2023 Middle School Promotion Dates

• Bayshore - Wednesday, June 14 at 1:30 p.m. - High School South
• Thompson - Wednesday, June 14 at 4 p.m. - High School South
• Thorne - Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m. - High School North Field

Note: If there is inclement weather on June 14, the middle school promotion ceremonies will be held indoors in the HS South gymnasium on June 14.

2023 High School Graduation Dates

• High School South - Thursday, June 15 at 1:30 p.m. - High School South
• High School North - Thursday, June 15 at 4 p.m. - High School North

Note: The high school graduation rain date is Friday, June 16.

2023 Graduation and Promotion Live Streams

To accommodate those who are unable to join us in person on June 14 and 15, the Middletown Township Public School District will conduct live streams of each of our high school graduation and middle school promotion ceremonies. Please select the image(s) below associated with your student(s) school to locate the unique live stream link.

This weekend, a group of third, fourth and fifth grade students and staff members from New Monmouth Elementary School will run proudly together as they participate in a 5K race that is more meaningful than any placement or finishing time. The group is known as Chicks with Kicks, and the race will serve as the culminating event of this extracurricular club's inaugural season.

The goal of this program reaches well beyond race training, but rather uses running and other physical activities to inspire self-love, self-confidence, and self-care. Chicks with Kicks also encourages the demonstration of respect, acceptance and kindness toward others that will help cultivate meaningful relationships and create a stronger community.

"Through this program we are inspiring the girls to be happy, healthy, kind and confident," said New Monmouth third grade teacher Mrs. Melissa Russo, who leads the program with fellow New Monmouth educator Christine Mema. "Over the course of this season we have seen the girls grow in so many ways. They are stronger. They are determined. And the amount of kindness and positivity they have displayed has been amazing."

Throughout the spring season, Chicks with Kicks members participated in a variety of activities, including:



• Positive affirmation sessions
• Goal-oriented planning
• Mindfulness activities, such as a yoga and meditation
• Team-building exercises such as partner-stretching, relay races and freeze tag
• Discussions about commonalities shared between peers
• Discussion about the managing of emotions
• And a number of fun and empowering athletic pursuits, like lessons in the fundamentals of running.

Additionally, the participants worked to spread the kindness and lessons learned from Chicks with Kicks to others. During the season, the students designed uplifting cards and heartfelt letters that were delivered to the Liv Like a Unicorn Foundation. The foundation raises awareness and funding for those fighting pediatric brain cancer. In addition to the cards and messages, the students also donated toys and handmade crafts to Liv Like a Unicorn, which aligns with the foundation's goals to promote kindness and beauty during difficult situations.

With more than 80 students participating in the Chicks with Kicks, Russo and Mema are excited to see how the program will grow.

"Clubs and sports are great ways for students to find support, friendship, confidence and so much more," added Russo. "Our goal this year was to be able to open this club to as many 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students that wanted to join. We succeeded in our vision when we had so many girls want to participate and keep participating each week! We continue to watch our vision grow as the upcoming grade levels are excited to join as soon as they hit 3rd grade."

Congratulations to the New Monmouth students who helped this initiative flourish in its inaugural season, and thank you to Mrs. Russo and Mrs. Mema for their leadership.

Earlier this week, student-athletes from High School North and South gathered on their respective campuses to sign their National Letters of Intent (NLI), which serves as a formal commitment by a student-athlete to further their academic and athletic careers at an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institution.

High School North and South had a combined 25 student-athletes make their collegiate commitments.

"I was honored to attend the NCAA signing ceremonies at High School North and High School South," said Board of Education President Frank Capone. "Congratulations to all of our athletes on their remarkable achievements. As they continue to pursue their athletic passions in college, my best wishes for success go out to each of them."

Congratulations to the following student-athletes for signing their National Letters of Intent.

• Tyler Addonisio, High School South - Franklin & Marshall College - Football
• Isabella Augustino, High School South - University of South Carolina - Dance
• Patrick Brown, High School South - Misericordia University - Basketball
• Jacob Cabral, High School North - SUNY Purchase - Lacrosse
• Caden Cerminara, High School South - Elon University - Track and Field
• Jack Chenoweth, High School North - Monmouth University - Track and Field
• John Chiusano, High School South - Kean University - Baseball
• Logan Colleran, High School South - Wagner University - Football
• Daniel Corcoran, High School South - Montclair State University - Baseball
• Dylan Csik, High School South - Mount Saint Mary College - Basketball
• Valentina Fanetti, High School North - Keiser University - Flag Football
• Richie Grabowski, High School North - Sacred Heart University - Football
• Aaron Guensch, High School North - Monmouth University - Track and Field
• Taylor Mannino, High School South - Catholic University - Softball
• Lucas Mielnikiewicz, High School South - Ramapo College - Soccer
• Isabella Paladino, High School South - William Patterson University - Tennis
• Aidan Parry, High School South - Ithaca College - Football
• Devin Parry, High School South - Ithaca College - Football
• Erin Prince, High School South - Bowdoin College - Soccer
• Richie Reck, High School South - Jacksonville State University - Golf
• Brendan Roche, High School South - Montclair State University - Baseball
• Aaron Ryan, High School North - Juniata College - Golf
• Aaron Szitanko, High School South - Nichols College - Baseball
• Joshua Szitanko, High School South - Springfield College - Gymnastics
• Aiden Thede, High School North - Adrian College - Ice Hockey

