Updated 2/17/15  6:15 am

All Millstone, Plumsted, Roosevelt and Upper Freehold Schools CLOSED

March 2

2 Hour Delay for Millstone, Upper Freehold, and Roosevelt School Districts 

Plumsted CLOSED

2 Hour delayed opening for Millstone, Roosevelt and Upper Freehold School Districts. 

Plumsted School District will be CLOSED. 

Please read Dr. Fitzpatrick’s message below:

Dear Teachers, Staff and Parents,

We have been in communication with our Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in both UFRSD and Millstone and believe that with caution we should be able to open school with the delayed opening schedule.  Our campus is well salted and ready for opening but I ask that parents of teen drivers remind their children that they must drive with caution and at an appropriate speed for winter driving. We will open with a two hour delay. I have asked that the bus drivers exercise caution and ask that you be patient if there is a slight delay in some routes.                     

Dr. Fitzpatrick

 Please read this important update from Millstone Township Superintendent Scott Feder regarding the calendar for the end of this school year.

Last update: 3/10/15

MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

As part of the district’s Strategic Planning, the Communications team would be interested in hearing your opinion! Please take a moment to fill out a brief survey on line: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PBZB8G2

It will help Millstone Township Schools in determining how you would like to receive news and information within the upcoming years. Thank you in advance for your help!

The link will be open to complete the survey until March 19^th.

Sign Up TODAY!

At the upcoming Millstone Township Board of Education meeting, many students will be honored for their successes and achievements.

Congratulations to the following students*:

Eagle Scout Awards

• Derek Matthews
• Michael Sosa

Primary School Recognition: 

• Alexandra Walkley‐NJ State Vault Champion
• Isabella Mays – Modeling/Runway Accomplishments (photo‐runway‐monologue‐sportswear)

Elementary School Recognition:

• Sarah Cox – Most Improved Student‐recognized by Lakewood BlueClaws
• Matthew Italiano – Most Improved Student – recognized by the Lakewood BlueClaws
• Joseph Buffa – Character Award – found $ 20 bill outside, gave to aides immediately
• Lauren Castellano‐National Art Competition on Artsonia

Middle School Recognition:

• Victoria Cagnetta – Honorable Mention ‐Asbury Park Essay
• Victor Cappuzzo ‐2nd Place ‐Asbury Park Essay
• Giovanna Caratenuto‐ Honorable Mention ‐ Asbury Park Essay
• Taylor Eng (2 Honorable Mention) Asbury Park Essay

• Andrew Raccuglia ‐ Daughters of the Revolutions Essay‐honorable mention
• Emma Stavrou ‐ Daughters of the Revolutions Essay‐honorable mention

• Ayaan Memon‐ Future Problem Solvers – State Invitational
• Brianna Soliman ‐ Future Problem Solvers –State Invitational
• Sean Mulligan ‐ Future Problem Solvers – State Invitational

• Amanda Fierro – National Skimboarding Competition‐1st Place
• Kuri Kwon – Avid Reader Award

Wrestling:

• Nick Caunt – 3rd Place Mercer County Tourney (6th)
• Nick Weitz – 4th Place Mercer County Tourney (6th)
• Matt Paglia – 2nd Place MCT (7th) STATE QUALIFIER Y
• John Kuchar – 1st place MCT (also undefeated) (8th) STATE QUALIFIER
• Michael Blotto – 2 place MCT (8th)
• Jared Fotheringham -4th place MCT (8th)
• Carson Capone -4th place MCT (8th)
• Nick Principe -4th place MCT (8th)-(1st year wrestler)
• Ryan losim- 4th place MCT (8th) (1st year wrestler)
• Tyler Minton-1st place -JV MCT (7th)
• William Zhao-1st place- JV MCT (8th)

*Some students may not be listed above due to parent permission requests.

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) recently published the Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending providing the opportunity to view and compare money spent on students enrolled in public schools across the state.

In 2011, the NJDOE updated to “Comparative Spending Guide” to reflect a more inclusive measure of total costs for students Preschool through Grade 12.

