School Days

Bishop McHugh
With the devastation of Super Storm Sandy, the hearts and spirits of the students and families at BMRS were stirred to action. Within forty-eight hours of the storm, the children created flyers, notes were sent home and a huge response from our families occurred: donations of coats, clothing and food were collected and distributed to Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Atlantic City and Holy Redeemer Food Pantry in Swainton.
The collection filled the entrance hallway of the school. Students cheerfully carried donations and sorted them for distribution. In addition, the annual Thanksgiving food drive succeeded in gathering an abundance of canned goods for Holy Redeemer.
To carry the spirit of Christmas onward, the entire school participated in several Christmas outreach projects. Each student wrote a letter to Santa, stamped, and addressed to Santa Claus. The letters were delivered to MACY’S BELIEVE program mailbox. MACY’S donated one dollar for each letter to the Make a Wish Foundation. Many of the letters included prayers for the healing of the families in Newtown, CT, and those devastated by Super Storm Sandy.
Our school’s PTA sponsored a “Giving Tree” and toy drive at our annual Breakfast with Santa; the toys collected were donated to area organizations. Our school’s outreach organization, Team Mercy, coordinated two giving programs. Most of our school families donated gifts to students in a school in the Camden area, and the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade families donated gift cards to patients at the Hope Cancer Center.
Throughout the season of Advent, the Bishop McHugh School community has attempted to do our part to make the season a bit brighter for all.
Each month a student from each grade level at Bishop McHugh Regional School is selected to receive Fruit of the Spirit award. Selected students are recognized for demonstrating behavior that best exemplifies practicing the character trait of focus for the given month. The Fruit of the Spirit changes monthly and for the month of December the focus was Peace. The following students received an award: Peyton, Laricks, Gianna Vallese, Zachary Marks, Stella Murphy, Samantha Marks, Matthew Moretti, Jamie Butler, Carina Fielmyr, Louis Ciabatoni, Wolfe Schwartz, Noah SicienskyCape May Elementary
The staff at Cape May Elementary is dedicating the playground to the Coast Guard for their numerous hours of volunteer service at the school including their help in assembling the playground in August.
“We are pleased with our mutually beneficial relationship with the Coast Guard and their efforts to help educate, support and lead our students,” said Mrs. Victoria Zelenak, the superintendent of Cape May Elementary. “Our school is home to many children of Coast Guard service members, so it makes their impact on our students even greater.”
In addition to helping assemble the new playground, the Coast Guard also volunteers numerous hours at the school as part of the Partnership in Education program, which allows Coast Guardsmen to tutor and mentor children of all ages. Coast Guardsmen meet at the school regularly to help children with their homework and act as positive role models for the children.
The staff of Training Center Cape May adopted Cape May Elementary in April 2011 formalizing the support of the school’s staff and students. As part of this adoption, Coast Guardsmen participate in or sponsor numerous educational, physical fitness or recreational events for the elementary students.
“This is an excellent example of our commitment to the community and its most important citizens – our children,” said Capt. Bill Kelly, commanding officer of Training Center Cape May. “As a service, we are actively involved in numerous schools in South Jersey, and at Cape May, we are proud of our efforts to mentor and educate our children.”
Over the past two years, Coast Guardsmen stationed at Training Center Cape May have volunteered approximately 3,000 hours at more than 30 schools in five different states and hosted students from across the country for Navy Junior ROTC and Naval Sea Cadet programs as part of its Partnership in Education program.Cape May Tech
The winter/spring semester of evening classes at the Cape May County Technical School begins the week of Jan. 14 and registration is under way. The school offers part time classes in arts & crafts, dance, computers, cooking/baking, language, health & fitness, special training, and technical programs for general interest or job oriented. The Technical School also offers State-licensing courses in Black Seal and Wastewater Advanced this semester.
New this semester: Diesel Engines Maintenance & Basic Repair, Website Design Advanced, Hunting Dog Training for the Field, Irrigation Scheduling & Water Conservation and Exploring Still Life art class.
In-person registration is accepted at the school in the Tozour Building, Office #145, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with extended hours on Jan. 8, 9 & 10 to 7:00 p.m. Senior Citizens, age 60 and older, can register for non-licensing/certified courses at half the registration fee.
For information about evening/continuing education programs, you may view the evening school brochure online at www.capemaytech.com or call the office at 465-2161, x646.
The Cape May County Technical School is also offering a ServSafe Sanitation Certification Course, which is an up to date, comprehensive, food safety-training program.
The State of New Jersey mandated as of Jan. 1, 2010, one person on premises of a food service establishment must have a sanitation certification. This course is for restaurant owners, managers, chefs, cooks, servers or anyone working or affiliated with the food service industry.
The course starts Jan. 24 and the registration fee is $81.00 plus textbook. For more information about the course or the registration process, please contact the Technical School at 465-2161, x646 or view the evening school brochure online at www.capemaytech.com.
GED Testing for January at the Cape May County Technical School District is Jan. 9 and 10 from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Jan. 23 and 24 from 3:30 to 9 p.m.
A mandatory pre-registration and orientation (which takes about a hour) for the Jan. 9 and 10 testing session is scheduled for Jan. h at 3:30 p.m.; and for the Jan. 23 and 24 testing session, pre-registration and orientation is scheduled for Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m. in the Tozour 100 building (188 Crest Haven Road) office # 145.
Those interested in the GED Test must bring to the registration/orientation a money order or cash for $50.00 (no personal checks) and two forms of ID, one a government-issued photo ID along with an original birth certificate or social security card. Sixteen and seventeen year olds must present their certificate of consent to participate form at the time of registration. Contact the GED office for a form.
For further information call the Technical Schools Continuing Education office at 465-2161, ext. 648 or 646, and for additional test dates visit our district web site at capemaytech.com. Special GED testing accommodations may be requested for individuals challenged with diagnosed physical, emotional or educational special needs.