Dear SBS Community,

March is New Jersey STEM Month, an opportunity to highlight the Garden State’s high profile and accomplishments in science, technology, engineering, math and innovation.

At SBS, STEM is very important to our curriculum, and we incorporate fun-filled science, technology, engineering and math activities in our classrooms.

We were honored to host the recent STEM competition for seventh- and eighth-graders known as “Engineered,” modeled after the reality cooking show “Chopped.” It was our sixth straight year hosting the event, and this year, students from both SBS teams took home awards! Seventh-graders Elizabeth Allora and Lily Feliciano won first place, and eighth-graders Kerri Klafter and Madelyn Doody won third place.

Congratulations to the other participating teams from Little Silver’s Markham Place School, Red Bank Regional Middle School and Red Bank Charter School. See the story below for event photos and more details about the competition.

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A real-life issue, a call for creative solutions and contestants facing off for prizes: The annual “Engineered” competition has all the makings of a reality show.

And sure enough, SBS students turned in star performances: Seventh-graders Elizabeth Allora and Lily Feliciano (third and second from right) won first place, and eighth-graders Kerri Klafter and Madelyn Doody (at left) won third place. It was the sixth straight year that SBS hosted the STEM event, competing against teams from Little Silver’s Markham Place School, Red Bank Regional Middle School and Red Bank Charter School.

The competition’s theme was helping the elderly, with New Jersey’s growing senior citizen population in mind, said SBS STEM Club advisor and middle school science teacher Mrs. Allison Wiesel.

Teams presented their solutions to judges during the three-hour competition, which asked them to design a rake that could be used without bending down and a walker that could transport a meal, drink and cell phone. Each team received a mystery envelope with three supplies, including gears and mini wheels, that they were required to use for their compact models.

“I have received feedback from the other schools that this competition is looked forward to all year long by their students,” Mrs. Wiesel said. “I want the students to have fun and enjoy ‘Engineered!’ but my greatest hope is that students come away from the competition with an interest in science and engineering.”

The Shrewsbury Foundation for Education provided a grant for the event, which paid for supplies, T-shirts and Amazon gift cards for prizes.

SBS Tigers sailed across different worlds during Read Across America Week! Whether it was diving into a beloved childhood classic, exploring new perspectives, or celebrating the joy of storytelling, the week offered something special for everyone. With fun activities for grade levels, the event celebrated reading and the importance of books in shaping young minds and fostering creativity.

Thank you to our special community guest readers who stopped by the school to read to our students. Students also engaged in activities like the SPTA-Sponsored Bulletin Board/Door Decorating Contest, book-themed morning meeting shares, “Stop, Drop, and READ" drills run by SBS Superintendent and Shrewsbury Fire Chief Mr. MacConnell and the SPTA-Sponsored Scholastic Book Fair.

Third-grade students are strengthening their reading and writing skills as they work in a nonfiction unit.

Teacher Christine Morgan said that students used various strategies — such as boxes and bullets — to identify the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction texts as part of the Reader’s Workshop.

In Writer’s Workshop, they apply this same strategy to organize their animal research as they prepare to write essays. The box represents the main idea, such as an animal’s habitat, diet, or adaptations, while the bullets list the supporting facts gathered from research. This method helps students structure their essays clearly, ensuring they include important details in a logical way.

“Through the Writer’s Workshop process — brainstorming, researching, drafting, revising, and editing — our students have been learning to transform their notes into well-organized paragraphs,” Ms. Morgan said. “Using peer feedback and teacher guidance, they are working on developing strong topic sentences and using transition words effectively, while gaining confidence as nonfiction writers.”

Mrs. Cuervo’s fourth-grade class created their own “books,” with students using the boxes-and-bullets method from Lucy Calkins’ renowned reading workshop. The students researched and published a five-paragraph essay on whether they thought zoos were ethical.

Through their research, they supported their opinion with evidence and examples.

This lesson also coincided with reading workshop lessons as the class wrapped up one of its favorite novels, “The One and Only Ivan.”

Fourth-graders in Mrs. Larsen’s class are learning about the American Revolution by “chatting” with George Washington, Paul Revere, King George III and others in an innovative Bringing History to Life program.

The Unit Three program, part of the Writer’s Workshop, has students asking an AI computer program questions and then promptly receiving responses as if they were from the historic figure.