The “Total Spending” calculation now includes the following categories: transportation, special revenues, pension and benefits paid by the state, facilities (including debt service), equipment, total food services, judgments against the school district, and tuition/costs for students sent out of district (except payments to Charter schools).

There are 21 “Indicators” and other measures of evaluation.

The results of the 2013-2014 highlight that the average spending per student in NJ increased to $19,211 from $18,809 in 2012-2013.

To view how YOUR tax dollars were spent in YOUR local school district, click  Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending

To see how your local district compared to Monmouth County School Districts, see below:

To see how your local district compared to Ocean County School Districts, see below:

Community Partner Wawa, Sponsors Millstone Twp. Middle School 8th Grade Breakfast Benefiting Local Food Bank

On Friday, June 5, 2015, a breakfast will be held honoring Millstone Township Middle School’s 8th graders.  The breakfast celebrates the graduating 8th grade class of 2015.  Wawa, in Monroe is donating 200 Sizzli breakfast sandwiches and orange juice for the breakfast.  Wawa is a tremendous community partner and looks to support local community schools and businesses.

“We are very happy to be a part of the community of Millstone Twp. And Monroe.”  “We look forward to serving this community both inside and outside of our store.”  “Community Connections is very important to Wawa and we are both honored and excited to be participating in this event,” commented Carol Healy, General Manager, Wawa

This breakfast also shines a spotlight on the National Junior Honor Society service project.  The 21 member honor society is conducting a Food Drive for The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.  Students and community are asked to donate food items now through June 19th.

The National Junior Honor Society strives for excellence in character, leadership, academics, and service.  Mrs. Marcella Heine, National Junior Honor Society advisor, is so proud of these students when they approached her to ask if they could work at the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.  The field trip was approved and they spent an entire day volunteering.

“Every single member worked so hard to sort through and stack over 4,000 pounds of food for people who need it. Not one of them slacked off or complained the entire day. They got right to work and smiled the whole time. Mrs. Michal Friedman and I were proud to be their “coaches” this year; especially during this particular project,” beamed Mrs. Heine.

According to Dr. Christopher Huss, Principal, “I continue to be impressed by the work of this year’s eighth grade class. They are a group of genuinely kind individuals who work together to help others, give back to their community, and set an example for all of us to follow. They truly epitomize the character that we strive to instill in every one of our students.”

About Donating

Accepting food donations now through June 19th

• Millstone Twp. Middle School, 5 Dawson Court

Contact

To learn more about The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, please visit

http://www.foodbankmoc.org

Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) awarded seven grants today totaling $15,253.30 to Millstone Township Schools. In January, MTFEE awarded three grants totaling $13,591.40. Between its two grant cycles this school year, MTFEE awarded a total of $28,844.70. Since 2002, MTFEE has awarded more than $515,500 to its schools. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE-funded grant programs running in the Millstone Township School district. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE funded grant.

This grant cycle awards included a set of timpani drums, fitness equipment, professional development responsive classroom and language comprehension workshops, historical figures performances, mosaic garden of stepping stones, and fans to enhance the STEAM curriculum.

Following is a listing of the grants and recipients:

Timpani-A-Plenty ($4,269.96)

(Adam Gruber, Elementary School Band Director/Music Teacher) The grant consists of a new set of timpani, large kettle shaped drums that have a defined, resonating tone and are tuned and pitched to match the rest of the ensemble. This grant will not only benefit the percussion section, it will also allow the ensemble, as a whole, to play the repertoire with more complex timpani parts. When educationally appropriate, the students will learn how to use, tune and play the instrument.

Millstone Planet Fitness ($3,459.92)

(Kelly Rossetto, Middle School Physical Education Teacher) – The grant consists of fitness equipment that will be used by middle school students several times a week to give them a gym-like workout. The grant will expose, enlighten and encourage every student to be physically active. Some of the equipment includes stability balls, balance disks, agility ladders, training hurdles, plyo boxes, yoga mats, stabilizing blocks, dumbbells, resistance tubing, medicine balls, kettlebells and fitness exercise posters.

