Middle School Newsbite: February 9th, 2026

Posted Date: 02/09/26 (03:00 PM)

A cluster of colorful balloons, including a dolphin, smiley face, and crown, floats above an office desk.

Glittery letters spell out 'WE LOVE OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS' on a tiled floor.

Three women stand together in front of a white brick wall, smiling.

Staff Celebrations

Mrs. MacKnight's Balloon Palooza

Middle school staff surprised Mrs. MacKnight with a fun and festive birthday celebration filled with a variety of unique and creative balloons. From silly to colorful, each balloon added to the excitement and made the surprise even more special. Her day was filled with smiles, laughter, and lots of love as staff came together to make her feel celebrated and appreciated. It was a joyful way to show how much she means to our school community!

School Counselors' Week

School Counseling Week is a time to celebrate and recognize the important role school counselors play in supporting students’ academic success, social-emotional growth, and future planning. Counselors work every day to listen, guide, and advocate for students—helping them navigate challenges, set goals, and believe in themselves. This week, we proudly thank our school counseling team for the care, commitment, and encouragement they bring to our school community. Thank you Mrs. Fenimore, Ms. Arcieri and Miss Pursina!

Career Guest Speakers in History

A teacher presents a map dashboard on a projector screen to a class of attentive students.

Two young students collaborate on a school project, reading a newspaper.

A teacher presents an image of a building on a projector screen to a group of students in a classroom.

Mrs. Taylor: City Planner

Beckett Cheney’s mother, Mrs. Taylor, visited Mr. Holohan’s 5th grade class to share insight into her career in city planning and explain the important role city planners play in shaping communities. She showed students real city plans, allowing them to explore surveys, data, and detailed drawings used in the planning process.

The visit connected perfectly to students’ current project of designing a museum attraction in Trenton, helping them see how their classroom learning applies to real-world careers. Mrs. Taylor inspired students by highlighting the skills and subjects they are learning now and how they relate to city planning. Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, for sharing your creative experiences and inspiring our students!

A teacher gestures while presenting to a class of students sitting at desks in a classroom.

A woman and a child embrace warmly in a classroom setting with an American flag and whiteboard visible.

Mrs. Featherston: ESL Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Featherston visited Mr. Holohan’s 6th grade class to share insight into her career as a middle school ESL teacher in Trenton and give students a glimpse into a typical day in her profession.

She helped students connect the subjects they are currently learning to real-world skills used in teaching and education. Students also compared similarities and differences between South Hunterdon schools and schools in Trenton, broadening their understanding of diverse school communities.

Mrs. Featherston shared her favorite part of being a teacher, highlighted the awards she has received, and showed photos of her inspiring students while celebrating the many languages they speak. Thank you, Mrs. Featherston, for inspiring our students and encouraging future educators!

A teacher points to a projected image of a form with the word 'VOID' prominently displayed, while students watch.

Mrs. Sabatino: Insurance Claim Representative

Mrs. Sabatino visited Mr. Holohan’s 5th grade class to share insight into her career in insurance and give students a glimpse into a “day in the life” of her profession. She made meaningful connections between the subjects students are currently learning and how those skills apply to real-world careers in the future.

Students also learned how to be safe and helpful passengers, explored what police reports look like, and discussed the meaning of different road signs and indicators. Thank you, Mrs. Sabatino, for taking the time to inspire our 5th grade Eagles and share your career experience with them!

Assembly: Free to Be

Students wearing 3D glasses sit on a gymnasium floor, watching a presentation.

The entire school had the benefit of attending an assembly presented by Life Changing Experiences. The program, called Free to Be, is an anti-bullying initiative, developed with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia experts, fostering respect and inclusion. Our students were engaged during and responded very favorably toward the program.

The SHRMS Counseling Department, along with our District Mental Health Therapist, Ashley Williams, and our District SAC, Olivia Kochis, is committed to promoting initiatives that help our students in ways that align with our district's socioemotional learning initiatives throughout the school year. This assembly had a 3D component where students utilized 3D glasses to bring the videos shared to life. Students in grades 5th-8th enjoyed learning the opportunity to gallery as a school and learn more about this important topic!

A group of students sits on bleachers and the floor of a gymnasium, listening to speakers.

