FTMHS NewsFLASH
June 2024
Calendar Information--Tentative June Events...
Tentative June Events
Monday, June 3:
- Faculty Meeting at 2:20 p.m.
Tuesday, June 4:
- I&RS/MTSS Meeting at 8 a.m. in the Media Center.
Wednesday, June 5:
- Marching Band Uniform Fitting from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Senior Decision Day; Period 1 Light Breakfast sponsored by P.O.
Thursday, June 6:
- Senior Awards Night at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium.
Friday, June 7:
- Senior Luncheon/Yearbook Dedication at 12:30 p.m.
- 2025 Musical Showing in the Auditorium; 2:10 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Underclassmen Picnic sponsored by the Parent Organization.
- Senior Athlete Spotlight Celebration at 6:15 p.m.
Monday, June 10:
- Senior Clap-out at 9 a.m.
- PLC Meeting at 2:20 p.m.
Tuesday, June 11:
- Senior Picnic sponsored by the Parent Organization.
- Marching Band Uniform Fitting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- ScIP Meeting at 2:20 p.m. in the Conference Room.
Wednesday, June 12:
- Senior Sunset.
Thursday, June 13:
- One-Session Day--11:40 a.m. Dismissal.
Friday, June 14:
- One-Session Day--11:40 a.m. Dismissal.
- FTMHS Graduation Day; 6:30 p.m. in the Stadium. Gates Open at 6 p.m.
- Last day of school for students.
Monday, June 17:
- Staff Development Day, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Last Day of school for staff.
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER...
FTMHS Graduation--Friday, June 14, at 6:30 p.m.
Outside Location: Stadium--No Tickets are Needed
Inside Location (pending weather conditions: Auditorium--Tickets are NEEDED. Please do not call the school for tickets--only the graduates will be given tickets.
Elks' Student of the Month--Special Recognition
Special Recognition
The Bordentown Lodge No. 2085 B.P.O. Elks has a program whereby, once a month, they recognize and reward an FTMHS "Student of the Month." This student must be a senior. It is our pleasure to recognize Nazifa Hasna.
Congratulations, Nazifa--Elks Student of the Month
Proud Family Members...
Character Education Program
Word of the Month for May was "Perseverance."
Every month at least one student from each grade level will be recognized for the fine job he/she has done in bringing the word of the month to life. Students are nominated by our school staff. The Character Education “Word of the Month” for May was "Perseverance." We will communicate the rest of our character education traits to you over the course of the school year. The Character Education Word of the Month for June is "Teamwork/Acceptance."
Let’s work together to get our students to focus on why each trait matters! We need all our students to see that they can help others through their positive words and actions.
The "Word of the Month" for MAY was "Perseverance."
Here are our Students of the Month:
Tristen Baltodano, Angelina Cunningham, Chase Doyle and Giavanna Turner.
Chosen to Receive Special Recognition!
Thanks to our Parent Organization--Students: Tristen Baltodano, Angelina Cunningham, Chase Doyle and Giavanna Turner were chosen to receive a $5 Wawa gift card for such an excellent job!
Tristen Baltodano
Tristen works really hard and has given a great effort all year.
Nominated by: Mr. Donovan
Angelina Cunningham
Angelina has worked very hard to get her work done/caught up.
Nominated by: Mrs. Eckart
Chase Doyle
Chase works hard to keep a good grade and helps those around him.
Nominated by: Mr. Weatherbee
Well Done...
Keep up the great work!
Giavanna Turner
Giavanna is a conscientious student who juggles extracurricular and academic classes.
Nominated by: Mr. Weatherbee
Good Job...
Congratulations!
Special Recognition: Academic Achievement & Principal's List Programs
Academic Achievement Program
This is a wonderful program! We will once again be challenging our students to settle for nothing less than their best. We want to see our students succeed, and we will be communicating to them that we want them to set their sights on earning a GPA of at least a 3.0 (a “B” average) with no “D” or “F” grades in any course for each marking period of the school year. Please join us in challenging your child to be content with nothing less than his or her best effort!
Principal's List Program
Each marking period, students who earn A's in all of their courses will be assigned to the "Principal's Academic List." We've added this program based upon the feedback we received from students, staff and parents. We have students who are hungry to show what they can do, and we're eager to recognize them!
