Fort Lee District Newsletter Issue 07 /MAY-JUNE 2019
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Fort Lee District Newsletter Issue 07 /MAY-JUNE 2019 FORT LEE DISTRICT NEWSLETTER FORT LEE SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE: Congratulations to the FLHS class of 2019. I BOARD OF EDUCATION wish you all great success in your future. It has been a positive and productive school Mrs. Esther Han Silver, President year filled with accomplishments and successes Mrs. Candace Romba, Vice President for our district. I hope that you are able to Ms. Elisa Cho take some time to relax and enjoy the summer Ms. Paula K. Colbath months. We will be ready when we all return in Mr. Ralph DiMeglio September. Mrs. Holly Morell Mrs. Kristen Richter Mr. Michael Rubino Mrs. Lauran Tuck CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION Mr. Kenneth J. Rota Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sharon Amato Director of Curriculum & Instruction Ms. Haqquisha Q. Taylor Business Administrator/Board Secretary Ms. Jaime Cangialosi-Murphy Director of Human Resources The Fort Lee Board of Education pose for a yearbook picture at the May public Board meeting. First Row: Ms. Elisa Cho, Ms. Kristen Richter, Mr. Ralph DiMeglio, Ms. Holly Morell, Dr. Sharon Amato, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, and Ms. Haqquisha Q. Taylor, School Business Visit our Website: www.flboe.com Administrator/Board Secretary. Second Row: Ms. Esther Han Silver, Board President, Ms. Paula Colbath, Mr. Michael Rubino, Ms. Lauran Tuck, Ms. Yasmine Kahtane, Student Representative, Ms. Candace Romba, Board Vice President, and Mr. Kenneth J. Rota, Superintendent of Schools. PAGE 1 Fort Lee District Newsletter Issue 07 /MAY-JUNE 2019 BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Fort Lee posted the video of the debate on the STUDENT REPORT 4/22/19 website. Student Representative, Ian Gilenson, gave a NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE – Mr. Mrs. Romba asked if we have Dr. Sugarman’s summary report on some of the Fort Lee High DiMeglio updated the board on attorney book in our school libraries. School events: interviews. 5/6/19 • Acting classes had a showcase where COFFEE AND CONVERSATION – Mrs. Dr. Amato congratulated the Business Office they performed. The performance counts Romba shared that three (3) parents attended. and the Board of Education, on County for their finals. SECURITY COMMITTEE – Mr. DiMeglio approval of the preliminary budget. Dr. • Track has sectionals. shared that the Mayor and Council and Amato further shared that the final budget is • Tennis finished its regular season. students had a debate and it was unbelievable, on tonight’s agenda for approval and adoption. Fort Lee tennis will be facing Summit in almost like an encore and definitely very NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE – Mr. the State tournament. informative. DiMeglio shared that FLEA negotiations • AOF students will be participating STUDENT REPORT are on-going and both sides have been in the annual Career Day where they will Sarah Silver, student, spoke about the success collaborative. be introduced to workers in all fields of of some of the high school’s varsity sports FINANCE COMMITTEE – Ms. Taylor business. teams over Spring Break: shared that our FY19 PILOT (payment in • The sophomore and junior classes • Baseball’s close victory over Dwight lieu of taxes) funding will be approved by the are hosting fundraisers to raise money for Morrow Mayor and Council on Thursday with payment several events that are coming up. • The Softball team’s win against to follow thereafter. • Sophomores are having a dodgeball Cliffiside Park, their 3rd in a row NEW BUSINESS tournament on May 30, 2019 and juniors • The Golf team crushed Passaic Dr. Amato shared that the Math Pilot Teachers are having a volleyball tournament. Valley in a 160-201 defeat grades Kindergarten to 4th grade selected • Prom is rapidly approaching and the • The Boys’ Tennis team beat the GO Math! program. The Fort Lee Board Athletes Dinner is coming up on Thursday, Cliffside Park in a scoreless game for their of Education will be adopting this new Math June 6th. competitors program in September. NEW BUSINESS • And, a win for the Boys’ Track and Mrs. Han Silver announced that she and Ms. Colbath shared a report from Mrs. Tuck Field team over Ridgefield Park Mrs. Romba attended the NJSBA Leadership and herself on the Legislative Committee of Sarah also spoke about the success of the workshop. There were 20 hours of training New Jersey School Boards. They met on May Academy of Theatre Arts and its production of and collaboration with about 100 other Board 11th in Trenton. The former Supreme Court “Godspell” on April 4, 5, and 6 where they told members throughout the state. Ms. Han Silver Justice from New Jersey sued State of New the story of the lessons of Jesus Christ through extends her appreciation to all Board members Jersey Department of Education (DOE) for