Hello everyone! I hope that everyone is enjoying the mild weather.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Attention Parents. Please note that we will have a half-day TUESDAY February 21st with 12:17 p.m. dismissal, the day following President’s Day. We do not have school on Monday, February 20th.
Find out what's happening in Caldwellsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
I hope that you like the new Thursday delivery date for the West Essex News. Remember to send in your submissions earlier…by Tuesday at 3 p.m. please for the deadline. Any questions, newsletter submissions, please e-mail them to me at afreeman@westex.org. You may also call me extension 101.
Find out what's happening in Caldwellsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
If you are on Facebook and have not become a fan of our West Essex Regional Schools page, do it today! We now have more than 200 fans who keep informed with the daily postings. There is a lot going on in our wonderful District.
Are you making regular visits to the School District website? Keep up-to-date with everything going on at West Essex. Check out the photo galleries featuring pictures of West Essex students including new galleries of Signing Day and portraits of the Sierra Leone orphans by the National Art Honor Society.
West Essex Regional Board of Education
The West Essex Regional Board of Education will hold a Regular meeting on Monday, February 13th at 7:30 p.m. A topic of discussion will be moving the annual School Elections to November.
Important Dates:
- February 3: Genesis Portal Open for second marking period grades.
Deadline for Eighth Grade Field Trip Payments.
- February 6: Skylr the Hypnotist
- February 7: Fencing Senior Appreciation Night
- February 10: Middle School Pep Rally
Deadline for AP Exam Registration
- February 15 WEFE Meeting
- February 18 & 25: HSPA Extra instruction
- February 20: All Schools Closed, President’s Day.
- February 21: Half-Day, Early Dismissal
- March 3 & 4: West Essex SAT Boot Camp
- March 6-8: HSPAS for Juniors
- March 17: First Educational Technology Symposium at West Essex
District News:
Mark your calendars for the First Educational Technology Symposium at West Essex March 17, 2012! This special free event has been designed to educate K-12 teachers, administrators, media specialists, school boards and interested community members on the innovative use of technology in education. It will feature keynote addresses by leaders in the field including New Milford High School Principal Eric Sheninger, who will speak on educational leadership in this ever-changing digital world. Lisa Thumann, a Google Certified teacher and trainer and Director of Innovative Learning Technology at the School for Global Education and Innovation at Kean University, will also address how students, educators and administrators are using digital tools to communicate, collaborate and create in New Jersey classrooms. For information, contact Raquel Williams at rwilliam@westex.org. To register, visit www.westex.org/wetech.
The HSPAs, New Jersey’s High School Proficiency Assessment, will be administered to West Essex Juniors in school on March 6, 7, and 8. Juniors must pass the Mathematics and Language Arts sections of the HSPA as a graduation requirement. We are offering extra instruction outside of the classroom for this test at no cost to families on Saturday, February 18 and Saturday, February 25. The two sessions, Math and English, will run from 9-10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. For information, or to register, please email Anna Morse, Language Arts Supervisor at amorse@westex.org or Diana Schoenblum, Math Supervisor at dschoenb@westex.org.
IMPORTANT AP EXAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Registration Forms for all May AP Exams are now available in the High School Guidance office. This year, the fee for each AP test is $87.00. the Only form of payment that will be accepted will be checks made out to west essex high school. All registration forms and payments must be brought back to the Guidance department by February 10, 2012. It is required that every student taking an AP course must take the AP Exam to receive the AP designation on their transcript, as written in our West Essex Program of Studies. Any questions or concerns, please see your guidance counselor.
West Essex Middle School Seventh Graders celebrated Hero Day today from 8:30-10 a.m. in the Middle School Auditorium. The students selected a hero, someone in his or her life who demonstrates the character traits studied in class, as part of the Seventh Grade Character Education Curriculum. Holocaust survivor Mike Bornstein was the featured speaker for the event.
Parents of juniors are encouraged to read this important letter about Project Graduation from the event’s organizers. Payment is due by February 15 for students participating in the 2013 event.
The West Essex High School Guidance Department is planning a Career Day at the high school April 18 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and is looking for presenters. Parents or community members who would like to talk to the students about their professions should contact Linda Grancagnolo at lgrancag@westex.org.
