March 2018 Elizabeth High School Students Take Action Against Gun Violence 6,000 students voice their concerns to elected officials at town hall meetings
Nearly 6,000 students from the Elizabeth School District’s high schools raised their voices and concerns about gun violence to federal, state, county and local officials at town halls held at each of Elizabeth’s schools today.
The district arranged and coordinated the town halls on the one-month anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. to give students direct contact with the officials who make gun laws and enforce safety. The meetings, coordinated with the student governments of the seven high schools, were an outgrowth of student concerns following the events in Parkland.
“The action taken today by the student government at Elizabeth High School Frank J. Cicarell Academy, in collaboration with the faculty and administration, is the first step in ending a vicious cycle of mass shootings that have plagued our schools for far too long now,” said EHS Sophomore Class President Daniel Cano.
“We have worked over the past couple of weeks to make today the day our voices were finally heard by the officials responsible for our safety. This is just the beginning,” said Cano. Elizabeth High School Students Take Action Against Gun Violence (cont.)
Elizabeth Public Schools Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer and Elizabeth Board of Education President Maria Z. Carvalho expressed their gratitude to the officials that spoke to the district’s high school students and felt the assemblies were very successful in allowing students to voice their perspectives on the issues of gun violence and school safety
“We understand and share the frustration and fear our students have in witnessing these terrible, life- altering events,” said Superintendent of Schools Olga Hugelmeyer. “Students have a unique and important voice in this dialogue and it is imperative that we listen.”
“No one has a greater interest in school safety than the students,” said Elizabeth Board of Education President Maria Carvalho. “Our students are passionate, concerned and thoughtful. Their voices count.” Elizabeth High School Students Take Action Against Gun Violence (cont.)
The officials who took part in the programs were:
• U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez • State Senators Joseph Cryan and Nicholas Scutari; and former State Senator Raymond Lesniak • Union County Freeholders Angel Estrada, Angela Garretson, Sergio Granados, and Christopher Hudak • Union County Undersheriff Amilcar Colon • Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage • Elizabeth City Council members Carlos Cedeño, Manny Grova, Jr.,Kevin Kiniery, Patricia Perkins-Auguste, and Carlos Torres • Elizabeth Board of Education President Maria Carvalho and Board Members Diane Barbosa, Stephanie Goncalves, and Stanley Neron
United States Senator Robert Menendez praised Elizabeth students in a video posted on his Facebook page.
“I stand in solidarity with you so that we can turn ‘once again’ into ‘never again,’” said U.S. Senator Robert Menendez. “You’ve turned your mourning into a movement.” Elizabeth High School Students Take Action Against Gun Violence (cont.)
Students from throughout the district felt the day’s events marked a step in the right direction toward students’ voices being heard on the issues of school safety and gun violence and making schools and students safer.
“The event was very educational and an important experience. I was impressed by the speakers in today’s assembly,” said Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Sophomore Class President Ariana Montoya. “It’s good to know the government is siding with (you) and is willing to listen to you no matter how small you feel you are. I also learned that we can be a generation of change and we can change the story by standing up and making them hear our voice.”
“Today was a success! Everyone united and discussed what was important to them. Students, now, feel that their voices are being heard,” said Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy Student Council Senior President Isis Luna Umanzor.
"I appreciated that as a representative of student government, administration took the opinions and views of the students into consideration when organizing today's events, crafting questions for the guest speaker, and giving the student council government a greater sense of purpose," said Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy Student Government Vice President Elisabeth Point Du Jour.
“Today we honored the lives of all of the children and young adults who have been taken away from their families and friends due to a mass shooting. All over the nation students walked out of their schools to pay tribute to them. Along (with) Dwyer Academy, (we) decided to focus on unity and made all the students be part of an assembly where we spoke to our board of education members and (faculty members) on what we, the students, believe should be taking place to prevent another school shooting,” said Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. Health and Public Safety Academy Senior Student Council President Estrella Rivas.
“I feel that lines of communication are open so that communication can continue and concerns will be heard and addressed in future town hall meetings," said John E. Dwyer Technology Academy Student Council President Fajr Wilson.
