1 RTNJ NEWS Randolph Township Schools Newsletter March 26, 2018 1 Upcoming Events: Randolph Unveils New District APP March 30: Schools Closed Good Friday/Spring Recess Begins/ Passover Randolph Township Schools want to make your life easier. April: Autism Awareness Month April 1: Easter 2-4: Spring Recess 10: Board of Education Meeting 16-May 25 PARRC Testing 16: Ironia Elementary Spring Concert 17: Fernbrook Spring Concert 18: Center Grove Spring Concert 23: Shongum Spring Concert 24: Board Policy Committee Meeting and Board of Education Meeting 26-28 RMS Musical May 2: RMS Spring Orchestra Concert 4-5: Percussion Festival & Concert 8: RHS Art Show The school district s new APP is now available for download on ITunes and the Google Play Store for free. Once you download the app, you will be up to date with all of the district s latest news with push notifications, staff directories, calendars, news, photos, resources, access to Genesis, lunch accounts, sports schedules and much, much more. Students and staff can log in at their leisure. Parents were sent an email with login instructions. For a video with information on the app, please click here. AP Research Students Recognized Six Randolph High School students have been recognized by the College Board for not only receiving a perfect score on their AP Research Exam, but also joining the ranks of the 176 students in the world who earned every point possible on the test. The students (pictured left to right with RHS Principal Debbie Iosso) are: Elizabeth Rosato, Jenna Sandler, Gavin Renken, Hallie Stevens, Christopher Archer and Nick Civetta.
2 Board of Education Approves New MS STEM Supervisor At its February 20 meeting, the Randolph Board of Education approved the appointment of Gabriel Maffei as the new Randolph Middle School STEM Supervisor. Mr. Maffei, who was previously an eighth grade science teacher at Robert R. Lazar Middle School in Montville, started his new position in March. Randolph Superintendent of Schools Jennifer A. Fano welcomed Mr. Maffei to Randolph. Mr. Maffei s enthusiasm and passion for learning will be an excellent addition to our district and middle school STEM department. Mr. Maffei thanked Ms. Fano and the Randolph Board of Education for their support. I am very excited to start my first administrative position with the Randolph Township School District, he said, noting that when he researched Randolph Township Schools, he was very impressed with the district s STEM program. I was very pleased to see all of the great STEM opportunities Randolph offers its students. I was also interested to see how these opportunities extended beyond the science and math classrooms, such as the pendulum art project as well as the robotics and technology courses and clubs. Randolph Staff Members Shine RMS Science Olympiad Four Randolph teachers have been selected to present at the NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conference this spring. They are (pictured above) Michelle Land, Jacqueline Cruz, Cindy Scott and Kirsten Misunas. The 21 members of the RMS Science Olympiad team (pictured above) competed in the NJIT competition. Advisors are Cara Gilligan and Jessica Dingman. Ironia Teacher Who Rocks! Center Grove Wedding Ironia first grade teacher Cathy Murphy was recently recognized by WDHA Radio Station as a "Teacher Who Rocks". Center Grove kindergarten students enjoyed a wedding of the letters Q and U in a special magical ceremony and reception (Students enjoy the ceremony below with officiant Mrs. Finland). Mrs. Murphy was nominated by Ironia paraprofessional Andria Barosi- Stampone, who said. "Mrs. Murphy is a true role model not just for her students, but for her coworkers as well," she said (Mrs. Murphy is below).
