FTMHS NewsFLASH

Tentative December Events:

December 1:

• Community Food Drive--now to December 11.
• Blue Group (From December 1 to December 4).

December 2:

• Faculty Meeting at 2:20 p.m.

December 7:

• Gold Group (From December 7 to December 11).

December 10:

• Parent Workshop: "Talk Saves Lives"
  

December 11:

• Community Food Drive ends today.

December 14:

• Blue Group (From December 14 to December 18).

December 18:

• Progress Reports will be available on Genesis after 2 p.m.

December 21:

• Gold Group (From December 21 to December 23).
• First Day of Winter;
• ScIP Meeting at 2:20 p.m.

December 24-January 1

• Winter Recess;

Special Recognition – The Bordentown Lodge No. 2085 B.P.O. Elks have a program whereby, once a month, they recognize and reward a FTMHS “Student of the Month.” This student must be a senior. It is our pleasure to recognize Victoria Nitti as our Elks’ Student of the Month for October. Victoria is a hardworking individual who was selected because of her strong character and academic and extracurricular achievements. Congratulations, Victoria!

Our students have been doing a wonderful job personifying the character education trait of "Helpfulness." Here are our Students of the Month for the month of November!

The following students were chosen by our faculty for the way they personified this character trait:

Congratulations to these students for doing such a great job!

"HELPFULNESS" -- Character Education (November)

Thanks to our Parents Organization, Duygu Erzurum, Eamonn Glynn, Maiyah McDuffie and Jah'Liem Young-Hobbs were chosen to receive $10 WaWa gift cards for doing such an excellent job!

Duygu Erzurum -- "Duygu shows acts of kindness to others and assists those who need help around her. I know I can always count on her to help , and she'll offer her assistance without being asked." (Nominated by: Mrs. Pereda)

Eamonn Glynn—"Eamonn goes beyond what is expected to help illustrate concepts to his fellow classmates." (Nominated by: Mrs. Triglia)

Maiyah McDuffie -- "Maiyah is involved in numerous clubs at school and volunteers her time with the Interact Club. She is a friendly and considerate student who is always willing to lend a hand." (Nominated by: Mrs. Luyber)

Jah'Liem Young-Hobbs -- Jah'Liem was very helpful to a fellow student in class on several occasions. Since he has started in my class in September, he has been helping other students without being asked. He is definitely a helpful student." (Nominated by: Mrs. Covaci)

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 1st marking period.

Thanks to our GENEROUS Parents Organization, four students – one from each grade level – Ismael Ubaldo-Morales (Grade 9), Logan Trayner (Grade 10), Rana Karsavran (Grade 11) and Diane Otero (Grade 12) were randomly chosen and treated to $25 Wawa gift card!

Over 60 Thanksgiving Baskets...

More than 60 Thanksgiving baskets were completed to help those in need in our community.

We would also like to thank:

• Florence United Methodist Church for a large donation of food items and turkeys,
• Creamoland Dairy for a donation of milk, eggs, and juice, and
• Bonduelle Fresh for a donation of bagged salads for each family.
• Students, Teachers, Staff Members in the Florence Twp. School District.

• Vinny G's for hosting a Dine to Donate to help us raise funds to support the food drive.
• McHugh Insurance and Mannino Construction for their generous donations.

The generosity of community members has been phenomenal and truly heartwarming.

We are continuing to collect food for the winter holidays through December 11.

NOVEMBER--Equity Focus is "Native American Heritage Month"

The Concert Choir learned about two Indigineous Musicians: Mildred Bailey and Gary "Litefoot" Davis.

Mildred Bailey (Couer d'Alene heritage) was a well-known and respected jazz vocalist in the 1930s and 1940s.

Gary "Litefoot" Davis (member of the Cherokee Nation) is best known for his role as Little Bear in the 1995 movie "The Indian In The Cupboard" but is also a successful rap artist and businessman.

This month in my Theater Performance class, we did an Edpuzzle based on a video that highlights some of the origins of theater in indigenous people, which were mostly based in ritual.

