed his life experiences, how he began his own business, the level of dedication needed to run his own business on a daily basis and demonstrated how to make empanadas.  The children were very excited about this 8
    th grade culinary arts presentation and the results were fantastic!
  • Five of our MTMS students will be singing at the OAKE National Choir concert over the weekend.  Kaitlyn Russell, Neranjana Iyer, Mia Baldasanno, Pooja Patel, and Sofia Ramirez are representing our school and state in Philadelphia.  They will be singing at the Kimmel Center on Saturday night with the OAKE Youth Choir.  Congratulations and details to follow!
  • These 15 MTMS students performed at the final CJMEA concert this month.  They auditioned in February, rehearsed for weeks and provided an extremely impressive performance.  Varoon Raghav and Nikhil Tangella were awarded three-year certificates for having made CJMEA Regions during 6, 7, and 8th grade!  Congratulations to everyone!
    • Eight Monroe students represented MTMS this month at the Intermediate Chorus concert:
      • Neranjana Iyer
      • anvi Sivakumar
      • Anisha Srinivasan
      • Akshar Vedantham
      • lison Ranieri
      • Pooja Patel
      • Meghana Kumar
      • Kaitlynn Russell
    • Seven MTMS band students participated in the Intermediate Percussion Ensemble concert:
      • Varoon Raghav
      • Shaun Siegel
      • Jaden Lu
      • Logan Taylor
      • Nikhil Tangella
      • Elizabeth Tota
      • Katherine Taylor
  • On March 29th our Technology Student Association will be attending the State Competition at TCNJ.  We wish them well and cannot wait to hear the results.  Go Monroe!
  • MTMS 7 th Graders will light up the night on April 21 st for their "Let it Glow" dance here at MTMS. See our website for details!
     
  • MTMS invites everyone to join us to "Light It Up Blue" for Autism Awareness during April!  Staff and students will wear blue every Friday during the month to support Autism Awareness!  April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day! 
MTHS WINTER ATHLETIC SEASON IN REVIEW

The Winter Sports season was a major success for the Falcons.
 
The Girls Bowling Team won its first ever Conference and Division Championships while going unbeaten in their dual matches.
 
The Boys Ice Hockey Team finished 2nd in the Division and advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time ever.
 
The Wrestling Team advanced to its second State Sectional Championship match.  Nick Lombard became the 6th Monroe Wrestler in school history to win 100 matches and qualified for states along with Kaylon Bradley.
 
The Competition Cheer squad finished 2nd  at both States and Nationals.
 
The Boys Bowling Team became the 2nd team in school history to win a State Championship.  Lou Folgore bowled a perfect 300 game during the county tournament.

GOT SCHOOL SPIRIT?
 
Check out FALCON ZONE
School Store for all of your FALCON merchandise! 

Order Online & Pick-up at MTHS!  http://www.monroe-falcons-school-store.com/
(Cash or Check)
MONROE RECREATION CENTER
Check out What's Happening!
MTHS College & Career Counseling Center (CCCC)
Staff Spotlight...Coming Soon!
Interested in being in the SPOTLIGHT or have a staff member you'd like to see in the SPOTLIGHT? If so, tell us about it!  Contact
deanna.dale@monroe,k12.nj.us  for more information!
MTHS ATHLETICS ON "SCHEDULE STAR"

View "SCHEDULE STAR" to keep current with upcoming athletic events at Monroe Township High School! 

Click here to view: http://www.schedulestar.com/

Enter Monroe Township HS in the search box for daily, weekly & monthly schedules.
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Monroe Township School District | 423 Buckelew Avenue | Monroe Township, NJ 08831