Somerville Public Schools

⭐️ Don’t mind us, just admiring some of our SMS Students and the artwork 🖼️ they made for our local @divisioncafe 🥘 😋 @somervillemiddleschoolnj . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature one of our staff members at The Ville who contributes to students' academic success and helps shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Van Derveer School's Amanda Duckworth! Mrs. Duckworth has been teaching at VDV for 9 years. She has been primarily in Kindergarten as a Special Education and General Education teacher, with a year or two in First Grade as a Special Education Resource teacher. She also teaches during the Extended School Year program and Camp VDV. She is a co-chair of Van Derveer's Annual Food Drive in the Fall as well as the Annual Helen Doherty Science Fair in the Spring. Mrs. Duckworth loves to dance along with her class and her colleagues; she has been a member of the Variety Show Staff Act for many years. She mentors new staff members and continues supporting her Kindergarten team as a Co-Grade Level Leader. Engaging students with hands-on learning experiences is fun and important for young learners. Teaching living and nonliving with real worms and introducing equality with an egg experiment are just two of the fun activities she enjoys each year with her class! Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! @vdvshchoolnj . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mr. Kurt Lorentzen from Somerville High School! Mr. Lorentzen is a new teacher to Somerville, but has been teaching now for almost six years. Upon graduating from Ramapo College, Mr. Lorentzen worked in auditing and accounting for about four years before completing the alternate route teaching process for Business Education in 2017. Heading into this school year, it was Mr. Lorentzen’s goal to get involved early within the SHS community. In successfully doing so, the teacher has chaperoned multiple formal events, aided in athletic activities across all three seasons, while also pitching in to revamp and improve business curriculums at the high school. Mr. Lorentzen was recognized as January staff member of the month, and has felt nothing but love and support from the community as his first school year at Somerville HS comes to an end. Mr. Lorentzen is eager to continue building on his professional experiences, so that he can continue providing valuable lessons and experiences to his high-achieving students inside and outside of the classroom! Leaving you with the quote that Mr. Lorentzen left in his high school yearbook back in 2012... “With hard work, desire, and respect, an individual can accomplish anything.” Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

Check out our VDV Chick Cam, where a few of our baby chicks are starting to hatch! Click the link to view them in action! https://www.somervilleschools.org/o/vdv/article/1594294

🌟🏃‍♂️🎽 Last week, our Van Derveer students showed amazing teamwork and sportsmanship at their annual Field Day! With some help from our wonderful staff, our parent and community volunteers - even students from SHS - so many joined in to make this fun day possible. 🙌💪 Their efforts brought many smiles and a spirit of friendly competition that made the day unforgettable! Go VDV! @vdvschoolnj 🎉👟 . . #allin4theville #VDVFieldDay

We are thrilled and proud to announce that we have been chosen as one of the recipients of the Trees for Schools grant from Sustainable Jersey for Schools! 🎉 Thanks to this generous grant, we have planted 124 new trees 🌳 on all three campuses, enhancing the beauty and sustainability of Somerville. We look forward to these trees growing and contributing to a greener, healthier environment for our students and community. 🌍 Thank you to Sustainable Jersey for Schools for supporting our commitment to a more sustainable future! 💚 . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mrs.Allison Parajon from Somerville Middle School! Allison Parajon has been teaching at Somerville Middle School for 27 years. She has been a 6th grade Science teacher and is currently an 8th grade Science teacher. She served as team leader for the 6th grade and is currently the team leader for the 8th grade. Allison has been instrumental in planning the 8th-grade field trips. She has also served as a teacher mentor and buddy. She continues to build strong relationships with her students, which adds to the school culture and creates a positive classroom environment. She always looks for new ways to engage her students and make Science fun! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervilleteachers

📆 MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 🗓️ Thursday, May 23rd, and Friday, May 24th, are a one-session days. Students will have an early dismissal. Please follow your school's schedule. https://www.somervilleschools.org/ VDV 6th grade 7th/8th grade SHS

