The Pilla Patrol continues to be a fabulous support in the halls of Sgt. Dominick Pilla Middle School. All of our Pilla Patrolers and our newly elected officers received their badges.
The newly elected officers are:
Captain- Akanksha Dahiya
Lieutenant- Milana Goff
Sergeant- Ian Martinez Rosa
Congratulations to all!
The Pilla Safety Patrol recently partnered with People, Not Profit to host a school-wide Holiday Toy Drive. They collected toys for a week and a half and collected over 50+ toys for children of all ages. We are honored to have been a part of this event and "pay it forward" to our community.
Thank you for your contributions!
We are so #PillaProud! 💙💛
Petway’s Safety Patrol (led by Mrs. Brady) and Mrs. Meneghetti’s/Mr. Martini’s kindergarten class paired up once again for a festive afternoon of fun! Students displayed the character trait of teamwork by working together to create beautiful masterpieces. They made decorative plates to share with their families for the holidays. The safety patrol did a wonderful job modeling Petway Patriot manners for the kindergarteners, and fun was had by all students. Thank you to Mrs. Brady for organizing another great afternoon!
On Friday, December 6, Durand Elementary School Principal Dan Greco was honored by the Youth Alliance as the Youth Alliance Educator of the Year recipient. This award honors someone in education who excels in leadership and their extraordinary commitment to students, school, and community. This award celebrates a leader who not only supports the academic, personal, and professional development of their students but also empowers their colleagues through mentorship, innovation, and collaboration. Mr. Greco was very appreciative of this honor and, in his acceptance speech, stated, “I love what I do. In order to truly have a work ethic, you have to love what you do, and I do.” His commitment, passion, and love for Durand students and families shines through the halls of the building and never goes unnoticed. Congratulations, Mr. Greco!
Veterans Memorial School Music Teacher Eileen Eller and VMS Band Director Ed Zatzariny invited members from Active Day of Vineland to be guests at VMS Wednesday morning for a private holiday concert put on by the VMS Choir and Band students. Active Day of Vineland provides day services for seniors and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Active Day's belief is that every member can benefit from an engaged, socially stimulating, and care-focused experience. The community members enjoyed their private holiday concert and visit at VMS and were extremely impressed with the VMS students and how welcoming they made them feel.
D'Ippolito students just completed their eighth Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive, and they collected 206 pairs of pajamas! Only brand new pajamas were collected in all sizes from newborn through adult from 11/11-12/6. The pajama drive is organized in partnership with Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting a comforting bedtime routine for children affected by instability in order to help them thrive. For every pair of pajamas that was collected, Scholastic Book Clubs donated a brand-new book. This year, D'Ippolito's donation was given to Williamstown Head Start, located at 245 Glassboro Road in Williamstown. Our students and staff are so proud to make this donation to help kids in need. Students who donated a new pair of pajamas are able to wear their own pjs to school on Friday, December 20th, as a reward for their generous gifts!
This week, sixth-grade students in Mrs. Krawczyk’s accelerated classes at Veterans Memorial showcased their entrepreneurial spirit and teamwork in an exciting group project: designing a food truck business plan. The assignment challenged students to think like budding business owners by crafting a plan that included a menu, advertisement, design concept, target audience analysis, and an engaging "About Us" section.
The project required students to step into the shoes of business professionals. They conducted research to understand food industry trends and studied real-world business models to inspire their plans. Each group worked collaboratively to decide on a unique food truck concept, from creating menus tailored to their target audience to designing visually appealing advertisements and truck aesthetics that reflected their theme.
Collaboration was a cornerstone of the assignment. Students divided responsibilities, ensuring that every team member had a role to play. While one group member focused on designing a vibrant and functional truck layout, another researched marketing strategies to create an eye-catching advertisement. Meanwhile, other members worked on crafting the "About Us" section, using it to share their team’s vision and mission.
"One of the most rewarding parts of this project was watching the students' creativity come to life," said their teacher, Mrs. Krawczyk. "They weren't just making plans on paper—they were learning how to work together, solve problems, and think critically about how businesses succeed."
Students faced challenges along the way; however, these hurdles only strengthened their teamwork and problem-solving skills. Many students discovered the importance of effective communication and the value of diverse perspectives in a group setting.
At the end of the project, groups presented their food truck plans to their peers, members of the staff, and special guests, receiving feedback and sharing the journey of their collaboration. The assignment not only sparked creativity but also provided a hands-on introduction to entrepreneurship, design thinking, and market research.
