How is 9/11 Taught in Middletown Public Schools?

Middletown, NJ - Middletown, a commuter's dream, lost more residents in 9/11 than any other city outside of New York: 37 people. Their names are below. But most Middletown school children today were not even alive on Sept. 11, 2001. And the ones that are were mere babies on that fateful day.

That leaves school officials with a question: As the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks comes this Sunday, how do they educate school students about an event that cut so deeply to this community's core?

"Middletown lost so many residents in the attack, and so as a district we feel very strongly that our students remember this day," said Charlene O'Hagan, the district director of curriculum for Middletown public schools. "But we also want do it in an age-appropriate way."

For example, in Middletown elementary schools, an announcement will be made either Friday or Monday morning that the day is Patriot Day, and it's a day to honor all the nation's heroes, said O'Hagan. It will be followed by a playing of "The Star Spangled Banner."

"We don't say there was an attack in Manhattan; we don't make mention that planes flew into a tower at a certain time," she said. "All the principals agree we don't want to frighten young children who are only in kindergarten."

At the district's three middle schools, where students are in 6th, 7th and 8th grades, "They go a little more in-depth. There is an announcement in the morning where we say that 15 years ago today there was an attack on our country and there is a moment of silence."

Every year at Thorne Middle School, the principal always explicitly says, "There was an attack on the World Trade Center and 37 residents of Middletown were killed on that day. And we never want to forget all the citizens around the world who gave their lives on that day."

At Middletown's two high schools, North and South, there will be a moment of silence, and 9/11 is fully covered in the school's U.S history and civics courses.

Middletown will hold two main events this Sunday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11: A service at the United Methodist Church Sunday morning, and a memorial service Sunday evening in the WTC Memorial Gardens. Get more details on both those events here.

Here are the names of the 37 Middletown residents who died that day:

• Lorraine D. Antigua
• Jane S. Beatty
• Donna Bernaerts-Kearns
• Alfred J. Braca
• Ronald M. Breitweiser
• Patrick J. Buhse
• Stephen J. Cangialosi
• Swede Joseph Chevalier
• Dolores Marie Costa
• Edward Desimone III
• Michael Egan
• David Ferrugio
• Daniel J. Gallagher
• John M. Grazioso
• Felicia Hamilton
• Patrick A. Hoey
• Kathleen A. Hunt Casey
• Brendan Mark Lang
• Roseanne P. Lang
• Anna A. Laverty
• Michael Patrick McDonnell
• Peter T. Milano
• Louis J. Minervino
• Justin John Molisani, Jr.
• James Thomas Murphy
• Christopher Newton-Carter
• Paul R. Nimbley
• Robert Emmett Parks, Jr.
• Nicholas P. Pietrunti
• John M. Pocher
• Beth Ann Quigley
• Gregg Reidy
• Robert Andrew Spencer
• Dick Stadelberger
• Kenneth Tietjen
• Anthony Ventura
• Rodney James Wotton