Middlesex Public Schools will welcome students when school opens on Tuesday, September 3, to begin the 2019-20 school year. The Southside Sentinel recently asked school principals and school superintendent Dr. Peter Gretz to share their back-to-school messages, which appear below.
by Dr. Peter Gretz
School Superintendent
As we approach the beginning of a new school year, I’m reminded of a national study I recently encountered. Students were asked to define what it is that good teachers do, and it came as no surprise to me that one of the most resounding answers was, “they notice me.”
What does it mean to notice a student? Or anyone else for that matter? The question brings me back to a quote that I mention often in my work with our division leaders. Maya Wilson wrote, “If we’re willing to step outside of our surprisingly deep behaviorist rut, the answer is clear. Children don’t need prizes or praise, but engagement and relationship—with other people and with the work they are doing. If you love a child, you probably know this on a gut level. But the research confirms it.”
Students feel noticed when they are known, when we’ve taken the sometimes uncomfortable steps to enter into a relationship with them. They feel noticed when we celebrate their victories and encourage them when they take risks and fall. Maybe, most importantly, they feel noticed when we call them out of their comfort zones, confront their short-sightedness and challenge their perspectives.
It isn’t rocket science. People feel noticed when they are actually noticed.
Interactive questioning in an environment in which kids take risks knowing their failures will be encouraged into later victories, reteaching until they master the lesson, and a variety of approaches that appeal to differences among the learners—these are the fruit of relationships.
These kinds of revolutionary teaching methods blossom in healthy relationships where students and teachers have established mutual trust and expectation.
Relationships characterized by the unquestionable certainty that every student latches onto—that my teacher knows and cares about me—is essential for learning.
But to be clear, my primary goal as we start our year together is that in every interaction, every classroom, we send the message loud and clear to EVERY student, right off the bat: “You are known and you are loved here.”
Outlook
Throughout this school year we will continue to advance three overarching target areas: “deeper learning” in every classroom, “balanced assessment” that provides holistic, effective measurements of learning, and an inspiring “climate” characterized by our newly-adopted core values. Additionally, we are setting ourselves up to develop the next iteration of our multi-year strategic plan and we will be asking our community to participate in that process.
We are going to work hard this year connecting the future of learning in Middlesex to the future of work in our community and the global economy. We are going to measure every student’s academic growth so we can better maximize every student’s potential. And every day we are going to remind each other that the foundation of all we do and hope to do begins with transformative, thriving relationships.
Here’s to an inspirational school year, Team Middlesex! Let’s do this together!
by Susan Fleet
Middlesex High School Principal
Middlesex High School (MHS) faculty and staff members are excited to start the 2019-2020 school year and welcome back our students! We continue to be fully accredited.
Instructionally, we will continue to focus on balanced assessments, deeper learning, and climate. The Middlesex Profile of a Graduate will focus on preparing students to be good citizens, communicators, critical thinkers, collaborators, and problem solvers. Students will continue to learn how to work together in groups to problem solve so that they can use these teamwork skills after graduating from MHS. We will continue to work to ensure that students graduate on time from Middlesex High School and are prepared for whatever path they choose. We want students to find a path that excites them, whether that means going to a technical school, community college, the workplace, military, or college.
We are also looking forward to partnering with businesses and community organizations to provide more internship opportunities for students. Businesses are encouraged to contact the school if they are interested in having interns. Please call 758-2132 and ask for Melvina Robinson or Susan Fleet.
In addition to our excellent faculty and staff, we have added some new staff members to the MHS team who bring experience and enthusiasm to Middlesex. These new staff members are eager to meet our students and work with them inside and outside of class.
We are pleased to offer an overseas trip for the summer 2020 to Scotland and Ireland. Please call the school at 758-2132 if your child is interested. Parents are also welcome to travel with us! There’s still plenty of time to sign up.
Our fall athletics are under way and students are already playing games. Homecoming is October 4, so mark your calendars! Again, we are ready and excited about the new school year. See you all September 3!
by Elizabeth Sanders
St. Clare Walker Middle School Principal
St. Clare Walker (SCW) Middle School is ready to welcome students for the 2019-2020 school year. After a summer of planning and organizing, students can look forward to a few exciting changes when they return. “Together, We SOAR” will be this year’s theme as we embrace the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model to better define, teach, and support appropriate student behavior to create a positive school environment for all of our students. SCW’s program emphasizes safety, ownership, attitude, and respect.
Administration started the summer by attending the Schools to Watch National Conference in Washington, D.C., to celebrate SCW’s third re-designation as a School to Watch. The conference was a great opportunity to not only celebrate the school’s success but to learn from other Schools to Watch from around the country. There were many great takeaways that will be utilized at SCW.
This year, students will begin the day with a “WIN” (What I Need) block. The 30-minute block of time is designed to offer students a variety of options based on academic and social needs. Clubs such as the Builders Club, Student Council Association, STEM Club, and Technology Student Association will still meet during this time along with the addition of a few new clubs to be introduced to students the first week of school.
SCW is excited to welcome new faces to the family! Mark Hall will be teaching seventh grade math, Alisa Henrich will be teaching special education, Kelly Lloyd will be teaching art, and Sharon Schwarzmann will teach sixth grade math. Marcia Williams will be shared between MES and SCW as an administrative assistant.
Faculty and staff will continue focusing on core values of Middlesex County Public Schools: citizenship, learning, collaboration, and creativity by helping students make real-world connections. Once again, faculty, staff, and students will take on the 40-book challenge. This challenge was introduced last year and sparked conversations among faculty and students about reading. Be sure to ask SCW students what they are reading!
Open house was held on August 26 and students and parents were able to meet their teachers.
by Danielle Daniel
Middlesex Elementary School Principal
As we welcome students and families, we hope you will join us in welcoming teachers that are new to Middlesex Elementary School (MES). There are three fifth grade teachers that are new to MES including Lowery VanBuskirk, Nicole Nuske, and Laura Shoup. New MES teachers and staff also include Shelby Kellar, special education; Jamie Keller, English Language Learner Instructor; Jeanne Norris, speech language pathologist; Bonnie Wells, school nurse; Marcia Williams, administrative assistant; and Betty Landon, a paraprofessional.
MES has expanded staff for the upcoming school year with an additional administrative assistant and paraprofessional for increased student and family support. We are looking forward to the culminating and diverse experiences that will allow MES to continue to support an innovative team of instructional leaders.
With a continued focus on deeper learning, MES is excited to expand student enrichment and course offerings with the addition of a Technology & STEM Integration program. (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.) The program is designed to provide students with opportunities to engage in critical thinking, problem solving, technology and STEM integration. Weekly, students will be presented with engaging learning experiences to increase exposure to and apply technology, make real-world connections and prepare for integration within classrooms.
We will continue to focus on providing students with engaging learning experiences, increasing vertical alignment and curriculum development, developing balanced assessments profiles to include integration of performance based assessments, strengthening student writing experiences, and staying rooted in Visible Learning.
Instructional committees for the upcoming school year will continue to support opportunities to develop citizenship, collaboration, learning, and creativity. Instructional teams will focus on developing a climate that supports student learning through student engagement, alignment of curriculum, balanced assessments, and deeper learning experiences.
We look forward to welcoming students on Tuesday, September 3, and invite families to follow Middlesex Elementary School throughout the school year on our school website and Facebook page for upcoming events and snapshots of our journey together this year!
MES will host its first Spirit Night for families on Thursday, September 26, and invite families and community members to join us at Gloucester Chick-fil-A from 5-8 p.m.!
