Somerville Public Schools

Happy National Physical Therapy Month! 🎉 We want to celebrate by giving thanks to our District PT, Kelly D'Urso! From Kelly herself: "Everyone is on the move when they come to the PT room. Physical Therapy in the schools helps to ensure that all children can access the school environment and participate in recess, PE, and other activities within the school with their peers. I have been a physical therapist for almost 25 years and have worked in various settings. I came to Somerville in 2012 and started working at VDV and SMS. I was hired as a district physical therapist eight years ago, and you will see me at all three schools throughout the week. I love working with students and seeing all the progress and growth they make during the year and years down the road. Being a pediatric physical therapist is very rewarding." Thank you for all that you do for The Ville!😊 #NationalPhysicalTherapyMonth #PhysicalTherapy #SchoolPT #allin4theville

💡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. Dana Nelson from Somerville Middle School! Mrs. Nelson is delighted to join the educational team in her hometown of Somerville. Being a community member, a mom, and now a teacher in Somerville helps her understand the perspectives of families and the importance of the home-school connection. Also, she says, "You can't beat the commute!" As an ESL teacher at SMS, she is dedicated to helping her students develop their academic English proficiency while continuing to value their home languages and cultures. She strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where making mistakes and helping one another is part of learning. In her free time, Mrs. Nelson loves to spend time with her family and friends. She especially loves exploring the outdoors, including hiking, camping, and beach. Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjstafffeature

🚨REMINDER: Somerville Public Schools 🍎📚 will be CLOSED on Thursday, October 3rd 🗓️. 🚨 Friday, October 4th is Teacher In-Service Day ✏️👩‍🏫👨‍🏫. 🎉 Classes RESUME on Monday, October 7th 🎉. Please follow your school's schedule at https://www.somervilleschools.org/ 🔗

💡Staff Feature of the Week! 💡Each week, we'll feature staff members here at The Ville who contribute to students' academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This week is a double feature with Van Derveer School's Jennifer Mitchell and Ashlee Haggerty! Jen Mitchell has been part of the Van Derveer team for 19 years. She taught fifth grade for seven years before moving to third grade in 2012. This is Jen's sixth year of a partnership with co-teacher and friend Ashlee Haggerty in a third-grade inclusion classroom. Through this collaborative approach, Jen and Ashlee can effectively support a diverse range of learners, ensuring that each child receives the personalized attention and encouragement they need to be successful. Both teachers strive to create an environment where every student feels valued and empowered. In addition to her role in the classroom, Jen has contributed to the school community through various committees and leadership positions over the years. As a mentor and cooperating teacher, Jen has guided new educators, sharing invaluable insights and fostering their professional growth. In addition, she supports her third-grade team as a Co-Grade Level Leader. Ashlee Haggerty is currently in her 19th year teaching at VDV. She started in 2006 as a first-grade general education teacher and then transitioned to third grade in 2017 as a special education inclusion teacher, where she co-taught with Jennifer Mitchell. They have established an effective and true co-teaching model within their classroom, where it is often difficult to tell who has the role of which teacher. They work hard to create an environment where students feel supported and valued and are encouraged to take risks. The motto of their classroom is “progress not perfection.” She feels fortunate to be part of such an inspirational community where she can positively influence those around her, and they, in turn, positively influence her. Thank you for all that you do for the Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

