Metuchen School District

March 31, 2023 Good afternoon. I hope this email finds you well and preparing for a well-deserved break. This has been an eventful week in a turbulent time. We saw dozens killed and injured in fierce storms. We saw the former president indicted on criminal charges. And we saw the unfathomable tragedy of children and educators murdered in their school. As a society, how long can we accept these massacres?! Our children are unfortunately targets because they mean so very much to our communities. The lockdown at Edgar this week was anxiety-producing for many. The most important way to protect them is through open and timely communication among the community, schools and law enforcement. We will do everything to keep them safe! It's tough being a parent and a child. Children want to learn and grow and explore and enjoy. As parents we want our kids safe and protected everywhere and at all times. Any time one of my kids fell, I was famous for exclaiming, "Ooh - you alright? you ok?" My family lovingly still reminds me of my over-protective instincts. This weekend - hug and love those close to you. And to those who aren't as close, or to folks you don't even know, how about we all try exhibiting some extra kindness? The world could certainly use some more. Reach out if there is anything that I can do, or that the schools can do. See you soon. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

Another proud day for Metuchen! So excited to share that Metuchen has won the 2023 Great American Main Street Award! Our friends at the Borough and Metuchen Downtown Alliance wanted to be sure to thank students and faculty for loving local and supporting our small businesses! It's a great day for Metuchen and New Jersey to recognized in this national honor!

March 24, 2023 Good afternoon. Happy Spring! Our Extended School Year program this summer will run Monday to Thursday from July 10 to August 10. Parents of eligible students will receive an invitation to sign-up for this program. All parents should look for our Metuchen Summer Institute information coming out soon. We have college prep programs, AP Edge courses, transition programs, and more. The Metuchen Public School District is hosting a Parent Workshop Event on April 12, 2023 entitled, "Having Hope: Suicide Prevention for Parents/Caregivers." The event, presented through Effective School Solutions, will be accessible on Zoom. Click this LINK and go to the website: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1203/MHS/2883970/Having_Hope_Suicide_Prevention_for_Parents-Caregivers.pdf to view the flyer for this event. Come see the Footlighters’ production of Mamma Mia: tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm, all at MHS. Have a nice weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

March 17, 2023 Good afternoon and Happy St. Patrick’s Day. This week we reported zero COVID cases. While the risk is certainly not over, I’ll stop including the data in my weekly messages. We will, however, continue to publish the data on the website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJBfw5N80np9BODCB1uk4LNSaOVQWvbf/edit We are proud to highlight Myndful, which is a mental health resource navigating tool. Just yesterday, Ashvin, JJ, and Sid presented to nearly 150 statewide educational leaders at the NJASCD Whole Child Conference. Myndful is an impressive tool created by Metuchen High School students for Metuchen High School students: https://www.metuchenschools.org/o/mhs/page/myndful The Metuchen Downtown Alliance is doing a video shoot on Main Street this Saturday at 11:00am sharp. This will be a celebration shot if Metuchen wins the Great American Main Street Award on the 27th (but this video is being filmed this Saturday, the 18th). We know Metuchen is the best, so we are going to win!!! Everybody that loves and supports our downtown is invited to be part of this video. If you are free tomorrow at 11:00am, come down with your friends and family to participate in the celebration video! This section of the street will be temporarily closed, so you can wait under the train bridge anytime between 10:00 and 11:00. Hope to see you there. With gratitude, Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

The PTO Night Out is May 5th. Be on the look-out for more information. VC

March 3, 2023 Good afternoon. This week we reported just one case of COVID: MHS=0, Edgar=1, Campbell=0, and Moss=0. Today, I attended the MHS MILE program gala/luncheon, where students honored those in the community who provide internships. This was a great event celebrating the partnership of the district, the borough, and Metuchen businesses – all to support our students. Thanks to everyone involved. It was a wonderful event. Next Wednesday night beginning at 7pm at Edgar School is the MEF-sponsored EMS Science Fair. Come out to support our student scientists. Speaking of the MEF, please hold the date for their annual fundraiser, April 21st at the Metuchen Inn. Also, keep open June 5th for the PTO Night Out. These and other organizations enhance the experiences for staff and students in Metuchen. We are grateful for their partnerships. Our lecture series, Celebrating Our Experts, continues next Thursday at 3:30 at MHS. Staff, students, and community members are invited to attend as our ELA and social studies supervisor, Lou Manziano, shares their presentation on LGBTQ+ representation in schools. Come to learn and stay for dessert! This month’s lecture is sponsored by What’s The Scoop. Sincerely, Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