Somerset County held the Historic Preservation and History Awards. The purpose of the awards program is to increase public awareness of history & historic preservation, promote excellence in historic preservation, and recognize worthy individuals, organizations, or projects. 5th-grade teacher at VDV, Davie-Lyn Jones-Evans, received the Publication award for At Home with History. "At Home with History" focuses on the history of Somerville's African American community. Mrs. Jones-Evans' body of published work brings the story of Somerville's historic black community to life for both her 5th-grade students at Somerville's Van Derveer Elementary School and wider audiences through her online publications. Mrs. Jones-Evans' work is accessible and free to the public online at Medium.com. Congratulations to Mrs. Jones-Evans! @vdvschoolnj . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervilleteachers

💡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 Van Derveer School's Katelyn Glennon! Katelyn Glennon has been teaching at VDV for 2 years but has been teaching for 14 years. She works as a teacher in the MD Classroom for Grades 3-5, also fondly known as “The Brew Crew”. In this setting, they focus on academic readiness and independence, developing appropriate social skills, acquiring necessary skills/tools to gain more independence with daily tasks, and job readiness skills. This lends itself to practicing social skills with their peers and staff members, promoting independence when completing tasks with minimal reminders, and helping them understand the importance of being safe and responsible. Every Friday, the students open The Brew Crew Coffee Stand and sell the staff coffee, tea, seltzer, bagels, and snacks. Mrs. Glennon also provides the students with opportunities to apply skills outside of the classroom through field trips. The students have attended a Somerset Patriots Baseball Game, took a tour at Starbucks in Somerville, applied their etiquette skills during their Mother’s Day lunch at Cafe Picasso, went to a SHS Baseball game to support the team and throw out the first pitch, went to ACE Hardware in Somerville to purchase necessary items they needed for their Science Fair projects, and even learned how to make pizza at Calabria Mia. Mrs. Glennon is part of Sunfish but devotes much of her time to improving the Coffee Cart Program and developing the MD program for her students. Mrs. Glennon believes that it truly “Takes a Village.” The support from the Staff, Administration, and, most importantly, her IAs has helped make this program successful. Ultimately, she hopes that through her efforts, people will begin to see these students for their capabilities rather than their disabilities. Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #SomervilleNJSchools #SomervilleStaffFeature

🐾🏫 Somerville PBA's paw-some K9 Marco visited Van Derveer with Officer Nikki! He brought a whole lot of tail wags and joy too; putting smiles on faces of students and staff alike! 🌟 #allin4theville #SomervillePBA #PawsitiveImpact 🐶💖🍎

🌟 Join The Ville!🌟 We're seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to fill multiple positions at Somerville Public Schools! Whether you're a teacher, administrator, or support staff, there’s a spot here for you! 🏫🍎 👩‍🏫 We’re Looking For: - Teachers (SHS, SMS & VDV) - Counselors - Cafeteria Aides - Coaches 👉 Swipe to see all available positions! ✍️ Visit our website (link in bio) or use the QR code to start your application! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mr. Nicolas Noa from Somerville High School! Mr. Nicolas Noa is living his dream as the Director of Choirs at Somerville High School, a district he hopes to call home for years to come. In his fourth year of teaching - second at the Ville - he is proud to say he directs seven different ensembles. During the day, he teaches Concert Choir, Chorale, and A Cappella Choir. He also has conducts the Men's Choir and Chamber Choir, and two sets of quartets which sing around the school during the holidays and Valentine's Day. He is the co-advisor of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and Spectrum Alliance and teaches vocals for the musical. As a music teacher, the school year overflows with opportunities for students. Each December, Mr. Noa hosts The Somerville Caroling Festival, which brings eight local high schools together for an evening of holiday songs. In March, 200 students from SMS, BCMS, and VDV joined the high school students on stage for Showcase of the Arts. Students participate in the NJ HS Choral Festival at the end of May, a fun-filled day at Rutgers University where they perform and workshop music. The music department just returned from Norfolk, Virginia, where all Somerville groups earned a gold rating and were crowned "Grand Champions" of the festival. In the last two years, 30 students earned their spot in the Region II Mixed Chorus and All-State Chorus, the top two groups in the state for high school singers, one of which Mr. Noa manages. This summer, he will begin earning his master's degree at Florida State University. He is excited to continue planting roots here in Somerville and watching his students grow. His favorite aspect of the choir is the community that arises when passionate students come together, support each other, and realize they can do anything they set their minds to do. He'd like to leave with this quote that symbolizes community and teamwork, our SHS Choir Motto: "There's no 'i' in ChorUS!" . . #allin4theville

