October 2022 Message
From The Glen Meadow Middle School
Welcome to October 2022
As we enter the month of October, we wanted to thank you for all of your support during the first month of school. We hope that your child's 2022-2023 school year has started off as a positive, enriching, and rewarding experience.
Many exciting events await us during the month of October! Glen Meadow Middle School will be celebrating the Week of Respect from October 3rd through October 7th. Each day, students are encouraged to participate in Spirit Days that align with the theme of the day. Also, from October 24th through October 28th, Glen Meadow Middle School will celebrate Red Ribbon Week with daily spirit days as well. Finally, students are welcome to wear school-appropriate Halloween costumes on Monday, October 31st. Please click HERE for the rules and expectations. More information can be found in the information that follows. As always, for a complete list of Glen Meadow happenings, please visit the GMMS/VTSD Calendar HERE.
Please note, on Wednesday, October 5th, the Vernon Township School District will be closed in observance of Yom Kippur. In addition, Vernon Township Schools will be closed on Monday, October 10th, for a Teacher In-Service Day.
From Tuesday, October 11th through Friday, October 14th, VTSD will follow an early dismissal schedule to allow for Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences, which will be held virtually. The Genesis Parent Portal sign-ups will open to parents/guardians on Monday, October 3rd, and will close on Friday, October 7th. The Glen Meadow Middle School virtual conference schedule will be as follows:
- Tuesday, Oct. 11th (4:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
- Wednesday, Oct. 12th; Thursday, Oct. 13th & Friday, Oct. 14th (1:00 pm - 3:00 pm)
As always, we are here to work alongside you and your child(ren) throughout the school year. If you should ever have any questions or concerns about your child's education, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we are stronger! When the school and home collaborate and communicate, we are all working towards one common goal - a successful school year for your child. Thank you for partnering with us throughout the 2022-2023 school year.
Jacquelyn M. Van Orden, Principal
Eric W. Kosek, Assistant Principal
Join The 21st Century Community Learning Center!
The 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) is an after-school program that provides students with academic enrichment opportunities that will offer support beyond the classroom curriculum. Students will receive homework support and a nutritional snack each day. The 21st CCLC allows students to explore STEM, Physical Fitness, and Visual and Performing Arts activities, including but not limited to Theatre, Robotics, Engineering, and Culinary Arts. Students will also have the opportunity to attend field trips within the community to work with key stakeholders of this initiative. The Farm at Glenwood Mountain and The Painted Grape have partnered with Glen Meadow Middle School’s 21st CCLC. In addition, there will be a Parent University component which will provide workshops for parents/guardians and will also allow students to showcase their learning activities.
The program officially began on Monday, September 19, 2022, and will run Monday through Friday, immediately after school from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm with parent/guardian pick up. Please note that on days that the school is closed or if we have called for an early dismissal, the program will not be in session. The 21st Century Community Learning Center is only available to 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students residing in Vernon Township and is at no cost to families.
Should you have any questions about the program, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Kait Ramirez at Glen Meadow Middle School at (973) 764-4534. We are excited to provide this engaging and enriching learning experience for your child and are looking forward to all of the incredible adventures that await.
21st CCLC IS ALL ABOUT...
TEAM BUILDING
GRATITUDE
A POSITIVE COMMUNITY
Students created their own positive communities and some were out of this world!
Week of Respect: October 3rd through October 7th
Additional Week of Respect Activities Include...
Impt. Make-Up Dates:
- START STRONG TESTING: If your child missed any of the Start Strong Testing dates, make-up testing was on Wednesday, September 28th, and Thursday, September 29th.
- SCHOOL PICTURES: If your child missed School Picture Day, or would like their picture retaken, picture make-ups/retakes will be Tuesday, October 25th.
Optimistic October 2022
Especially when things are feeling a bit tough, it can help to set some goals. Making goals achievable and ensuring that you have a few short-term as well as long-term, more ambitious goals helps us feel we're making progress. It doesn't matter if your goal for the day is something really small, the important thing is to give yourself the opportunity to feel like you've achieved something and to celebrate that! This month's calendar is full of ideas to help you think about how you can put this into practice.
~obtained from: https://actionforhappiness.org/
Counselor Assignments
October is a busy month for Glen Meadow students and staff! This month, we are focusing on respecting ourselves and others by being kind and making positive choices.
Counselors at Glen Meadow Middle School are assigned according to each student's grade level. The counselor assignments for the 2022-2023 school year are as follows:
6th Grade:
Mrs. Alexis Pisco - apisco@vtsd.com
7th Grade:
Mrs. Lindsay McAloney - lmcaloney@vtsd.com
8th Grade:
- Mrs. Carol Gonzalez - cgonzalez@vtsd.com
Bullying Prevention Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and it reminds us that students, parents/guardians, teachers, and school administrators all play an important role. Positive change comes as we begin to emphasize respect and inclusion for all.
ADHD Awareness Month
National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
The Glen Meadow Way
- Respect Yourself and Others
- Take Responsibility for Your Actions
- Reach Your 100%
Here at Glen Meadow, we focus on respect, responsibility, and reaching our goals. We accomplish this by following the 5 Ps. We are Prompt, Prepared, Polite, Positive, and Productive!
8th GRADE PARENT/GUARDIAN and STUDENT ORIENTATION AT VTHS
Halloween - Monday, October 31st
PARENTS/GUARDIANS - Please review the costume rules/expectations with your child. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Gertrude Hawk Fundraiser
Thank You, GMMS SCA!
A very special thank you to the GMMS SCA for the very generous donation of their time as well as refreshments at our annual Back to School Night.
Please consider joining us at the second SCA meeting of the year, on Wednesday, October 19th at 9:45 am. Please click HERE for all of the wonderful happenings and fundraisers on behalf of the GMMS SCA!
In closing...
Thank you, GMMS families, for an amazing start to the 2022-2023 school year. We are honored and grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside you and your child(ren). If there is anything we can do to assist in making this year a successful one, please do not hesitate to contact us. #TheGlenMeadowWay
All our best,
The Faculty and Staff of Glen Meadow Middle School
Mrs. Jacquelyn M. Van Orden, Principal
Email: jvanorden@vtsd.com
Website: vtsd.com
Location: Glen Meadow Middle School, Sammis Road, Vernon Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-764-4532
Twitter: @PrincipalJVO
Dr. Eric W. Kosek, Asst. Principal
Email: ekosek@vtsd.com
Website: vtsd.com
Location: Glen Meadow Middle School, Sammis Road, Vernon Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-764-4697