The Weekly Update May 1, 2026 | | |
| | May 1-19: PTSC Spring Clothing Drive May 4- 8: Teacher Appreciation Week May 5 - 8: NJSLA-A assessments May 7: School Nurse Appreciation Day May 7: Spring Band Concert-7:00 pm May 12: Spring Choral Concert-7:00 pm May 13 -14: 8th Grade Science Testing May 15: Mid Marking Period | | All middle school students will be participating in the statewide assessments the week of May 4. On May 4 we will have an extended homeroom to make sure all of our students know the room they will be taking the assessments and complete preliminary set up.
Testing will take place Tuesday through Thursday at the start of the school day. Once testing is complete, students will follow a modified schedule where it is anticipated they will see all of their classes, but for a shortened period of time.
While students should always come to school well rested, having eaten a good breakfast, and bring their charged Chromebook with them, this is particularly important during the week of testing.
Students should bring a book or magazine to read in the event they finish the testing early. Students will not be able to use their Chromebooks until after testing is complete.
More information on state testing can be found at this website https://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/adaptive/
The 8th graders will take the state science test during the morning of May 13 and 14. 7th graders will have a regular school day, both days. | | Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. We acknowledge all that they do for our students throughout the school year.
During the week, we will have “teacher-grams” available in the ELA classes for our students. Students can complete and give to their teachers (or drop them off in the main office and we will make sure they are delivered).
Thank you to our teachers for their work and support for our students. | | Looking to clean out your closets? You can do that and benefit the PTSC as part of their clothing drive. Items can be dropped off at the pole barn behind the middle school (accessed via North Island Road). The clothing drive runs from May 1 - May 19 with pickup scheduled by 10 am. | | Spring is here, and that means it’s time for one of our most anticipated events of the year—the Northern Burlington FFA Spring Plant Sale Fundraiser! 🌼🌿 Our students have been hard at work growing a wide variety of high-quality plants, and we’re excited to welcome you to the greenhouse! | | | I wanted to introduce bilateral stimulation as a coping mechanism that you can really use anywhere. An article by www.livemindfullypsychotherapy.com seemed to explain it best. In simple terms, bilateral stimulation is rhythmic, alternating stimulation of the left and right sides of your body and brain. This simple technique has profound effects on your wellbeing and in calming your nervous system. This is also why you almost always feel better after a walk, sometimes coming up with solutions or having a feeling of clearing your mind.
One doesn’t need a therapy appointment to experience the benefits of bilateral stimulation. Here are a couple simple techniques to get you started that you can do at home, work or school that can help bring calm before a test, a difficult conversation or just about any situation that causes anxiety. -The Butterfly Hug was developed by therapist Luncina Artigas during her work with hurricane survivors in 1998. Simply cross your arms over your chest, placing your right hand on your left shoulder and left hand on your right shoulder. Then gently tap your shoulders in an alternating pattern for 1-2 minutes while focusing on your breath. -Alternating Foot Taps combine bilateral stimulation with grounding, helping you feel more connected to the present moment. Simply tap your left and right feet on the ground in an alternating rhythm. -Alternating Hand Taps are even less noticeable as you place your hands on your thighs and tap left-right-left-right in a steady rhythm while focusing on your breath. No one would know you are doing this for a minute or two before taking a test or in a gathering that may be overwhelming for you. -Bilateral Drawing engages your creative mind while stimulating both brain hemispheres. With a crayon or marker in each hand, draw symmetrical patterns simultaneously using easy shapes like circles or figure eights. -Auditory Alternating Tones are for those who prefer a sound based approach. YouTube offers alternating tones to listen to with headphones. For a more thorough dive into bilateral stimulation, you can read the whole article here. There is also a book titled Tapping In by Laurel Parnell, PhD. that does a great job of explaining it and giving examples such as how to use it to deepen your relaxation response when using the skill of imagining your safe or happy place when trying to calm yourself. | | On Friday, June 12th at 7:00 PM, members of the Northern Burlington Middle School Choir will take the field to perform “God Bless America” at the Trenton Thunder game. This special performance is also a fundraiser for our choir program, so we encourage families, friends, and community members to join us for a fun night of baseball while supporting our student musicians. Bring your school spirit and cheer on our talented singers as they represent Northern Burlington! More details about ticket information will be shared soon. Tickets can be purchased using the following link: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Northernburlington22
Hope to see you there! | |  | | Spring Gift Card Raffle: Our raffle fundraiser tickets are now on sale! 1st prize: $500 visa gift card. 2nd prize: $200 visa gift card. Tickets: $10 each. Drawing: May 2. Request your tickets here: PTSC Gift Card Raffle Ticket Request Form
Senior Citizen Prom: May 2 (1:00pm - 4:00pm). Adult and student volunteers needed. This is an amazing event that we co-host with the Teachers Association. Senior Citizens residing in Northern Burlington are invited to attend a free event with lunch, desserts, DJ, yearbook photographer, and basket raffles. Students serve lunch and dessert. It's a great way for all generations to connect. PTSC Executive Board: The PTSC executive board is accepting applications for the board. Every position is voted upon in May for the following school year. If you are interested in being a part of our board, please let us know.
End of Year Activities: PTSC provides snacks (fresh popcorn, cotton candy, etc) for 8th grade class night (May 29) and Senior send-off (one of the last days of school). Staff appreciation sundae bar is typically the last day of school. If you are interested in helping with end of year activities (8th grade class night, Senior send-off, staff appreciation sundae bar), please sign up End of Year Volunteer Sign Up. For more information, please see our website at www.nburlingtonptsc.org | |  | | |  | Andrew Kearns Andrew is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters |
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