Four qualifying students--one from each grade level--will be randomly selected to receive a $25 Wawa gift card from our Parent Organization at the end of the Marking Period.
"Grit and Gratitude Award"
We are fortunate to have a very generous Parents Organization. In partnership with our Parents Organization, one student from each grade level will be selected for a new award. This award will be called the “Grit & Gratitude” award, and it will be for students who try their best, show resilience and express appreciation to those who help them.
For May, students selected for this award will receive a certificate and one student from each grade level--will be randomly selected to receive a $5 gift card from Dunkin' Donuts.
Congratulations to:
Deanna Small, Sanzida Aktar, Chase Doyle and Olivia Muchowski.
Report Cards--June 21, 2024
Report Cards will be available after 2 p.m. in Genesis on June 21.
To view your child's Report Card, simply log in to Genesis (https://parents.genesisedu.com/florence) and click on the "Grading" tab at the top of the window.
Also, please feel free to log in to Genesis at any time to see how your child is progressing in his or her courses. Checking Genesis frequently will enable you to see clearly how your child is performing throughout the school year.
If you are having trouble logging in or need your email and password reset, please contact your child's counselor as soon as possible.
Menu for the Month of June...
Special EDition Monthly Newsletter
Parent Organization
We are in the home stretch! Thank you to all our AMAZING parent volunteers who have contributed SO much this year to make it a great one!
Over the summer don't forget to keep purchasing Scrips or RaiseRight gift cards which is a win-win! We will be planning for the 2024-25 school year in August so please share any thoughts/ideas you have to ftmhspo@gmail.com. Again thanks for all you do!
Upcoming Events:
Monday, June 3 - 6:30 p.m.
Last PO meeting/social at Gina Dunphy's-1320 Maple Ave, Roebling. All are welcome! Bring an appetizer/dessert.
Wednesday, June 5 - Senior Decision Day - 8 a.m.
please send all donations to the school/main office by no later than 7 a.m. (or make arrangements to drop to Gina's house).
Friday, June 7 - Underclassman Picnic - 12 noon
Please send all water donations to school by Thursday, June 6. All volunteers who have signed up should report to the athletic side of the building by no later than 11:30 am.
Tuesday, June 11 - 11 am - Senior Picnic
All Senior parent volunteers should report to the athletic side of the building by no later than 9:30 a.m. to help set up. All donations should be sent to school/main office by 8 a.m. (or make arrangements to drop off to Gina's house).
Wednesday, June 12 - 6:30 p.m. - Senior Sunset
All donations should be dropped off by no later than 5:45 p.m. or make arrangements to drop off to Gina's house.
Scrips or Raise Right program
This is a great way to save money for your child's upcoming school events! If you shop at Shop Rite, Roebling Town Market or Acme make sure to take advantage of these savings!
PO Board Positions Open
We have open seats for ALL positions. We are a small but mighty group and are looking for new parents to step up and help! Please contact us if you would like to run for a position. We will have elections at our June meeting.
Please let us know how you can help by emailing us at ftmhspo@gmail.com
Prom Queen: Ashlynn Brennan
Prom King: John Paul Dunphy
Having a great time!
Prom 2024
We can't wait to get on the dance floor.
Great Music.
Prom 2024
Class of 2025 Junior Class Advisors:
Mrs. Broderick and Mr. Senni
Resource Officers enjoy watching the students having fun at the prom.
We would like to THANK the staff members who assisted
in supervising the students at this year's Prom.
Senior Showcase and Show Choir Recital
Science Night at Riverfront School
Mrs. Triglia's Honors Chemistry Class
Mr. DuBrul's Environmental Canoe Trip
Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Ann Croley;
Ed. Services Professional of the Year: Mr. Joe Varga
Celebrating Mrs. Croley and Mr. Varga at The Westin.
Celebrating District Staff Chosen for Teacher of the Year
and Educational Services Professional of the Year
...at The Westin.
Interested in Joining Marching Band
Guidance Services
The high school counselors, Mrs. Sebastian and Mr. Varga, invite you to visit the Counseling Department website which is accessible from the high school main page or by clicking here.
