THE BRAVE NEWSthe Newton Public Schools Quarterly Newsletter

June 2015

Board of Education57 Trinity StreetNewton, NJ 07860

973-383-7392

www.newtonnj.org

Dr. G. Kennedy GreeneSuperintendent

Donna C. SnyderBusiness Administrator/

Board Secretary

Jim Tasker, PrincipalNewton High School

Jeff Waldron, PrincipalHalsted Middle School

Kevin Stanton, PrincipalMerriam Avenue School

Newton High School Class of 2015

INSIDE2. Spotlight on Newton

High School3. NHS Graduates3. District Goals 14/15

A Changing of the GuardThe ending of this school year ushers in a time of transition in school leadership. Mr. James Tasker has announced his retirement, effective January 1, 2016, after 36 years at Newton High School as teacher, assistant principal, and most recently principal, as well as athletic coach and club advisor. He will be working on some administrative projects at the district office over the next six months. We will also be saying farewell to Mr. Kurt Weaver, NHS Assistant Principal and Director of Athletics, on August 1st after a 25 year career in education. Mr. Jeff Waldron has been named Principal at Newton High School after five successful years as principal at Halsted Middle School and serving previously as high school assistant principal. Ms. Kristi Greene has been promoted to Principal at Halsted Middle School after five successful years as assistant principal. Mr. Waldron and Ms. Greene will begin in their new roles as of July 1st.

We are welcoming three new assistant principals to the district this summer. Mr. Ryan Hashway will be our new Assistant Principal/Director of Athletics at Newton High School. He brings ten years of academic supervisory experience at North Warren as well as fifteen plus years as head coach of multiple high school sports. Mrs. Angela Dunbar will be the new Assistant Principal at Halsted. She has been a special education teacher at Newton High School for the past eight years, and was named Teacher of the Year in 2014. She has a strong academic background in adolescent education, knows our student population well, and has already demonstrated her leadership on professional development initiatives and chronic student attendance issues. Mr. Kenneth Lutz will be the new Assistant Principal at Merriam Avenue School. He has 19 years experience as an elementary and middle level teacher in both regular education and special education, mostly in Warren County. He also served as an elementary school dean of students while teaching this year, and has many years of high school coaching experience.

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On Tuesday June 23rd, the Class of 2015 celebrated the culmina-tion of their Newton High School careers during the annual gradu-ation ceremony. The audience of family members, Board of Education members, staff, and other invited guests was welcomed by Class President Kyle Kasharian. The class selected a Walt Disney quotation, “All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them,” as the graduation theme. The subject was addressed eloquently through essays written and delivered by classmates Stephanie Ahmad and Melissa Bensley. Academic honors were presented to valedictorian Zhi-Shan Hsu and salutatorian Allison Smith by Principal James Tasker. Prior to the awarding of diplomas, the event was forced indoors by a fast moving summer storm. After reassembling in the gymnasium, Board President Stella Dunn and Vice-President Jessica Egner conferred the diplomas as 185 names were read by faculty members Robyn Kurelja and Denise Gilchrist. Congratulations go out to all the graduates and their parents!

Photo courtesy of George Hunter and the Township Journal

Spotlight onNewton High School

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Academic Accomplishments

• 2015 Model Congress ProgramAndrew Cooney and Tanner Euston participated in the 2015 Model Congress program for high school students in the Fifth Congressional District on May 30th at Ridgewood High School. They had the op-portunity to learn about the legislative process, research current legislation in the House, and interact with Congressional staff.

• Technology Student AssociationOur Technology Student Association (TSA), at the New Jersey State competition on May 2nd, placed first in Manufacturing Design Prototyping, second in Digital Video Production, and fourth in Engineering Design.

• Science LeagueMichael Burke was in the top 10% of first year Chemistry students.

• Field Hockey• State Sectional Champs• NJ Herald Team of the Year• Eastern Propane/Mugs Media

Coach of the Year• Girls Soccer

• NJAC Colonial Division Champs• NJ Herald Team of the Year• Mugs Media Team of the Year• Player of the Year: Alyssa Cronin

• Girls Basketball• NJAC Colonial Division champs

• Girls & Boys Swimming• NJAC North All Conference

• Girls Track • Colonial Conference Title by going undefeated• 2nd at the State Group 2 Section 1 Championships• Kayleigh Furth broke the school

record in the 100 m and 200 m • Steph Ahmad broke the school

record in the discus.

