Downbeach school district teachers are busy getting their classrooms ready to welcome hundreds of students on the first day of school after Labor Day weekend.
Students at the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School in Margate will get to meet their new principal following the promotion of Ryan Gaskill to the position of superintendent of schools.
“Samantha Dulude has been a great addition to our staff,” Gaskill said. “She has jumped right in and is quickly getting acclimated to Tighe School. She will be a great asset to our district, our administrative team, and the families of Margate.”
Dulude was hired in May on the recommendation of former Superintendent Audrey Becker who retired. She was selected from among 60 applicants. Dulude, who started working in Margate on July 1, is the former principal of the Whitman Elementary School in Turnersville.
Dulude said she is committed to helping students become critical thinkers, effective problem solvers, good communicators, and to obtain the skills required to continue their education and eventually enter the workforce.
Gaskill said the district’s main goal is to offer a safe place for students to learn and grow.
“As a small community we want each child to feel cared for when they come to our schools,” he said.
Both the Tighe School and the William Ross Elementary School will continue their participation in the “No Place for Hate” initiative, which teaches students conflict resolution strategies.
He said staff will implement a new language arts curriculum in both buildings and teachers have been trained on the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
“I am excited about the upcoming school year and honored to have the opportunity to serve the students and families in our community. We have a great staff who truly goes above and beyond to do their very best for every student who walks through the doors of Ross and Tighe schools,” Gaskill said.
Teachers will report to school on Aug. 27 and students’ first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 3.
The district’s youngest learners will participate in the annual Ice Cream Social being held in the Ross schoolyard 2-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29.
Fifth graders heading to the middle school will have orientation on Friday, Aug. 30, Dulude said.
Ventnor School Business Administrator Beth Steinen.The Ventnor school district will install a new business administrator at Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting. Beth Steinen, who previously was a department supervisor at Mainland Regional High School, will replace former Business Administrator Terri Nowotny who retired last year.
“It will be amazing to have someone who understands the educational side as well as the fiscal piece,” district Supervisor of Special Education Alison Richman said.
The district is implementing a new digital and inquiry-based middle school science program, and will be using IXL, an online practice program that aligns with the new science curriculum, and Achieve 3000, a new non-fiction reading and comprehension program, she said.
All students in the district will continue to be issued a Dell laptop that can be used in school or at home.
The students will welcome new teachers and paraprofessionals who are replacing those who retired at the end of the last school year, and the district will have a full contingent of Child Study Team case managers.
The district welcomes two new pre-kindergarten teachers, one of whom previously served as a paraprofessional and another a former student, along with a second grade, fourth grade and a middle school teacher for a third self-contained middle school classroom.
The first day of school for students is Thursday, Sept. 5, but teachers will report on Tuesday for two days of professional development.
Students will continue to enjoy a new playground installed last year for third and fourth grades, along with a gaga court that was built last year by a prior student as his Eagle Scout project.
Gaga ball is like dodgeball but is played in a pit.
“The kids really enjoyed it,” Richman said.
Students will also be able to participate in beach cleanups and the school’s native plant garden project started by teacher Michael Capizola last year.
The staff will continue to enjoy a program started this summer by health and physical education teacher Luke Duff, who started the program to improve the health of the teaching staff and allow them to have fun as well. He started the program in spring and continued it through the summer.
Staff were able to go to the school at 7 a.m. to participate in a different workout each day, including yoga and running.
“The workout program will continue during the school year at 4 p.m. so those who teach in the after-school program will be able to participate,” Richman said.
She recommended parents keep up to date with information about school happenings on the district’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and sign up for DoJo, an online parent portal. Information about how to sign up will be included in a packet of information teachers plan to distribute on the first day of school.
“We’re really excited to see the teachers setting up their classrooms and hear all the activity in the hallways again,” Richman said.
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