You will find useful information and links for academic support, mental health resources, college planning and research, post-secondary financial aid, etc.
Juniors--Soon to be Seniors...
Think about your post-high school plans. If you are thinking about college, list possible colleges and then narrow it down over the summer. Try to visit a few colleges over the summer as well. Consider costs like tuition, room and board, distance from home, potential majors, and statistics such as graduation rates, student retention and job placement after graduation. If you are considering a trade, think about training options such as union apprenticeships, tech schools, and our county trade school BCIT Adult Education. If you are considering the military, make an appointment with a recruiter.
Career Exploration
All students are encouraged to use their Naviance accounts for career exploration. There are a number of student surveys and interest assessments that can be used to investigate potential careers. Login at student.naviance.com/florence and use the “single sign-on” when logged into their Chromebook. At the top of the welcome screen, click the Self Discovery and Careers links and take any of the listed surveys and assessments. Speak with your counselor with any questions about the results.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-2025 academic year is now available https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
All students and parents contributing to the FAFSA will need an FSA ID. If they don't already have one, they can create an account here: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch
If you are applying to any New Jersey schools, you can find your state financial aid information on the HESAA website in your NJFAMS account which can be found under the Students tab. https://www.hesaa.org
College and Trade School Visitations
The College Tour is a TV series brought to you by multi-award-winning producers. Each episode focuses on a single college or university. You can watch these video college tours on their website https://www.thecollegetour.com/ or on Amazon Prime! You can search videos by college name or state or other filters as well.
BCIT Adult Education is a great, local trade school that is taxpayer-funded. Visit their website https://www.ssreg.com/bcit/default.asp?page=Home to learn about their various programs.
College Cost Calculator:
What does college really cost? Colleges are required to have a college cost calculator (aka net price calculator) available on their websites. Please check them out when researching colleges.
College Scorecard:
Compare colleges and get information on fields of study, salary after graduation, costs, debt load after graduation, etc. It provides clear, accessible, and reliable national data. collegescorecard.ed.gov
Feeling Overwhelmed?
If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed and want to talk to someone, the following resources are available:
2nd Floor Youth Hotline of New Jersey: 888-222-2228
Care Solace: https://www.caresolace.com/site/florence or 888-515-0595
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 988
For emergencies: call 911
Counselors: Mrs. Sebastian and Mr. Varga
From the Desk of Mr. Lamaestra...
(SAC) Student Assistance Counselor
Your child may have questions about vaping. Here are some ideas to help you answer them.
Why don’t you want me to vape?
- Science shows that vapes contain ingredients that are addictive and could harm different parts of your body.
- Right now, your brain is still developing, which means you can get addicted more easily than an adult could. Most vape products contain nicotine, and using nicotine can change your brain.
- Being addicted to nicotine is stressful. When your brain craves nicotine, you can feel depressed, anxious, and irritable and can have trouble concentrating and sleeping. I don’t want that for you!
- Vape products contain chemicals that are harmful. If you vape, you’ll breathe in tiny particles that can harm your lungs.
- I know you wouldn’t want to harm your friends or family. The cloud people exhale when vaping can expose those around them to chemicals that are not safe to breathe.
What’s the big deal about nicotine?
- Your brain is still developing until about age 25. Science shows that nicotine is addictive and can harm your brain development.
- Using nicotine at your age may make it harder for you to concentrate, learn, or control your impulses.
- Nicotine can even train your brain and make you more vulnerable to other drug addictions.
- Using nicotine at your age may make it harder for you to concentrate, learn, or control your impulses.
- Nicotine addiction is one more source of stress you don’t need.
- Over time, nicotine changes how your brain works and makes it seem like you need nicotine just to feel okay.
- When you stop using it, you may experience nicotine withdrawal. This means your brain could get irritable. You may get anxious or upset, have a hard time concentrating or sleeping, have strong urges to vape, or just feel uncomfortable.
- Over time, nicotine changes how your brain works and makes it seem like you need nicotine just to feel okay.
- Vaping can be expensive. Think of all the other ways you might be able to spend your money.
- I don’t say this to scare you, but I want you to have the facts. Nothing is more important to me than your health and safety.