Athletic Accomplishments

• 175 of 190 (92%) plan to attend college• 1 student plans to attend technical or

business school• 3 students plan to enter the Military• 11 have other plans or are undecided

FINANCIAL AID EARNED BY THE CLASS OF 2015

College Scholarships, loans, work study, local scholarships and other monies for colleges/

universities attending and not attending:

$11,263,662

HIGHER EDUCATION GOALS OF THE CLASS OF 2015

Photo by George Hunter and the Township Journal

Photo courtesy of George Hunter and the Township Journal

Congratulations to Newton HIgh School “Love of Reading Week” winners Elenora Vega, grade 9; Leah Cotton, grade 10; Bailee Welsh, grade 11; and Ameah Adjobi, grade 12.

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NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2015Ameah Vianney Adjobi†Stephanie Renee Ahmad†Zachary Carl AndersonJuliann Renee AscencioDaniel Ye bin AustinCorey Michael Bailey†Hanna Zaira Balatero†Errol Ian Bareiss†Brittany Miranda Barthelemy†Melissa Erin BensleyJonathan Michael BernotasAidan Pierce BlackNico Vincent Boscia†Carly Cynthia Bresney†Samantha Emma BrewsterRyan Anthony BriganteBrianna Lynn BrittainNico Phoenix CannoneEliana Eva CasqueiraMorgan Tyler CasterlineCharlotte Marie Cercone†Gabriela Milena CevallosKayla Lea ChamblissRachel Jacqueline ChernatiChristopher ChiarellaKyle David ClarkAlyssa Marie CoombsNora Marika Carroll CoppersWilliam Justin Craig-ConradJordan Samantha Crater†Alyssa Marie CroninMarko Curovic†Joseph Christopher DeFeoNicole Maria DeJesusVincent Samuel DeLucaChristophe DesrosiersAlexi Joslyn DetwillerSvetlana Margret DevineJustin James DionneMackenzie Ann DohertyMichael Gregory Drislane†Rachael Marion Duckworth†Supritha Rao DugyalaNicholas Stanley Dvorsky†Carley Ymkje DykstraTravis James EshlemanNicholas James FamilantAlex Joseph FiedlerEmily Grace Fitzpatrick

Jacob John GallagherJeffrey Gordon GerndtJacqueline Helene GoreNicolas Patrick GrantMichael Robert GroschadlAlan Michael GuberUnmukt GuptaKendra Gutierrez†Phillip Robert Haines†Danielle Elise HanemanCorey Jake HansenLeah Kathryn HarringtonLayla Khamis HassanDevin Forrester HatchardAidan John HealyJeremy Daniel HeneganJustin Elijah HermannChristopher HernandezJoshua HernandezLauren Christina Hernandez†Addison Leigh HillardJason Dominick Horan†Zhi-Shan HsuJessica Lyn Huber†Erik John Intoccia†Kyla Vicenta IzquierdoSophia Anne Jacoby†Kyle Jordan Kasharian†Andreas Kauderer†Annaliese Lenore Keimel†Emma Lynn KlineNathan Edward KolzowEthan Andrew KoontzBrandon Joseph KorczakowskiJacob Arthur KrullKrystopher Edward LaFlammeDana Marie LallyPablo LerchMelissa Erin LoganTyler Mathew LorelloStephanie Ginnean LukasLindsey Mae Luksha†Tara Cecilia Lynch†Amelia Carlin MacchiettoHarrison Matthew MacDowallDakota Benjamin Many†Daniel Joseph MarionMelissa Nicole Marshall Ruth Ann Matis

Rachel Elisabeth MatlagaCameron Arne MatulewskiKerry Anne McFaddenErika Maria MedinaHeriberto Medina, Jr.Micah William MedoreMatthew Peter MelusoSteven Daniel MelusoKevin John MiskovichTrevor Lee MoralesKeith Logan MorelRobert Eric MorrisseyShawn Michael Mowery†Elizabeth Haley MullerIan David MurrayAshley Anne MyersDavid Clarence NazaireDavid Mark NelsonMorgan Cora Nisler†Anne Kate PagliaDillon Evan PankzJessica Michelle Papin-Yukhtanova†Steven Matthew Papis†Sarah Lynn ParksJamere Alonzo ParrisSamuel Ocio PatanaKevin Franklyn PattersonZakary John PavlishinRaymond George PhilipDanielle Marie PiersonLinnea Astrid PiersonStephanie Nicole PiersonDylan Michael PippittTaina Genevieve PlafcanKyle Henry PlumbBarbara Joyce PopekJames Alan PowerAllison Theresa PowersKonstantinos Dimitrios ProtogeropoulosRyan John QasemShannon McKenzie RealTamara Chelle RecaldeMegan Rose ReedRobert Allen ReeseAbigail Elizabeth Reina-FrankelWalter Kareem Jahvon RiceThomas Roy RinehartFrancisco Wilfredo Rios

