THE HARMONY HERALD

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THE HARMONY HERALD
Issue 4 April 2006
LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT Dear Harmony
Family, I believe Spring has finally arrived! We
survived the long month of March and are looking
forward to a rejuvenating Spring Break the second
week of April. Before Launching into the
important events of April I want to thank Mrs.
Corridon and Officer Macdonald for making our
March PTO meeting so enriching. Our guest
speaker, Mrs. Ellen Bloom-Rau, enlightened us and
frankly scared us a little about the realities of
the Internet. Her message is so important we will
be inviting her to speak at another PTO meeting
this coming Fall. I also must thank our
Beautification Committee for the wonderful work
improving our school grounds. Now that I have
actually picked up a rake and helped a bit-I
really appreciate their efforts! Let's all help
out by not littering and trampling the
flowers. Although April is a shorter month than
March we are still busy. The week the children
return to school, both children and their parents
will be asked to make an important vote. The
topic the children will be voting on has yet to
be determined their voting booths will be in
their classrooms. The parents' topic to be voted
on will be the school budget. They are asked to
vote Tuesday April 18, 2006 at their designated
voting areas. Market Day pick-up is also Tuesday
April 18, 2006-Busy Day! Any volunteers are
welcomed with open arms at 200p.m. On Wednesday
April 19, 2006 in the morning (right after
drop-off) we will have a short meeting for 4th
grade parents in the All Purpose to look ahead to
the special activities planned for their children
in the 5th grade. Siblings are welcomed. That
same meeting will be held again immediately
following the general PTO meeting that night for
parents who cannot attend during the day. Friday
April 28, 2006 our 5th graders will be singing
their little hearts out at the 5th grade Chorus
Concert. Thanks ahead to Mrs. Kilduff for her
hard work. I'm sure it'll be an enjoyable
evening. See you around school, Anne
Brennan PTO President
A Child of Spring by Ellen Robena Field I know
a little maiden,She is very fair and sweet,As
she trips among the grassesThat kiss her dainty
feet Her arms are full of flowers,The
snow-drops, pure and white,Timid blue-eyed
violets,And daffodillies bright. She loves dear
Mother Nature,And wanders by her sideShe
beckons to the birdlingsThat flock from far and
wide. She wakes the baby brooklets,Soft breezes
hear her callShe tells the little childrenThe
sweetest tales of all. Her brow is sometimes
clouded,And she sighs with gentle grace,Till
the sunbeams, daring lovers,Kiss the teardrops
from her face. Well we know this dainty
maiden,For April is her nameAnd we welcome her
with gladness,As the springtime comes again.

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Harmony Herald April 2006
March- Harmony PTO Meeting PTO Vice President,
Mrs. Stacey Stefanski opened the meeting. Mrs.
Corridon thanked everyone for coming and reported
the following - The proposed school district
budget and what it would mean to our school. -
Mrs. Linda Delahanty reported supporting details
and relayed information from the March PIC
Meeting. A vote was taken as to whether Harmony
PTO supported the proposed budget with the
results showing the majority favored it. The
Guest speakers for the evening were Mrs. Ellen
Bloom-Rau and Officer Macdondald. Mrs. Bloom-Rau
informed parents of the dangers of web sites that
are popular with our children today like
MySpace.com. She explained how parents can
monitor their childrens Internet activity to
keep them safe. Officer Keith Macdonald provided
additional information on this topic. Mrs.
Corridon and the PTO thanked Mrs. Bloom-Rau and
Officer Macdonald for coming to speak with us and
thanked them for their time and the invaluable
information they provided us.
5th Grade Committee March Meeting It was
mentioned that a notice will be going out for 5th
grade classes to send in a picture of their child
when they were young and a current picture (2 or
3 pictures) This will be used in a 5th grade
Video. The songs have not been decided for 5th
grade night. The music teacher would like the
song to be picked from the 5th Grade Chorus List
that they have learned in Music class and will be
singing on April 28th. The 5th grade should get
to make up one song. The Theme Song for 5th Grade
night was discussed. There are usually 2
songs. The Theme for 5th Grade is Soaring to new
Heights. There was a discussion about decorating
for the 5th grade night (Ronnie Moore) Some Ideas
were Medieval Knights with the Dragon Castles
and Banners Blue and white streamers and
balloons On the Fund Raising front The Craft
fair made 3,200.00 Kids Stuff books made approx.
400.00 The 5th Grade T-Shirts cost 817.00 There
was discussion of a Gift Bingo on Friday night
April 21, 2006 Pay 10 and bring a 10 gift The
Memory book Ideas for the cover were
discussed. It was brought up that the 5th grade
committee must meet with the teachers regarding
gifts for the kids. An Example Bracelets with
Class of 2006. Teachers gift. P.T.O is being
asked if they will pay for the 5th grade
Shirts. The 5th Grade Picnic Brought up for
discussion was the Picnic food Subs, Chips,
etc. Ice Cream Truck to come and hand out Ices
Red White and Blue look for a donation.
The Last Issue of the Harmony Herald will be
handed out the Last Week of May. The Deadline for
getting something into that issue will be May
20th.
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Harmony Herald April 2006

