Somerville Public Schools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is a double feature with Somerville High School's Ms. Formanowski! Ms. Formanowski, a.k.a. Ms. F, has been the Speech Language Pathologist at Somerville High School and MAPS for 6 years. She services students individually, in groups, and by pushing into their academic classes. At the high school level, speech therapy encompasses working on vocabulary, inferencing, listening/reading comprehension, social skills, and syntax. She enjoys working with the students and helping them find their voice. Thank you for all you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is a double feature with Somerville Middle School's Mrs. Badawy! Mrs. Badawy has been the Somerville Middle School counselor for the past five years. She helps students get through a bad day and celebrate a great day. Mrs. Badawy is the ultimate middleman as she helps the 5th graders prepare for middle school and assists the 8th graders in preparing for high school. She serves on the school's climate team, the school improvement panel, and the equity community and is the 8th-grade graduation advisor. Mrs. Badawy loves to help students work through their emotions, support them with their academics, and guide them with future planning. Her favorite part of the school year is seeing the 8th-grade students in red gowns on the day of the Promotion Ceremony. She believes every day is an opportunity to make it a great day! Thank you for all you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

Please be advised that all Somerville and Branchburg Public Schools will be closed on Friday, January 19, 2024. All after-school activities and events are canceled.

Please be advised that all Somerville and Branchburg Public Schools will have a delayed opening tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Please follow your school's schedule which you can view through our website.

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Van Derveer Elementary School's Mr. Martinez! Salvador Martinez has been with The Ville for close to a year. He is currently assigned as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) at Van Derveer Elementary School. As the PRO, he is responsible for providing security and protection to the students, staff, and school property. He also ensures that all district/school policies, procedures, and emergency and crisis management plans are implemented and followed. Before his employment with the Board of Education, PRO Sal spent over 29 years in Law Enforcement. Officer Sal believes a safe school leads to student success and improved academic achievement! Thank you for all you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

Please be advised that all Somerville and Branchburg Public Schools will be closed today, January 10, 2024.

Please be advised that all Somerville and Branchburg Public Schools will have a delayed opening tomorrow, January 10, 2024. Please follow your school's schedule. https://www.somervilleschools.org/o/spsd/article/1402071 We ask that everyone stay alert about potential flooding and its impacts on the school day. For more information on potential flooding, go to https://www.somervillenj.org/

⭐️These Somerville High School Staff Members are hitting some New Years Resolutions early and achieving Staff Member of the Month! Congratulations to Audriana Formanowski and Kurt Lorentzen for excelling for our students and going above and beyond!💫 Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! @somervillehighschoolnj . . #allin4theville #SomervilleNJ #somervilleschoolsnj

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Somerville High School's Dr. Temple! Dr. Temple has been teaching at Somerville High School for 22 years. Dr. Temple teaches various English classes, including Composition, English 4CP, and Journalism. For the past eleven years, she has been working with the Somerville Academy of Liberal Arts, teaching both the Composition and the College Success courses. Additionally, she has taught English 9, 10, and 11CP, as well as SAT Prep and Creative Writing. Dr. Temple previously coached the freshman and junior varsity field hockey teams for ten years. She has advised clubs, including By Kids For Kids, Renaissance Club, and Key Club. Her classroom is filled with festive lights and bean bag chairs for comfort. The student/teacher relationship is of paramount importance to her, and she tries to foster those relationships every year! Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . .

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is a triple feature with Van Derveer Elementary School's custodial staff: Mrs. Cabrera, Miss Cloris, and Miss Martinez! Karen Cabrera has been at Van Derveer for 6 years but has worked in the district for 10 years. Mrs. Cabrera is one of the custodians at Van Derveer. She does a little bit of everything from ensuring our hallways are clean and tidy to making over our Multi-purpose to represent our school colors. On any given day, Mrs. Cabrera can be found helping to make our school a better place. She always has a smile on her face and is willing to do anything. Cilia Coris is married and has two kids. She studied Business Administration at Kean University and worked in retail for many years. Cilia started in transportation 14 years ago and has been in the district for 8 years. Cilia has been a head custodian at VDV for over a year. Currently, Cilia is working to get her certification to become a supervisor for the transportation department. Gloria Martinez came from Colombia and has two children. Gloria has been a bus driver for 17 years and has worked for Somerville Public Schools for 1 year and 10 months. Gloria worked as a Sunday school teacher for 8 years and now is working with a Seniors Program at her church. VDV Assistant Principal Ms. Frevert says, "Our custodians are magical and worked together to create the most beautiful main entranceway space!" (see in the photos).

