Appreciation
to GOP
To the editor:
I would like to thank the members of the South Brunswick Republican Club and all of the Republicans that endorsed my candidacy for a seat on the Township Council.
And a hearty welcome and thank you to Richard F. Kish, mayoral candidate, for complementing the Republican ticket.
Lynda Woods Cleary
South Brunswick
Ms. Woods Cleary is the Republican candidate for Township Council.
Book sale
a huge success
To the editor:
Did you ever feel as if you were sinking in a bed of books? Those of us helping to set up for our "Hot-Books-in-the-Summer-Sun Book Sale" got to experience this sensation first hand. Never before have we possessed so many donations, and never before has the task of setting up been such a challenge.
Your efforts definitely paid off. Our current sale was the top-earning book sale of all time. This was a tremendous feat, insofar as historically our June sale is our lowest earner. To all of you who participated in this daunting task, we extend our heartfelt thank you for a job well done. Each of you has earned a well-deserved rest for the summer. Please return in the fall to again help our beloved library:
Ilana Atwater, Guha Balakrishnan, Maradice Barone, Joe Beim, Marissa Beim, Sarah Beim, Sangeeta Bhisey, Sonia Bhutrak, Luda Bukunovich, Donna Burzynski, Chris Carbone, Dorothy Chen, Jay Chen, Yongjie Chen, Rosie Cosgrave, Pat Dahl, Saleena Davidson, Dorayne DeMoore, Gary Edelman, Janet Einstein, Donna Falk, Mary Fischbeck, Donna Flegal, Joan Fleming, Bud (Bruce) Freitag, Gilda Gildengerg, Larry Gildenberg, Audrey Gould, Donald Gray, Linda Gray, Suzanne Hayducka, Sophie Hyde, Bart Jackson, Lorraine Jackson, Debbie Johnson, Manju Kjanchandani, Reema Khanchandani, Claire Krucher, Norbert Kuliher, Julia Lea, William Li, Raja Mallepedd, Dan Maltby, Randy Marsola, Joe Melton, Edith Neimark, Eileen Pall, Priti Parikh, Priya Patel, Roshni Patel, Sogar Patel, Bing Qiu, Lease Ruddick, Ruth Ruddick, Viji Savithri, Shivam Saxena, Brian Solomita, Kitty Solomita, Robert Solomita, Tom Solomita, Bridget Troccoli, Grace Troccoi, Nirupama Vellanki, Bob Wiedis, Althea Wurmbrand, Morton Wurmbrand, Esther Young and the entire supportive staff of our wonderful library for all of the things that you do (please forgive us if your name was not on the sign-in list). We extend a special thank-you to Saleena, Chris and Bridget for helping to organize our student volunteers.
We would also like to thank our three talented guest authors who appeared, signed books, and chatted with all of us: Jean Gibson, Gene Hutmaker and Lucille Moss. Please check out their books and learn all about them. All of the above are members of our community.
Make certain to participate in our library’s summer programs. They are a part of our gift to the Library.
We look forward to your joining us in the fall at our first meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m., in the Don Taylor Quiet Study Room.
Our Fall Book Sale will be held Oct. 28 and 29. The For-Friends-Only Set Up and Sale is on Friday, Oct. 27, beginning at 5 pm.
Susan Edelman
Monmouth Junction
Ms. Edelman is president of the Friends of the South Brunswick Public Library.
Fond farewell
to retiring teachers
To the editor:
The Board of Education extends its thanks on behalf of the community to the following staff members for their support of the South Brunswick School District and its students during their years of service. Each staff member has announced his/her retirement from the district:
Geraldine Barclay, Christine Chrabaszcz, April Cottone, Susan Curry, Joan Gerstein, Debra Glace-Wnek, Brian Jost, Barbara King-Shaver, Mary Pat Leonard, Patricia Myers, Alexander Nelson, Anthony Orsi, Susan Santowasso, Jeffrey Scott, Jeanette Tizzano and Brian Young.
Throughout your years in the district, you have touched the lives of thousands of South Brunswick’s students, parents and staff members. Thank you for all of the little things and big things that only the students and you know about. Your individual contributions have helped shape South Brunswick into a wonderful success and a phenomenal school community.
It is our honor and privilege to have called each of you a staff member of South Brunswick schools. Congratulations on reaching this wonderful milestone in your lives. May your futures be bright and your days filled with much happiness. Congratulations and the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Martin Abschutz
President
Board of Education
Response to letter
about Cambridge
To the editor:
I am writing in response to the June 15 letter alleging unfair treatment at Cambridge School.