• March PIC Presidents Council Meeting
• Acting Superintendent
• Karen Bibao announced Interim Superintendent of
  Pupil Services Dr. Jane Mattingly.
• Daily Central Office Cabinet Meeting.
• Priority items in curriculum personnel policy,
  special ed, student services, operations and
  finance.
• Student morale/climate see March issue of
  Superintendent Update.
• Business Administrator
• Three uncontested board members
• Assume flat State Aid
• 1 cent increase 10 for 100,000 assessed
  property value
• 15 cent increase 150 for 100,000 assessed
  property value
• Debt Service 0.8 cent debt fund increase due to
  principal payment schedule of referendum bonds.
  Do not vote on this.
• General Budget
• Revenues
• - Flat Ratable base
• - Flat State Aid
• - Miscellaneous revenue (Interest Income)
  increase
  
  
  
  
  
  
  of 500,000 (up 1 cent) due to
  increased interest rates

• Budget proposed will generate a 12.9 cent total
  increase (12.1 for the general fund and .8 for
  the debt service fund) - 21.50 per month school
  tax increase or 258 annually for a house
  assessed at 200,000
• Items at Risk Opportunity to replace HVAC for
  elementary schools, items added in recent years
  such as resource teachers, guidance counselors,
  class size
• No Second Ballot Question due to double digit
  increase
• Governors Budget Address March 21st
• Deadline to adopt budget March 31st
• School Election April 18th
• Secondary Ad-hoc
• 8 Period Day Current cost of this initiative is
  9 cents (Board of Ed unsuccessful in obtaining
  desired savings with teachers union to implement
  program) market studies and campaign to
  implement this program will continue into the
  next budget cycle Focus groups will be
  conducted this spring.
• Strategic Planning Kick off meeting on Feb 8th
  parents and community members will have
  opportunity to volunteer
• 7 Period Day 19 new courses have been added.
• Critical Friends Training
• 100 Teachers and 25 administrators currently
  participating to observe and critique each others
  work to improve instruction 100 more teachers
  will participate in performance based training
  programs this summer
• Corporate Sponsorship
• Discussion about corporate sponsorship and mentor
  programs with the high schools
• Middle School Mid-term Discussion