Responsive Classroom Four-Day Workshops for Elementary Educators ($2,548.44)

(Brittani Adams, First Grade Teacher; Jennifer Reed, Second Grade Teacher; Gloria Arevalo, Foreign Language) – The grant consists of a “Responsive Classroom Four-Day Workshop for Elementary Educators.” These teachers will bring back new ideas to add to the school community and share findings with colleagues to improve classroom practice, student learning and overall performance.

Lives of Historical Figures Through Portrayals ($2,000)

(Dr. Christopher Huss, Middle School Principal, in Partnership with The Friends of Millstone Township Historical Registered Properties) – The grant consists of three half-day performances at the middle school (one for each grade level), by an actor portraying a historical figure, to enhance the social studies curriculum and bring history to life for students. Proposed figures include Abe Lincoln for sixth grade students, George Washington for seventh and Edgar Allan Poe for eighth. The Friends of Millstone Township Historical Registered Properties piloted the program in the middle school last year and it was very successful.

Stepping Stones: Creating Outdoor Inquiry Learning Spaces ($1,439.80)

(Shannon Bell, Primary & Elementary School Art Teacher) – The grant consists of teachers and students planning, creating and installing a mosaic garden of stepping stones in the primary school. Students will not only learn a new art form: mosaics, but the project will also encourage numbers and letters recognition.

Workshop: Visualizing and Verbalizing® for Language Comprehension & Thinking ($1,071.22)

(Meredith Weibel, Elementary School Reading Specialist) – The grant consists of a Lindamood-Bell^® Workshop on Visualizing & Verbalizing^® (V/V) . Research suggests that mental imagery is strongly tied to comprehension and memory. Higher levels of mental imagery are correlated to greater recall and deeper comprehension. In addition to implementing it for her students in the fall, Mrs. Weibel will share findings from the workshop with colleagues to incorporate into their classrooms.

Winds of Change: Innovation and Exploration ($463.96)

(Beth Topinka, Elementary School Teacher) – With the purchase of two different fans, this grant will enhance the STEAM curriculum by offering students hands-on opportunities to design investigations and engineering challenges in a variety of fields including physical science, earth science and life science. Data generated through these investigations will be readily applicable for cross-curricular application in mathematics as well.

For more information about donating to MTFEE, becoming a trustee or its fundraising programs and events, please e-mailinfo@mtfee.org, visit www.mtfee.org and like us on Facebook.

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About MTFEE

From its initial conception in 1995 to its designation as a 501©3 charitable organization in 2002, the Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) has remained steadfast in its goal to fund grants for items that nurture extraordinary educational experiences for every student in Millstone Township Public Schools and are beyond the scope of the general school budget. Items include innovative classroom programs, educational opportunities for students, staff development, and state-of-the-art teaching materials. Through the creativity of the teaching staff’s grant applications and the fundraising efforts of MTFEE, the foundation is proud to have awarded more than $515,500 in grants to Millstone Township schools. MTFEE grants, which have been awarded at every grade level and in every discipline, have included STEAM enrichment programs, SMARTBoards^®, mobile computer and iPad^™ labs, timpani drums, and a rock climbing wall.MTFEE was the first organization in the district to put iPads^™ into the classroom in the spring of 2011. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE-funded grant programs running. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE-funded grant. MTFEE is a member of New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership and The National Consortium of State and Local Education Foundations (NCEFS).

The Millstone Township Board of Education recognized outstanding efforts of students and parents at their Board of Education meeting, May 26.

Note: Only students with parent permission for publication appear on the lists below.

