Kindergarten students at Mennies enjoyed special guest readers for Hispanic Heritage Month! Ms. Marquina-Jacobo and Ms. Aguilar visited their children's classrooms to read a book and help celebrate the occasion. Both students and teachers loved having these special visitors in their classrooms.
The New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA) named Gia Messore of Vineland Public Schools a winner in the 2024 School Communications Award Contest. Messore and VPS received an Award of Excellence in the Photography category. Messore is the Public Information Officer for the district and manages the district's communication channels, including social media and website content, as well as overseeing district photography and media relations. In addition to keeping the community informed and engaged, she also serves as the district's grant writer.
The NJSPRA School Communication Awards recognize professional school communicators in New Jersey and the tactics they develop that go above and beyond to disseminate important messages to their various stakeholders. “Congratulations to Vineland Public Schools for setting the standard for effective school communications here in New Jersey,” said Maren Smagala, Communications Officer for Hunterdon Central Regional High School and president of NJSPRA.
The 2024 contest was among the most competitive on record with 100 submissions from 45 different school districts. The submissions for the 2024 School Communication Awards were judged by an esteemed panel of 14 judges from ten states including experienced and award winning school communications professionals and professors from Rowan University.
Awards are given out in eight different categories: Newsletter; Marketing, Branding, Image; Media Coverage; Photography; Social Media; Special Interest Publication; Video; and Website. For a complete list of winners, visit www.njspra.com.
During the Week of Respect, students in Mrs. Bonsall and Mrs. Rivera’s 5th grade class at Rossi earned hearts as they showed kindness with a helping hand or gave out a compliment. Juan Hernandez-Mendez won the prize as ‘kindest’ with his lead of 4 hearts! Great efforts by all to spread love and respect this week!
Service on a Saturday! This weekend, Rossi safety patrol members Shawn Fisher, Lieutenant Olivia Baldwin, and Ellie Francheschini tabled at Dixon’s Dance Academy’s 8th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness “Think Pink” Walk. Patrol members and their moms collected for our October Service Project “Friends Like Me” care packages for women facing breast cancer. Big thank you to Nancy Dixon, Donna Baldwin, and Veronica Francheschini, as well as our safety patrol members, for representing Rossi at this community event.
On September 27th, the VHS JROTC had a special guest, the AFJROTC Regional Director, Lt. Col James Garcia. Lt. Col. Garcia is responsible for oversight of 25 units in the mid-Atlantic, visited the NJ-20091 unit for a pre-inspection, and reviewed the unit inspection checklist with cadets. Lt. Col. Garcia got to know each of the Alpha Flight leaders and went over their assigned job duties. The cadets also gifted him two Run for Ramirez shirts from the first and second runs. Shortly after, he discussed what the cadets wanted to pursue as a career after high school and gave them advice and words of encouragement on how to pursue them. He talked to every flight in JROTC, wanting to know what they do outside of JROTC, like sports and clubs. Overall, Lt. Col. Garcia was satisfied with what he observed and looks forward to returning on December 11th for their annual formal unit inspection.
Also, the VHS JROTC is doing a supply drive for the citizens of North Carolina who got hit by Hurricane Helene. If anyone is interested in helping these citizens, please contact Mrs.Muller and MSgt Eubanks at 194-6800 ext. 2898.
Who will be Miss Monogram 2024? 🐔
One of five Vineland High School seniors will be named "Miss Monogram" and reign over the annual Homecoming Day football game when VHS hosts Highland High School on Saturday, October 19 at Gittone Stadium.
The new queen, selected by voting in senior homerooms, will be announced at halftime.
The finalists are: Timara Bunton, Dulce Flores, Zaria Gould, Kylie Hague, and Alesandra Parent.
All seeking the title had to meet the following criteria:
• Member of the Monogram Club;
• Varsity letter (sports or band);
• Minimum 2.5 grade-point average;
• No suspensions; and
• Not on any ineligible list
The field was narrowed to five finalists after judging by a panel of teachers based on appearance, poise, speech (confidence, eye contact, and correct grammar), and quality of response to questions the contestants received in advance, said the advisors.
The Homecoming Event is sponsored by the VHS Monogram Club, established in 1950 by the late Anthony DiTomo, VHS Athletic Director at that time.
