May 11, 2018

Lakeside's Kerron at the Technology Showcase 

Hello all,

TWENTY-EIGHT (28) Days left in the 2017-2018 School Year! There, I said it. It is very hard for me to believe another school year is rapidly coming to a close. Yes, at times it does feel like time is crawling by at a snail’s pace, but for the most part, this and every school year flies by. It must mean that old adage that time flies when you are having fun is true. Fun is definitely a major part of being an educator. Largely because we are all surrounded by amazingly fun kids. Being around students helps remind us to lighten up and not take ourselves so seriously all the time. For me, that is the worst part of closing out the year – all  of the students leave us for a couple months. The schools seem just a little off without them.


My guess is you are all looking forward to the summer. Perhaps you have a special vacation arranged or just planning some down time with your family. Whatever it is, I hope it helps recharge you. I hope it gives you the much needed time to reflect on your professional and personal growth. Although I work in the summer, it is different. Like I mentioned, the buildings are without students for the most part. The staff is reduced to maintenance, custodial, and other 12 month employees working diligently to prepare for the return of the masses. It is also different in a way that is difficult to describe. Summer brings with it a ‘feeling’. I stay up later, we let our kids stay up later…we take fun day trips on the weekend, usually plan at least one week vacation (or even a staycation). There is something about the way summer feels that is special. For my family, summers are all about ‘summer swim team’. With my son and now my daughter swimming for our local swim club, we will have meets every Saturday until August. The kids will have practice everyday except Sunday. The nights after work (both my wife and I work full-time) we will cook on the grill, go swimming, or just sit around a fire pit stuffing ourselves with Smores.


For me, this is the time where without even trying, I can’t help but reflect on the prior year. Did it go the way I hoped? Were there things I would do differently if given the chance? Lastly, am I making a positive difference in the lives of others? I am often a very tough critic on myself. I feel it is important to be tough on yourself since we mostly find it easy to be critical of others. Right? Whether you want to admit it or not, most people have little problem pointing out (if only in their mind) what other people do wrong. Like I have written about before, many people engage in gossip or conversations that are critical of others – or just negative in general. Gossip or simply remaining quiet while someone talks about another is easy because people are programmed to find safety in groups, shy away from conflict, or simply don’t understand how devastating false rumors can be to someone’s reputation. What isn’t easy is confronting someone engaged in that type of destructive behavior. It isn’t easy to say “I don’t agree with that” and remove yourself from a conversation.


I have made it a personal goal of mine to do just that. It is my wish to not engage in gossip, rumor, or any conversation that is critical of someone (who is not present to defend themselves). In my position, avoiding conflict simply isn’t possible. There are always times where I will need to say something difficult to others, perhaps a parent or employee, but I feel it can be done respectfully. While I cannot avoid conflict all together, I can avoid engaging in conversations that serve only to criticize someone else. I can be brave and call friends and colleagues out if they begin to fall into that bad habit. I wonder what type of World we would have if everyone did this… what might our District become if instead of rumors and discussions behind someone’s back we all addressed each other respectfully head-on? My challenge is just that, as we head off into the summer in 28,27,26…reflect on your own behavior in this regard. Do you find yourself being negative often? Do you attract other negative people and conversations? Do you talk about people with others when they are not there? If you answered yes to any of those, spend some of your relaxing summer reflecting on it. Is that who you want to be?

Shout-out!

"I wanted to shout out Sandy Peterson, math resource room teacher at Lakeside. Students in Sandy's class had the opportunity to apply their knowledge of ratios by creating their own icing colors. I saw students working in pairs, having fun and of course enjoying their edible math creations. Ashanti Rankin is the paraprofessional in the classroom and he also got creative, making a paper towel bandage for a student complaining of an "injury" and setting up a chair for him to prop his leg. Ashanti was able to keep the student calm as Sandy was teaching when it could have easily turned into a huge distraction!"
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

"A BIG shout  out to Mr. Fien for his constant diligence towards holding families accountable for good attendance and getting to school on time.  He achieves this by visiting families in their homes and constant communication through phone calls and meetings. "
~JoAnn Burns, Principal

"A big shout out to Judy Tymkiw on her amazing come from behind victory on Jeopardy! We look forward to seeing her in the semi-finals next Tuesday!"
~Spike Cook, Principal

"Shout out to Colleen Blithe for doing a great job with the GT program.  She is organized, designs great lessons and activities, and keeps the students interested in learning.  Thanks for all you do!"

"Shout out to Margaret Keefer for running a fun and engaging PLC follow-up training yesterday here at Bacon.  She had us up, out of our seats, laughing, and learning.  Thank you for your time and commitment to helping us understand ourselves better and for leading us through the process of building better teams." 
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"Thank you Nina Crain  for creating a warm and caring environment for our students to learn in each day.  Your students love your class because they know they are loved.  Thank you for creating a great experience for our students."