The students will soon write books on the American Revolution, as well as a focused topic of their choosing and a story (historical narrative). The class learned research skills in a recent unit, and the Magic School's Research Assistant is part of their storytelling process.

“They loved speaking to George Washington and Samuel Adams and finding out about their experiences during the Revolution,” Mrs. Larsen said.

At the end of the unit, students will reenact The Second Continental Congress.

Students in grades 5-8 learned how to establish healthy boundaries and respect those of others at a special program developed by SBS Counselor Darianne Mastricola with 180 Turning Lives Around, an organization that promotes awareness of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships.

As part of the partnership, a guest speaker from 180 Turning Lives Around led an interactive assembly, teaching students how to identify their feelings when boundaries are ignored and what steps to take if that happens.

Parents will be able to benefit from a 180 Turning Lives Around session in the spring with the Shrewsbury Alliance. A second assembly will be held with students in grades 7 and 8. Information will be shared with parents before the events.

Our next spotlight continues with Ms. Alison Hillen!

Can you describe your job?

Being a school nurse involves student health screenings, taking care of sick students during the school day, and keeping students and staff healthy and safe. The nurse is also responsible for wellness initiatives in the community, tracking all communicable diseases, working closely with the borough health department, monitoring trends of illness in the school community, health and wellness education and disease prevention.

How long have you worked at SBS?

I have worked at SBS since 2017.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Working closely with my students and staff and seeing the students and staff healthy and thriving in the school environment.

Why do you like working at SBS?

I love my coworkers, and I love the SBS parent community. I work with incredibly supportive and generous parents.

Can you share something about yourself?

I love to visit the beach, and when my toes are in the sand, I am a happy camper. I am also a huge fan of coffee.

Counting on fun: 100th and 101st days of school

Kindergartners and second-graders enjoyed the 100th day of school, while first-graders celebrated the 101st day with a variety of fun-filled activities.

Second-graders marked the milestone by building towers of 100 cups, completing 100 exercises, 100-piece puzzles, and participating in a photo booth pictures and bingo. Kindergarten students made and wore hats, and dressed up with canes and wigs to look like a centenarian. They even used an app to see what they would look like at age 100.

The first-graders marked the 101st day of school by dressing up as the 101 Dalmatians and joining in fun activities, including drawing and building a paper chain. Mrs. Kulovitz made a great Cruella de Vil!

How cool: SBS flavor competes in Ice Cream Wars

Get ready for the Ice Cream Wars, SBS!

Through March 23, be sure visit Nicholas Creamery in Fair Haven, Tinton Falls, Atlantic Highlands, Middletown, and/or Long Branch and order our SBS flavor: “White Tiger,” a decadent homemade marshmallow ice cream with an Oreo cookie swirl.

SBS’ ice cream is one of 14 school-created flavors in Nicholas Creamery’s Ice Cream Wars. Schools are competing for $2,500 in prizes!

Debate team has power of persuasion

The Shrewsbury Debate Team won first place at a recent debate competition at Knollwood School in Fair Haven. The two teams of seventh-graders won second and third overall, with Lila Feldman winning best speaker overall and taking the Golden Gavel Award.

The six debate club members began preparation three months before the competition. The event runs four rounds, with students debating a topic twice. Students received scores at the end of each round as well as feedback. SBS won more awards than any other school participating.

Tiger Day was a roaring success

Our SBS Tigers showed their spirit for Tiger Day on Feb. 27 to cheer on the girls basketball team in the championship game.

In addition, Grade 2 Tiger Elliot W. and Grade 3 Tiger Ella S. earned the first two "Tiger Bucks" before the school’s Read Across America celebration for getting "caught reading" during their lunch and recess. Thanks for setting the reading trend, Elliot and Ella!

Your voice matters! Attending board meetings can be a crucial component toward the foundational growth of a community's future. The responsibility of the SBS board relies on feedback to continue representing the concerns of our community, keeping a check on the educational needs of our students, and creating policies to ensure SBS runs smoothly.

Every board meeting allows time for public comment and participation, and we encourage you make to your voice heard at any upcoming meeting to learn and be an active member of the Shrewsbury community.

Join us during this month's meeting: Wednesday, March 19 at 7 p.m.