Ironia Students and Staff Enjoy Vocabulary Parade Ironia Students Enjoyed a Vocabulary Parade on February 2. Students and staff dressed up as different words which they selected and paraded around the school and the gymnasium. Some of the costumes they came up with were very creative. (Right, Fourth graders in Ms. Trish Bourke s class enjoy the parade. Front row, left to right: Chris Antico, Brayden Meditz, Jacob Conti, Carly Weinstock, Michael Najjar, Justin Novak, Juliette Jewusiak. Back row ( yellow circles): Jayden Fuehring, Louie LoVerde, Kaitlyn Brown. Below left, Mr. Cervona and Mrs. Daly enjoy the parade. Below right, Ironia staff enjoy the fun.) Center Grove Geography Bee Winners Pictured left, Center Grove Principal Mario Rodas and Vice Principal TR Rathjen congratulate school geography bee winner Huck Schrader (pictured with medal ) and runner up Ryan Auriemma, (pictured next to Mr. Rodas). Author Day Children s author Dan Gutman visited Fernbrook School and read some of his books to students including Mrs. Mariani s kindergarten (pictured above). Ironia Geography Bee Fernbrook Principal and VP for a Day Congratulations to the Fernbrook Principal and Vice Principal for a Day! Principal Gavin Szymanowicz, a fifth grader, and Vice Principal Zachary Wysmierski, a first grader, who after winning a raffle at the school's FRIES reading celebration, spent March 6 assisting Principal Dr. Michelle Telischak and Vice Principal Michael Scott with their everyday tasks (The boys are pictured reading to kindergarteners). Pictured right, Ironia Principal David Kricheff congratulates school geography bee winner Darren Laqui, center, and runner up Daniel Sharkey. 3
4 Randolph Summer Academy Accepting Registration The Randolph Summer Academy is now accepting registration for its second summer of programs to help students accelerate and/or remediate their learning. The program is designed for students interested in taking a class this summer for credit or for those who would like extra help. Credit courses are for students who would like to fulfill a graduation requirement and be able to take higher level or full-year elective courses during the regular school year. The extra help courses are available to help reduce summer slide, provide additional support, or to help prepare for college admission. For a video of information about the program, click here. For more information, click here. Board of Education Approves Name Change: Randolph Guidance Department Becomes Counseling Department In an effort to formally and accurately represent the important work that Randolph school counselors do each day, the department has been renamed the counseling department. School Counseling Director Charles Dimiceli said that the time is right to make the change. We need to bring our department to the next level in terms of student and family support, he said in a presentation to the Randolph Board of Education, which approved the name change. Our school counselors are an integral part of the academic team and supporting each child s social and emotional wellbeing is an essential first step in developing effective and gifted learners. The change in name aligns with the national standard provided by the American School Counselors Association. (Mr. Dimiceli is pictured left with Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano.) Register for Randolph Community School Spring & Summer Programs Registration is now under way for the Randolph Community School Summer Camps: Camp Discovery, for children in grades 5-8, Camp Summer Stars, for children in grades 2-5, and Camp Summer Kids, for children entering grades K-1 in the fall. Give your child a summer to remember with special activities, exciting trips and fun themed weeks. Please register at https:// register.capturepoint.com/randolphcommunityschool. Registration is also now open for Summer Strings, Piano & Guitar Camp in July and Summer Gardening Camp in August, Black Rocket, Super Science and Young Rembrandts summer programs and new Kidz Kraftz Kamp. Registration is also open for the Community School s spring after school enrichment classes including: new golf classes with TGR Premier Junior Golf, Kidz Kraftz, Yoga for Kids, Young Rembrandts and Mad Science Fairly Odd Forces. Classes begin in April. The Community School is still accepting registration for childcare for the 2017-18 school year including early dismissal and holiday fun over spring break when schools are closed. For information, call (973) 361-0808 ext. 8603 or visit rtnj.org and click on the Community School channel bar. You may also email CommunitySchool@rtnj.org.
5 Music Students Recognized The Randolph High School Wind Ensemble (pictured left) performed as one of six outstanding bands in the 2018 Mid-Atlantic Wind Ensemble Band Festival at Rutgers University in New Brunswick last month. Six RHS freshmen band students performed with the NJSMA Junior Region Band and performed with the group in concert last month. The students are pictured below: Caroline Apt, Clara Apt, Maddy Burger, Isabella Dimichino and Faith Hadley (not pictured Spencer Gaffney). Several RHS musicians were selected for the NJSMA Region Band and performed at the group s concert. They are pictured below, left: Hannah DeOliveira, Dan Spielman, Chris Mantell, Tommy Yager, Michael DeMelfi, David Popkin and Andre Hance. Ironia Winterfest Fun Hundreds of families spent a fun Saturday at Ironia last month enjoying Winterfest. The fun included, face painting (pictured above right), games, a DJ, pizza, bake sale, a basket raffle, a Randolph High School cabaret performance and a Randolph Reelers Square Dance performance. Principal David Kricheff, Vice Principal TR Rathjen, teachers and a parent competed in the teacher's challenge, first wearing mouth guards and saying words, then eating pickles and finally carrying (without their hands) and peeling potatoes (with their hands pictured above). This was an unappealing event for Vice Principal Rathjen (pictured right) who overcame a potato peeling injury to tie Principal Kricheff by peeling seven potatoes in the allotted time. In the end, the vice principal was declared the winner and pledged to avoid potatoes in the future.
