Julianne Guinup, Thomas Garcia, and Caryeen Hughes-Alves are the Vineland High School Dancers of the Month! These three students were an integral part of our December Dance projects. Thomas choreographed a holiday routine and performed as Santa Claus for the residents of the Veterans Home and Autumn Lake Healthcare. Julianne also collaborated on a separate Holiday routine and danced beautifully for those same residents. Caryeen choreographed a High Energy Hip Hop Routine for The Battle of the Classes event that was a lot of fun to watch! These three dancers are most deserving of this award!
We will be streaming the January 3 Board of Education Reorganization Meeting live on our YouTube channel at 5 p.m.
https://youtube.com/live/ybTkb-LYjA0?feature=share
On Wednesday, December 20, the Rossi Elementary School safety patrol celebrated the gift of reading with 100 eager kindergartners.
Books were collected from BookSmiles, a New Jersey nonprofit established to irrigate book deserts across the state. Mr. Jeff Martine, Rossi Elementary School safety patrol adviser, hand-selected over 200 books for distribution from the Pennsauken book bank last month. The idea came to Martine when he noticed Rossi’s youngest learners' excitement at their latest book fair but the dismay of some who did not have the resources to purchase much-needed literature.
“I can remember being in kindergarten myself and how good it felt to hold a new Clifford, Little Critter, or Curious George book in my hands. The safety patrol and I wanted every kindergartener to have that feeling, too”, Martine said.
The books were set up to resemble a book fair, and each kindergartner brought home a book of their choice. Safety patrol members helped students select interesting titles and then spent the remainder of the time reading with kindergarten students.
Kindergarteners not only left with a free book but also some new friends in the safety patrol. Both safety and kindergarteners alike had a great time sharing a mutual love of reading.
If you are interested in supporting BookSmiles, you can find more information here:
https://www.booksmiles.org
Vineland Public Schools Community, we need your help! Veterans Memorial Middle School teacher Jack Martine is in the running for Most Valuable Teacher for January, presented by the NHL, NHLPA, SAP, and EVERFI! This honor includes winning $10,000 towards Environmental Sustainability Resources for the district.
"I’m dedicated to teaching applications for STEM because I know that it not only impacts how healthy and productive students are during this time, but also their well-being and success far beyond the K-12 years," Martine said.
Throughout the month of January, colleagues, students, and parents will be able to visit NHL.com/MVT and vote once a day, every day. If Martine wins, he will be eligible to win an additional $50,000 for the district.
Happy Holidays to all of our staff, families, and students. We hope you have a wonderful break and can't wait to see everyone again on January 2!
Throughout the month of December, Veterans Memorial School NJHS and Safety Patrol collected gloves, hats, scarves, hand/foot warmers, and hygiene products to be donated to a local Veterans Center and the Cumberland Family Shelter. For each item donated, students were entered into a drawing to win the chance to “shave the principal.” Mr. Maysonet grew his beard out for the entire month. The day before winter break, Aubrianna Rivera and Jolisse Torres trimmed & decorated Mr. Maysonet's beard, live on the morning announcements for everyone’s viewing pleasure!
Santa and his Helpers made their way around the Veterans Memorial School campus on Friday delivering hot cocoa and candy canes to the faculty and staff and bringing Holiday Wishes to each and every student!
Our Mennies family would like to thank Mr. Salvatore Gaetano, founder and CEO of Franklin Insurance Adjusters, and his family for their generous donation to our families in need. The Gaetano family’s commitment to helping needy families during the holiday season is truly admirable, and it's evident that their efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of many.
Mr. Gaetano's dedication to personally shopping for the food, assembling the baskets, and ensuring that families have enough not only for their holiday dinner but also for the weeks to come is a demonstration of genuine care and consideration. His ongoing commitment to this food donation campaign for twelve years reflects a sustained effort to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
Mennies School's gratitude towards Mr. Gaetano is well-deserved, and his continued support undoubtedly contributes to fostering a sense of community and support within the school. It's heartening to see individuals and businesses actively engaging in initiatives that address the needs of the community, and Mr. Gaetano's example serves as an inspiration for others to follow.
May the spirit of giving and kindness exhibited by Mr. Gaetano and his family continue to inspire positive change in the community, and may their generosity serve as a shining example for others during the holiday season and beyond.