🌟 Holiday Surprise From Somerville PD 🌟 We are thrilled to share some wonderful news from Van Derveerl! This holiday season, the Somerville Police Department, in conjunction with NJ State PBA, has graciously gifted our dedicated Safety Patrollers with Hess Trucks! Our patrollers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of their VDV peers, and this is a little token of recognition of their hard work ethic! We are immensely grateful to the Somerville Police for their support and for making this holiday season extra special for our young heroes. Thank you, Somerville PD, for lighting the way! 🚨 🎁 #allin4theville #somervillenj #HolidayCheer #SomervillePD

Somerville Public Schools & Branchburg Public Schools will be closed today, 12/18/23. All after-school activities are canceled. . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

🎉 Exciting news from Somerville Middle School! During Computer Science Education Week, our students showcased their skills in the Hour of Code. 🖥️ A huge shoutout to Mrs. Kohlhepp Stang for organizing fantastic coding activities and providing awesome swag prizes, all thanks to code.org. To every SMS coder who participated, you rock! Remember, your participation also allowed you to win some cool swag. 🌟 Haven't joined the coding fun yet? No worries! There's still time. Grab an Hour of Code activity in your free time or as an extra challenge. Let's make Somerville a hub for coding, creativity, and community celebration! 🚀 #Allin4theville #somervillenj #HourOfCode #Codedotorg #EdTech"

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Somerville High School's Main Office secretaries, Mrs. Ireland & Mrs. Barrows! Kerri Ireland has been an administrative assistant at Somerville High School for 19 years. She has been in almost all the offices in the building but currently resides in the Main Office as the Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Principal. Mrs. Ireland takes care of our staff attendance, student attendance, the morning announcements, the TV ads in the building, and purchase orders for the building, along with anything else any other administrators need her to do. While not running any clubs, Mrs. Ireland helps the advisors obtain the supplies they need and answers students' questions. Mrs. Ireland was the 2015-2016 Somerset County Education Support Professional of the Year and was nominated for the NJEA Education Support Professional of the Year. Mrs. Ireland is happy to help anyone in the building and as long as she can do it! Geraldine Barrows has been secretary at Somerville High School for 18 years. Mrs. Barrows started her journey as a Pioneer in the Guidance Department and now works in the Main Office. Mrs. Barrows enjoys her position as a support staff, assisting students, parents, faculty, and administration daily. The best part of her job is planning events that recognize students, like honor awards, senior awards, and graduation. She also assists Mr. Foley with his correspondence, meeting agendas, presentations, social media accounts, website, and VilleNews. She has a quote on her desk for a daily reminder, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always." She believes a smile and a little bit of kindness can go a long way with every encounter! . . #Allin4TheVille #somervilleschoolsnj #somervillenj

VDV Students Spreading Kindness This Holiday Season🌟 Van Derveer Elementary students embarked on a special project to spread kindness through the power of words! VDV students took action to write and share messages of kindness, warmth, and cheer during the holiday season and remember what matters most. Through this project, we aim to teach students the value of kindness and the joy it brings to others, especially during the holiday season. Let’s help our young ones become ambassadors of kindness and goodwill! 🎄✨ #somervilleschoolsnj #allin4theville #YoungHeartsKindHearts

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature one of our staff members at The Ville that contributes to students' academic success and helps shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Somerville Middle School's Mr.Firrito! Mr.Firrito has been assigned to the Somerville Middle School since September 2022. He is the Public Relations Officer tasked with the safety and security of our students and staff. Richard is a retired federal law enforcement supervisor whose duties and responsibilities afforded him a specialized risk assessment and security skill set. Richard continually looks for ways to enhance our security posture while maintaining a comfortable and nurturing environment for our students, staff, and visitors. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln. Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenj #StaffFeatureSomerville

