On Friday, May 26, Thorne Middle School led a community-wide recognition of Memorial Day. Students lined the campus sidewalk, dressed in red, white and blue, while waving flags. Students speakers recounted the history of Memorial Day, and connected its meaning to the school's namesake, Corporal Horace M. "Buddy" Thorne.

Thorne served our county in World War II and was recognized for his heroic actions during the Battle of the Bulge. Though his actions cost Corporal Thorne his life, his memory lives on in our Middletown community, and serves as an example of why we recognize Memorial Day with highest sense of solemnity and honor.

The Middletown Township Public School District extends its most sincere gratitude to all of the service men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our way of life. Please follow the link above to watch Thorne's full Memorial Day Ceremony.

During the May 23 student recognition program at High School North, the Middletown Township Board of Education and Administration celebrated our students' achievements in the areas of athletics, poetry writing, youth citizenship and leadership, biliteracy education, and SAT excellence.

"We are so proud of our students for their demonstration of excellence in a variety of fields. Their achievements in academics, creative arts, athletics, leadership and citizenship illustrates the outstanding educational environment our community members have cultivated, and the versatility of skills our students develop. Congratulations to all of our the students we honored. We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors," said Superintendent of Schools, Mary Ellen Walker.

For a full list of students who were honored, please see the May 23 Student Recognition Program. Congratulations again to our honorees for your outstanding accomplishments.

District students and staff members shined at the the 2023 Basie Awards, an annual awards ceremony that celebrates excellence and a:chievement in Monmouth County high school theatre. By the end of the evening, High School North and South had collectively captured 16 Basie Awards in the areas of Dramas, Comedies, and Musicals.

"I would like to take this opportunity to share with our community how proud I, and the District Administration, are for the multitude of nominations and various winners of the Basie Awards," said Director of Arts, Business and Technology Education, Steven Graziano. "Our District continues to strive for excellence in multiple capacities and our arts department has proven that at this year's awards ceremony. I congratulate all of our students and staff who received multiple awards and appreciate the dedication that our arts staff has, which allows our students to tap into their creativity and bring their great talents to light. Congratulations to you all!"

Congratulations to the following winners, and to all of our students and staff members who were nominated.

Dramas and Comedies

• Featured Performance in a Drama: Jessica Heitmann, High School North - The Crucible
• Featured Performance in a Drama: Sealth Grover, High School North - The Crucible
• Supporting Performance in a Comedy: Jay Fielding, High School South - Then One Foggy Christmas Eve

Musicals

• Evaluators Special Award: The Future of High School Theatre: Marshall Tappan in High School North's rendition of Les Miserables
• Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical: Laura Mazza in High School South's rendition of Chicago
• Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical: Tom Smith in High School North's rendition of Les Miserables
• Outstanding All Student Orchestra: High School South, Chicago
• Amy Ginther Fredericks Award for Outstanding Musical Direction: Peter Isherwood, High School North - Les Miserables
• Outstanding Featured Ensemble Group: High School South, Chicago
• Featured Performance in a Musical: Rebecca Grodek, High School North - Les Miserables
• Featured Performance in a Musical: Bryan Reimertz, High School North - Les Miserables
• Supporting Performance in a Musical: Ava Giglia, High School North - Les Miserables
• Supporting Performance in a Musical: Sealth Grover, High School North - Les Miserables
• Lead Performance in a Musical: Samuel Cusson, High School North - Les Miserables
• Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Amanda Faria, High School North - Les Miserables
• Outstanding Production of a Musical: High School North - Les Miserables

Congratulations to the following winners, and to all of our students and staff members who were nominated.

As part of an ongoing community partnership with the Monmouth County Sheriff's Department, Thorne Middle School students received a visit from Officers Ralph Irizzary and Kurt Kroeper, handlers of active duty K-9 unit members Skye and Gunner. Skye is a bloodhound and specializes in tracking missing persons. Gunner works as part of the Sheriff's Department Narcotics Team. The K-9 officers and their handlers appeared at Thorne for an educational demonstration and community-building activities with our students. These activities are separate from the year-round training and operational procedures carried out by the K-9 unit, which assists police departments across the county with narcotics detection, explosive detection, criminal searches, and missing person searches. Thank you to the Monmouth County Sheriff's Department for its continued support of our District, and for making our community a safer place to live and learn. Learn more about the Monmouth County Sheriff's Department K-9 Unit.

Thompson Middle School artists placed their creativity on full display earlier this week at the Lions annual art show. Peers, families and community members navigated the campus, captivated by the pops of color, attention-grabbing textures and innovative designs that beautified the hallways. Congratulations to the students on a wonderful event. We can't wait to see all of the incredible work they will produce in the future. Check out some of the photos from the evening below.

Earlier this week, student scientists at River Plaza Elementary School welcomed peers, families members and staff members to their scientific exploration fair. This event was the culmination of their individual scientific research projects, in which students identified an area of interest, formulated a hypothesis about their subject, conducted research and experiments related to their topic, and drew evidence-based conclusions about the claim they originally developed. Students investigated a variety of topics, including the power of nature, chemical reactions in household products, food and health-related subjects, light pollution, the effects different foods and liquids can have on your teeth, and so much more. The River Plaza scientific exploration fair is an example of the authentic learning experiences students in the Middletown Township Public School District experience each day. The fair demonstrates the type of opportunities our students receive to practically apply the skills they develop in the classroom. This combination of concentrations speaks to our school community's goal to help students create a deeper understanding of curricular materials, and equip them with the skills to become lifelong learners. Congratulations to the River Plaza community on a fantastic event.

The way in which teens may obtain working papers in New Jersey will change on June 1, 2023 to more streamlined, digital process. Thanks to a new law adopted by the state legislature, the working papers process will be online and no longer involve local school personnel. Instead, younger workers will simply visit the Department of Labor and Workforce Development website and follow few simple steps. Follow the links below for more information.

• If you are in need of working papers June 1
• More information for young workers

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

During Mental Health Awareness Month, an important activity can be to learn more about what constitutes a mental health concern that may warrant additional attention. The National Institute of Mental Health designed this infographic to help individuals identify issues and the steps they can take to receive help.

2023 Middle School Promotion Dates

• Bayshore - Wednesday, June 14 at 1:30 p.m. - High School South
• Thompson - Wednesday, June 14 at 4 p.m. - High School South
• Thorne - Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m. - High School North Field

Note: If there is inclement weather on June 14, the middle school promotion ceremonies will be held indoors in the HS South gymnasium on June 14.

2023 High School Graduation Dates

• High School South - Thursday, June 15 at 1:30 p.m. - High School South
• High School North - Thursday, June 15 at 4 p.m. - High School North

Note: The high school graduation rain date is Friday, June 16.