Catch up on what's happening at MES in the Knights Knews. This month's issue includes an article on unexpected good outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, by Dylan Gilliss, Hailee Nevedomsky, Evelyn
February Knights Knews
MES Honors Students
This week students from Merchantville School received in-person and virtual school year first trimester awards. Congratulations go out to MES 6th graders who received First Honors - students who received straight A's. Keep up the great work Daisy, Caroline, Elliot, Julia, Frankie, Massimo, Jillian, Julian & Grayden. Shout out to 7th grade Principal's List students who received straight A's for the first trimester. Keep up the great work David, Isabella, Ella, Audrey, Eric, Abbie, Owen, Maddie, & Luke. And to our 8th grade Principal's List students who received straight A's for the first trimester. Great job Mikayla, Eli, Jai, Will, Dylan, Isaiah, Milan, Catherine & Spyrandreas. Merchantville School also announced Knights of Honor for the first trimester - students who exhibit the characteristics we expect from all of our students. Great job Heaven, Spyandreas, Peter, Audrey, Sasha and Marlowe!
Haunted Circus Train Parade
Spread the Word - this year Merchantville's 8th Grade presents a safe Halloween experience for all little and big monsters in Monsterville - a Haunted Circus Train float parade! The parade will begin on Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. - map & parade route. The MES Haunted House has been a community staple since the 1990's and is usually the biggest graduation fundraiser of the year for MES 8th Graders. Please consider supporting them with a donation through Venmo: @Merchantville-EighthGrade or with cash donations at end of parade. Thank you! Please also "like" our new page, Merchantville 8th Grade for more information on ALL 8th Grade events and fundraisers this year! We know this isn't the year they envisioned, but we know with this community's support it will be awesome, nonetheless! Huge thanks to the Merchantville Police Department, Merchantville Fire Department & Niagra Fire Company, Pennsauken Police Department, Merchantville Public Events Committee, Mayor Ted Brennan and even New Jersey Transit for their help in making sure our parade route is safe for all! It takes a village, and (we're biased here) we're so thankful to be a part of the BEST village (or borough!) around!
2020-21 MES PTA Board
Congratulations are in order for Merchantville School's newly-elected2020-2022 PTA Board members. President: Denise Wackes, Treasurer: Lori D'Ambrosia, Secretary: Liz Bairner, VP Public Relations: Mariaelena Beauchamp, VP Programs: Stacey Kerr, VP Ongoing Programs: Antisha Meisner, VP Ways and Means: Amanda Tennant and, VP Membership: Carrie Brown. Each year, up to 4 room parents per class are selected to be Room Parents. We try to accommodate each request while also allowing as many parents to participate as possible. This year we are asking interested parents and guardians to use this online form to request a Room Parent position. PTA board members and their kids greeted the teachers, staff and students of MES with Chalk Walk 2020 - a surprise of artwork and inspirational greetings to welcome all back to school last week. In light of all the stress that back to school brings this year, we know the colorful sidewalks brightened their day!
Merchantville UKNIGHTed Signs
Merchantville School PTA is selling yard signs to help you show your Merchantville pride and benefit the PTA. Signs are $20 each and feature the words Merchantville UnKnighted on a white background. Signs are 1-sided and can be paid by cash or check on delivery. To order your sign please complete this google doc. Please make checks payable to Merchantville PTA - or Venmo $20 to @Merch_PTA. For more information please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Limited supply - act quickly!
Merchantville BOE Candidates
On the ballot in November, are three (3) three-year board member positions and one (1) unexpired Board of Education term with two (2) candidates running: Amanda Aaron and Kelli Mouzon. Amanda Aaron, MSN, BSN, was appointed to the BOE in July to fill a temporary vacancy. She was born and raised in Merchantville, has three children attending Merchantville School and is running to ensure our children are provided with high quality, equitable education and learning opportunities that will allow them to grow and be excited about the future and engender the same sense of community as it once did. Kelli Mouzon, is co-owner of The Juice Bar, experienced in home health care and pursing early childhood education at Temple University.
The five residents competing for the three - 3 year term - seats include the following candidates: Lynn Geddes, Melania Gaskins, Kristina Kroot, Antisha Meisner and Craig Nussbaum
Incumbent Lynn Geddes is a retired educator who feels her 40 years plus experience gives her a wealth of knowledge to address the multi-faceted needs of quality education. As board members we need to support the needs of the system by providing quality salaries, safe, clean, and functioning environments, and the necessary tools to allow our children to thrive especially the continuing professional development that gives teachers the ability to provide quality instruction. Lynn can be reached by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Melanie Gaskins is an elementary school teacher, recipient of the 2019-20 Governor’s Educator of the Year Award, who wants to contribute positively to our community through this act of service on the Board of Education. She is committed to supporting Merchantville's educators in the meaningful and impactful endeavor of teaching, guiding, facilitating, supporting, enriching and encouraging our community's youth. One of her primary goals is the need for structural modifications to become ADA compliant. Melanie can be reached by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kristina Kroot, a newcomer to Merchantville and small business owner with an MBA, pursuing her PhD in child development psychology PhD student. She values community service and being a board member is a way to contribute. Her goal is for our families to feel confident and trusting that the school and BOE will provide a quality education and opportunities through a supportive, engaging and equitable curriculum and learning environment. Kristina Kroot can be reached by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Antisha Meisner is a stay-at-home mom, retired Marine veteran and former teacher with a BS in Secondary Education, who owns and operates a small home-based business. She is the current VP of Ongoing Programs in the PTA and is running for the BOE as a community member and a person of color in an interracial marriage with three biracial children at MES. She wants to be a voice and advocate for similar families, students and community residents who feel they are not heard and ensure that all students are acknowledged to bolster their confidence and enhance their desire to succeed.
Incumbent board member Craig Nussbaum is an MES dad, social worker at the Gloucester County Special Services School and ESS clinician for adolescents with mental health and/or intellectual disabilities. He is currently Merchantville's representative on the Haddon Heights BOE. Craig is asking residents to please consider voting for him so he may continue to represent Merchantville's kids and foster great education. He loves advocating for our kids and is invested in making sure they receive what they need.
PTA DEI Seeking Tutors
Hello, Merchantville parents! We already know you’re doing superhero jobs with ALL of the school changes and at-home learning. if you have a little more to give - and we realize that may be asking a lot right now - the PTA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee is wondering if you might consider sharing a bit of your smarts, and time, with another MES kiddo. In the hope of promoting educational equity, The PTA’s DEI is creating a pool of volunteer parent tutors who are willing to spend a little 1:1 time with a MES student who might need tutoring or even just a little homework help this fall. We hope to pair up students with parents who are knowledgeable in a variety of subject areas for free virtual tutoring sessions. Sessions will be scheduled according to student and tutor flexibility. If you can support one of our awesome MES kiddos as a parent tutor this fall, please click this link to register. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at with any questions. Thank you for ALL that you are doing!