Calendar Information...
February Events:
February 7:
- Report Cards will be available in Genesis after 2 p.m.
- Club Pictures will be taken in the Auditorium from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
February 10:
- Girls State Assembly for ALL Junior GIRLS at 9:30 a.m.
February 12:
- RCBC Accuplacer Test will be administered during Periods 1 to 7/8 in B133.
February 13:
- Science League Competition after school with Mr. Flynn in Room C112.
- Environmental Trip to Pygmy Plains.
February 14:
- Happy Valentine's Day.
- Staff Development Day--No School for Students.
February 17:
- Celebrate Presidents' Day--School Closed.
February 19:
- Fine Arts Night a 6 p.m. in the Atrium. Family, friends and community members are encouraged to attend this event.
February 20:
- Mandatory "Senior Class Trip Meeting" for students attending the trip and parent/guardian at 6 p.m.
February 21:
- Marching Band Banquet at 6 p.m.
February 24:
- Board of Education Meeting at 7 p.m. at the Roebling Elementary School.
- Parent Organization Meeting at 6 p.m. in the High School Media Center.
February 28-29:
- "Unified Lock-in" from 8 p.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Principal’s List
At the end of the first marking period, students who earn A’s in all of their courses will be assigned to the “Principal’s Academic List.”
We added this program based upon the feedback we have received from students, staff and parents. We have students who are hungry to show what they can do, and we are eager to recognize them!
Thanks to our GENEROUS teachers and staff, four students – one from each grade level – will be randomly chosen and treated to a $25 Wawa gift card!
Academic Achievement Program
This is a wonderful program! We will once again be challenging our students to settle for nothing less than their best. We want to see our students succeed, and we will be communicating to them that we want them to set their sights on earning a GPA of at least a 3.0 (or a “B” average) with no “D” or “F” grades in any course for each marking period of the school year. Please join us in challenging your child to be content with nothing less than his or her best effort!
Students who earned at least a 3.0 (with no “D’s” or “F’s”) will be recognized at the end of the second marking period.
Thanks to our GENEROUS Parents Organization, four students – one from each grade level – will be randomly chosen and treated to $25 Wawa gift card!
AP Testing
Every year, the College Board offers an AP test for every AP course that a school might offer. The point of each test is to measure student mastery of the AP curriculum. Students who do well on these AP tests are able to earn college credit for the work that they have done in high school.
Here are two very valuable links that I encourage you to explore to learn more about the benefits of AP testing:
- https://apscore.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies
- https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap
Our school will be administering AP tests on the following dates this year:
AP United States Government & Politics – May 4th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP Spanish Language and Culture – May 12th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP English Literature and Composition – May 6th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP European History – May 6th @ 12:00 p.m.
AP French Language and Culture – May 15th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP Chemistry – May 7th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP United States History – May 8th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP Biology – May 11th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP Calculus AB – May 5th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP English Language and Composition – May 13th @ 8:00 a.m.
AP Microeconomics – May 13th @ 12:00 p.m.
Students enrolled in AP Microeconomics will start their coursework on Monday, February 3. We will need to know whether or not your child will be taking the AP Microeconomics exam by Monday, March 2.
The cost of the AP Microeconomics test is $85. If your child is in our Free and Reduced Lunch Program, then please contact Mr. Rick Lee, our AP Test Coordinator, at rlee@florence.k12.nj.us for more information regarding AP costs.
Checks and money orders are acceptable forms of payment. We will not be able to accept cash. Please make your checks or money orders payable to “Florence Township Memorial High School.” Please tell your children to deliver AP payments to Mrs. Belcher in the Main Office.
Report Cards
Report Cards
Report cards will be available in Genesis on February 7. To view your child’s report card, simply login to Genesis (https://parents.genesisedu.com/florence) and click on the “Grading” tab at the top of the window.
Also, please feel free to log in to Genesis at any time to see how your child is progressing in his or her courses. Checking Genesis frequently will enable you to see clearly how your child is performing throughout the school year.
