Phillipsburg School District News
Volume 3, Issue 2
PROGRESS CONTINUES ON THE FACILITIES
ENHANCEMENTS IN THE PHILLIPSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT
The New Phillipsburg High
School
Inside this issue:
PSD Recognition
2
Virtual Field Trip
3
Senior Farewell Letter
4
Guidance Information
5
Sneaker Donation
6
College Courses at
PASS
Enthusiastic Reader
Award Ceremony
7
8
Battle of the Books
8
AAA School Safety
Patrol Award
9
Science Rocks
10
Barnyard Days
11
Reading Across
America Challenge
Reading Around the
World
11
12
Celebrating Earth Day
12
Literacy & Science
Night
13
Lucky Learners’ Club
13
AAG Event
14
Summer Sports Camps
14
Science Inventions
15
Relay For Life
16
Poetry Fest
16
Autism Awareness
17
Free Preschool
Information
17
End-of-Year Events
18
PSD Admin & BOE
Directory
20
Spring 2015
With all of the facilities
projects taking place in the
district, the spring weather is a
welcomed relief after a very
difficult winter. Progress on
The New Phillipsburg High
School is moving along quite
well. Every day, an enormous
amount of activity is taking
place as plumbers,
electricians, masons and brick
layers, roofers, heavy
equipment operators, and
general laborers can be seen
working on the various sections
of the building. The following is
a brief summary of the progress
on the building.
 HVAC units have been placed
on the roof of nearly onethird of the building.
 Sections of the roof are
being installed.
 Exterior brick work has
begun and will continue with
anticipated completion of
the entire building by this
November.
 Rough-in plumbing and
electrical work is an on-going
activity throughout the
building.
 Floor slabs continue to be
poured on a daily basis prior
to interior block work being
done on classrooms, large
group rooms, and
administrative and staff
offices.
 By mid-June, all exterior
windows and doors will be
delivered to the site in
anticipation of installation
for the entire building by
November.
The goal for the general
contractor, Epic Management,
and the Schools Development
Authority is to have the entire
building enclosed prior to the
winter months beginning in
December. The district has
been working with the SDA to
finalize the IT plan for the new
building.
It can be said,
without reservation, that the
technology capabilities being
planned for the students and
staff will ensure this building is
a state of the art facility that
will enhance the learning
process for all students. At this
point in time, the district
continues to receive
assurances the building will be
ready for the beginning of the
2016-17 school year.
 Middle School students in
grades six through eight will
attend the current High
School on Hillcrest Blvd;
For more information and to
view photos of the construction
process, please visit the school
district website at
www.pburgsd.net and click on
“New High School” on the
Menu Bar.
Administrators are currently
reviewing all protocols
(building master schedules,
student start times, utilization
of furniture and equipment,
and transportation needs) as
they continue to develop a
master plan. The district has
also begun the process of
meeting with commercial
moving companies to develop a
plan to “move the district”.
Details should be finalized by
the early fall 2015 and will be
communicated to all parents.
School District
Transition Plan
Facilities
With the opening of the New
High School in the fall of 2016,
a team of building and central
office administrators continue
to work on
the plan to
transition
grades one
through
eight into
different
facilities
within the
district.
The plan
calls for
the
following:
 Students in grades three
through five who currently
attend Andover-Morris and
Green Street schools will
attend the current Middle
School on Warren Street;
 Students in grades one and
two who attend Barber and
Freeman schools will attend
the Green Street School;
and,
 The Phillipsburg Alternative
Secondary School currently
housed in Howell School, will
occupy the Andover-Morris
School.
Phillipsburg School District News
Page 2
PHILLIPSBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT RECOGNIZED FOR
STRENGTHS OF ITS ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND OPERATION
OF THE DISTRICT
During the 2014-15 school
year, the school district
underwent two reviews of its
academic programs and the
total operation of the district
by an international agency as
well as the New Jersey
Department of Education.
On April 20, the district
received a press release from
the Middle States Association
of Colleges & Schools. The
release is being sent to media
outlets and will officially
announce that our district will
receive reaccreditation. Dr.
Marian Trapani, and Mrs.
Staci Horne, co-chaired the
project and worked with a 37
member District T eam
comprised of Board members,
students, building principals,
district curriculum directors,
teachers, parents, and
community members.
The
accreditation is good for seven
years and expires on May 1,
2022. As a district, we are
responsible for implementing
action plans that were
developed by the District
Team.
During mid-March, the district
was visited by Dr. Rosalie
Lamonte, Executive County
Superintendent and her staff
as part of the Quality Single
Accountability Continuum or
QSAC review that districts go
through every three years.
Based upon their review which
included classroom
visitations, they completed a
report and forwarded it to the
Department of Education in
Trenton. The district received
notification on April 21 that
based upon the County Office
review, Commissioner David
Hespe will recommend to the
State Board of Education the
Phillipsburg School District be
designated as a “high
performing” district.
