Clubs & Organizations

The Joyce Kilmer Visual Arts Department offers 2 six-week sections of Art Club that meet from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm one day a week. These courses are age specific, one section is typically for 4^th and 5^th grade students and the other section is for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^thgrade students.

This program is designed for students with a particular interest in art, projects include sculpture and painting. In order to participate, students should complete and submit an application during enrollment time.

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters at Joyce Kilmer School makes meaningful, monitored matches between Spotswood High School students ("Bigs") and Joyce Kilmer School students ("littles"). We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.

Chess Club provides the opportunity to learn to concentrate and think logically while having fun with their peers. Students work hard to overcome obstacles, spot patterns and categorize information. Every Wednesday from 3 to 4, students are competing to defeat their worthy opponents; it's the ultimate battle of wits. Students along with the players are on the edge until the end.

 

The Green Team is an organization of students who share the passion and motivation to conserve and improve our environment. Our activities and fund raisers are primarily focused on making our Earth a better place. We like to think that every day is Earth Day, and want to help others think the same way.

Activities Include:

1.)     Teaching the students and the Community about sustainability and green goals

2.)     Maintaining the JK Courtyard

3.)     Going Green in the classrooms and cafeteria

4.)     Scanning the schoolyard for litter (Spring)

5.)     Planting the garden

 

 

Maker's Space is for students who love to tinker, create, re-create, design, engineer, problem-solve and collaborate! The sessions are filled with a variety of projects including origami, building marble runs, using Makey Makey circuitry, yarn-bombing and using the 3D printer. This club has a limited number of participants per session.

 

The National Junior Honor Society is open to 8th graders by invitation only.  Students must earn membership based on academic and leadership criteria.  Once accepted, students are honored at an induction ceremony.  Throughout the year, members work on fundraising, as well as service projects within the school and community.

 

 

The best way to learn is by teaching! The Peer Tutoring Club assigns 7^th and 8^th grade tutors to younger students who need support in mathematics, writing, study skills, science and social studies. It is open to all students!

2016-17 Student Council Leaders

Vice President Andrew Dekovics, Treasurer Francesca Citro, President Winter Schreck, Secretary Matt Pardo

The Joyce Kilmer Student Council gives the student body a voice by sharing students' ideas, interests and concerns with teachers and administration. The Fundraising/School Spirit Committee comes up with ideas to raise money for school-wide activities and projects. The Charity Drive Committee finds ways to give back to the community by organizing collections to help those in need. 

 

Student Leadership Corp is a group of 8^th grade students who are the leaders of their Middle School Advisor class. The Milltown Alliance sponsors these students to learn about and teach other students about the dangers of underage drinking.

Student to Student is an academic program offered to grade 8 students at Joyce Kilmer and grade 3 students at Parkview. It is designed to develop leadership skills and independence while promoting academic support to our primary grade students.

Homework club provides an opportunity for students to work on their homework in a quiet and supervised environment in a classroom after school for one hour.   All students are dismissed from Homework Club at 4:00 p.m.  If a student needs to leave earlier than 4:00, a parent / guardian must sign the student out at the Joyce Kilmer Main Entrance. Homework club is open to all JK students and does not require everyday attendance. Reminder announcements as to homework club's location are made daily in our morning announcements.

 

Youth in Government is a program that is an extension of our 8th grade Civics class. While students are not required to participate, they are expected to attend at least 2 programs a year. Through this program the 8th graders are able to observe as well as take on the roles of Board of education members, school administrators, judges, lawyers, town council members as well as police officers and fire chiefs. Students campaign for the various positions and Elections are held on or near Election Day. Students are trained by, interview, and shadow these community leaders. Afterwards, students run a Board of Election meeting, participate in a Mock trial (with a court case that they help develop), and run a Town Council meeting. The students take a very active role in their education and see these community leaders in a much more enlightened way.