By Ruth Luse, Packet Media Group
Hopewell Valley Regional School District is getting ready to welcome over 3,600 students when the six local schools open their doors to pupils on Sept. 4.
If incoming student population projections are correct, less youngsters would begin the 2014-15 school year than in September 2013. That pattern is expected to continue.
In September 2012, the school district estimated opening-day enrollment at 3,761 students. In September 2013, the estimated total student-body count on opening day (Sept. 6) was 3,720.
As of recent counts, 2014 opening-day enrollment is expected to be about 3,604.
In June, demographer Richard Grip told the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education that student enrollment in the district is expected to continue to decline significantly for five more years. He said that "after peaking in 2006-07 with 4,035 students, enrollment has declined in each of the last seven years. Enrollment in the district as of October 2013 was 3,694 students, which represents a loss of 341 students since peak enrollment in the 2006-07 school year."
He also noted that "total enrollment in the district is projected to steadily decline to between 3,129 and 3,151 students in 2018-19, which would represent a loss of 543 to 565 students from the 2013-14 enrollment."
MEANWHILE, according to Superintendent Thomas Smith, "the summer months have been busy in Hopewell Valley, with many teachers and administrators working tirelessly to ensure that all preparations have been made so our students will have the best possible educational experience.
"I hope you share my pride in being a part of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District as we work together as a community for the success of our all students.
"Our staff is one essential component in the education of our students: however, to ensure maximum success, it is vital that parents, teachers and administrators work together. I encourage our parents to become active partners with us in their child’s instructional life through any of the opportunities available at our schools," Dr. Smith said.
THE FOLLOWING is school-by-school overview, as shared with the HVN by the six individual building principals:
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL — Principal Michael Daher will get help in running his building — which will open with about 1,253 students — from a new vice principal, Scott Brettell, who replaces longtime district administrator, Ida Chiaradia, who retired.
Mr. Brettell was hired in July. He comes to Hopewell Valley from the Mercer County Technical Schools — Assunpink Center, where he has served as the supervisor of secondary education at the Health and Science Academy for the last two years. He also served as the district’s test and anti-bullying coordinator.
Previously, he was a technology teacher for four years at Robbinsville High School, where he taught pre-engineering in the Project Lead the Way program.
He also served as the head girls soccer coach and assistant baseball coach at Robbinsville and has teaching experience at Colts Neck High School and Nottingham High School.
He has degrees from The College of New Jersey and Rider University.
What’s new?
— This year, CHS teachers will participate in "professional Learning Communities, to help enhance their instructional strategies."
— CHS is offering dance classes as an elective, a new program that will begin this fall. The new dance teacher is Gabrielle Kadets, who comes to CHS after having taught for the past five years at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, in Iselin. A graduate of the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, she has worked as the choreographer on two musicals at Central High School, "A Chorus Line" and "Beauty and the Beast." She also served as an adjunct professor of dance at Delaware Valley College, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Other new staff members include"
— Caitlin Allen, who is joining the science department after having spent the past eight years teaching at West Windsor-Plainsboro North High School. Prior to that, she worked as a chemist at the National Starch Company in Bridgewater. A graduate of Lafayette College with a degree in chemistry and a minor in mathematics, she received her master’s in education from the University of Scranton and her NJ Teaching Certificate in chemistry from The College of New Jersey.
— Kristen Bruning, a May 2014 graduate of the College of New Jersey, has a degree in mathematics/secondary education. She will teach mathematics. She did her student teaching at Steinert High School, where she taught Algebra 1 and Advanced Placement Calculus classes.
— Rebecca Lewark will be the newest member of the school’s English Department. She received her degree in English in May 2014, and her master’s in teaching secondary education this month — both from The College of New Jersey. While at TCNJ, she served as a graduate research assistant in the English Department. She did her student teaching at Bordentown Regional High School,
— Samantha Maloney is a new member of the Special Education department. A graduate of Rowan University in Glassboro, she is certified to teach special education and is "highly qualified in mathematics." She completed her student teaching assignment at the Yellin School, in Stratford.
— Lisa Rich, a May 2013 graduate of Millersville University, has a degree in technology education K-12. She did her student teaching at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, in Lampeter, Pennsylvania. A 2009 graduate of Hopewell Valley CHS, she is joining the Practical Arts Department and will teach the Introduction to Engineering Design class, She also is an assistant softball coach at the high school.
— Ryan Tobin is a member of the Special Education Department. He will teach special education classes. He received his undergraduate degree in communications from West Chester University and his master’s in special education from Rider University. He is certified to teach both English and special education.
TIMBERLANE MIDDLE SCHOOL (TMS) — The sixth-eighth-grade middle school has a new principal, Rosetta Treece, who was hired by the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education in March. She replaces Anthony Suozzo, who is now director of human resources and special projects and works at the Central Office in Pennington.
Ms. Treece had served as vice principal at Timberlane since 2012. Prior to coming to Hopewell Valley, she was vice principal of Northern Burlington County Regional High School. Before taking the job in Northern Burlington, she was an English teacher and literacy coach in the Trenton Public School District.