This
designation is based on the
district scoring 80% or above
on five areas. Our scores in
those five areas were:
Instruction and program –
81%; Fiscal Management –
96%; Governance – 100%;
Operations – 100%; and
Personnel – 100%. Special
thanks go to Dr. Marian
Trapani for serving as the lead
administrator and to all of our
central office administrators,
building administrators and
curriculum directors for their
efforts as we prepared for the
review.
These two reviews by external
educational agencies are a
way to receive valuable input
on district programs and
operations. The district has
never failed to be reaccredited
by the Middle States
Association and has always
passed the monitoring process
used to review school districts
in New Jersey.
Accolades go out to every PSD
employee, for each of them
helping to make the district
the quality educational
institution that it is!
Page 3
Volume 3, Issue 2
Of the People: A Conversation with President Obama
On Thursday April 30, 2015
many classrooms across the
district tuned in to a Virtual
Field Trip with President
Obama sponsored by Discovery
Education. Of the People
Event Series is a live
broadcast that “takes
students to Washington D.C.
for a behind-the-scenes look
at the people, places, and
issues that shape and inform
our world.” A virtual field trip
is a field trip students take
right from the seats in their
classroom.
It offers the
learning opportunity without
having to travel to a location.
In this virtual field trip
opportunity, teachers signed
up to tune in to a live interview
with President Obama from
the Anacostia Neighborhood
Library in Washington, D.C.
The President spoke to
students across America
about his favorite books and
how they have influenced his
life as well as the importance
of technology in the classroom
and libraries.
The host of the discussion was
Osman Yahya, a 6th grade
student at Bennett Middle
School in Salisbury, MD. He
directed questions from the
students present at the
interview as well as questions
from students who
participated virtually. The
President shared interesting
facts such as: he was a
basketball player, he loved
reading the Hardy Boys novels,
his favorite subjects when he
was a child were math and
science, and tips on how he
gets passed “writer ’s block”.
President Obama encouraged
all students to be interested in
their learning!
If you would like to watch a
replay of this exciting
adventure that some of our
students experienced live, and
learn more facts about the
President and why he believes
learning and literacy is
important, visit http://
www.discoveryeducation.com
/Live/of-the-people-aconversation-with-presidentobama.cfm
Phillipsburg School District News
Page 4
Senior Farewell Letter to Class of 2015
As I sat down to compose this senior “farewell” letter, I was struggling to find words to write to the
Class of 2015 that had true meaning. I put my pen down (yes, I still write first, then type) and began
channel surfing. After 50-60 clicks of the remote, I stumbled upon the NFL Combine. For those who
may be unaware, the NFL Combine is a week-long showcase where the best college football players are
invited to perform a series of physical and mental “tests” prior to the NFL draft. Some of the physical
assessments consist of the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle, and
various other position-specific drills. In addition, the Wonderlic Test, a written assessment, is given to
all combine participants to determine their aptitude for learning and problem solving. All of these
tests, assessments and performances are, ultimately, used as a guide as to what player to invest
millions of dollars in! You are probably wondering what any of this has to do with high school seniors –
right? I’m getting there – LOL!
So, as these players were going through these battery of physical tests on TV, a commentator mentioned
how MANY of the best NFL combine “performers” from prior years ended up as “busts” in the NFL. The
commentators spoke about their speed in the 40-yard run, their jumping ability in the vertical jump –
incredible statistics that didn’t translate to their performance in the NFL.
I began to think about the commentator’s remarks and then something came to my mind! One thing
that the NFL (or any organization for that matter) CANNOT and DOES NOT measure is the size, desire
and passion of the human heart! Unfortunately, throughout your life, you will be measured by scores on
tests, SATs, ACTs, AP Scores, HSPA, NJASK, HS Transcripts, GPA, Class Rank, MCAT, LSAT – and many
more to come! Colleges have already used MANY of these in determining whether to accept you – or
not! In the future, medical schools, law schools, grad schools and prospective employers will attempt
to judge you on “numbers”, on “results” from some arbitrary test that says little about who you are as a
person! We all know that Harvard has drop-outs and employers fire employees, everyday! They get it
wrong because the “numbers” don’t tell the whole story.
No one knows your passion, commitment, desire – or size of your heart. Maybe some Stateliners don’t
“measure up” with the competition, equally, when it comes to “stats or “the numbers” but, from what I
have witnessed, personally, Stateliners have “heart” and would be on “my team” if I was putting an allstar team together!
As you leave the safe confines of PHS, sorry, I cannot give you a score on the Troxellometer (i.e. size of
your heart) to take with you. However, I can advise you not to be discouraged by the colleges that didn’t
accept you or the job you didn’t/don’t get. But when the opportunity presents itself, I leave with you
with the words of Harriet Tubman, “always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience
and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
There will be no “busts” in the Class of 2015 – make that commitment to yourself and me!
