WHS Graduates Class of 2006 in Petix's Final Commencement

Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, June 29, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 26-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SIXTY CENTS Westfield Board of Ed. Approves Fyffe as WHS Interim Principal By MEGHAN GILL Dolan replaced Mr. Foley at the meet- contract expires on Friday, June 30, and Specially Written for The Westfield Leader ing and introduced Mr. Fyffe to the Anthony Akey, Summit High School WESTFIELD — In a special meet- board and members of the public. Ac- assistant principal, declined the ing held Tuesday evening, the board of cording to his references, he is “highly principalship offer from the district af- education unanimously approved the intelligent and insightful…(with) easy ter initially accepting the job. appointment of Dennis Fyffe as interim humor and enthusiasm,” she said. The board settled a three-year con- principal of Westfield High School. tract with the Westfield Associa- Mr. Fyffe will be paid $650 per tion of Administrators and Super- day for the one-year contracted po- visors (WAAS), allowing for an sition, commencing July 1. He annual salary increase of 4 percent. comes to Westfield with 35 years of The contract includes the auto- experience, most recently serving matic enrollment in Point of as interim superintendent of schools Serivice (POS) health plan for all for the Long Beach Island Board of new administrators. Education. He was superintendent Administrators will no longer of schools in Sayreville from 2000 be entitled to enroll their children through 2005, having first served at in the schools for free if they live the assistant superintendent from out of the district as of July 1. Photo courtesy of Gregory Ryan 1997 through 2000. Board President Anne Reigel said RAIN OR SHINE…The WHS class of 2006 gathers in the armory for graduation ceremonies last Thursday. Due to inclement According to a press release ob- that those students who are al- weather, the graduation could not be held on the field behind the school, where it was originally scheduled to take place. tained by The Westield Leader, his ready enrolled in the district will experience at the high-school level Meghan Gill for The Westfield Leader have to pay tuition. WELCOME…Board of Education President WHS Graduates Class of 2006 includes serving as principal of Anne Riegel welcomes Westfield High School In- The board appproved the appoint- Moorestown High School from terim Principal Dennis Fyffe. He will start July 1. ment of Sheryl Berkowitz as super- 1986 to 1989. He was principal at visor of gifted-and-talented pro- Sayreville War Memorial High School “You don’t do high school without grams and assistant principal of Wilson from 1989 through 1997. a sense of humor,” Mr. Fyffe said to School. In Petix’s Final Commencement By CASSIE LO He was appointed assistant principal the board. “I will be an active mem- It also approved the appointment Specially written for The Westfield Leader and Circumstance,” played by the ing about his time at WHS. of curriculum and instruction at Sum- ber of the school community during of Anita O’Neal as special-education WHS Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, “Overall I feel like our years here mit High School from 1979 through my time here.” supervisor for grades nine through 12 WESTFIELD – Despite the heat, Orchestra and Concert Choir. Senior have been well spent and we have all 1986 and served in both administrative Mr. Fyffe confirmed to The Leader and Mr. Robert Roth as world lan- hundreds of people turned out for Nick Williams sang a solo. learned great life lessons.” and teaching roles at South Brunswick that he is retired and will come out of guages supervisor for grades kinder- Westfield High School’s (WHS) com- Class Vice President Samantha Maurice then riled up the class by High School from 1972 through 1979, retirement to fufill a need for garten through 12, a 10.5-month con- mencement, held June 22 at 6 p.m. at saying, “don’t question if we’re ready according to the press release. Westfield; he said he will not pursue tract based upon the annual salary of the National Guard Armory. for college, question if college is ready Mr. Fyffe, who resides in West the full-time position. $120,000. The 422 members of the class of for us. We’re not going out with a Windsor, earned his master’s degree The board was compelled to hire an The board will not meet again until 2006 received a standing ovation from bang; we’re going out with an explo- in administration and supervision from interim principal because Mr. Petix’s August. the crowd as they filed in to “Pomp sion.” Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Selected speaker Jesse Garfinkel Arts degree in English at Montclair spoke about his optimism for the fu- State College (now a university). Memorial Park Renovation Plans ture when he said, “Four short years “Dennis comes to us with glowing have turned so many of us into the recommendations from the adminis- leaders of tomorrow.” trators, boards of education and col- Unveiled During Public Hearing WHS Principal Robert Petix, in his leagues with whom he has worked in By DEBORAH MADISON extend the diamonds 120 feet to the include extensive landscape buffering. final graduation speech, asked the the last several years,” Superinten- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader west, eliminating an area of wood- Assistant Town Engineer, Kris students to rise and applaud their dent of Westfield Public Schools Wil- WESTFIELD — New concept plans lands behind several homes that front McAloon addressed the residents re- parents to show their appreciation. liam Foley said. for the redesign of Westfield Memo- onto North Scotch Plains Avenue. No garding a proposed sidewalk to be in- He then had the 26 students who “We are fortunate to have such an rial Park were unveiled to the public at lighting and no sound amplification stalled along North Scotch Plains Av- Harold “Butch” Woolfolk received National Merit recognition experienced and admired high-school a special meeting hosted by the Recre- were planned, Mr. Kaufman assured enue, extending from West Broad Street rise, along with the 40 Bloustein schol- leader willing to serve as interim un- ation Commission on Wednesday, June the residents. to South Avenue. The purpose of the Miller led the Flag Salute and se- ars, 137 members of the National til our national search for a perma- 21 at Westfield Town Hall. Neighboring residents said that they sidewalk, he said, was to keep pedes- niors Stephen Markowski and Honor Society and 150 students who nent replacement for Dr. Petix is com- Recreation Director Bruce opposed the extension of the softball trian flow near the park and to mini- Danielle Partenope conducted the received the President’s Education pleted,” Mr. Foley said. Kaufman introduced the plans to a fields, which would they said would mize the intersection crossings for park band and choir for “America, The Award. Assistant Superintendent Margaret gathering of two dozen residents, take away from the privacy and qual- users so they would not have to walk in Beautiful.” Two students in the class of 2006 mostly from the neighborhood sur- ity of life in their backyards. the street as they currently do. Once seated, the class heard had perfect attendance; Lucy rounding the park. Several members Mr. Kaufman explained to the resi- Several of the neighborhood resi- speeches from Class Co-Presidents Fromtling achieved perfect atten- Local Woman Faces of the town council, the recreation dents the need for the renovations was dents voiced their objections to the Maurice Blackmon and Andrew dance for the four years of high school commission and other town officials due to the large “influx” of children, sidewalk, which they said would en- Shaffer. Andrew began by reminisc- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Charges In Stabbing were also in attendance. Robert Lynes, putting a “strain” on the town’s athletic courage more users to park their cars By SUZETTE F. STALKER a representative from the architec- programs. He said increase in popula- along North Scotch Plains Avenue. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader tural firm that designed the plans, tion has led to an increased demand for Residents said that field users tended Council to Increase Café, WESTFIELD – Police have charged Hatch, Mott and MacDonald of athletic fields, he said. The current pro- to block their driveways, trespass a Westfield woman in the stabbing of Millburn, was also on hand to answer posal was chosen from among 16 alter- through their yards and create traffic Limousine, Filming Fees a fellow town resident that occurred any questions. Mr. Lynes is also a nate plans and was determined to make and safety hazards in the street during on June 20 as the two argued on the Westfield resident who has frequented the most efficient use of the space, he games. Residents reported that field By MICHAEL J. POLLACK establishments offering 11 to 25 seats; 200 block of Windsor Avenue. the park and is familiar with the rec- said. By reconfiguring the baseball dia- users frequently dropped their chil- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader $350 for those with 26 to 50 chairs Sergeant Scott Rodger of the reational needs of the town, Mr. monds, all four baseball diamonds could dren off on the wrong side of the WESTFIELD – At Tuesday’s con- and $425 for those seating more than Westfield Police Department told The Kaufman told the audience. be used simultaneously, Mr. Kaufman street, allowing their children to run ference session, the Westfield town 50 people.

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