"I'm extending a High Five to Dena Andrews and Danielle Procopio for their work at the District Technology Showcase last evening.  Both teachers had their students demonstrate how they have used technology to extend the learning in their classrooms.  Nice Job!"
~Eric Reissek, Principal

"Pat Wulk has done an outstanding job with PARCC.  She has even identified areas where we can make it smoother for the next year.  Thank you Pat for your calm, persistent and organized personality!"

"A huge shout out to  JoAnne Colacurcio, Alicia Discepola, Lauren Daigle, Kelly Davis, Collen Blithe and Robert Smith for their outstanding work organizing the Student Technology and learning showcase. This year GT joined the party to add a special flair to the showcase. Everything was beautiful, the children were spectacular and the tech support couldn't be beat.  It takes a great deal of planning to make everything look so smooth.  Thank you!"

"Last Night was Spectacular!  Aaron Righter, Amanda DeVita, Becky Benson, Beth Benfer, Dan Caregnato, Danielle Procopio, Dena Andrews, Derek Clarke, Gerald Bruman, Heather Basse, Heather Lennox-Rowland, Heidi Fisler, James, McCarthy, Jamie Burrows, Jennifer Salvati, John Russo,  Kristina Messina, Lisa Stahlberger, Melanie Errickson, Robin Carman, Samantha Elwell, Sarah Fryling, Shawn Jenkins, Tiffany Lind, Sandra Sivieri did an amazing job highlighting the samples of the technology and instruction in our schools.  I was honored to visit their sessions and see all of the wonderful opportunities they provide to our students."

"Thank you Bob Trivellini for another exciting Multi-Cultural week,  You always go above and beyond to make sure that our 5th graders get to experience a little more of the world around them.  Your hard work for this event does not go unnoticed!"
~Pamela Moore, Asst. Superintendent

 Have a Great Weekend!!!

Regards,

Dr. G.
Dr. David N. Gentile
Superintendent of Schools
“Lead Learner”
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)
856-327-6001

#MPSWC (MPS World Class)
#greatdaytobeabolt

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

May 4, 2018

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Hello all,

Enjoy the amazing weather today and have a great weekend!

Shout-outs!!!!

"A big shout out to our PARCC testing team: Terry Davis, Pat Fredrick, and Suzanne Sheppard. All of their hard work in the months leading up to PARCC and the countless hours during the testing process are very much appreciated.  Their attention to detail and organizational skills allowed for a smooth PARCC administration for our teachers and students."
~Steve Saul, Principal

"Robin Bennett, Joan Naprava, Michelle Price, Margaret Ortzman, Roseane Tirado, and Lisa Harris: A Bacon shout out to our cafeteria and kitchen staff for being an important part of the Bacon family.  Each and every day, their positive attitudes and smiling faces greet our staff and students.  Thanks for doing a great job.  You take good care of us, and we are grateful!  Thank you!"
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"Thank you to Kim Hallenbeck and Ryan Hudson for doing an amazing job with organizing the PARCC at LMS!"
~Spike Cook, Principal

"A Big shout out to Jane Hibschman and Lindsay Hudson and their aides:  Annette Cerami, Kathy Wright, Natalie Pierce and Barb Fidiaj.  They have become nationally certified  as LEAP (Learning Experiences an Alternative program for Preschoolers and Parents) instructors..  This is a two year process including best practices and instruction for preschoolers with autism and other developmental disabilities."
~JoAnn Burns, Principal

"I had the opportunity to collaborate with Melissa Smyth, Social Worker and case manager for 8th grade, on a sensitive issue regarding a student. I was so impressed listening to her work with her student. It was apparent that she had built trust with him and the manner in which she spoke and explained things to him was admirable. Social work at its finest! Thank you, Melissa, for making connections to our students and being the trustworthy adult our kids need and deserve!" 
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

"Rob DeSantis, Howard Raudenbush, Margaret Keefer, Alissa Clayton, Mike Dobrosky, Jesse Jones, Tom Costa, and Joe Sino: Congratulations to the staff, cast and crew of "Footloose."  It was a fantastic run and wouldn't have been possible without the dedication, time and talents of these staff members."
~Henry Hartman, Supervisor

"Tom Moore, thanks for your dedication to our students at Silver Run and for taking the time to visit all of our self-contained classes."
~Steve Matusz, Executive Director

"Heather Garrison is an absolute blessing to have at Silver Run.  As our PTO President and 1st Grade Paraprofessional there is not much Heather is not involved in here at the school.  She is thoughtful and kind.  I can speak for the staff when I say we are grateful she is a member of the Silver Run Family!!"

