Seth Boyden Demonstration SchoolClick on a headline to read the full post.
Giving Tuesday is Nov 30Support our students and staff! This year, our PTA needs your donation more than ever to fund field trips, supplies for our teachers, and more. Please consider a one-time financial gift during this time of year. Donate via Paypal or Venmo @SBPTA (add “donation” to the message). Your contribution is greatly appreciated!
EVENT: TWO TOWNS TURKEY TROT NOV 20TH
REGISTER TODAY
Please join us for the 2021 Two Towns Turkey Trot 5K & Kids’ Fun Run, presented by the Seth Boyden PTA, on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at South Mountain Reservation on Crest Drive in Maplewood, off South Orange Avenue near The Top apartments.
Includes a KIDS’ FUN RUN, PRIZES for Male and Female overall winners.
Start Time: 10:00am EST
End Time: 11:15am EST
Price: $25.00 Race Fee
Registration: Registration ends November 18, 2021 at 11:59pm EST
Location: South Mountain Reservation Lollipop Loop – Crest Dr. (near Wildflower Sculpture Park/Dog Run)
South Orange, NJ US 07079
October 8, 2021
SETH BOYDEN PTA STATEMENT ON ALLEGED RELIGIOUS BIAS INCIDENT
The Seth Boyden Parent Teacher Association believes that our schools should be inclusive spaces for learning and growth. Students should never face discrimination. We stand in solidarity with the student who was allegedly asked to remove her hijab, and support her family.
While this incident is being investigated by the school administration and the school district, we will support and collaborate with staff and administration to ensure that our school community remains a place of acceptance, belonging, and learning for all individuals.
2021-22 PTA Board Members
A Statement from Carey Smith, State of NJPTA, Region V Director
The State of New Jersey PTA, and National PTA stands firmly against racism in all forms and the culture of oppression that permeates the United States.
Continued respect for, and expansion of civil rights requires they be defended whenever threatened and that children and youth be taught the significance of civil rights and responsibilities in American Culture.
We support – Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, age, physical and academic ability, and sexual orientation
While this incident is being investigated by the school administration, school district, and the local authorities, we will support and collaborate with staff and administration to ensure that our school community remains a place of acceptance, belonging, and learning for all individuals.
As an association that represents all children, we must listen, educate and advocate beyond rhetoric and rise to correct all inequities and injustices.
Saturday, October 16th is the Seth Boyden Harvest Festival!! Please volunteer to make the day really special! Volunteer HERE!
A special thanks to the PTA for organizing a lovely Seth Boyden First Day of School Meet & Greet! Thank you to all the families for showing up for our school and for taking the time to volunteer for so many activities!
The PTA is still looking for volunteers! Please sign up here.
Beyond the Bell is an after-school program created by the South Orange Maplewood School District’s Parenting Center. Beyond the Bell is designed to help all students stretch and grow by coordinating, deepening and expanding after-school opportunities at the elementary level.
Beyond the Bell Registration Opens 7AM Tuesday Sept 14th– Course Offerings and Deadline Here & Registration Info Here
September 13, 2021 8:45AM at Seth Boyden Elementary School
Please join the PTA at the OLC (Outdoor Learning Center) to welcome Seth Boyden parents new and old back to campus!Right after drop off, there will be pastries from The Bread Stand and coffee. Masks are required when not eating. We will welcome new families, review upcoming activities and ways to participate in PTA!
Our awesome PE teachers put together an energetic week of field day activities for all grades (except for Kindergarten & 1st grade, who will have their field day tomorrow!).
Teachers even got in on the fun! The weather was very cooperative while students enjoyed sack races, relay races, four square tournaments, and even limbo!
We are so grateful to Mr. Messineo and Mr. Sousa for planning the friendly competition and end-of-year fun for students and staff.
Our new PTA executive board was elected at last Monday’s PTA meeting. Thanks to these parents for stepping up to take on these important roles for our school community!
But there are still important roles to fill, including SEPAC liaison, auction chair, OLC chair, and book fair chair — there are roles to suit all skills/time availability. Email ptapresident@sethboyden.com to learn more about how you can help.
The Kids Eat Free program will be at the Springfield Avenue Gazebo from Monday-Friday starting on Monday, June 28.
Monday-Friday
June 28 – August 20, 2021
9 am – 11 am
Breakfast & Lunch Grab ‘n Go
Springfield Ave Gazebo, 1670 Springfield Ave, by Hilton Library
SOMA Shares will be distributing books and other resources every Wednesday during the Kids Eat Free program.
Friday’s clap out of seniors who graduated from Seth Boyden in 2014 was a beautiful and joyous occasion! We wish these kids all the best as they start this next chapter in their lives.
We’re glad that we could uphold this tradition this year!
For a video, click here.
It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news that Marc Ulysse, father of 5th grader Marvens and 4th grader Marc, passed away over the weekend from complications due to COVID-19. Mr. Ulysse was a loving husband, committed father, and the sole provider for his wife and five children. Mr. Ulysse was a longstanding Maplewood resident and, until his passing, was a school bus driver in Newark. He will be sorely missed by his family and all who knew and loved him.
