The Mount Laurel Leaflet
October 18, 2024
STEAM Tank Finals at NJSBA Workshop
Team M.A.S.C.
Congratulations to Natalia Luste and Kaitlyn Lai, who have earned the rank of top three in the middle schools’ division of the STEAM Tank Challenge across the state. They will compete for their final time at next week's New Jersey School Boards Association Workshop at the Atlantic City Convention Center, October 23, 2024. The top three teams in each division compete for awards, totaling $15,000 in prize money (sponsored by ELFNJ) and recognition.
During the 2023-24 school year, Hartford’s Gifted Academic Program (GAP), led by Mrs. Katy Stafford, participated in a state-wide competition called the STEAM Tank Challenge. This competition is sponsored by the NJ School Boards Association and the US Army. This collaboration to put on an annual statewide competition is aimed at raising interest and awareness in the fields of STEAM. The challenge required students to identify problems in our state and use the steps of the design process to create solutions. The students spent weeks researching, imagining, and designing solutions. They went through 3 elimination rounds, “selling” their design to a panel of judges and answering questions to defend their solutions. More than 578 teams submitted applications state-wide. We are proud to share that Team M.A.S.C. (Mute Assistance Speech Communicator) from Hartford’s 6th grade 2024 GAP team is proving that they are enterprising students, with innovative ideas and incredible presentation skills.
In their final pitch, Team M.A.S.C. will deliver a 10-minute presentation, then answer questions from judges and the audience for a 10-15 minute Q&A. Judges will apply a rubric that addresses multiple areas to attain the final rankings. Natalia & Kaitlyn have worked through their design to earn points in all areas of the rubric, including innovation & design, integration of the arts, collaboration with subject matter experts, sustainability, entrepreneurship, passion for their solution, JEDI, and presentation skills. This team has worked incredibly hard; please wish them luck!
Larchmont Elementary School's recent blood drive exceeded expectations!
Thirty-six (36) donors showed up and an incredible 38 successful donations were collected.
"You guys rocked it out with the power reds," reported American Red Cross Representative, Latesha,
"collecting 12 units from 6 donors, wow!"
The event hosted two first-time donors as well!
Well done, Mount Laurel Schools!
HILLSIDE PRIDE!!
Hillside students showed off their school spirit by rocking blue and yellow! The halls were buzzing with excitement as everyone came together to celebrate our school community. Our students are proudly showing their Hillside pride!
NJ SCI
New Jersey School Climate Improvement
The Mount Laurel School District is excited to announce that we will be participating in the New Jersey School Climate (NJ SCI) Improvement Survey. This survey was developed and is administered by Rutgers University in order to help schools obtain multiple perspectives on aspects of school climate.
Your voice and perspective is important to us, and we encourage you to participate when you receive the survey this month. Collecting data is important for understanding strengths and needs in our schools and how it feels to be a member of the school community. The data will be used to make improvements in our schools. This survey is anonymous and voluntary. A letter with instructions on how to take the parent and caregivers survey will be sent on October 16th. In addition to asking families to participate, all Mount Laurel School District staff, as well as students in grades 3-8, will have the opportunity to participate in surveys tailored to them. Results will be analyzed and shared later in the school year.
K-2 LITERACY & MATH INFORMATION NIGHTS
Come Join the Fun
ADVANCING LITERACY
Family & Caregiver Workshops
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S
EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Please take the opportunity now to nominate an outstanding Mount Laurel educator for the 2024-2025 Governor's Educator of the Year Recognition Program (GEOY.) We will be selecting one outstanding educator for each school!
Visit our District Governor's Educator of the Year webpage and nominate an outstanding educator now! In fact, you may nominate more than one educator if you would like.
The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, November 15th.
District Picture Day Schedule
SCHOOL
Picture Day / Retake Day
📸 📸 📸
COUNTRYSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October 28 / December 5
FLEETWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October 24 / November 21
HILLSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October 4 / November 4
LARCHMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
September 23 / November 4
PARKWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
October 18 / December 10
SPRINGVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
September 24 / October 30
MOUNT LAUREL HARTFORD SCHOOL
September 30 / November 13
THOMAS E. HARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
September 30 / November 12
TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
2024-2025 FREE & REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION
Eligibility requirements and applications for free and reduced price meals are available to all households annually. Students in need of assistance will be determined by the criteria issued by the State of New Jersey and the USDA.
The District encourages all families who may qualify for free and reduced meals to fill out and return the application as soon as possible to receive free or reduced lunch.
NEW! Applications can now be submitted ONLINE:
Forms may also be printed and sent to the Business Office at 330 Mount Laurel Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 or emailed to: rwachter@mtlaurelschools.org
EXTENDED DAY CARE
Extended Day Care will be closed on October 14, 2024.