A parade will kick off the festivities at 10 a.m. in front of Christ the Good Shepherd (Sacred Heart) Church and end at Gittone Stadium. The procession will be traveling west along Landis Avenue, making a left onto West Avenue, then right onto Montrose Street before entering Gittone.
The football game vs. Highland will follow at 1 p.m., with Miss Monogram crowned at halftime.
First graders in Mrs. Ensminger's Art class at Rossi Elementary School learned about the colorful concentric works of Jaime Domínguez, a Mexican-born contemporary artist. First graders identified the elements of art: lines, shapes, and colors and discussed how Domínguez's works made them feel when they looked at his brightly colored paintings. They talked about how big the paintings were and noticed that the art elements repeated over and over again throughout his pieces. First graders were given a choice of a butterfly or fish to trace in the center of their papers, then they chose an analogous color palette. After painting inside their fish or butterfly, they selected another color and carefully painted around their initial shape. When shapes like a circle, or in this case a butterfly and fish, share the same center, it's called concentric. These artists continued to paint around and around until their papers were filled with lines! During the next class, they discussed matching versus contrast. Students could select a paper color that either matched their painting or one that contrasted it and was different from their palette. They traced the butterfly or fish onto the paper, cut it out, and glued it onto the center of their painting. These students are very proud of their hard work and we are too! Featured in the photo are Mrs. Rado and Miss Jasmin's first graders.
Examples of Dominguez's Art here
https://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/743140?srsltid=AfmBOoo736u-_yG0cWt9YNNTRmV8ER6ojUAUbabpy73nGLjEXFQwWTAX
Second graders in Mrs. Bertonazzi and Ms. Caterina's class at Mennies learned about the October Portrait of a Graduate competency, Communication. As part of the lesson, students participated in a fun activity where they had to sit back-to-back and communicate with one another to try and color the same picture. The students thoroughly enjoyed using their words and practicing their communication skills during this engaging activity!
This week Dallago Preschool celebrated the Week of Respect, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Fire Prevention Week!
Students focused on lessons for the Week of Respect that included working on learning how to respect themselves, others, and their school.
They celebrated the end of Hispanic Heritage Month with a dress down day to showcase the colors and cultural outfits from Hispanic countries.
They then finished off the week with a visit from the Vineland Fire Department for fire prevention week. Students viewed the fire truck, were taught fire safety skills, and were able to see the firefighters in, and out, of their fire gear.
It was a busy, eventful, and exciting week for Dallago students!
Students in Mrs. Fiocchi’s fourth-grade class at Durand Elementary School participated in a marble lesson that explored energy transfer. Students built a test track from paper, tape, and plastic cups. They made a chute that was hoisted by a plastic cup and attached a track to the end of the chute. Next, they added a ramp at the end of the track using smaller cups. Students tested their setup by releasing a marble down the chute to see if it would make it over the ramp. Adjustments were made to their track if needed. Once the track was working properly, students put a marble towards the end of the track near the ramp. Lastly, students made predictions: If they sent a marble down the chute and the marbles collided, would enough energy be transferred to send the sitting marble over the ramp?
Students then tested their predictions. Conversations between groups discussed potential and kinetic energy. Some added books under their cup to make them higher and add more potential energy to the rolling marble. At the end of the experiment, students filled out a reflection sheet.
Special guest Ms. Taylor visited Ms. Moyer’s third graders at Mennies School to teach them about Hispanic Heritage. Students listened to a story about piñatas. Then they got to race for candy from an actual piñata! The students were excited!
This week, students in Mr. Walsh and Mr. Burke’s 7th grade English Language Arts class at Veterans Memorial Middle School delved into the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin through a variety of engaging activities. After reading and analyzing both the German and modern retellings of the story, students created character portraits and illustrated key scenes before participating in a reader’s theater activity. To conclude the week, students created a Rumpelstiltskin-themed craft.
We invite all multilingual families to join us for our first Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee meeting of the year! These meetings, held several times throughout the year, provide a valuable opportunity for our ML parents to engage with us on initiatives, share feedback, and learn about important district procedures.