Thorne Middle School students in Mrs. Kristyn Corace's class have launched an initiative to create awareness for, and educate peers about, a variety of cognitive and developmental disabilities that an individual can experience. This venture aims to create a more informed community, and in turn, continue to cultivate a culture of inclusivity and kindness across the Middletown Township Public School District.

For the remainder of the school year, the students will recognize Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month, which is observed annually from May 15 through June 15.

What to Know About Tourette Syndrome

• Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurobiological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary and purposeless contractions that cause movements and vocalizations called tics.

• Early symptoms are often first seen in childhood around the ages of 3-9 years and males are 3-4 times more likely to be affected than females. Involuntary movements usually first appear in the face as a facial tic like eye blink, nose twitch or grimace.

• Tics can vary in severity, frequency, type and location. However, they often worsen with excitement, stress or anxiety. Motor tics are tics that cause movement and can be classified as simple or complex; they often precede vocal tics. Vocal (phonic) tics are tics that produce a sound. Simple vocal tics include sniffing, throat clearing, grunting, whistling, and shouting. Complex vocal tics are words or phrases that may or may not be recognizable but that consistently occur out of context.

How to Support a Friend or Family Member with Tourette Syndrome

• Educate Yourself: Knowledge is power when it comes to supporting a friend or family member with Tourette Syndrome. Learn more about T.S. by visiting the Tourette Association of America website.

• Normalize Tics: It's important to understand that tics are involuntary and and a normal part of an individual's day-to-day experience. Tics are often exacerbated by excitement, stress or anxiety, and approaching tics with empathy, understanding, and patience can help an individual navigate a challenging moment.

• Offer Support: Offering support to someone we care about is a natural part of any relationship. Support can come in various forms, including a simple check in to see how an individual is feeling, offering assistance with a task when needed, providing a kind word or positive affirmation, and offering a listening ear.

• Celebrate Differences: Everyone has unique strengths, challenges, perspectives and life experiences that can contribute the success of a community. Promoting understanding, empathy and a supportive approach toward friends and family members will strengthen a community.

Earlier this week, High School North's community courtyard was recognized by New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) as the first place recipient of its second annual Champions of Sustainability Contest.

New Jersey Natural Gas invites all schools within ints service area to participate in this educational venture, which aims to inform, inspire and celebrate the development of earth-friendly projects that promote sustainability initiatives on our community campuses.

High School North's courtyard continues to evolve as an epicenter of sustainability, featuring an active chicken coop, a vegetable garden, a functioning greenhouse, and a recently installed koi pond and fountain.

"This is an incredibly well-deserved honor," said High School North Principal Kevin Cullen. "The innovative concepts throughout our extraordinary courtyard not only support a healthy environment, but promote meaningful and authentic learning opportunities for our students."

In addition to being presented with the first place Green Team Champion Award, New Jersey Natural Gas also presented High School North with a $2,500 prize to help fund future sustainability projects.

During open lunch blocks on May 25 and May 30, the Middletown Township Public School Curriculum Department held an “Advanced Placement Advantage Fair” in the High School North and South media centers. The advanced placement interest session provided opportunities for students to learn more about 15 different advanced placement courses offered by the District. This small sampling of the large number of advanced placement courses students have access to provided an opportunity for students to interact with course instructors, hear testimonials from their peers, and ask questions about course activities. They also received information about our upcoming summer offerings, including live instructional sessions and online “Advantage Assignments.”

"Students left feeling energized and positive about pursuing rigorous coursework next school year," said District Director of Evaluation and Assessment Practices, John Kerrigan, Ed.D. "We are excited to welcome the next wave of scholars to our advanced placement program. The future is in good hands."

To learn more about advanced placement offerings, as well as courses offered to all of K-12 students, please visit the MTPS Course Selection Website.

This space is dedicated to the promotion of mental health resources in our schools and local community. Please refer to the district site for a comprehensive list of resources: Mental Health & Community Resources

Emotional well-being is an essential component of mental and overall health.  There are strategies and tools that individuals can practice and utilize to increase their emotional well-being. These tools are based on the foundation of social-emotional learning skills. The school counselor can help students identify and develop the skills and tools that work for them.

As we prepare for senior portrait sessions at High School North and High School South for the Class of 2024, your input can help us streamline the scheduling process and improve our portrait photography, proof, and package options. To contribute to the senior portrait process, please participate in a survey by Lors Photography that will be emailed to Class of 2024 families this week. We thank your for your time and valuable input.