Students and staff across the Middletown Township Public School District displayed their Halloween spirit on Monday by participating in classroom costume parties, festively-themed lessons and campus-wide parades. Check out some of the best photos below from our festive activities.

The Middletown Township Public School District is proud to announce that High School North has met the requirements to achieve certification and a Digital Schools Star recognition from Sustainable Jersey for Schools.

Sustainable Jersey for Schools developed the voluntary certification program in 2014 as a roadmap for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public schools to reach their fullest potential. Each school that is certified at the bronze-level must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions, attaining a minimum of 150 points. The more advanced silver-level requires a minimum of 350 points of sustainability actions.

Thirteen schools earned Digital Schools Star recognition as part of their Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. A Digital Schools Star embraces the mindful implementation of effective digital learning and communication tools, resources and practices. Star schools document their successful digital learning strategies in the action areas of leadership, learning practices, technology access, school culture and climate, and student learning to qualify for star recognition.

“Becoming a certified sustainable school is a rigorous process that helps schools implement steps to be sustainable in their operations and proactive in preparing students for the challenges they will face in the future,” said Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “As the state is dealing with an increasing number of climate change-related threats, broad-based sustainability literacy is required to ensure that young people are equipped to recognize and respond to critical issues now and in their chosen careers,” Solomon added. Sustainable Jersey participating schools serve as learning labs and the certification program supports educators by identifying authentic learning opportunities for students and staff.

High School North students in Mrs. DeMaria's Spanish classes spent the week studying the holiday Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The event is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is celebrated by people of Mexican heritage around the world. Those who celebrate Día de los Muertos do so as a remembrance of friends and family members who have died. These individuals are often honored by having in-home altars constructed and decorated with flowers and photos. Traditional dishes, like pan de muertos (a sweet and fluffy pastry), tamales (steamed corn husks with various fillings), red pozole (a savory stew of meat, hominy and blended spices), and so much more.

While songs by various Mexican musicians played, Mrs. DeMaria’s students worked in small groups to maneuver through stations that explored the history and traditions of this multi-day holiday, including the creation of sugar skulls. Students also watched informational videos, conducted research on the holiday in Spanish-language sources, and reflected with peers about their discoveries. Students even enjoyed a pan de muerto of their own from one of our local bakeries.

This type of authentic learning opportunity creates engagement and sensory connections to a topic, promoting deeper understanding and the foundational elements of global citizenship. Feliz Día de los Muertos!

Stars of the Week

Earlier this week a pair of High School North student-filmmakers were honored by the New Jersey Film Awards as winners of the organization’s Best Young Actors Award for their roles in The Stapler 2, their own independently-produced short film.

Congratulations to Jacob Waters and Cosmo DeGennaro on their incredible work and well-deserved recognition.

Pup of the Week

Thorne Middle School staff and students celebrated Halloween on Monday. They were joined by the school community’s furry friend Addie, whose orange pumpkin t-shirt and black coat were appropriate for the festivities. Aside from being a truly cute addition to any school celebration, Addie also serves Thorne and the greater MTPS community as a certified emotional support service dog.

This space is dedicated to the promotion of mental health resources in our schools and local community. Please refer to the district site for a comprehensive list of resources: Mental Health & Community Resources

Get excited about the brain!  Did you know the human brain generates enough electricity to power a small lightbulb? Check out this free activity book from the National Institute of Mental Health for children and teens to learn more about brain health, development and mental health. 

The boys and girls soccer programs at Thompson Middle School had a week worthy of celebration. The girls team capped their 2022 campaign by capturing the Shore Conference of Middle Schools Championship. The boys finished off their season with 1-0 overtime victory over Long Branch with the golden goal coming courtesy of Liam Wheeler. The boys finished the season with a record of 8-2. Congratulations to the Lions on all their success!

Earlier this week, High School North students in Mr. Peter Milnes’ Aviation and Aerospace Design classes were treated to a meet and greet with members of the United States Coast Guard Air Station, Atlantic City. After the team members landed their aircraft on campus, students asked questions and had conversations about the mechanics behind helicopter flight, as well as the role of the coast guard as one of the eight branches of our uniformed military. 

The U.S. Coast Guard serves as the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of our armed forces. We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to these servicemen for their role in protecting our country’s freedoms and way of life, as well as taking the time to interact with our students and provide an authentic learning experience they won’t soon forget.

The High School North and South television news production teams have been busy this past month producing their latest reports from around their respective campuses. Catch up on all the happenings below.

The Middletown Township Public School District would like to extend our most sincere thank you to the Middletown Township Fire Department for visiting with our students, and sharing with them crucial information about fire safety and prevention. The Department is composed of 11 individual fire companies and serves the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey. It also boasts the distinction of being the largest all-volunteer fire department in the world. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit the MTFD's official website.

In the spring, 11th-grade students participated in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) administration to measure the extent to which students are graduation ready in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. The ELA component of the NJGPA assessed student graduation readiness based on grade 10 standards. The mathematics component of the NJGPA assessed student graduation readiness based on Algebra I and Geometry standards. There is no graduation assessment requirement for any student who is expected to graduate with the class of 2023. Students in the class of 2023 must still meet all the other State and local graduation requirements, including but not limited to credit, curriculum, and attendance requirements.

High School North and High School South guidance departments are mailing home students’ NJGPA Individual Student Reports (ISRs) this week. Whereas the results of the NJGPA will not be used as a prerequisite for graduation, the results shown on the ISR can be helpful in determining potential areas of focus for this school year. We are committed to supporting students during their high school experience, which includes providing opportunities and support to assist them with mastering the knowledge and skills necessary for success after graduation.