song and dance. She announced that the for their contributions and commitment to the desegregation. If liability is founded, legislators school’s Spring concert for the band, orchestra, students of the Fort Lee Board of Education. will have to take action. There was a similar and chorus was on May 1st. They were playing Mrs. Han Silver congratulated Mrs. Morell on case in Connecticut (Hartford is being forced some really fun pieces including a performance achieving her Certified Board Leader award. to desegregate). of Hamilton by the chorus and medley of songs Mrs. Richter shared that it is Teacher’s Also, there was a standard update that they do from Les Mis by the band. She also mentioned Appreciation week and thanks all of the Fort on legislation and the biggest thing was that some of the fun and interesting projects that Lee Board of Education teachers. Governor Murphy signed a bill that expanded students have been doing in their visual arts 5/20/19 statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases. classes. The Digital Photography classes were NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE – Mr. Formerly, victims could sue up to the age of 20. learning to make their very own gifs while DiMeglio shared that the negotiations This was extended to the age of 55. the 3D Design classes were making “tunnel committee met about non-affiliated staff and Mr. Rota recommended reviewing the 2019- books” with a location of their choice that gave discussed preliminaries. 2020 District Calendar to move the opening the illusion of making certain features in the date from September 5th to September 9th. landscape seem three dimensional. Mrs. Morell shared that she and Ms. Colbath Board conversation ensued about calendar NEW BUSINESS went to the Delegate’s Assembly meeting; The changes to accommodate a later school Mrs. Han Silver went to see the show and was meeting was very spirited. She shared that the opening, Easter Monday and Passover. very impressed with it. assembly voted down a resolution regarding Ms. Colbath shared that Mayor Sokolich Fort Lee High School debaters debated a topic allocation of school funding by the State. approached her about potentially doing an with the Mayor and Council. Mrs. Morell advisory committee between the Board of commended on the impressive quality of the SECURITY COMMITTEE – Mr. Rubino Education and the Mayor and Council (a student’s debate. Mrs. Han Silver shared that shared that a new Chief of Police was appointed. non-binding liaison committee which will PAGE 2 Fort Lee District Newsletter Issue 07 /MAY-JUNE 2019 be a mechanism to have an open dialogue). staff’s ability to identify and respond to acute Board conversation ensued about this mental health crises in the student population. communication. Staff were also trained on how to incorporate Mrs. Han Silver shared that at the end of April, mindfulness techniques in the classroom. everyone should have received an email from Additionally, juniors and seniors at the high Matt Lee about the Superintendent’s evaluation school participated in a mindfulness based and to please complete it by Friday, May 31st. wellness program called the School of Balance. Mrs. Han Silver also shared that the Lewis F. This program sought to enhance the students’ Cole Middle School had an exciting Play 60 positive coping skills and self-awareness. We program where on multiple days they had GO MATH! COMING TO ELEMENTARY also had students participate in events outside NFL football players coming in doing activities SCHOOLS!! of Fort Lee; a group of students from the high with the 7th and 8th grade students. Mrs. Han After an extensive program review and school represented the district in the Ramsey Silver commended Mrs. Tuck for bringing this piloting process, the K-4 Math Committee Stigma Free Walk in early May. These are just program to the school. Ms. Colbath asked if as has selected GO Math! by Houghton Mifflin a few of the programs that were incorporated a Board we can do a handwritten thanks. Harcourt for district-wide adoption in grades across the district in grades K-12 and were a 6/3/19 K-4 beginning in September. GO Math! will great addition to the excellent work already Mr. Rota introduced Ms. Nancy Stern of the be replacing enVision Math by Pearson as the being done by school counselors throughout Fort Lee Rotary who introduced Carmine core math program used in our elementary the district. This school year has seen a lot of Meluccio, President of the Fort Lee Rotary. schools. GO Math! is designed to meet rising progress in moving our district toward the Mr. Meluccio shared the mission and many of state standards with focus, coherence, and goal of being stigma free. We look forward to the outreach services of the Rotary including rigor, incorporating the latest thinking in its continuing the initiative next year! a youth camp called RYLA (Rotary Youth comprehensive approach that engages digital Leadership Awards). natives with cross-platform technology. It Mr.