We also took a good look at some cultural appropriation from the Colonists that were settling in America. This included creating theater that was about the Native American culture, but not by or for them, creating mis-representation and hi-jacking the narrative. White settlers also engaged in redface, a racist American phenomenon stretching back at least as far as the Boston Tea Party, in which white people dress up and perform as stereotypical Native Americans. We discussed how problematic this and other offensive American traditions such as blackface have shaped our history as a country.

In Dance class, we looked at different types of indigenous dance styles and the meaning of them.

To celebrate Indigenous People’s Month, Mrs. Covaci’s juniors read Navajo and Iroquois creations stories. One creation story told by the Iroquois tribe that we read was called, “The Earth on Turtle’s Back.” After reading the stories, students wrote their own creation stories.

This month Mrs. Covaci’s seniors prepared to read, “Beowulf”. We were learning about warrior culture and Beowulf’s battle cry, which he performs before he fights Grendel. To see a battle cry in action the seniors watched the Haka, which is a ceremonial dance performed by the Maori of New Zealand.

Special Project:

To begin the class, students think about and share brief stories shared by their grandparents, if they wish.

Then, students quickly skim a Wikipedia article about the Kiowa people to build context for our reading assignment of the day, while listening to the Kiowa buffalo song.

Next, students take turns reading the excerpt from "The Way to Rainy Mountain" by N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer-Prize winning poet and author, found in our textbook. Students get a better understanding of the landscape described in the memoir by viewing "Return to Rainy Mountain" by Jill Momaday (https://www.pbs.org/articles/2020/11/what-to-watch-native-american-heritage-month-2020/) as homework, recalling details from the film for a homework assignment.

Finally, students prepare to compose a short memoir of the oldest person to attend their upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations by conducting interviews during the Thanksgiving break. Students who do not celebrate Thanksgiving will coordinate interviews during this time period as well.

English III

We studied and discussed Native American culture represented in the Origin Myths of the Onondaga, Modoc and Navajo peoples.

In English class, we watched a PBS video on the Native American warrior traditions. Then we compared them to Anglo-Saxon warrior values as seen in Beowulf.

In English, we read "The Earth on Turtle's Back" and had a class discussion.

• I shared via classroom, a Native American Astronaut named Mary Golda Ross who is a NASA mathematician/Engineer. She is of the Cherokee Tribe.

• I used personal experience with both my science classes that my grandmother is Native American also of the Cherokee Tribe and was married to my grandfather who was a Blackfoot Indian. I shared where they were born and how we pass on our traditions orally. My family emphasized living "off the land," so we ate lots of fruits and vegetables that are grown and canned.

• Students began to share about their family histories and it was revealed that some of my students have Native American background.

I read an excerpt about selected individuals each day in class--examples are attached.

In Health Class we talked about how everyone needs to be treated equally. Also how important it is to learn how to communicate effectively across the board.

In my American Studies I class, we have been discussing the role of Native Americans in the English colonies.

We also speak about their relationship with settlers and completed a cultural comparison chart between Natives, Europeans, and Africans earlier this year.

Indigenous People Project

We are moving forward with our person of the month. This month's focus is indigenous people. On Monday and Tuesday, each class voted on their person and then on Thursday, the school voted. We will announce the winner at the end of the month.

This project is based on...

My U.S. I class is working on a "Cultural Person of the Year" project. I have a calendar that lists all the cultural awareness months of the year and then I created two templates like Time magazine-- Cover photo and article.

When each of my U.S. I classes finishes with the project, they will vote in the class for the best person of the year for that class. I will then send it out in a Google form to the whole school to get the "Cultural Person of the Year" for that month voted on by the school. I will build a website to host it on.

Environmental Science:

We discussed how the Quapaw tribe had their land taken away for lead mining in Picher, Oklahoma, the most toxic town in the United States.

Now the tribe is in charge of the clean up of the superfund site.

We watched Sacred Planet. Some of the wildest, most beautifully stunning landscapes on Earth are captured in this IMAX documentary, spanning the globe from the Grand Canyon and the parched desert of Namibia to the ancient forests of British Columbia and the rain forests of Borneo.