February 24, 2023 Good morning. This week we reported 11 COVID cases across the district. The breakdown by school was MHS=4, Edgar=5, Campbell=2, and Moss=0. At last week's open board Construction Committee meeting, our architects made a presentation. You can review the slides here: https://sites.google.com/view/metuchenreferendum2022?utm_source=Google+Site&utm_medium=Google+Site&utm_campaign=Referendum+ Metuchen Public Schools Public Presentations sites.google.com  Our winter track athletes continue their seasons - and this weekend we have three wrestlers participating in the state wrestling tournament. What an accomplishment! Good luck. Come out and support our Edgar students as they present Honk, Jr. tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 7pm, and Sunday at 2pn, all at the Metuchen High School Auditorium. Sincerely Dr. Vincent Caputo Superintendent of Schools

February 17, 2023 Good afternoon! This week, we reported 22 cases of COVID: 13 at MHS, 6 at Edgar, 2 at Campbell, and 1 at Moss. We had a busy and productive week with the architects as we move closer to having final plans to send to the NJDOE. Wednesday night was an open meeting of the Construction Committee with a presentation from the architect, including initial renderings of what the new spaces could look like. We will share this information on our construction website. The board will continue to provide updates as part of the committee reports at each board meeting. The next open meeting of the Construction Committee will be on April 24. All are welcome. I had the best morning today. Several meetings got postponed so I was able to attend the Science Fair in Ms. Dybas’ self-contained class at MHS. Oh my gosh – I was so impressed by the science, the sharing (including excellent tri-fold boards), and the collaboration with the student role models in the Unified Program. I am so proud of all the students involved and so happy and grateful for the teachers and paraprofessionals. Thanks for making my day! Have a great weekend. Remember, schools are closed on Monday. See everyone back here on Tuesday! Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

February 10, 2023 Good afternoon and happy school counselors week. I hope this message finds you and your family well. This week we reported 27 cases of COVID: 10 at MHS, 8 at Edgar, 9 at Campbell, and 0 at Moss. I know it’s only February. And I know we have so many exciting events in the interim, but two of the big ones are the Edgar Promotion on June 19 at 6pm and the MHS Graduation on June 23 at 5pm. Mark your calendars. As we head into the weekend, please keep in your thoughts the people of Turkey (and bordering areas of Syria) and their families there and here in the USA, as they deal with an unimaginable loss of life and an emerging humanitarian disaster. Again, thanks to Rutgers University, another large contingent of Metuchen staff and their guests are able to attend a sporting event - this time, the sold-out wrestling match tonight. Go RU. Come out for Winter Candyland tonight at MHS (and help support Project Graduation). Edgar students and staff – have fun at the dance tonight. And finally, good luck to our winter teams in their post-season quests. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

February 3, 2023 Happy Friday! This week we reported 43 cases of COVID: 10 at MHS, 11 at Edgar, 19 at Campbell, 2 at Moss, and 1 additional case. The Winter Candyland tickets pre-sale has been extended until next Tuesday. SIGN UP HERE or visit the site: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoQsWa14Yxpxqzy_lJA5eqg8mXjFmLQWN9kEXQvXFydMfWbg/viewform for this amazing deal; otherwise you can pay at the door. Join us on February 10 at MHS between 5-10pm for pancakes, hot chocolate, popcorn, arts and crafts, face painting, and much more! Help support our seniors so they can have an awesome Project Graduation. Our lecture series, Celebrating Our Experts, continues next Thursday, February 9, at 3:30pm at MHS. Staff, students, and parents are invited to learn about the published Waksman Scholars research of MH students, April McClane and Arjun Gupta. Refreshments for the series are sponsored by Wegmans, Fresco by Jimmy, and What’s the Scoop. We need more substitutes. Please consider getting your sub certification so you can help us by filling in for teachers, paraprofessionals, or secretaries. Contact Carolyn Taylor in my office. She will guide you through the process. Rutgers basketball for me this weekend: Saturday at Madison Square Garden for the men, and then Sunday at Jersey Mike’s Arena with a couple hundred friends, Metuchen staff and their guests, as part of the Play4Kay women’s basketball game, fighting women’s cancers. Have a great weekend. Stay warm. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

January 27, 2023, 3:31pm More amazing district news!!! Moss School is a New Jersey State School of Character (again)!!! Congratulations to Mr. Cohen and all the staff members who make Moss such a great place! Dr. Vincent Caputo, (proud) superintendent of schools

January 27, 2023 Hello and happy Friday! This week, we reported 22 COVID cases. The school-by-school breakdown was as follows: MHS=4, Edgar=6, Campbell=9, and Moss=3. The Campbell 4th Grade Art Show Closing Reception is today, Friday January 27 between 3:00 and 6:30pm at St. Luke’s. There is amazing artwork to check out! And don’t forget about the Winter Candyland Family Fun Event happening on Friday, February 10 at MHS between 5:00-10:00pm. Presale ticketing ends January 31. Get your tickets here or by going to the Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoQsWa14Yxpxqzy_lJA5eqg8mXjFmLQWN9kEXQvXFydMfWbg/viewform Have a great weekend. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