Important Resources:
If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, or just want to talk to someone, the following resources are available:
2nd Floor Youth Hotline of New Jersey: 888-222-2228
PerformCare/Mobile Response: 877-652-7624
Camden County Crisis Intervention - Twin Oaks: 856-428-HELP (4357)
New Jersey Mental Health Warm Line (Mental Health Resources): 877-294-4357
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Counseling Support Services:
I'm available for consultation, support, counseling and referral services including:
- Academic
Family Alcohol/Drug Use
Technology Dependence
Anxiety and Depression
Divorce
Behavior Management
Other Mental Health Concerns
Contact Information:
Please contact Mr. Lamaestra, Student Assistance Coordinator, at the high school at (609)499-4620 x 4225 or email at jlamaestra@florence.k12.nj.us.
School Nurse
Glasses to Classes...
I am excited to announce that, through a grant from the teachers union, we were able to provide FREE vision screening and FREE glasses for those who needed them.
We provided glasses for almost 100 students! The glasses, along with their prescriptions, arrived and they were distributed to the students.
I like my new glasses.
I can see clearly now.
Thank you for the glasses.
Happy almost summer! Those students who require medication or emergency medication at school will be receiving a letter next week on instructions on picking up your med from the nurses office as well as the necessary paperwork to be completed for next year. Please schedule appt with doctor to have paperwork completed asap to have it ready for September.
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. Follow this link for recommendations to help protect yourself and your family from the damaging rays of the sun.
Tick season is in full bloom. Some say it will be the worst tick season in many years. Please click this link for more information on ticks and how to keep you and your family safe from tick bites this season.
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html
“Spring means flower buds and blooming trees — and if you're one of the millions of people who have seasonal allergies, it also means sneezing, congestion, a runny nose and other bothersome symptoms. Seasonal allergies — also called hay fever and allergic rhinitis — can make you miserable. But before you settle for plastic flowers and artificial turf, try these simple strategies to keep seasonal allergies under control.”
Click the link below for more information from the Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/seasonal-allergies/art-20048343
Water Safety-When the weather turns warm, everyone wants to be in or around the water. Hanging out at the pool or the beach on a hot day is a great way to beat the heat.
Between having fun and checking out the lifeguards, most people don't think much about water safety — but they should. For people between the ages of 5 and 24, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death.
It doesn't have to be that way, though. Most water-related accidents can be avoided by knowing how to stay safe and following a few simple guidelines. Learning how to swim is essential if you plan on being on or near water. Many organizations provide swim instruction to people of all ages, check to see what classes are available in your area.”
To see the rest of this article, please click link below.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Alison Emery RN, BSN, CSN-NJ
School Nurse, FTMHS
1050 Cedar Lane, Burlington, NJ 08016
609.499.4620 extension4212, Fax 609.499.9487
Email: aemery@florence.k12.nj.us
Website https://sites.google.com/a/florence.k12.nj.us/ftmhs-nurse/
From the Athletic Office….
Spring Athletics is underway!
Fall athletic registration will be open by the second week in June. Please be on the lookout on our Facebook Athletics page for the announcement.
We offer:
- Boys and Girls Soccer
- Football
- Field Hockey
- Volleyball
- Cheerleading
Follow us on X- @FTSD_Athletics
Follow us on Facebook- Florence Athletics
Follow us on Facebook-- Florence Athletics
Follow us on Twitter-- @FTSD_Athletics
We post tons of athletic information, daily schedules/ schedule changes, and many accolades!
Always be in the know!!
If you have any questions, please call the Athletic Office at 609-499-4620, Extension 4150.
Check out our Spring schedule at: https://www.burlingtoncountyscholasticleague.org/public/genie/342/school/8/
Stay up to date with live notifications on any changes, postponements and cancellations.
Contact Information:
Derrick Goduto, Athletic Director/Assistant Principal, Extension 4150.
Drew Andrews, Athletic Trainer, Extension 4154.
Carly Jones, AD Secretary (609) 499-4620, Extension 4149.
Florence Township Memorial High School
Website: www.florence.k12.nj.us
Location: 1050 Cedar Lane, Florence, NJ, 08016
Phone: (609) 499-4620
Twitter: @FTSD_HS