As the Principal of Middletown High School North I am pleased to report the many positive happenings that have taken place during our first month of school.  Hopefully, you were able to attend our Back to School Night on September 27^th and were able to meet the staff and observe firsthand the numerous improvements in our building.

Academic Assistance Classes:

Students in the Foundations Math classes have been working with “Question Quest” to practice open-ended questions.  They have also conducted surveys to accumulate data, construct different graphs and use them to create group presentations.  In the Foundations English classes, the students were quite successful in their second summer reading book.  Some seniors have been working on their SRA projects this month.

Business Department:

Ms. Turner had a special speaker from Berkeley College address the students on self-assessment activities and appropriate attitude and dress for job and college interviews.

Child Development Classes:

Nick Trezza, speech pathologist and football coach, spoke to the Child Development classes on language acquisition and abilities of preschoolers.  On September 26^th parents and preschoolers enrolled and attended an Orientation Program in the Child Development classroom. The Ellison Paper Cutter was delivered and is presently in use to decorate bulletin boards and classroom displays.

English Department:

Students attended a production of Our Town at the Two Rivers Theatre in Red Bank.  They participated in the Asbury Park Essay Contest for the month.

Functional Design/Fine Arts Classes: 

Students had a field trip on September 28^th to the Hot Sand Glass Studio in Asbury Park.  Every student made a piece of artwork that will be on display in the front showcase. Several bulletin boards and a display case were also decorated for our Back to School Night. Carin Trocchia will be the new advisor for the Future Educators of America, and Amy Wilder will be the co-advisor of the Social Justice Committee.

Guidance Department:

The counselors enrolled and scheduled 78 new students and made adjustments to many schedules. The rank for Seniors was finalized.  50 colleges were represented at a college Mini-Fair in the Cafeteria. Counselors met with Sophomores and Juniors in their English classes to present information on the PSATs.  Some counselors presented information on “How to Write the College Essay” to English 12 classes.  Guidance information was distributed during the Back to School Night.

Math Department:

There are two new courses implemented this year:  Principles of Engineering and Fundamentals of Calculus. The Math League opened its season with a good showing at its first competition.  Teachers are utilizing more problem centered activities with laptops and Smart Boards in their classes.

Music Department:

Chorus—Produced a Middletown North music decal; conducted a clothing sale; held half choir practices on Tuesdays from 2:15-3:00PM; sold after school snacks to benefit senior awards; coordinated a fall mum sale.

Marching Band--  Group I –earned a Second Place at the Edison High School Fall Extravaganza; presented a Rock History Timeline from 1900-1954.

Physical Education Department:

Students participated in physical fitness tests, and their results have been recorded to document improvement during the semester.  Teachers have been using the Mountain Trail Bikes and the Computerized Babies to enhance their curricula.

Science Department:

Labs in the department have been scheduled so that the majority of rooms have students at the same level (general, college prep and advanced).   There is a full compliment of working and matching microscopes for each set of Biology labs.  Rick Unterstein is applying for a grant to purchase leading edge equipment that he was introduced to during a two week workshop given by the Molecular Biology Department at Princeton University this summer.

The Biology teachers have been collaborating on assignments, labs, Do Nows and test questions that focus on higher level questioning and the types of material our students might see on the Bio HSPA in May 2008.

The Marine Science Class went on a field trip to Sandy Hook.  Specimens they collected are now residing in the aquariums set up by the students in the Marine Science classroom.  The students were introduced to many of the concepts that will be discussed throughout the year through a “real world” experience.   Students were also taken on a one-hour tour of the NOAA labs at Sandy Hook, during which time, many of the on-going research projects were explained to them by Dr. Chris Chambers and his assistant, Ms. Victoria Taibe.

Social Studies Department:

Some World History classes taught by Ms. Laue and Mrs. D’Alessandro completed Pre-Renaissance projects.  Ellen Hill planned and coordinated an AP History trip to Plymouth and Boston.   Current events were covered each week using Newsweek and the Asbury Park Press.

Special Education Department:

Many of the teachers are implementing the Innovations in Design (IDE) Portal in their classrooms.  They are incorporation problem based learning activities, performance based assessments and rubrics in their lesson planning and student evaluations.

World Language Department:

All Spanish teachers are helping to coordinate activities and participants for the Latino American Heritage assembly scheduled for October. The World Language Societies (French, German, Italian, Latin and Spanish) are currently selecting officers and identifying the new members who meet the language requirements for induction.

Beautification Projects:

Thanks to the generosity of Michael Finnegan from the Universal Landscaping Company, we have been able to plant shrubs and mums around the Lion Monument and to continue with the renovation of the Courtyard and Reflective Garden areas.

Many staff members, coaches and club advisors decorated the bulletin boards, showcases and classrooms for Back to School Night on September 27^th.

Linda Shope, Liz Baker and Peter Isherwood have been working with our Seniors on Operation Lion.  To date, they have painted the lion paws in our school driveways, hung inspirational quotes throughout the building and painted room locations in our hallways.

Susan Nazath has been taking numerous photographs of students and staff and creating poster collages to display in our hallways to increase morale and North Pride.

Senior Parents:  We need your help and support in providing assistance to Jessica Gavini and Jennifer Smith, class advisors, for the Haunted Halls fundraiser at the end of this month.