LMA April Newsletter
April 2025
Good Morning,
As April draws to a close, we want to reach out and acknowledge the swift passage of this month, which was thankfully punctuated by a well-deserved Spring Break. We hope that all our students, families, and staff at LMA had the opportunity to relax, recharge, and return with renewed energy for the final stretch of the 2024-2025 academic school year.
We are incredibly proud of the academic achievements we have witnessed throughout the year, and especially the recent recognitions and honors our students have earned. Your dedication and support have played a vital role in their success. Congratulations to all our students who have achieved academic honors for the 3rd marking period!
As we look ahead to the remaining weeks, we have several important and exciting events on the horizon:
- New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) Testing: We will be administering the NJSLA in the coming weeks for 7th/8th/9th and 11th graders.
- Java Joint: Our popular Java Joint will be making a return, offering students a fun and engaging way to express themselves through various arts, and amplify student voice. It was also allow for students to appropriately socialize, and enjoy some treats.
- Various Field Trips: We are excited to provide enriching learning experiences outside the classroom through a variety of upcoming field trips, and our senior field trip at the end of the year.
- Graduation Commencement Services: For our graduating seniors, and 8th graders being promoted to high school, we are eagerly preparing for their commencement ceremonies. These events will celebrate their accomplishments and mark the beginning of their next chapter.
- Getting Ready for Extended School Year (ESY): Planning is well underway for our Extended School Year program which will be here before we know it. We are proud to offer this service, and to continue with academic and therapeutic supports for the students of LMA.
As we navigate these final weeks, we encourage students to remain focused on their studies, participate actively in all activities, and continue to express yourself using your voice. Your ongoing support and collaboration are invaluable as we work together to ensure a successful and positive conclusion to the school year for every student at LMA.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us!
Sincerely,
Reed & John
Teacher of the Year - Ms. Schneider
I appreciate how understanding you are about my academics.- Beirah M.
She is understanding and kind- Skye G.
I love you so much, you're so nice and always willing to help an do things just to see people smile- Briana B.
Congrats! You are such a helpful coworker, well deserved!- Ms. Van Clief
Her musical knowledge is phenomenal and how she can convey that to our students is truly wonderful.- Ms. McMahon
I appreciate all your help with my classes and all the knowledge you have shared with me!- Ms. Delgado
Instructional Support Staff of the Year - Mrs. Horn
I love going on walks with you to help myself regulate - Emma S.
THANKS FOR TEACHING ME GERMAN- Dennis E.
My first friend at LMA! Working with you has been an absolute pleasure. You make everyone's day brighter!- Ms. DeCarlo
Mrs. Horn always does what is best for the students. She is kind, caring, and supportive to all students.- Ms. Miller
Non-Instructional Support Staff of the Year - Mrs. Reardon
You make us smile- Alex C.
You always help us out and make our day. Also, you order Amazon to reward students.- Jordyn M.
You keep me and my paperwork organized and together.- Mr. Murphy
You were great at helping me with working here for the past few years. Congrats-Ms. VanClief
You're always so very helpful whenever I need help with anything, no matter what.-Ms. Oprah
You made my transition to LMA as smooth as possible! Thank you!- Ms. York
Emma S - April Student of the Month at LMA
We are proud to present Emma S. as April’s student of the month! Emma has demonstrated progress towards her goals here at Lamberts Mill Academy. Emma has been able to use her coping skills and communication skills to help strengthen her relationships with peers and staff. Emma has earned High Honor Roll for every marking period so far this year. Emma has various strengths like her resilience and outgoing personality. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and help with projects around the building. Emma enjoys fashion, dancing, and music.
Ms. York's WIN Class
The monthly topic and theme of April were SEL and Autism Acceptance. Each student made a puzzle piece that fit together in our hallway and within their piece they answered the following questions; what activity brings you the most joy?, what activity helps you relax, rest, or reset?, what’s the best thing about you?, and who is an important person in your life? In the middle of the puzzle piece the letters “LMA” were listed vertically and the LMA lion was underneath the letters. This project allowed our students to reflect on our varying needs and interests but also appreciate that we all are members of the LMA community.
We learned where feelings come from and about how they are emotional energy. We discussed how people who have trouble with tasks that require executive functioning skills have not yet developed the ability to handle strong emotions that can arise during various circumstances. We thought of how when you input data into a computer, the computer processes the data and then outputs a command/final product. Similar to a computer, when we experience an event, our personal beliefs (consisting of irrational & rational thoughts) then create an emotional consequence (feelings/behaviors). Students were given scenarios and had to determine irrational and rational responses.
Updates from Mr. Peter's PE/Health class
For the month of March students participated in the fast-paced game of Pickleball. Combining all the elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, pickleball has taken off and become quite the popular sport. Using a paddle and a small wiffleball students need to strike the ball across the court and score points to defeat their opponent. Students have been working on mastering serving, striking the ball, gameplay, and strategy.
Piggybacking off the Pickleball Unit we jumped right into a short unit of Tennis. Due to size constraints students were only able to participate in drills and lead-up activities. Students really enjoyed the game and hopefully next year we will be able to arrange a class trip to a local tennis facility.
We are now finishing up our Week of Fitness Unit to end the month of March. Students have been taking part in miscellaneous workouts to enhance their physical fitness. Workouts include Zumba, Tae Bo, P90X, Insanity, and Hip-Hop Dance workouts.
For Health we have been working hard in the CPR/AED/First Aid Unit. Students have been learning about the importance of knowing all the skills involved in CPR and being a first responder. Students are following along with the American Red Cross training manuals and videos and are working hard on mastering their life-saving skills.
Transition Prep gets ready to close out the year
The Transition Prep students have just wrapped up a unit on soft skills and the importance of these skills in both everyday life as well as being successful in a career. We are set to begin a unit on building personal resumes by taking a close look at qualifications students possess, experience (work and volunteer), as well as possible references to be used on a resume! Upon completion of this unit all students will have their own personal resume to present when applying for future jobs!
Owen C. wraps up his first year at ECC