But the film also focuses on the indigenous people of these extraordinary places, who each explain how they live in harmony with the planet and with the many animals who also call it home. The film includes narration by Robert Redford.

We studied the story of Crazy Horse in ESL 2.

As part of our FTSD efforts to address mental health awareness, we have partnered with the NJ Division of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to present this important information.

Especially now during these turbulent times, mental health matters! We're here to help any way we can! It's ok to not be ok! The first step is knowing! Please make a point to attend!

Link to the website to register is: https://tsl12102020.attendease.com/

Please use this resource to complete/update/sign-off on important electronic forms. Afterwards, please use this extremely valuable tool to monitor your child's grades, assignments and attendance.

Progress Reports after 2 p.m. in Genesis on December 18. To view your child’s progress report, simply log in to Genesis (https://parents.genesisedu.com/florence) and click on the “Grading” tab at the top of the window.

Also, please feel free to login 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.

Black and Latino Student Union

Class of 2021

Class of 2022

Class of 2023

Class of 2024

Computer Science Club

Cultural Awareness for Everyone

Debate Team

Environmental Club

Game Club

Interact

Marching Band Director

Marching Band--Front Line

National Honor Society

Newspaper Club

Science League Competitions

Student Council

Yearbook

The Black and Latinx Student Union has been meeting twice a week. The meetings have been great covering things like stereotypes, colorism, micro-aggressions, etc.

We are currently partnering with Interact and Student Council with the food drive and toiletries for the homeless.

Advisor: Mr. McEnnis

Class of 2021 Officers

President: Nadja Savage

Vice President: Julia Najem

Secretary: Allison Slotkin

Treasurer: Fabiha Usha

Historian: Mohammed Islam

Advisors: Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Zucchero

The Class of 2021 had a very eventful November. During the month, the class was informed that, due to the uncertainity of how the status of the pandemic will impact travel and activities at theme parks, the Disney Senior Class trip would not occur.

An "Alternative Senior Class Trip Committee" was created. The committee will work with Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Zucchero, and Mrs. Sadar to brainstorm alternative Senior Class trip ideas/options. Any new information will be shared when it becomes available.

Community Service Project:

The Class of 2021 is also working with the Class of 2022 to sponsor a Covid-19 Drive to collect supply items for the Florence Township School District. The items being collected include sanitizing wipes and sprays, hand sanitizer, masks, hand soap, and tissues.

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Mrs. Zucchero or Mrs. Smith at azucchero@florence.k12.nj.us or gsmith@florence.k12.nj.us.

We hope everyone has a safe and healthy holiday season!

Advisors: Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Zucchero

Class of 2022

President: Lana Duke

Vice President: Chinenye Nwagbaraji

Treasurer: Alyssa Baldorossi

Secretary: Cassaundra Alicea

Historian: Samara Lakhan

Advisors: Mrs. L. Pereda and Mr. C. Pereda

Thank you to everyone who supported our joint Junior/Senior COVID-19 Supply Drive. We appreciate your contributions.

Continue to check our Google Classroom to stay up to date with future events.

Advisors: Mrs. Pereda and Mr. Pereda

Class of 2023 Officers

President: Mya Cabanas Montero

Vice President: Abigail Anthony
Secretary: Maiyah McDuffie
Treasurer: Kate Woolston

Historian: Sydney Slotkin

Advisors: Mrs. Holmstedt and Ms. Tannenbaum

"Future Flashes Night" switched gears this year to an "all virtual" event due to the pandemic. Extracurricular clubs and activities were asked to create a short video for next year's incoming freshman students.

The Class of 2023, once again, continued to impress, as the video created will surely be inspirational to all who watch.

Special thanks to Mya Cabanas Montero for coordinating and creating such a wonderful representation of the sophomore class.

Class Advisors: Ms. Tannenbaum and Mrs. Holmstedt

Class of 2024 Officers

President: John Paul Dunphy

Vice President: Darien Woody

Secretary: Madelynn Hoch

Treasurer: Kaycee Carnival

Historian: Shadman Adib

The Freshman Class will be running a "Socks and Gloves for the Homeless" donation campaign from Nov. 23 - Dec. 11.