If you are having trouble logging in or need your email and password reset, please contact your child’s counselor as soon as possible.
Mary Ann Carey (Class of 1993) Releases Her First Single in Nashville, TN....
The new release of “I Wish I Could Love Like That,” has been nothing short of an amazing back story, by UAG/Sony Christian Recording Artist, Mary Ann Carey Coulter otherwise known as, “Polar Grace.” She is a native and alumni of Florence Township Memorial High School.
Her life has been anything short of ordinary. She and her twin sister, Diane, attended The American Musical And Dramatic Academy in New York City right after high school. They were discovered by a Management Team based out of Nashville and moved to TN in 1995.
They were signed to RCA Records not long after their arrival but later dropped by the label due to management change. Through the years, they auditioned for multiple major labels such as MCA Records and Capitol Records.
Mary Ann made it to the final auditions for the TV show, “Nashville Star,” but in the last round was cut. Mary Ann and Diane sang for many years around the Nashville area, along with doing major demo work for well-known artists.
With their perseverance in the music industry, in September of 2018, UAG/Sony signed “Polar Grace.” Polar Grace began to grow a life of itself. The new release has over 1.3K views and climbing within 72 hours of the release date. The song has been on heavy rotation on I-Heart Radio along with Apple Christian Radio and on sixty-three social media platforms throughout the World.
Mary Ann is humbled, along with Diane, for all the support that has been given, especially from their home town supporters. The success that is happening so late in life for the Carey girls is nothing short of hard work, hope, faith and the work of God.
Never lose sight of your dreams because dreams do come true with hard work and determination and faith. We look forward to hearing Diane’s release very soon as they are grateful for the amazing success of Mary Ann’s new single release. This would not be possible without the love, support and encouragement of our Home town, Florence, NJ. God Bless.
“I Wish I Could Love Like That" -- https://song.link/us/i/1495886366
Art Club
The Art Club is open to any student with an interest in art, design, or creativity! The art club will meet on alternating Tuesday afternoons in Mrs. Holmstedt’s Room, F108.
Students have started artist inspired masks using cardboard mask forms, tissue paper, and tempera paint. After masks are complete students will work on a stained glass tile design.
Meetings in February will be on Tuesday, February 11 and Tuesday, February 25.
Advisor: Mrs. (Finamore) Holmstedt
Cultural Awareness for Everyone Club (CAFE)
CAFE members met on January 7 and January 21. They created a flyer advertising multicultural events and festivals in the local area in February. Flyers are posted throughout the school.
CAFE members sold pretzels after school on January 23 to raise money to support the club. Members also completed creating “Hello” signs in a variety of languages to be displayed around the school.
February meeting dates are: February 4 and 18. Please join us!
Advisor: Ms. Delgado
Debate Team
The Debate Team meets every Tuesday after school in D111. This year’s resolution is: The United States federal government should substantially reduce Direct Commercial Sales and/or Foreign Military Sales of arms from the United States. The latest varsity and JV debates at Moorestown High School were January 22. Both of our varsity teams won their debates and we are currently tied for second place in the South Jersey Debate League. Our JV teams went 1-2. Next week there is no competition but we are planning to have a mock debate.
On January 7 the varsity affirmative team made a presentation on how to successfully present a plan, and on January 14 the varsity negative team made a presentation on how to successfully attack a plan under the debate rules. We met as well on January 21 and are planning a mock debate on January 28 between a negative JV team and the JV affirmative team at our regular Tuesday meeting. The rest of the team will observe, time, judge and offer advice. The following week on February 4 we will have another mock debate.
Our next competitions will be February 5 and 12. The following week the championships will be held at Eastern High School. Affirmative and negative teams are continuing to research the subject matter and add to their arsenals (pun intended) of arguments and evidence. As the season has progressed, the negative teams have had the opportunity to see a variety of affirmative plans and to research and further develop their means of attacking those various plans. Affirmative teams have continued to tweak their plans to address weaknesses that appear at the competitive debates.
