Back to School

Dear Maple Place Families,

It's hard to believe that summer is coming to an end, and it is almost time to embark on the 2024-2025 school year! I hope that you have all had a wonderful summer making memories with your family and friends and enjoying everything that living near the beach has to offer. But, as we enter the last full week of summer, I wanted to provide you with a back to school update.

We have been working hard to get the building ready to go for our students and staff. The last of the referendum projects are coming to a close as the contractors put the finishing touches on the Maple Place locker room renovations. When students return to school they will see the locker rooms have been restructured and renovated with brand new lockers and bathrooms. Additionally, the renovation of this space is providing us with an additional classroom and office space as well. We are sending out a HUGE "Thank You" to our custodial team who has worked tirelessly to get our building ready for opening day!

The Maple Place staff has been diligently preparing for the upcoming school year. We anticipate a year full of engaging learning experiences and extracurricular activities. Our commitment to fostering a strong home-school connection with our community remains steadfast, and we are hopeful that this year will bring fantastic opportunities for both our students and staff.

We are excited to welcome a number of new staff members to the Maple Place team this year. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to the following team members:

• Ms. Alicia Wigdortz - Grades 5 & 6 ELA and Social Studies (coming to us from Wolf Hill)
• Ms. Corrine Valentino - Grade 5 ELA & Social Studies
• Ms. Alexa Kopczynski - Grade 5 Math & Science
• Ms. Lauren Elwell - Grade 5 ELA & Social Studies
• Ms. Gracyn Devine - Grade 8 Math
• Ms. Cathy Kusters - Grades 5-8 Instrumental Music
• Mr. Jason Gerstenfeld - Grades 5-8 STEAM
• Mr. Calvin Wilkinson - Paraprofessional (coming to us from Wolf Hill)
• Ms. Jessica Carnavas - Director of Special Services & Director of Preschool

As we get ready to begin a new school year, I am confident that through continued collaboration between home and school, we will set our students up for another successful school year. Our goal is to consistently provide a high-quality education while also nurturing our students' social and emotional development as they navigate adolescence. We are dedicated to working together to help our students thrive in the coming year. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we look forward to seeing you in September.

Thank you,

Melissa Keiser

Mrs. Linda Mansfield will continue to run the Main Office at Maple Place. Mrs. Mansfield has worked in the Oceanport district for seventeen years, and she has been an excellent addition to our Main Office. If you need any assistance, please feel free to contact her in the Maple Place office at extension 2210.

Mr. Tagerty will be returning as the district's School Security Specialist. He will be in charge of overseeing the safety and security of the district. Mr. Gomez will also be returning to the district as our Class III police officer hired by the Oceanport Police Department. And Mr. Chuck Svenson will be continuing on as our district SRO. Together, Mr. Tagerty, Mr. Gomez, and Mr. Svenson will work extremely hard to keep our schools safe. Please be sure to comply with all safety related requirements when you arrive at the school each day.

I'm excited to begin my third year as the Principal at Maple Place Middle School and my 27th year in education. Before joining Oceanport, I spent nine years as an Elementary School Principal and 15 years as a Middle School ELA teacher. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns throughout the year.

The 2024-2025 Student Handbook & Code of Conduct is available for students and parents. I will be meeting with all students during the first few days of school to go through the Student Handbook / Code of Conduct to ensure there is a clear understanding of the expectations for the year. Both students and parents will be required to sign the signature page acknowledging that they have read and discussed the content of the Handbook and Code of Conduct.

The Maple Place Student Handbook & Code of Conduct can be found on our website and is linked below. Important excerpts from the handbook have also been included in students' agenda which they will receive at the beginning of the year.