From my “heart” – Mr. Troxell
Page 5
Volume 3, Issue 2
Guidance Information
AP Exams:
AP exams will be administered
to all students who have
registered for the
assessments. They will be
administered from May 4
through May 14. A schedule
of room location and test
dates is available in the
Guidance office and on the
Guidance website.
Biology Assessment:
All students currently enrolled
in a biology course at
Phillipsburg High School will
participate in the New Jersey
Biology Competency Test
scheduled for May 26 and 27,
2015.
SAT:
The deadline for the June 6
SAT administration is May 8.
Phillipsburg High School will
host the June 6 assessment.
All registered students should
report to the high school by
7:45am on the morning of
testing.
Senior Honor Awards Night:
Senior Awards Night will be
held on May 28, 2015 at
6:30pm in the Phillipsburg
High School auditorium. Honor
Graduates and students
receiving scholarships and/or
awards will be honored that
evening.
The Phillipsburg
Guidance department is
pleased to be able to advertise
over 170 scholarships worth
$264,558.00 to this year’s
graduating senior students.
Summer Seminars for Junior
and Senior students:
The Phillipsburg High School
Guidance department will be
offering two half-day seminars
for junior and senior students.
The seminars will include
guest speakers from area
colleges, résumé building,
college searches, the college
application process, and the
procedure to request letters of
recommendation and high
school transcripts. More
information with specific date
will be available prior to the
end of the school year. Please
look for the dates in the
Guidance office and on our
website.
Senior Planning Evening:
Graduates and their parents/
guardians of the class of 2016
will be invited to attend a
Senior Planning Evening. The
event will be held on
September 8, 2015 at 7:00 in
the high school auditorium.
The Guidance Department will
discuss the college
application process and how
to request transcripts and
letters of recommendations.
They will also be available to
answer questions specific to
college and career planning.
College Fairs:
Phillipsburg High school will
host two College Fairs. The
first Fair will be held from 1:00
– 2:10pm on October 8, 2015
in the High School cafeterias.
This Fair is open to all Junior
and Senior students who
request a pass to attend. The
second Fair will be held on
October 20, 2015 from 7:008:30pm in the High School
Cafeterias. This Fair is open to
all students and their families.
Prior to the start of the
October 20 College Fair, the
High School Guidance
Department will host an
informational session
beginning at 6:30 for all Junior
students and their parents/
guardians. This session will
include a guest speaker from
a local college who will
discuss “what colleges look
for in prospective college
freshmen.”
Page 6
Phillipsburg School District News
Sneaker Donation from Linde Group for Phillipsburg
School District Students
Employees of the Linde
Group, a world leading
supplier of industrial, process
and specialty gases, took
time beyond their work day to
shop for 26 pairs of sneakers
fo r s tu d en t s in th e
Phillipsburg School District.
The service project was the
brain child of Rebecca
Dabkowski,
Trade
Co mp lia n ce Ma n ag e r/
Region Americas; and Steve
Earl, Plant Manager/Linde
Electronics and Specialty
Gasses. Company employees
were interested in pursuing a
service project, and since
Rebecca and Steve are both
‘runners’, they thought
providing sneakers to
students who could use them
most, would be a donation
going directly to children,
while at the same time
encouraging them to be
active.
School Social Workers and
Guidance Counselors worked
with their principals to
identify students who would
benefit from the donation.
Several students from each of
the elementary schools in the
district were the recipients of
the sneakers. On behalf of
the children and their
families, the school district
administration and Board of
Education thanks the Linde
Group for this generous
donation. Superintendent
George Chando and Assistant
Superintendent Dr. Marian
Trapani accepted sneakers
from the Linde Group
Personnel, Rebecca
Dabkowski, Steve Earl and
Frank Graziano at the
Phillipsburg School District
E du ca ti o n C en t e r o n
Wednesday, April 1st.
Left to Right: Steve Earl, Frank
Graziano, George Chando,
Marian Trapani and Rebecca
Dabkowski with sneakers
distributed to schools for
students to enjoy starting with
the spring holiday.
Page 7
Volume 3, Issue 2
College Courses at PASS
The Phillipsburg Alternative
Secondary School is proud to
announce our partnership with
Warren County Community
College in having college
courses taught by the College
at our school.
The two
courses started in early
February of this year and are
held at PASS every Tuesday
and Thursday from 2 to 4
p.m. Nine seniors at PASS
are part of the English
Composition and Foundations
for Success courses.
Even though the courses
started only six weeks ago, the
PASS staff are seeing benefits
of our students taking these
courses.
Some of these
students in the college
c o u r s es d i d n o t s e e
themselves as capable of
s u c c e e d i n g
i n
college.
However, as the
weeks have progressed, these
students have reported
increasing confidence in their
abilities to be successful in
college.
Catherine Stockl, a college
student at PASS, states: “By
being a college student, I feel
amazing.
