Watchung Hills Regional High School District Newsletter
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Watchung Hills Regional High School District Newsletter July 2018 From the desk of the Superintendent As we celebrate another outstanding year of accomplishments by our Watchung Hills Regional High School students and staff members, our long awaited summer recess is once again upon us. I was honored to be able to articulate my appreciation and congratulations to the of the Class of 2018 during their commencement ceremony. I would now like to take a moment and welcome the incoming Class of 2022 to our world class learning community. These words may sound familiar to our upperclassmen as I find them important enough to revisit each summer with the incoming freshmen as they begin to navigate the next four years at Watchung Hills. I have learned from my years as an educator that two key components result in success: 1. Kids being involved in their school. 2. Parents being involved in their kids’ school. Every member of the staff and Board of Education at Watchung Hills is committed to ensuring every student is provided with the opportunity to reach his or her potential. I encourage all of our incoming 9th grade students and parents to peruse the pages that follow filled with the accomplishments of your 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classmates and begin a conversation around the opportunities that interest you at Watchung Hills next year. My number one piece of advice for all members of the Class of 2021 is: Get involved! Join a club, sport, musical ensemble, academic team, etc. - there is something for everyone at Watchung Hills. I would also like to offer a few additional recommendations to the Class of 2021 to assist you on the path to success at Watchung Hills: ● School is important; but so is your social and emotional development. Keep balance in your life. ● Eat breakfast and lunch. Keep your body well fueled throughout the day. ● Get enough sleep. The average teenager needs between 7-9 hours of sleep at night. ● Do not worry about fitting in. Worry about being true to yourself and your value system. ● Never give up. The only failure is when we stop trying. To the Watchung Hills Regional High School Class of 2022 - stay the course as the best is yet to come! Warm Regards, Superintendent PagePage 22 Newsletter Graduation 2018 Under somewhat overcast skies that kept For more than an hour before the “The Star Spangled Banner,” by temperatures comfortable, 563 members commencement began and while parents Francis Scott Key, composed in 1814 of the Class of 2018 graduated from and guests were arriving and filling up the after having witnessed first-hand the Watchung Hills Regional High School at stands, the WHRHS Symphonic Band, Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. the school’s 61st Commencement, Friday, under the direction of WHRHS June 22, in Howard A. Tozier Stadium. Instrumental Music Teacher Paul Later, there was a musical Interlude McCullen, set up on the field slightly to between the remarks of the Class With the stadium’s stands filled with the rear and to the right of the stage. They President’s address and the parents, siblings and family members, performed numerous songs from the Valedictory. Graduating senior Peri and the fences surrounding the field lined repertoire the students had learned Martins sang a stirring rendition of the with more, plus a courtesy tent at the throughout the year. They drew from a anthematic song, “The Climb,” by back of the field for elderly grandparents broad range of musical genre, everything Miley Silas. She was accompanied by and relations, and those who could not from “Safety Dance,” by “Men with Hats,” fellow graduating senior Will Johnson easily get around, the graduates and their to P.I. Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” on piano. Both are members of the guests heard remarks from six speakers, Senior Choir. The lyrics of the song’s including: Fellow classmates Sahil Patel, Throughout this pre-ceremony concert, refrain are: “There's always gonna be representing the student government’s All senior members of the Symphony Band, another mountain/ I'm always gonna School Council; Freddie Hayeck, who is clad in their caps and gowns, joined with wanna make it move/ Always gonna be both the Senior Class President and an their younger fellow musicians, to an uphill battle/ Sometimes I'm gonna elected member of the WHRHS Board of perform together for the seniors’ last have to lose/ Ain't about how fast I get Education; and Linda Ye, who delivered time. The seniors then left to join their there/ Ain't about what's waiting on the Class Valedictory. Classmate Kevin fellow graduates in the procession line, the other side/ It's the climb.” Tan had previously delivered the Class of and the remaining three years of 2018 Salutatory at the Senior Awards musicians intoned the traditional “Pomp Ceremony, Thursday, June 14, at the and Circumstance.” That is the 1901 