Please bring new socks and gloves to the drop off box under the Class of 2024 banner outside the teacher room "fishbowl."

The items will be delivered to the St. Francis Inn homeless shelter before the holiday break.

Advisors: Mrs. Byrne and Mr. Varga

The Computer Science Club is continuing to work on an app through thunkable.

We are also researching some other online competitions as well as esports information.

Interested students should contact Mr. Roberson at rroberson@florence.k12.nj.us ASAP.

Advisor: Mr. Roberson

CAFE members have been busy writing recipes and drafting graphics in preparation for creating a digital cookbook of international cuisine to spread cultural awareness.

Stay tuned for the final result!

Contact Ms. Diaz if you are interested in joining the club -- jdiaz@florence.k12.nj.us

Advisor: Ms. Diaz

Did you know that our school has a competitive Debate Team?

Last year, our Varsity debaters won third place in their division in the league, a remarkable achievement for a team only in its second year of competition.

We participate in the South Jersey Debate League, and debate with students from 14 area high schools. Our topic this year is especially appealing to students who are interested in equity. 2020-2021 Policy Debate Topic :

Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing. Please consider joining Debate. We compete from December through February (online this year).

Meetings are held online on Mondays at 2:30 pm. Get in touch with Mrs. Hughes at lhughes@florence.k12.nj.us to join our team.

Advisor: Mrs. Hughes

Co-Presidents: Mesbah Monower and Logan Trayner

For the month of November, students in the Environmental Club learned about flora and fauna of New Jersey. Students discussed various topics involving the environment of Florence and New Jersey as a whole.

Students are looking forward to an upcoming virtual field trip to Clayton Park in Monmouth County.

Advisor: Mr. DuBrul

President: Gursahajpreet Singh

Vice-President: Alexandra Witty

Secretary: Finley Charles

The Game Club is in full swing and we held a Game Club Social where we ran through a few rounds of a "free" game called Among Us. The game has a 10 person limit, but there were a few slots that remained open during the social.

Don't let the quarantine get you down. If you are interested in having a good time meeting new people or hanging with some old friends, then you should consider joining the Game Club. Meetings are on Tuesdays and start at 3:00 pm. Contact Mr. Weatherbee if you are interested. mweatherbee@florence.k12.nj.us

Advisor: Mr. Weatherbee

The 2020-2021 Interact Officers are:

President: Rajveer Kaur

Vice President: Fabiha Usha

Secretary: Hazal Akkaya

Treasurer: Logan Trayner

Sergeant at Arms: Gursahajpreet Singh

The Interact Club is continuing to collect plastic for its second bench from the TREX company. The group already collected 500 pounds of plastic to complete one bench.

"Naming the Homeless" Drive

They are also participating in a drive to collect items for "Naming the Homeless," an organization which seeks to assist homeless individuals by learning about their stories and putting a “face” on the plight of homelessness in our area.

Items they need include: Scarves, Hats, Gloves, Socks, Soap, Shampoo, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Brushes, Deodorant, Hand Sanitizer, Instant Soup, and Refillable Water Bottles. The group is also collecting signed holiday cards to put in each care package.

The Interact Club also assisted with packing Thanksgiving boxes for families in the Florence Township community.

Advisor: Ms. Rodan

The FTMHS Marching Flashes were able to participate in two virtual Tournament of Bands competitions during the month of November.

On Monday, November 2, they made their recording for the November 7 competition, and on Tuesday, November 10, they made their recording for the November 14 competition.

The events themselves consisted of a Zoom meeting with our marching band staff and adjudicators from Tournament of Bands giving feedback on the recordings we supplied.

The Marching Flashes did an excellent job, getting many compliments on their marching technique, musicianship, and ability to achieve a high level of performance in such a short and unusual season.

Congratulations to these hard working students for a successful 2020 season!

Director: Mrs. Croley

Front Line: Mr. Obetz

As COVID numbers rise in our state, the FTMHS Musical team is still weighing our options and trying to come up with a plan to facilitate SOME type of performance that will give our students the best experience possible, but still remain SAFE.

Thank you for your patience while we navigate this difficult time, and stay tuned for more updates!

