Dear Glen Meadow Families:
Our year is off to a great start! We began our first two days with a focus on what The Glen Meadow Way looks like through a myriad of lessons on unity, how to be safe in school, communication and respect, digital citizenship, and study skills and organization. These lessons were taught by all faculty at our school. In addition, we had guest speakers who reinforced these important skills such as The Center for Prevention and Counseling, The Vernon Coalition, our Technology Director, Matt Shea, our School Resource Officer, Detective Sean Perry, and Officer Rovetto, from the Vernon Police Department. Students participated in various hands-on activities to get to know their new classmates, to learn how to value themselves and others, and understand and respect diversity.
To start the year, Mrs. Mitchell’s sixth-grade Language Arts students brainstormed words that help motivate them as learners. Mrs. Mitchell’s students are really passionate about the start of a school year with new opportunities that will present themselves. Here is a picture of the board after the students brainstorming session. Click on the picture to enlarge it to see all of the fantastic words the students identified!
Glen Meadow After School Activities Have Begun…we have something for everyone! As students contemplate learning a new sport or joining a new club, please check out this link with your child for a full listing of all activities, clubs, and sports offered for all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Remember, for all sports, students must have an up to date physical.
Author Max Brallier is coming to Sparta Books! Max Brallier will be at Sparta Books in Sparta, NJ on Tuesday, September 17 between 4:30-6: 00 pm. Max Brailler is the author of the series Last Kids on Earth that our middle school students love! Please see this flyer for additional details.
School Spirit Day– We will be having a School Spirit Day on the third Thursday of every month. This month’s School Spirit Day is on Thursday, September 19, 2019. Students are encouraged to wear their “Class of” shirts or other Vernon attire.
Schoology, our district’s Learning Management System, will be opening for parents and guardians this year! Parents and guardians will be able to log on to Schoology to see their child’s homework and read announcements, etc. During the week of September 16th parents and guardians will be sent a login via their email that we have on record in Genesis. The password that you receive will NOT be your child’s school account. It will be a parent account based upon the email that you have supplied us. So, it is very important that all of your contact information is Genesis is up to date and accurate.
Our First SCA Meeting: Will take place on Wednesday, September 18, at 9:30 am. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend! As a reminder, there is an SCA sponsored apple-picking program at Pochuck Valley Farms on Saturday, September 14th. Enjoy a family activity while supporting our local businesses while donating to our school’s SCA. Here is the form for the activity.
Bahama Relief…As we all know, the Northern Bahamas have been devastated from Hurricane Dorian. Glen Meadow students will be collecting donated items that will be brought to the Glen Pochuck Ambulance Building and then shipped to the Bahamas. Students will be bringing in hygiene and household items. We thank all of our students for contributing to this worthy cause. This project is being organized by our Glen Meadow Ambassadors.
School Picture Day– Friday, September 20th- fliers will be sent home shortly; there are multiple packages available for purchase. Here is the letter that was sent home.
Benchmark Assessments: All students are taking a benchmark assessment this week in all math and Language Arts classes. The purpose of the benchmark to look at the progress that each student has made from the spring and to determine the areas that the student will need additional support. Those students that are in a math or literacy lab will have pinpointed instruction specific to the standard he or she is struggling the most. Students will take their second benchmark in January and one in the early spring shortly before they take the NJ SLA.
Random Drug Testing: As a reminder, we have a voluntary Random Drug Testing program offered free at Glen Meadow School. To have your child participate, you need to complete this permission slip. Please consider this another way to help keep your child safe and drug and alcohol-free. Here is the page to our Random Drug Testing program at Glen Meadow.
Spotlight on our new teachers and transfer teachers…
Mr. Joseph
Mr. Joseph attended St. Joseph’s University to earn his Elementary Education, Special Education, and Reading Specialist Certification. Mr. Joseph also possesses a Supervisor’s Certificate from Centenary College and a Principal’s Certification from NJEXCEL. Mr. Joseph is currently an adjunct professor at William Paterson University teaching a course on disabilities studies. In 6th grade, Mr. Joseph had a teacher named Mr. Wormeli, who made learning fun. He would dress-up, plan interactive lessons, and make strong individual connections with his students. Mr. Wormeli gave Mr. Joseph a safe place to relax and be himself. Mr. Joseph always wanted to “be a Mr. Wormeli for his future students”. Today, Mr. Joseph plans the interactive lessons that helped him love learning as a youngster. Mr. Joseph hopes the connections he makes with Glen Meadow students helps them to see their best qualities and celebrate what makes each of them unique and special. He is looking forward to his first experience working with middle schoolers. Up until now, Mr. Joseph has taught K-3. As a K-3 teacher, much of the year was spent working to strengthen basic skills. As a middle school teacher, Mr. Joseph looks forward to in-depth projects that challenge students to think critically.
Mrs. MacDougall
Mrs. MacDougall attended The College of NJ (Fun Fact—Mrs. MacDougall was the first graduating class under the new name and she has two diplomas – one says Trenton State College and the other TCNJ!) and Montclair University. Mrs. MacDougall possesses and Elementary Education and Special Education degree as well as a Supervisor’s and Principal’s Certificate.
Mrs. MacDougall always wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. When she was in high school, she had the opportunity to participate in a work-study program in a grade 7-8 self-contained special education classroom. During her time there, she worked with a student on science. The teacher allowed Mrs. MacDougall to make her own lesson plans and find her own materials–and her goal was to not only get this boy to understand science but to smile and like school…Mrs. MacDougall was hooked! Mrs. MacDougall is looking forward to two things this year:
- Her students–just in the short time she has known them, they have made her laugh. Mrs. MacDougall knows she and her students will have a fun year together in math. It has also been fun seeing students she had from the first year of full-day kindergarten.