school’s Performing Arts Center. The composition by Sir Edward Elgar that entire Senior Class attended that bears a title taken from Act III, Scene 3, of assembly, too. Shakespeare’s masterpiece, “Othello.” The Commencement had begun. Also addressing the students, with girls dressed in white academic gowns, and As tradition has it, the procession was led boys in gold academic gowns -- and many by two flag bearers who are Rising wearing mortar boards that had been Seniors. This year, they were: Juniors and decorated to announced the college they twin sisters Anna and Becca Baitel. plan to attend – was: Principal George Alexis, Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett, The Senior Choir, like the band, and WHRHS Board of Education performed in their caps and gowns. Under President Peter Fallon. the direction of WHRHS Choral Music Linda Ye Teacher Angela DiIorio Bird, they sang, Valedictorian Newsletter Page 3 Graduation 2018 (Cont’d) PagePage 44 Newsletter 2018 Teacher of the Year—Jill Gleeson Health Education Teacher Jill Gleeson Action Group, a student extracurricular health issues in today’s society. Among has been selected as the 2017-2018 activity, which is a subcommittee of the her areas of particular interest are Teacher of the Year. Student Wellness Group. Thanks to the substance use and co-occurring leadership of an energetic group of disorders involving mental health. Gleeson began teaching health and mostly Juniors and Sophomores, she physical education at WHRHS in said, the Teen Action Group has Gleeson is in her 14th year of teaching September 2004. From 2004 to 2009, participated in several initiatives to Health Education. Being on faculty at she coached varsity softball and Watchung Hills was her first teaching junior varsity girls’ basketball. position after college. When introducing her to a She is a graduate of Bound Brook gathering on WHRHS Faculty High School, where she excelled on when the Teacher of the Year the school’s Softball Team and Girls selection was announced, Basketball Team. Principal Alexis said, “Jill has been instrumental in deepening Gleeson received her bachelor’s our commitment to wellness. Her degree in Kinesiology from West passion for cultivating healthy Chester University, West Chester, Pa. lifestyles is benefiting our She completed her student teaching students and our entire school at local schools near West Chester. community. In addition to her She earned her master’s degree in great work in the classroom each Public Health from Walden day and her significant University, Minneapolis, Mn. Gleeson contributions to an excellent health facilitate more positive mental health completed her internship in Public curriculum, she has helped coordinate environment for students. Among other Health at Somerset Medical Center, and lead several evening programs for activities, they arranged to have student Somerset, now called RWJ University students, parents, and community musicians and singers provide music in Hospital Somerset. members, all in an effort to promote the main entrance atrium greeting wellness and advance the district's students as they arrive by bus to help She and her husband, Sgt. Danny strategic plan.” them start their school day in a brighter Gleeson of the Warren Township mood. Police, have two sons, Danny, 6, and Gleeson is also recognized for revising Cameron, 4. WHRHS curriculum and restructuring, During her time at WHRHS, she has had in particular, the ninth-grade health time to nurture her philosophy as a program. teacher. She said she has a passion for educating teens on the most pertinent Gleeson is faculty advisor to the Teen Girls State On May 24th Mayor Carolann Garafola of Warren came to speak to our students who were accepted to Girls State this year. She talked about women getting involved in government, including her own experiences. Pictured (left to right): Jacquelyn Steen, Eshika Kaul, Carolann Garafola, Mariam Ivaniashvili, Francesca Minervini. Missing from the picture is Jordan Ginsberg. Newsletter Page 5 World Languages Honor Societies Inductions Some 242 students studying one or more achieved the NJ State Seal of Biliteracy, it officially became legislation in of five World Languages at Watchung meaning students demonstrated that they California, and multiple states have Hills Regional High School were were able to speak, read, listen and write in implemented a statewide Seal of inducted into those languages’ academic two or more languages at a high level of Biliteracy. In 2016, New Jersey became honor societies at a ceremony on proficiency. They demonstrated a mastery the 15th state to do so, and this year Tuesday, April 11, in the school’s in English by their passing score in the there are 23 states participating. Performing WHRHS is one of 88 Arts Center schools in New Jersey to participate. According to World Among the 50 Languages students who qualified Supervisor this year, one student Brad is Nina Goliyard, Commerford, whose second the numbers language was Russian.