Anthony Andrew Rizzo†Lauren Claire Robinson†Megan Louise RobinsonJoseph Michael Roche†Marie Louise RodriguezFredrick Alan RosaniaTyler Scott RossAnthony Joseph SanchezDylan James SaundersKatherine Dorothy ScheererJuly Alexandria SchompBrittany Erika SchroederMichael Frank Sesera IIIMeet Harikrishna ShahSteven Paul SherwoodBenjamin Matthias Sibblies†Benjamin Augustus SilvaJoilenni SilverioKimberly Kristen Slezak†Allison Michelle SmithSara Marie SmithShelbi Lynn SnyderKenneth Christopher SturchioNathaniel Jaymes SucharDevon Nicole SuggsKelsey Elizabeth SullivanRyan Anthony SumskiAlyssa Marie SylsburyKatrina Faith TajiddinShaun Jamieson ThomasMatthew Thomas TrautzRobert Carlton TremainMichael Robert VitielloKevin Daniel Mills VogtNicole Emily WeissDennis Robert WelkerJames Marshall Welker†Isabella Suzanne WermuthGabrielle Hannah Whitaker†Morgan Reilly WhitakerShayna Leigh WilliamsJustin Paul WinkelmanLuke Louis WoltersHailey Brooke YuellingJenna Lee ZawislakCarly Marie ZdanekGiuliana Cristina Zuzze† National Honor Society

The following are highlights from the 2014-15 district action plan summary report shared publicly at the May 12 Board of Education meeting. You can find the full report on our website at www.newtonnj.org.

1. Increase academic achievement for all students, especially subgroups not meeting state performance targets.a. The Title II budget was revised to hire a shared reading teacher at Merriam and Halsted. b. Merriam implemented DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) as a universal literacy screening tool for all students. Data

from progress monitoring for grades K and 1 indicate that targeted Tier 3 interventions in Language Arts are having a positive impact on student achievement.

c. Merriam and Halsted hosted diagnostic visits from the Rutgers Center for Literacy Development to assess needs and make recommendations.d. Halsted math teachers met with a consultant and received training on student centered learning. e. The HS Math Department administered benchmark evaluations to students in Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. A draft of the Algebra A

framework was produced during the April PLC.

District Goals 2014-15

continued on page 4

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PAIDSparta, NJ

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NEWTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 57 Trinity StreetNewton, New Jersey 07860 973-383-7392

Board of EducationStella Dunn, PresidentJessica Egner, Vice PresidentEd CaffreyMichael FancherJoan FayeGuilene HamRichard HeckmanTina LarsenRay MorrisJohn O’GormanNanette Thomas

POSTALPATRON

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f. Benchmark assessments in HS English were conducted in the spring.g. Merriam teachers met in December to use structured protocols to analyze student work.h. Halsted teachers focused their work on assessment data collection and analysis procedures. i. Most Halsted content area unit plans (with the exception of science and 5th grade courses) were complete by the end of the school year. j. Teachers created electronic assessments for students using various platforms such as Examview, Quizlet, Kahoots, Blendspace, and

Google Forms.k. The district renewed licenses for Educational Impact Online Academy to provide refresher training on the Danielson Framework for all

teachers and principals.l. Teachers who work with ELL students received online training in sheltered instruction.

2. Promote blended learning as an effective instructional practice to increase student achievement.

a. The Board approved the state DRLAP initiative as our broadband solution. b. Apex Learning provided an online homebound instruction option for HS students. c. The Blended Learning Committee discussed developmentally appropriate approaches at each grade level to guide future development.d. The district hosted Dr. Chris Harrington, a noted expert in blended learning, for a visit in May to discuss trends, define direction, and

plan next steps.e. The district signed the Future Ready Schools pledge, took a survey of district readiness, and representatives attended a regional summit

meeting in April.f. Teachers participated in a variety of tech trainings.g. Eight staff members attended the NJECC Technology Conference in Montclair.i. Teachers have used Google Classroom as an instructional organization application.

3. Build stronger parent and community relationships to increase student achievement.

a. Merriam’s Parent Academy ran during the fall and winter months to share learning strategies with parents and a grandparent support group.

b. Merriam had 66 fathers participate in the Watch D.O.G.S. program to provide an opportunity for them to engage more deeply in their child’s education.

c. Merriam continues to hold regular events with non-English speaking families to build relationships and a greater sense of community.d. Project Launch Newton is finishing up a successful second year of operation.e. Newton High School’s TRS Club was named Student Community Service Chapter of the Year by Pass It Along

DISTRICT GOALS 2014-15 (continued from page 3)