Director: Mr. Donovan

President: Allison Slotkin

Vice President: Katherine Hein

Secretary: Krystyna Laszkowski

Treasurer: Fabiha Usha

Parlimentarian: Rajveer Kaur

Historian: Matthew Adkins

Advisors: Ms. Diaz and Mr. Weatherbee

Fundraiser

NHS members sold out of the Pura Vida bracelets in record time--raising over $300 for the NHS!

Projects/Activities

During November, the NHS also participated in community based park cleanups and assisted with local food pantries to prepare Thanksgiving baskets to donate.

The NHS Tutor Center opened, and it has been very successful. It will run during Catch Up & Connect days on advertised dates. Please reach out to Ms. Diaz to request peer tutoring.

NHS Officers and Advisors attended the LEAD Spark Conference November 20-21.

Upcoming NHS events include a Children's Book Drive that will run December - January to support the Reach Out & Read program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), ongoing collection of canned goods to donate to the local food pantry to assist local families and ongoing yard cleanup projects.

More events to be announced in the future!

Advisors: Ms. Diaz and Mr. Weatherbee

This past month the Newspaper Club was working diligently to ensure our first publication was ready for the November deadline. We met every Thursday where we discussed and workshopped articles. You can view the latest publication at Florencesentinel.wordspress.com.

Writers have begun preparing issue two with an anticipated publication date in early February.

If you are interested in joining the Newspaper Club, new members are always welcome. Please contact the advisors:

Mr. Lamaestra: jlamaestra@florence.k12.nj.us

Mrs. Covaci: lcovaci@florence.k12.nj.us

Meetings are scheduled for:

• December 10
• December 17

Advisors: Mrs. Covaci and Mr. Lamaestra

The committee is forming. If you would like to join, there is still time!

Visit your grade level Google Classroom to sign up!

Advisor: Ms. Levine

Student Council

President: Grace Skinner

Vice President: Cassaundra Alicea

Secretary: Finley Charles

Treasurer: Breanna Ojeikere

BOE Rep.: Gabrielle Fleming

Historians: Mya Cabanas Montero and Michael Dunphy

Executive Members: Maiyah McDuffie and Sarah Olatubosun

"Giving Tuesday" Project

Student Council, along with the Interact Club, is participating in "Giving Tuesday."

"Giving Tuesday" is a National Day of Giving. Please join the Florence High School Student Council and Interact Club in participating in this worthwhile endeavor. Let’s show our community how much we care and teach our children to get excited about philanthropy.

We ask that on Tuesday, December 1, you drop off or send your child to school with items to support:

• Naming the Homeless
• FHS Food Drive, the
• St. Joseph's Inn sock and hat drive
• Class of 2021 and 2022 COVID Supply Drive.

Thank you for making a difference in our community!

Positive Vibes Project

Student Council will be spreading cheer and positive vibes throughout the school year by decorating lockers with a paper cut out each month. The cut out for December will be a snowflake. Students will be asked to write about their favorite holiday traditions on each snowflake. These will then be posted throughout the building.

Over 60 Thanksgiving Baskets...

The group also completed more than 60 Thanksgiving baskets to help those in need in our community.

We would like to the thank:

• Florence United Methodist Church for a large donation of food items and turkeys,
• Creamoland Dairy for a donation of milk, eggs, and juice, and
• Bonduelle Fresh for a donation of bagged salads for each family.

We would also like to thank Vinny G's for hosting a Dine to Donate to help us raise funds to support the food drive.

We also appreciate the support of McHugh Insurance and Mannino Construction for their generous donations.

The generosity of community members has been phenomenal and truly heartwarming.

We are continuing to collect food for the winter holidays through December 11.

Advisor: Ms. Rodan

This school year is not typical, and we need everyone's help to make the yearbook a success. We are looking for responses to the Yearbook surveys posted on grade level Classrooms. If you haven't submitted yours yet, please check your grade level classroom for information about how to submit your information/photos. Keep your eye out for more surveys.

The Yearbook Club has been gathering photos. In meetings, we were preparing for our first deadline at the end of November. We are still looking for pictures of what school looks like from your view. Send your pictures to us!

