BULLETIN TEMPLATE (Nov 29, 2016)

Today we honored 7th grader Peter Murphy as the Most Motivated Student of the Month. He was accompanied by his parents, Peter,Sr. and Melissa, as well as his science teacher, Debbie Hagmeyer, and was introduced by PJMS Principal Dr. Bob Neidig. Dr. Neidig reminded us that this is the second time we've presented an award to Peter at a luncheon- and possibly not the last time to do so. Peter maintains a high GPA- in the upper 90's, and has been lauded by all of his teachers for his admirable work ethic and behavior in and out of class. His math teacher referred to Peter as an extremely conscientious, highly motivated student, often displaying leadership qualities. Peter is willing to take risks, asks questions that are outside of the box, and is always thinking one step ahead of his peers. His science teacher added that he is very interested and involved consistently in what goes on in class and is naturally inquisitive. This well-mannered, thoughtful young man is especially appreciated by the school staff that nominated him because he successfully demonstrates the qualities they try to cultivate and instill in all their students.
We also met Rob Grable, who has been an educator in the Mount Sinai School District for 18 years, the last 6 spent as High School Principal. He spoke to us about some of his favorite programs and projects at the high school. One of these, "Challenge Day", is actually a 2-day program for Juniors, when students and staff (200 each day) participate together and gain a new understanding of each other. This program is costly ($12,000), but well worth the money, as every participant learns so much from the experience. Among the effective activities are those like "Cross The Line" (which is also used on RYLA weekends), where youngsters and adults share personal information by stepping forward when asked "Who lost a parent?" or "Who is close to someone with a drug/alcohol addiction?" and discover that they are not alone. Mr. Grable also described the school's Distracted Driving Program, held in partnership with the Police Department. Among the activities in this program, student participants get to try out an obstacle course, can learn first hand how texting while driving affects safety, can explore a paddy wagon and get the feel for driving a large truck, and can experience the results of crashing while driving at low speed (6mph). All students take part in this program, usually just before Spirit Week. The school supports the training of a Guide Dog. It also supports a Holiday Magic Project, where students shop from a prepared shopping list, wrap, and then distribute gifts to needy youth, financed with the help of a generous local donor/lender. The students host the school's Annual Turkey Trot to raise money for families who need assistance. The last special school program mentioned was one that promotes Mindfulness. Yoga and meditation exercises are offered to de-stress the kids and teach them to manage the difficulties in their lives. This program promotes coping and kindness skills for all participants.