Meetings are scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at either Dr. John J. Winslow or Gloria Sabater Schools. Meetings at Winslow will be held in English and meetings at Sabater will be held in Spanish. Below are the upcoming dates and their locations.
October 15, 2024 - Dr. John Winslow Elementary School
October 16, 2024 - Gloria Sabater Elementary School
November 19, 2024 - Gloria Sabater Elementary School
February 11, 2025 - Gloria Sabater Elementary School
February 12, 2025 - Dr. John Winslow Elementary School
May 22, 2025 - Gloria Sabater Elementary School
We hope to see you there!
Attention Winter Athletes! Don't forget - physicals are due by November 1!
Just a reminder! All schools and district offices will be closed on Monday, October 14.
Vineland High School has selected its Rowdiest Roosters for the month of September! These students and staff members were voted Rowdy’s Rowdiest Rooster for their outstanding performance and exceptional commitment to the VHS family. The awards are part of the VHS Rock the Roost program, which helps promote good behavior and create a positive school environment.
The winners for September are:
VHS Asselta Building Staff: Nixy Maldonado
VHS Tanner Building Staff: Loraine Griffiths
9th Grade: Jadiz Acevedo
10th Grade: Mary Alice Wilson
11th Grade: Chimaobim Okafor
12th Grade: Kayden Barr
Congratulations, and great job!
On October 2nd, Ms. Reynolds and Mr. Munsick, former VHS Spanish teacher, hosted a Hispanic Heritage Craft Day in the VHS Asselta Library. Mr. Munsick taught the students how to create God's Eyes (Ojos de Dios). Students also painted spoons, played dominoes, and colored flags of their countries.
Three Vineland Public Schools teachers were recognized in the Philadelphia Inquirer this week in an article featuring the Rowan University program MOCHA (Men of Color Hope Achievers). The article details the program, which the State of NJ funded to recruit more men of color to the classroom, especially in underperforming districts like Trenton and Camden. The first cohort of 10 fellows completed the program in June and included teachers Joseph Lyden and Montgomery Strickland, who both teach at Veterans Memorial Middle School, and Alberto Jimenez, who teaches at Wallace Middle School.
Vineland Public Schools is honored to have these educators lead the way in supporting this vital initiative that strengthens our schools and community.
The article is behind a paywall but can be found at this link: https://www.inquirer.com/education/teachers-rowan-shortage-males-black-hispanic-alternate-route-20241007.html
The Vineland School District and Vineland Chamber of Commerce recently collaborated to host "Celebrating Education," an event designed to encourage community engagement and showcase the district's educational offerings. On October 8, over 20 community members participated in a day-long experience aimed at strengthening connections between the business community and local schools.
The day started with a bus tour of three district schools – Winslow Elementary, Wallace Middle, and Barse Elementary. Participants met administrative staff, learned about each school's unique features, and took a guided tour of the buildings to better understand the learning environments.
During the tour, attendees observed classrooms in action and interacted with students engaged in daily lessons. This firsthand experience provided insights into the district's teaching methods and curricula.
Afterward, attendees gathered for lunch to reflect on their experiences and discuss the importance of supporting local schools and investing in education.
By working together on "Celebrating Education," the Vineland School District and Chamber of Commerce hope to inspire future generations to pursue diverse careers and create a united community that values shared responsibility for student success.
On October 4th and 5th, Vineland FFA attended the New Jersey FFA LEAD conference. This is a leadership conference for chapter officers and members, which includes two conferences, C.O.L.T (Chapter Officer Leadership Training) and S.G.C (State Greenhand Conference). Six chapter officers attended C.O.L.T, and four members attended S.G.C, along with advisor Annaliese Castellini. Chapter officers learned their roles in their individual offices and learned to work together as a team. Chapter members at the State Greenhand conference learned about the many opportunities that FFA gives them, including scholarships, leadership skills, and career skills. Vineland FFA enjoyed the Halloween dance and won best group costume with their Bob Ross-inspired costume. Senior Jenna Pollock received the Outstanding Student Advisor award, and Junior Da’Shyra Jones won Outstanding Greenhand Member of her entire conference.
“This conference not only gave students the opportunity to learn leadership skills but also to network with other chapters and learn from each other,” said Castellini. “FFA Conferences like this are providing our students with skills to be successful in the future.”