New members are still welcome. Tentative December meeting dates are December 8 and 15. If interested in joining the Yearbook staff, please contact:

Mrs. Eckart aeckart@florence.k12.nj.us or Mrs. Covaci lcovaci@florence.k12.nj.us

• Preserve a piece of history with a school yearbook.

• Full-color yearbooks are currently on sale for $75. A payment plan is available through Jostens. See the link below ordering yearbooks:
• https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=1562364
  

Proud PARENTS:

Celebrate your student with a purchase of a parent recognition ad.

See the link below for further details and pricing.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=1562364

Advisors: Mrs. Eckart and Ms. Covaci

The Florence Twp. Memorial High School Parent Organization (FTMHSPO) is an active parent group who meets regularly to discuss and plan ideas and events as well as support the well being of our students, staff and administration as needed.

The FTMHSPO participates in fundraising, spirit events for the students, Prom Fashion Show, Breakfast with Santa & the Grinch, teacher grants, teacher appreciation lunches and dinners and more.

We are always looking for new ideas and welcome ALL FTMHS parents to join! No membership fees are required! To sign up please complete the following form. For more information please contact us at ftmhspo@gmail.com.

https://forms.gle/ALmC5WSganPWM7aT8

The FHS Parent Organization offers a program where you can purchase gift cards from us for Shop Rite, Roebling Town Market & Acme and then a percentage goes into an account for your child to pay for class/school expenses later on! Check it out! See the flyer below.

“I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Anonymous

Character Education -- November Character Trait is "Helpfulness"

The development of GOOD CHARACTER is not an isolated skill to be taught in one area of a child’s life. It is an effort of home, school, and community to instill in our young people good values. The development of good character touches our personal development, it impacts our success with academic development in learning, and good character is essential in the workforce to be successful in our careers.

Bullying:
Going back to school this year looks a bit different for all students. Some students are attending class in person, some are learning from home and others may be doing both. Bullying prevention is one way to support students so they can get the most out of their education. Educators, teachers, parents and caregivers all play a role in children's learning and in bullying prevention. Read more on StopBullying.gov.

Have you visited this website yet? If not, please consider doing so. “Don’t Let New Jersey Go to Pot.” https://nopotnj.org/

Other Resources:

2020 National Alcohol and Drug IQ Test - Test your knowledge!

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/quiz/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week/take-iq-challenge/2020

Social Emotional Intelligence

If you could teach one set of skills to every child in the world, what would it be? What if it could be something that would bring intelligence and compassion to decision-making, reduce (or end?) violence, embed within humanity a drive towards kindness, empathy and create relationships that connect, heal, nurture and flourish those who are in them? Social-emotional intelligence could do this, and if we could teach it to every child on the planet, by the time the world was in their hands we would be living in an amazing one.
https://www.heysigmund.com/social-emotional-intelligence/

Counseling Support Services:

I'm available for consultation, support, counseling and referral services including:

• Academic.

• Family Alcohol/Drug Use.

• Technology Dependence.

• Anxiety and Depression.

• Divorce.

• Behavior Management.

• Other Mental Health Concerns.

Contact Information:

Please contact ​Mr. Lamaestra at the high school at (609)499-4620 x 4225 or email me at jlamaestra@florence.k12.nj.us if you have any concerns or questions and follow me on Twitter for important news, motivation and updates @FT​SD_Counselor.

I'm also available for consultation, support, and referral services even during these days of virtual learning. Please contact me via email to make the appropriate arrangements.

jlamaestra@florence.k12.nj.us

Student Assistance Coordinator: Mr. Lamaestra

The high school counselors, Mrs. Sebastian and Mr. Varga, invite you to visit the updated Counseling Department website which is accessible from the high school main page or by clicking here. There you will find useful information and links for academic support, mental health resources, college planning and research, post-secondary financial aid, etc.

ASVAB Testing:

Select 12th graders will take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery for free at the high school on January 13, 2021. Results can be used for career exploration, armed services entry testing and state graduation testing purposes. Scores will be given directly to students and will not be shared with recruiters. Students should speak with their Counselor if they are interested.

