May 2023 Update

Dear Families,

The spring always seems to fly by as schedules fill up with the longer days and warmer weather. The school district was quite busy in May with NJHS induction, sports, spring music showcases, the art show, and two dances! We also dedicated our May Board of Education meeting to our retirees as well as our educators and educational service professionals of the year.

As the year winds down, we have more celebrations to look forward to in the coming weeks. Our 8th graders leave for their first overnight trip since 2019, our soon to be Shore Regional graduates will visit our schools one last time before their graduation day, our Wolf Hill Chargers will enjoy field day festivities, and our preK, kindergarten, and fourth grade will all participate in stepping up ceremonies. Finally, our 8th graders will have their commencement ceremony on June 14, 2023 at Monmouth Park.

As a district, we are also preparing for our summer construction projects as well as our summer programs for students. The summer might be a time off for many, but we will be busy prepping our buildings for another year of learning.

Despite the busy schedules, I hope everyone takes pause to enjoy the many fun events in the upcoming weeks.

Stay safe and be well,

Laura Godlesky, Ed.D.

At the May 17, 2023 Board of Education Meeting, several district personnel were honored for their service and contributions to the school district. First, we honored our Teachers and Service Professionals of the Year. The honorees were:

Teachers of the Year:

Nick "Coach T" Tarquinio - Wolf Hill School

Diane Belinski - Maple Place Middle School

Educational Service Professionals of the Year:

Meggan Conway - Wolf Hill School

Lori VanBrunt - Maple Place Middle School

Thank you for all you do for our students each and every day. This recognition is only a small token for the difference your presence in our district makes for children.

We also had the pleasure of recognizing many long standing district employees as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their life - retirement. The honorees were:

Janet Wallace: Janet joined the Oceanport School District in 1980 and has worked as a paraprofessional serving many students over the years.

Eileen Rolleri: Eileen joined the Oceanport School District in 1985 and is retiring from her role as a district secretary.

Amy Donohoe: Amy has been a part of the Oceanport School District since 1990 teaching in both schools and multiple subjects. She is retiring from her current position as the Wolf Hill art teacher.

Lynn Cadigan: Lynn has been part of the Oceanport School District since 1991 and has been a kindergarten teacher ever since. She is retiring from that very position this June.

Shelly Mastriana: Shelly has been a part of the Oceanport School District since 1998 teaching a number of different grades across the years. She is retiring from her current position as a kindergarten teacher at Wolf Hill School.

Jean Molzon: Jean has been a nurse for the Oceanport School District since 2004 working in both buildings over the years. She is retiring from her current role as the Maple Place nurse.

Carol Davis: Carol has been a part of the Oceanport School District since 2005 as a health and physical education teacher at Wolf Hill School. She is retiring from that very position.

To honor our retirees, the Maple Place and Wolf Hill Choruses sang For Good under the direction of Mrs. Bach. This moving and symbolic dedication was a beautiful tribute to our honorees.

Retirement signifies an ending, and these individuals will certainly be missed in the hallways and classrooms in our schools. However, it also represents a start to a whole new chapter in life. We wish them all the best during this exciting time! We deeply appreciate and honor the innumerable positive impacts they have each had on the students of Oceanport over the years. Best wishes to our retirees!

At the May 17, 2023 Board of Education meeting, the Oceanport Historical Committee also made a presentation honoring Nadine Jeffrey, to recognize her long time service and the contributions she made in her lifetime to the Oceanport School District. They have gifted to the district a street sign to honor Mrs. Jeffrey, a framed picture of her as well as a copy of Oceanport - A Great Place to Live for each of our schools. Thank you for your generous gifts to honor a special educator from the Oceanport School District.

The Charger Band and Jazz Band performed at the High Notes Music Festival at Six Flags on Friday, May 19th. Both bands finished in First Place for their group and received a Gold rating. Additionally, Alex McMillen on the Trombone and Fox Elker on the Drum Set took home “Outstanding Soloist” awards. The Percussion Section of the Charger Band took home the “Outstanding Section” award. The members of the Percussion Section are Trevor Biernacki, CJ White, Oliver Torbert, Isaac Bova, Isaac Kiernan, Avellana Cameron, and Fox Elker.

The Charger Band also took home the Overall Trophy which is given to the band with the highest score for the day! Way to go Charger Band and Jazz Band! Thank you to Mr. DiTomasso for your continued dedication to the Oceanport School District's instrumental music programs.

The Oceanport School District is conducting a stakeholder survey to provide input into its ESEA programming and budgetary planning for the 2023-2024 school year. Your feedback as a district and/or community stakeholder is highly valued in assisting the district in identifying priority areas of need. The district will consider the findings of this survey along with various student achievement data points to develop an effective plan.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

https://forms.gle/nb5fE2xqVGXaYrsz5

On May 30, 2023, the Maple Place and Wolf Hill Chorus members sang the National Anthem at the Jersey Shore Blue Claws Stadium. This was a large audience to perform in front of, but the children rose to the occasion under the direction of Mrs. Bach and sounded fantastic. Then, they joined their family and friends for Oceanport Night at the stadium. Thank you Mrs. Bach for finding this great performance opportunity for our students.

Thank you to all of the students and families who participated as a small portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the chorus in the upcoming year.