VTHS Academic Decathlon Team Makes it to States

March 18, 2014, 2:18 pm

≪ Previous: Third Marking Period Changes

Winners from the Vernon Township High School Academic Decathlon team proudly show their medals: (l to r) Christopher Monschauer, Nicole Pirringer, Rebecca Stokem, Jacob Gehrig, John Allogio, Mathew Maass, and Alexis Margroff.

Vernon Township High School’s Academic Decathlon Team succeeded in garnering enough points and medals in the regional competition to make it to the state contest earlier this month. Senior Chris Monschauer won three gold medals in economics, interview and speech and a bronze medal in Mathematics. Junior John Allogio won a gold medal in science and an honorable mention in speech; Senior Rebecca Stokem won a bronze medal in science and an honorable mention in speech. Junior Mathew Maass won an honorable mention in essay. Freshman Kelly Schiesswohl earned an honorable mention in literature and speech. Senior Nicole Pirringer was the highest scorer on the team across all categories. Competing as alternates, Freshmen Alexis Margroff won a gold medal in literature and a bronze medal in economics and Jacob Gehrig won a silver medal in music.

At the state competition, Jacob Gehrig competed as a regular team member and won another silver medal in music; Mathew Maass won a silver medal in essay; John Allogio won a bronze medal in science. Honorable mentions were earned by Christopher Monschauer in interview; Nicole Pirringer in interview and essay; Kelly Schiesswohl in interview.

The competition topic was World War I and students studied materials covering the history, music, art, and economics of the time, as well as math and the science, which this year, was genetics. Vernon is the only Sussex County high school that participates. Competitors are from every other county in the state.

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The Music Man

March 19, 2014, 6:06 am

≫ Next: VTHS Senior's Greatest Wish Comes True – Acceptance to Princeton University

≪ Previous: VTHS Academic Decathlon Team Makes it to States

April 10th, 11th and 12th

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VTHS Senior's Greatest Wish Comes True – Acceptance to Princeton University

March 21, 2014, 7:19 am

≫ Next: February Perfect Attendance Raffle Winners

≪ Previous: The Music Man

Sarah McGuire is pictured here with her parents, Robert and Monica McGuire (seated). Standing are Vernon Principal Tim Dunnigan and guidance counselor Donna Picciuto.

Sarah McGuire is proof that birthday wishes can come true. While most little girls might wish for a puppy or pony when they blow out the candles on their birthday cakes, Sarah has had only one desire. For every birthday since she was ten, she has closed her eyes, blown out the candles and made a wish to go to Princeton University.

Last month, she received the letter she had been dreaming of telling her she has been accepted to Princeton for the upcoming Fall term. “I was so surprised I had to read it five times,” said McGuire, a senior at Vernon Township High School. “I had to keep looking at it because I couldn’t believe it actually happened!” She will major in biological and chemical engineering (BCE).

McGuire was not only interested in Princeton for the usual academic reasons. Sure, she is third in her graduating class, Concert Mistress in her high school orchestra where she plays violin, and a member of numerous honor societies: the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, History Honor Society and Science Honor Society.

She is obviously an excellent and well-rounded student. But she also has a bit of the Garden State’s Ivy League institution in her blood. Her great-grandfather, Harold Sprout, was a professor of politics in its graduate school and a scholar of international relations there from 1931 until his retirement in 1969. Her great-grandmother, who lived to be 100 years old, had a master’s degree in geography and was a partner with her husband in his work as research associate and author at the Princeton Center for International Studies, where they co-authored nine books. Each year Princeton University bestows the distinguished Harold and Margaret Sprout Award on a book in the field of international environmental problems in honor of two people they call “pioneers in the field.”

McGuire remembers visiting her great-grandmother frequently in Princeton, and has a small catalogue of photos of herself as a child wearing Princeton sweatshirts, in different sizes, as she grew. She said she was really inspired by her great-grandmother, who was a member and president of the Princeton area League of Women Voters in the mid-forties, member of the State Foreign Policy Commission, the Health Commission and was a strong advocate for school integration.

Sarah has followed her great-grandmother’s example of community service, serving this year as Lieutenant Governor of the Key Club of New Jersey, a service program for high school students sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. She has also been a member of the VTHS orchestra for four years, the Chamber Orchestra for three years, soccer for three years, Model UN, Academic Decathlon, her church’s Antioch group, and has volunteered at St. Clare’s hospital in Denville.

