Middle School Newsbite: September 29th, 2025

Posted Date: 9/29/25 (8:20 AM)

Joanne Fenimore has spent twenty years shaping South Hunterdon students into quality humans ready to take on the world. We caught up with Ms. Fenimore to learn more about her experience and how working at South has shaped her, too.

Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of working with South Hunterdon students?

JF: When South had a 7-12 middle/high school, it was fascinating to watch them mature year after year. To see that senior, who I first met as an anxious 7th grader on their first day of middle school, walk across the stage at graduation, well, it's a feeling like no other. I am so proud of each one of my students for facing their unique challenges and roadblocks over the years. Now that I work in the new 5-8 middle school, I anticipate that it will be a very similar feeling to witness our 5th graders grow over the course of four years when they prepare for high school and graduate as 8th graders.

Q: What continues to inspire you in the field of education?

JF: It's the students who continue to inspire me daily. There are few things more rewarding than watching a student leave my office feeling better, with a little less weight on their shoulders than when they came in.

Q: How have students shaped you into the person you are today?

JF: Preteens and teens have such honest and deep insights about their unique lives, and about society and the greater world at large. Any person who tells you that adults can't learn from kids has never spent a lot of time around kids! My experience with each one of my students over the years has affected my practice as an educator and as a human being.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about working at the middle school?

JF: I'm eager to continue to grow as a counselor, as well as to help shape our new school community under the excellent leadership of Principal MacKnight.

Q: What is the most important thing you hope students learn from you as they grow?

JF: Always be authentic to yourself. You'll be a lot healthier and happier throughout life if you don't try to squeeze your personality into a little box just to fit society's ideals. Ultimately, there is no such thing as "normal."

Q: What makes South Hunterdon a special place to work?

JF: The connections you build with your students and colleagues are incredible. I attribute that to our small size and our caring school environment. We are all willing to go above and beyond for our students and families because we get to know them beyond the surface.

Q: How do you like to spend your time when you're not at South?

JF: When I'm not at South, you'll find me on a horse or on a spin bike, watching pro football (GO BIRDS!), spending time with my husband and three cats, or eating Peeps by the dozen.

Thank you, Ms. Fenimore, for your many years of service to South Hunterdon students!

Circle Rules Football

During September, the PE classes have been learning lacrosse and circle rules football skills. Circle Rules Football is a game that combines skills from many different sports, like soccer (foot dribbling and kicking), volleyball (volleying), and basketball (hand dribbling and passing). The game was created by a theater student in New York City as their final culminating project. It has nothing to do with football, but incorporates many sports such as soccer, basketball and volleyball. This game has been a big hit with the students!

Friendly reminder: Don't forget that students need sneakers in order to participate in PE!

Fun Friday!

Recently, 5th and 6th graders had a great time during our Fun Friday Tug of War! Students teamed up and competed in classic tug.

Everyone worked together, cheered each other on, and showed great teamwork. It was a fun and exciting way to end the week! Watch out for those 5th and 6th graders, they are super strong.

What's Coming Up?

October 2 School Closed - Yom Kippur
October 13 School Closed - Staff In-Service
October 22 Make-Up Picture Day

Students just returned from their trip to Camp Fairview on Friday. They had a great time! We'll share more on Camp Fairview in our next Newsbite on October 14th.

Click HERE to see the High School Newsbite
Click HERE to see the Elementary School Newsbite