New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Fast Grant Event at Somerville High School! 🌟 Date & Time: Saturday, December 9th, 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM🏫 Location: Cafeteria, Somerville High School Join us for an enriching and fun-filled educational conference designed for Somerville's vibrant Hispanic community! This event is a fantastic opportunity for parents to gain valuable insights and resources to support their children’s success in school. Highlights of the Event: • Inspirational Speakers: Engage with dynamic speakers who will lead educational and motivational sessions. • Authentic Latino Cuisine: Enjoy a taste of culture with delicious, authentic Latin dishes. • Exciting Raffles: Incredible prizes, perfect before the holiday season 🎄 • Music and Dancing: Enjoy the day and end on a high note with Latino music and maybe some dancing! • Free for All Parents: This event is completely free, offering an excellent opportunity for community building and learning. Last year’s conference was a blast; we’re excited to bring even more energy and resources this time. Don’t miss this chance to support your child’s educational journey while celebrating our rich cultural heritage. 🌟 Come, Learn, & Enjoy with Us! 🌟

Today is the first day of December and as the holidays approach, they bring their share of joy and challenges. So our incredible middle school has created a little something special🎄📚 Introducing the ‘Need a Boost?’ Bulletin Board! Located in Somerville Middle School, this board is adorned with envelopes containing messages of patience, confidence, and hope. 💌✨ In this hectic season, we all could use a little bit of a lift. Whether you’re a student feeling some pressure, a teacher juggling the approaching marking period deadlines, or a parent navigating the holiday hustle, these messages are for you. 🤗 So feel free to take a slip, read it, and let these positive affirmations brighten your day. We can spread kindness and always support each other. 💖 👉It's always worth remembering that sometimes a small message can make a big difference. 📝💭 #Allin4theville #somervillemiddleschoolnj #KindnessCounts #PositiveVibes #HolidaySeason

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is a double feature with Van Derveer Elementary School's Mrs. Lepkowski & Mrs. Glinka! Mrs. Lepkowski has been teaching at Van Derveer for 21 years. She has taught first, second, and third grade and has spent most of her years teaching first grade. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, she furthered her education and expertise and returned to school for her special education certification. She is currently teaching first-grade inclusion with Mrs.Glinka. She loves teaching first grade as it is very rewarding to see students' growth over the school year and learn from other teachers she works alongside. She has served as Grade Level Leader for the First Grade Team, mentored new teachers, and served on numerous committees including the Food Drive Committee, Angel Tree, SunFish, Autism Awareness, Book Fair, the Literacy Team, Retirement Party Committee, United Way, Read Across America Committee, Strawberry Festival and has helped with New Staff Orientation during the summer. She loves to make learning fun, helping students work through problems, and enjoys seeing past students come back to visit her over the years. Mrs. Glinka has been teaching at VanDerveer for 19 years. She has taught fifth grade, third grade, and first grade. She has taught general education and inclusion classes for the past 3 years and worked alongside Mrs. Lepkowski in first-grade inclusion. Mrs. Glinka collaborates with colleagues to plan field trips, has been a Grade Level Leader, and has served on committees such as the Food Drive committee, Week of the Young Child, Science Fair committee, and Read Across America. She was nominated as one of Magic 98.3's Teachers Who Make Magic in the 2022-2023 school year. Her favorite thing about teaching is providing students with new and exciting experiences that help them connect their learning to the real world. Thank you for all that you both do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillenj

🎨 Exploring Art Students Dive into Multicultural Learning with Sugar Skulls 🌟 Mrs. Stafford’s class at Somerville High School participated in their latest art project, diving into the vibrant world of sugar skulls, a staple of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. This multicultural lesson introduced our Exploring Art students to 3D artistry using clay and the rich cultural traditions behind these ornate creations. 🔸 Learning and Creativity: Students began by researching sugar skulls, sketching their ideas in 2D, and then bringing them to life with clay. They carved out intricate details as the clay hardened, culminating in a colorful painting and decoration session post-kiln. 🏆 Classroom Contest: Our young artists competed in five categories: 1. Most Original (Authentic) 2. Most Decorative 3. Scariest 4. Most Creative 5. Class Favorite Each class voted for their favorites, leading to a semi-final round judged by our staff members: 🌈 Winners: • 🥇 Favorite: Greta Scruggs • 🥈 Most Decorative: Jadyn DeSouza • 🥉 Most Creative: Tegan Dingwall Congratulations to the winners and all participants for their incredible work and creativity! Your sugar skulls are pieces of art but also a bridge to diverse cultures and histories. 🌍🎭 #allin4theville #ArtEducation #StudentCreativity #DayOfTheDead