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February Perfect Attendance Raffle Winners

March 24, 2014, 5:46 am

≫ Next: Walnut Ridge Preschool Open House

≪ Previous: VTHS Senior's Greatest Wish Comes True – Acceptance to Princeton University

The winners for the February Perfect Attendance Raffle were 7^th grader, Hunter Walker and 8^th grader, Justin Vex. These two students maintained perfect attendance for the month of February. There were a total of 144 students eligible to be included in the drawing. The winners were able to pick from the “Count Me In” showcase. The winners chose a Spalding football & a remote control helicopter. Congratulations Hunter & Justin for all your hard work!

Remember…Attendance counts at Glen Meadow Middle School!

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Walnut Ridge Preschool Open House

March 25, 2014, 5:27 am

≫ Next: Glen Meadow Blood Drive

≪ Previous: February Perfect Attendance Raffle Winners

May 6, 2014 at 9:30

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Glen Meadow Blood Drive

March 25, 2014, 10:32 am

≫ Next: VTHS Hosts Orchestra Day for Younger Students

≪ Previous: Walnut Ridge Preschool Open House

Glen Meadow Middle School 3:00 – 9:00 Café A

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VTHS Hosts Orchestra Day for Younger Students

March 29, 2014, 12:49 pm

≫ Next: The Vernon Coalition

≪ Previous: Glen Meadow Blood Drive

VTHS Orchestra Senior Christopher Kohama (right) and 8^th grader David MacMillan discuss shifting techniques on the violin.

Recently, Vernon Township Public Schools held their second District Orchestra Day where orchestra students in grades 4-12 gathered at the high school. The students from each school performed selections from their upcoming or recent concerts, beginning with the fourth graders and ending with the VTHS String Orchestra and Full Orchestra. The students then broke into two orchestras, one containing VTHS Orchestra students with 4^th and 5^th graders; the other containing VTHS Orchestra students with 6^th-8^th graders. Vernon Orchestra Director Rachel Whitty rehearsed “Gargoyles” with the younger orchestra, while VTHS Orchestra Director Jennifer Krott rehearsed “I Dreamed A Dream” with the older orchestra. At the end of the day, the groups performed their pieces for each other. Jennifer Krott said: “It was wonderful to see the musical progress as each school performed in the morning concert. It was especially amazing to see our high school students discussing how to read music, instrument-specific performance techniques, and rehearsal techniques with students in grades 4-8. They were able to draw on their own experience from attending side-by-side rehearsals with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the students in grades 4-8 made incredible progress in a short amount of time. All of our students did a fantastic job!”

VTHS Orchestra Senior Sarah McGuire (left) gives 8^th grader Maya Rakoczy a few pointers during rehearsal.

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The Vernon Coalition

March 31, 2014, 7:22 am

≫ Next: April Board of Education Meetings

≪ Previous: VTHS Hosts Orchestra Day for Younger Students

The Vernon Coalition is a 5 year federal grant of The Center for Prevention and Counseling which was awarded in October 2011 to address prevention of youth drug use in Vernon Township. More information about the coalition can be found at www.centerforprevention.org, on The Vernon Coalition Facebook page and/or by following @vernoncoalition on Twitter.

Please take this quick survey which assists The Vernon Coalition in directing drug prevention efforts with a most accurate assessment of our community. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NHSYFRW

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April Board of Education Meetings

April 1, 2014, 5:22 am

≫ Next: Learn How to Receive Email Updates of Your Child's Grades

≪ Previous: The Vernon Coalition

The Work Session meeting of the Vernon Township Board of Education scheduled for April 8, 2014 has been changed to Thursday, April 10, 2014, at the Board of Education Office, 539 Route 515, Vernon, NJ. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. and immediately enter Closed Session. The public portion of the meeting will begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. as originally scheduled.

The Public Meeting of the Vernon Township Board of Education Scheduled for April 15, 2014 has been changed to Thursday, April 24, 2014 at Walnut Ridge Primary School. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. At this meeting a Public hearing on the 2014-2015 School Budget will be held. Action will be taken.

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Learn How to Receive Email Updates of Your Child's Grades

April 2, 2014, 6:30 am

≫ Next: DMC Comes to Glen Meadow!

≪ Previous: April Board of Education Meetings

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DMC Comes to Glen Meadow!