📚Back to School Night in the Ville continues with Somerville Middle School TONIGHT!🎉 The evening kicks off with a Parent Band Meeting at 5:30 PM 🎶, followed by Period 1 starting at 6:00 PM 🕕. We look forward to seeing you there! 😊🏫 . . #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. Ashley Joshi from Somerville High School! Ashley Joshi has been a school psychologist at Somerville High School for the last 5 years. One of Mrs. Joshi’s biggest accomplishments here at the Ville was being awarded Somerville’s Educational Specialist of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year! This award marked recognition for Mrs. Joshi's invaluable work for the SHS community during the height of the COVID years. As one of the “non traditional” school psychologists, Mrs. Joshi gets to focus solely on the mental health and well being of the students (& staff!) of SHS. Providing individual and group counseling for the students are some of her main responsibilities, but she also gets to spread awareness of various mental health topics and resources that go along with them. In addition to her role as the school psychologist, Mrs. Joshi is also the anti-bullying specialist for the high school. She leads all HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying) investigations and collects data to determine the trends and needs of the building. She was also one of the creators of the Virtual Calming Corner; a unique website that gives students access to an array of resources and information including: hotlines, websites, helpful apps, and various activities to help with mindfulness and managing day to day stressors. It can be found by visiting the somerville schools website! She is also in the process of creating her own website which will outline how to access support in school and will go into more detail about various mental health topics and resources. Look for it soon! Mrs. Joshi has a 6 year old son, Knox. He is the joy of her life and you will inevitably have to hear her brag about him if you stop by her office to chat! She is excited to start this new school year with you all and is available to help in any way she can! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

💡New Staff Features of the Week! 💡 Each Friday during the school year, we will feature staff members at The Ville who contribute to student's academic success and help shape their path here at Somerville! This initiative is for Somerville community members to get to know the fantastic staff who make the Ville what it is. We welcomed an incredible group of new staff members this year and will feature a few from all three schools this week! Danny Larkins is a new ESL Teacher at Somerville High School! When asked what he's excited about for the 2024-25 school year, he says, "I am excited to be an advocate for my multilingual students!" Ashley Porcida is the Speech and Language Specialist at Van Derveer and Somerville Middle School. She says, "I am excited to be part of the Somerville School Community. I am excited to be a support system to our students and their families and to watch each and every one of our students grow and achieve all their goals this school year." Samantha Marx is an Instructional Assistant at Van Derveer School. What is she excited about this year? "New friends, new teachers, and a new chance to make each day count. Every new school year is a fresh start! Dana Nelson is an ESL Teacher at Somerville Middle School. She says, "I'm looking forward to supporting Somerville's multilingual learners and joining the 'Ville's energetic and innovative educational team." Kim Sutphen is a Special Education Teacher in the MAPS program. She tells us, "I am excited about meeting new students and helping them reach their goals." Our district welcomed many more new staff members, whom you will get to know over the course of this year. We're so excited to have them here in the Ville! Thank you for all you do for our students and community! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

☀️ Back to school! Let's do this Ville! We hope you all have a great first day!🏫 . . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools

🎉 🐾 Coming Soon Future Bulldogs! 🎉🐾 Join us for an exciting day at Camp SMS filled with fun activities, new friendships, and a sneak peek into the awesome life at middle school. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to kickstart your journey as a future Bulldog! Meet the Principals from 12:00-1:00pm! 🗓️ Date: Tuesday, August 27th ⏰ 10:00am-1:00pm 📍 Location: Somerville Middle School

🎓 Congratulations, Somerville High School Class of 2024! 🎉 We are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication, and achievements. As you step into the next chapter of your journey, remember to embrace every opportunity, follow your passions, and continue striving for excellence. The future is bright, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! #ClassOf2024 #SomervilleHighSchool #FutureLeaders #GraduationDay 🎓✨

Congratulations to Somerville Middle School's Class of 2024! 🧑‍🎓 SMS Class of 2024 had their 8th grade Graduation today, being presented their diplomas by Mr. Hade and Mr. Tauriello! Let's hear it for all of the graduates, and good luck next year at Somerville High School! 🏫 . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

👨‍🎓 Van Derveer School had their 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony today! We are so proud of these incredible 5th graders and wish you all the best next year at Somerville Middle School! 🏫 @vdvschoolnj . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

Somerville High School's Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony will be streaming LIVE on YouTube, June 20th beginning at 4PM! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjgraduation #somervillehighschoolnj