A group of children sit on a gymnasium floor watching a presentation on a large screen.

Mrs. McCarthy's Corner

Three young people sit on the floor around a poster that reads "Reverend Hunt For President" with a drawing of a cross.

Five young people collaborate on a project, sitting on the floor around a large poster.

Three young people are painting on a large sheet of paper on the floor.

In ELA, students were able to get creative and design posters for a cause based on the book they are reading. Students created campaign posters for the new president of Jamestown, using evidence from the text to support why their candidate would be a strong leader. They carefully selected details and examples to prove their claims, combining reading comprehension, critical thinking, and creativity. The project brought learning to life while helping students practice supporting ideas with text-based evidence.

Students collaborate on a "Vote Captain Smith for President" poster in a classroom decorated with motivational banners.

Two children work on a poster that reads 'CAPTAIN SMITH FOR PRESIDENT!' on a yellow floor.

Student Teachers

We are excited to welcome two student teachers to South Hunterdon Middle School this semester.

Jenna Toto, a Secondary History Education major at The College of New Jersey, will be student teaching in Mr. Holohan’s classroom. Miss Galindo, a senior at TCNJ double majoring in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second Language, will be working alongside Mrs. Zidzik supporting our ESL students. Both bring a strong commitment to inclusive, engaging instruction, and we look forward to their contributions as they learn and grow alongside our students and staff.

A young woman with long dark hair and glasses smiles, wearing a black shirt and a blue patterned skirt.

Miss Galindo

Hello! My name is Miss Galindo, and I recently began my role here at SHRMS as Mrs. Zidzik’s student teacher. Together, we support our school’s ESL students across various classes by providing academic and language assistance to help them succeed. I am a senior at The College of New Jersey, double majoring in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second Language.

In the classroom, I strive to create an inclusive learning environment where students feel seen, valued, and confident in their abilities. I believe language is a powerful tool for connection and identity, and I am excited and grateful to learn alongside both students and staff during my time at this school. Fun facts about me: I love cows and I was a former ESL student myself.

Miss Jenna Toto

Hi everyone! My name is Jenna Toto, and I’m a Secondary History Education major at TCNJ. I’m excited to be joining SHRMS this semester as a student teacher!

My goal as a future teacher is making history engaging, relevant, and meaningful for students and helping create a classroom environment where everyone feels comfortable and excited to learn.

Outside of school, you can usually find me at the beach, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family. I’m looking forward to learning from all of you and working together until May!

A young woman with long dark hair smiles, wearing a cream-colored sweater and a blue lanyard with an ID badge.

Catching up with Ms. Jodie Witt, the School Nurse

The Middle School is so lucky to have Ms. Witt available to help students and families everyday. We caught up with her to learn more about her nursing experience, and what led her to working at South Hunterdon.

Q: What made you want to become a school nurse?

JW: I chose to become a school nurse just over two years ago. Prior to school nursing I was a labor and delivery nurse for 5 years and also worked in a women's speciality health practice for 8 years. I also worked in clinical research for a few years until I found myself wanting to have the opportunity to work more closely with kids in a way that I could treat their ailments and promote healthy lifestyle choices at the same time.

A large part of nursing is educating patients and when I see a student who presents to the Health Office with an ailment I always educate them on their symptoms, symptom management, possible sickness progression and treatment, as well as what steps they can take to remain healthy. The hours of this position align well with my life outside of school because I have two kids, ages 8 and 13, who are very busy and this allows me to be home with them when they get home from school. Working 12 hour shifts took me away from my children so I wanted a better work/life balance as well.

A nurse uses a forehead thermometer to check a young girl's temperature in a medical exam room.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with middle school students?

JW: I love the personalities of middle school students. They are curious, funny, and energetic. What is especially nice about working with this age group is that they are able to verbalize exactly what is going on with them when they come into my office. This ability of theirs aides my assessment and treatment of them. They give me updates about what's going on in their classes or how they did on a quiz and they even fill me in on the news in middle school.

This year especially I have noticed that middle schoolers have their own language and I am often asking "what does that mean?" and they'll happily fill me in on the new slang. Then, I can go home and when I hear it from my 13-year-old daughter, I can say "I know what that word means!".