"A big shout out to the Silver Run PARCC Testing team: Camille Howard, Heather Dian, and John Newsome. Months of preparation came together for a great week of testing.  Heather, thank you for your technical support.  You were tremendous!"
~Eric Reissek, Principal

Regards,
Dr. G.

Dr. David N. Gentile

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

April 27, 2018 - Footloose Edition

Footloose - Photo credit Robin Hickman 

Greetings all,

Yesterday around the District, children of staff members spent the day learning more about what their parent does each day when they leave for work. I would like to thank those who organized the various events across each building so the children would have a memorable day. From the creative science experiments routinely observed this day at the MSHS, Memorial High School to the inaugural ‘tie dye t-shirt’ making right here at the Culver Center. As I shared in my prior email, we all spend so much of our lives together it is important to take a moment and share our work family with our at home families. Great job by all!

This week across the District we are underway for the PARCC testing. So far, great job to all involved in proctoring the assessment under Pat Wulk’s leadership. In addition, this week the School Development Authority or SDA, came to give a public presentation on the High School construction project well underway on Wade Blvd. It is amazing to see the various renderings and images of what the final project will look like. Although it is going to take great patience, flexibility, and cooperation during the build process the final High School is truly going to be something worthy of being home to the BOLTS! New science labs, auditorium, new gymnasium with a Cross-fit Gym, and many more state of the art elements will bring the Thunderbolts into the 21 Century and beyond.

This week the BOE approved submission of the 2018-2019 School Budget. Noting once again that the funding out of the State’s capital for public education remains far below the current needs of this community. Despite the funding shortfall, the District has kept job reductions relatively low by raiding the District’s rainy day maintenance reserve. Without going to far down this path, it just is a last resort move as paying for recurring positions with money saved for one-time repairs of roofing or boilers is not best practice. It is for this reason I again plead that we all write our decision makers and share the plight of this City. We are located in the poorest county in the great State of NJ. Millville relies heavily on the support of outside revenue funding because of the current economical status of the vast majority of its residents. For 8 long years, we have creatively found ways to do more with less but the breaking point is upon us. Something has to change in Trenton and school funding for the better for this community to continue to grow.

Last and on a much brighter note, Footloose the school musical, is underway. Opening Thursday evening, the reaction so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Make sure you come out this weekend and catch our rising stars before they leave us and become major Hollywood players. So this weekend, ‘cut loose, Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes’! Break a leg students!


SHOUT-OUTS!!!

"I wanted to thank Charlotte Richardson for organizing the Bubbles for Autism Event at Lakeside. Each year Charlotte coordinates the event which is dedicated to raising awareness of Autism."
~Spike Cook, Principal

"Along with providing good customer service Rob Smith works in infrastructure as a systems engineer where he is always looking for ways to make things more efficient. When we need someone to automate tasks that could take hours or days doing it manually, Rob is always willing to research and implement new ways to make our lives easier here in the IT department."
~Dan Wright, Communications Manager

"As I look forward to my final day before retiring, I want to look back and express my thanks and appreciation to all MPS staff I have had the pleasure for working with over the years.  Thanks for everything you do on a regular basis that's good for kids, especially the ones who need your care and attention the most!"
~Debbie Homan, Supervisor

"Mt. Pleasant School is so thankful to have Linda Cox and Eileen Breslin in our front office. They are pleasant, helpful, and full of laughs. They also have a special knack for pulling substitute teachers out of thin air. They keep everything in order. Thank you both for all you do every day."
~Arlene Jenkins, Principal

"Debby Broe has been a wonderful addition to the Silver Run Family.  Going the extra mile to make learning fun for her students seems to be the norm.  My favorite activity might be the Candyland Sight Word Game where the kids are hopping across the floor having fun all the while learning their sight words.  Great Job!"

"Thank you to Cheryl Ismail for taking the lead for Silver Run at this years' Franklin Institute Traveling Science Show.  As usual you went above and beyond by recruiting teachers and organizing the experiment tables.  You Rock!"
~Eric Reissek, Principal

"Amy Gandy is a hardworking, dedicated, caring individual who does nearly anything we need her to do.  She's great with the students and staff, and she doesn't hesitate to jump in and make a difference.  Amy, thanks for being so awesome!"
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"Shout-out to the counseling staff who supported the Holly Heights family in their recent time of need. It is difficult to understand loss of a child – impossible really, but during such a horrific time it was comforting to see our staff step up to support each other and the child’s family. I would like to specifically shout-out my cabinet members for joining with me to provide a special gift to assist the family in their time of need. Your generosity is appreciated deeply."
~Dr. David Gentile, Superintendent