This week has been very eventful in the AFJROTC program at Vineland High School. We started off with our Color Guard presenting the flag for the dedication ceremony of the new Edward Harvard Gym in the South Building of VHS. After, the cadets spent two days finding uplifting quotes and creating Holiday cards to be delivered to the Vineland Veterans Home to be given to everyone there. Then, we ended the week with a day devoted to special Air Force and Space Force guest speakers. Thank you to Victoria Darr, SPC3 USSF, a former Vineland High School Alumni who is the first to go into the Space Force from Vineland High School. She was joined by her co-worker Cody, also an SPC3, who came to talk about their experiences. During the visit, we were also joined by an Air Force/Space Force recruiter, an Air Force reserve recruiter, and a recently graduated Air Force cadet who all took turns sharing information to all flights. The "Outstanding Flight" award winner, Foxtrot Flight, took pictures with our SpaceForce visitors.
Mrs. Loftin’s and Mrs. Allison’s classes at Rossi Elementary School enjoyed the last day before Christmas break with a hot cocoa bar. There were delicious treats and all the toppings to make a wonderful cup of cocoa! We love our Rossi Roomies! 🎄
Students in Ms. Markman's first and second-grade classes at Sabater Elementary School created holiday sticker pictures and wrote about them!
Over 120 students participated in the annual VMS Holiday Sweater contest during the Veterans Memorial School Spirit Week leading into Winter Break, donning their gaudiest store-bought or handmade sweaters. After the students paraded along the front walkway of the school and then took a group photo on the steps of all 120 entries, a panel of teachers and security guards selected five finalists before the 120 students voted for their first-place winner. Seventh-grade student Kaden Cardona took top honors in the contest with his handmade sweater that sported tinsel, small fuzzy pom-poms, and a light-up reindeer. This week's excitement among students and staff displayed true VMS LIONS school spirit and pride.
Wallace Middle School staff members participated in Christmas Spirit Week featuring a Staff Ugly Sweater Day!
D'Ippolito students completed their Seventh Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive and collected 212 pairs of pajamas.! Last year, they were able to collect 172 pairs, so they are thrilled that they were able to top that total.
Only brand new pajamas were collected in all sizes from newborn through adult from 11/13-12/15. 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 The Inspira Monarch Family Success Center, located at 1038 E. Chestnut Ave. in Vineland.
Our students and staff are so proud to make this donation to help kids in need. Students who donated a new pair of pajamas were able to wear their own pajamas to school on Friday, December 22nd, as a reward for their generous gifts.
Kindergarten students at Mennies Elementary School were able to choose books to take home just in time for winter break! Over 200 books were collected and distributed. Thank you to BookSmiles for making this possible!
Veterans Memorial School, in collaboration with Robert Cresci, district chief, and members of the South Vineland Volunteer Fire Company, joined forces to sponsor a family during the holiday season.
The dedicated firefighters and their spouses went above and beyond by personally selecting and wrapping gifts for the entire family. Mrs. Luciano and Mr. Cresci from Veterans Memorial School, alongside the fire department, orchestrated the delivery of these heartfelt presents to the family.
The children experienced a delightful surprise as a fleet of illuminated fire trucks, including a charming 1931 Buffalo antique fire truck, rolled in to deliver the gifts last evening.
Expressing profound gratitude, Veterans Memorial School acknowledges the immense kindness and generosity exhibited by the fire company. Their collective efforts have undoubtedly brightened the holidays for this deserving family.
Students in Brooke Kaenzig's Business Management Class at Vineland High School are learning about the importance of working in a team by designing, building, and decorating gingerbread houses together!
Veterans Memorial School demonstrated a strong commitment to giving back this holiday season through its active involvement in the Student Generosity Project. The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and Safety Patrol members, under the guidance of advisors Ms. Lindsay Jenkins and Mrs. Maria Kohansky, took the lead in the collection of various items for donation to our local Veterans Center and the Cumberland Family Shelter. These contributions included essential hygiene products, as well as warmth-providing items like hats, gloves, and scarves.
Additionally, VMS Social Worker, Mrs. Luciano orchestrated the Stocking Stuffer Project, where homerooms took part in filling stockings with small toys and gifts for children. All these thoughtful contributions, including the collected items for the our local Veterans Center and the Cumberland Family Shelter, were generously provided by both students and staff.
Highlighting the collaborative effort, NJHS students and Safeties diligently collected and organized these donations. Veterans Memorial School takes pride in the kindness and generosity demonstrated by its students and staff, showcasing the true spirit of giving.
Just a reminder about our schedule!
Johnstone Jaguar 8th-grade NJHS students wanted to spread some Holiday Cheer to our bus drivers. They are so thankful that their bus drivers safely get them to and from school each day.
To keep them warm this holiday, they created a mug with hot chocolate, cookies, and a peppermint candy cane!
We Appreciate YOU!!
Happy Holidays
From Johnstone Jaguars NJHS