“It was nice because it was a safe atmosphere; it was safer than going outside but still allowed us to keep our first amendment rights,” said J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy Freshman Student Government representative Joseph Espinal. EHS Ranks Among Top 30 High Schools in NJ
Elizabeth High School – Frank J. Cicarell Academy ranked among the top 30 schools in the state according to New Jersey Department of Education data obtained by New Jersey Advanced Media.
These ratings mark the first time the state has scored each of its public high schools on a scale of 1- 100. The ratings take into account graduation rates, standardized test results, and chronic absenteeism. Scoring was based on overall performance and performance by key subgroups, including Hispanic, African American, special education, and economically disadvantaged students.
EHS was ranked No. 26 among 511 public high schools in New Jersey. The rankings include each school's score out of 100 and a percentile rating, calculated by the state, comparing the school to other high schools. EHS earned a score of 86.19 which put them in the 93rd percentile.
“For many years, EHS has set a high standard of excellence and has done admirably in meeting our district goals of college preparedness, career readiness, and on-time graduation,” said Elizabeth Public Schools Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer. “EHS students continue to be accepted by prestigious postsecondary institutions throughout the country, a product of their commitment to exceptional academic performance.”
Elizabeth Board of Education President Maria Z. Carvalho congratulated the students and staff members of EHS for its performance among the state’s public high schools.
“I am proud of all the members of the EHS community whose hard work and dedication led to these results,” said Carvalho. “These rankings show that students from Elizabeth have the ability to compete with students from anywhere in the State of New Jersey, regardless of their ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or home language.” EPS Shines at 2018 NJAHPERD Convention
EPS Supervisor of Physical Education Joseph Przytula was the recipient of the 2018 New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Physical Activity Champion Award at the 99th Annual NJAHPERD Convention at Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, New Jersey.
The opening evening of the four-day event included an awards banquet at which Przytula was presented with Physical Activity Champion Award that recognizes outstanding achievement in promoting quality physical activity within schools, communities, or the State of New Jersey. The following three days offered instructional and informational sessions designed to promote quality health and physical education programs. Several representatives of Elizabeth Public Schools also were among those who presented breakout sessions at the convention.
Jerome Dunn Academy School No. 9 Physical Education Teacher Lacey McConkey provided a session to attendees titled, “Breaking Down Lessons: Tiered Lessons and Scaffolding Instruction.” The training session provided educators with the necessary resources to ensure they are prepared to teach students the skills needed to reach grade level proficiency, offering insight on the art of differentiation through the techniques of tiered lessons and scaffolding instruction. EPS Shines at 2018 NJAHPERD Convention
Victor Mravlag School No. 21 Autism Teacher Michael Serino joined NJAHPERD Legislative Consultant Jennifer Sullivan, NJAHPERD Advocacy Chair JoAnn Doherty, and NJEA Government Relations Associate Director Marybeth Beichert in presenting “Advocacy in Your Own Backyard,” a session that offered ways to advocate for health and physical education programs and funding. Serino spoke about participating in Unified Sports, the Special Olympics of New Jersey program that joins people with and without disabilities to promote social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences.
Przytula and Terence C. Reilly School No. 7 Physical Education Teacher Jairo Labrador presented “How Well Do Your Students Move? The Physical Competency Assessment.” The session provided information about making fitness assessment a student-centered learning experience through the use of peer-to-peer rubrics that teach students how to move better. Dwyer Technology Academy Granted Honor Society Charters
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy has been granted charters for the National English Honor Society (NEHS) and Mu Alpha Theta, the National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society.
Advisors Megan Campbell (NEHS) and Ilya Kotlyar (mathematics) as well as the entire Dwyer Technology Academy community are thrilled to further encourage high performance in English and Mathematics. Students will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships related to these two disciplines and participate in additional community service opportunities.
The National English Honor Society is founded and sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, the college equivalent of NEHS, and is “the only international organization exclusively for high school students and faculty who, in the field of English, merit special note for past and current accomplishments.” Students must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.0 in English to be considered for membership. Aside from academic merits, students must be a good role model in both the school and local communities. Benefits of membership include, but are not limited to, international recognition, scholarship eligibility, and community service hours. Dwyer Technology Academy Granted Honor Society Charters (cont.)