 Warm Regards,

Dr. G.
Dr. David N. Gentile
Superintendent of Schools
“Lead Learner”
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)
856-327-6001

#MPSWC (MPS World Class)
#greatdaytobeabolt

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

April 20, 2018

Maddy the Therapy Dog - @MaddyTherapyDog

Greetings,

I hope you are having an outstanding Friday and preparing for an even better weekend. It is so important to have a positive attitude everyday. Whether you focus on some part of each day that you are looking forward to or simply focusing on the fact that every morning your eyes open is a blessing – it is all about your state of mind. Your outlook and perspective on each day will largely make it so. Your hustle and tenacity make everything else possible.

Gary Vanyerchuck, or "Gary V”, has a large online presence. He is an entrepreneur, thought leader, and simply a very outspoken critic of those who complain instead of celebrating each moment. Whether it is scientifically accurate I am not sure, but he says the odds of becoming a human being are 400 trillion to one. According to Gary V, you are more likely to win the Lotto 10 times in your life than to simply have a life. Knowing how rare winning the Lotto is, that is an amazing statement. Caution, before you search out Gary V’s podcasts or videos, I want to warn you that he uses explicit language. Despite the language, his messages about making the most of your life are excellent (he can be found @garyvee on Twitter).

Ultimately you can make it a great day or not, the choice is yours! Choose wisely.

Good News Comes in Three’s:
Three bits of good news for MPS:
You may recall last school year after our District budget was approved, an additional $700k was taken away. It was later returned to us but in the form of a loan. After much lobbying and advocating for MPS we were successful in getting that loan turned into a grant that does not need to be paid back.

This year’s state aid was ‘flat’ or the same as it has been for more than 8 years. Well not quite flat since when the snapshot was taken of last year’s budget to determine what we would get this year was taken after the money was taken out leaving the 2018-2019 school budget for MPS short just over $700k. After much lobbying and advocating for MPS we were successful in getting that money returned to the District’s State Aid (*although still drastically below what this community needs and deserves, it is still a victory).

Lastly, as you will recall the MPS District was in a legal dispute with the new full-time Technical School over high school athletics. Specifically, the case centered on whether another school district had the right to force our District to provide and supplement athletics for their District. We received the Judge’s decision in favor of the MPS District. We were successful in defending our position. Unfortunately it does not end here. The new NJ Commission of Education has 45 days to review the Judge’s findings and either support or overturn her decision. Stay tuned!

SHOUT-OUTS

"We would like to recognize the overwhelming love and support we have felt after the passing of our student. The response by our staff and the support from the entire district and community has helped us get through a very difficult time. We appreciate everyone’s willingness to be here to help students and staff and all of the flowers and messages of support. We are very grateful to be a part of the Millville Public Schools family."
~Steve Saul, Principal

"I would like to thank Mrs. Bacon for making arrangements for our wonderful guest speaker for our future Engineering students. This was an amazing opportunity for our students."

"I would like to thank Maddy for being her lovable self in supporting our students and especially our elementary students in a time of need."
~Stephanie DeRose, Principal

"I would like to thank Kim Hallenbeck for her perseverance and positive attitude in working with an enormous student record file with over 2000 records for our upcoming PARCC testing. Kim never gave up and found herself an ""Excel Expert"" in the end. I appreciate your ability to be flexible and work out of your comfort zone. Thanks again!!"
~Pat Wulk, Supervisor

"Thank you to Teale Carroll for assisting with coordinating the Franklin Institute Traveling Science Exhibit this week at LMS. Teale worked with our partners from the Connecting Families to Communities and the Holly City Development Center. We had over 300 visitors participate in the Science Night!'
~Spike Cook, Principal

"Amanda Schreiner, Sue Whilden, Sherry Gromes, Ashley Trovarelli:  Your dedication to our students, families, and staff helps us all provide an education for our students that is World Class. Thank You!"
~Steve Matusz, Exec. Director

"A huge shout out to our fifth and sixth grade special education teachers and case managers for their work this week during our transition meetings at Lakeside. As we go kid by kid and discuss individual needs, I hear all the love and hard work that has been poured into our classified students over the years and the preparedness of our sixth grade team to transition these students to Lakeside and make them successful in their respective programs. Thank you for being the World Class educators our students deserve!"
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

"Thank you to Pat Wulk, Trish Curcuru, Susan Trout, and Jackie Cruz for all of the work they have done getting Rieck Ave ready for PARCC. I'm grateful we have such a great team working on making sure everything is ready for the students to take PARCC."
~Brian Robinson, Principal

"Congratulations to Gerald Bruman , Shawn Jenkins and the MHS Robotics Team for finishing 3rd in the TSA Skills Competition at the College of NJ. Great job!"
~Joanne Colacurcio, Supervisor

Dr. David N. Gentile
Superintendent of Schools
“Lead Learner”
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)
856-327-6001

#MPSWC (MPS World Class)
#greatdaytobeabolt

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

April 13, 2018 - Spring Has Arrived Edition

LMS student, Dylan Latham, intervened in an emergency 

Hello,

I hope everyone is having a great Friday and looking forward finally to some nice weather!