The thoughts, love, and condolences of the entire Seth Boyden community are with the Ulysse family at this time.
We want to do all we can as a community to support the Ulysse family – there is a meal train being organized by the boys’ classes and we as a PTA have set up this GoFundMe: http://gf.me/u/zrrtpa
Please contribute if you can, and help us spread the word about the GoFundMe far and wide.
Let’s rally around the Ulysse family and help them through the next difficult weeks and months ahead.
If you need help with how to discuss this sad news with your child, you can contact our school social worker, Ms. Jordan, via zjordan@somsd.k12.nj.us. You can also access the following resource from the National Association of School Psychologists: Helping Children Cope With Loss: Tips for Teachers and Parents.
A message from our principal, Mrs. Glander, and vice-principal, Ms. Murphy:
“Happy February and Black History Month!
This month we will be celebrating the contributions and rich history of Black People. While February is a month to specifically celebrate these contributions and achievements, we believe that an inclusive and accurate educational experience includes the histories of all people throughout our students’ entire school career. We continue to advocate for curriculum, instructional pedagogy and practices that highlight the history and cultures of the diverse population of our country and world.
This year, Seth Boyden has an elite team of teaching staff that is leading the charge and working on this year’s theme which is celebrating Black Contributions in Immunology. We are kicking off our month-long celebration by introducing students to Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, the pioneering immunologist at the forefront of the COVID-19 vaccine. We will be learning about other black immunologists, biologists, and vaccine pioneers over the next few weeks. Please ask your students about Dr. Corbett and her tremendous contributions toward ending the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
For more information on educational and fun ways to celebrate Black History Month as a family, see: “5 Ways All Families Can Celebrate Black History Month!”
For a service-oriented way to celebrate Black History Month, SOMA Shares is looking for diverse books. All year, but especially during Black History Month, SOMA Shares strives to make books available to all students in our district that are written by writers of color and filled with characters that look like our students and reflect how they live and how they dream for the future. SOMA Shares has curated a list of diverse and inclusive book titles on our Amazon Wish List. You can also buy these books from [words] (just mention the purchases are for SOMA Shares and they will set them aside for collection).
Our towns have Black History Month activities for people of all ages throughout February. For a full list of community events, please visit the Maplewood Arts & Culture BHM page and the South Orange Arts & Cultural Affairs BHM page.
When our teachers Mrs. Donna Friedrich and Mrs. Maureen Davenport learned that our teachers didn’t have a second monitor to do hybrid teaching in the classroom and see all their virtual students at once, they put out the call for help.
The Seth Boyden PTA helped spread the word and class captains, parents, friends, family, and community members sprung to action donating used and new monitors.
Just one week later, we have 32 monitors! Every teacher who needed one has one. That’s community. That’s Seth Boyden!
Thank you!
An interview (by Mrs. Tuohy, Seth Boyden Garden Teacher) with Mr Hein, 4th grade teacher at Seth Boyden School, about the South Orange Maplewood Rec Baseball Program.
Hello Mr. Hein. Thank you for speaking with me about the South Orange Maplewood Recreation Baseball Program. I’d love to hear more about it and share what I learn with the Seth Boyden Community.
Thanks Mrs. Tuohy. I’d love to share some information with you!
What is South Orange Maplewood Recreation Baseball?
SOM Baseball is a local baseball league where anyone from South Orange or Maplewood between the ages of 5 and 15 can be on a team. Kids that are 5 and 6 play T-Ball, kids that are 7 and 8 play practice games, and kids that are 9 and up play competitive games.
I know you played as a child, are you still part of the program?
I am! I’ve actually been involved with the program for most of my life, beginning with when I played T-Ball at age 5!! Now, I am the Umpire Coordinator. That means I am in charge of coordinating training and scheduling the SOM Baseball umpires. Anyone ages 13 and up can sign up for the umpire program. I also volunteer as a coach.
How did you get involved with umpiring?
I actually started umpiring through the SOM Baseball umpire program when I was 13 years old! Now I umpire higher level games.
How long have you played baseball and what did you like most about playing as a kid?
I haven’t played baseball since high school (although I do play some pick-up softball) because I decided to focus on umpiring, but I loved playing as a kid. My favorite part was being a part of a team, and the competition. I love competition!! My favorite positions when I was a kid were first base and catcher.
Can anybody participate?
Yes! While the majority of participants are boys, anyone is more than welcome to participate at all age levels.
Do you recommend kids try it? Why?
Absolutely! Not only will you have so much fun playing, but you’ll also make new friends on your team. Also, many players, especially at the younger ages, have never picked up a baseball bat in their lives! The coaches will teach you how to play!!
What baseball teams do you root for now?
I’m a long suffering Mets fan. Things are looking up for us though!!
To register for the 2021 SOM Baseball season click HERE. Registration ends on January 31st, 2021.
Scholarships are available by contacting the South Orange Recreation at departmentrecreation@southorange.org.
