June 2023 Update

Dear Staff and Families,

Happy last day of school! From September until June, the days, weeks, and months have been filled with so many opportunities for our students and families to get involved in the school district and experience everything it has to offer.

The past few weeks have been busy with so many activities! Our students in multiple grades went on fun and exciting field trips, including the first overnight field trip since 2019 for our 8th graders. One of these field trips was from Wolf Hill to Maple Place so that our 4th graders could experience an orientation to their new school. Read below about some other exciting things that have happened in our district this month.

As we head into summer, please keep in mind that Maple Place will be closed entirely due to construction. Wolf Hill School will be open and all offices will be running from here and phones will be forwarded. While inconvenient, the progress of our referendum is truly transforming our buildings. Below you will see a summary of our summer projects. It will be another busy summer of construction, but we can't wait to show it to our families and staff in the fall.

Have a safe, fun, and relaxing summer with family and friends!

Best,
Laura Godlesky, Ed.D.

It's always a true sign that the end of the school year is coming when the chairs are lined up in the gym or the front bus loop. Last week the PreK teachers and Kindergarten teachers, along with the musical direction of Mrs. Bach, held graduation ceremonies to culminate their year.

Earlier this week, our 4th grade had their step-up ceremony followed by a picnic in celebration as well as a clap out today.

Finally, our 8th graders celebrated with a fun luau-themed breakfast on Thursday morning followed by graduation later that evening at Monmouth Park. It was a day late due to the stormy weather in the area on Wednesday, but it was a beautiful celebration culminating our Class of 2023's elementary and middle school educations in the Oceanport School District. Congratulations to our graduates and the award winners from last night!

See pictures below of these events:

On June 5th, the Oceanport Public Schools alumni that will be graduating from Shore Regional High School next week visited their elementary and middle schools. Wolf Hill and Maple Place students lined the halls with signs and cheers to celebrate the Shore Class of 2023. This tradition has become one of the most memorable days for students and staff. When you dedicate your life to teaching, your "kids" are always your "kids" and this was incredibly evident as high school seniors reconnected with their elementary and middle school students. Check out the video below of the visit. Best of luck, graduates, on your future endeavors!

Earlier this year, the SEPAG (Special Education Parent Advisory Group) changed its name to ADL which stands for Advocates for Diverse Learners. This group is under new leadership and is looking to expand its membership (all are welcome!). To offer meetings that meet the needs of its constituents, they have asked that you complete the survey below. If you would like to reach out directly to the group, please email oceanportadl@gmail.com. Thank you!

Summer break is a time for kids to kick back, however all of that free time can lead to what is known as the Summer Slide. Research indicates that a loss of academic skills over the summer is common for those students that do not participate in activities to keep their minds learning.

The Oceanport School District would like to provide parents with resources to support their children over the summer to help maintain the academic skills they acquired over the school year in both reading and mathematics. These assignments are not required, but are highly recommended for students to maintain their skills.

Where can you find all of these resources??

All of the information regarding summer reading and math can be found on the district website, under the “Resources” tab. Here is a direct link for your convenience.

Like the past two summers, it is an exciting time for the Oceanport School District because we embark on more referendum projects to support the refurbishment and expansion of our schools. This summer is no exception, and both Wolf Hill School and Maple Place School will look vastly different when the students return in September. Please see a summary of the anticipated work below:

Wolf Hill School:

While Wolf Hill School will be operational this summer, a portion of it will be sectioned off so that the following construction can occur.

Attic Expansion: You may have already noticed the construction fencing placed on the front yard. This is in anticipation for the immediate start to the attic expansion project as soon as school ends. Scaffolding will be built and the roof from the attic of the school will be removed for the attic expansion project, which will result in a much larger top floor of the building and additional classrooms. This is not a project that will be completed this summer, but in early 2024. Check out the renderings below.

Classroom Refurbishment: The classrooms on the second and third floor (with the exception of those that will be impacted by the installation of the elevator slated for the summer of 2024) will all be renovated. Additionally, adult bathrooms will be renovated in this area.

Flagpole Placement: We will be moving our flagpole so that it more closely aligns to the front of the building.

Maple Place Middle School:

We are very excited about the many upgrades to Maple Place this summer. Because of the asbestos abatement that must occur for construction to commence, along with the magnitude of the projects, Maple Place will be closed for the entirety of the summer. All staff will be housed at Wolf Hill, so please take note of that should you need anything.

Front Wing Refurbishment: The front wing of classrooms will be fully renovated this summer resulting in a new STEM lab, Science lab, Art Studio, Life Skills room, and multi-purpose classroom.

New Media Center: The Maple Place Media Center will have a new look this fall creating innovative and creative learning spaces for our teachers to utilize.

New/Upgraded Spaces: The current child study team space at MP will be refurbished to include a small group instruction classroom. The small kitchen off the faculty room will also be transformed into a small instructional space. The current guidance office will be expanded into an adjoining closet allowing space for an additional instructional space. Lastly, the faculty bathrooms in the main hallway will be upgraded into single units and a new ADA accessible bathroom will be installed in the MP nurse's office.

District - Wide:

Security and Technology Upgrades: We will be updating our entire PA system and clocks at Wolf Hill as well as installing panic buttons and beacons at each of our school locations.

Even though fall sports seems a bit away, we don't want anyone to forget about the necessary paperwork (due August 7) for our middle school students who want to participate in sports programs next fall. See below for offerings and for directions on where to find the necessary forms:

Maple Place Middle School Fall Sports:

Soccer and Field Hockey- grades 6-8

Running Club- grades 5-8

Due to construction at Maple Place Middle School, the completed sports forms must be handed in at Wolf Hill School by August 7, 2023.

All forms are available on the Maple Place Middle School website > Nurse's Office>Sports Forms.