I feel like I
shouldn’t be in high school any
longer. This college course
has been very eye-opening for
me.”
Kaitlynn Allen, another college
student, states: “Being a
college student makes me feel
better about my future. Since
I have gotten my feet a little
wet being in the college
course, attending courses at
the College in the fall will not
seem as bad. I’m proud of
myself for being able to attend
College after the long road
that I’ve been on. I know that
this will start something great
for me, even if I am not sure
yet what I want to study.”
Michael Goble, also in the
college course, states: “I am
very excited and proud of
myself for becoming a college
student. I’ve bragged about it
to almost every person I
know. Being a college student
I’m actually going to do
something with my life, and I
can tell this to some family
members who said I wouldn’t
even graduate high school. I
feel accomplished. It honestly
makes me feel good about
myself.”
Ms. Dorian Alu is the English
professor who is teaching both
courses at the school. The
PASS staff has heard all of her
students at PASS report
feeling motivated by Ms.
Alu. She is described by our
students as very patient,
friendly, and possessing a
good sense of humor . She is
very positive in supporting our
students in the classroom. We
would also like to thank
President Austin, Vice
President Beeler, and Ms.
Kolodzieski, Coordinator of
Dual Enrollment. All of the
above worked very diligently
and long hours in bringing this
course to PASS. The College is
working with us in providing
this course next school year
and hopefully in future years.
Page 8
Phillipsburg School District News
6th Annual Enthusiastic Reader Award Ceremony
Eighteen Phillipsburg area
students were honored at the
6th annual Enthusiastic
Reader Award Ceremony on
the evening of April 22 at the
Phillipsburg Middle School.
Staff members at each
participating school and
library nominated students
who are “Enthusiastic
Readers.” These are students
who read recreationally, use
libraries, and enjoy reading
and talking about what
they’ve read. This year, 511
students were nominated and
honored by their school
administrators. One winner
from each school or library
and one from each grade at
the high school was selected
by the librarian to attend the
April 22 ceremony to
represent all the enthusiastic
readers.
The program, modeled after
the statewide Enthusiastic
Reader Award program, is
sponsored by the Phillipsburg
Area Librarians (PALs) in an
effort to promote
recreational reading and
encourage those students
who engage in it. The PALs
want to foster recreational
reading because they
understand the positive
impact it has on future
academic success as well as
pers onal gr ow th and
happiness.
Each student was presented
with a certificate as well as
two Barnes & Noble gift
cards.
Battle of the Books
Students in the Gifted and
Talented program (PRISM)
have been busy the past few
months. Phillipsburg is a part
of The Warren County
Consortium for Student
Enrichment (WCCSE) and
students compete in various
competitions across Warren
County. Recently, the 5th and
6th grade students traveled to
Great Meadows Middle
School to compete in a
competition called “Battle of
the Books.”
During the
competition, students are
asked to recall details from a
set of nine books that they
must read on their own.
Andov er- Mo r ris Ga rne t
advanced to the round of 12
teams before being
eliminated. In all, 31 teams
were at the event.
Congratulations to all
students who participated!
On May 19, the 3rd and 4th
grade students will attend
their own “Battle of the
Books” event held in
Washington Borough. Again,
they will compete against
students from across Warren
County. Best of Luck to
Phillipsburg students
attending the competition!!
Page 9
Volume 3, Issue 2
Outstanding AAA School Safety Patrol Award
In cooperation with AAA MidAtlantic Foundation for Safety
& Education, the Green Street
School Safety Patrol was
founded in 2010. Under the
support of Mr. Raffaele
LaForgia and supervision of
Mrs. Vicky Hughes,
approximately 20-25 fifth
grade students are nominated
to the program each year.
Every year AAA sponsors a
yearly Safety Patrol Luncheon
to honor one Outstanding
Safety Patroller from various
counties in PA and NJ. The
criteria for the award is to
select a student who has
excelled in the areas of
leadership, dependability and
academia.
This year, we selected Maya
Marino-Cappello as our winner
and representative. Maya was
selected for her positive
behavior, dependability,
courteousness and work ethic
she shows at school. Even
though Maya is only 11 years
old, she has performed in 8
plays. This year she played the
Fairy Godmother in Green
Street’s production of
“Cinderella.” Her musical
accomplishments in the
School Band/Choir include:
Trumpet Soloist (her first year
playing), African Drum Soloist,
numerous Vocal solos and
Green Street School Drama
Club and Supporting roles.
She is an integral member of
the Children’s Choir at her
church, and she has been
studying dance since she was
3 years old.
Maya is a very busy girl in
addition to being an ideal
student and citizen.
She
consistently puts forth effort
in every subject area. Maya is
respectful, kind, follows the
rules and tries to help others.
