Emmy-winning 'Classroom Close-Up' Slated To Film Fourth Episode

The Emmy-winning educational program, Classroom Close-up, NJ, will be taping a segment entitled “Organic Farming” on Monday, September 21, 2015 at Robert R. Lazar Middle School.

The September 21 taping at Lazar will mark the fourth time since the fall of 2014, and the eighth time during the TV show’s twenty-two year history, that Montville Township Public Schools have been filmed for Classroom Close-up, NJ.

Last March, Classroom Close-up, NJ aired “Lazar News Network” (LNN), a feature that Lazar’s daily morning news broadcast and the school’s engaging video program.

This fall three additional Montville Township Public Schools segments will be broadcast: The Montville Township High School “Humanities Research Program” segment of Classroom Close-up, NJ, will air on Sunday, September 27, Saturday, October 3, Sunday, November 1 and Saturday, November 7, 2015.

“Montville ESY (Extended School Year)” and Lazar’s “Organic Farming” segments will air Sunday, December 20, Saturday, December 26, Sunday, January 24 and Saturday, January 30.

Established by seventh grade science teacher, Matthew Myers, Lazar’s “Organic Farming” program is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative.

Located in one of the school’s two court yard areas, Lazar’s farm program helps to teach students organic and sustainable farming techniques. Planted, cultivated and harvested by seventh graders, the program is an important part of the school’s science curriculum.

Crops that students plant and tend include arugula, mustard greens, lettuce and other microgreens

Prior to planting and following the harvest, students prepare the soil with compost made from kitchen scraps collected in the cafeteria. Rain barrels collect water for irrigation.

“We use everything,” Myers explained. “The point is to repurpose. Composting cafeteria kitchen scraps makes great fertilizer and collecting runoff reduces the impact of irrigation on community water resources.”

Once harvested, crops are used for lunches, and some are sold to teachers, staff and others as part of the CSA model. Some plants are also allowed to go to seed. The money earned through CSA, as well as the harvesting of seeds, helps to sustain the garden for future Organic Farming students. Classroom Close-up, NJ will film this segment on Monday, September 21, and broadcast it in December and January.

“Montville ESY” is a voluntary summer program for students on Pre-K through twelfth grade. Located in MTHS, the atmosphere of the entire building is that of a high-energy summer camp where student-centered learning techniques result in highly motivated and thoroughly engaged students and teachers.

Each day education goes beyond traditional classroom activities, and often embraces the outdoors and other hands-on opportunities to enhance learning. Through varied and imaginative activities teachers help students close learning gaps in multiple subject areas and prepare students for the start of the upcoming academic year. This past July, Classroom Close-up, NJ filmed this program. This segment will also be broadcast in December and January.

Montville’s nationally recognized “Humanities Research Program” is an innovative new approach to teaching which engages students by exploring the curriculum through student interests and creative activities and presentations. The success of the Humanities Research Program earned Montville Township Public Schools the “District of Distinction” classification in July 2015’s District Administration Magazine, a national publication. The Classroom Close-up, NJ that features this award-winning Montville program will air on Sunday, September 27, Saturday, October 3, Sunday, November 1 and Saturday, November 7, 2015.

Classroom Close-up, NJ, a thirteen-time Emmy-winning show, is a co-production of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and NJTV with additional funding by PSE&G.

Now taping its twenty-second season, Classroom Close-up, NJ features innovative programs going on in public school classrooms. Each half-hour program shows how caring school professionals inspire and motivate students. Each week, the excellence of learning comes alive as teachers, children and parents work together for success.

NJEA is the state’s largest association of education professionals, representing 200,000 public school teachers and administrators, higher education faculty, education support professionals, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

Other past Montville Township Public Schools features on Classroom Close-up, NJ include the titles listed below. These shows, and many others from across New Jersey, can be viewed on-line. Or click the titles below to view segments from Montville Township Public Schools.

· “Lazar News Network” – Lazar, (2015)

· “Every Drop Counts” – Hilldale, (2007)

· “Show Case Café” – MTHS, (2006)

· “Governor’s Award Student” – MTHS, (2005)

· “The Cookie Project” – Hilldale, (2002)

Classroom Close-up, NJ airs on NJTV every Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5:30 a.m. In most of the Montville Township broadcast area, NJTV is found on Cablevision’s channel 8.