I would like to start by saying that Cambridge School is a Blue Ribbon School and was recently deemed one of the top 100 elementary schools in New Jersey by the editors of New Jersey Monthly Magazine. There is only one way this can be achieved.
The writers were angry about several things, one of which was the time spent preparing the students for the standardized testing which takes place in the spring. I applaud our teachers for preparing the students for these tests. I ask the parents, if the situation was reversed and more time was spent on the Ethnic Heritage Project and your child did poorly on the test, would you then be complaining because they weren’t properly prepared?
I also believe that none of the Cambridge School third-grade classes have been to Ellis Island since the tragedy of Sept. 11. Again, I applaud the school for factoring the safety of our children.
Also, have these parents been around the school lately? It is in the midst of a major construction project and there really is a shortage of space in the school. Not to mention that all of the classrooms are in the middle of being completely packed up for the summer. I don’t think it was unreasonable to limit the family attendance to two people this year due to that. I am sure that next year when construction is complete, all family members will be invited to attend.
The fact that the privilege of recess was taken away tells me that there could have been any number of reasons this happened. The students could very well have been "talking too much" and not concentrating on their research. I participate in Operation Bookworm using a corner of the library every week to read with a few children. There were a number of times I can recall asking students around us to quiet down as we were having a difficult time concentrating on the story we were reading due to the noise level.
Recess is a privilege. If a project cannot be completed during normal class time, it should be worked on during recess. This helps to teach time management to the students, which is very important when they move up to the middle school then the high school.
I also feel that the teacher would not keep the class from recess unless it were a last resort as this is his or her time to each lunch and catch up on paperwork.
As far as the "time limit" on bathroom use, I feel this is an effort to curb the flooding of the bathrooms, as well as other acts of vandalism (i.e. scratching nasty things into the walls of the bathroom) and the "social hour" that these trips can become. If your child is afraid to use the bathroom at school, is it possible they are offenders? I hope not.
I am also very involved in organizing the class party teams and I wish that these parents would have taken a moment to ask why the "ridiculous party policy" was put in place. First, the guidelines were developed shortly after Sept. 11, again with the safety of the students in mind.
Another reason for the policy, some of the parties were getting out of hand, with elaborate decorations, children wearing bathing suits in school and more than enough junk food to feed an army. There was more food wasted because the kids could not finish the cupcake, the brownie and the Munchkins, as well as chips, pretzels and cheese curls without getting sick.
Some classes had huge parties while others had small celebrations, which left the children with the smaller celebration envious of other classes.
There were, in some cases, more parents than children in the classrooms, most of whom could be seen standing around socializing because there was nothing for them to help with.
With regard to birthdays, I feel that school is not a place for a big party. The children are thrilled to be recognized on their special day with simple cupcake or other snack to be shared with their class. It is a time for them to be treated like a king or queen for a few moments in their classroom in honor of their special day.
If your child is in the before-school program and is dropped off before the office is opened, why can’t the snack be left with the before-school caregivers? If they are responsible enough to care for your child don’t you think they are responsible enough to bring the snack to the office or classroom? The Board of Education has other more important matters to worry about rather than whether a child has a birthday snack at school.
As far as Glenn Famous being unprofessional, I have been a very active parent at Cambridge School for seven years, and cannot recall him being rude or unprofessional. It is his job to create the rules and guidelines under which the school runs.
The staff is dedicated to expanding the minds of our children, and if recess needs to be taken away so that they learn the proper way to behave in school or to complete work on a project, I feel, wow, how wonderful it is that teachers take the time to care about our kids. My oldest daughter moved over to Crossroads South in September, and I can tell you she was so well prepared by the staff at Cambridge School.
Christine Resnick
Kendall Park
Criticisms were
temper tantrums
To the editor:
It’s never pretty when grown men and women throw temper tantrums.
But that’s all that the letter in the June 15 issue of the Post titled "Unfair treatment at Cambridge" amounts to a vicious, mean-spirited, and embarrassing display of foot-stomping on the part of some disgruntled adults who haven’t gotten their way.
First of all, their children are not "forced" to use the school. The letter writers are welcome to remove their children and home-school them. They seem upset at the notion that students and parents must "obey" the principal, and that teachers "threaten" children with loss of recess. The principal and the teachers are there to be obeyed. Perhaps if children spent more time obeying the principal and teachers and less time flooding the bathrooms, they would not have their recess taken away and their bathroom privileges limited.