Our teams are as follows:
Varsity affirmative: Anita Chacko and Rajveer Kaur
Varsity negative: Thomas Ulisse and Leuna Sen
JV affirmative: Tanisha Khabe and Jaskiran Mangat
JV negative: Lana Duke and Zaria Harewood
JV negative: David Buddie and Eric Mattson
We would like to thank Eric’s mother Kim Mattson for previously bringing the team delicious snacks and helping to plan an upcoming team party.
Advisor: Mrs. Bjornstad
Environmental Club
Mr. Du Brul's Environmental Club conducted a winter hike at Wells Mills County Park.
Students learned about upland pine forests, lowland cedar swamps, and Pine Barrens ecology.
The next trip will be to the Pygmy Pine Plains in February. Here students will learn about the endangered crowberry as well as fire ecology.
Advisor: Mr. DuBrul
Game Club
Our Game Club Meetings for February are:
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Our January Nintendo Switch Tournament was quite a success!
- 1st place went to Thomas Ulisse and
- 2nd place Mohamed Kazem.
The tournament featured a guest player, our own student-teacher from Rowan University, John Hager.
Gavin Embly continues to be an excellent organizer of the Game Club ensuring excitement and fairness in his planning of gaming tournaments. And back by popular demand, he is putting together our second Nintendo Switch Tournament for February 4.
We are taking a break from large gaming tournaments on February 18 and instead, we are planning a Game Club Social with members bringing in their favorite foods from around the world.
For all that are interested, the Game Club is an open-enrollment club. Join now, tomorrow, after basketball or the School Play season or simply when you have some time to have some fun. All are welcome.
For meeting dates and other information: GAME CLUB 2049
https://sites.google.com/florence.k12.nj.us/mweatherbee/game-club-2049
Advisors: Mr. Weatherbee and Ms. Fenn
Interact Club
The 2019-2020 Interact officers are:
President: Anita Chacko
Vice President: Leuna Sen
Secretary: Ayisha Nahar
Treasurer: Rajveer Kaur
Sergeant at Arms: Fabiha Usha
On Thursday, January 16, 2020, the Interact Club welcomed guest speaker Lauren Purnell. Lauren is the founder of "Naming the Homeless," a group that does outreach in Philadelphia and Camden to bring a “face” to the plight of homelessness in our area. Lauren shared her experiences and discussed how the group could continue to support her mission.
On Thursday, January 30, 2020, the group met with Rotarian Ellen Benowitz. Mrs. Benowitz is the club’s Rotary Liaison. She presented each member, in good standing, with their interact pin and discussed the upcoming RYLA program.
Members of Interact have participated in the Roebling School Math Morning and assisted with a local movie night in the month of January.
The club is continuing their plastic project. The group is collecting 500 pounds of soft plastic to create a bench through the Trex company. These include: plastic bags, bubble wrap, bread bags, dry cleaning bags, cereal bags and newspaper bags.
Advisor: Ms. Rodan
National Honor Society
As the first semester of the school year draws to a close, the FTMHS chapter of the National Honor Society will begin its process of inviting, interviewing, and selecting eligible candidates for membership in our chapter. Selection for membership is decided by a Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have a responsibility to continue to embody and demonstrate these qualities. The National Honor Society is looking for serious members, so it is in a student’s best interest to make sure he or she understands the commitment required. Members who are dismissed are never again eligible for its benefits. As the current advisers to our school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, Ms. Delgado and I are searching for motivated, dedicated student leaders who will actively participate in our chapter. In addition, we are looking for students with drive and initiative--students who will find ways to improve both the chapter and the Florence Township Memorial High School experience as a whole. Therefore, students applying this year will find some changes to our application process as indicated by an asterisk (*).
Students applying to the FTMHS chapter of the National Honor Society should:
- be enrolled sophomores or juniors who currently have --and will maintain-- a 3.8 GPA.
