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We are pleased to announce our District Reconfiguration webpage is live. The webpage will be updated with information as it becomes available.

The Briggs community had a “jump-tastic” assembly during Wellness Week. Kathy Zetelski, a parent of a student in Mrs. Vera’s class, visited Briggs School to teach the students and staff how to jump rope and be healthy.

Briggs School celebrated Dental Health Month with a visit from Dr. Harte, their favorite orthodontist. Dr. Harte led an engaging assembly, and our students learned much about maintaining healthy teeth.

The prize for the top fundraisers in the Harlem Wizard Wiz-Fit Challenge was a ride to school in a Jefferson Township Police car. Briggs students Amani Marino and Cameron Nichols were the top earners and had an unforgettable ride to school!

Briggs School celebrated Read Across America with a week-long series of themed days, including dressing up as favorite book characters, wearing neon and bright colors, cozy clothing day, and silly clothes day. Students read their favorite books in class and wrapped the week with a school-wide reading train.

The preschoolers are wrapping up their unit on roads, with classes building their own roads. This project offers an engaging opportunity to explore the fascinating world of infrastructure, highlighting bridges and road construction. Students learned the fundamental principles behind constructing durable roads and the engineering challenges related to bridge design. Through hands-on activities, they discovered the significance of safety and traffic regulations.

In the discovery area, Mrs. La Paz’s class is very excited to watch the life cycle of an avocado unfold over the next few weeks. The students will observe and document changes in their Life Cycle of an Avocado Journal.

Students took part in Social Emotional Learning Day. They listened to the story "A Little Spot of Calm" and practiced Cosmic Kids Yoga in their classes. They also colored the spots in various colors to express their different feelings.

In Miss Matienzo's class, students created rainbows using colorful stamp pads. Each student pressed their hands onto the stamp pads, picked up different colors, and stamped them onto paper in a rainbow pattern. The class had a great time arranging them correctly to form a beautiful rainbow. This activity helped the students learn about the sequence of rainbow colors while having fun with art and hands-on exploration.

As part of the Roads Unit, students and families from Mrs. Bolka’s, Mrs. Herman’s, Mrs. Hunter’s, and Miss Hartnett’s classes collaborated to create a road map inspired by Jefferson Township. Students cut out roads and included drawings of their homes. The completed map was displayed during last week's Roads and Wheels Celebration event.

It all began when Mrs. Gesek was scrolling through Instagram and came across a post about Blankets of Hope that inspired her to help homeless individuals. The class participated in a kindness workshop, wrapping blankets with uplifting letters to give to those in need. After completing this task, they felt enthusiastic about doing more and organized a fundraiser called “Kids Can CHANGE the World.” Additionally, Dr. Papa motivated the students with an encouraging talk and approved the launch of "Kids Can CHANGE the World." Mrs. Gesek's students are raising funds for the Market Street Mission, aiming to gather $500 to supply the Mission with crucial items for the individuals they serve. The Market Street Mission supports homeless men by providing essential items for everyday life.

Third-grade teachers organized a math carnival for their students. This creative event enabled students to review everything they had learned throughout the school year with their families and friends. Each game at the stations highlighted various math skills covered over the year, including rounding, fractions, addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Students earned tickets to select prizes, reflecting all they had learned and accomplished this school year. Third-grade teachers deserve recognition for creating a truly authentic learning experience for their students.

Stanlick celebrated Read Across America by creating SEL-themed bookmarks, meeting with exceptional guest student-athletes from JTHS, and having students participate in the Reading Train. Their passion for reading motivated them. A special thank you to Mrs. Keyser and Mr. Venturino for organizing and planning the week.

Students created bee hummers and duck squeakers using recycled materials during Mrs. Kirschner's workshop.

Read Across America was a week full of fun at White Rock. Award-winning author and poet Darren Sardelli visited and read to the students, joined by Mayor Wilsusen, High School athletes, and members of the Jefferson Township Police Department. Many parents also volunteered to read to the students. Teachers dressed up in costumes as mystery readers. At the end of Read Across America Week, an assembly was held to unveil the mystery readers.

The second-grade students have enhanced their critique skills through an opinion-writing unit. They have composed insightful reviews on toys, prizes, snacks, and restaurants. We are very impressed with their insights and believe we have some future critics in the making!

This year's science fair was a HUGE success with many students sharing their inventions, experiments, and new-found knowledge!

Students had an enjoyable day engaging in Pi Day activities, calculating sums and differences with mixed numbers.

The following students were recognized for their attributes and contributions to the Middle School community.

• 6th Grade: Charlotte Corn & Riley McCarney-Pletcher
• 7th Grade: Reign Dalton & Brian Trimble
• 8th Grade: Ryan DeAngelo & Hunter Grune

Twenty-four staff members and seventeen student volunteers from both the Middle and High Schools hosted a Family Literacy Night. Approximately 123 students and their families enjoyed hands-on activities inspired by the book, "Aliens Love Underpants", which included interactive reading stations, games, crafts, and storytelling to turn reading into an adventure. Guests could explore the Scholastic Book Fair and the DECA School Store in the Media Center. Students visited each station and received a stamp on their passports. At the end of the evening, they walked through a glow show gallery adorned with student artwork and received a goodie bag filled with treats. The event was made possible by donations from Jefferson Township Public Schools students and staff members, along with a generous FAST Grant from the JTEA and NJEA.

Sixth-grade ELA students participated in a virtual meet and Q&A session with author Adrianna Cuevas. She talked about her books, especially her new release, "What Fell From the Sky," which was gifted to one lucky winner during each class period. Students appreciated the chance to ask her questions about her diverse characters, the writing process, and the experience of being a professional writer.

