The florence township memorial H. S. Newsletter

October 2, 2012
THE FLORENCE TOWNSHIP MEMORIAL H. S. NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Below please find a summary of recent highlights along with important information for the month of October.
Special Recognition
The Bordentown Lodge No. 2085 B.P.O. Elks have a program whereby, once a month, they recognize and reward a
FTMHS “Student of the Month.” This student must be a senior. It is my pleasure to recognize Devin Vogel as the Elks’
Student of the Month for September. She is a hardworking individual who was selected because of her strong character
and her academic and extracurricular achievements.
Character Education Program & Students of the Month
We believe that we need to provide our students with more than academic knowledge in order for them to learn and grow as
people. For this reason, we have a Character Education Program at the High School. Each month, we celebrate a new
character education trait, and we ask our teachers to weave this word into their lessons. Additionally, every month, we
recognize at least one student from each grade level for the fine job he/she has done in bringing the word of the month to
life. These students are then identified as our Students of the Month.
The character education word of the month for September was Friendliness. The following students were chosen by our
faculty for the way that they personified this character education trait:
Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Austin Jackson Britney Widner Noelle Glenn Fatima Er
Allison Marcinkowski Andrew Dats Rachel Snively Gina Bruno
Congratulations to these students on a doing such a great job! The character education word of the month for October is
Respect.
Back to School Night
Thank you to all who attended Back to School Night. We realize how much you care about your child’s education and
appreciate your support. The evening was a great success, and I’d like to thank our teachers and parents for making it so.
Rachel's Challenge
Rachel’s Challenge is visiting FTMHS on October 11 th to speak with our students and staff and to remind us about just how
important it is to treat one another with kindness. More information can be found at http://www.rachelschallenge.org.
Please join us as we work together as a community, because "when you perform an act of kindness, no matter how big or
small, you just may start a chain reaction."
Come Out and Witness History
Lexi Smith is a 12 th grader at FTMHS, and she is on the verge of breaking all kinds of Field Hockey records. She broke the
County record last year, and she is just a handful of goals away from breaking both the New Jersey State Record as
well as the National Record!
Please visit our school website to learn more about how you can cheer Lexi on as well as show your support for our school’s
sports teams.
Marching Band News
We’re pleased to announce that the FTMHS Marching Band came in 2 nd place at their first competition at Burlington City
High School on September 22 nd . Way to go!
Class of 2013 Senior Trip
It’s still not too late to sign up for the Senior Class Trip to Disney World. All we need is the $95 deposit and the $250 first
payment for a total of $345. If you have any questions, contact Ms. Clarke (lclarke@florence.k12.nj.us) or Mr. Pereda
(cpereda@florence.k12.nj.us)
Yearbook Information
The Yearbook Advisors, Ms. Finamore and Mrs. Eckart, would like to announce: Yearbooks are now available for
ordering online via the school website link. Also, be on the lookout for a flyer in the mail about yearbook orders.

Class of 2015 Fundraiser
The Florence Township Memorial High School SOPHOMORE CLASS OF 2015 will be selling Savory Sweets as our fall
fundraiser. Order packets are due to Ms. Finamore or Ms. Tannenbaum no later than OCTOBER 23 rd , 2012. Orders will
be delivered and distributed AFTER SCHOOL the week of November 12 th , 2012. Each item costs $14.00. Please make
checks payable to: Florence Township Memorial High School Class of 2015. Payment is due in full once your order is
submitted. If you have any questions, please see or e-mail Ms. Finamore at afinamore@florence.k12.nj.us.
“le coin français” (French Corner)
Students in French 1 – 4 are learning a lot with their new textbooks, Discovering French 2013. The complete audio and
video programs are making class time entertaining and reinforcing the curriculum. Students have also been working hard
individually and in groups on a variety of oral and written projects. Courage, les élèves!
(The last part means “Good luck, students!”) ~ Ms. Ayrer, Professeure de francais
Science News
Mr. DuBrul’s Core Science 3 class will be conducting its annual stream survey on Cedar Creek. The health of the stream
will be evaluated by identifying the macroinvertebrates.
Mrs. Doub, a parent of a High School student, along with Mr. DuBrul, submitted a grant to Target to try to obtain money
so that our students would not have to pay to be able to attend field trips to the Pine Barrens. Thank you for your fantastic
work!
Sports News
70 Years of Florence Flashes Football! Friday, October 12 th , Florence vs. Delran… kickoff at 7 p.m. Come one, come
all to Alumni Day! We are celebrating 70 years of Florence Football and welcoming back all Alumni! For those who
participated in Band, Cheering, or Football, make sure you sign the 70 Year Banner when you come to the game! Spread the
word! And don’t forget to wear your Blue and Gold! For more information, please contact Mary Ellen Cassidy in the
Athletic Office at mekessler@florence.k12.nj.us or at 499-4620 (x5). GO FLASHES!
Guidance News
Seniors
The counselors visited every Senior English class to discuss post-high school planning. They gave out “Senior Packets,”
which contain brightly colored folders full of important forms and advice. Many of those forms must be returned to the
Counseling Office before we can release official transcripts and confidential recommendations for your child. The
counselors updated Naviance Succeed accounts with your child’s current email address. We will use these email addresses
as one means to distribute scholarship information as we receive it. Parents, you can be added to your child’s Naviance
Succeed account. Ask your child to sign you up today! It is a great place to look up colleges, careers and financial aid
information.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Now is the time to register for an electronic signature pin for the
FAFSA. The senior packets contain much information about financial aid, including the FAFSA pin website,
www.pin.ed.gov and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority website, www.hesaa.org. Use the FAFSA
Forecaster at www.fafsa.ed.gov to gain a better understanding of the “Expected Family Contribution”.
Juniors:
The counselors visited every Junior English class. We encourage juniors to register for the PSAT/NMSQT to be held at
Florence Township Memorial High School on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 7:45 a.m. The cost is $20. We can
accommodate 50 juniors, so please have your child pay to secure a spot as soon as possible.
How can they prepare for this? Last year, we gave our students a free practice PSAT (PSSS). Their score report contains
extensive review and practice, along with a website that will help them plan a strategy for doing their best on the PSAT and
SAT.
We always encourage juniors and parents to visit colleges and trade schools during school breaks. This is one of many
important steps to take during the college/trade school selection process. This year there is little pressure other than visiting
and narrowing choices to a reasonable number.
At the end of junior year, the top 15% of the Class of 2014 may be eligible for the NJ STARS scholarship. State funding
may allow them up to 5 semesters of free tuition at Burlington County College.