HONOREES ALSO INCLUDE:

Staff of the Year

Teachers of the Year

o  Donna Romano‐PS

o  Jason Miller‐ES

o  Michal Friedman‐MS

o  Jason Suleski

Support Staff

o  Sara Gervasi‐PS

o  Ellen Stephan‐ES

o  Pat Van Hise‐MS

o  Jeanne Iannatto‐District

Degrees Earned

Beth Topinka‐graduate Certificate in Gifted Education from RU

Cathleene George‐completed New Science Teacher Academy

Donorschoose.org Grant

Tracy Corsano ($ 269)

o  Class set of the novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio

MTFEE Grant Winners

January 2015

MS Book Room ($7,923.88)

o  Sara Stofik

STEAM Pro Library Mini Lab ($3,697)

o  Jo‐Ann Trifiro

o  Beth Topinka

o  Michelle Falanga

Collaboration, Creativity and Learning w/LEGOs ($1,970.52)

o  Marian Peck

o  Shannon Bell

May 2015

Timpani‐A‐Plenty ($4,269.96)

o  Adam Gruber

Millstone Planet Fitness ($3,459.92)

o  Kelly Rossetto

Responsive Classroom Four—Day W/s for Elementary Educators ($2,548.44)

o  Jennifer Reed

o  Gloria Arevalo

Lives of Historical Figures Through Portrayals ($2,000)

o  Christopher Huss

o  In Partnership w/ The Friends of Millstone Twp Historical Registered Properties

ƒ    Pat Butch

Stepping Stones: Creating Outdoor Inquiry Learning Spaces ($1,439.80)

o  Shannon Bell

Workshop: Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension & Thinking ($1,071.22)

o  Meredith Weibel

Winds of Change: Innovation and Exploration ($463.96)

o  Beth Topinka

Email your beautiful photos from the Millstone 8th Grade Dance to MyCommunitySource@gmail.com

It’s graduation time!

Send your graduate a SHOUT-OUT message on The Source.

Send your photos too!

MyCommunitySource@gmail.com

The Millstone Township PTO & PTSA are gearing up its first ever

Color-a-Thon

on Sunday, October 18, 2015!   

The Millstone Township PTO/PTSA will be holding its first ever Color-a-Thon on Sunday, October 18, 2015!  The event will take place at the Millstone Township Middle School located at 5 Dawson Court.  It’s our first community wide partnership.   Participants can walk, run or dance through a 2.5 mile course and get color-blasted in safe, eco-friendly, plant based powdered dye at every zone…turning them into a moving target of fun!  “There will also be a shorter course which is perfect for junior runners and the entire family, my kids are so excited to take part in this event,” said Event Chair Christina Baldino.  Registration begins at 8am and participants can take part in free pre-race activities while they wait for the race to begin at 9am.

All the participants will line up behind a giant inflatable archway at the starting point.  The 2.5 mile course was mapped out by Mr. Joseph Muni, the Middle School Athletic Director.  “Part of the terrain is the middle school cross country course and part of it is a very scenic route through the woods,” said Muni.  “This course proves to be a lot of fun during the cross-country season and promises to be just as exciting for the upcoming Color-a-Thon.”

After the race, participants can jam out to music at the After Blast Party!  We will count down to when everyone rips open their color packets to share a blast of color with family, friends and everyone around.  The result is a once in a lifetime experience all while exercising and having fun running alongside  classmates, teachers, administrators and members of the community.   There will also be a food truck, activities for the youth and plenty of vendors.

Non-millstone students and members of the community can register by logging onto http://shop.schoolathon.org/EventIndex.asp?EID=181331 School ID is 120118.  Students will receive a pledge packet come September where they will get a chance to earn tons of free prizes to use on race day!    “This is not only a great opportunity to support the children of Millstone Township but it’s also a great opportunity to advertise your business,” said Kristen Saker, Co-President of the PTSA.  Event sponsors include Tom and Kristen Saker from Saker ShopRites, and Dr. Michael Baldino from Baldino Dental Arts.  There are many other sponsorship opportunities available including prominent signage along the course and family sponsorships as well.  For more information please contact Kristen Saker at wiffysaker@optonline.net

The event is expected to draw hundreds of families from Millstone Township and the surrounding towns.  All of the proceeds from the event will go directly to the students in grades PreK-8 of the Millstone Township School District.

The Millstone PTO/PTSA is a 501(c) (3) organization that operates independently from the school district.  All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.