The writers are justified in their anger at the use of high-stakes standardized testing and the grievous consequences it has had on our public schools. But blaming the teachers and principal for this state of affairs shows a woeful ignorance of the effects of the No Child Left Behind Law and the pressure on schools to make "Adequate Yearly Progress". Their anger is much better directed at President Bush and at Congress.
The writers spend much time railing against the school’s "party policy," which prohibits parents from attending their children’s parties at the school, and suggest that it be "rescinded". Perhaps we would be better off with a policy prohibiting birthday celebrations altogether. Birthday celebrations should be cherished by parents and children outside of school. The school is not a Chuck E. Cheese’s.
The writers call in members of the Board of Education to "look into" these matters quickly. We know that the board has more important issues to attend to than these ridiculously petty concerns. These parents seem to feel that they have the right to micromanage every decision the school makes, from the teachers their children are assigned, to the field trips their children take, to the scheduling of units of study, to the amount of homework they receive, just because they "pay the principal’s salary." Do the letter-writers also have the right to fill out their children’s report cards because they pay the teacher’s salary? Do they have the right to tell the police what people to arrest because they pay the policeman’s salary? The entire notion is ludicrous.
Our children must attend a different Cambridge School. They have received a first-class education and have been treated with respect, fairness, and kindness by the entire Cambridge community from Mr. Famous and Mrs. Huggins to all the faculty and support staff. They have our full support and confidence.
Joe and Barbara Schwartz
Deepak and Chhaya Vaidya
Lisa and Russel Barsky
Annie Konopka
South Brunswick
Good luck
Ms. Bozowski
To the editor:
Today as all of the students walk out the doors of our township’s schools for summer, the principal of Monmouth Junction School, Jan Bozowski, will also be leaving her position as principal.
Ms. Bozowski will be leaving this important role to return to where she started, working with students in the classrooms of South Brunswick schools.
Ms. Bozowski has been with Monmouth Junction School for five wonderful years. As a principal, she loves and respects children more than anyone I have ever met. As a supervisor, she inspires the staff to reach for their dreams, pushes them to achieve even greater things, and gives them incredible opportunities. And as a friend, she always is ready to listen and help in any way possible.
I will never forget the dedication she has given to our school, the wonderful programs and traditions she has started, and her love for children. This is not goodbye, but good luck as I wish Ms. Bozowski the best in all her future endeavors.
Dana Januszka
Kindergarten teacher
Monmouth Junction School
Responding
to responders
To the editor:
As one of the parents who signed the letter that ran last week critical of Cambridge School administrators, I am surprised at the strong reaction.
We were not speaking for all the third-grade parents. Each parent has his or her own experiences of the school. Some of the things addressed in the letter, my child did experience. Other issues were experienced by other students.
There are many positive things at Cambridge. I support the school and the staff but as a parent I feel it is my right to express things that I am not happy about.
Cindy Beim
Kendall Park
Jan Bozowski
will be missed
To the editor:
This June marks the end of an era at Monmouth Junction School. Jan Bozowski is stepping down as our fearless leader and will be returning to the classroom. Her dedication to the Monmouth Junction community is something that will be remembered fondly.
I, personally, will never forget the way that Jan always made time for me. Whether I had good news or bad, a problem or a hair-brained idea, her door was always open. She was always practical, level-headed and fair.
Above all, she cared deeply for the families and staff here at Junction and put us above everything else. She was a terrific administrator, an amazing person and a constant friend. While we all wish her the best of luck as she returns to the classroom, she will be greatly missed.
Nicole Midura
School librarian
Monmouth Junction School
Saying farewell
to Ms. Bozowski
To the editor:
Writing this letter is not easy for me. I have had the honor to work with Jan Bozowski for the past five years at Monmouth Junction School. During this time she has helped me both professionally and personally.
Ms. Bozowski’s background in physical education has enabled her to steer me to all the appropriate conferences and workshops. Her door has always been wide open.
What I admire most about Ms. Bozowski is how her decisions always put children first, even if it is not the most "popular" decision.
Three years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, Ms. Bozowski took time from her busy schedule and always found time to check up on me. Her support with this was unsurpassed.
As Ms. Bozowski changes to her new role this summer, I wish her nothing but the health, happiness and success that I know she deserves.