Happy Spring
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Harmony Herald April 2006
What's happening at the Middletown Township
Library the week of April 23. Monday, April 24 2
and 7 pm Monday Movie, Pride and Prejudice This
will be the last in the series of film
adaptations of famous novels. It is the latest
adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice,
a novel first published in 1813 and adapted for
film at least 5 times. Tuesday, April 25 1030
am Computer Class Computer Maintenance Tuesday's
computer class is "Computer Maintenance" - Learn
defrag, scandisk, and other "best practices" to
keep your computer running at its optimum. There
are still a few spaces left - call the library to
reserve a space now. Wednesday, April 26 730
pm Meet the Author Brendan Tobin, author of
Hollywood, NJ Brendan Tobin will be at the
library to autograph his book "Hollywood, NJ" Mr.
Tobin is a Tinton Falls Council member, and for
several years had a column in the Newark
Star-Ledger, "your Personal Coach." He's a very
entertaining speaker, and will tell us all about
New Jersey natives and residents who have made a
mark in the film industry. Come for coffee,
cookies, and a good time, and leave with stories
to last the whole summer! We will not have books
to buy, but do but bring your own copy for an
autograph - "Hollywood, NJ" or Mr. Tobin's 1999
book, "Yes You Can! Extraordinary Results from
Ordinary People. Special Story times Tuesday,
4 pm "The Earth is Good" a puzzle story for ages
6-8 Children will solve puzzles in the Rebus
story The Earth is Good Thursday, 130
pm "Grandma and Grandpa's Dress-up Time" for all
ages. Children of all ages are invited to explore
the world of make believe by dressing up. Look
at the library calendar for other scheduled
children's activities http//www.localendar.com/p
ublic/middletownlibrary. And don't forget to get
your tickets for two unique concerts the first
week in May - Alexander Tsygankov and Inna
Shevcheno, classical domra and piano, on
Wednesday May 3 at 730, and Richard Reiter's
Afro-Jazz Project on Sunday May 7 at 3.Questions
or requests? Kathleen Ligon, 732-671-3700, ext.
333
Diamante Poetry Mr. Kellehers
Class Winter cold, bitter freezing, snowing,
skiing snow, ice, tulips, birds growing,
planting, chirping warm, sunny Spring By
Samantha Torres Winter white, wintry snowing,
shoveling, playing snowmen, Christmas, flowers,
Easter weeding, planting, raking colorful,
breezy Spring By Anthony Gentile Winter chilly
, white sledding, snowing, reading snow animals,
evergreens, lilies, bugs planting, budding,
raining humid, green Spring By Chris Noterile
Time is running out. Dont forget to turn in you
BOXTOPS for Education and Campbell's Labels.
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Harmony Herald April 2006
Citizens of the Month March 2006 Multi
Age Daly Gabrielle Briggs Rubino Jack
Stotz Todd John Brower Kindergarten Cicirelli Emil
y Muench Ryser Savio Chancey Costa Savio
P.M. Gabriella Curcio Grade 1 Blenderman Madison
Bruch Erbig Katie DelRio Marich Michael
Harper McAleer Matthew Urbine Russo Sean
Downey Grade 2 Henderson John McDermott Lane Nicho
las Brennan Mennona Joshua Wyatt Ouellette Hayden
Fairhurst Peterson James Gansereit Grade
3 Betz Nicole Morath Graham John
Marks Imtanios Elizabeth Ajello Grade
4 Brady Lauren Oliva Ermides Taylor
Hardy Toolan Anthony Stanziale Winters Melissa
Edgar Ribon Philip Roland Grade 5 Cortale John
Stanziale Janiak Marina Davi Kelleher Steven
Mulero Marcello Jillian Crosby Ribon Stephen
Morris
Camping at Turkey Swamp Park Harmonys own
Webelos II Pack 242 Den 2 aka the Killer Cobras
recently went camping at Turkey Swamp Park in
Freehold, New Jersey. We invited the whole
family. Moms, Dads, Brothers and Sisters. Besides
sleeping under the stars in the fresh air, we
went fishing and boating. We played basketball
and made smores. Some of us even used the rock
climbing wall. I really enjoyed fishing. Said
Matt Bujinowski. I really enjoyed paddling the
boats is a direct quote from Chris Noterile.
Chris Olizarowicz remarked how he had a great
time and would really like to go back. Brandon
Fuertes, Sean Woods and Nick Welsh all echoed the
same Camping with the Boy Scouts is a lot of
fun. We highly recommend it. And last but not
least everyone agreed with Steven Quiles when he
summed it up by saying It was great for the
whole family.
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Harmony Herald April 2006
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