• Schedules and teacher assignments will be available on the Realtime parent portal on Wednesday, August 28th at 9:00am. Please note that many factors go into scheduling and student placement. If you have any questions about your child's schedule, please reach out to me directly at mkeiser@oceanportschools.org.
• The first day of school for students will be on Thursday, September 5th. This will be a 4 hour session. (8:00AM-12:15PM) Friday, September 6th is a FULL DAY of school.
• The regular school day will run from 8:00AM - 2:45PM for all students.
• Students can enter the building beginning at 7:50AM each morning. Homeroom starts promptly at 8:00AM. Students arriving to school after 8:00 AM must enter through the main entrance and sign in to receive a late pass. Entering after 8:00am will result in the student being marked tardy.
• Bus students will enter the building through Door #3 at the end of the bus loop.
• Walkers, bikers, and car riders may enter the building through Door #2 or Door #3 in the bus loop.
• Parents are reminded to pull all the way up when in the bus loop. This will help us to minimize the traffic on the surrounding streets during drop-off and pick-up.
• Walkers, Bikers, and Parent Pickup will be dismissed out of Doors 2 & 3 after the bus riders are dismissed.

Maple Place students are permitted to walk or ride their bikes to and from school each day. Parents must fill out a Walking / Biking Permission Slip and return it to school for each student who will be walking or riding a bike. Please fill out the form and return to the main office as soon as possible. Bike riders must wear a helmet as required by law. Please remind your student(s) to adhere to all traffic and safety rules and to pay attention to the crossing guards.

The Realtime Parent Portal will be open for viewing on Wednesday, August 28th at 9:00am. If you are having trouble logging in to the portal, please contact Mrs. Mansfield in the Main Office for assistance.

Parent Portal Link

Additionally, please be sure to update your information within the Parent Portal. This will help to ensure timely communication. Please see the link below for an informational video with directions for updating the portal.

Sports physicals are due NO LATER THAN Thursday, August 29th, prior to the start of Labor Day Weekend. It is extremely important that we have all physical paperwork prior to the start of school in order for the students to be approved for try-outs by our school physician.

Fall sports include girls and boys soccer, field hockey, and running club. Students in grades 6 through 8 may participate in all sports related activities. Students in Grade 5 may participate in running club during the fall season. Fall sports will begin the very first week of school; first with a team meeting to explain the try-out process and team expectations. Then try-outs will follow. If students do not have an approved sports physical, they are not permitted to participate in try-outs. Please note that all students can participate in Running Club. Although there are no try-outs for club sports, a physical is still required for participation.

Sports physical paperwork can be found on the Nurse's Office page on the Maple Place Website. When on the page, scroll down to the bottom where you will see Forms and Notices. Click on the tab for Sports Forms. The very first link is for the School Sports Instructions which provides you with the directions for completing the necessary paperwork. Please keep in mind that the state has provided new and updated physical paperwork.

Sports physical paperwork may be dropped off at Maple Place School Monday through Thursday from 7:30-2:00. There is a bin in the vestibule in which to place your physical packet. I encourage you to drop off the packets as early as possible as this enables us to ensure your child is cleared and ready to go for the start of the season. If you have any questions related to sports physicals, please contact Nurse Dora at jdora@oceanportschools.org or myself at mkeiser@oceanportschools.org.

Incoming 5th graders are invited to our annual 5th grade walk-through on Wednesday, September 4th any time between 3:30-5:00pm. The school will be closing at 5:00pm to prepare for opening day for students on September 5th. During their time in the building, the fifth grade students (accompanied by a parent or guardian) are invited to explore Maple Place. Upon entering at Door 1 (Main Entrance), students will receive their locker number and combinations. This is a great time to help your child set up his/her locker, bring in their school supplies, and practice moving from class to class following their daily schedule. Student volunteers from the National Junior Honor Society will be on hand to assist as well as myself and Mrs. Bonett, our school counselor.

Students in Grades 5 through 8 who are new to the Oceanport School District are invited to join us for New Student Orientation on Wednesday, September 4th from 3:00-3:30. Please enter the school through the main entrance (Door 1). The tour will begin promptly at 3:00 and will be led by our school counselor, Mrs. Bonett. Once the tour has concluded, our new students are welcome to stay to acclimate themselves to the school, practice their locker combinations, and find their classrooms. This is a great time for parents to help your child set up his/her locker, bring in their school supplies, and practice moving from class to class following their daily schedule. Student volunteers from the National Junior Honor Society will be on hand to assist the students as well. This is also the time when our fifth grade students will be entering the school for their 5th grade walk-though, so you will start to see additional faces in the hallway. The school will be closing at 5:00pm to prepare for opening day for students on September 5th.