January 20, 2023 Hello and Happy Friday! I hope this message finds you well. This week we reported 23 cases of COVID, with a school-by-school breakdown as follows: MHS=4, Edgar=6. Campbell=11, and Moss=2. Did You Know: The Board of Education has a Construction Committee that meets at least every month, and sometimes more often. They have designated the following dates as open-to-the-public committee meetings with the architect, at the media center at MHS at 7pm: 2/15, 4/24, 6/26, 8/21, 10/16, and 12/11. This month is School Board Member Recognition Month. We have an excellent Board of Education. These are elected but volunteer positions. Our board members spend countless hours ensuring that the district is well run, and always have our stakeholders’ best interests at heart. Have a nice weekend. Stay healthy and enjoy the next round of the NFL playoffs. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

January 13, 2023 Good morning. I hope this message finds you well. This week, we reported 12 COVID cases: MHS=7, EMS=3, CES=1, and Moss=1. What a great day we had on Monday at the unveiling ceremony for the Edgar National Blue Ribbon banner. Here are some highlights: https://senatordiegnancom.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/edgar-middle-school-unveils-national-blue-ribbon-school-award-during-ceremony/, and a great video summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwmCLeAEDtk. Referendum Did You Know: the estimated construction period is from January 2024 until August 2025. We are at the height of the winter sports season. All teams and student-athletes have dreams of wins and achieving individual goals. We very much appreciate your sacrifices and commitment to their efforts. The Edgar basketball teams are off to good starts and we have a new middle school wrestling team. The MHS girls basketball team is off to a 9-1 start. The wrestling team has upped its competition level and competing all over the area. Our high school and middle school swim teams are formidable as usual. And the winter track program won the state relay championship! The boys basketball team has created the Honor Conor Classic. The game is a Yellow-Out tonight at 6pm at MHS. Come support the boys and honor the memory of Conor McCadden. As a reminder, schools are closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day. I have read Dr. King’s speeches and letters, and today, I wanted to see how britannica.com characterized such an impactful life. Here is the introduction to their entry: Martin Luther King, Jr., original name Michael King, Jr., (born January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.—died April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee), Baptist minister and social activist who led the civil rights movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. His leadership was fundamental to that movement’s success in ending the legal segregation of African Americans in the South and other parts of the United States. King rose to national prominence as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which promoted nonviolent tactics, such as the massive March on Washington (1963), to achieve civil rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. While four sentences can’t possibly encapsulate his impact on America, this summary led me to additional reading about this inspiring and courageous leader. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

January 6, 2023 Hello and happy Friday. I hope the first week of 2023 was peaceful and productive. This week, we reported 14 cases of COVID: 2 at MHS, 4 at Edgar, 7 at Campbell, 0 at Moss, and 1 other case. This is an increase and the highest weekly total in a while. We will continue to monitor the numbers closely. Influenza and RSV also remain high in our region. I would like to publicly thank a couple of local businesses and encourage you to shop there. Both Wegmans and Fresco by Jimmy are generously sponsoring our 2023 lecture series, “Celebrating Our Experts.” The initial three dates are set: January 11, February 9, and March 9, all at MHS at 3:30pm. The first two feature MHS students and the third highlights the work of one of our supervisors. See you there. Visit our website for more information about the speakers and the exciting topics. Superintendents have been asked to share the following information: The New Jersey Martin Luther King Jr. Commission continuously works to raise public awareness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals and philosophy. The Annual King Holiday Commemorative Celebration is held each year in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. The Commemorative Celebration brings together a diverse group of people to celebrate Dr. King’s life’s work and legacy. It also allows New Jerseyans an opportunity to recommit themselves to fulfilling Dr. King’s dreams in the 21st century. Students in grades 6 to 12 are encouraged to visit this webpage for more information and to register for the event on January 16 (10am to noon): https://hopin.com/events/njmlkjr2023?utm_source=DOE&utm_campaign=DOE As part of Rutgers University’s R Heroes program, over 200 Metuchen staff and their guests will be in attendance for Saturday’s women’s basketball game. Go RU. Referendum Did You Know – in order to differentiate the current gym at MHS from the new gym to be constructed as part of the referendum project, we have informally taken to referring to the new gym as The Fieldhouse. The 2023 American Doll of the Year, Kavi Sharma, made appearances in district this week. We will continue to amplify the message of diversity and the power of representation. And finally, the celebration of Edgar’s designation as a National Blue Ribbon School continues on Monday. Staff, students, parents, and invited guests, including elected officials, will be on hand in the afternoon for the unveiling of the National Blue Ribbon banner. Have a nice weekend. Take time to tell your friends and family how much they mean to you. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