6 NJEA Classroom Closeup Focuses on Fernbrook and Shongum Teachers Fernbrook kindergarten teacher Molly Ziegelstein was featured in an episode of the NJEA Show Classroom Closeup which aired March 11 and will air again April 15 at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To view the segment, click here. Shongum fifth grade teacher Bobbie Sobel was also recently filmed for a second segment which will air later on. (Mrs. Ziegelstein is pictured left in the store with a student. The film crew filmed Mrs. Sobel s class below.) (Pictured left, Mrs. Ziegelstein in the Beautiful Things store with student.) Center Grove TREP$ Program RHS Student to Attend West Point Randolph High School Principal Debbie Iosso has announced that RHS senior Ajay Hariharan (pictured front row center with Mrs. Iosso, teachers, guidance counselors and coaches) has been appointed to West Point and will begin his cadet training this summer. Ironia Students and Staff Enjoy Chef s Day Ironia students and staff enjoyed gourmet flatbread pizzas for Chef's Day sponsored by Maschio's Food Service. Corporate Chef Joe Maida made students flatbread roasted vegetable pizza, chicken, bacon & ranch pizza and margarita pizza to name a few. Food Service Director Maria Riccitelli said that Chef's Day will be offered at other schools as well this spring. "The pizza is really good," said Ironia fifth grader Tyler Schwimer. "It's really nice that the chef took time to make us delicious pizza!" Sixty-four Center Grove fifth grader students learned to become entrepreneurs through the school s TREP$ program. The students would meet after school once a week for several weeks, coming up with entrepreneurial concepts, then presenting them to teachers, creating everything from jewelry to soaps to bird houses which they sold at the school s TREPS Marketplace on February 15. Hundreds of parents, staff and students came to check out the variety of items created and sold by students at different tables around the school s gymnasium. Fifth graders Huck Schrader and Justin Raeihle (pictured below) upcycled or used recyclables to create bird feeders and bird seed.
RHS Emerging Artist Recognized Board of Education Fills Unexpired Term 7 After interviewing three applicants, the Randolph Board of Education approved Stacy White to fill the unexpired term of former board member Colleen Pascale who resigned. Mrs. White was sworn in by the board secretary and will serve through December, 2018. (Mrs. White is pictured with Board President Ron Conti and Vice President Joe Faranetta, right). Randolph High School artist Emma Swayze (pictured above with art teacher Mercedes Ingenito) was recently recognized as an Emerging Artist winner by the Art Administrators of New Jersey. Emma s color pencil piece "New Beginnings" was featured in the group s New Jersey Emerging Artist exhibition at Kean University. Randolph High School art teacher Mercedes Ingenito praised Emma and her work. "Emma is such a dedicated artist," she said. "She is totally committed to her work 100th Day of School Children in the elementary schools enjoyed the 100th day of school with special activities including dressing up as centenarians at Center Grove (Pictured left, Amir Medhat, Marco Nobile and Kai Graves dress up for the fun including grey hair and even a mustache). RHS Student Leads District 2 Key Club Randolph High School Key Club Advisor Mr. Lonie congratulates RHS student Eliana Koenigsberg (both pictured above) who was named Lt. Governor for Key Club District two! Fernbrook Geography Bee Congratulations to Fernbrook Geography Bee winner Akshay Dhawan and runner-up Rachel Matthai. The students are pictured with Fernbrook Principal Dr. Michelle Telischak (below right) Vice Principal Michael Scott, (below left) and teacher and contest organizer Chris Kerr, below center. The students had to answer many difficult and challenging questions about everything from islands to mountain ranges. RHS Soccer Signing Randolph High School senior varsity soccer goalkeeper Justin Lawrence has signed his letter of intent to play soccer at Loyola University of Maryland. (He is pictured at the signing ceremony at RHS with his parents, seated, his brother behind him standing and standing, Athletic Director Jeff DiLollo, Asst. Athletic Director Marybeth Foran, RHS Principal Debbie Iosso and Coach George Mousis.)
8 Mt. Olive NAMA Art Winners Four Randolph High School students were recognized at the Mt. Olive NAMA Invitational Show including Alice Krause, who won first place for digital media (not pictured), and (pictured below with art teachers Christian Montone and Mercedes Ingenito) Miya Liu, who won third place for her painting, Emma Swayze, who won a $950 precollege scholarship to Delaware College of Art & Design and Halle McNabb, who won a $3,000 2-year merit scholarship to the Delaware College of Art and Design. RHS Musicians Selected for All-State Band Randolph High School Director of Bands Dawn Russo has announced that the following students have been selected for the New Jersey All State Band: (pictured above left to right) alto sax player Chris Mantell, percussionist Andre Hance, tuba players David Popkin and Michael DeMelfi and string bassist Paul Ward. Randolph High School Student Achievements Randolph High School senior Daniel Kim, (pictured above with counselor Penn Bowditch and RHS Principal Debbie Iosso) has been named a finalist in the U.S. Presidential Scholar program. The following RHS students (pictured above left) were selected for the North Jersey Senior Region 1 Orchestra, pictured above left to right: Stephen Hu, Olivia Guarinello, Catherine DeMario, Priscilla Peters, Ginny Lee, Monique Bourgeois, Yuri Lin, Andre Hance and Paul Ward. (Pictured left) RHS Principal Debbie Iosso congratulates Gabby Toledo, left, and Emily Kern right, who have received the Prudential President s Volunteer Service Award for community service.
