Alder Weekly Update
Week of October 3, 2021
Message from the Principal
Hello Alder Families!
I hope that this week was a great one for you. Here at Alder we enjoyed the Week of Respect. Our Student Assistance Coordinator shared special dress dates and actions to try with the students to emphasize team spirit and our unity in RESPECT. Students made chalk drawings on the sidewalk in English, Spanish, and French to share their kind words and greetings.
The dress down days and actions were as follows:
Monday, 10/4/21: Wear school colors and say “Thank you to a team or staff member.”
Tuesday, 10/5/21: Wear your favorite Disney shirt or the color blue and tell your friends why you are grateful for them.
Wednesday, 10/6/21: Wear green today and Pick up trash even if it is not yours.
Thursday, 10/7/21: Wear a tie dye shirt, showing that you are giving peace a chance, Say hello or pay someone you don't know a compliment.
Friday, 10/8/21: Wear your favorite team jersey against bullying and clean up around your home.
Students completed their Start Strong testing. A huge thank you to our counselors for making small group arrangements and accommodations for students. Also, I would like to thank our teachers for seeking help as needed and preparing our students to give their best effort. We must thank our parents too for getting their child ready and fed breakfast for the test. Thank you for your communication and we will share results as we have them .Make up testing has begun and will continue into next week.
We held a 2nd Pandemic Team Meeting this month. We reviewed the district plan for the American Relief Act grant funds. In addition, we received feedback from our staff about ideas that would be supportive and helpful to struggling and at risk students. For many, the struggle is significant. Students will be offered programs after school and during the summer to help keep their learning moving in the right direction.
I meet with Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Chini and she shared that students interested in student council will have an opportunity to run for office. Speeches will be developed and videos will be posted in the classrooms. Our students 6-8th will have an opportunity to vote on October 28th. They are planning to run the school store with non food items. There will be more information to come!
Parents- please be certain that you access the Parent Portal as interim grades will be put in next week on Tuesday. This is a great opportunity for you to check grades and be certain that your child is progressing and completing work as expected. If there are any concerns, please get in touch at 609-383-3366 ext 1402.
Have a great week,
Maryann GIardina
Student Achievement
CLIMATE and CULTURE
Alder Runs On.....
HARD WORK
Alder is down to the business of hard work this month! With our students in full swing of their academics, and Start Strong testing completed, we are ready to learn! Our staff will be looking for some hardworking students for the "Munchkin of the Month" Let's see who is up for the challenge!
WEEK OF RESPECT
Teacher Feature
Steven Espino 7th Grade Special Education Math Teacher
What attracted you to Alder Avenue Middle School/Egg Harbor Township School District?
What attracted me to alder aside from growing up in this community since I was 14, is the diversity of this township and district.
What is your favorite part so far?
My favorite part of this job is working with the students and collaborating with such a great team of co-workers and fellow staff members. It feels like home away from home to me.
What has been/or do you think will be your greatest challenge this year?
The greatest challenge so far has been balancing work from home. Sometimes I find myself overworking at home. But it's hard since I love this job so much.
What are you most excited about this school year?
The most excited thing I am looking forward to is the end of year to see how far my students have grown. Watching students feel like they are ready to enter the next grade level is such a great feeling.
Where did you go to school? What degree did you earn?
I went to school at Stockton University. I have a bachelor's degree in K-6 Education and Criminal Justice.
Any fun facts you would like to share about yourself?
A couple fun facts about myself is I like to snowboard during the winter and go skydiving during the summer. So, if anyone is interested in skydiving and being adventurous let me know!
Nurses Corner
Fun Facts
HOME EYE SAFETY MONTH – October
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/home-eye-safety-month-october/
Fact: Microwave popcorn is a number one leading cause of eye injury in the home. Looking into a bag after it comes out of the microwave can cause injury as it continues to pop.
Fall Sports are underway!
Check the link below for schedules
and come support your teams!
https://www.capeatlanticleague.org/public/genie/344/school/7/
Winter Sports are Basketball and Wrestling
If interested, schedule physicals now.
Physicals will be submitted online
Please refer to HS athletics for more information
Check our site for information and updates!
Community Pride
About Us
Email: ehtnjalder@eht.k12.nj.us
Website: http://eggharborams.ss13.sharpschool.com/
Location: 25 Alder Avenue, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 609-383-3366
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EHTNJAlder/
Twitter: @EHTNJAlder