Clinton Township Newsletter

1 6 j u l y 2 0 2 1 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M C L I N T O N T O W N S H I P S C H O O L N E W S www.ctsdnj.org I N O U R S C H O O L S : School districts in New Jersey are required to assess students three times a year, using a benchmark assessment system. These benchmarks keep teachers informed of student progress towards mastery of the NJSLS (Standards) in ELA and Mathematics. This year we use a variety of assessments. MobyMax was used as a math benchmark assessment for students in First through Eighth grade. It was also used for ELA assessments. A program called Literably was used to determine student reading levels in grades Kindergarten through Fifth. During this unique school year, we also gave the Start Strong assessments to our middle schoolers. Start Strong assessment's primary purpose is to provide data that can be used to determine: ● Any learning loss that occurred during COVID-19 disruptions ● Students' overall current skill level on grade-appropriate standards ● Student's individual skill level ● Level of support needed for current grade-level instruction ● Gather standard based data ● Provide a snapshot of support students are likely to need All of this information was used to track student progress and growth towards the mastery of their grade level standards and to allow teachers to craft instruction to meet the needs of all students. Due to compressed schedules, remote instruction and issues created during the closures and remote instruction since March of 2020, we know that there may be gaps in mastery that will be addressed in the coming school years. The data from our benchmark presentation can be accessed on the CTSD website (www.CTSDNJ. org) under "District Happenings" by clicking on the "Board Presentation of Benchmark Data 2020-2021" link. CLINTON TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT FORMATIVE BENCHMARK DATA 2020-2021 Benchmark Data Presentation by Jennifer Paccione, Supervisor of Instruction, Data &Aement by Joanne Hinkle, Director of Special Projects on May 10, 2021 Patrick McGaheran School Summer is a time of relaxation, lazy, warm days and fun with family. Although the next school year may seem far away at this point, it is important to help children maintain an academic focus and stay ready for the upcoming school year. A great way to do this is to spend time reading every day over the summer months. A trip to the library is a fun family event, and an opportunity to check out exciting stories to read together as a family, as well as independent reading opportunities for children. Please be sure to visit your library or local bookstore, and please continue to keep reading every day! We know our PMG friends are fantastic readers, and we look forward to hearing about all of their reading adventures in the fall! Families, please visit our CTSD website for information about our Summer Visitation Days in August! Round Valley School Lieutenant Charles Vadez from the Clinton Township Fire Department paired up with the RVS 5th Grade Science Teachers for a fun activity! Students participated in a design challenge in which they had to protect a raw egg from breaking during falls from various heights. The eggs that survived the 6 foot ladder drop were lifted high in the air by the fire ladder. Teacher, Mr. Friedel, made the drops to cheers from the kids and teachers on the ground. Many survived, and many did not. 5th Graders recently helped to beautify the walls of the school. Under the facilitation of teaching assistant, Mrs. Veronica Plakotaris, a tree was created with help from all fifth grade students. A small group of students also created an ocean themed elevator door. We love how great the walls look with these fun new works of art! ClintonTownship Middle School On June 11 the CTMS held the Grade 8 Beach Boardwalk Extravaganza! Students enjoyed the opportunity to have their first grade level event together. The rain held off and smiles, laughter and fun conversation were had by all. Entertainment was provided by a DJ and students participated in boardwalk games, Human Fooseball, an instant photo booth and other classic beach activities. The biggest hit of the night was the dunk tank bravely manned by Mr. Tarriff. Thank You, Mr. Tarriff, for being such a good sport! We would also like to thank Unity Bank for providing a hot air balloon. Additional thanks goes to the PTA for providing such an enjoyable evening for our students. On June 15 the C T M S C l a s s o f 2021 graduation c e r e m o n y w a s h e l d a t N o r t h Hunterdon High School. The families of our 168 students were in attendance to c e l e b r a t e t h e i r achievement. We felt truly fortunate that we were able to gather all together for the special occasion. The student-led ceremony featured the Camerata Singers, speeches by Brooke Holmes, Isabella Hodkinson, Ava Sudol, and Anika Hoyer, Aria Spinetti and Ava Spinetti. Special introductions were made by Dylan Miller and Christian Zamrok. Alec Milne presented the class gift of a bench made out of recycled bottle caps. We can't forget about the PTA and how their decorations made for a memorable experience for all who attended in person or viewed from the live stream. Thank you PTA! We are very proud of our graduating class!

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