9 Randolph Celebrates Music in Our Schools Month The Randolph Board of Education observed March as Music in Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month. The board approved a resolution celebrating visual and performing arts in Randolph Township Schools at a recent meeting and presented the proclamation to Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor Frank Perrone (Mr. Perrone is pictured with Board of Education Vice President Joe Faranetta, President Ron Conti and Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano, below left). Randolph High School Athlete Honored RHS Senior athlete Brooke Olsen (pictured below at RHS with Assistant Athletic Director Marybeth Foran) was recognized for her achievements in sports at the "National Girls and Women in Sports Day" celebration. The award was presented February 4 at Seton Hall University.. RHS Dance Guest Artist The RHS Hip Hop Ensemble recently worked with guest artist Tom McKie after school. (Dancers are pictured working with the guest artist above.) Shongum Geography Bee Winner Shongum Principal Cliff Burns has announced that fifth grader Henry Crowther, is the winner of the school s Geography Bee. The runner up is Nathan Frick. (Dr. Burns is pictured with Henry and Nathan below.) Artists Recognized Randolph High School artists Kyra Horton and Miya Liu (pictured above with Teacher Mercedes Ingenito) received honorable mentions in the Scholastic Art Awards. Miya was recognized for her painting "Prayer" while Kyra's photograph "Reality" caught the attention of the judges. Soccer Signing Randolph High School varsity soccer player and team captain Erin O'Neill, who has played on the varsity team for four years, signed her letter of intent to play soccer at Seton Hall University where she plans to study communications. (Erin is pictured seated center with family and standing, athletic directors, Principal Iosso and coaches.)
10 RHS Students Named National Merit Finalists Six RHS students have been named National Merit Finalists. They are Christopher Archer, Keyln Chen, Daniel Kim, Brooke Olsen, Samantha Tassillo and Alex Wang (They are pictured above with AP teachers). RHS Literary Magazine Recognized Writings on the Wall, received a first place award and an above average ranking from the American Scholastic Press Association (Advisor Mrs. Kays is pictured below with magazine staff). Speech & Debate Team Several members of the RHS Speech & Debate team were recognized and won awards at the Harvard Invitational at State Championships at Hunterdon Central. (Team members pictured above with Mr. Quinn). RMS Choral Students Selected RMS Choral Director Ann Kelly has announced that five students were selected to perform with the NJSMA Region I Choir (Ms. Kelly is pictured below with 4 singers). The students are Kate Cullin, Kiersten Drazek, Jessica Hyman, Dhanya Sureshbabu and Samhitha Swarna. Read Across America Celebrated in Randolph Shongum Kindness Club Students around the district enjoyed many special activities for Read Across America Day including dress up days and book readings, which many schools celebrated for a week or a month due to the weather (Below, Randolph Board of Education President Ron Conti reads a story to students at Fernbrook School). Shongum Student Council members are dedicated to planning and organizing special activities to promote kindness. Counselor Debra Hessels said students were given kindness kards and completed the acts described on the kards and took the kindness pledge (Ms. Hessels and council members pictured below).
11 RHS Cheerleaders Prevail The RHS Rams Cheerleaders recently performed at the Nationals in Orlando, Florida (They are pictured at the event above). Commended Scholars Several RHS students were recently named National Merit Commended Scholars. The students, pictured with RHS Principal Debbie Iosso, are: Brynn Bennett, Daphne Cheng, Eric Gu, Sabrina Hu, Sydney Jenkins, Brett Ludwig, Ethan May, Jordan Pontelandolpho, Rachel Smith, Adam Some, Lauren Spencer, Jake Steinfink, Jake Wichansky and Christopher Zou. Shongum Pasta Dinner Shongum families and staff enjoyed the recent pasta dinner. The fun included a DJ playing Italian music, food catered by Mario s and spending time with friends. (Pictured left, staff members serve up pasta, left to right, cafeteria manager Anna Hand, teachers Christine Giousios, Lyn Fromme and nurse Maureen Delanoy. Pictured below center, Principal Dr. Cliff Burns welcomes the Aguilera/Weyersberg family to dinner.) Cardboard Game Fun Center Grove third graders created games out of cardboard (pictured above). Mayo Music Students of the Month The Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown has named several Randolph music students as music students of the month. These include RHS outstanding orchestra student Paul Ward, outstanding string student Lauren Spencer, pictured below left, RMS outstanding pianist Steven Alt and RMS outstanding jazz musician Joseph Dunne, pictured below center, RHS outstanding jazz musician Jeff Putlock, pictured right with trumpet, and RHS outstanding percussionist Joseph Hecht, pictured below right, and RMS percussionist Ryan Borinski (not pictured.) Fernbrook Visitors Wallaby Tales recently shared many of its animals including a chinchilla, pictured above, a porcupine and pig with students as part of a PTO -sponsored assembly (pictured above).