Clinton Township Newsletter

I N O UR Spruce Run School S SCHOOLS: Can our SRS readers "Pop Into a Good Book" this summer? Summer is a time to enjoy family fun in the sun, as well as enjoy some great books together! 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 by sure to visit the Hunterdon County Library or local bookstore or choose great books from your own bookshelf, and please continue to read for at least 15 minutes every day! Please visit our website at http:// www.ctsd.k12.nj.us/schools/spruce-run/ to download reading logs or get more information about our Summer Reading Program at Spruce Run School. Have a wonderful summer, and don't forget the sunscreen! P at r i c k M c g a h e r a n S c h o o l LEGO Robotics at PMG: Students at PMG have been thrilled to participate in the LEGO We Do Robotics program, funded by a grant from the Clinton Township Foundation for Educational Excellence. Student volunteers give up two consecutive days of recess. On the first day, working in pairs, they follow the plans to construct the Dancing Birds model while identifying the simple machines involved (gears, pulleys, wheels and axles) and describing how they interact. The next day, they connect their models to the computer, in order to program the robot. They collect data on the types of movements involved, make structural modifications and note the results and then experiment with changing the programs. The robotics program will continue next year, providing more students with the opportunity to participate and work with the materials in greater depth. Retirements at PMG: This year, several PMG staff members are retiring. Please join us in congratulating the following: Mr. Brian Cullen, School Custodian, Mrs. Polly Glowatz, Physical Education Teacher, Mrs. Melinda Jerolimic, Teaching Assistant, Mrs. Kathleen (Mimi) Redmond, School Secretary, Mrs. Linda Szwedo, Learning Disability Teacher Consultant. Best wishes to these dedicated educators in their future endeavors! Round Valley School In our continued movement towards increasing literacy, all CTSD students will have required summer reading. The purpose of summer reading is to encourage students to acquire the wonderful lifetime habit of independent reading. Independent reading can help students maintain the great progress they have made during the school year. PMGS students enjoy the LEGO We Do Robotics program, funded by a grant from the CT Foundation for Educational Excellence. CT F o u n d a t i o n A n n o u n c e s I n n o va t i v e G r a n t a n d Distinguished Student Recipients The Clinton Township Foundation for Educational Excellence is proud to announce the recipient of the annual "Distinguished Student Award" and the winner of the "Most Innovative Grant Award." Silvana Truppi was awarded the "Distinguished Student Award," which is given to a graduating 8th grade student at CTMS for academic achievement and community service. Miss Truppi was awarded a certificate and savings bond. "We congratulate Miss Truppi on receiving the Foundation Distinguished Student Award and thank her for all of her wonderful contributions to the school and to our community, including the Girl Scouts, United Way and YMCA Leaders Club, to name a few," said Cheryl Donnelly, secretary, Foundation. Foundation trustees also voted the "Most Innovative Grant" for the 201213 school year, using creativity, uniqueness and educational value as criteria. The new "PMG Publishing Center" was awarded this honor with a certificate and gift card. After selecting some of their best pieces, all 2nd and 3rd grade students had the opportunity to make an appointment at the PMG Publishing Center, and work with an adult editor to determine pagination, illustration and format of the book. Students then received their final bound book! Students at RVS are expected to read for 150 minutes each week. Students will be given a reading log and a list of suggested summer reading. In September, teachers and students will meet to talk about the books and each student will present an aspect of his or her favorite summer read. "We felt that this grant was innovative because it motivated students to write their own personal stories," said Cindy Miceli, chairperson, Foundation. "It also allowed the students to share their work with families and friends outside the classroom in a format of which they could be proud." On Friday, May 31, Round Valley had its annual POP's Competition. POPs is an invention contest and stands for "Possibility or Prototype."  We had 70 students competing. Students created inventions to make their lives better. The judges were impressed with the student's research and creativity! The Clinton Township Foundation for Educational Excellence aims to enhance the quality of education and enrichment opportunities for the 1,600+ students in the Clinton Township School District. For more information, visit us online: www.clintontownshipfoundation.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. A student representing Round Valley School recently received a perfect score in the last of three meets for this year's WordMasters Challenge,™ a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 150,000 students annually. Competing in the difficult Blue Division of the WordMasters Challenge,™ sixth grader Sarah Motter earned a perfect score of 20 in the recent meet. Nationally, only 39 sixth graders achieved a perfect score. Other students at Round Valley School who achieved outstanding results in the final meet included fourth grader, Cole Schmidt, fifth graders Taylor Panzarino and James Daugherty, and sixth graders Justin Rush and Devon Williams, each scoring 19.  Enrichment teacher, Renee Sielaff coached the students in preparation for the WordMasters Challenge.™ J u l y CTSD B o a r d of E d u c at i o n Board meeting dates for the 2013 calendar year: July 29, August 26, September 23, October 28, November 18*, December 16*, January 6, 2014*(Reorganization) *Meetings will be held on the fourth Monday of the month, except where noted. Meetings held at CTMS (34 Grayrock Rd.) in the Auditorium or Library at 7:30 pm. Find out what's going on in our schools, meet the Board and the Superintendent! All residents of CT are encouraged to attend, not just the parents of CTSD children. For BOE meeting minutes, visit: www.ctsd.k12.nj.us 2 0 1 3 11

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