December 23, 2022 Happy Holidays! This week we reported 11 COVID cases, with a school breakdown as follows: MHS=4, Edgar=4, Campbell=1, Moss=1, and 1 other case. Consider masking and testing, and please stay safe and healthy. Referendum Did You Know: Spielze Architects will be conducting surveys of our schools next week. Over the next couple of months, they will be developing detailed final plans, required for all projects, that need state approval before we go out for bids from general contractors. Have a wonderful break with friends and family. Our MHS sports teams will be in action all over the state next week. Come out to MHS to support girls' basketball as they host their holiday tournament. Ice hockey also has a local game in Woodbridge next Friday. Good luck to all of our teams. Happy sixth night of Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! See you all back here on Monday, January 2, 2023. Stay warm! Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

November 4, 2022 Hello and happy November. I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. This week we reported 3 positive COVID cases. The breakdown by school was: MHS=1, Edgar=2, Campbell=0, Moss=0. Public education is a keystone of democracy. And democracy depends on full voter participation. Please vote. Thanks. Enjoy your time off and see you back at school on Monday, November 14th. Dr. Vincent Caputo Superintendent of Schools

October 28, 2022 Good afternoon. My goodness. It’s the last weekend of October. Our first marking period is coming to an end shortly. Fall teams are in the post season. Voting season is upon us. This week we only reported 2 positive cases of COVID, both at Edgar. Have a great weekend. Happy Halloween! Dr. Vincent Caputo Superintendent of Schools

October 21, 2022 Good afternoon. This week, we reported 5 positive COVID cases: MHS=2, Edgar=0, Campbell=3, and Moss=0. Thank for your vigilance as we head into the fall/winter season where virus transmission typically increases. At this week’s County Superintendent Roundtable meeting, we talked about three really important topics. First, was a presentation on the American Heart Association’s Heart Challenge. You will be hearing more from us with recipe suggestions, the important of exercise, and signs/symptoms and prevention of heath disease. Vaping was the second topic. Just like in other districts, vaping is a significant problem right here in Metuchen. The third topic was a gun violence prevention partnership among county and local law enforcement and school districts. We strive every single day to ensure the health and safety of all the children in the Borough. We depend on - and appreciate - your support and on-going partnership. We are right in the middle of election season. Please vote! In our parent advisory board meeting this week, I spoke about how important voting is to me, and more importantly, to democracy. You have early and Election Day in-person voting and vote-by mail options. At Rutgers University’s Homecoming Football Game tomorrow, you may see extra Metuchen educators and their families there. As part of the R Heroes Program, donated tickets were offered to local first responders and educators. Say hi to your fellow Bulldogs wearing red tomorrow – and go RU! Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools

October 14, 2022 Good morning. I hope this email finds you well. This week we reported 5 positive COVID cases. The breakdown by school was: MHS=2, Edgar=0, Campbell=1, and Moss=2. Election season is here. You can vote in-person early or on Election Day. For those of you who will vote-by-mail, remember to turn the ballot over, where you’ll find the board of education candidates and the three referendum questions. Question #1 is for construction at all four schools, including AC, field lights, new cafeterias, and more. It also provides for the expansion of Moss School, which would allow us to offer full-day kindergarten and change the school grade configurations to preK-2 at Moss, 3-5 at Campbell, and 6-8 at Edgar. Question #2 provides the annual funds to staff and administer the new classes. The first two questions are connected and each must pass for the other to be successful. Question #3 is for a second gym at MHS and for new turf on the football field. That question can pass only if #1 and #2 both pass. Thanks for your consideration. To learn more about the referendum come out to the Farmer’s Market from 9:00am to 12noon tomorrow and check out the referendum website: https://sites.google.com/view/metuchenreferendum2022?utm_source=Google+Site&utm_medium=Google+Site&utm_campaign=Referendum+. This is another exciting time for our school sports teams. The Edgar teams are in-season. MHS field hockey and tennis have upcoming contests. Football plays tonight. Our MHS soccer teams have their first County Tournament games this afternoon: girls at home and boys on the road. And our cross-country teams have already locked up division titles and they have plenty of season left. Come out for some great competition - and to support our student-athletes. Speaking about our students, a group of MHS students has created an online tool, Myndful, to assist other students in navigating mental health resources. Visit it here: https://www.metuchenschools.org/o/mhs/page/myndful. Have a nice weekend. Hug and kiss your loved ones. Dr. Vincent Caputo, Superintendent of Schools