She has a bachelor’s degree in English from The College of New Jersey, a master’s degree in education administration from Grand Canyon University and is enrolled in a doctoral program in educational leadership at Rowan University.
Timberlane expects to welcome approximately 857 students on opening day.
What’s new?
— TMS is introducing a new mission statement, which "reflects the core beliefs we share regarding what our middle school students will accomplish by the end of grade eight and was created with the participation of our parents, students, and teachers."
It follows: "By the end of the eighth grade, Timberlane students will enter the world as self-motivated learners, resourceful problem solvers, and compassionate individuals. They will be able to adapt to change, collaborate with peers, and make good decisions that reflect open-mindedness and sound critical thinking."
— The theme for the year is "inquiry based learning," which is in alignment with the district and school goal to provide students with more meaningful, engaging, and rigorous learning experiences." As a result of work done last year, TMS will launch a full One to One initiative in grade eight this year. All eighth-grade students will be provided Chrombooks to use in school and at home. Teachers and students will use these devices "to enhance the learning experiences in the classroom and beyond.
"Students and staff members also have transitioned to gmail and teachers will be exploring Google Apps for Education with their students.
— TMS invites parents to Back-to-School Night on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
New staff members include:
— Diane Fisher, who is joining the Child Study Team as the new learning disabilities teacher consultant. She comes from the Hun School of Princeton, has a degree in English from Rider University and a master’s with a minor in learning disabilities from Georgian Court University.
— Michael Orth, a paraprofessional, comes from Central High School and will work with special needs students in grade eight.
— Cathleen Sing, a paraprofessional, comes from Stony Brook Elementary School and will work in the PAL Program this year.
— Felicity Toto, who has a degree in nursing from Bloomsfield College, will join Kim Shelvin in the Timberlane nurse’s office. She served as a substitute nurse for whole district last year.
BEAR TAVERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — Principal Bruce Arcurio and the staff expect approximately 380 students in preschool through fifth grade when schools open Sept. 4.
The Welcome Back Picnic will be held Sept. 12 and Back-to-School night is Sept. 16.
Sept. 4 is a full day of school. Those available will gather on the blacktop behind the gym for a brief welcome and then parents are invited to the cafeteria for coffee and conversation when the students go to classes with their teachers.
New staff members and staff changes for the year are: Dawn Wheeler will be teaching Basic Skills; Dolores Van Name will be teaching Resource Room; Betsy Finnegan will be a third-grade homeroom teacher; Christina Cartaino will teach preschool; Tina Overman will be a fourth-grade STEM homeroom teacher; Megan Loughlin will be a fourth-grade STEM homeroom teacher; Val Demiri will be a behavioral secialist; Lauren Conway will be a speech language pathologist; and Ashley Olszuk will teach and support BT’s STEM Academy.
This will be the inaugural year of the Bear Tavern STEM Academy. "We will be launching two fourth-grade classes this year with students from all four elementary schools and from outside the district. This is an exciting venture that reflects the innovative spirit of Bear Tavern School and speaks to our desire to remain current and prepare children for their future.
"All subjects in these classes will be viewed through a STEM lens, meaning that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) will drive instruction in all areas including language arts, social studies, and specials.
"Additionally, the engineering design process will be a focal point of how the students view their world. Identifying problems then developing and testing solutions will be the norm," said Mr. Aucurio.
This year’s theme is "We’re Connected." The focus will be on understanding "that our world is more interconnected than ever. Through the efforts of our Global Connections Club, our PTO, and our various school-wide projects we will work to augment these lessons begun in the classrooms. Our world is also connected digitally. It is important in educating our children to ensure that they learn that they are connected in this way, as well. Teaching them to use this form of connection in a positive, productive, and safe fashion will serve them well as they move through school and move through life. While technology can sometimes be scary, it is incumbent upon us as adults to use it as a tool for learning and help students understand their world."
The third-grade classes will be expanding their use of Readers and Writers Workshop in all classes and working with consultant, Olivia Wahl, to refine their practice.
The PTO will work closely with the school staff to provide enriching activities for the children — such as field trips and assemblies to enhance the curriculum.
HOPEWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — Principal David Friedrich and the faculty anticipate the arrival of about 408 students on Sept. 4 at 8:35 a.m. on the blacktop.
The staff will welcome 12 new families from as far away as Switzerland. All families who have recently relocated to the Hopewell Elementary School sending area with school-age children are strongly encouraged to visit the Administrative Building at 425 S. Main Street, Pennington, as soon as possible to register.
New staff members include: Rachel Fleisher (grade three); Helen Corveleyn (grade five); Grace Wesley (special education); and Christine Schenk (speech therapist).
The PTO Welcome Back Carnival will be held Sept. 12. Back to School Night will take place on Sept. 23 for all grades.
The HES PTO annual Appeal fundraiser will continue this year. The new Appeal Information is available on-line at www.hespto.org.
