The Falcon
Fieldstone Middle School August 2017
Dear FMS families,
I hope that you've all had a summer filled with family and friends, relaxation, and time in the sun. Anticipating the beginning of a new school year can cause a mix of excitement and trepidation for children and parents alike. However, I hope that you are all enjoying these remaining days together as you prepare for our return to school. I am very much looking forward to greeting your children on Wednesday, September 6th which will be an early dismissal day. I'm especially excited to welcome our incoming fifth graders, and know that they will feel right at home very quickly. As a reminder, students may enter the building at 8:15 A.M. and gather in the cafeteria until they are dismissed for homeroom.
Fieldstone Middle School has been a busy place this summer. Our building looks wonderful and is ready for use as hallways have been painted, floors shined to a luster, classrooms cleaned, new technology installed, and Chromebooks prepared for our use. Our custodial and tech staff have worked tirelessly to make this all happen. Mrs. DeGraw and Mrs. Duffy have done an amazing job of handling the myriad of tasks that ensure we'll be ready when students arrive. Mr. Richard Scherer will be joining FMS as our middle school assistant principal, and I'm sure you'll enjoy reading his letter of introduction which is included below. In addition, a number of new staff members have been hired; information about them and their roles is included in this newsletter.
We would like to thank the PTO and the Board of Education for funding various initiatives. Because of this support, we've been able to continue creating innovative learning spaces with the purchase of modular furniture for Mr. Jopp's social studies classroom, the IMC conference room, and a reading nook in the fifth and sixth grade hallway. Both the PTO and Montvale Athletic League were instrumental in providing a new look for our gym, which looks terrific updated with Montvale colors.
As a dynamic learning community, we will continue to focus on infusing best practices into all that we do for our students, and these efforts will be supported in a number of ways. Our teachers will continue to work with the Regional Curriculum Office on math curriculum revision, eighth grade to high school language arts literacy articulation, continued research and support of innovative practices in the region, and our new teachers will benefit from the ongoing support of the mentor program. Additionally, we will be adopting an assessment program, Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), that will provide relevant and immediate data on student learning in order to support teachers in making individualized instructional decisions. Finally, we will be working with an education consulting group, Innovative Designs in Education Corporation (IDE) to support the ongoing development of learner-active, technology-infused classrooms.
We are anticipating that schedules for the 2017-2018 school year will be released later this week through the Genesis parent portal. A separate communication will advise you when the schedules are accessible. Please keep in mind that scheduling is a complex task. Many variables have been taken into consideration when devising an individual student’s schedule. Due to the complexity of the process, the individualized attention to student placement, and the optimal class sizes which currently exist, we will not be able to honor any schedule change requests.
Mr. Scherer and I are looking forward to seeing all of you at Back to School Night on Thursday, September 14th. Further communication about this important event will be forthcoming.
Please see below for pertinent information about the opening of the school year. I look forward to greeting our students on opening day!
All the best,
Gina McCormack
Welcome to Mr. Richard Scherer, FMS Assistant Principal!
Greetings Parents and Families of Fieldstone Middle School,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Richard Scherer, and I am extremely honored and excited to join the Fieldstone team as the new Assistant Principal. Over the past few weeks I have been introduced to many members of the Fieldstone and Montvale community. A common theme that has been expressed is, “This is a great place to learn!” I can honestly tell you, I can’t wait to get started!
My educational journey began in elementary school, when a teacher of mine made reading come alive! I was amazed at her ability to capture my attention and create a love for learning. From that moment I knew I wanted a career in education. I am a graduate of Penn State University, where I studied Elementary Education. Upon graduation I was hired by the Saddle Brook School District and worked as a 5th and 6th grade teacher for 9 years. During that time I received my master's degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Most recently I completed the NJ EXCEL program for Supervisory and Principal leadership. During my time as an educator, I have been a part of creating student leadership programs, starting a Google team, writing curriculum, coaching High School athletics, and PTO involvement.
At Fieldstone all students, parents, school faculty, and community members are on the same TEAM. We will continue this TEAM approach where all students feel empowered to step out of their comfort zones, try new initiatives, and become leaders inside the classroom and in the community. Please know that I personally will be there to help create that safe environment, which allows each student to reach their full potential.
