District Thanks Dr. George Ahead of Retirement; Welcomes Mrs. Walker |
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With his retirement date approaching, effective Sept. 1st, district personnel recently gathered to celebrate Dr. George's time at the helm of Middletown schools, as well as to welcome Mrs. Mary Ellen Walker as his successor.
Mrs. Walker was appointed as the new Superintendent of Schools during the Aug. 26th Board of Education meeting.
"I want to thank the board for selecting me and having trust in me to serve as the district's superintendent. I am committed to maintaining the confidence and trust of the board and our entire school community," said Mrs. Walker following her appointment.
"I would also like to thank Dr. George for his nine years of service to our students, staff and parents. He has accomplished so much, and our district is in such a different place now than when he came in. His passion and drive for excellence in education; his steadfast commitment to doing what is right for every student is second to none. We are going to miss him and wish him much success in his new endeavor," added Mrs. Walker.
Born and raised in Middletown, Mrs. Walker sent her three daughters through Middletown Township Public Schools, was a teacher at High School North and began her administrative career as an assistant principal at High School South. Her background in the financial sector prior to becoming an educator assisted her success as the District's Personnel Director. Since 2011, Mrs. Walker has served as Director for Operations and then Assistant Superintendent for Student Services and Activities.
Upon his retirement from the district, Dr. George will begin a faculty position at Monmouth University, and expressed his confidence in Mrs. Walker to help guide Middletown Schools to new heights.
"I have worked side by side with Mrs. Walker for the past nine years and I cannot think of a better person to lead our school community during these challenging times," said Dr. George. "Mrs. Walker has the experience, knowledge of the district and community, the moral compass, and work ethic to lead our district to unparalleled success in the future."
Board of Education Vice President, Robin Stella, spoke to Mrs. Walker's mastery of operations, and how her leadership will move our school community forward during these unprecedented times.
"Her knowledge and expertise in school operations will provide the stability we'll need to implement the phased reopening plan, a plan this district has worked so hard on. And Mrs. Walker was one of the chiefs in putting this plan together. She has worked tirelessly."
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Dr. George Expresses Heartfelt Thanks to our School Community in Final Address |
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MTPS Restart & Recovery Plan:
Social Distancing in Classrooms
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The MTPS Restart and Recovery Plan provides for two cohorts of students. Students in Cohort A attend Monday and Tuesday; students in Cohort B attend Thursday and Friday. This strategy significantly reduces the number of students attending in-person instruction each day. The number of students in-person in each classroom is further reduced by students opting for virtual instruction.
NJDOE guidance and Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 175 requires school districts to provide at least six (6) feet of distance between individuals in all settings to the greatest extent practicable or social distancing modifications, such as a physical barrier or turning desks to face the same direction, when six (6) feet of distance cannot be achieved.
Our NJDOE approved Restart and Recovery Plan states, “Classroom desks will be set up to maximize, when and where possible, the 6’ social distancing guidelines. Six feet social distancing of desks may not be possible at all times due to class/student enrollment.”
Our current data indicates there are classrooms throughout the district in which we are unable to ensure 6 feet social distancing due to the physical size of the classroom and number of students in-person each day. In these classrooms, and most other classrooms in the district, desks will be faced forward, and as required by the NJDOE, students and staff will be required to wear face coverings, unless doing so would inhibit the student’s health.
Principals are continuing to work to balance cohorts, but there are constraints based on the number of students opting for in-person instruction versus the physical size of classrooms. At the middle school and high school levels, the master schedule and student course requirements are additional constraints to the principal’s efforts. The process is extremely complex and time consuming at these levels, and therefore ongoing at this time.
Update on Staffing Challenges
Staffing continues to be a major challenge for school districts statewide, including Middletown. Due to the increased demand for long term substitutes for childcare and medical leaves of absences related to COVID-19, the daily substitute pool is also being negatively impacted. Employees who have traditionally filled the demand for daily substitutes are being placed into vacancies (last minute retirements/resignations) and long term substitute assignments. As more districts decide to pivot to virtual instruction, we are receiving more requests for staff accommodations. Currently, we do not have sufficient substitute teachers to fill our average daily teacher absences. In addition, there are 24 unfilled certificated staff positions, which are mainly at the middle school and high school level. We continue to work to overcome this challenge.
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District Partners with YMCA and Township for Childcare Accommodations |
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The District has been contacted by many staff members and parents/guardians regarding the difficulties of securing child care for their children during virtual home instruction days.