Sue Hurley
Physical education teacher
Monmouth Junction School
Thank you
for campaign help
To the editor:
I have tried to compose this letter for many days now and finally I can get it all down on paper. I am very disappointed to no longer have an opportunity to serve you, but I am most grateful to all the individuals who have been supportive of my candidacy.
I would like to thank all the volunteers, the individuals that took the time out of their busy schedules to vote, and for all who have been kind and supportive. I think it was clear we had a tough battle against local, county, and state Democratic parties that invested time, effort, and a great deal of money to ensure the defeat of the local grassroots effort. Still, we put up a great fight, and we should hold our heads up high. We never fought dirty, and we were always honest.
Special thank yous are extended to my core committee, Amy Viji, Evelyn and especially Donna, who worked tirelessly in this effort. They were excellent leaders and are precious friends. Somewhere along the way the campaign became a family, and it was important that I found that again in politics, I found again, neighbors just getting together for a common cause, no political machines, no nastiness, just people working for the betterment of our community. I am so proud to have been a part of this effort.
Though I no longer will be able to serve, I will have wonderful memories of my time with you in office. Thanks again, core committee, all the volunteers and South Brunswick neighbors and friends.
Debra Johnson
Monmouth Junction
Cambridge School
or Chuck E. Cheese
To the editor:
As a parent of three children who have attended Cambridge School for a period of 10 years, I was appalled by last week’s letter that suggested that Glenn Famous and Kelly Huggins are power hungry.
Perhaps if more elementary school principals modeled Cambridge’s school motto, "Respect, Responsibility and Excellence," South Brunswick High School would have had five less bomb scares this past year, and senior prank day would not have involved humiliating a person that students are supposed to look up to and respect.
As far as the "new" policy concerning children’s birthday parties and holiday parties goes, I am in total agreement. Over the last 10 years, things had clearly gotten out of control.
I have been at classroom parties where not only parents are in attendance, but, so are siblings in strollers, as well as toddlers who these parents are providing daycare for. As a result, the classroom parties were overcrowded, noisy and disorganized. It had become a frustrating situation for not only the classroom teacher, but, also for the children for whom the party was intended.
Birthday parties have also followed a similar route. They have gone from a parent bringing in cupcakes and juice, to a full-blown party complete with noise blowers and goody bags. There comes a point where rules need to be put into place, and an orderly learning environment maintained. After all, the sign outside the building reads, "Cambridge School," not Chuck E. Cheese."
As far as Cambridge’s door being closed to parents, I could not disagree more. I have personally be a volunteer parent at Cambridge for many years. Mr. Famous, as well as the classroom teacher, always welcomes the help of parents in such activities as Operation Book Worm, Royal Readers, center monitors, research reports, class trips and field days.
I have always been greeted by Mr. Famous sitting at his desk with his office door open, and have always gotten a thank you from him as I left. I am sorry that this is my daughter’s last year at Cambridge School. I will miss the loving, safe and supportive environment that the staff and facility have provided for my children over the last 10 years.
Christine Auriemma
Monmouth Junction
Children respond
to criticism
To the editor:
We, students of Cambridge, past and present, would like to write a letter of support for our wonderful teachers and administration.
Mr. Famous was the kindest, most considerate individual we have ever met. He was constantly present in the classroom with a smile. In the hallway, he was laughing and funny. He rewarded our good deeds with cougar coupons and a treat. He hires good teachers.
In this situation, you have to look at the big picture. School is not about parties and class trips. It is about learning to be the best individuals we can be. Maybe the unpopular decisions made by the administration are done with the safety and well being of the students in mind.
We are/were well-prepared for middle school by the teachers in Cambridge. We have had homework many times over vacations and it has only made us better and smarter.
A kid being afraid to go to the bathroom is crazy. Most kids aren’t even "afraid" when they get in trouble. As well, in all our years at Cambridge no one was ever threatened by the staff. Given consequences for their actions, but not threatened.
This year with the construction at Cambridge School, the fifth-graders lost their last year with a playground. Though they were sad, they knew the school was becoming bigger and better. Keeping us in at recess is done when we don’t listen to the rules of our school. Do you not think that listening to the teachers is what school is all about? What if the children didn’t listen to the teachers? Cambridge would not be the Blue Ribbon school it is today.
Bottom line, Cambridge is a fair, friendly environment for the students. We would like to say thank you for the superb education we received at Cambridge School.