Transitioning to Fieldstone was just one of the many wonderful changes this summer. On August 2nd, my wife Gina, gave birth to our first child, Lily Adrianna. We are extremely blessed and excited for you to meet her during the course of the school year.
I am extremely excited for the first day of school. Please feel free to come and speak with me if you have any questions or concerns. Whether at sporting events, before/after school, in the halls, or fundraising events, I am always here for you!
LET’S GO TEAM FIELDSTONE!
Sincerely,
Richard Scherer
Staff Updates at Fieldstone Middle School
We've had a number of staffing changes here at FMS.
The following teachers have stepped up to meet a need in their curricular areas of expertise, and their changes of assignment are indicated as follows:
Sean Boyle- 8th Grade ELA
Sara DeLange- 8th Grade Math, Algebra, and Geometry
Matt Doherty- 8th Grade Science
Donna Myhre- EIS Math
Laurie Murrell- 6th Grade ELA
Donna Simon- 5th Grade Science
I look forward to welcoming new members of our FMS staff, and I'm sure they'll immediately recognize what a wonderful school community they have joined.
Stephanie Alboum, Special Education Teacher, is joining FMS from Memorial School.
Alexandra Austin, Innovation Teacher Assigned to the Library/Instructional Media Center, is a recent graduate of Tufts University.
Chelsea Cummings, Sixth Grade Science, has been a science teacher in the Lodi Public Schools.
Tammy Chavez - Resource Program Teacher, has been a special education teacher in Newark and most recently worked in educational consulting.
Delia Durango, Seventh Grade Science, has been a sixth and seventh grade science teacher in the West New York school system.
Cristina Schlemm, Sixth Grade Mathematics, has been a mathematics teacher in Union City.
School Supplies
Copies of the supply lists for each
grade can be found in the “Parents/Students”
section of our webpage
(www.montvalek8.org). The lists are
posted under “Classroom Supplies."
Fifth Grade Orientation Reminder
Sixth Grade Chromebook Pick-Up
Health Office Update
Students entering sixth grade must have received a Tdap booster and the vaccine for
Meningitis BEFORE they start school in September. Compliance is mandated by the
State of NJ and documentation must be provided to Mrs. Halder at the beginning of the school year.
Change in School Celebrations
Back to School Night
Back to School Night will take place this
year on Thursday, September 14th for all
grades. Session 1 (Grades 5 and 7) will
begin at 6:00 p.m. and Session 2 (Grades 6
and 8) will begin at 7:45 p.m.
A more detailed communication
and schedule will be shared in the near
future.
Milk Order
Milk orders can be placed using our online
form. The form can be accessed HERE. Once the form has been submitted online, please send payment to the school by September 5th, 2017.
Athletics Update
Students are reminded that in order to participate in fall athletics, they must have an updated physical completed before returning to school. Students will not be permitted to attend fall tryouts unless they have a current physical on file.
More information can be accessed on our school's site by clicking on the Athletics tab, or by accessing it using the direct link: https://sites.google.com/montvalek8.org/fmsathletics
Pick-Up and Drop-Off Safety Procedures
Because of the high volume of vehicles that arrive at dismissal time for use of the pick-up lane, it is very important for the safety of our students that our procedures be carefully followed.
Please be sure to follow the route outlined in “Figure A” and only pick up students along the sidewalk in the rear of the building, as shown in “Figure B.”
Additionally, the following will help keep our students as safe as possible
while finding their ride home:
• Please pick-up curbside only; do not park in the parking lot.
• Please form two lanes when approaching the rear of the building.
• Please wait for a staff member to help your child cross to your car; do not wave him or her over.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Thank you to the PTO and MAL for supporting updates to our classroom furniture, learning commons, and gymnasium!
Upcoming Events
8/30 - 5th Grade Orientation 10:00- 11:30
8/30 - 6th Grade Chromebook Pick-Up 1:00 - 2:00
9/6 - First Day for Students - Single Session Day Dismissal- 12:55
9/7 - Full Day for Students - 3:06 Dismissal
9/19 - Picture Day - Photos taken during PE classes
9/21 - 9/22 - Religious Holiday- School Closed
10/9 - Professional Development Day - School Closed for Students
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