To help mitigate these struggles, the District has teamed with Middletown Township and the YMCA to provide child care opportunities for working parents and staff during these days.
The Y Academy will offer a full day childcare option from 2 to 5 days a week. This program offers a safe and enriching option with the flexibility to meet the needs of your schedule.
When enrolled in the Y Academy program, students, grades K-5, will work on distance learning, receive support in virtual programming lessons and activities, physical fitness, STEAM challenges, and social emotional learning. The Port Monmouth Elementary School building will operate as one location for the Academy. This building has been licensed previously as a child care facility to host before and after care programs.
The YMCA and the Township have been vetting multiple Township-owned facilities in other areas of Middletown to serve as a second location. At this time the likely second location will be the Middletown Library.
At this time, the YMCA has informed us that parents/guardians and staff have submitted interest forms for approximately 80 students.
The District is not charging the YMCA for the use of the facilities and is not receiving any revenue from the Y Academy program. We will be staffing custodians at Port Monmouth to support the program. While that represents an additional cost for the district, child care is a widespread need for the Middletown community and Middletown Township Public Schools staff. The YMCA will continue to provide before care and after care at all elementary schools in the District for students to attend on days they are attending school on campus.
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Watch the Aug. 26th BOE Workshop/Voting Meeting |
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On August 26th the Board of Education met for its scheduled Workshop/Voting Meeting.
The meeting was conducted via the district's Zoom platform and live streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Watch the meeting by following the video link to the right.
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A Statement from the Board of Education Clarifying Format of Future Meetings |
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During these trying times, The Middletown Township Board of Education has seen the opportunity for significantly more participation by the public during our virtual board meetings.
We do believe that the virtual platform has had a positive impact on our ability to effectively and efficiently deliver information to the community, which is archived for the public to refer to later.
During our August 26th public meeting, we discussed this topic, as well as the possibility of the board members meeting live in one location in the future, as restrictions are lifted. The motion to hold meetings live was voted on and failed.
However, the consensus via discussion was for the board to work with the administration and specifically our facilities department to develop a plan to return to in-person meetings while meeting the required safety rules. This was not voted upon, but we will pursue this over the course of the next month.
We appreciate the work done by our teachers and other building staff to prepare for this unprecedented school year. We are eager to safely return to our traditional meeting structure. We will keep the public apprised of our progress toward in-person meetings.
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District Now Accepting Applications for Substitute and Leave Teachers. |
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The district is now accepting applications for Substitute and Anticipated Leave Replacement Teachers for all Pre-K to 12 positions.
How to Apply:
2. Select "Job Seekers" and get started
3. Enter "Middletown" when asked for your location
4. Select "Apply Now" and complete the application
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Update on Changes & Challenges
for the MTPS Reopening Plan
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Dr. George's update offers a glimpse of where our school community stands in the process of preparing for the 2020-21 academic year.
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Have You Completed the MTPS Breakfast Lunch Distribution Survey? |
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The Middletown Township Public School District will make school meals available for pickup at the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.
To ensure we develop the most efficient and effective meal distribution plan, we request that all parents and guardians of students enrolled in district schools complete the MTPS Breakfast/Lunch Distribution Survey.
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NEW MTPS Technology Support Form Implemented |
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District Launches MTPS Reopening of Schools Website |
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On Friday, August 13th the district launched its MTPS Reopening of Schools Website, an information hub complete with Frequently Asked Questions and additional resources regarding the district’s reopening of schools plan. Please be advised, this website will be updated as we continue to receive new guidance from the NJDOE.
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High School North's Klinsky Honored by Township |
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During the August 17th Middletown Township Committee Meeting, High School North state wrestling champion, Tyler Klinsky, was honored by the governing body for winning the 2020 NJSIAA Championship at the 113-pound weight class.
Klinsky became the first overall state champion at High School North in 46 years, and will continue his academic and wrestling career at the NCAA level with Rider University.
During a ceremony at Town Hall, Klinsky was presented with a certificate from the Township Committee, signed by Mayor Tony Perry. He was joined by High School North wrestling coaches Matthew Sirchio and Erice Morely, as well as Principal Dr. Patricia Cartier, and Superintendent of Schools William O. George III, Ed. D.
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Dr. George Clarifies Revised Guidance from NJDOE |
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On August 14, the district received feedback from the NJDOE that a modification needed to be made to the district’s Restart and Recovery Plan to Reopen School to meet current guidelines.