School Wellness Week included a variety of activities, such as a jump rope contest and wellness quiz, with winners awarded the Stanley Cup and a JTMS 5K Color Run/Walk ticket. Students, teachers, and staff took part in Nitroball, enjoyed a school-wide mindfulness moment, and sampled smoothies, parfaits, soups, flavored waters, salads, and fruits in the cafeteria. The event was successful due to the collaboration of the Physical Education teachers, parent volunteers, food service staff, students, and the School Nurse, Mrs. Conley.

Eighth-grader Trevor Zorzi (pictured, far right) and other students from Morris County were recognized as Outstanding Violinists of the Month at the Morristown Performing Arts Center during a performance by the Vitamin String Quartet. Teachers nominated the students based on their commitment to excellence in the performing arts.

Over the past month, Iron Giron and Kayla McKellar have demonstrated strong character, leadership, and participation in the school community. Staff members have recognized them for their accomplishments.

Nominated by Mrs. Vislosky, Iron has dedicated himself to the research process, demonstrating the care and commitment to learning we hope to see in all students. According to Mrs. Vislosky, "Iron is working so hard on his research paper. He has put forth so much dedication in doing well. He accepts challenges with a smile and is not afraid to ask questions to learn how to improve."

Nominated by Mrs. Neral, Kayla works to build connections with students in the classroom and asks questions that show she is focusing on the learning process. According to Mrs. Neral, "Kayla goes above and beyond in the classroom. Not only does she ask meaningful questions to better her understanding, but she is a classroom role model. She helps her peers grasp the material. Kayla also makes meaningful personal connections to her classmates. She always asks how extracurricular activities are going for students and makes everyone feel included. She always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude."

Both students received custom t-shirts, certificates, and a gift card to a local business.

Jefferson Township High School proudly hosted a Black and African American Read-In in the Media Center with Mrs. Vislosky to celebrate Black History Month. This national initiative, created by the National Council of Teachers of English, aims to highlight and honor the works of Black authors. In the morning, Miss Lindstedt's English classes visited the Media Center to explore children's literature and engage in meaningful discussions about the importance of diversity in storytelling. Later in the day, the Falcon Ambassadors, under the guidance of Ms. Daken, led an engaging session with Mrs. Barnhart and Mr. Reilly's ELA classes and Ms. Daken's Media Studies students. Together, they delved into children's books and poetry written by Black authors, fostering insightful conversations. A special shout-out to our Falcon Ambassadors for their leadership in facilitating discussions and reading aloud to their peers. Their confidence and poise truly made the afternoon a success. Ms. Daken and the Falcon Ambassadors' dedication made this inspiring event possible. Thank you for making it such a memorable celebration.

This is a true testament to the power of collaboration! Eleventh-grader Carla Madueno, guided by the expertise of Mr. Chadwick, has authored a children's book, "Cell-ebration of Life!" (available through Amazon), which explores the fascinating world of cells and their role in animal life. We celebrate this incredible accomplishment! (Pictured below: Carla's mother, Sandra Yanez-Valenzuela, Carla Madueno, and Mr. William Chadwick)

National Honor Society (NHS) members raised funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to support our Student Visionary of the Year candidates, Ashley Force and Kevin Gallagher. The team aimed to raise $10,000, but NHS members helped exceed that goal by raising a total of $11,578.98. Ashley and Kevin were honored alongside the other Student Visionary of the Year candidates from Northern New Jersey at a gala held at The Grove. Efforts to fundraise included a student-versus-teacher volleyball game, an ice cream social, Dine-to-Donate events, and canning at local bagel shops.

Under the coordination of Mademoiselle Crowe, students of French AP, 4 Honors, 3H, 3CP, 2CP, and 2H visited Sussex County Community College’s Arbor Restaurant, where they experienced authentic French cuisine.

JTHS students celebrated Wellness Week with enjoyable and engaging activities. It was a busy week, from learning meditation to a visit from the Marines and Lifetime Activities Stations. Thank you to Ms. Cannarozzi and the other Physical Education teachers for coordinating with the school nurses to create this wonderful opportunity.

The New Jersey DECA State Competition has concluded, and four students won mini awards, two placed sixth in their event, and four completed chapter campaigns. Six students will proudly participate in the upcoming National Competition in Orlando, Florida.

Mini Awards

Izzy Wasilewski & Kenrick Kleid for Integrated Marketing Campaign-Service for presentation

Andrea Murillo & Mikayla Koval for Integrated Marketing Campaign-Event for presentation

Finalists, receiving 6th place, and going to the National Competition

Izzy Wasilewski & Kenrick Kleid for Integrated Marketing Campaign-Service

Thrive Level Award for chapter campaigns and going to the National Competition

Claudia Kaminski

Mikayla Koval

Izzy Feiner

Ashley Force

Track and Field and Basketball athlete Kiley Shatzel was honored as Jefferson's Scholar-Athlete selection at this year's Pass-It-Along Scholar-Athlete Banquet. She ranks 15th in her class and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society, and the Math Honor Society. Additionally, she is part of the inaugural class of the STEM Academy at JTHS.

While juggling her academics, busy sports schedules, and honor memberships, Kiley is also a member of the Township's Volunteer Fire Department. In the Fall, Kiley will continue her track and field career at the University of Connecticut in their Honors Program. Congratulations, Kiley! (pictured Coach Shannon Chapman, left, and Kiley Shatzel, right)

Out of over 600 entries from 18 participating schools, Jefferson Township High School submitted 35 pieces, with 15 selected for this prestigious show. This is an outstanding accomplishment, and we are proud of our students' talent! We invite you to visit the 2025 Blackwell High School Art Show at the Atrium Gallery in Morristown, where artwork will be displayed from March 25 to April 29, 2025. (Below are a few of the artists' works.)