Yesterday was an exciting day for sure…we had a Blackhawk Helicopter land on the practice grounds so students and staff could get an up close and personal look at this incredible technology. In addition, our military guests brought their own climbing wall. Students got a workout and an education on the Blackhawk Helicopter. Despite the copter being from the late 80’s it appeared more than ready for action. Check Twitter for the video of it landing and many pictures of students and staff aboard the Blackhawk. Thank you to our own Michael Schenck for organizing.

Also yesterday, Lakeside hosted as an AVID National Demonstration site several groups from schools across NJ. Showcasing their school wide approach to incorporating the AVID strategies, visitors were impressed with our staff as well as the students who addressed the large group of adults. The students explained to the audience, clearly and concisely, what AVID has done to help them advance. Judging by my conversations after with several visitors, the students and staff of Lakeside AVID left a lasting impression on the group. Kudos to Kim Hallenbeck and others for representing our District so well. A BIG SHOUTOUT to Rita Pettit for her comments to the AVID visitors yesterday during the debrief. I was extremely impressed with how passionately she articulated the value in using the AVID strategies as a ’non-avid’ teacher. By ’non-avid’ I mean not officially teaching the elective but Ms. Pettit is most certainly an AVID teacher. She uses the strategies in her classes and actively promotes the advantages her students have because of it. Thank you for being a leader among your peers!

These are just two of an endless list of amazing happenings across the MPS District!

One Amazing MPS Student caught being Phenomenal!!!
Subject: Student Dylan Latham

Good Afternoon Dr. Cook,
I wanted to share with you a moment that Dylan and I experienced last night.  We, unfortunately, witnessed a horrific accident.  An SUV was in front of us and went to turn onto a side road.  Upon doing so, an explosion happened in the front of her vehicle as is ripped it around almost in a circle.  Dylan and I noticed that the explosion was a motorcycle.  We ran out and just wanted to find the person.  The lady who hit him  told us to look in the woods while she called 911.  Dylan found him and went right to him without any fear and held his hand and with such a soothing voice, spoke as calmly as she could to the guy.  He was wrapped around a couple of trees.  I just tried to untangle some of the mess while trying not to cause any additional pain. 

Dylan got him talking and found out his name and tried to keep him focused on the little boy that he kept asking us to find (should he not make it) and tell him how much his daddy loved him.  She told him he could do that himself and told him he was NOT going to die.  I heard him finally talk in a normal voice and asked Dylan,  “Your not lying to me, right?”.  And Dylan spent the rest of the time she had with him letting him know that he’s going to live and that she would never lie about something like that. 

She showed such tenderness and bravery for a 13 year old.  And our intentions was to NOT let him die alone.  And she was prepared for that.  Somehow.

It took some time and effort for the shock to wear off once we were home.  She asked me, “what do we do now?”.  And I responded that she didn’t need to worry about what to do next except to know that she made a difference just being there and to know that she may have saved his life by keeping him from going into shock.  She kept him calm and spoke so sweetly that you would think she was professionally trained to do so.

I was able to find out that he made it. 

I am so proud and ever so shocked at the ability of a child to think and react in pure chaos.   Dylan is that child.  She’s constantly  amazing me!  Yes, I’m partial.  But, I thought that those who are around her and know just how special she is too would like to share in this moment. 

 This was received from the motorcyclist...

“Hi there, I’m so thankful for you and your daughter the both of you kept me together. I’m very lucky. Your daughter really gave me hope, how she handled herself talked to me, she kept me thinking. I thank her for that. Just thank you for the hands I could hold onto.”


All My Best,

Tina Latham



SHOUT-OUTS!!!!