For being chosen as the Safety
Patrol of the Year, Maya
attended and was recognized
with her family at a luncheon
in Bordentown, NJ on April 24,
2015. At the luncheon, she
received a plaque, displaying
her name and a $100.00 Visa
gift card.
The staff and students at
Green Street School are all
extremely proud of Maya and
her accomplishments. Please
join me in congratulating
Maya Marino-Cappello, the
2014-2015 Outstanding
Safety Patrol Award recipient
for Green Street School!
Phillipsburg School District News
Page 10
Science Rocks
Wednesday, April 15 was quite
exciting as Green Street
School was ERUPTING with
SCIENCE. Over 50 students
participated in our first annual
Science Fair presenting
projects that took visitors from
Outer Space, to Volcanoes, to
Worms Underground.
Presenters Fizzled with Ninja
Turtle Ooze, Electric Fruit,
Elephant Toothpaste,
earthquakes and more. For our
first event, it was quite
explosive and we thank and
applaud all who participated!
Special thanks to Exxon Mobile
for stirring the creative juices
of our students and sponsoring
the evening. Exxon also
provided two of the judges,
Jessica Hayner and Heather
Elsin (SP) . We thank both of
the ladies, along with Keith
Kullman, our newly appointed
Director of Science Education,
for their time, energies and
expertise in judging the event!
Well done!
Congratulations to our Top
Winners:
5th Grade:
1st Place: Danielle Mestell
2nd Place: Jacob Miller
3rd Place: Isabella Neto
4th Grade:
1st Place: Thalya Valencia
2nd Place: Daniel Fisher
3rd Place: Jasmine Gerns
3rd Grade:
1st Place: Elizabeth Koch &
Vincent Todd
2nd Place: Lily Wanisko
3rd Place: Jillian Miller
We look forward to next year’s
exploration of Science…until
then remember… SCIENCE
ROCKS!
Page 11
Volume 3, Issue 2
Barnyard Days
Most of us have been to
Barnyard Days when we were
in elementary school, and if
you haven’t, you really missed
out. Barnyard Days were one of
the best days of the school
year. It was like going to the
zoo, but at your high school.
The beautiful plants in the
greenhouse and the adorable
animals were just part of what
made those two days
unforgettable. Phillipsburg
High School’s Future Farmers
of America continue the
tradition and fun of Barnyard
Days, making it better and
better every year.
This year’s Barnyard Days were
May 6 and 7. Over these two
days, approximately 2,000
children from 21 schools came
to PHS to learn all about
agriculture, meet the sweet
animals, and adore the
thirteen different exhibits.
These exhibits include
alpacas, bunnies, chickens,
peeps, horses, pigs, donkeys,
goats, sheep, the greenhouse,
and tractors. The FFA
President says she loves
Barnyard Days. Her favorite
parts of Barnyard Days are
“being a presenter and
working with kids in the
community to teach them the
importance of agriculture.”
lot of fun for everyone to enjoy.
On May 6, the entire
community was welcome to
walk around Barnyard Days at
their leisure to enjoy all of the
animals and to learn more
about agriculture from our very
own FFA. The FFA also hosted
a pig roast that night from
5:00-7:00 PM. The cost was
only $10 at the door. Thank
you to everyone who came out
to support Phillipsburg’s FFA
and congratulate them on all
of their hard work!
This fun-filled opportunity to
learn more about agriculture
is not just offered to the
children of our area, there is a
One Book, Two Books, Oh! The Many, Many Books We Read!
During the month of March,
the students at Freeman
School were given the
challenge to read a total of
4,000 books. We are very
proud to announce that the
students at Freeman School
met and surpassed this
challenge! On April 27, 2015,
the students celebrated this
achievement with a Rock
Concert. The concert starred
our principal, Mr. John Finken,
with guest appearances by
Freeman Teachers Mr. Kevin
Mahony and Mrs. Kristal
Thomas. Other special guests
included Matthew Thomas,
Brian Leahey and from the
DENNIS DEYOUNG Band, Mr.
Jimmy Leahey.
In addition to the school
reward, class and individual
awards were also distributed.
The two second grade classes
who read the most books and
earned a pizza party were Mrs.
Vine’s Class and Mrs.
Micucci’s Class. Mrs. Aita’s
class was the winner of the
pizza party for first grade. The
three students who read the
most books overall
were
Chiwetel Okaro in second
grade and Chidebel Okaro and
Emma Brey in first grade.
WAY TO GO FREEMAN
SCHOOL! YOU ROCK!!!
Page 12
Phillipsburg School District News
Reading Around the World at Green Street School
On March 26, students and
their families took “flights” to
listen to and look at stories
read in Arabic, French, Italian,
Spanish and Urdu. Readers of
Chinese and Polish were
projected on iPads. The
illustrated books were written
in both the native language and
English.
Students pre-selected which
languages they wished to hear
and obtained boarding passes
announcing their flight path to
each language as well as
“passports” upon check-in.
