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Celebrating Earth
Joshua Roman will join PSO for an original work. Plus: Princeton Garden Theatre pays tribute to women in film.
East Windsor plans a poster contest for students to focus on Earth Day. Page 2A
Vol. 51, NO. 10
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Friday, March 9, 2018
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Hightstown students to join national walkout By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Hightstown High School students will be joining their counterparts nationwide next week, as high school students across the United States plan to walk out of their classes to protest gun violence. The coordinated protests will take place at the same time - 10 a.m. on March 14. That is the onemonth anniversary of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 students and staff members. The protests will last for 17 minutes - one minute for each victim.
In a letter posted on the East Windsor Regional School District’s website, Hightstown High School Principal Dennis Vinson Jr. wrote that students are encouraged to exercise their voices in the community. “We value their views and strive to provide a positive and safe environment where they can respectfully express their opinions,” Vinson wrote. “To that end, we are proactively developing a plan that will enable students who wish to participate in this movement on school grounds to do so in a safe, peaceful and appropriate manner,” he wrote.
While parents and community members may be concerned about school violence, Vinson emphasized that next week’s event is on school grounds and it is restricted to students only to ensure their safety and the staff’s safety. The nationwide event is being promoted by Women’s March Youth EMPOWER. It is being organized by “a collective of teenage activists in cities across the country who work to organize our peers to take action on the issues we marched for on Jan. 21, 2017,” according to https://actionnetwork.org. The Jan. 21 march participants
advocated for legislation and policies that addressed women’s rights, reproductive rights, healthcare reform, immigration reform, racial equality and freedom of religion, among others. The goal of the March 14 walkout is “to protest Congress’ inaction to do no more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. We need action,” the website said. The walkout is intended to demand that Congress pass legislation to keep students safe from gun violence in school, on the street and in their homes and places of worship. More than
2,000 high schools are participating in the event. “Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school. Parents have the right to send their kids to school in the morning and see them home alive at the end of the day,” the website said. “Congress must take meaningful action to keep us safe and pass federal gun reform legislation that addressed the public health crisis of gun violence. We want Congress to pay attention,” the website said.
Broader community input sought on school safety By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
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East Windsor Regional School District officials will be seeking broader community input to help find measures that improve the safety and security of the schools, without impacting the climate and environment of the schools. The subject of school safety has been on the minds of school district officials in East Windsor and elsewhere, following the Feb. 14 shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 students and staff members. Prompted by Superintendent of Schools Richard Katz’s Feb. 21 letter to the community posted on the school district’s website, parent Beverly Asselstine approached the school board at its Feb. 26 meeting to talk about school safety. Asselstine said she agreed with Dr. Katz’s comments in the letter that the types of changes in school safety measures - if any changes are made - would amount to a philosophical choice. In the letter, Dr. Katz wrote that suggestions had been sent to him for installing metal detectors at the entrances, increased or armed security in the schools, surveillance improvements and more training in what to report and how to respond in an emergency. Asselstine said that installing metal detectors would change the culture of the schools forever. She suggested examining the guidance department, which is reactive “at best.” The counselors do not have a chance to get to know the students and develop deep relationships with them. “If you are going to invest in things, invest in people who can understand the students and help
them,” she said. “I took your letter to be a call to come here. I really felt it was important for me to come here (to the school board meeting).” Dr. Katz replied that he had heard from many people, and that any decision has to be a collective one. The school district has already made some changes to make it more difficult to get into the schools and to be more easily monitored. The network infrastructure may be improved to prepare for better camera surveillance systems. School board member Erica DiRaimondo said she does not want to make the schools “prison-like.” “We want the students to think the scariest thing is their math test,” she said. “We are all parents and we want all of the students to be safe and not have this fear (for their safety), but we live in this type of society.” DiRaimondo also suggested that the Hightstown Borough and East Windsor Township police departments should become familiar with all of the school buildings in the East Windsor Regional School District - not just the ones in their town. For school board member Peter Bussone, the focus should be on mental health. There are a number of “at-risk” students who have issues, but who “fall through the cracks.” He said he is concerned that students who need help are not getting it. “I don’t care what you do to make the buildings safer. If someone wants to get in and do harm, they will,” Bussone said. He added that he does not want to see teachers carrying guns in school, as they are permitted to do in other states. School board members Jenna Drake and Robert Laverty agreed that there are discreet measures that can be taken to enhance student safety. Drake said she does not favor metal detectors, and Laverty suggested adding school resource officers who could get to know the students. School board vice president Paul Connolly said he doe not want to add guns to the school, because it would change the culture of the schools. He said he would prefer to upgrade the camera systems, so school district officials would be able to monitor the school buildings.
Photos by Scott Friedman
Hootin’ and hollarin’ for the hoopsters Above, Jamal Anderson of Hightstown High School goes up for two during a game March 1 against Old Bridge High School in the quartefinals of the Central Jersey, Group IV, state tournament. At left, the HHS fans go crazy as their team takes control of the game. The Rams won the contest 72-36. HHS then advanced to the semifinal game March 3 but was eliminated by Trenton Central High School 70-56 ending the season for the Rams.
East Windsor is calling all green-thumbers By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Would-be gardeners can sign up to rent a plot of land to grow their own fruits and vegetables in East Windsor Township’s Community Garden, located on Disbrow Hill Road across from Etra Lake Park. Applications are available now, with the initial planting expected to take place next month, Mayor Janice S. Mironov said. Detailed information will be provided in writing and during an orientation meeting about the
Community Garden and how it works. “We encourage residents to participate in this fun, educational and productive community program by planting their own garden,” Mayor Mironov said, adding that it is “an exciting opportunity for residents to reap the benefits of planting their own produce.” The Community Garden is an environmentally friendly initiative that offers unique benefits and educational opportunities to all residents to learn basic business principles and to share valued community goals, she said.
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It is further affirmation of the township’s commitment to a greener environment and sustainable community, Mayor Mironov said. The township achieved Sustainable Jersey Silver Level certification in 2016 for an assortment of green initiatives that included creating a farmland preservation plan, a backyard composting program and a tree protection ordinance. For an application or more information, visit the East Windsor Township website at www.eastwindsor.nj.us or call the Municipal Clerk’s Office at 609-443-4000, ext. 240.
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