Somerville Public Schools

🌟 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

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