LMA June Newsletter
Good morning,
We hope this newsletter finds you well! As we close out the 2023-2024 academic school year at The Mill, it truly is bittersweet. All of our 12th grade students participated in the LMA graduation ceremonies last week, and we are proud to say all of our 12th grade students have completed all of their coursework in order for their respected home district to award them a high school diploma. Our statistic, 100% graduation rate for the 12th grade class is something we are proud of. Providing additional layers of support, at such an individualized level is the true mission of LMA.
With all of that said, the entire LMA school community is proud of the class of 2024 12th grade graduates, along with our 8th grade students who are being promoted to high school next year. Looking back at this year we are proud of the LMA staff for pulling together, and helping support one another. LMA students have given our school valuable feedback for us to make adjustments during summer for the next school year. The sense of school culture and belonging continues to grow in a positive direction at The Mill.
We are proud of all the student and staff accomplishments for this school year and look forward to more in future years!
Reed & John
Blake D.
LMA is proud to announce our June Student of the Month as Blake D. He started with us at LMA 2 years ago as a Post-Graduate, and has continued to refine his work based learning skills with guidance and support from staff. Blake has come a long way from when he started at LMA till now. He has demonstrated leadership and great social skills while attending LMA. Presently he is looking to apply to Chili's restaurant in Clark where he spent a large amount of time during this past school year learning about the day to day operations of the restaurant. He received the most votes for June Student of the Month, and we are proud to have the opportunity to work on his career readiness skills for his next chapter in life.
Congratulations Ms. Fort & Mrs. Fay
Not only will LMA say Goodbye to the Senior Class this June, but we are also filled with mixed emotion as both Ms. Fort and Mrs. Fay of LMA, New Point campus retire this month from UCESC.
We thank them for their extended years of service with the Commission, and the support they provided our students over the years.
Ms. Fort has been the self-contained classroom teacher at New Point Specialty, the satellite campus of Lamberts Mill Academy since New Point was created. Over the years at New Point she has held the students to a high standard of education, while able to connect with their SEL needs. With a strong background in ELA, she taught the students on New Point the importance of being able to express themselves with public speaking, and writing opportunities. She has been always a team player working with New Point clinical staff to provide educational opportunities for the students at New Point, both in and out of the unit.
Mrs. Fay has spent many years as a teacher first working for Non-Public with the UCESC, than transitioning over to New Point Specialty, working collaboratively with Ms. Fort. Mrs. Fay has always been a dedicated teacher with her students' needs in mind, while advocating for them. With a Mathematical background, she provided students on the unit with opportunities to connect mathematical concepts to real world applications for when they graduate high school.
LMA congratulates both Ms. Fort and Mrs. Fay for their years of service working with the LMA students, and for their classroom dedication.
Coding class finishes the year strong!
Students have been working on coding throughout the year, including HTML, CSS, ASCII and block coding. As the year is winding down, students have the opportunity to use a robot to practice their block coding skills and program the robotic car to go on patrols, tour the school, transmit audio and video, as well as use night vision technology.
New Point goes back in time to Ellis Island with Mr. Bell
The finishing of a week’s study of American Immigration culminated with a trip to Ellis Island. First the kids visited the Jersey Central train depot and talked about all the places the new immigrants traveled in America once they passed their inspections. All agreed they had to be quite brave to set out in a new country to make their new lives. They were also amazed that most folks traveled with a small trunk or suitcase that represented the totality of their worldly possessions. Earlier in the week we participated in an exercise where the students had 10 minutes to choose 10 things they wanted to bring to America and these had to fit in a typical suitcase. We rushed for fear of persecution.
At the Island where we traveled by ferry, some of the students couldn’t wrap their heads around a country back then without bridges, tunnels or commuter trains. We visited the great hall where the folks fearfully waited to learn their fate. We also saw the bunk rooms where folks stayed overnight, several of the interview rooms and the hospital building where many of the newly arrived were treated. All week we talked about the places our own families came from and their reasons for migrating. It was agreed that America represented a place of hope and safety on many levels.
WBL Experience has finished for now...
Blake and Gabe will finish their work-based learning on June 14, 2024. They both made sure to thank their internship sites for allowing them to come and wrote letters to their future self in class. Blake received an award for outstanding performance at a WBL at our final community meeting of the year. Gabe received an award for Most Improved at a WBL.
Blake attends the Extra Special Prom
Here is what LMA student Blake had to say about his experience attending the YMCA Extra Special Prom.
The prom was at Berkley Heights YMCA. I enjoyed it very much, the music was loud but it was very good. Dressing up and wearing a full suit was great because I don’t get to do it very often. I made a new friend, and we danced and chatted all night. I would recommend this event to anyone that wants to come out of their shell and have a good time.