Juniors can learn to Outsmart the SAT at Catalyst’s SAT Boot Camp at West Essex High School Saturday March 3 and Sunday March 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Many students do not have time for weekly prep classes and it takes a long time to get your mock scores. In just one week, students will learn every strategy they need for the test. The course also costs $100 for the entire weekend, which includes course and prep materials. (The course only costs $100 since the School District is paying part of the fee for each student to encourage greater participation and help students increase their test scores.) To register, call (800) 235-0056.
Two eighth grade social studies classes (Mrs. McCarthy’s and Mr. Ferrara’s classes) participated in a Skyping Workshop last week with Kenneth Davis, a New York Times bestselling officer who has written “Don’t Know Much About History/Don’t Know Much About Geography.” The workshop focuses on the upcoming Presidential Race and how our country elects a president.
Parents of eighth graders attending the Field trip to Washington D.C. March 29 and 30 must make the second and final payment ($170) for the trip by today. Medical forms are also due and are available on the website. Students going on the trip will attend an informational meeting during the first week of March to learn about trip rules, the itinerary and instructions for hotel rooming.
The West Essex High School Writing Center is now open from 2:40 to 3:40 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for students seeking help with English or Social Studies papers, SAT writing, essays and poems. Students should sign up in the library by 1 p.m. each day to reserve their time with faculty tutors. The Writing Center is located in Room 502, just outside the library. For information, contact English Supervisor Anna Morse at amorse@westex.org.
Middle School Yearbooks are available for purchase. Order now to make sure that your child receives one. Yearbooks are $45 and can be ordered on our website at click here.
Seniors will have the opportunity to participate in the Senior Service Project which should run from approximately May 22 to June 12. To participate, students must meet certain eligibility requirements. For information, read the letter on the website at Senior Service Letter.
Skylr The Hypnotist will return for a student council performance Monday, February 6 at 7 p.m. in the High School Auditorium. Tickets are $10 at the door.
Student Achievements:
Wednesday was Signing Day at West Essex! Congratulations to our West Essex High School Seniors who have signed with various colleges, committing themselves to studying and playing sports for the next four years beginning in the fall.
Our first seniors to sign are field hockey players Adrianna Farina, Alexis Miller and Natalie Cafone. Adrianna will attend Quinnipiac University. Alexis plans to attend Brown University and Natalie will play for the University of Iowa. Next was field hockey player Jackie Fusco who will attend Providence College in the fall.
The students and their families met with Field Hockey Coach Jill Cosse, Athletic Director Damion Macioci and High School Principal Gary Suda in the high school library to sign their letters of intent, which they then faxed or mailed to their respective colleges.
"I am so proud of them," Macioci said. "I think that any time our kids are able to play at the next level, I think it is an outstanding accomplishment.
"These kids are going to great academic schools as well," Macioci said. "They will get to play a sport they love and at the same time get a great education."
Field Hockey Coach Jill Cosse, who celebrated her 500 career victory with the team this year, said the 2011-12 school years "has been a huge year for our program." "To have four athletes play for such high caliber schools is an honor for both the field hockey program and West Essex High School."
The West Essex High School Robotics Club has advanced to the finals of the 2012 Panasonic Creative Design Challenge competition and will travel to NJIT in Newark March 24 at NJIT. The team will also need to make an oral presentation on their robot, which needed to be created with certain materials and be able to carry out a mission on the moon. The oral presentation will go to the Panasonic headquarters in Secaucus to make their oral presentations March 14 or 15. The team is composed of Steven Yen, Kevin Loveless, Jesse Mokita, Chris Plunkett and Mike Sanzari. The advisors are Richard Bettini and Steve Olsen.
Members of the West Essex High School National Art Honor Society have created 35 beautiful portraits of less fortunate orphaned children in Sierra Leone, a West African nation plagued by civil war from 1991-2002. The portraits are now on display inside the main entrance of the high school.
West Essex Art Honor Society Advisor Eileen Dormer said that the National Art Honor Society has raised $535 to give to the International Memory Portrait Project so that the students can send their portraits to the children who have been orphaned by war, famine, disease or disaster. The portraits will be delivered personally to the children, along with a letter and photo from the student artist. Our students will later receive photos of the children with their portraits. For many orphans, the portrait becomes a treasured belonging, reminding them they are not forgotten. In the past, honor society students have drawn portraits of children in war-torn Uganda and AIDS-ridden Honduras and Myanmur (Burma.) The International Memory Project requires a minimum of $15 per portrait to cover costs, which is funded through the Dress in Denim program at West Essex. This is the seventh consecutive year the honor society has participated in the program.