They received “travel stamps”
for their passports from
cou n tri es wh er e those
languages were spoken.
Volunteer readers included
Phillipsburg School District
Staff, students, parents and
community members. The
readers selected vocabulary to
introduce to the “travelers”
and they wrote the words in
their “passports”.
Students loved hearing the
stories and learning their new
“foreign speaking” vocabulary
words. The books will be added
to the Green Street Library
collection.
-ways. The grand prize was a
giant blow up WORLD beach
ball!
This was a Phillipsburg
Education Association PRIDE
sponsored event. We thank the
PEA for the opportunity to host
such a wonderful event and
look forward to additional
opportunities to travel and
Read Around the World in the
future!
At the end of the event a
drawing was held and students
received a few enjoyable give-a
Our Way of Celebrating Earth Day
Barber School along with the
Phillipsburg Education
Association, Title I and Exxon
Mobil held their annual
Scien ce/Literacy Night,
Wednesday, April 22, 2015.
The theme of this year’s event
was “Into the Woods.” To kick
off the event, Barber School
students were asked to get
their creative minds going and
create Recycled Forest Animal
Art Projects out of anything
they could find. The students
showed their talents and
created truly amazing projects.
Barber School has a creative
and spectacular group of
children.
Teachers’ ideas along with the
students’ projects transformed
the school entrance into an
amazing spinoff of the actual
woods. If you saw it, you would
not have thought that you were
walking into an elementary
school, but instead walking
“Into the Woods!” There were
trees with birds and snakes
hanging from the limbs as well
as a moose and a mouse just
chilling out on the floor of the
woods. Families participated
in fun hands-on activities
developed by teachers, Exxon
Mobil, and The Home Depot.
The Home Depot donated
chalkboard planter stand kits
for the students to assemble
and decorate. Throughout the
night, families visited the allpurpose room for a quick snack
and to listen to the Phillipsburg
High School Jazz Band perform
while checking out some more
of the Recycled Forest Animal
Art Projects.
A special thank you goes to the
Phillipsburg Education
Association, Title I, Exxon
Mobil, The Home Depot, The
Phillipsburg Jazz Band, Mrs.
Klacik, Mrs. Coleman, Mrs.
Huff, Mrs. Laughery, Ms.
Szoka, Mrs. Santiago, and Mrs.
Slack-Woods for making this
night a huge success!
Page 13
Volume 3, Issue 2
Freeman School Literacy and Science Night
Freeman School‘s Title I
Teachers along with
volunteers from Exxon - Mobil
held their annual Literacy /
Science Night on Wednesday,
April 29, 2015. This year’s
theme was “Hidden
Treasures.”
Students
listened to the
sto ri es,
“Seeds” by
Patricia
Whitehouse
and “Zach’s
Alligator” by
Shirley Moselle.
Students then explored
vegetable and fruit seeds with
tweezers and magnifying
glasses. They
taste-tested a
variety of fruits
and vegetables
and even tried
zucchini noodle
spaghetti with
sauce. Students discovered
the strange names of some
vegetables and fruits and even
discovered their nutrition
values.
exclaimed that the night was a
huge success!
Thank you to all who
participated in this worthwhile
event.
To end the night, students
received the mini book “When
Will My Seed Grow?” and
planted tomato plants in
biodegradable ice cream cone
cups to take home.
Families who participated in
the fun hands-on activities
Barber’s Lucky Learners’ Club
Barber school teachers joined
forces with some Lucky
Learners for an afterschool
adventure!
The program
began in early February and
was held every Tuesday and
Thursday until the end of April.
Students engaged in various
activities to help enrich their
learning experience.
The
students were eager to
participate in all activities and
enjoyed the extra time that
was allotted to partake in
computer time associated
with our school curriculum.
We would like to thank all of
the students who participated
in the Lucky Learners’ Club, as
well as Title I for funding this
fantastic afterschool
adventure!
Page 14
Phillipsburg School District News
Andover’s Awesome Games (AAG)
On April 23, Andover students,
parents, and staff along with
six Phillipsburg police officers,
joined together for an evening
of fun relay games at the High
School’s large gym. Games
included the Cup Tower, Over
and Under, Hula Hoopla, a Day
at the Beach, and the new
event, Rolling, Rolling, Rolling.
Many thanks to our helpers:
FFA and HS Student Council
members and advisors along
with DJ Detective Swick. A good
time was had by ALL!
Summer Sports Camps
For more information, visit http://www.pburgsd.net/Page/1271
SPORT
DATE
SPORT
DATE
Softball
June 29 - July 2
Football
June 29 – July 1
Girls Basketball
June 23 - 26
Baseball
July 20 - 23
Boys Basketball
June 23 - 26
Boys Lacrosse
July 27 - 30
Field Hockey
July 13 –16
Boys & Girls Soccer
July 13 –17
Wrestling
July 6 - 9
Cheerleading
July 29 – August 1
Page 15
Volume 3, Issue 2
Science Inventions
Andover-Morris School held
their inaugural Science
Invention Fair on Tuesday,
April 14.
