Once again, the VHS Dancers made us proud! They did such an INCREDIBLE job performing at The NJ Teen Arts Festival this week that they advanced to the State level of The Festival! Ms. Hall is so proud of their hard work, dedication, and determination.
Rowan professor Dr. Milou came to Mennies Elementary School on Thursday, April 25th, to model lessons based on the book Building Thinking Classrooms. Dr. Milou demonstrated math lessons in which students worked vertically in random groups. He sat with the staff to discuss the book and the research behind it. Students loved learning from Dr. Milou and said his teaching felt like a game. Dr. Milou will be back for more professional development!
The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society Book Club has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 28, at 6:00 PM, at the museum, 108 South State St., or on Zoom. The club will review the “Fantastic Castle,” written by former VHAS Curator, Patrica Martinelli. The book explores the history of the Palace of Depression, once a Vineland roadside attraction, built by George Daynor, out of items found in a junkyard. The book also examines the unusual personality and actions taken by Daynor, which affected the palace and his personal life. The books may be purchased from VHAS, online sources or borrowed from area libraries. Register for the book review by visiting Https://www.discovervineland history.org or by calling 856-691-1111. Discussion may also include progress at the Current Palace of Depression.
The Vineland High School Marching Band was part of Vineland celebrating Vineland's own Isiah Pacheco on April 20, 2024, at City Hall. The students entertained the crowd while waiting and throughout the celebration, representing VHS with pride.
The next chance to see VHSMB will be during the Memorial Day Ceremony on May 27th. Several students from the VHSMB will also be in the Spring Concert on May 2nd in the concert ensemble & symphonic bands. Please come out and support our talented students!
The Landis Administrative Offices were bustling today for Take Your Child to Work Day!
Vineland Public Schools hosted its next Community Partnership Action Committee meeting of the school year on April 24, part of an ongoing initiative spearheaded by Superintendent Alfonso Llano.
Over 30 city and county organizations, city officials, Board of Education members, and district staff and administrators participated in the meeting at the Landis Administrative Offices. The theme of this meeting was the effects of social media on mental health, especially related to our students.
The group enjoyed a light lunch from Sodexo, the district’s food service provider, before being welcomed by Deana Ridolfo, Supervisor for Pupil Services. Ridolfo welcomed the group and introduced new community members attending for the first time before welcoming Stephanie Engle, Social Worker at Vineland High School. Engle gave a very informative presentation on how social media affects our youth. She noted how the impact of technology and social media, especially during and post-Covid, has increased the rates of anxiety and depression as screen time increases. Engle also described several of the challenges that schools face related to social media and technology, such as cyberbullying, lack of conflict resolution skills, and a decrease in forming in-person social relationships. The group then discussed some ways for schools and parents to help mitigate some of these negative effects.
Following Engle was Delizah Headly, a Southwest Council Prevention Specialist. Headly’s presentation also focused on social media and its effects on mental health, with an emphasis on why children and teenagers interact the way they do on these social sites. She noted that overexposure to social media can trigger pathways comparable to addiction, and many teens avoid posting certain things because of fear of embarrassment. Headly also offered some suggestions on how parents can identify these behaviors in their children and how to form a healthy balance using technology.
Following the presentations, Dr. Danielle Sneathen spoke briefly on her experiences with social media in schools throughout her teaching and administrative career, highlighting how rapidly it has evolved. She then provided a summary of the novel “What Made Maddy Run” by Kate Fagan. The book delves into the life of Madison Holleran, a talented college athlete who struggled with mental health issues. The book explores the pressures of college life, the pursuit of perfection, and the impact of social media on young adults. Fagan examines how these factors contributed to Maddy's internal struggles and emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness and support systems for young athletes and students. Sneathen then raffled off 10 copies of the novel to attendees and thanked them for their generous donations to the Vineland Soup Kitchen.
The final meeting of the year will take place on May 14.
Students from the Vineland High School Agriculture Program took a field trip to the district’s Central Kitchen located at Wallace Middle School on Tuesday. The trip served to highlight the process that food goes through once it is harvested and delivered to our kitchen. Director of Food Service Purvesh Patel led the tour, walking the students through the “cook-chill” process, which involves the full cooking of food, followed by rapid chilling and storage at controlled temperatures before serving. The students took proper safety precautions and walked through the loading dock, freezer, and central kitchen.
“I believe that experiences like the visit from the Agriculture students are crucial in fostering a deeper understanding of the journey our food takes before it reaches their plates,” Patel said. “By showcasing the meticulous 'cook-chill' process, we not only educate but empower these students to make informed choices about the food they consume. It also provides an appreciation for the intricate workings of our kitchen while emphasizing the importance of food safety and sustainability.”
D'Ippolito Elementary School welcomed their families to travel Around the World in a Day! Over 150 people returned to go on a trip and experience the cultures of Ukraine, Mexico, Italy, Greece, China and the Caribbean through music, art and food. Families received a passport to start their journey and entered to enjoy the sounds of Steel Drum music provided by Veteran's Memorial School's own multi-talented Band Teacher Edward Zatzariny. They were then treated to Opera sung beautifully by VHS alumni Nerys Muller. This stop on our travels ended with our own D'Ippolito's Choir singing "A World of Music" beautifully orchestrated by Music Teacher Ms. Oravsky.