Sophomores:
Your child has earned a number of credits during freshman year. The GPA and class rank we discussed with your child last
year is now a reality. Please urge your child to do his or her very best academically to maintain this average and possibly
improve it. Each year it becomes increasingly difficult to move class rank in either direction. Again, the top 15% of each
class can potentially earn up to five semesters of free tuition at Burlington County College as New Jersey STARS.
We will once again offer a free practice PSAT in early March for sophomores. More information will be forthcoming.
Freshmen:
We enjoyed our visit to help 9 th graders begin their journey towards finding a rewarding career. They are currently working
on personality and learning style profiles in Naviance Succeed. Parents can be added to this program to facilitate
communication between counselors and families. We will be meeting in the near future to discuss the importance of doing
well academically, joining extracurricular activities and sports, and looking for volunteer opportunities in the area. At
the high school level, it is very important to understand that grades and credits go a long way in determining what happens
immediately after high school in your child’s life. This is a brand new start for everyone and we urge you to expect your
child to do their very best in all of their classes. It starts with a regular homework, study and reading time Sunday
through Thursday evenings.
Test Dates for 2012/2013
SAT
Test Date
Register online at sat.org/register.
Registration Deadline (Late Registration Deadline, extra fee)
October 6 Sept. 7 (Sept. 21)
November 3 Oct. 4 (Oct. 19)
December 1 Nov. 1 (Nov. 16)
January 26 Dec. 28 (Jan. 11)
March 9 Feb. 8 (Feb. 22)
May 4 Apr. 5 (Apr. 19)
June 1 May 2 (May 17)
ACT
Register online at www.actstudent.org/start
Test Date Registration Deadline (Late Registration Deadline, extra fee)
September 8 August 17 (August 18-24)
October 27 Sept. 21 (Sept. 22-Oct. 5)
December 8 Nov. 2 (Nov. 3-16)
February 9 Jan. 11 (Jan. 12-18)
April 13 March 8 (March 9-22)
June 8 May 3 (May 4-17)
Progress Reports
Progress Reports will be distributed on Friday, October 12 th . The progress report that you receive is yours to keep. If you
are worried that your son or daughter may be struggling in one or more of his/her classes, please do not hesitate to contact
your child’s teacher. Our dedicated faculty would be happy to answer any questions and work with you to make sure that
your child is achieving all that he/she can. (Also, please know that you will be able to view your child’s progress report at
https://parents.genesisedu.com/florence.)
Movie Night
The Florence Township Education Association through a PRIDE in Publication Education Grant will be hosting a
Movie Night in November.
Movie: GREMLINS
Date: November 7 th , 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Florence Township Memorial High School Auditorium
Cost: Donations to the Thanksgiving Food Drive

Important Dates:
10/8 – Columbus Day is celebrated - School Closed
10/11 – Rachel’s Challenge
10/12 – Progress Reports Distributed
10/16 – FOR Club meeting after school in the atrium
10/21 - 11/21 – Student Council Food Drive
10/25 – Underclassmen Make-Up Photos
11/7 – End of the 1 st Marking Period
11/16 – Report Cards issued
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Thank you for all of your support during this very busy month. Your attention to returning necessary forms, attending Back
to School Night, supporting our PO, and supporting our fundraisers is greatly appreciated.
Please do not hesitate to call on me at any time with your questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
John M. Cogan
Principal, FTMHS