Clinton Township Newsletter

1 2 j u l y 2 0 2 4 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 A MESSAGE FROM DR. STAGER, CTSD SUPERINTENDENT: Dear Clinton Township Community Members, In June, we officially closed out a successful 2 0 2 3 - 2 0 2 4 s c h o o l y e a r . T h e y e a r w a s highlighted by some major accomplishments. We instituted a new schedule in our middle school that gave our CTMS students access to more electives and more frequent music classes. In January we opened our Spruce Run Preschool and enrolled over seventy three and four year olds from our community. It is an excellent program and we plan on continued expansion, considering this past year we had over a hundred applicants for about forty spots! We worked on becoming a Sustainable Jersey School by having a food-waste audit, monitoring air quality, partnering with the Township, adopting green policies, working with our garden, and bringing in animals for hands-on science learning. Speaking of science, we piloted a new science program in grades K-8 through the NJDOE and implemented year one of our new math curriculum. We also implemented having a School Resource Officer (SRO) in partnership with the CTPD as a result of a budget question passing. We thank the taxpayers for their support and their role in increasing district safety. This summer w e w i l l w o r k o n i m p r o v e m e n t s i n o u r buildings, launch a new website, and offer tutoring in math. The 2024-2025 school year will begin August 28 and will bring us a new schedule at PMG, a focus on improving our ELA curriculum K-6, and continued e n r i c h m e n t t h r o u g h t h e P T A a n d t h e Education Foundation. We will also continue with year-two of our five-year strategic plan! Clinton Township School District offers a great atmosphere and amazing opportunities for student growth and learning. We truly live up to our mission of Every student inspired, every team member supported, and every family engaged. – S i n c e r e l y , D r . M e l i s s a S t a g e r , E d . D Superintendent, CTSD Spruce Run PreSchool Spruce Run Preschool had an amazing first year! The students and staff celebrated with an End-of-the-Year Commencement to highlight all of the hard work students and staff have accomplished this year. Our students also enjoyed a P T A - s p o n s o r e d field day with parents and teachers. The water station was a hit and s t u d e n t s enjoyed ice pops and watermelon as a treat. Students also celebrated Father's Day with the theme "Donuts with Dad" - a fun experience for all involved! Thank you to all who have helped make Spruce Run Preschool a special place to be. We hope you all have a restful summer. We look forward to seeing our Pre K 3 students in the fall and wish all of our Pre K 4 students well as they move on to Patrick McGaheran School. Patrick McGaheran School End of Year Fun at PMG: As another successful school year comes to a close at PMG, our students had a fun-filled end of the year filled with special activities, Move Up Day and field trips. Our annual Field Day took place in June with students participating in fun outdoor challenges, with lots of school spirit and sportsmanship! We will miss our second graders who are moving on to Round Valley School and look forward to welcoming our incoming kindergarten students in the fall! Be sure to read every day! Have a fantastic summer, and we'll see everyone back at PMG in August recharged and ready for the 2024-2025 school year! Scout Projects at PMG: We are proud to highlight the valuable contributions of our local scout troops in supporting our school community through exciting projects at PMG. As part of their Silver Award, the dedicated members of Cadette Girl Scout Troop 80195 from Clinton Township have researched, created, and presented a Buddy Break Bench for PMG students to utilize during recess. This thoughtful addition will foster inclusivity and provide a welcoming space for all students to enjoy at recess. Additionally, we are fortunate to have Mackenzie Stanley, a local Girl Scout from troop 80053, currently working on her Gold Award project at PMG. Mackenzie is revitalizing our school's courtyard to include a Learning Garden. She has updated our PMG greenhouse, preparing it for its new role as a sustainable garden. Mackenzie and her team have already made significant progress, including clearing out old rocks and materials, and bringing in two yards of fresh stone. Once the shelves are in place, our PMG students will have the opportunity to grow local produce that will be enjoyed by our "courtyard friends"! In the next phase of this exciting initiative, members of our Green Team will learn to compost, enhancing our school's commitment on the environment and sustainability. We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of these scouts, who are leaving a lasting impact o n o u r s c h o o l c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h t h e i r meaningful projects. Round Valley School As we wrap up another fantastic school year, we want to take a moment to highlight some of the exciting events our students participated in during the month of June. Our 5th graders had the opportunity to a t t e n d C a m p Bernie, where they engaged i n v a r i o u s team-building and adventure activities. This e x p e r i e n c e allowed them to strengthen their relationships with classmates and develop essential life skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. The 3rd graders had a memorable trip to Echo Hill, where they immersed themselves in hands- on science learning. This educational excursion provided our students with a chance to explore the natural world, conduct experiments, and deepen their understanding of scientific concepts. Back at school, our 5th graders put their engineering skills to the test by designing apparatus to protect an egg being dropped from our local fire department's extension ladder. This exciting challenge encouraged critical thinking, creativity, and innovation among our young engineers. The month of June also featured the highly anticipated 4th and 5th grade band and orchestra concert. Our talented musicians showcased their hard work and dedication, delivering an outstanding performance for their families and the school community. Finally, the PTA organized an amazing field day for all three grade levels. Students enjoyed a morning filled with fun games, friendly competitions, and lots of laughter. We extend our gratitude to the PTA and all the volunteers who made this event a resounding success. As we bid farewell to the 2023-2024 school year, we hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer break. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the fall, refreshed and ready for another year of learning and growth. I N O U R S C H O O L S : www.ctsdnj.org

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