Somerville Public Schools

❄️🎉 From all of us at The Ville… Have a wonderful Winter Break! 🎉❄️ Take time to relax, enjoy the holidays, and return refreshed and ready for an amazing new year. We will see you back in the classroom on January 2nd! 🎒✨ #allin4theville #HappyHolidays #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature one of our staff members at The Ville who contributes to students' academic success and helps shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Van Derveer School's Ms. Allison Fresella! Allison Fresella has been a Speech Language Pathologist at Van Derveer for 4 years. She works with preschool to 5th-grade students to improve their speech, language, and social communication skills. She is also on the Autism Awareness and Strawberry Festival committees. Mrs. Fresella enjoys collaborating with all staff, including other therapists (OT & PT), on how to best support students in the school environment. She is passionate about acknowledging and valuing all forms of communication as communication comes in many different forms (writing, text, gestures, facial expressions, pictures/choice boards, sign language, speech, vocalizations, robust AAC systems)! Mrs. Fresella believes that play IS learning because it makes learning meaningful and fun while making learning to communicate a positive experience for her students. Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjstafffeature

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mr. Patrick Manna from Somerville Middle School! Coach Pat Manna has been Teaching at Somerville Middle School for 7 years and Coaching at Somerville High School for 8 years now. In the class room at SMS you can find Coach Manna in either the Resource Rooms or Monitoring the Restricted Study Room. At SHS Coach Manna is an Assistant Coach for the Football team along with the Boys Head Track and Field Coach, where he has helped win multiple State Sectional Championships in both sports. Coach Manna was not only born and raised, But currently still lives in Somerville (Class of 2012). This week Coach Manna was awarded the 2024 - 2025 Educational Services Professional Of The Year. Mr. Manna was recently named Somerville Middle School's 2024 Educational Services Professional of the Year recipient! His words of wisdom are "Somerville is Home, and there is no better place on Earth" If you ever are looking for Coach Manna you can find him somewhere in the 2.5 square miles of the Ville hanging out with his 13,000 closest friends. Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

❄️🎶 It’s Winter Concert Season here in The Ville! 🎶❄️ We’re excited to share some festive performances that’ll warm your hearts this season, beginning TONIGHT: 🎵 SHS Winter Choral Concert Thursday, December 12, 7:00 PM @ Somerville High School Auditorium Featuring Concert Choir, Chorale, A Cappella, Chamber, & Men’s Choir 🎼🎤 🎵 Van Derveer Elementary School Grade 4/5 Winter Concert Tuesday, December 17, 7:00 PM @ Somerville High School 🎵 Somerville Middle School Winter Concert Wednesday, December 18, 7:00 PM @ SMS Auditorium 🎵 SHS Symphonic Band & Wind Ensemble Winter Concert Thursday, December 19, 7:00 PM @ Somerville High School Auditorium 🎺🎶 Join us for evenings filled with music, joy, and holiday spirit! 🌟🎹✨ . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

🔔 Reminder! From Today: Monday, December 9th through Friday, December 13th, all VDV students will have half days due to Parent/Teacher Conferences 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫. Evening Conferences: Thursday, December 12th, 5–7 PM 🌙🗓 Dismissal Times: Preschool: 12:15 PM 🕛 K–5: 12:55 PM 🕧 Note: Lunch will be served for Preschool & Kindergarten students only 🍎🥪 Thank you for your cooperation! 🙌. . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Ms. Sarah Ligouri from Somerville High School! Sarah Liguori has been working within the Somerville School District for 11 years. For the last 5 years, she has been a Learning Disabilities Teaching Consultant/ Case Manager on the Child Study Team for SHS. She is also a member of the SMS Child Study Team and can often be found traveling between the two schools. Before working at the high school, Sarah taught fourth grade at VanDerveer Elementary School for 6 years. Although she loved being in the classroom, Ms. Liguori finds case management rewarding, too. This role has allowed her to liaise with multiple stakeholders to advocate for her students’ needs and help prepare them for post-secondary life. At SHS, Sarah is an active member of the Character Education Committee and the Building Data Committee. She also volunteers with the Peer2Peer Club and the Unified Bowling Team. Sarah has mentored new Child Study Team members in the district and enjoys helping her colleagues understand their new role in the district community. She won the district's "All-in for the Ville Award" in 2018 for her cross-curricular science project work with Mr. Skomba’s SHS Big History class. Sarah feels the most important and rewarding part of her job is building positive relationships with her students and seeing them grow as learners. She loves to teach students how to be good advocates for themselves and believes inclusion matters for everyone. Ms. Ligouri was recently named Somerville High School's 2024 Educational Services Professional of the Year recipient! Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjstafffeature #somervillenjschools