"Kim Hallenbeck, Beth Benfer, and Sandy Lokuta did a phenomenal job with organizing an AVID Site visit at Lakeside Middle School. We hosted over 20 educators from area schools as well as from North Jersey and Pennsylvania. Thank you for your hard work!"
~Spike Cook, Principal

"A big Bacon shout out and thank you to Stephanie Muhlbaier for pulling together Hoops for Bacon (along with her team), the yearbook, and the Walk-a-Mile events.  Stephanie, thanks for all your hard work and dedication to keeping Bacon active and keeping our Bears involved.  I appreciate the time and effort it takes to make these things happen.  Thank you!"
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"Clara Lowers and Tammy Tozer were able to provide over 200 chicken eggs to be used throughout the district. These eggs will be incubated and hatched in over 20 classrooms for the students to witness and learn from. Thanks Clara and Tammy!"
~Bobby Barber, Supervisor

"A BIG shout out to our two school nurses, Karen Chamenko and Lee Tamagni, for their attention to detail and receiving a 100% compliance on all of our Child Family Center student records from the county health department.  The registration process and the record keeping for our 600 children is a monumental task!"
~JoAnn Burns, Principal

"Audrey Muller, Jackie Eppright, Ali Prevard, and Ish Jimenez: Your enthusiasm and efforts to work with our students with special needs is inspiring.  Thank you for being the light in their lives and the lives of their families."
~Steve Matusz, Executive Director

"A big shout to Marie Celestin. Thank you for another successful Reality Fair at Memorial High School. Once again Marie prepared, organized and implemented this wonderful event for our students. This fair is a great opportunity for our students to experience some of the financial challenges they will face when they start living on their own. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the students and staff at Memorial High School."
~JoAnne Colacurcio, Supervisor

"Kristin Phelan, Patti Atkinson, Courtney Fry, Tammy Elliott, Jessica Pacana, Juanita Douglas, and Jessica Kauffman: Today, three of our high school special education classes are presenting break out sessions at the annual Dare to Dream Student Leadership Conference at Cumberland County College. The sessions are entitled "Finding Yourself in Your Strengths" and "What Does Your Future Hold?" Thank you to the teachers and paraprofessionals that have worked with these students over the last few months to prepare them for this special day. This is an opportunity for students with disabilities to realize they have bright futures!"
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

"Thank you to Mike Schenck for coordinating the Blackhawk Landing at MSHS yesterday. Both students and teachers were impressed with every aspect of its visit."
~Kristin McManus, Vice Principal

Have an amazing weekend!!!
Warm Regards,
Dr. G.


Dr. David N. Gentile
Superintendent of Schools
“Lead Learner”
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)
856-327-6001

#MPSWC (MPS World Class)
#greatdaytobeabolt

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

March 29, 2018 - Spring Break

Photo by ANJA KWOK on Unsplash

Happy Friday (well Thursday) Everyone,

This issue marks the start of the Spring Recess for 2018…although not technically a Friday, today is certainly Phenomenal. Like all of you, I am looking forward to an opportunity to recharge with family and friends.

Yesterday I enjoyed some time spent with the Rieck Avenue Jets 5th graders! I was fortunate to be invited in as a guest reader. The book selected was a Bad Case of the Stripes, by David Shannon. If you are not familiar with this particular story, it involves something just about all of us can relate to – trying to please others. In the story, a young female student is about to begin her first day of school and she is very nervous about what to wear in order to make everyone like her. She cares so much about being like everyone else that she even gave up one of her favorite foods, because according to her “nobody likes them”.

In her effort to do what she thinks others want her to do instead of following her own heart, she breaks out with the strangest illness I have ever heard of - ‘a bad case of stripes’. Whenever someone suggests something for her to be she can’t help but turn into it. I won’t spoil the ending but simply say that it is probably normal to care what others think of us. I mean who doesn’t want to be liked?!? If, however, you lose sight of who you are in the process of trying to be liked you may find yourself with a bad case of the stripes. If others determine how you feel about yourself, or how you view your self-worth you are going to be left very vulnerable.

For our young people they go through this in various stages as they develop. It is normal for students to struggle with figuring out exactly who they are along their journey. Hopefully, by the time you are an adult you have figured out who you are. Even once you have done so, it can be difficult at times not to just go along with the group despite your real beliefs. We have all been there, a conversation is taking place with a group of people and it turns to talking about someone mutually known to the group. The person may be the butt of a joke or some other derogative statement about them; despite you knowing it is wrong to talk badly about others and perhaps you even like the person they are talking about it but is often easier to just go along. Maybe you just don’t say anything, which condones the behavior, or worse yet you chime in. I can say truthfully that I have done both in my lifetime. The power of social pressure is something that is very strong. Perhaps while enjoying the great spring weather (that I am confident will not include anymore snow) you can give this a little thought. The next time you find yourself in that situation, perhaps you can boldly point out that it isn’t polite to talk badly about others. If you don’t maybe you will get a bad case of the stripes!

Have an amazing break!

Shout-outs:

"A big shout-out to Kristi Abel for organizing and leading the Wellness Report as well as developing ideas for improving Lakeside Middle School."