Mu Alpha Theta is “dedicated to inspiring a keen interest in mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and promoting the enjoyment of mathematics in high school and two-year college students.” Students must have completed two years of college preparatory mathematics and maintain a 3.0 in mathematics to be considered for membership. Student who have completed one year of mathematic and have this GPA requirement may be considered “associates” who are not members, but are likely candidates once fulfilling the second year math requirement. Benefits of membership include, but are not limited to, scholarship opportunities as well as community service. Dwyer Technology Academy Hosts Honor Societies Induction Ceremony EHS Speech and Debate Team Not Leaving Success for Interpretation
The EHS Speech and Debate Team, under the direction of Coaches Renee Drummond and Brian Rodriguez, have enjoyed an exciting and successful season.
Among the highlights are the team traveling to Cambridge, MA to participate in the 44th Annual National Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament. The Harvard National High School Invitational Forensics Tournament, held in Cambridge each Presidents’ Day Weekend, is the largest and most prestigious high school debate tournament in the country, providing opportunities for students to compete in Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Student Congress, and a variety of individual and duo speech events.
Elizabeth High School – Frank J. Cicarell Academy juniors Justin Dolalas and Hunter Ayala were quarterfinalists in Duo Interpretation (DUO) among 140 entries. EHS – Frank J. Cicarell Academy junior Damien McCree was an Octo Finalist, finishing among the top 49, in Dramatic Interpretation (DI) among 298 entries and an Octo Finalist, finishing among the top 50, in Program Oral Interpretation (POI) among 241 entries. Dwyer Technology Academy Granted Honor Society Charters (cont.)
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy senior Andres Duran was a Semifinalist in Congressional Debate and earned the Leadership Award in his chamber. The Congressional Debate Tournament featured 440+ contestants from 140 schools and 20+ states who competed in 26 preliminary chambers.
At the Montville Township Tournament in February, Ayala finished 1st in Improvisational Acting (IPV) and 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation (DI), McCree finished 2nd in POI and 5th in DI, and Elizabeth High School – Frank J. Cicarell Academy junior Fiona Joseph finished 5th in POI. The team took 5th place in the Team Sweepstakes among 26 teams.
The EHS Speech and Debate Team also competed at the NJSDL Borelli Memorial Tournament in February, with Dolalas earning first place in 1st place in Humorous Interpretation (HI), Duran earning 1st place in Congress (SC), McCree earning 2nd place in DI and 5th place in POI, Dolalas and Hunter Ayala tying for 1st place in DUO, and EHS – Frank J. Cicarell Academy junior Abigail Huaccho earning 6th place in Extemporaneous Speaking. The team took 6th place in the Team Sweepstakes among 19 teams. Duran Qualifies for National Speech and Debate Tournament
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy senior Andres won the District Congress competition which took place at the Montville Township Tournament and qualified to represent the State of New Jersey at the National Speech and Debate Tournament June 17-22 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The top two ranking students in the Senate and 1st place student in the House qualify for the national tournament. Duran won the Senate portion of the competition and will represent the New Jersey Senate. Egenolf Early Childhood Center Featured in NY Times Magazine
Egenolf Early Childhood Center was spotlighted in a January New York Times Magazine article, detailing a lesson provided by teacher Yamila Lopez-Hevia to her students. The anecdote was part of an article featuring the debate on the training level of preschool teachers and the inconsistencies that exist throughout the country.
Egenolf ECC has been a collaborator with the Elizabeth school district since the beginning of the landmark Abbott vs. Burke educational equity lawsuit. This year is the 20th anniversary of the Abbott decision and, as state leaders look back on the progress that has been made over these 20 years, it is clear that there is much to celebrate. One of the most outstanding accomplishments is the support for teachers who work in community programs like the one at Egenolf ECC, which unfortunately is not realized throughout the country.
The outcome of the Abbott lawsuit was the decision that all three and four year old children residing in special needs districts in the state would have access to free high-quality preschool. Among other things, the court’s definition of “high quality” included full-day programs staffed by college-educated teachers.
