SITREP

As I was rudely reminded this morning, it's been some time since I updated the blog.  Here goes:

• Our awards ceremony and change of command will be next Tuesday, 7 June, at 6:30 p.m. in the large gym.  The uniform will be Steak and Gravies.  All cadets are expected to attend.  At this ceremony we will recognize outstanding cadets and install next year's cadet leadership. 
• PT testing will take place after school this week, weather dependent.  Come out and earn a ribbon.  To participate you MUST have a current health risk screening questionnaire, a standard release form, and a completed sports physical on file. 

The End of Days.

The end of the school year is right around the corner--are you ready for next year?  Are you on track to graduate and ready to be successful after high school?  This isn't a question for graduating seniors--they should have answered it at least a year ago--it's a question for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  Are you thinking about life after high school?  If you want to go to a four-year college, do you know where?  What matters to you--location, size, setting, cost?  Do you know what you want to study?  Do you know how much it will cost?  Do you know the job prospects in your field of interest?  If you plan on going to OCCC after graduation, are you ready to make it a profitable experience, or are you just planning on going there because it's the easiest thing to do.  These are some of the questions you should be answering, or at least really considering, right now.  Before you realize it, you too will be graduating and living with the decisions you make now--making the wrong ones will cost you time, money, and happiness. 

Today's WOD is criterion.  A criterion (the plural is criteria) is an attribute or characteristic that matters to you.  For example:  Fedorka decided that the location of prospective colleges was the most important criterion to be considered when choosing a college. 

BUDGET VOTE

The budget vote is tomorrow, Tuesday, 17 May. This is the vote that will determine, among other things, whether your NJROTC program here at Middletown High School will continue next year.  Please encourage your friends and family to vote.  See below for details.

Voting information

When: Tuesday, May 17, 2011, from noon-9 p.m.

Where: Voting sites include: Middletown High School, Twin Towers Middle School, Chorley Elementary School and Truman Moon Primary Center. If you are unsure where you vote, please contact the District Clerk at (845) 326-1196.

Eligibility: You must be a U.S. Citizen, 18 years or older, be a resident of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, and have been one for at least 30 days prior to the vote.

Absentee ballots: Available online at www.middletowncityschools.org, or you can obtain one by calling (845) 326-1196.

The voting process: Voting only takes about five minutes. You will vote yes or no for the proposed budget, as well as on each of these three propositions: 1. The sale of the former Memorial School building; 2. A $100,000 project for new sidewalks at Twin Towers Middle School (current year aid of $70,000, taxpayer expense of $30,000); 3. Spend $325,000 to replace lockers at Twin Towers Middle School (to be borrowed and paid over five years.) You also will elect two candidates to the Board of Education.

Questions: Please call the business office at (845) 326-1195 with budget-related questions. Questions regarding voting should be directed to (845) 326-1196.

MILITARY BALL--WHERE WERE YOU?

Here are a few images from this year's Military Ball:

A native ceremony

Robert Lucchese and someone who is actually shorter than Jessica Glickman.

The Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Rememberance

The Clas of 2011 complete the last of 58,267 push-ups.

Electronics Technician Seaman V. Parker, USS Alexandria, is annointed with the Waters of the Seven Seas while performing punitive push-ups.

The Ceremonial Cake

Cadets Jesica Glickman, Tiffany Parker and and their dates Cadets Arthur Geagley and David Geer

Ye Olde School

SITREP FRIDAY 6 MAY

I haven't posted anything for a few days, so it's time for a short update--a "SITREP" in military terminology.  SITREP follows:
- The Military Ball will be held tonight at Brookside Manor.  Be there, or be square.  Please be on time and dressed appropriately.  Warning:  Dancing must be appropriate to the occasion. 
- On Saturday, 14 May we will assist in the city-wide clean-up.  Details will follow, but plan on showing up at City Hall at 0900.  Volunteers will be provided with lunch at the high school and we will then turn out to show publicize the upcoming budget vote.
- 17 May is the district wide budget vote.  Two new members of the Board of Education will also be selected.  THIS IS THE "BIG" BUDGET VOTE THAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE HAVE ROTC NEXT YEAR.
- We will host the NJROTC Area Four Drill Championship on Saturday, 21 May.  Although we will not compete, this is a big deal.  Plan on attending and helping out.
- On 21 May we will also provide a detail to help decorate veteran's graves at Hillside Cemetery.  Ten volunteers are needed.  See Cadet Ferguson.
- On 8 June (note the change) we will hold our year-end award ceremony and change of command.  This will be the final graded uniform day of the year.

As you can tell, the school year is winding down. Don't assume that this is a good time to slack off.  In fact, the opposite is true:  this is the time to put out extra special effort. 

Today's WOD is etiquette.  Look it up.