- demonstrate a minimum of 10 hours of prior community service or volunteer work during high school before applying. *
- earn an additional 30 hours of community service a year, for a total of 60 hours by graduation. There are stipulations to where these hours are served.
- complete an extensive application process that requires letters of recommendation, participation in an interview with the faculty council, and a writing response. Beginning with the class of 2022, students must compose an essay akin to a "profile in courage." Students who wish to complete an application should choose one of the four pillars of the NHS (scholarship, leadership, character, or service), and compose a synthesis essay that selects a well-known historical figure as emblematic of that pillar, much the way John F. Kennedy profiled people he found especially courageous in his book, Profiles in Courage. These essays must be based on two researched sources as a minimum, must be correctly cited in MLA 8 format, and meet the rubric requirements of a 4/6. * An analytical rubric will be provided.
- donate 15 items of canned goods per year to support ongoing NHS projects.
pay annual dues of $15 per year.
uphold the leadership pillar of NHS by demonstrating leadership. This demonstration is defined as: serving on an NHS committee, initiating a new club, serving in a leadership position in the NHS, or serving in a leadership position in another extracurricular activity.*
attend required meetings on time, attired in professional clothing meeting our dress code.
The National Honor Society is currently exploring new ideas for a spring activity that will better exemplify our four pillars of leadership, scholarship, character and service.
We hold meetings every other Thursday. Our service component currently consists of providing peer student volunteers in the Tutor Center, held in the Media Center from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. most Tuesdays and Thursdays. Schedules are posted on Mrs. Hughes’s Google Sites webpage.
We have changed the sign-up process for the Tutor Center: NHS members are now committing to specific time slots in advance. The NHS advisers are then sharing this information with the faculty to aid the process of pairing a student who needs help with a peer tutor. The client student will already know the name of the peer tutor he or she will be working with before attending, which should give our clients more confidence.
We have also reduced the number of students attending each tutor center session. Since fewer students will be present in the Tutor Center, a student who needs help should feel less intimidated walking in; students are not required to have an appointment, and walk-ins are encouraged.
Our school’s chapter of the National Honor Society recently donated canned goods as a part of a student’s membership in the chapter. Arpita Das, David Buddie, Ayisha Nahar, Raymond Moody, Alison Kuc, and Elle Jimenez helped transport over 700 canned goods to the Florence United Methodist Church Food Bank on Friday, December 20, 2019, at the end of the school day.
Advisors: Mrs. Hughes and Ms. Delgado
Student Council
Student Council
President: Kaitlyn Bernhard
Vice President: Madison Schubert
Secretary: Jayana Caesar
Treasurer: Bella Dunphy
BOE Rep.: Grace Skinner
Historians: Duygu Erzurum and Taylor Jusino
Executive Members: Jason Baldorossi and Leuna Sen
Student Council has begun planning for “Lunch and Show” which will take place on Sunday, March 8, at 11:00 a.m. in conjunction with the high school musical--The Addams Family.
We would like to invite any township senior citizens to attend "Lunch and Show" free of charge. If you would like more information or to RSVP, please contact Georgie Rodan, Student Council Advisor at 609-499-4620 extension 4505.
Student Council members are also preparing a special Valentine’s Day treat for the FHS teachers and staff!
Advisor: Ms. Rodan
Yearbook
The 2019-2020 school year is here- which means it is time to document everything in the YEARBOOK! The Florence Township Memorial High School yearbook is called the “Clavis” which is Latin for key. Any student interested in joining the yearbook staff should attend our meetings. Meetings will be held in Mrs. Holmstedt’s room on alternating Thursdays--listen for the announcements during homeroom!
2019-2020 yearbooks are on sale RIGHT NOW! Yearbooks cost $75, are hardcover and full color! Go to the high school website and order from the link under the parent resources tab or use the link below!
OUR AD SALE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 13th! LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR ADS NOW!!!!!!!!!!
Attention Business Owners and Senior Parents!
Yearbook Ads are on sale through the parent resources tab or use the link below! Shout out your business or show your senior student some love! Contact Mrs. Eckart or Mrs. Holmstedt with any questions.