This year, an emphasis will continue to be placed on developing lifelong readers, writers and mathematicians. Since last year, K-five teachers have been engaged in literacy professional development under the guidance of an educational consultant who works with staff developers from the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College. This learning and collaboration will continue throughout the 2014-15 school year and coincide with the adoption of new reading and writing workshop curricula in third grade.
The staffs also hopes to increase student engagement and motivation by implementing an inquiry-based learning approach. Inquiry-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy that involves exploring the world and leads to asking questions, testing ideas, and making discoveries in the search for understanding. This will be the first of a multi-year initiative.
The school also looks forward to partnering with a new food provider, Pomptonian, to offer nutritious options to students in our cafeteria daily.
As a way to keep parents informed, the school’s website will be utilized and updated often. Visit: http://www.hvrsd.org and peruse it regularly. In addition, parents can follow us on Twitter (@HopewellES) and Instagram (HopewellES). Finally, parents are advised to access Infinite Campus and review their e-mail addresses. Important notices and updates will be disseminated to parents via-email to the addresses on file.
STONY BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — Principal Steve Wilfing expects about429 students when doors open on Sept. 4.
Teachers new to the Stony Brook family are:
— Basheer Khan – Kindergarten (AM session) and Kindergarten Extension (PM session)
— Greta Gennace — Child Study Team as the LDTC (Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant). She replaces Mrs. Wisdom who retired this past June.
— Mary Liotta — School nurse replacing Mrs. Ferenchick, who retired.
— John Kowalcyk — School Psychologist while Dr. Amy Borders is on maternity leave.
These following teachers will take on new assignments:
— Carrie Crowley, first grade;
— Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Havens — second-grade Collaborative class.
— Mrs. Hallock and Mrs. Danieluk — fourth-grade Collaborative class.
— Stephanie Wenskoski — Special Education Department and a PM session of Kindergarten Extension.
Stony Brook’s theme is "It ALL STAR(ts) with You."
Each year since opening its doors in 2002, the school’s mission has been to encourage individuals; Seek the Truth, Appreciate Beauty, and Demonstrate Goodness in all aspects of our lives. "We believe that these tenants provide a strong foundation for a peaceful and positive community of learners and instill the necessary virtues to think and act as Reasonable, Respectful and Responsible citizens. Meeting our goals as a school begins with each individual putting forth their very best effort to make a positive contribution and to be someone that everyone can count on each and every day," said the principal.
Visit the school online throughout the year at www.hvrsd.org for Stony Brook news and scheduled events, important district information and a link to the Stony Brook PTO. Follow us on Twitter @StonyBrookES.
TOLL GATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL — Principal Tana Smith and the faculty await the arrival of 277 students on Sept. 4. The traditional opening day festivities will take place on the school’s blacktop beginning at 8:35 a.m. Included will be the PTO-sponsored "Welcome Back Coffee" for parents in the school cafeteria immediately following the opening day celebration.
Back-to-School Night will be held Sept.17 at 6 p.m.
The school theme once again will be "Fill Your Bucket!" based on the book series by Carol McCloud. The theme encourages positive behavior and individual fulfillment .
The staff will welcome 11 new families to the Toll Gate community, including 48 kindergartners. All families who have recently relocated to the Toll Gate Grammar School sending area with school-age children are encouraged to visit the Administration Building, 425 S. Main St., Pennington, as soon as possible to register.
New staff members include:
— Karen Upperco comes from Hopewell Elementary School, having worked with students as a collaborative and resource room teacher. She also has worked with the Extended School Year Program at Stony Brook for the past two summers. She will work with third, fourth and fifth grades.
— John Kowalcyk has worked with the Hybridge Learning Group as an ABA therapist, and has served as a counselor in the HI-STEP Summer Program located at Stony Brook Elementary. He will working as school psychologist on the Child Study Team while Amy Borders is on family leave.
— Michele McKeon joins the Child Study Team part-time as a learning disabilities teacher consultant. She previously worked at Central High School before taking time with her children at home.
— Jill Long and Warren Gerstacker will be paraprofessionals. They come to Toll Gate from other buildings within the district, and will work with students with special needs.
The school has a new addition on its front circle, the Toll Gate Ox, "Patches." He is part of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council’s Stampede.
Pomptonian is the new food provider.
The staff is "extremely excited about our third -grade Reading/Language Arts program. Following last year’s movement in Kindergarten through second grade, we begin the year with a new third-grade curriculum focusing on the Reading and Writing Workshop methodology," said the principal. The third-grade classrooms will see an increase in their individual libraries, consisting of hundreds of new titles.
The school’s website will be utilized and updated often. On the website parents can find the Virtual Backpack, which contains school and community-related information. It is accessible by visiting http://www2.hvrsd.org/Schools/TollGate. In addition, parents are encouraged to access Infinite Campus and review their email addresses. Important notices and updates will be disseminated to parents via email to the addresses on file.