Q: How do you see the role of a school nurse beyond treating physical symptoms?

JW: A school nurse is considered a public health nurse. I may be here for sick visits but I am also here to promote health and safety within the school. Some of the responsibilities I have besides seeing the students when they need the nurse is to perform yearly screenings and follow-up with referrals if they did not pass their vision or hearing test. If a student cannot see, they cannot learn to their fullest potential. I also track immunizations closely because the state has mandated reporting of immunization compliance from all schools.

I provide input for Child Study Team meetings, maintain rescue equipment, and compile a trained team to respond in the event of an emergency. I hold an emergency drill each year to ensure we are prepared should something happen. For students with asthma, severe food allergies and my diabetic students, I have emergency medical plans in place. I also process middle school sports physicals, maintain the students' medical files, and document a visit for every student that walks through my door each day. This is a busy job but it's fun and very rewarding!

A school nurse's office decorated with motivational posters about growth, plants, and student well-being.

Q: Middle school is a special age both physically and emotionally - how do you build trust with students at this stage?

JW: I try to build trust with the students by meeting them where they are. If we are discussing something sensitive, I make sure to close the curtain to ensure privacy and I will sit right next to them so we are at the same eye level. I may be an adult but as the school nurse the last thing I would ever want is to come across as intimidating. I tell them that my office is a safe space and they can express what is concerning them and I will try to help in every way I can.

I also remain consistent with them which I believe builds trust as well. I set certain expectations for my office in order to keep it a safe and healthy environment for all and those expectations are generally well-respected which I appreciate.

Q: Do you have any tips for staying healthy through the next six weeks of winter?

JW: Winter time and winter illnesses are difficult. Students are absent more in the winter and I track those absences to see if there are any trends popping up. I also pay close attention to any patterns I am seeing in the Health Office.

The best advice I can give to students and families to continue to stay healthy is to wash their hands frequently, drink plenty of water because hydration is so important to maintain healthy functioning of many body systems, and to get adequate rest.

Having students have a "stop time" at night when they can no longer access their screens is important to ensure their brain is able to shut off and thus get into a REM sleep cycle faster which will help the students wake up feeling more rested and refreshed and ready to take on another day. Getting good sleep helps with having a positive mindset as well.

Q: Is there anything else you would like parents or students to know?

JW: I'd like everyone to know that I can be a valuable resource to families in the district. Whether you're unsure if an ailment you are seeing at home is normal and requires a doctor's appointment, or you need a recommendation for an eye doctor, I am here to help. What are the best treatments for someone when they have the Flu? Call me or email me. Doctor's may say "manage symptoms with supportive care" however that is a very open ended statement and I can assist in breaking down what that supportive care could/should be depending on the symptoms. This is not only applicable to having the Flu either; so many illnesses are viral and do not require a doctor's visit so they can be managed at home but it may be confusing how to do that. I have been a nurse for 19 years, I can help, please reach out!

Thank you, Ms. Witt, for all that you do, and for taking the time to share more about your job with us!

Looking Ahead

Cereal Boxes

Middle school students teamed up with high school peer leaders to collect cereal boxes as part of the Great Kindness Challenge, turning teamwork into a meaningful act of giving. Through collaboration and kindness, students learned the power of helping others while making a positive impact in our community.

This effort highlighted how small acts of generosity, when done together, can make a big difference. Please consider donating unopened cereal boxes to Ms. Arcieri! Help us reach our goal!

Students sit on blue bleachers in a gymnasium, facing a group of adults.

8th Grade Scheduling

Mrs.Keck and Mr. Peterson visited the Middle School to chat with our 8th grade Eagles.Mrs. Keck and Mr. Peterson guided them through the class selection process on OnCourse.

They shared valuable insight into course options, expectations, and opportunities awaiting them in high school, while answering questions and offering encouragement. The visit sparked excitement and curiosity, giving students a glimpse into their next academic chapter and helping them feel prepared and motivated as they look ahead to high school. High School here we come!

February 13 Make-Up Snow Day
February 16 No School: Presidents' Weekend

Three school logos featuring eagles and the text 'HS', 'Eagles', and 'SOUTH HUNTERDON REGIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'.

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