1st Marking Period Report Cards became viewable in Genesis on Friday November 13. If a student has outstanding fines, the grade will not be viewable until the fines are cleared. Course grades impact sports eligibility, credits towards graduation, grade point average and class rank. In high school, a grade of 64 or below is a failing grade. Please contact your child’s teachers with any questions or concerns.

Seniors

Senior Class College Packets can be found in 12th grade English Google classrooms, the Class of 2021 Google classroom and on our counseling department website. This PDF packet contains a wealth of information about the college application process. Seniors have a few tasks to do in their Naviance Student accounts, such as requesting recommendation letters and completing the Student Brag Sheet and Scholarship Application.

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:

Seniors and parents are invited to view the RCBC Virtual Information Session video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqZrI8Xc0LM&feature=youtu.be

Step 2:

Apply online for FREE at www.rcbc.edu before Feb. 5, 2021 and ask your counselor to send your official transcript.

Step 3:

On Feb. 24, 2021 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 14, 2021.

College Admissions Testing

The SAT and ACT have undergone significant changes due to COVID-19. Please visit their official websites for the most current information. More than 1,400 four-year colleges and universities are now test-optional for this admissions cycle in response to the effects of the pandemic. Check a particular college’s Admissions Office site for their admissions requirements and testing information before you register for a test.

College Financial Aid Information

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2021-22 school year opened on October 1, 2020. You will need information from the parent’s and student’s 2019 tax return. Visit fafsa.gov to get started.

If you are applying to any New Jersey schools, you can find your state financial aid information on the HESAA website in your NJFAMS account which can be found under the Students tab. https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/Default.aspx

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

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 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.

Operating Virtually

School counselors are available through email and virtual meetings. Email is the best avenue to reach your school counselor. To schedule an appointment, students and parents may email the school counselor directly to find a mutually agreed upon date/time.

Mr. Joseph Varga: jvarga@florence.k12.nj.us

Mrs. Nancy Sebastian: nsebastian@florence.k12.nj.us

If you or someone you know is in crisis, reach out to their parent or guardian and these local agencies:

NJ PerformCare Mobile Response: 877-652-7624

Screening & Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP): 609-835-6180

For emergencies: call 911

Our website also lists many available resources:

https://sites.google.com/a/florence.k12.nj.us/ftmhs-counseling-department/home?overridemobile=true

Counselors: Mrs. Sebastian and Mr. Varga

Here are two very valuable links that we 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 exams on the following dates this year:

AP United States Government & Politics – May 3rd @ 8:00 a.m.

AP Calculus AB – May 4th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP English Literature and Composition – May 5th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP United States History – May 6th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP Chemistry – May 7th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP European History – May 7th @ 12:00 p.m.

AP French Language and Culture – May 10th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP Spanish Language and Culture – May 11th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP English Language and Composition – May 12th @ 8:00 a.m.

AP Microeconomics – May 12th @ 12:00 p.m.

AP Biology – May 14th @ 8:00 a.m.

The cost of each AP exam is $86. Checks and money orders are acceptable forms of payment. We are not permitted to accept cash. Please make your check or money order payable to “Florence Township Memorial High School.” Please drop off or have your children drop off their AP payment to Mrs. Belcher in the Main Office. If your child is in our Free and Reduced Lunch Program, then the College Board and the District will work together to cover the cost of your child’s AP exam(s). Please email Mrs. Belcher at kbelcher@florence.k12.nj.us to register your child for his/her exam in this circumstance.

Our only second-semester AP course is Microeconomics, and we will need to know whether or not your child will be taking that test by Friday, February 26th. The money needed to order the AP Microeconomics test will also be due on February 26th.

This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College Board is not going to charge us if we cancel our order for your child, provided we do so at the beginning of March. Although we strongly encourage all of our AP students to take their AP exams, we will be able to refund you for the cost of the exam as long as you cancel your order by Wednesday, March 3rd. In order to cancel an AP exam for your son or daughter, all that you need to do is email our AP Coordinator, Ms. Barbara Fazekas, at bfazekas@florence.k12.nj.us.