Egenolf ECC has been delivering high quality early care and education to young children and their families since 1890. Recently, Egenolf ECC was selected as one of only 23 programs in the country to participate in a pilot of the new early learning accreditation program assessment through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The center was awarded national accreditation after earning one of the highest scores in the country. In New Jersey, only about 7% of early learning programs are nationally accredited. NAEYC accreditation is a reliable measure of high quality which has a direct relationship to children’s success in school and life. Egenolf Early Childhood Center Featured in NY Times Magazine (cont.)
On February 13, Mayor Bollwage and Elizabeth Board of Education President, Maria Carvalho visited Egenolf ECC to congratulate them on this acknowledgement. They visited Ms. Lopez-Hevia, the children who were featured in a photo as they entertained the Daybreak Adult Medical Day Care participants in its annual holiday performance, and the magazine’s cover child.
Egenolf ECC was also visited by the staff of the Advocates for Children of NJ (ACNJ) on February 15. ACNJ members met with Egenolf ECC CEO Dr. Lorraine Cooke, Teacher Jesse Rosales, Teacher Assistant Jevon “D” Dunmore, a current Egenolf ECC family, and a family of Egenolf ECC graduates whose children have gone on to be highly successful academically in Elizabeth Public Schools in preparation for the 20th Anniversary celebration of the “Abbott” decision. Jefferson Arts Student Honorable Mention in State Courtroom Artist Contest
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy junior Daniel Ruiz was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2018 New Jersey State Bar Foundation's Courtroom Artist Contest.
Ruiz has been invited to attend the awards presentation ceremony on March 21 where New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart J. Rabner will congratulate the winners prior to the start of the statewide High School Mock Trial Competition. Honorees are invited to stay and sketch the mock trial finals and will be given the opportunity to meet two of the judges of the contest, nationally-known courtroom artists Liz Williams and Aggie Kenny, who will speak to the students about their work and developing their skills. EPS Students Participate in Rutgers Youth Engineering Day
Students from George Washington Academy School No.1, Dr. Albert Einstein Academy School No. 29, and John E. Dwyer Technology Academy participated in Young Engineers Day at Rutgers University’s Busch Student Center in February.
Rutgers School of Engineering hosts schools to attend this event every year to help students gain exposure to the engineering field and STEM education. Rutgers student organizations and engineering departments hosted hands on, age-appropriate workshops for students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade to help them learn about engineering and how it relates to their everyday lives. Activities included designing and creating a water filtration, reverse engineering a mechanical system, building an alarm circuit, and simulating and improving a manufacturing process. EQUITY As a nation, America’s Promise is that every child, regardless of race, ethnicity or social class, should receive a high quality, academically rich and rigorous public education.
EXPECTATIONS The concept of high expectations is premised on the philosophical and pedagogical belief that a failure to hold all students to high expectations effectively denies them access to a high quality education, since the educational achievement of students tends to rise or fall in direct relation to the expectations placed upon them.
EXCELLENCE Educational Excellence is defined as students performing at high levels or where students are making significant gains in academic achievement helping to prepare every child for global competitiveness. Student We believe ALL students can learn and achieve at high levels regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, neighborhood, household income or home language. ALL Means ALL. We will narrow the achievement gaps of students by providing a high quality education to ensure that ALL of our students are college and career ready.
Teacher We believe teachers make a positive difference in student achievement. Teachers will prepare ALL students for success in college, career, and our technological global society. We believe that teachers are central in a child’s life. Having an effective teacher is the single most important factor in student success.
Leader We believe that effective leaders demonstrate unwavering commitment to high levels of achievement for ALL students. Leaders will exemplify and support practices that promote high levels of achievement for ALL students.
Family We believe that parents and caregivers are both valued partners and active participants in their children's learning. A shared sense of mutual responsibility for learning is the foundation for family involvement to ensure student success. We are committed to engaging parents and caregivers in their children's education. We will develop a coordinated strategy that enables parents and caregivers to play an active role in building and sustaining family support for their children's learning and academic success.
Team We believe that every member of the Elizabeth Public Schools Team has a responsibility in producing and supporting high levels of achievement for ALL students. Every member of the Elizabeth Public Schools team will make a measurable contribution to the success and achievement for ALL students by ensuring equitable distribution of resources throughout the organization.