Montville Moments

Don't miss any of the news or activities. Scroll down to learn more about Montville Township Public Schools [MTPS]. Click on the photos, headlines and links below for more info.

Blue Ribbon: CONGRATULATIONS!

Hilldale was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education!

“Hilldale Elementary School is a dynamic community with students from five continents calling it home," said Jill Cisneros, Principal of Hilldale Elementary School. "Our educators place a strong emphasis on holistic development. As a result, Hilldale has cultivated a vibrant learning environment where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. I am very proud of the education we provide to each of our students here in Hilldale. And I am honored and grateful to work with an outstanding and innovative team of educators who put the needs of each student front and center every day."

Students at a Table: An ML Class [Multilingual] at Woodmont!

Forty-six students from around the world are attending Woodmont this year. In small group instruction settings, the students meet daily to learn more about speaking, reading, writing and listening to English.

"It is so exciting," said Woodmont ESL teacher Andrea Mitsaelides. "Montville is a welcoming and culturally confident community." The district's teachers assist all learners by incorporating global cultural perspectives into learning.

During Summer 2024, many ML Class students from all seven district schools attended the MTPS ML Academy at Woodmont. The summer program also enhances leadership, as well as language skills, in a fun camp-like setting.

Throughout the MTPS district there are 115 Multilingual Learners. In addition to learning English, the Woodmont 4th grade students in this newsletter's masthead photo also speak: Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Telugu, and Turkish! A wonderful opportunity for everyone in the MTPS community!

ESL Family Night is Tuesday, October 8 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. All parents and guardians of all students who are enrolled in the Montville Township Public Schools district's English as a Second Language [ESL] program are invited to attend.

Please come and meet the ESL teachers and learn more about ESL services offered by MTPS and the community-at-large. Children are welcome to attend this event. Montville Township High School [MTHS] students will be at the event to help entertain the children who attend.

ESL Family Night will be held in the Hilldale Elementary School Media Center, 123 Konner Avenue, Pine Brook, NJ.

The district's ESL teachers are looking forward to meeting Parents and Guardians on October 8 at 6:30 p.m.

HONUS & ME, written by Dan Gutman, is the Robert R. Lazar Middle School's Fall Play. Performances will be held on Thursday and Friday, October 24 and 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lazar Middle School Stage

Directed by music teacher Jordan Green, HONUS & ME is the story of a young baseball fan who discovers a 1909 Honus Wager baseball card. The card allows the fan to travel back in time and meet the baseball legend.

This is an evening of family fun! Performances are Thursday and Friday, October 24 and 25. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students. All performances are FREE to STAFF. There is also a FREE SENIOR CITIZEN PERFORMANCE on Wednesday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. Lazar is located at 123 Changebridge Road in Montville, NJ.

Don't miss this exciting Lazar production.

The New Jersey State Fair is held each August at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey. In Summer 2024, MTHS artists received 51 Awards with 22 of the awards being 1st Place Ribbons. Of those 22, two students were recognized for their Outstanding Achievement. Sophomore Sean Zamota, for his "Copper Raku Vase" in Ceramics, and senior Saanvi Yalamanchili, for her "Hand Sewn Original Silkscreen Tote Bag" in the area of Silkscreen, each received a top honor for Outstanding Achievement. Click here for a list of all the MTHS winners.

During summer 2024, MTHS junior Zachary Quan assisted the Montville Township Historic Preservation Review Commission [MT HPRC] in the compilation of historical information. This electronic compilation gathered important historical data, from multiple sources, into an organized data base of Montville Township History. Quan’s efforts on behalf of the MT HPRC have enhanced the local Historic Registry for Montville Township. Quan was honored for his contribution at the September 23 meeting of the MT HPRC.

In volunteering for the MT HPRC, Quan joins several other MT HPRC volunteers including freshman Brielle Cuccia, and Lazar teachers Toby Cohen, Richard Crescente, and Caitlin Mosera. See MontvilleTAP article written by MTHS alumna Samantha Grossman (2017).

MT HPRC is looking for volunteers, photographs (particularly with regard to the history and building of the Township’s schools in Montville, Pine Brook, and Towaco), and citizens who would like to participate in the Oral History Project. Please share historic photos at www.montville.net/historicphotosmtps.

Founded 16-years ago by now retired Valley View Physical Education Teacher Len Saunders, Exercise US was held once again on September 26, 2024. The Exercise US September event was created to raise awareness regarding National Childhood Obesity Awareness month.

Nearly 60 Valley View 5th grade students arrived 45 minutes before the start of school to kick-off the annual event. Valley View PE Teacher Crystal DiTommaso-O'Rourke, and students Aliya Mansur and Nicholas Catanese, led the 15 minute event. Throughout the day, across the continental United States and beyond – including Alaska, Hawaii, and all US territories -- students participated in an Exercise US wave of physical fitness.

Some words of wisdom can be found on Instagram from a William Mason Second Grade student:

"Honesty is the most best thing to do to others and telling the truth is always the right thing to do." -- see williammasonsch

Watch the VIDEO Cedar Hill posted of Miss Bollinger’s class enjoying learning more about sound (ches_bulldogs). "Students learned how to use their bodies to make the different sounds of a thunderstorm. ⛈️ ⚡️," said the post.

Each of the seven Montville Township Public Schools can be followed online. There are many Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts. Additionally, there is a stream of news on each of the school's webpages. Known as "Moments," these snapshots of activities can be found on the websites for each of the seven schools, the MTHS Athletic website, and the District website: www.montville.net.

MTHS teams are outstanding! Bring your whole family to MTHS to support the Mustangs! Not only are these exciting games that feature outstanding athletes, but the district also offers FREE ADMISSION to home games for all sports EXCEPT football. This offer is for games played during the regular season. Bring the entire family, cheer, enjoy the game, and show your #MustangPride!

Check out the upcoming competitions. Both Home and Away are listed on the MTHS Athletic Schedule.

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