AHERA Annual Notice

School Counseling Department

In the School Counseling Department, the first half of October was focused on completing the RAMP application, which was submitted mid-October. Additionally, the GSA and a Mindfulness group began their sessions. The school counseling staff provided responsive counseling services for several crisis situations. As a department, counselors attended training on the CARES organization which provides resources and services to families struggling with addiction. During one evening, counselors attended the Morris County Professional Counselor Association dinner workshop. And finally, Mrs. Martino worked on several HIB's, the 8th graders participated in a Vo-Tech information session, the 6th & 7th grades were introduced to counseling lessons. Staff members are looking forward to a great November!

7th Grade Social Studies

In 7th Grade Social Studies, classes completed a culminating activity/project titled, Citizenship Public Service Announcements. Within this project, students worked in pairs or groups of three to create video PSA's for their classmates. Each video contained at least three statistics. Video subjects ranged from the importance of exercise to the environmental and economic consequences of the Red Tide in the Gulf of Mexico.

8th Grade Science

In 8th Grade Science, students learned about atoms and molecules. In doing so, they participated in activities that involved the understanding if the Periodic Table of Elements and learned the how and why certain elements bond with other elements. Students have also engaged in activities where they interpreted a "mock periodic table" and identified missing elements using clues from the table they created. In addition, students made their own Periodic Table of Elements using candy types and then identified their properties in order to organize them.

Forensics

Students in Forensics finished learning how to collect and analyze trace evidence such as shoeprints, tire tracks, hair, and fibers. In doing so, students learned how to distinguish different types of hairs and fibers microscopically as well as how different types of ink are used in chromatography. Forensic students are currently working on developing an argument from evidence on who they believe is responsible for the death of JonBenet Ramsey.