"For filling in for Scott Godfrey while he was out of the 6th grade office, Robin Roche did a great job of keeping the office running smoothly!"
~Spike Cook, Principal

"Eric Paulson and Luisa Lopez-Arbelo have been working diligently on trying to complete the required ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 English language proficiency testing on all ELLs grades K to 12.  The wicked March weather threw a couple of monkey wrenches into the overall plan, but they're making it work.  THANKS!"
~Debbie Homan, Supervisor

"For bringing enthusiasm and professionalism to the management of our Infrastructure. Jeremias Bermudez is always willing to take on any task or challenging situation as they arise."
~Dan Wright, Communications Manager

"Krystle Ammann, Bob Domico, Harry Longini, Derek Clarke, Sam Landi, Dan Lalli, Bridget Borlak, Elisa Petrini, Steve Matusz, Heather O'Donnell, Sheila Montecino, Jarrod Headley, Michele Lobaito: Thank you all for volunteering to chaperone 150 students (3 charter buses) on our annual trip to Washington, DC. Because of you we were able to visit the Holocaust Museum, eat at the United States Department of Agriculture, and see the White House, Jefferson Memorial, MLK Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and war memorials.  The students and I appreciate your time (an over 16 hour day) and dedication to preparing our students to become 21st century citizens."
~Jessica Kauffman, Dept. Chair

"Thanks to Lauren Daigle, I was able to say good bye to "My Documents" and I am now fully operational in Google Drive File Stream! She was so patient and answered all of my questions. I was on the fence for so long and after reading Lauren and Alicia's Tech Tuesdays, I decided it was time. If you haven't switched over yet, Spring Break is the perfect time!"
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

 "A Bacon shout out to Patti Banker for being a great Bacon Bear. In addition to the fantastic work she does with the kids in the classroom, Patti doesn’t hesitate to jump in and help others do just about anything. From helping with school events to occasionally covering classes when needed and everything in between, Patti is a great team player and colleague to all. Thanks for being awesome, Patti! We appreciate your hard work and dedication to the students and staff at Bacon."
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"We are very fortunate to have James and Bacon as our daytime custodians at Holly Heights.  They both keep our building in top shape and assist all of us on a daily basis.  They also both work in our latch key program and interact with our students in a positive manner.  Last night they both captained teams for our Games Galore and today assisted Mrs. Fryling's class by dropping their egg containers off the roof.  They are both always willing to do whatever they can to make Holly Heights a better place."
~Steve Saul, Principal

"Thank you to Jamie Burrows, John Parkin, Rick VanArsdale, and Jim McCarthy for another successful Advisory Committee meeting. You've done a fine job of showing off the wonderful programs you run for our school. Your passion for your fields was evident and appreciated. Kudos to you all for your efforts!"
~Bridget Borlak, Dept. Chair

Have an amazing Spring Recess!!

Regards,

Dr. G.

Dr. David Gentile
Lead Learner
Superintendent of Schools
Millville NJ
856-327-6001
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ

March 23, 2018

Lakeside's King Tut CSI Crew 

Greetings all,

Wishing all of you a happy Spring 2018 as it is officially the end of Winter. Although Mother Nature does not yet seem to realize it. Do I dare say, this should be the final snowfall for us this School Year?!? There I said it, it is not allowed to snow again.

Yesterday in the wake of the winter snow blast, many area homes and businesses were without power. I am happy that we were able to get fully restored as of yesterday 3pm. The last of the snow appears to have melted perhaps we can turn the page and fully embrace the warmer weather of Spring and look forward to completing another amazing school year.

Shout-outs!
"A much-deserved shout-out to ALL the members of the District Equity and Diversity Team who have worked so hard in their schools and at the district level to raise awareness of issues related to race and ethnicity, poverty, special education and gender bias, to highlight disparities in discipline and placements and to offer ideas and strategies for teachers and administrators to consider in the quest to bring equity to Millville's academic and extra-curricular programs.  I have so appreciated the opportunity to work with you!"
~Nora Zielinski, Executive Director Special Services

"Stacey Musey has made my transition so much easier this year. (I'm pretty sure that was her main goal.) She stepped into a department chair position that absorbed an entire department because of cuts, works in three buildings, and is a first time administrator. Because of her tireless work ethic, attention to detail, and extremely high standards, I have been able to focus my attention away from the high schools. She has my complete trust and the district is a better place with her working here."
~Bobby Barber, Supervisor

"The team of Kristi Cranmer, Heather Dian, Joy Gorgas, Terri Russo, and Deb Zavorski had an outstanding meeting the other day.  During their meeting they began to lay the foundation for a Professional Learning Community.  The meeting was an open and honest discussion, where each person had a voice.  They were able to outline the details critical to its success.  It was great seeing the team apply the knowledge from our last professional development day."
~Eric Reissek, Principal

"Our Social Studies Department transformed the Auditorium Hallway into a museum so that the LMS students could experience the King Tut CSI project! Thanks to Cody Hand, Tim Garrison, Robbie Williams, and Amy Gehringer for coordinating."