April 7, 2014, 5:52 am

≫ Next: Lounsberry Hollow and Glen Meadow Math Students Learn the Sum of Hard Work Equals Success

≪ Previous: Learn How to Receive Email Updates of Your Child's Grades

Glen Meadow Middle School had the distinct pleasure of having Run-DMC, hip-hop legend, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels speak to our students. Darryl McDaniel’s is still working with many of the top names in the music industry but he was invited to Vernon because of his positive message, the importance of education & his work with children. Darryl is a motivational speaker & works tirelessly for children’s groups including children in foster care and adoption.

DMC came to Glen Meadow on Thursday, April 4 at 8:30 a.m. free of charge, to help our student’s realize the importance of an education. He spoke of “putting education first” & how “school prepares you for life.” He motivated students to “view school as an assignment to be completed” & that “teachers are put in their life to give them a chance & teach them where they are supposed to go.” He instructed them to “take advantage of every opportunity, including having a Plan B.” “You have a purpose & destiny to do something great. Live the life you were given! Complete your assignment! You have an assignment for greatness!”

The assembly was a huge success & students who may have heard these words before, now drew relevance from Darryl & internalized his words. The response from the students was utterly amazing. You could have heard a pin drop during the entire assembly. Darryl could not have been more gracious & took many pictures & “selfies.” Darryl stayed at Glen Meadow until 10:45AM for our students and we at Glen Meadow are truly grateful for what he shared with our students.

Students have since written many thank you letters & autograph requests that will be personally delivered to Darryl & returned ASAP. Thank you all for making this assembly a huge success!

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Lounsberry Hollow and Glen Meadow Math Students Learn the Sum of Hard Work Equals Success

April 8, 2014, 7:00 am

≫ Next: The Music Man

≪ Previous: DMC Comes to Glen Meadow!

Pictured above are Lounsberry Hollow Math League participants: Arnav Tayal, Vincent Cimaglia, Kyle Hayes, Jonah Kotkin and Jonah Moore. These Lounsberry youngsters were the top five scorers for the League Contest.

Lounsberry Hollow and Glen Meadow Middle Schools recently received word of noteworthy success in the math arena. Glen Meadow’s math students have achieved Gold Level Status in the National Math Club. Math Club is an extra-curricular, voluntary activity for students. The club’s aim is to build confidence in students of all ability and interest levels by giving them the opportunity to engage in unique math activities in a relaxed, social setting.

Lounsberry Hollow experienced similar success and was ranked the top school in the region. In addition, Arnav Tayal, Vincent Cimaglia, Kyle Hayes, Jonah Kotkin and Jonah Moore were the top five scorers for the league contest.

Over one million students from the United States and Canada have participated in Math League contests each year, although involvement has recently expanded to include international contests. The league supports and fosters students’ interest and confidence in mathematics through worthwhile problem solving experiences.

Mr. Anthony Ferrara (GMMS) and Mrs. Tara Holderith (LHMS) serve as advisors of the groups.

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The Music Man

April 9, 2014, 5:54 am

≫ Next: The Viking Trends Spring 2014

≪ Previous: Lounsberry Hollow and Glen Meadow Math Students Learn the Sum of Hard Work Equals Success

April 10th, 11th and 12th

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The Viking Trends Spring 2014

April 10, 2014, 7:45 am

≫ Next: Hearing on the 2014-2015 School Budget

≪ Previous: The Music Man

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Hearing on the 2014-2015 School Budget

April 14, 2014, 6:01 am

≫ Next: Green Alert Drill 4/14

≪ Previous: The Viking Trends Spring 2014

Notice is hereby given that at the public meeting of the Vernon Township Board of Education on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at Walnut Ridge Primary School, 625 Route 517, Vernon, NJ a Public Hearing on the budget for the School Year 2014-2015 will take place.

Information on this budget and the programs and services it provides is available for examination by the public in the Office of the Board Secretary at the Board of Education Office, 539 Route 515, Vernon New Jersey, Monday through Friday, Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

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Green Alert Drill 4/14

April 14, 2014, 7:04 am

≫ Next: Culinary Throwdown

≪ Previous: Hearing on the 2014-2015 School Budget

Dear Parents/Guardians

Today, Monday, April 14, 2014, we practiced our Green Alert procedures by conducting a drill. Green Alerts are practiced for the purpose of safely evaluating everyone from the building. We will conduct these drills periodically throughout the school year.

Please feel free to discuss the importance as well as rationale for a drill with your child. Our goal is to make all aspects of the drill routine for your child in order to keep our school community safe.

Thank you for you support regarding this most important safety matter.

Click here to download the letter

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