A total of 16
students in third, fourth, and
fifth grades participated in the
event which dazzled the
audience full of family and
friends. A Scientific Invention
was the focus of the particular
fair, and participants were
asked to design and present
an invention that could benefit
our
environment.
Congratulations to all of the
students who participated in
this eye-opening and
energetic event, especially our
Top Winners. Special thanks
to Exxon Mobil for their
participation in developing the
fair and providing two
scientists, Andrew Stella and
Aaron Jones, who were the
judges for the evening.
Everyone is already looking
forward to next year’s fair!
Phillipsburg School District News
Page 16
Relay for Life
Relay for Life is coming to
Maloney Stadium on June 6
and 7 and is open to anyone
and everyone. This American
Cancer Society fundraiser is a
great way to get out there and
do something important. At
these events that happen
around the globe, people
come and honor cancer
survivors while also fighting
back against the cancer that
has taken so many loved ones.
It is a very organized overnight
community walk where teams
of people camp around the
track. This idea began in 1985
when Dr. Gordy Klatt walked
and ran for a whole day (24
hours) around a track and
ended up raising $27,000 to
help the Cancer Society fight.
The first year, 340 supporters
joined the event. In 1986, 19
teams joined in the first team
relay event and raised
$33,000. It has now grown to
be a worldwide movement.
Relay for Life has raised $5
billion to fight cancer.
The first part of Relay for Life
is the Survivors Lap. This is
when survivors walk to
celebrate their victory over
cancer. The next lap is the
Caregiver Lap that recognizes
those who have given care and
love to cancer patients.
Following them, Relay teams
are invited to walk together
with them at the Opening Lap.
Each lap is so important and
really has a way of bringing
each walker/runner together.
this happens, walking is
coupled with different family
games, activities, and
entertainment to make for a
memorable night.
The Fight Back Ceremony
closes off the event. During
this event, all of the
participants take their final
lap. Everyone takes a pledge
to take action and spread
awareness of cancer research,
prevention, and treatments.
Come out to help raise money
and awareness on June 6th
and 7th. It will definitely be a
memorable event.
The Luminaria Ceremony
follows all laps. This takes
place after dark. Candles are
lit inside of personalized bags
and are placed along the Relay
track as tributes to those
who’ve been affected by
cancer. This sight is a
breathtaking experience. As
Andover-Morris Poetry Fest
On April 28, 2015, 29 Poetry
Fest finalists from grades 3-5
recited their poems for an
audience of parents, staff,
students, and judges. Each
presentation was scored on a
scale of 0-4 for Volume,
Clearness, Expression, Eye
Contact, and Stage Presence.
The competition was fierce,
which made it very difficult for
the judges!
The result was a three-way tie
for third place being awarded
to Abigail Approvato for
“Today I Had a Rotten Day” by
Kenn Nesbitt, Alyssa Bodogh
for “Last Night I Dreamed of
Chickens” by Jack Prelutsky,
and the duo of Regan
Thompson and Alivia Zagra for
“My Puppy Punched Me in the
Eye” by Kenn Nesbitt. Second
place went to Arame N’Diaye
and Sidney Dessources-
Manigsaca for “I Tried to Take
a Selfie” by Kenn Nesbitt. First
place was awarded to Xavier
Arrington-Mitchell and Jayden
Au for “My Mother Does My
Homework” by Kenn Nesbitt.
Award winners each received a
book of poetry.
Page 17
Volume 3, Issue 2
Andover’s Autism Awareness
On April 27, 2015, Mrs.
Churetta’s and Mrs. Disidore’s
third grade class at AndoverMorris Elementary School
presented Google Slides
presentations about autism
awareness to fellow third
grade classrooms. Students
researched functional text and
created an informational slide
show to educate their peers
about autism awareness. With
the support of Mrs. DeMaria,
occupational therapist, and
Greenwich Autism Alliance,
third grade students now
possess a greater
understanding
compassion toward
autistic classmates.
and
their
Free Preschool for Town of Phillipsburg Residents
The Phillipsburg Ea rly
Childhood Learning Center
(ECLC) offers free preschool
for all town of Phillipsburg
residents. Our dynamic and
dedicated staff ensures all
students receive quality
educational experiences
enriched by family and
community partnerships.
Furthermore, our early
learners are empowered
through innovative instruction
in a nurturing environment to
rea ch their ind ivid u al
potential.
To enroll a student for the
2015-2016 school year,
p a rents/guardian s may
download the registration
packet online from
www.pburgsd.net, or pick up
the packet at ECLC (459
Center Street) or the Central
Registration Office (445
Marshall Street). Documents
needed to register include:
c o mp l e t ed r e g i s t ra t i on
packet, child’s original birth
certificate, photo ID, lease/
deed/mortgage/affidavit, two
current forms of additional
proof of current address and
an immunization record.