🌟 Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week in Somerville! 🍎 Join us in honoring the extraordinary teachers who bring magic to our classrooms. This week, they've rocked Spirit Week with throwbacks to iconic eras 🕺💃, shared joy with daily read-alouds 📖, and enjoyed delicious meals from our local eateries 🍝. Their energy and enthusiasm make every school day a little brighter! A special thanks to the Somerville PTOs for their fantastic support. 👏 Here's to our inspiring educators who make a difference every day! . . #allin4theville #TeacherAppreciationWeek

🎉🩺 Celebrating our incredible nurses across the district this Nurse Appreciation Day! A heartfelt shoutout to Miss Allison Cornyn at SHS, Mrs. Maureen Duffy at SMS, Miss Jen Shaw, and Miss Cynthia Brennan at VDV. Your dedication and compassion in keeping our students healthy and safe shine brightly daily. We are deeply grateful for your unwavering care and commitment to The Ville. Thank you for all you do! 💙 . . #allin4theville

🎉 We are thrilled to announce that our new Superintendent, Gary Lubisco Jr., will join the Somerville Public Schools community starting August 1st. 🌟 His arrival marks a new chapter in our commitment to educational excellence and community engagement. 📚 Please join us in warmly welcoming him as we look forward to an inspiring and successful journey together.🍎✨ . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillenj

🌟 May is Mental Health Awareness Month! 🌿 Here’s some information from Somerville High School’s School Psychologist, Miss Latisha Gandhi, on statistics and the stigma surrounding mental health! 💚 Join us in spreading awareness and breaking the stigma. 💪 . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mr. Nicholas Petronko from Somerville Middle School! Mr. Petronko considers himself lucky to have spent his entire 21-year career at Somerville Middle School, having the opportunity to teach all three grade levels (6, 7, and 8) of earth science, life science, physical science, and chemistry. Outside of the regular science curriculum, Nick has worked with the gifted and talented students at the middle school. He enjoyed the flexibility and creativity necessary to inspire such independent thinkers. Serving as a mentor several times and a member of various committees, including the Personnel Committee, the Professional Development Committee, and the Faculty Council, has enabled him to contribute to the larger school community. During the 2022-23 school year, his colleagues honored him with the Teacher of the Year award. Despite the changes in the field of education he has witnessed after two decades in the classroom, Nick is still motivated by many of the simple things that will never grow old. Those aha moments, experiments that are fun and pedagogically sound, or kids asking thought provoking questions that don’t have routine answers. Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #SomervilleNJSchools #SomervilleStaffFeature

🌟Autism Acceptance Month at the Ville is a great success! 💙 Last week, our three schools celebrated the diversity and unique qualities of individuals on the spectrum. It was a fantastic showcase of how inclusion and kindness can create significant change.♾️Although the month is ending, let's keep promoting acceptance, awareness, and kindness all the time.🧩 . . #AutismAcceptanceMonth #allin4theville #SomervilleNJSchools

💡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 Van Derveer School's Ms Annabella Gomez! Annabella Gomez has worked in the cafeterias of Somerville School for nearly 20 years. Starting as a food service worker at Somerville High School, she climbed the ranks to become a Manager after years of dedication. She also spent a year as a Somerville bus aide. During the pandemic, Annabella was crucial in preparing meals at Somerville Middle School, ensuring students had access to healthy meals at home. In 2021, she took charge of the cafeteria program at Van Derveer School. Since then, she has led the kitchen staff in transitioning back to full in-school meal services after the pandemic. Her responsibilities include serving meals promptly while focusing on food safety, quality, and freshness. Annabella is known for her close connections with both students and staff at Van Derveer. She has successfully reintroduced the popular salad bar. She enjoys her interactions with the students from the MD Class (grades 3-5), who assist with collecting breakfast bags and rosters from classrooms, among other tasks. Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #SomervilleNJSchools #SomervilleStaffFeature