This is a friendly reminder that today, Friday, June 14th, is an early dismissal day for all students. Next week, Wednesday and Thursday (June 19 & 20) will also be early dismissal days. Somerville Public Schools will be closed on June 21st. Congratulations to all of our graduates in the class of 2024! Have a great summer! Please follow your school's schedule. https://www.somervilleschools.org/ . . #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. Tara Morash from Somerville Middle School! Tara Morash has been teaching at SMS for three years. She teaches 6th grade math and is the head coach of the SMS Girls' Soccer and Basketball teams and the assistant SHS Softball coach. Coaching has been Tara's favorite part of being in the Somerville School District. The most rewarding part of the job is getting to know and supporting the players on and off the field. Her dog, Jackson, has been the middle school therapy dog for the last year. Jackson visits Ms. Morash's classes and various other classes throughout middle school. He has also appeared at SHS and MAPS during their Social Emotional Learning event in the spring. He has loved his new role and can't wait to welcome the next group of incoming 6th graders! Tara and Jackson feel so lucky to have been welcomed by the Somerville Community and can't wait to continue supporting their students! Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervillenjschools #somervillestafffeature

⭐️ Don’t mind us, just admiring some of our SMS Students and the artwork 🖼️ they made for our local @divisioncafe 🥘 😋 @somervillemiddleschoolnj . . #allin4theville #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 Amanda Duckworth! Mrs. Duckworth has been teaching at VDV for 9 years. She has been primarily in Kindergarten as a Special Education and General Education teacher, with a year or two in First Grade as a Special Education Resource teacher. She also teaches during the Extended School Year program and Camp VDV. She is a co-chair of Van Derveer's Annual Food Drive in the Fall as well as the Annual Helen Doherty Science Fair in the Spring. Mrs. Duckworth loves to dance along with her class and her colleagues; she has been a member of the Variety Show Staff Act for many years. She mentors new staff members and continues supporting her Kindergarten team as a Co-Grade Level Leader. Engaging students with hands-on learning experiences is fun and important for young learners. Teaching living and nonliving with real worms and introducing equality with an egg experiment are just two of the fun activities she enjoys each year with her class! Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! @vdvshchoolnj . . #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 Mr. Kurt Lorentzen from Somerville High School! Mr. Lorentzen is a new teacher to Somerville, but has been teaching now for almost six years. Upon graduating from Ramapo College, Mr. Lorentzen worked in auditing and accounting for about four years before completing the alternate route teaching process for Business Education in 2017. Heading into this school year, it was Mr. Lorentzen’s goal to get involved early within the SHS community. In successfully doing so, the teacher has chaperoned multiple formal events, aided in athletic activities across all three seasons, while also pitching in to revamp and improve business curriculums at the high school. Mr. Lorentzen was recognized as January staff member of the month, and has felt nothing but love and support from the community as his first school year at Somerville HS comes to an end. Mr. Lorentzen is eager to continue building on his professional experiences, so that he can continue providing valuable lessons and experiences to his high-achieving students inside and outside of the classroom! Leaving you with the quote that Mr. Lorentzen left in his high school yearbook back in 2012... “With hard work, desire, and respect, an individual can accomplish anything.” Thank you for all that you do for The Ville! . . #allin4theville #somervilleschoolsnj

Check out our VDV Chick Cam, where a few of our baby chicks are starting to hatch! Click the link to view them in action! https://www.somervilleschools.org/o/vdv/article/1594294

🌟🏃‍♂️🎽 Last week, our Van Derveer students showed amazing teamwork and sportsmanship at their annual Field Day! With some help from our wonderful staff, our parent and community volunteers - even students from SHS - so many joined in to make this fun day possible. 🙌💪 Their efforts brought many smiles and a spirit of friendly competition that made the day unforgettable! Go VDV! @vdvschoolnj 🎉👟 . . #allin4theville #VDVFieldDay