Here is your link for yearbooks: http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01096210
Here is your link for ads: http://jostensadservice.com?REF=A01096210
Do you want to see YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS in the 2019-2020 YEARBOOK?
UPLOAD TODAY! DOWNLOAD THE REPLAYIT APP OR
Go to www.replayit.com and create an account to upload YOUR pictures!
We’ll use your pictures to help create this year’s book!
Advisors: Mrs. Eckart and Mrs. Holmstedt
Counseling Office News
PSAT Score Reports:
The counselors visited 10th grade and 11th grade classes to distribute hard copies of PSAT scores and the PSAT test booklets. Students were encouraged to use the code on their score report to create a College Board profile and to learn about free test prep through a partnership between Khan Academy and College Board. Juniors should use this information to prepare for the SAT in either March, May, or June.
RCBC Spring Ahead:
This is a program that allows seniors to apply to RCBC, take assessment tests, and schedule college classes with ease.
Step 1: DONE
Seniors and parents are invited to the information session at FTMHS on October 23, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in the high school auditorium.
Step 2: DONE
Apply online for FREE at www.rcbc.edu before January 30, 2020 and ask your counselor to send your official transcript.
Step 3:
On February 12, 2020, RCBC will administer the Accuplacer test at FTMHS. Visit the Test Center website for sample exam questions and practice. http://www.rcbc.edu/testcenter
Step 4:
Those students who are committing to attend RCBC and have completed all prior steps will tour the Mt. Laurel campus AND schedule classes for the fall semester on April 3, 2020.
Freshman Class Visits:
The counselors visited 9th grade English classes to register the students in the college and career exploration and management software called Naviance and to introduce them to the concepts of GPA and transcripts. Ask your child to show you their profile on student.naviance.com/florence
Scholarship Hunters:
Check the binder in the Counseling Office for newly added scholarship opportunities. Check your email and Naviance account for frequent updates. Our Twitter feed also lists many national scholarships.
College Admissions Testing:
SAT:
Go to https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat to register for the SAT and for accurate dates, registration deadlines, and locations. SAT Fee Waivers are available for 11th and 12th graders on the Free/Reduced Lunch Program. Students with a documented disability may be eligible for accommodations on College Board tests. Please contact your child’s counselor or Child Study Team case manager to discuss the process and answer your questions.
ACT:
Go to http://www.act.org to register for the ACT and for accurate testing dates, registration deadlines, and locations. ACT Fee Waivers are available for 11th and 12th graders on the Free/Reduced Lunch Program.
College Open Houses and Tours
Not sure which college is best for you? Attend a college tour or information session. The
New Jersey School Counselor Association website has a list of college open houses for the MId-Atlantic area. Visit https://www.njsca.org/college-open-houses/
New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority or HESAA has valuable resources for college and career planning and financial assistance. One important ebooklet is the Student Loan Guide. Here is the link to several of their publications and ebooklets: http://www.hesaa.org/Pages/HESAAPublications.aspx
College Financial Aid Information:
Seniors and parents -The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2020-21 school year will open on October 1, 2019. You will need information from the parent’s and student’s 2018 tax return. Visit fafsa.gov to get started.
CSS Profile:
Many colleges require the FAFSA and CSS Profile for financial aid consideration. Check the college website for requirements and deadlines. The CSS profile can be accessed here https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/
New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority or HESAA:
This has valuable resources for college and career planning and financial assistance. One important ebooklet is the Student Loan Guide. Here is the link to several of their publications and ebooklets: http://www.hesaa.org/Pages/HESAAPublications.aspx
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):
All college-bound student-athletes should explore the NCAA eligibility qualifications early in their high school careers. Please visit the following websites for more information: www.eligibilitycenter.org and www.2point3.org
College Scorecard:
This provides clear, accessible, and reliable national data on college costs, graduation rates, student debt, and post-college earnings. Collegescorecard.ed.gov
College Cost Calculator:
What does college really cost? Colleges are required to have a college cost calculator (aka net price calculator) available on their websites. Please check them out when researching colleges.
