PDF Document 21May06.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, May 6, 2021 OUR 131ST YEAR – ISSUE NO. 18-2021 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Westfield BOE Appoints New Supt.; Honors Philhower Winner By JENNIFER GLACKIN He earned a Master of Arts in Urban Pi Day projects. Colleagues remarked Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Education from New Jersey City Uni- on Ms. Rygiel’s positive attitude, dedi- WESTFIELD — Raymond A. versity in 2002, and a Master of Arts in cation to students and teachers, and Gonzalez, Ed.D., was named the new Educational Administration and Super- fun approach to learning. McKinley superintendent of Westfield Public vision in 2005 from Rutgers Univer- Principal Marc Buinno, Ed.D., re- Schools at the virtual Westfield Board sity, where he also earned his Doctor of marked on Ms. Rygiel’s “growth of Education (BOE) meeting on Tues- Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Ad- mindset” and “awesome sense of hu- day. Dr. Gonzalez will begin his new ministration and Supervision in 2012. mor.” position effective Sunday, August 1, Board member Michael Bielen said “I am deeply humbled and extremely replacing Margaret the board underwent honored to receive this award,” said Dolan, Ed.D., follow- an “extremely thor- Ms. Rygiel, who described her role as ing her retirement this ough search process” a basic skills teacher as one where she summer. Dr. Gonzalez and that Dr. Gonzalez gets to provide students with “extra,” will be paid an annual “stood out as the best from extra instruction to an “extra salary of $231,540. fit for our district.” confidence boost.” “I’ve really come to The board honored Teaching, especially this past year, appreciate that the one of Westfield’s was a true team effort, she said, noting Westfield community is longtime educators at her colleagues’ abilities to adapt and truly a place that values the meeting. Nancy innovate. “I share this award with mem- and supports educa- Rygiel, an Achieve bers of our community,” she said. Ms. tion,” Dr. Gonzalez math teacher at Rygiel also recognized school admin- said. He said he is Franklin Elementary istrators, custodians, nurses, secretar- thrilled and honored to School and Achieve ies, guidance counselors, parents, and be named the next su- language arts teacher especially the students for all of their Paul Lachenauer for The Westfield Leader perintendent of at McKinley Elemen- hard work and efforts during a difficult SPRING CLEANING...The Westfield Green Team and volunteers from local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops clean up Tamaques Park on May 2 during the Annual Spring Cleanup in honor of Earth Day. Westfield. Raymond A. Gonzalez, Ed.D. tary School, was rec- year. Currently the super- ognized as the 2021 Starting Monday, May 17, elemen- intendent of the Rotary Club of tary students will be able to attend Westwood Regional school district, Westfield Philhower Fellowship school in person for more time each which is comprised of the Borough of Award winner. Ms. Rygiel teaches day. Superintendent Dolan said there Planning Board Hears Circulation Westwood and Washington Township basic skills to students who need ex- are no plans to move the middle schools in Bergen County, Dr. Gonzalez has tra support and is the Instructional or high school to full-day schedules at spent 23 years in education. He started Technology Support teacher at this time. The guidance is different for Plan, Approves Resolutions as a Bilingual Education/English as a Franklin. older students, said Dr. Dolan, who Second Language (ESL) teacher in In a video tribute, Franklin School also said there are space limitations Paterson, before becoming an elemen- Principal Paul Duncan, Ed.D., said, for grades 6 to 12. By JESSE WINTER The slideshow highlighted issues such cess and improving bus stops. tary-school principal (Westwood), as- “Nancy is so deserving of this award. Westfield middle schools have 85 Specially Written for The Westfield Leader as the lack of connection between the But what was absent, according to sistant superintendent (Paterson) and She has so much passion and brings a percent of their population who have WESTFIELD — Westfield is a town North and South Avenue corridors, planning board member Michael La superintendent (Hackensack, then love of math to what she does. Her kids chosen hybrid learning, while the high ever evolving. That was the vision out- downtown redevelopment, the Place, were “adaptive reuse strategies” Westwood). know she believes in them and she is a school has 60 percent. Therefore, there lined in a presentation given to the community’s desire for mixed-use or a strategy articulated in the master Dr. Gonzalez graduated cum laude constant advocate for them.” Ms. are too many students to distance safely Westfield Planning Board by the con- buildings and traffic concerns at prob- plan that encourages developers and from Princeton University in 1996 with Rygiel is the driving force behind Math during lunch, said Dr. Dolan, who sulting team H2M Architects and Engi- lematic intersections. the community to use existing