On the evening of Aug. 17 the district confirmed that it is to adhere to the verbiage included in Executive Order 175. Additionally, the MTPS Restart and Recovery Plan to Reopen School has been approved by the NJDOE with the modification included.
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High School Guidance Department Summer Letters |
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Please be advised, the guidance departments for High School North and South have published a summer letter for students and families with contact information for guidance counselors. Select your school letter below.
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North News Presents: Back to
School 2020 - Featuring Dr. George
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In Episode 1 of this series, Sophia sits down with Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., to discuss the district's back to school plan. Follow the video link to the right to see the full episode.
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Please Review the District's Face Coverings Policy for Students, Staff & Visitors |
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Included in that plan is the district's Face Coverings Policy for Students, Staff and Visitors.
Any questions related to this comprehensive plan or the district's policy on face coverings may be directed to your building principal.
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MTPS Nurses Help us to Better Understand Proper PPE Protocols & Temperature Checks |
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On Friday, July 31st the MTPS Nursing Staff released an informational video for students and families regarding proper protocols for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Temperature Checks.
You can watch it by following the video link to the right.
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Follow Along for District
News & Announcements
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MTPS Summer Learning Resources |
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Please follow the links below to learn more about the district's summer resources and programs. |
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High School Classes of 2020 Walk at In-Person Graduation Ceremonies |
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Our High School Classes of 2020 walked at their in-person graduation ceremonies on July 8th and 9th in front of limited guests and faculty members.
If you were unable to attend the ceremonies, or would like to share the experience with others, the MTPS High School In-Person graduation ceremony videos are now available via the district website and below.
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SMART Fund Bill Calls for Additional $5oo Billion in COVID-19 Aid |
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A new bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate calls for the delivery of federal resources to states to assist in the fight against COVID-19.
This legislation, the State and Municipal Aid for Recovery and Transition (SMART) Fund, would develop a $500 billion reserve to aid the response by state and local municipal governments to this public health and economic crisis, while allowing them to maintain essential services.
The SMART Fund would build upon the existing $150 billion set aside in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Additionally, the bill would expand eligibility for aid to counties and municipalities with populations of 50,000 or greater. Currently that threshold is set at 500,000.
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A Vision for Social Justice in our Schools |
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The Middletown Township Public School District is committed to providing opportunities for our students to openly discuss meaningful and relevant topics and assist them in reaching their full potential as lifelong learners and globally responsible citizens.
Members of our student body, alumni and school community stand together in solidarity for justice and equity.
On Thursday, June 18th, Superintendent of Schools, William O. George III, Ed. D., delivered an address in response to an open letter published by current MTPS students and alumni to he, the Board of Education and our faculty, which called for reflection and action.
"If personalized learning, self-reflection, and the ability to grow ethically and morally are foundational concepts we endorse and use to educate future leaders, then we must ask ourselves if we can do better to inspire the change we wish to see in the world," said Dr. George.
RELATED COMMUNITY LETTERS
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Interested in Learning More About the Virtual Advanced Placement Experience? |
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Middletown Township Public Schools advanced placement students and teachers recently engaged in a round table discussion regarding their virtual experience with Advanced Placement course work and assessments. The group came together to help prepare future advanced placement students. |
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District Presents Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives Draft; BOE Seeks Community Input |
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During the May 27th Board of Education Workshop/Voting Meeting, a presentation was delivered to inform our school community about the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives, which were developed with public input expressed in a district survey and during seven public forums.
The Strategic Planning Committee is seeking community input on the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives Draft through Wednesday, June 10. Community members should email their comments to strategicplanning@middletownk12.org.
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MTPS Recognized for Developing Equitable Virtual Learning Plan |
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The District was recently recognized by the Alliance for Excellent Education for the development and implementation of its virtual learning plan.
An excerpt from the article reads...
"Like many districts across the nation, Middletown Township transitioned its nearly 9,500 students to full-time remote learning in mid-March when it closed schools to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In many ways, the suburban school district already had most of the necessary elements in place to support a successful transition, thanks in part to the five-step planning process district leaders undertook in working through the seven gears of the Future Ready Framework. The district had an existing one-to-one initiative that provides each student in third through twelfth grade with a personal device. Additionally, to implement that program successfully, the district enhanced its infrastructure, particularly the bandwidth available at its schools, and provided teachers and other school staff members with personalized professional learning to support student-centered instruction."
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Interested In Employment
Opportunities with the District?
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Throughout the year new employment opportunities arise for educators, paraprofessionals, and more.
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