🌟 2024 Somerville District Educators of the Year & Educational Services Professionals recipients! 🌟 Today, Somerville Public School's announced our Educators of the Year & Educational Services Professionals of the Year! The Governor’s Educator of the Year Program honors the best of the best in education—recognizing innovation, student achievement, and dedication that extends far beyond the classroom.🏫🍎 This year, we are thrilled to announce our 2024 Somerville District Educators of the Year & Educational Services Professionals recipients! 🥳👏 📚 Van Derveer School: 🎉 Joelle Kessler 🎉 Jess Meyers 📚 Somerville High School: 🎉 Sarah Liguori 🎉 Gary Knoeppel 📚 Somerville Middle School: 🎉 Christina Eddleman 🎉 Patrick Manna Thank you for inspiring students in the Ville, fostering respect and collaboration amongst your peers, and leading with innovation and dedication to the entire Somerville community! 💛✨ . . #allin4theville #EducatorOfTheYearNJ #EducationalServicesProfessionalOfTheYearNJ #ThankYouEducators

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature one of our staff members at The Ville who contributes to students' academic success and helps shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Van Derveer School's Ms. Andrea Dominko! Ms. Dominko has been teaching at Van Derveer School for 18 years. She has been teaching first grade for all 18 years! Ms. Dominko received her certification for Teaching English as a second language. Within the first-grade classroom, she loves working with students learning English and seeing them progress as they learn a new language. Ms. Dominko is on Van Derveer’s Emergency Response Team and helps with other committees. She enjoys working with students of various ages in the Summer Enrichment Program. In Ms. Dominko’s classroom, she exemplifies the saying, “Be silly. Be honest. Be kind." Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡 Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Ms. Juliet Traum from Somerville Middle School! Juliet Traum has been an Occupational Therapist at Somerville for 4 years. She returned to school for her "Act 2" career, and her final fieldwork training was with Patti Clark at VDV. Lucky for Ms. Traum, a spot opened up in the middle and high school. Ms. Traum loves being an occupational therapist because she helps students with their gross motor, fine motor, attention, and social skills. OT is collaborative, and the teachers in all schools work as a team to support our students. Ms. Traum worked in Somerville's extended school year program this past summer. She worked with the preschool and elementary students. She has added a day at VDV to support some of our students there because she also enjoyed working with the younger kids. In OT, it often looks like the students are "just playing," but play is crucial. Play is not only the work of a child and student; it is the way they learn and the pathway to growth! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Ms. Pamela Vail from Somerville High School! Pamela Vail started in the district at VDV during the 2021/2022 school year. She started in the preschool ABA class and loved it. She was a one-to-one instructional assistant in the K-2 MD class for the following two years. She enjoyed her time learning new skills and building on previous experience. This is her first year at Somerville High School, working in the 18 to 21-year-old transition program and SIPS Cafe! She enjoys working with the students to help run Sips Cafe and improve their job skills! Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillestafffeature

📚 ✨ Happy National School Psychologists Week! 🎉 This week, we celebrate and recognize the amazing work of our school psychologists here at The Ville! This team of incredible individuals goes above and beyond to support our learners' well-being and academic success every day. From offering a listening ear to guiding students through tough choices, their impact can't be understated! Thank you for all you do for the Ville - Your hard work makes a difference! 💙 🧠 . . #NationalSchoolPsychologistsWeek #ThankYou #allin4theville

‼️ Reminder! ‼️ Somerville Public Schools will be closed Thursday, November 7th and Friday, November 8th for the NJEA Conference. Classes resume Monday, November 11th! . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

🚨 Due to a water main break, Somerville Public Schools will be closed today, Wednesday, October 30th. 🚨 Thank you for your understanding, and we apologize for any inconvenience. . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschoolclosing

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature one of our staff members at The Ville who contributes to students' academic success and helps shape their path here at Somerville! This week is Van Derveer School's Ms. Charlene Tackvic! Charlene Tackvic has been teaching at Van Derveer School for 25 years. Her passion for teaching and learning new things has led her to various roles within the school. In 2001, she started as a third-grade teacher who always found innovative ways to use technology in the classroom. This led her to become the K-5 Technology teacher in 2007. After pioneering the first Hour of Code in Somerville, her enthusiasm for coding and all that children can learn from it inspired her to initiate Coding classes at Van Derveer. This is her tenth year teaching Coding. Mrs. Tackvic has also enriched many students by teaching in tutoring programs and gifted and talented classes. She has served on various school and district committees and shared her knowledge and passion for teaching while presenting workshops for the district and at conferences. She co-created the Van Derveer yearbook with Jessica Meyers and was a co-yearbook advisor for 12 years. In 2008, she was the Governor’s Teacher of the Year and a Teacher Who Makes Magic. In 2016, she was recognized as a State Finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and named a NJ Exemplar Elementary Educator. Mrs. Tackvic strives each day to teach students how to solve problems. She says, “Problems are an opportunity to learn something new. Never be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we learn!” Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

💪 The Ville and Red Ribbon Week! 💪 🔴 Somerville participates in Red Ribbon Week events to celebrate making smart decisions for a brighter future. 🍎📚 🔴Spirit Weeks across our schools! 🔴Morning loudspeaker announcements 🔴 Wellness Wednesday with Nurse Jen and Nurse Cynthia at VDV 🔴Table events during SHS lunch periods (Oct. 28 & 29) We also have a Red Ribbon Week Website, which you can access by visiting the Somerville schools webpage! Red Ribbon Week is a powerful reminder of the importance of staying drug-free and making healthy choices. . . #RedRibbonWeek #allin4theville 🔴🎗️

🎉 Somerville High School's engineering students visited VDV to talk to kindergarten students on all things engineering! 🏗️ Our SHS students shared their knowledge and enthusiasm about engineering with our young learners, and the kindergarteners were eager to show them their own engineering projects: playgrounds that they designed and built on their own!💡 A fantastic example of how STEM can be engaging and integral for students of all ages!🚀 #allin4theville #STEMeducation #futureengineers

🎃 Today was a big day at Van Derveer! We celebrated our first Preschool Pumpkin Fest in partnership with the Somerville Public Library! 🍂 Mrs. White and Mrs. Hubschmitt created an unforgettable experience with pumpkin-themed activities galore — from art and music to hands-on science, math, and sensory fun! Our little learners explored pumpkins by seeing, touching, and even smelling them! A huge thank you to our staff and parent volunteers who helped make this successful 🎨🎶🔬🎃 . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature our staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week, it's Mrs. Hannah Spencer from Somerville High School! Hannah Spencer has worked at Somerville High School for the last 10 years. Her first three years were spent as an inclusion teacher for freshman Biology and English. Her next four years were spent as the teacher of the Life Skills Program. Most recently, she has been employed as a Learning Disabilities Teaching Consultant as part of the district Child Study Team, but she works primarily out of the High School. Mrs. Spencer works with students with special learning needs and ensures that those needs are met at school so they may do their best learning! Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Spencer is a co-advisor of the Student Council and a coach for the Unified Bowling Team. She is a part of the district PD Committee and continues to work closely with the Peer2Peer club to promote inclusion and belonging in our school community at the high school. Mrs. Spencer was awarded the 2020 Governor's Educator of the Year Award for her work in the Life Skills classroom. She loves to learn, and her goal is to make it possible for every student to learn at their level in an environment that makes them feel safe and like they belong. A quote she loves and puts into practice every day is by Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

Week of Respect Check-In! 🤩 Week of Respect at Somerville is in full swing! We've already seen so much kindness and respect throughout the district 🙌 From classroom discussions to creative bulletin boards, our students and staff fully embrace the spirit of respect🤝 So, let's keep the momentum going! 💪 This is just another example of how hard all of us here at the Ville work to make Somerville a place where everyone feels safe, welcomed, and valued😊 . . #WeekofRespect #allin4theville

It's the Week of Respect at The Ville! 🙌 Check out some of what we're doing to celebrate the week!🤝 We hope that together, we can create a safe and welcoming environment in Somerville for all! #WeekofRespect #allin4theville