Here are some considerations for small gatherings from the CDC.

Considerations for Small Gatherings of Family and Friends

Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household (who are consistently taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19) poses the lowest risk for spread. Your household is anyone who currently lives and shares common spaces in your housing unit (such as your house or apartment). This can include family members, as well as roommates or people who are unrelated to you.

People who do not currently live in your housing unit, such as college students who are returning home from school for the holidays, should be considered part of different households. In-person gatherings that bring together family members or friends from different households, including college students returning home, pose varying levels of risk.

Organizers and attendees of larger events should consider the risk of virus spread based on event size (number of attendees and other factors) and take steps to reduce the possibility of infection, as outlined in the Considerations for Events and Gatherings.

Several factors can contribute to the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 at small in-person gatherings. In combination, these factors will create various amounts of risk:

• Community levels of COVID-19 – High or increasing levels of COVID-19 cases in the gathering location, as well as in the areas where attendees are coming from, increase the risk of infection and spread among attendees. Family and friends should consider the number of COVID-19 cases in their community and in the community where they plan to celebrate when deciding whether to host or attend a gathering. Information on the number of cases in an area can often be found on the local health department website.

• Exposure during travel – Airports, bus stations, train stations, public transport, gas stations, and rest stops are all places travelers can be exposed to the virus in the air and on surfaces.

• Location of the gathering – Indoor gatherings, especially those with poor ventilation (for example, small enclosed spaces with no outside air), pose more risk than outdoor gatherings.

• Duration of the gathering – Gatherings that last longer pose more risk than shorter gatherings. Being within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more greatly increases the risk of becoming sick and requires a 14-day quarantine.

• Number and crowding of people at the gathering – Gatherings with more people pose more risk than gatherings with fewer people. CDC does not have a limit or recommend a specific number of attendees for gatherings. The size of a holiday gathering should be determined based on the ability of attendees from different households to stay 6 feet (2 arm lengths) apart, wear masks, wash hands, and follow state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations.

• Behaviors of attendees prior to the gathering – Individuals who did not consistently adhere to social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart), mask wearing, handwashing, and other prevention behaviors pose more risk than those who consistently practiced these safety measures.

• Behaviors of attendees during the gathering – Gatherings with more safety measures in place, such as mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing, pose less risk than gatherings where fewer or no preventive measures are being implemented. Use of alcohol or drugs may alter judgment and make it more difficult to practice COVID-19 safety measures.

New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub

The COVID-19 Information Hub is now online. The New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub provides New Jerseyans with the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the State's response, including information about services such as food assistance and small business assistance.

Visit the COVID-19 Information Hub.

Please make sure your student's COVID/wellness form is completed every day BEFORE they come to school. The form can be found on either the parent or student genesis portal under the forms tab. It can be completed starting at 6 p.m. the evening before.

If you are filling out the form and the warning box comes up, you must stay home. Please contact me for the next steps to take.

Nurse: Mrs. Emery

The fall season is coming to a close and below are the records of how our teams finished:

Girls Soccer: 4-7

Football: 3-3

Field Hockey: 7-6

Boys Soccer: 9-5-1

Winter sports registration is still open and will come to a close on December 11. Please get your physicals and paperwork in on time.

Below are the adjusted start dates for winter sports.

Boys and Girls Basketball

First Practice: January 11

First Competition: January 26

Last Competition: March 6

Volleyball and Wrestling (Co-Op w/Bordentown)

First Practice: March 1

First Competition: March 16

Last Competition: April 24

Please contact the athletic office with any questions.

Contact Information:

Kyle Kaminskas, Athletic Director/Assistant Principal --Extension 4150

Mary Ellen Cassidy, AD Secretary (609)-499-4620, Extension 4149

Audrey Tannenbaum, Athletic Trainer--Extension 4154.

John Cogan, Principal--Extension 4202.

Maria E. Sadar, Vice Principal--Extension 4204.

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!

Website: www.florence.k12.nj.us
Location: 1050 Cedar Lane, Florence, NJ, 08016
Phone: (609) 499-4620
Twitter: @FTSD_HS