For more information about the program please visit the SOM Baseball Website, reach out to the South Orange Recreation department, or reach out to one of the SOM Baseball Committee members (click HERE for contact information).
If anyone has older kids that are interested in signing up for the umpire program with Mr. Hein, you can sign up on the same page as the player registration. Email Mr. Hein at somumpires@gmail.com for more information.
From Seth Boyden Garden Teacher Mrs. Tuohy:
Make a batch of homemade playdough (recipe below).
Gather beautiful objects from nature. Decorate the play dough with the natural objects while reflecting on and celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Simple homemade play dough recipe:
Ingredients
Method
End-of-Year Message from the Seth Boyden PTA:
What a year 2020 has been!
From the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, this community has shown, again and again, how to be Seth Boyden Strong.
From Go Fund Mes for Seth Boyden students who lost parents to the incredible grassroots efforts of SOMA Shares — supporting our community with groceries and masks and books and coats and more — to the teachers who have done so much during such a difficult time — and the generosity and grace showed to them by our Seth Boyden families — to the class captains who have worked to forge connections between classmates to all the PTA volunteers and board members who have kept it going throughout and the students — these incredible children — who have had their normal lives pulled out from under them and still show up at their computers every day and persevere.
These are just a few of the countless examples of the generosity of spirit and giving that is Seth Boyden.
We are looking forward to 2021 with great hope and anticipation, and as we prepare for a new year, we ask that if you are able to make a year-end gift, to please consider supporting Seth Boyden PTA. We are a 501(c) (3) organization and your gift helps to fund efforts like getting books in the hands of students, assemblies that enrich our children’s education, teacher gifts, SOMA Shares, and so much more in the future. Your gift truly makes a difference!
You can make a tax-deductible gift through PayPal, and you can even make it recurring. Click here.
And if your employer matches charitable donations, then the impact of your donation to Seth Boyden could be doubled! Ask at work.
We are Seth Boyden Strong because we are a unique, dynamic, and exceptionally caring school community filled with so many people doing good every day. We are Seth Boyden Strong because of YOU.
A message from the amazing Seth Boyden social work team:
We are in the final months of 2020 and although this year has been unpredictable, the Seth Boyden Social Work Dept thinks that now is a great time to BREATHE deep.
Welcome to GRATITUDE SEASON 🙂
Here’s a fun Gratitude Scavenger Hunt activity that everyone can participate in to kick off our season of showing gratitude for the people and things that have helped to keep us going this year:
#BoydenStrong #HereForYou #YouMatter
We are incredibly proud to share that Jacob Case, a 4th-grader in Mr. Hein’s class, has been featured in Jamie Oliver’s Cooking Buddies Club! Congratulations to Jacob and his family! We’re so happy that Jamie Oliver, one of Britain’s top chefs, recognizes Jacob’s talents!
Over the summer, Jacob made a video of harvesting nasturtiums and other edible flowers from the Strawberry Fields garden (with Ms. Tuohy’s full support and permission of course!). Jacob turned them into a delicious salad and uploaded the video to his Instagram & Facebook pages. The video was then shared in Jamie Oliver’s private Cooking Buddies Facebook group, where the team saw what a star Jacob is! Jamie Oliver’s team edited the video and shared it on Instagram so that thousands more could enjoy Jacob’s food!
Check out Jacob’s Cooking Buddies video by clicking here.
To see Jacob cooking, you can check him out on Facebook at Cooking with Jacob or on Instagram @cookingwithjacob9.
Here’s another recipe that Jacob loves that also uses ingredients (the Swiss chard) he harvested from our school garden.
Sautéed Swiss Chard with Steamed Butter Nut Squash:
The Achieve Foundation is thrilled to award grants to educators across the district this October for 36 projects totaling $43,623! Winning grants included professional development programs, technology equipment, electronic and physical books, and other educational materials.
Last week, Achieve presented checks to these amazing Seth Boyden teachers:
• Maggie Tuohy for “From Garbage to Garden”
• Shella Mesidor-Villard for “Equity Institute: Advancing Racial Equity in Education Workshop”
• Dianne Canzonieri and Elana Ris for “Magnificent Mathematicians”
• Marissa DeMartino for “Fun with Phonics”
• Sarah Haldeman for “Multicultural Literature for Social Emotional Learning and Anti-Bias Discourse”
• Susan Brody for “Book Clubs Need Better Books”
• Sarah Fakhoury and Jesse Hein for “Let’s Talk About Race”
• Erica Dulny for “High Interest, Low Level Books”
• Erica Dulny for “Serious About Series!”
• Janine Poutre and Catherine Campbell (So. Mountain) for “Audible Battle of the Books”
Congratulations to these educators for receiving over $9,315 in funding for our students this fall!
Achieve board president Christine Houseworth (far left) and grants committee co-chair Hilary Jones-Danziger (far right) presented checks to Seth Boyden educators: Dianne Korte Canzonieri, Shella Mesidor-Villard, Sarah Haldeman, and Janine Guida Poutre.
