April 2024 Update

Dr. Karen Barry will begin in the Oceanport School District on May 20th. Please take a moment to read Dr. Barry's introductory letter.

Welcome Dr. Barry!

May 6th—10th is Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, and during this week, I would like to invite you to share compliments and shout-outs about our fantastic staff members. I know how much they are appreciated daily by our entire school community, and this is an opportunity to share some of the good things you’ve noticed!

You can contact any staff member directly by email or by writing a note and sending it in with your child.

Let’s show our appreciation for the diverse and incredible staff that make our school community thrive. This includes not just our teachers, but also our paraprofessionals, school and central office secretaries/assistants, security personnel, and custodians/grounds. Each one of them plays a vital role in creating a safe and nurturing environment for our students.

The New Jersey Association for Gifted Children asked Mrs. Nicole Goldsmith to represent the Oceanport School District on their Advocacy Panel at the annual New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC) Conference on April 12th. The governing board of NJAGC has identified Oceanport as exemplary for our transparent communications on our webpage with the community, our sound identification process, which uses multiple measures, the varied and comprehensive curriculum offerings at each grade level, and our commitment to professional development and faculty support. This is a tremendous honor for Mrs. Goldsmith and our school district.

Mrs. Goldsmith's presentation focused on Creative Thinking Skills. Mrs. Goldsmith thoroughly enjoyed the experience saying, "During the panel, we discussed equity in identifying and servicing students specifically in under-served school populations, data collection for gifted, talent development and continuum of services, and gifted policy. It was an honor to be asked to participate on the panel, and I believe that including a teacher's voice in this discussion was critical to representing the challenges that teachers face in the classroom."

Referendum projects continue at Wolf Hill. As you can see, the classrooms and elevator project are on target to be open in September!

Oceanport's Advocates for Diverse Learners' (ADL) mission is to facilitate communication between students, parents, staff, the Board of Education, and the community, with regards to practices surrounding the district's special education programs. This group is currently seeking new members and welcomes you if you'd like to learn more about your child's education and the programs that the District has to offer! All meetings take place in the Maple Place Library at 7:00pm, unless otherwise specified.

Meeting Dates:

May 13th: Meet and Greet with Shore Regional's Director of Special Services at Betty McElmon School WLB 6:00 pm

June 3rd: TBD

PTO Meeting

The next PTO Meeting is Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 pm at Maple Place Media Center

If you are interested in planning events, decorating, or volunteering for next year, reach out to a PTO Board Member.

Save the Date!

May 6: Wolf Hill Book Fair begins

May 10: Tri District Dance for 7th & 8th graders in WLB, OP and MB school districts

May 20: Mermaid Tea for 1st & 2nd grade girls and their special adult lady

June 9: Annual Wiffleball Tournament for Boys in Grades 1-8 and their baseball buddy

June 13: Pickleball Event for girls in Grades 3-8 and their adult lady pickleball partner

Accepting Nominations for the 2024-2025 PTO Board

The PTO is currently accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 PTO Board. Becoming a board member is a great way to get to know other parents, volunteer in the school community, and give back to our schools. If you or someone you know might be a good addition to the PTO board, please consider submitting an online nomination form or return the form below in your child's folder. If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Wolfe at dwolfe.pto@gmail.com or Suzanne Fichter at suzannefichter@gmail.com.