Our travels continued onward to our stops at different countries to experience their culture through art and food. The students actively participated during the school day learning about the different countries through Social Studies, Language Arts and Art. Each grade focused on one country or region: K-Mexico, 1st-Greece, 2nd-Italy, 3rd-China, 4th-Ukraine and 5th-Caribbean.
Sodexo provided tasty samplings from some of the different countries. The menu included:
Mediterranean: Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce, Latin: Chicken Mini Tacos, Asian: General Tao Chicken, Italian: Antipasto Kabob. Families were able to travel to these countries and sample these different delicacies.
After flying around the world, families could dance off some of those calories through Zumba/Hip Hop provided by Nancy Dixon and Nate Offer from the Dixon Dance Academy. Families really enjoyed this part of the evening where parents and students enjoyed a night of dancing and having fun.
D'Ippolito School enjoyed having our families travel around the world in a day with us. They were able to witness what their children have achieved through active learning and enjoy the results through an event that celebrates the diversity in all of us.
The Vineland Public Library has a lot of fun events for children and teens coming up in May! Check out the attached flyers for more information.
The VPS Transportation Department celebrated our bus drivers on Tuesday for School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Drivers received a keychain, snack, and a bottle of water for their afternoon route. Our drivers go above and beyond every day to get our kids to school and home safely and we thank them for it!
Mrs. Uebelackers's 5th-grade math class at Mennies Elementary School worked on learning different types of triangles and measurements. Students worked in small
groups, learning about the triangles and how to measure using a protractor. They got to explore their classroom, examining triangles that were taped all over the room. Students were excited and engaged during this lesson!
Dallago Preschools celebrated their appreciation for their bus drivers and aides for Bus Driver Appreciation Day!
Last week, Dallago students and staff wore blue to show that they "choose to include" and "choose to be kind to all kinds."
There is no part of our population that includes and welcomes ALL humans more than preschool-aged children. Our students and staff show inclusion, kindness, and support daily, and we could not be more proud of the amazing qualities that shine at Dallago.
"Neurodiversity fosters an environment where every individual's voice is heard and valued" - Unknown.
There are multiple upcoming dates to come out and support our graduating seniors! See the attached flyers for more information.
The Vineland High School Lawn sign sale is now here! Help congratulate the Class of 2024 by purchasing a lawn sign for $30. Sale ends on May 1 and signs will be ready approximately three weeks after order date.
Visit https://www.varsitycentralnj.com/ to place an order. For any questions or more information, please contact Julia Madrid, class advisor, at 856-794-6800 ext. 2615, See the attached flyer for more information.
On Monday, April 22, students at Mennies learned about their own Mindset Mission and the Power of YET. YET the Yeti helped NED learn to Never Give Up by using the Power of YET. NED told students the next time they feel like they can’t do something… remember it’s just that you can’t do it…YET! But you will get there ifyou keep on taking the next step. Just like when you’re learning to yo-yo. You may not be able to do those amazing tricks…YET. But if you practice a lot and keep at it, you will get better!
Barse Elementary 5th graders were treated to an awesome presentation from legendary American explorer John Moyer. He is a deep diver who owns the salvage rights to the Andrea Doria shipwreck in the Atlantic Ocean. Mr. Moyer spoke about his many deep dives to various shipwrecks. He also brought in many artifacts that he had collected throughout the years. The students were so excited to see images and watch a clip of one of his dives on the Andrea Doria.
On Tuesday, April 16th, a group of 7th-grade students from Wallace Middle School embarked on a field trip to Valmont - American Galvanizing. Valmont generously sponsored an experiment for our students, allowing them to test various fasteners with different liquids to assess their corrosion resistance. One of the fasteners under scrutiny was galvanized.
During the trip, students had the opportunity to tour the Valmont facility and observe the galvanizing process in action. They also watched safety videos and learned about the extensive safety measures and equipment utilized by the workers.
This hands-on experience provided the students with valuable insights into industrial operations and workplace safety practices. It served as a practical application of the theoretical concepts they had learned in the classroom, fostering a deeper understanding of science and engineering principles.
Overall, the trip was both informative and engaging, leaving a lasting impression on the students and sparking their curiosity about real-world applications of their studies.
Veterans Memorial School's Multicultural Night is tonight! Come out from 6-7 p.m. All are welcome!
Petway Elementary Safety Patrol and staff came together to tackle the Lincoln Avenue and Petway School Road Clean-Up! The patrol and staff worked together to pick up litter from the portion of Lincoln Avenue that was adopted by Petway School. Students and staff planned this clean-up to coincide with Earth Day!
"We really want the students to understand that just picking up a small piece of litter can make a difference to keeping our Earth safe," said Michelle Brady, Safety Advisor. Students were enthusiastic about helping staff keep their community clean! #PetwayProud