Students may be registered via
Central Registration, or by
attending The Early Childhood
Learning Center’s upcoming
Registration Fair on June 9th
from 1 – 4pm at 459 Center
Street.
Please feel free to contact
Natalie Asayag with any
questions at (908) 454-0614
or
[email protected].
Page 18
Phillipsburg School District News
End-of-Year Events
DATE
SCHOOL
May 13
GSS
Vocal & Bell Concert
EVENT
6:30 P.M.
May 14
GSS
5th Grade Wax Museum
6:00 P.M.
May 14
AMS
Chorus and Bell Choir Concert
7:00 P.M.
May 16
PHS
May 18
PHS
May 19
AMS
May 20
AMS &
GSS
May 21
AMS
5th Grade Orientation at the MS
May 21
AMS
3rd Grade Morris Canal Assembly
1:30 P.M.
May 21
PHS
Freddie Awards - State Theatre
7:00 P.M.
May 21
AMS
Instrumental Concert
7:00 P.M.
May 22
AMS
Hug-a-Tree Assemblies during specials
May 22
AMS
Talent Show
1:30 P.M.
May 22
PHS
Veterans Association Military Musicians
Concert in the Auditorium
4:30 P.M.
May 25
PHS
Band—Memorial Day Parade
May 26
AMS
Sodexo Barbeque during lunch
May 27
AMS
PTO Art Show Fundraiser at Raymour and
Flanigans
6:00 P.M.
May 28
AMS
Future Chef Cook Off
5:00 P.M.
May 28
PHS
Senior Honor Awards Night in the
Auditorium
6:30 P.M.
May 28
GSS
Instrumental Concert
6:30 P.M.
May 29
AMS
Career Day for 5th Graders
Senior Banquet at Arts Quest at the Steel
Stacks in Bethlehem, PA
Band/Choral Spring Concert in the Lg.
Gym
G & T Battle of the Books (Grade 3-4) in
Washington
TIME
6-10:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
4—7:30 P.M.
5th Grade Picnic/Activities at the MS
Page 19
Volume 3, Issue 2
End-of-Year Events
DATE
SCHOOL
EVENT
TIME
June 1
AMS
June 2
AMS
June 2
PHS
June 2
GSS
Variety Show
June 3
AMS
3rd Grade Field Trip to Merrill Creek
June 4
PHS
Top 10 Banquet at Hawk Pointe Golf Club
June 4
GSS
5th Grade Trip to IronPigs
June 5
AMS
5th Grade Trip to Skate-Away
June 7
PHS
Baccalaureate Service—St. Mary’s
Catholic Church, Alpha
June 8
AMS
Fun Day
June 9
PHS
Senior Class Day at Lopatcong Pool
June 9
PHS
Class of 2015—Phillipsburg Middle School
Time Capsule Opening
12:30 P.M.
June 9
PHS
FFA Banquet in Café 159 and Auditorium
6:00 P.M.
June 9
GSS
5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
6:00 P.M.
June 10
GSS
End Of Year Awards Assembly
8:30 A.M.
June 10
PHS
June 11
PHS
5th Grade Trip to Waterloo Village
4th Grade Trip to Washington’s Crossing
Historical Park
Garnet Booster Athlete Awards Night in
the PHS Auditorium
Athlete Appreciation BBQ—Outside the
Sm. Gym
Graduation Ceremony in Maloney
Stadium
6:30 P.M.
6:30 P.M.
5:30 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
12:00 P.M.
6:30 P.M.
Page 20
Volume 3, Issue 2
Phillipsburg School District Administrative
And Board of Education Members Directory
Board Goals:
Phillipsburg School District Education Center
908-454-3400
George Chando, Superintendent
908-213-2500
Marian Trapani, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent
908-213-2400
Maureen Kehoe, Director of Planning, Research & Eval.
908-213-2452
Mary Jane Deutsch, Administrator of Special Services
908-213-2535
William Bauer, Business Administrator/Board Secretary
908-213-2600
Maureen Broennle, Assistant Business Administrator
908-213-2600
Staci Horne, Assistant Business Administrator
908-213-2600
Board of Education Members
Kevin J. DeGerolamo, President
James Hanisak, Vice-President
Bernard Brotzman
Thomas McGuire
Cathy Morgan
Rosemarie Person
Paul Rummerfield
William Spencer
Richard Turdo
Brian Korbobo, Alpha
Kevin Bayne, Greenwich
Terry Glennon, Lopatcong
Student Representatives
Nicholas Braughton
Erin Contiliano, Alternate
Tip Line - 908-213-2468
Visit the Phillipsburg School District Website for More Information
www.pburgsd.net
 Engage in ongoing
training for BOE
members
 Improve community
involvement with the
District
 Improve communication with stakeholders