resources. a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Night, which was virtual this year, and referenced the six-foot social-distanc- neers and WSP, which presented a “Uni- Also covered were “opportunity ar- “Green building and sustainable de- ing lunch guidelines. When parents fied Land Use and Circulation Element eas” for redevelopment that featured velopment involve using what already questioned how other districts are able Working Draft” as a supplement to the notable sites including the former Lord exists instead of wasting resources,” Inspiration Roll Could Face to return middle- and high-school stu- town’s upcoming updated master plan. & Taylor and Rialto Theater properties, said Mr. La Place. “For instance, on the dents to full-time learning, Dr. Dolan The presentation provided a frame- along with municipal parking lots Lord & Taylor site, we have a very large said those districts have a lower per- work for future development and prin- throughout the town. building that’s in very good shape,” he Suspension of Operations centage of in-person students, which ciples, with Monday night’s meeting With a focus on transportation and said. allows for proper social distancing. focusing on the intersection of land use infrastructure, the working draft of the In other news, the planning board By JESSE WINTER perience in the food-service industry The next Westfield BOE meeting and transportation, according to the Unified Land Use and Circulation Ele- reviewed and approved an ordinance Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and operates six restaurants, cited will be on Tuesday, May 18. presentation given to the planning board. ment featured ways to ease transporta- amending the town’s land use ordi- WESTFIELD — After multiple high employee turnover as a major tion demands by offering more options nance designating a pre-Revolutionary food-safety violations, the Westfield challenge facing his business. for people moving throughout the mu- War era house located at 923 Central Board of Health voted unanimously Mr. Pinto further underlined the Tesla Supercharging Stations nicipality. Avenue as an historic site. during its May 3 meeting to authorize difficulty of “holding on to employ- Some suggestions were more pro- The house, which dates back to the potential use of an abeyance — or ees that are competent,” or “other- gressive in nature and included exam- 1800 according to the tax record, will suspension of operations — for In- wise being able to get competent Approved in Cranford ining the possibility of the town adopt- be preserved while being part of a spiration Roll for two days if the employees altogether; managers, ing e-scooters, bikeshare and carshare subdivision that will see the lot fea- Central Avenue eatery is found to too,” with the pandemic being a fac- By MARTA ESQUÍROZ utes, it has accessible restaurants and services. The presentation also outlined ture a second residential home. Ac- have any rating less than satisfactory tor. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader other places they can frequent,” Mr. more standardized approaches, includ- cording to the board, Block 4813, Lot from health inspectors within the next Mr. Chung’s appeal for leniency CRANFORD — Following a hear- Karp said. ing recommendations to develop im- 32, where the house is situated, will two years. from the board also emphasized his ing Monday night, the zoning board of The Cranford QuickChek gas station proved sidewalk plans, pedestrian cross- be subdivided. The adjacent house to The board’s unanimous decision effort to constantly bring in state- adjustment approved an application by was the place selected for this installa- ing improvements, bicycle network be constructed on the property will comes after Health Inspector Christie certified food-safety experts to train Tesla Inc. to install 12 Tesla super- tion. “It’s a partner of the company,” plans and improved access to public complement the existing historical Visokay reported the findings from managers and food handlers in an charging stations at 370 North Avenue Mr. Karp pointed out. transportation such as train station ac- CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 her inspections beginning in March effort to meet food-safety standards. East. He continued by explaining that Tesla 2021, with her latest inspection oc- Making his client’s case for the Jesse Karp, deployment lead for su- vehicles will have a system that will curring on April 29. opportunity to demonstrate compli- percharging in the northeast, explained indicate “the opening hours of the store” Mountainside Council Eyes “When I went in to conduct the ance with health safety standards, Mr. that the goal of installing the super- and “the number of charger spots avail- initial inspection on March 24, there Pinto asked for additional random charging stations is to provide “Tesla able,” as well as the “charging esti- were quite a few food-borne illness visits from health inspectors over the vehicle owners with a sense of comfort mated time.” Vacant Properties Ordinance risk factors found out of compliance,” next four weeks to demonstrate com- as they travel long distance.