Counselors: Mrs. Sebastian and Mr. Varga
School Nurse
As many of you already know, the cold and flu season is upon us. The influenza season runs from October to May and peaks in January and February. Getting a flu shot may help cut down on the number of people that develop the flu. Having the shot may also make the disease less severe if contracted. Children are among the most vulnerable to the disease. Complete information about the flu and how to contain and manage it may be found at www.flu.gov and at www.cdc.gov/flu.
Fact Sheet on the CoronaVirus--PLEASE READ.
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/NCOV-web_FactSheet-FINAL-OCedits_01262020.pdf
You are reminded to review the following suggestions and review them with your children as well:
Wash hands often with soap and water - #1 prevention method!!!
Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth
Avoid close contact with those who are already sick
Get plenty of sleep
Eat healthy food and drink plenty of fluids
Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or the crook of your arm
Stay home if sick for at least 24 hours after the fever has gone
PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL SICK!!!
Please DO NOT send medication to school with your child without a doctor’s note. Any medication, even cold medicine, eye drops, or any over-the-counter medication, must be accompanied by a doctor’s note or it can NOT be brought into school. This is per school policy, which can be found in the school handbook.
When you call your student out if he or she is absent, please include the symptoms your child is experiencing if they are sick. Please be specific. This information is valuable for the school nurse in tracking illnesses among the students.
Please do NOT send your child to school with a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or a continuous cough. Students with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea MAY NOT return to school until they have gone 24 hours symptom-free without the use of medications. This is school policy and health department guidelines.
School Nurse: Mrs. Emery
Athletic Department--Contact Information:
2019-20 Winter Sports
The Florence Flashes Basketball Season is well underway.
The Lady Flashes are currently 11-4 and were Champions at the Burlington Twp. Holiday Tournament in December.
The Boys Basketball Flashes are currently 5-9.
Cutoff for the NJSIAA Basketball Tournament is February 8 with seeding to take place on February 13. Round I of the NJSIAA State Tournament will begin on March 2.
The ticket booth will open 1/2 hour before the JV game.
Entry fees are:
Students: $2
Adults: $4
Senior Citizens: No Charge.
We wish our Florence Flashes the best of luck in their 2019-2020 winter season.
2019-20 Winter Athletic Coaching Staff
Girls Basketball: Gina Smith, Alyssa (Laird) Zucchero
Boys Basketball: Cesar Pereda, Chris Cymbal
Unified Basketball: Christie Brown
Wrestling (Bordentown): James Gill
Cheerleading: Shannon Gurdgiel, Georgie Ryan
Spring Sports
Pre-season sign up meetings have been taking place for the upcoming 2020 spring sports season.
A reminder to all who are planning to participate in boys/girls track, tennis, baseball or softball; a current physical must be on file and online registration completed. You can check with Ms. Cassidy or Ms. Tannenbaum to see if you are due for a new physical. Paperwork is located outside of the athletic office. The official start date of spring sports practice is March 6.
Athletic Department Staff
Rick Lee, AD x4150
Mary Ellen Cassidy, AD Secretary x4149 (x6)
Audrey Tannenbaum, Athletic Trainer x 4154
If you have any questions or concerns regarding athletics, please don’t hesitate to contact the Athletic Office at 609-499-4620 ext. 6. Please visit the Florence Athletic web page for all athletic information and schedules. Also, make sure to follow us for up-to-date Athletic information on our Facebook page @FlorenceAthletics and our Twitter Account @FTSD_athletics. LET’S GO FLASHES!
Visit the Florence Athletic Schedule Website for game dates, times, locations, and any changes due to weather.
GO FLASHES!
Florence Township Memorial High School
Website: www.florence.k12.nj.us
Location: 1050 Cedar Lane, Florence, NJ, 08016
Phone: (609) 499-4620
Twitter: @FTSD_HS