- New colleagues–everyone has been so welcoming to Mrs. MacDougall and have gone above and beyond with collaboration; she loves the teachers’ spirit of teamwork she has observed.
Mrs. MacDougall’s advice to a middle schooler: “A lot of change happens during these middle school years. Take a deep breath–it will be okay. Remember you are surrounded by adults who are routing for you and here to help you every step of the way.”
Mrs. Franklyn
Mrs. Franklyn attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Mrs. Franklyn has always wanted to work with young people, to enrich the lives of others, and to make a positive difference in the world–becoming an educator was the obvious choice to her. Mrs. Franklyn most looks forward to being around the exciting energy of 7th grade students and getting to share her love of science and nature with them. Mrs. Franklyn encourages her students to always be curious. Never stop wondering, exploring, learning new things, finding beauty in the world around you. Mrs. Franklyn loves to travel, and loves it most when she is able to hike and camp. Mrs. Franklyn has spent time in 47 of the 50 U.S. states and has traveled to England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and Greece, as well as French, Dutch and U.S. territories in the Caribbean. Mrs. Franklyn said, “There is so much to marvel at in our amazing world!”
Ms. Sisco
Ms. Sisco went into teaching based on a story that her father shared with her about his childhood that inspired Ms. Sisco to want to be a teacher. Ms. Sisco’s dad remembered the teacher who made him feel special and loved. From then on, Ms. Sisco wanted to be “that teacher “ who helped children believe in themselves and to know that we are all amazing. Ms. Sisco is excited to work with students and to help them learn they are not defined by their disability but by the content of their character. It’s ok to make mistakes. Ms.Sisco wants and will do all she can to make each one of her students KNOW that it’s ok to not be ok sometimes. Ms. Sisco hopes that she can show her students ways to accept themselves. Ms. Sisco looks forward to a year full of excitement and challenges. Ms. Sisco will never let her students give up or feel they are not enough because they are more than enough!
Ms. Donahue
Ms. Donahue is our brand new Physical Education Teacher and graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a B.S. Heath and Physical Education. some of the people who have impacted Ms. Donahue’s life the most are the teachers and coaches that she had growing up and she wants to be able to have that same positive impact on students. Ms. Donahue is looking forward to connecting with her students this year. Ms. Donahue wants her students to know it’s okay to be different and embrace it!! Ms. Donahue has recently started to travel more and plans to visit all 50 states and all of the national parks!
Mrs. Panfile
Mrs. Panfile is our new Learning Disability Teacher-Consultant. Mrs. Panfile is also a math teacher teaching at Vernon Township High School and High Point Regional High School. Mrs. Panfile graduated from Penn State with a math degree (she did this in three and a half years!). Mrs. Panfile attended William Paterson University to earn her Master’s Degree. She has a certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities and an LDT-C. Mrs. Panfile always knew she wanted to be a teacher. Her dad mounted a chalkboard to her playroom wall so that she could play “teacher”. Mrs. Panfile would make her younger siblings be her students ALL THE TIME! She was actually accepted into a college for Architecture but changed her major on day one knowing that ultimately, she wanted to be a teacher. Mrs. Panfile’s advice to our students…”This is a time in your life where it is totally okay to not have everything figured out. Every day, when you wake up, you make the choice to be who you want to be and be your best self. So be kind, be honest and when you mess up, fess up”. Mrs. Panfile is married, has three children, and one dog. In addition to her family, she has a love for colored pens and pretty paper.
Mrs. Saxton
Mrs. Saxton graduated from Ramapo College and then attended Montclair State University for her graduate degree in School Psychology. Mrs. Saxton always knew she wanted to work in the education field to help children. Knowing that she can assist in guiding and supporting children is very rewarding to Mrs. Saxton. As a new School Psychologist, Mrs. Saxton looks forward to helping her students navigate their middle school years with success. Mrs. Saxton wants all Glen Meadow students to know her door is always open and to stay positive! A fun fact about Mrs. Saxton is that she has a dog with two different colored eyes!
Dr. Konopinski
Dr. Konopinski attended The College of New Jersey to earn her undergraduate degree. She earned her Master’s Degree at Montclair State University and earned a Doctorate of School Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Konopinski’s mother was a teacher, she comes from a family that values education. Dr. Konopinkski is looking forward to meeting new students and teachers at Glen Meadow. Dr. Konopinksi’s advice she would like to give all Glen Meadow students is high school is right around the corner! Focus on the future. Dr. Konopinski is the mom to two happy little girls who she just adores!
Miss Frazita
Miss Frazita graduated from Sussex County Community College and Montclair State University with a BA Family Science and Human Development, she has a CEAS P-3 and K-6, and is Middle School Math certified. Miss Frazita remembers loving education from a very early age. Her dream of teaching started as a child playing “teacher” in her basement and this became a reality as she grew up! As a teen, she was a Cheerleading Coach in Vernon. As she planned, worked hard, and bonded with the girls on her team, it was solidified for her that she could bring these passions into a career of teaching! As a brand new teacher, Miss Frazita is most looking forward to helping students through a subject that they might find difficult, and showing them that math can be fun and easy for anyone that puts in the effort. Miss Frazita’s middle school advice is to reach out when you are in need of help – whether it be a question on your homework or something you are battling on the inside. Never be ashamed, we all need help every once in a while – You are not alone! Miss Frazita is passionate about bringing school past academics. Learning is extremely important, but learning cannot begin without having a safe and comfortable environment! That is why she is dedicated to getting to know her students and being there for their questions, concerns, or just a “Hello” or “Good Morning”! We welcome Miss Frazita as a new teacher to Glen Meadow!
Please see the Glen Meadow Digital Backpack for other important school information.
Our year is off to a great start! I hope to see you at our school events…
Mrs. Gebhardt