TIMES
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
T H E JAC K S O N
Vol.17 - No. 25
Inside This Week’s Edition
Business Directory ........................... 22 Classifieds ........................................ 21 Community News ......................... 9-12 Dear Joel ..........................................24 Dear Pharmacist .............................. 17 Dr. Izzy’s Sound News .................... 16 Fun Page ......................................... 23 Inside The Law ................................. 18 Letters to the Editor ............................ 7 Wolfgang ......................................... 27 WWW.MICROMEDIAPUBS.COM
Your Weekly Hometown Newspaper | Serving All of Jackson Township
RECOGNIZING VETERANS’ SACRIFICES
–Photos by Jennifer Peacock JACKSON – A Veterans Day ceremony was held that the Veterans Memorial Garden. Veterans, local dignitaries, The American Legion 504, and the Jackson Air Force ROTC. The event played host to four World War II veterans. Three of the four sat up front together, Marine veteran Anthony Di Siena, Navy veteran Richard A. Wallace, and Army veteran Bill Mechmann. For more photos, see page 5.
Tho�sands O� T�r�eys, Tens O� Tho�sands O� Families
By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – A turkey on the table and gifts given by family and friends. These are the things to be thankful for, and the things that can be taken for granted. Thousands of people in Ocean County are struggling to have these traditions. Many local charities are calling on the public’s
help to bridge these gaps and provide help for people. The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties serves close to 10,000 families, said Lori Sayde, the group’s marketing and media manager. They service 300 pantries in Monmouth and Ocean counties. They are trying to raise (Turkeys - See Page 6)
Local Ministries Help With Holiday Grief
By Lois Rogers The Christmas season seemed to arrive even earlier this year, with decorations lighting some of the area’s public squares and private landscapes the night after Halloween. These twinkling lights are meant as a joyous signal of the holidays and holy days to come. But for those dealing with the loss of loved ones, the season may bring
even more pain, sorrow and anger say area grief counselors and bereavement ministers. That being the case, in support centers for grief and loss around the shore, helping people cope with the emptiness caused by these emotions becomes a priority for counselors and bereavement ministers. They strive to provide insights (Grief - See Page 22)
November 19, 2016
PARCC Scores Mixed Reaction
By Jennifer Peacock JACKSON – The superintendent had to admit, the scores weren’t great. Superintendent Stephen Genco told the board of education members and audience that he is a competitive man who’s annoyed by something things and proud of others. The PARCC scores, especially at the high school, annoyed him. “I don’t want to lose sight of what we do, and this [the test] is not all we do,” he said. Admittedly, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers averages at the high school, specifically last year’s junior class, were at times below the state averages. In its second year, last school year’s PARCC tests were different from the tests administered in 2015. The tests administered to third- through eighth-graders both years largely remained the same. Genco said he wasn’t looking to make excuses for high school performance, but that too many variables existed to fairly compare both years’ averages. Students grades third through 11th are tested in English language arts, and students in grades three through eight in math. There are tests given for algebra I and II and geometry, which are given in grades seven through 11 depending on what math that student is taking. Super intendent Stephen Genco said the numbers were skewed based on many factors, (PARCC - See Page 6)
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