The first Monday of every October is World Day of Bullying Prevention. Whether you wear the STOMP Out Bullying "2018 Limited Edition" Blue Shirt or wear your own blue shirt, you'll be using your voice and sending a message that this is the day that bullying prevention is heard around the world.

Hello families! The long-awaited schedules are active in the Real Time Parent Portal!https://www.fridayparentportal.com/portal/security/login.cfm. Log in using the codes sent in the summer mailing to find out your children’s teachers. Don’t forget to submit a room parent request if you would like to be considered for a Room Parent position for the coming year! Visit the PTA website to submit an online form.

Merchantville School's production of 101 Dalmatians took place for family, friends and community members took place on April 12th at 7:00. It is a wonderful show that our students (and adults) worked very hard on for months. It is truly a labor of love and we are looking forward to tonight's performance.

Merchantville School celebrated the students that completed multiple reading logs over the summer. Why is summer reading so important? Have you heard of the "Summer Slide"? Research has shown that over the summer, students who stop reading can lose up to two months of reading achievement. Due to the summer slide, some students start the new school year behind where they finished the last year. Reading during the summer can help prevent this and even help children improve reading levels. These student readers had a pizza luncheon with the principal to thank them for keeping up with their reading over the summer. Great job kids! Keep on reading.

Merchantville School, 130 S Centre Street, Merchantville, New Jersey is offering a summer program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, Camp Invention is an exciting, week-long summer adventure with lessons that explore connections between science, technology, engineering, and innovation. Children in kindergarten through 6th grade work together to seek solutions to real-world problems and sharpen critical 21st century learning skills while rotating through several fascinating modules. Local educators will facilitate program modules and enthusiastic high school and college students will serve as Leadership Interns ensuring that one staff member is in place for every eight children.

The 5th grade students at Merchantville Elementary School had the opportunity to use the Fatal Vision® goggles, which simulate eyesight of a person under the influence of alcohol. Sgt. Frank Talarico, Merchantville’s LEAD Officer, incorporates this activity as part of the program. The Fatal Vision® Impairment Simulation Goggles are a hands-on awareness building tool that allows people to experience with a sober mind what it's like to be under the influence of alcohol.  Participants experience how alcohol impairs a person's balance, vision, reaction time, and judgment. Simple activities with the Fatal Vision® Goggles such as walking a line, one-leg stand, reaching out to grab a set of car keys, or tossing a ball become important aha moments as the particpant realizes how susceptible they are to potentially dangerous consequences of impairment.  It was a fun and enlightening experience for the students and teachers.