Just a reminder that all summer assignments are due by September 11th. Students who complete both their summer ELA and Math will be able to participate in a visit from the Kona Ice Truck courtesy of the Oceanport PTO.

Here is a direct link to the summer assignments for your convenience if you need it.

Please review the board approved 2024-2025 school calendar. Slight changes were made at the August BOE meeting. The calendar contains all of the important dates for Back to School Night, Parent / Teacher Conferences, Early Dismissal Days, and School Closures.

This year Maple Place will be sponsoring our first High School Showcase. The goal is to provide our 7th and 8th grade students and parents with the opportunity to explore the various options for high school. The showcase will include Shore Regional High School, local private schools such as Trinity Hall, CBA, and St. John Vianney, as well as Monmouth County Vocational School and the Academy programs that our students are able to apply for. We hope you will save the date to join your child at this event!

More information will be distributed to students and parents once school is back in session.

A group of our incoming 8th graders is sponsoring a School Supply Drive to benefit Lunch Break in Red Bank. This project is being spearheaded by the students and was brought about from their Leader In Me work at the end of last school year when they discussed service learning. We are so proud of the efforts of our students to contribute positively to our community! Please support their project by dropping off any extra school supplies to the box located in the vestibule at Maple Place. Thank you for your support!

Please be sure to join the PTO this year. The Oceanport PTO does amazing things for our students and staff, none of which will be possible without your membership. Currently the PTO has two summer sales running from now until September 1st. Please see the flyers below for Bagel Half Days and Locker Ladder Sales.

Additionally, there will be a Kindergarten Ice Cream Social which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 3rd at 5:45pm at Charles Park in Oceanport. There will also be a Pre-K Playdate on Tuesday, September 3rd from 4:00-5:00 at Community Center Park. Students must have a parent or guardian accompany them to these events.

If you are looking to join the PTO or discover any additional PTO information, please check out the PTO Membership Toolkit. Bagels and Locker Ladders can be purchased through the Membership Toolkit as well.

• Thursday, August 29th - Sports Physicals due at Maple Place
• Monday, September 2nd - Labor Day - Schools Closed
• Tuesday & Wednesday, September 3rd & 4th - Schools open for Faculty & Staff Professional Development Days - Closed for Students
• Wednesday, September 4th - 3:00-3:30 - New Student Tour (students new to the district)
• Wednesday, September 4th - 3:30-5:00 - 5th Grade Walk-Through
• Thursday, September 5th - First Day for Students! (4 Hour Session 12:15 Dismissal)

• Friday, September 6th - First Full Day of School for Students!

• Tuesday, September 10th - PTO Meeting - Maple Place Media Center - 7:00pm

• Wednesday, September 11th - Summer Reading & Math Assignments DUE!

• Thursday, September 12th - Back to School Night - Maple Place - 5:00pm

• Wednesday, September 18th - Board of Education Meeting - Wolf Hill School - 6:00pm

• Thursday, September 19th - Back to School Night - Wolf Hill - 5:30pm

• Wednesday, September 25th - High School Showcase - MP Cafeteria - 8:30-10:30am

• Thursday & Friday, October 3rd & 4th - Schools Closed - Rosh Hashanah

• Monday, October 7th - Advocates for Diverse Learners Meeting - Maple Place Media Center - 7:00pm

Be sure to follow Maple Place on our social media outlets. We can be found on Twitter at @MaplePlaceMS. You can also check us out on Instagram at @mapleplaceop.

Email: mkeiser@oceanportschools.org
Website: https://www.oceanportschools.org/Domain/8
Location: 2 Maple Place, Oceanport, NJ, USA
Phone: (732) 229-0267
Twitter: @MaplePlaceMS

Instagram: @MaplePlaceOP