This project proved to be a delicious blend of learning and fun—one that students won’t soon forget!
The Vineland High School Class of 2026 is having a breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, January 11 from 8-10am at Applebee's, 3849 S. Delsea Drive. Tickets are $10 and include a complete breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, pork sausage, orange juice and coffee. Contact Mrs. Figueroa at cfigueroa@vineland.org for tickets.
Mrs. Evans' 7th grade students at Wallace Middle School investigated the scents of different unknown substances to see if they could identify them by their odors. They gathered information from a reading about how sensory receptors in our noses work and used what they figured out to explain their results from the lab. Great job!
Our 6th grade science teachers just completed training on their second OpenSciEd (OSE) science kit, "6.3 Weather, Climate & Water Cycling." We were excited to welcome 6th grade teachers from Millville's Lakeside School to join us, as they’ve also adopted OSE! This collaborative learning experience is helping us bring even more engaging and hands-on science education to our classrooms.
Ms. Pilla and Ms. Bronson's third graders at Petway School have been studying forces and motion in science class. After learning about bridge construction, students created bridges of their own using paper, textbooks, and pennies. Then, they revised their bridges several times to allow their bridges to support more weight. Students wrote about and drew pictures of their findings.
The Children in Room 2 at DiBiase Preschool have a special visitor for the holidays: Rosey the Elf!! Rosey brought special treats and creates mischief around the classroom. The children saw Rosie stuck outside and came up with a plan to safely get her back in. They made her a bed and blankets because she was cold. They have fun reading to Rosey and take her everywhere! They are careful not to touch her as it may make her lose her magic. Our friends are so creative and imaginative! They did such a great job! 🎅🎄
Our Friends in DiBiase Preschool's room 6 had a blast making their very own pizza at Small Group Time. The children talked about the steps needed to make their pizza and then executed them deliciously! 🍕🍕🍕
Ms. Leadbeater's 6th-grade Language Arts class at Veterans Memorial School recently explored the world of tornadoes as part of their Unit 2 Weather study. After reading articles and learning how tornadoes form, are classified, and tracked, students put their knowledge to the test by creating their very own "tornado in a bottle."
A big thank-you to Ms. Castro and Mr. Lyden for providing the supplies for this exciting project, and to Ms. Traci for capturing these moments!
This month at Mennies, we’re focusing on the character trait of caring! To celebrate the spirit of giving, our amazing PTO hosted a Holiday Shop where students had the opportunity to pick out special gifts for their family and loved ones. 🎁
Students loved shopping and experiencing the joy that comes with giving to others. A heartfelt thank you to our PTO and the wonderful volunteers who made this event possible. Your dedication brought so much happiness to our students!
Vineland High School kicks off their holiday concert season next Thursday for the Select Choir's annual winter concert! Come out to the VHS Asselta (South) Theater on December 12 at 6:30 pm and listen to our talented students sing the songs of the season! The concert is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
Vineland High School will be hosting a Holiday Bazaar TOMORROW, Saturday, December 7, from 9 am-1:30 pm in the VHS Tanner (North) Gym. Come out and visit the multitude of craft vendors, yard sale tables, and more! Please see the flyer for more information.
Just a reminder! Friday, December 6, is a legal attendance day (half day) for all schools due to afternoon teacher workshops. Please make appropriate arrangements for transportation or, if your child rides a bus, to have someone available to greet them. School hours can be found here: https://5il.co/2rynu
The Rotary Club of Vineland hosted its annual holiday party on December 4 at Rossi Elementary School, bringing joy to the district's special needs students in kindergarten through second grade. The celebration included snacks and festive coloring activities that the students enjoyed together. The highlight of the event was a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, where each child had the chance to meet them personally and receive a special gift. A big thank you to the Rotary Club and everyone who helped make this day so meaningful for our students.
A highlight video will be available soon on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VLDSchoolsTV
During last night’s Board of Education meeting, senior members of the AFJROTC program and its leadership group, Alpha Flight, were celebrated for their remarkable service and leadership. Master Sergeant James Eubanks spoke on behalf of the program, highlighting the group’s impressive accomplishments. With 130 cadets this year, the program has completed over 3,400 hours of community service, exemplifying their commitment to service and leadership. Special recognition was given to Cadets Erin Shipman and Austin Conrad for organizing Operation Linville Falls, which provided 12,000 pounds of critical supplies to families in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene. This effort directly benefited approximately 180 families. The cadets are fixtures at school and community events, proudly representing Vineland High School with dedication and excellence.