Athletics:
In the Essex County Swimming Championships at Seton Hall University last weekend, West Essex High School swimmer James Lovey was the champion in the 200 m Freestyle and 500 m freestyle.
West Essex High School wrestler Dominic Valeriani was the champion in the 285-weight-class in the Essex County Wrestling Championships last weekend at Codey Arena.
The West Essex Middle School Boys Wrestling Team participated in the Greater Morris and Essex County Wrestling Tournament last weekend. The following students were recognized: 1st place: Matt Jones and Anthony Scaglia; 2nd place: Jerard Mararazzo, 3rd place: Noah Struss and Chris Vassallo, and 4th place: Tom Tabatneck.
Staff News:
High School Special Education teacher Robyn Paglia will take the 2012 Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics New Jersey February 25 at the Aztec Ocean Resort in Seaside Heights. If you would like to make a donation, you can give checks made payable to Special Olympics New Jersey to Paglia or for information or to make a credit card donation, visit www.NJPolarPlunge.org and click on “Sponsor Plunger.”
Substitute teacher Deanna Hagel of Fairfield, a West Essex graduate and accomplished West Essex athlete, was honored last week as the Montclair State University Woman Athlete of the Year at the 20th annual Girls & Women in Sports Awards luncheon held by the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women at Seton Hall University. Hagel was one of several hundred college and student athletes honored at the event and presented remarks on behalf of the collegiate athletes at the program. Hagel, who finished her field hockey career in 2010, ranked as one of the NJAC’s top scorers during her senior season at Montclair State University.
PTO News:
West Essex PTO Membership forms will be mailed out to families in the near future. Each family is encouraged to make a $35 donation to the organization. In the past, the money has been used to purchase a mascot costume, a new speaker system for the stadium, equipment for the fitness center and contributions for the beautification committee’s efforts. The PTO also supplies refreshments for special events including class breakfasts, teacher in-service days and funds special teacher projects. The PTO is also looking for volunteers to help with these events. If you would like to volunteer, contact Jenifer at jpetrocca@optonline.net.
WEFE News:
The West Essex Foundation for Education will have its regular monthly meeting Wednesday, February 15th at 7:30 p.m. at the High School Cafeteria. The Foundation will host a Cut-a-thon March 27th from 3-7 p.m. at Panico Salon, 763 Bloomfield Ave., West Caldwell. All haircuts will cost $25 and ALL proceeds will go to WEFE. Parents or students interested in volunteering should e-mail rorilisa@aol.com. Mark your calendars for the WEFE 5K "Trotting For Technology" Run/Walk for the morning of May 19th. Interested volunteers should contact iharamis@aol.com or christinegrasso61@fairfieldnj.org.
West Essex Volunteers:
We Can Enterprises, composed of students in Mrs. Bauer’s class and Mrs. Ahearn’s class, raised $153 from gift wrapping and $50 from the pizza sale at the professional development luncheon. The money will be donated to the Pat Flaherty Scholarship Fund.
Community News:
Dr. Steven Tobias, in-house psychologist at the Banyan School and Director of the Center for Child and Family Development, will speak about “The Assessment and Treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” Monday, February 13th at 8 a.m. at the Banyan School Media Center, 12 Hollywood Ave., Fairfield. For questions, call Linda McCabe at (973) 439-1919 ext. 114 or email LMcCabe@BanyanSchool.com.
Parents of boys ages 11 and under interested in playing for The Fairfield Spring U-11 Boys Soccer Team should contact Coach Jim Dontas jdrox1@msn.com or Dave Calabrese at cee1988cee@yahoo.com. Team Trainer Martyn Rushmore was voted the 2011 Star-Ledger Summit High School Coach of the Year.
The Fairfield Home School Association is seeking donations for its May 10, 2012 Tricky Tray at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover. All proceeds go to the Fairfield HSA. If you would like to make a donation, e-mail Kelly Hricko at kellyhricko@yahoo.com.
Special Note:
We are asking parents to fill out a new Student Publicity Authorization form posted under general forms on the website and send them in to school with your child. This is different than the original form you filled out in September. The form will allow your child’s photograph or name be used in a press release for the District website and the local media. Please take a few minutes to fill it out now. Click here for the form: Publicity Authorization Form.
If you do not receive the West Essex News and would like to have it e-mailed to you, please e-mail afreeman@westex.org.
Enjoy your weekend!
Take care,
Allison
Allison Freeman
Manager of Communications and Community Outreach
West Essex Regional School District
West Greenbrook Road