"Thank you to Barb Kern, Tom Fien, and Darlene Bassetti for assisting with the coordination of the Millville Youth Empowerment Summit. They attended multiple meetings throughout January - March in the evening and on the day of the event on March 17. Thank you for everything!"
~Spike Cook, Principal

"Thanks to all of our district's art teachers for their outstanding exhibit for Youth Art Month at the Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts."
~Henry Hartman, Supervisor

"Thank you to all of the custodians, maintenance and grounds staff who came in several times this winter to shovel and plow snow.  There were some miserable days this winter.  On some snow days everyone was shoveling snow with temperatures in the teens and 25 mile per hour winds to get school opened the next day.  The district couldn’t operate without you.  Thank you."
~Ryan Cruzan, District Facilities Manager

"Since joining the Bacon staff, Stacey Gant has made an immediate positive impact. She goes above and beyond to ensure her lessons are engaging and fun for the students, and she works well with her 4th grade partner to plan lessons and actives for their students. She’s a wonderful addition to the Bacon family, and if that weren’t enough, she’s a new mom. Stacey, though I’m sure it wasn’t easy to come back, we welcome you upon your return from maternity leave. Your students are lucky to have a teacher like you, and we’re glad you’re here!"
~Mike Coyle, Principal

"Dan Caregnato has done a wonderful job in transitioning from state trooper to classroom teacher. He provides our students with real world experience, and his wisdom and knowledge go beyond the classroom walls. Dan is always eager to learn and implement instructional strategies, from using Google Classroom to attending after school workshops. The high school is lucky to have such a valuable staff member."
~JoAnne Colacurcio, Supervisor

"Congratulations on a job well done goes out to Elizabeth Morgan, Advanced Eighth Grade English. Liz's class just completed a community service project. Collectively, the class spent 140 hours making our community a better place to live. Here are some things the class accomplished: A student collected 1,103 diapers and 1,646 wipes for families in need, another student made twenty care packages for children in or going into foster care, eight students joined forces to clean-up the nature conservatory, while others cleaned the community and removed litter. These are just a few of the projects completed. Great job class!"
~Maggie Colina, Supervisor

"Joanne Mills is our Autism Inclusion teacher at Silver Run. She has a big task of working with all of the inclusion paraprofessionals and teachers that her keep our students successful in the general education classes. Ms. Mills created social skills objectives aligned to current Student Learning Standards, 21st Century Life and Career Standards, and the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies and Sub-Competencies. The social skills progress by grade level and these skills are then enhanced in the more formalized LEGO “therapy” program which includes specific job titles and duties that foster effective planning, communication, and team problem solving. Ms. Mills goes above and beyond with parent outreach! You do so much for our program!"
~Debby Sukinik, Supervisor

"Mrs. Dondero, Mrs. Mascara and Mrs. Oliver's classes have been doing an investigative study on Music.  The interest areas in their classrooms have been transformed into various musical discovery activities.  They also invited parents to come in and perform for the children.  An "old fashioned " sing a long by a former district music teacher was incorporated into a lesson and they Skyped with Mr. DeSantis and his band class to showcase the different instruments and the sounds they produce as well as how those sounds are made.  What a great way to include the community, parental involvement and retired educators as part of the learning at CFC."
~JoAnn Burns, Principal

"Terry Davis is the glue that keeps Holly Heights together.  She goes above and beyond for everyone and does so many things to keep our building running smoothly.  Her professionalism when dealing with high stress situations is appreciated.  She wears so many hats on a daily basis and does so without complaining or seeking recognition.  She is always willing to listen and help anyone in need.  Thanks Terry!"
~Steve Saul, Principal

"Christine Olinda and Julia Araujo are teachers in two of our self-contained special education classrooms. Last year they went for training in a Wilson Reading program for older students. It's been great to see this multi-sensory reading approach in action with our students. They collaborate as they plan lessons for their classes and our students are benefiting from it!"
~Brian Robinson, Principal


Hope everyone has a great weekend!


Warm (like Spring Weather Warm) Regards,


Dr. G.


Dr. David N. Gentile
Superintendent of Schools
“Lead Learner”
@drgentile_mps (Twitter)
856-327-6001

#MPSWC (MPS World Class)
#greatdaytobeabolt

Published by Spike Cook, Millville, NJ