Please review the district calendar.
All information regarding our Extended Day Care (EDC) Program is available in our handbook. If you haven't done so already, kindly review the handbook at your earliest convenience.
⭐Please be aware that parents and students do not have access to the main office, classrooms or teachers during EDC hours. Parents and students only have access to EDC-approved areas and EDC staff.
EDC COMMUNICATION
All communication regarding EDC updates and news is digital. You will receive communication by email and the district newsletter regarding any updates. This includes any scheduling cut-off days for half-days. Please update your email in the Daycareworks system or email the office (emails below). Emails are delivered from no-reply1@procaresoftware.com. Please check your spam email and add the exchange to your important emails. The Mount Laurel Leaflet is available every Friday.
EDC CONTACTS
PHONE: 856-231-5891 (Please use extensions below)
Chris Sherf- csherf@mtlaurelschools.org (PRIMARY EDC EXT. 21004)
Yvette Gonzalez -yvgonzalez@mtlaurelschools.org (SCHEDULING EXT. 21001)
Pam Witts-pwitts@mtlaurelschools.org (Site Coordinator EXT. 21009)
Suzy Haftman- shaftman@mtlaurelschools.org (Director of Community Education & EDC EXT. 21002)
OCTOBER IS ...
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. As a school community, we want to encourage everyone to stay informed about the signs of bullying, the impact it can have, and what to do if you see it happening.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines bullying as behavior that is:
- Unwanted: The behavior is not wanted by the victim.
- Aggressive: The behavior involves some form of aggression, such as physical force, threats, or intimidation.
- Repeated: The behavior happens more than once or has the potential to happen again.
Acts of bullying may involve physical contact, words or gestures, or social exclusion. Bullying can happen in person or online.
The signs of bullying include:
- Physical signs: bruises, cuts, torn clothing, missing items
- Emotional signs: changes in mood, withdrawal from friends and activities, anxiety, depression
- Behavioral signs: aggressive behavior, changes in eating or sleeping habits, truancy
- Social signs: being excluded from activities, being made fun of or called names
If you see bullying happening, it's important to do something. Here are some things you can do:
- Talk to the bully and tell them to stop.
- Talk to the victim and offer your support.
- Report the bullying to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, counselor, or parent.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, there are resources available to help:
Together, we can create a safe and supportive school community for all students!
AND
October marks National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a time to focus on prevention efforts and recognize the support available in our community. It’s also a moment to honor the over 20 million Americans battling addiction, remember those lost to it, and celebrate the resilience of those in recovery, along with the friends and family who stand by them.
Preventing substance use begins with open conversations with our students about the effects of substance abuse on their health. Research shows that early use of substances like alcohol, tobacco, or drugs significantly increases the risk of addiction. Every year that substance use is delayed during adolescent brain development reduces the risk of addiction.
Here are resources to help raise awareness about substance use and where to find help in our community:
- SAMHSA’s "Talk. They Hear You" Campaign: Empowering adults to steer children away from the risks of alcohol and drugs.
- Partnership to End Addiction: A resource hub offering evidence-based insights for addressing substance use.
- Natural High Foundation: Nationally recognized motivational storytelling videos of celebrities explaining why they live a drug-free life. Follow-up discussion guides and activities included.
- Harvard Medical Blog's Tips for Talking with Your Teens: Guidance for parents and educators on discussing drug use with youth.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse's Resources: Providing critical information for parents and educators on substance use and effective communication.
If you or a loved one is struggling, Care Solace is here to help. This complimentary service is available to the Mount Laurel Township School District community,
As a community, we are committed to the emotional and physical well-being of each individual, and encourage you to access the resources available to you should a crisis arise.
Together, let’s break the cycle of youth substance abuse and encourage healthy living where kids are empowered to live a healthy, balanced life.
DATES TO REMEMBER
November
1
Diwali Holiday
Schools Closed
7-8
NJEA Convention
Schools Closed
21
Parent/Teacher District-Wide Evening Conferences
Early Dismissal
22
Parent/Teacher District-Wide Afternoon Conferences
Early Dismissal
25
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Early Dismissal
Afternoon: PreK - 4th Grade
Evening: 5th - 8th Grade
26
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Early Dismissal
Afternoon: 5th - 8th Grade
Evening: PreK - 4th Grade
27
Early Dismissal - Staff & Students
28 - 29
Thanksgiving Recess
Schools Closed
December
13
Teacher In-Service
Schools Closed for Students
20
Early Dismissal - Staff & Students
23-31
Winter Recess
Schools Closed
NEWS TO USE
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STAY CONNECTED
Website: http://www.mtlaurelschools.org
Location: 330 Mount Laurel Road, Mount Laurel Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 856-235-3387
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlschools/
Twitter: @MTL_Super