TIMES
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
T H E H OW E L L
Vol. 13 - No. 7
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Your FREE Weekly Hometown Newspaper | Serving Howell and Farmingdale
A Year Since Recon�iguration, Superintendent Weighs In
–Photos from Howell Times archive School officials explained reconfiguration plans to a packed crowd early 2015. By September 2015, the physical transition would be complete, as staff worked to move furniture over that summer. Among the changes: reconfiguring Memorial Middle School into an elementary school. By Charles Daye HOWELL – This time last year, the Howell School District was rushing to move furniture and install playgrounds in time for September, when a district-wide reconfiguration would put new grades at different schools. With a year under his belt under the primary-elementary-middle school system, Superintendent Joseph Isola said the new grade bands have allowed teachers, staff and students to focus more. The fi rst school year after reconfiguration went “really well,” Isola said. “What we were hoping to accomplish here, has started to take shape,” said Isola. The goal they’re hoping to accomplish is improving the students’ learning experience by having a singular focus for
Inside This Week’s Edition
Business Directory ........................... 18 Classifieds ........................................ 19 Community News ......................... 8-12 Dear Pharmacist .............................. 14 Fun Page ......................................... 20 Government ...................................... 7 Inside the Law ................................. 16 Letters To The Editor ......................... 6 Wolfgang ........................................ 23
the grade specific schools. Reconfiguration separated the district into five schools that focus on primary learning in kindergarten to second grade, five schools that are third to fifth grade and two middle schools. The administration believes this allows a more singular focus on the students, by separating into grade bands, different from the generalized approach of six grades in one school (K-5), which was the previous structure. Before the reconfiguration, the district had nine elementary schools and three middle schools. “Every educator in the building is focused on primary learning (in the K-2 building). You don’t have to worry about a kindergarten teacher talking to a fifth grade teacher; in the context of math that exists at that level versus kindergarten. Everyone has a singular focus and that has been positive.
Teachers have told (they) feel strongly that their dialogues with colleagues are richer and deeper,” said Isola. The administrators claim the reconfiguration would solve long-term the problems of inequity that Howell faced up to last year: while some schools were almost filled to capacity, others had much smaller class sizes. Grade-banding— dividing schools by grades—would allow for resources and instruction to be targeted to specific developmental needs by grade. The needs of primary school leaners differ from those of elementary school learners, they said. Dividing schools by grade will allow teachers and building administrators to better focus on those needs in a supportive, collaborative environment. The superintendent said the (Schools - See Page 15)
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July 23, 2016
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By Catherine Galioto MONMOUTH COU NTY – State officials will reveal plans to reconstruct the eastbound bridge on Route 33/34, which would close the span and move all traffic to the westbound side. A public information meeting on the project will come July 27 to Howell. The New Jersey D e p a r t m e n t of Tr a n s p o r t a t io n will hold its publ ic i n for m at ion center meeting at the Howell Township Main Meeting Room, 4567 Route 9 North on July 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. In a project slated to begin August, Route 33/34 Eastbound over Southern Division Railroad would be reconstructed, replacing the steel girders and concrete deck. State officials said the bridge superstructure and substructure both have structural deficiencies. Route 33/34 Eastbound over Southern Division Railroad cur-
rently consists of two 12-foot lanes in one direction with a 3-foot, 6-inch left shoulder, a 12-foot, 6-inch right shoulder and a 6-foot, 10-inch right sidewalk. The westbound bridge is not included in this construction project. According to the state, the scope of this project replaces the superstructure, including the steel girders, the concrete deck, the inside barrier and the sidewalk and railing. Additionally, some rehabilitation work is scheduled for the substructure. The DOT has a three-stage construction project planned, in order to use pre-fabricated superstructure components and minimize impact on traffic. During stage one, two lanes will remain open in each direction while temporary median pavement for a stage-two crossover is prepared. Stage one is expected to (Bridge - See Page 15)
Amid Warnings, Locals Leveling Up With Pokémon Go By Shawn Smith Around midnight, the streets which are usually quiet are bustling with teens and young adults staring at their phones. Suddenly, someone cries out, “There’s a Ninetails over by Wells Fargo!” The mass of trainers rush around the corner and out of sight, except for a few who have brought lawn chairs and set themselves up in front of the Toms River Fire Department on Robbins Street.
Chances are that even if you live under a rock, you’ve heard of the newest Pokémon game (because people have probably lifted the rock looking for one of the digital creatures). Pokémon Go is the newest craze, and within the short amount of time since its release just earlier this month, it has threatened to overtake Twitter with its number of daily users. It’s sent hundreds of locals (Pokémon - See Page 4)