Brad Reil, Matthew Reil, Gerard Veglia, Nick Veglia, Alex Veglia, Elizabeth Begley, James Pagano, Jordon Pagano, Jianna Pagano, Ryan Clark, Tyler Clark, Nicole Clark, Alyssia Auerbach, Amanda Auerbach, Alexa Auerbach, Jennifer Poorvin, Brittany Allen, Kayla Allen, Tyler Allen, Craig Cleffi, Cody Cleffi, Heather Cleffi, Ella DeFalco, Lindsey Bodnar, Leigh Ann Tona, Bobby Tona, Michael Tona, Danielle Resnick, Samantha Resnick, Samantha Sterner, Shaun Sterner, Shannen Sterner, Matthew Juro, David Juro, Jake Konopka, Haley Konopka, David Galos, Michele Barsky, Sara Barsky, Michael DiIusto, Matthew DiIusto, Marco DiIusto, Scott Cannon, Matthew Cannon, Robbie Galos
South Brunswick
Letter misrepresents
Cambridge School
To the editor:
My daughter and I are sending this as a response to a letter that was printed in last week’s Post.
After reading the letter to the editor, "Unfair treatment at Cambridge," I spoke with my daughter, who is a third-grade student at Cambridge School. I found it very interesting that she did not see the situation as these parents do. When asked if children were held in during recess time she explained that the only children told to stay in for recess were the children who did not complete their ethnic heritage projects during class time.
On one occasion, May 12, she did say the third-graders were held in from recess because of disruptive behavior on the lunch line. Should our children not have to live with the consequences of their actions? Some consider this a "threat" but how does the staff make them respect the rules? What is the proper disciplinary procedure to make them understand? Do we send all of them to the principal’s office that has been a "threat" in schools for a long time?
My daughter also said she enjoyed the Ethnic Heritage Festival, it was a lot of fun. "I do not have to go on a class trip to make it fun." Would it be nice to go to Ellis Island? Yes. But is it really necessary? No. As far as the extended field trip, she was not upset or felt cheated because it returned early, that just meant she came home from school on time.
Homework over the teacher’s convention and holidays was more about fun; both my children (a third-grader and a first-grader) were given things to do. Book reports and journals are a fun way for children to continue practicing the skills they have learned and make a great tool for family discussions.
A party policy was initiated two years ago, which limits the amount of time and number of parents allowed in the classroom. It also states you have to bring birthday snacks to the office and they will be delivered. When did school become the place to celebrate your birthday or any holiday anyway? Yes it’s fun to do those things, but should there be a limit?
My daughter and I found the letter quite amusing, not one statement directly relates to academics. Isn’t that the reason our children go to school? School is not about parties, class trips and recess; it is about your children receiving a quality education. Cambridge School is one of the highest-rated elementary schools in South Brunswick.
Our principal, Mr. Famous, and Assistant Principal, Mrs. Huggins, must be doing something right. They are always involved in extra activities at the school such as Bingo and the family dance. We have enjoyed four wonderful years in Cambridge School and are looking forward to a few more. We commend Mr. Famous, Mrs. Huggins, and their staff for their outstanding commitment to our children and school.
Patricia and Casey Notarianni
Kendall Park
Quality education
a Cambridge
To the editor:
The principal, staff and teachers at Cambridge are providing an excellent elementary school education to all students who attend Cambridge. For the past eight years, three of our children have attended Cambridge from K-5. Each of our children has been treated in a nurturing, caring environment in which the first priority is the well being, development and growth of the children. There is a clear sense of caring at Cambridge.
Clearly, at Cambridge, the first priority is the children. Needless to say, when you have three children attending the same school for eight consecutive years, there are situations that arise that require you to seek the support and advice of the principal, teachers and staff. Over the past eight years, we have never experienced a situation in which the principal, teachers or staff did not work with us to resolve the situations that our children had. The principal has an open-door policy and, over the past eight years, we have used that and have been satisfied with the way the situations have been resolved.
Currently, two of our children are attending middle school. It is evident that the curriculum and focus they had at Cambridge has prepared them to move on to higher levels of education with a strong foundation that was built during their years at Cambridge. We feel fortunate that our children’s elementary education has been put in the hands of Mr. Famous, the Cambridge teachers and the Cambridge staff.
Over the past eight years, the priorities at Cambridge have never changed. The children, their education and growth remain the highest priority. Our children have always been treated with respect and dignity and been taught to treat others with that same respect and dignity.
Thank you Mr. Famous, Cambridge teachers and Cambridge staff.
Jim and Sharon Capraro
South Brunswick
