Verona Public Schools Magazine 2018 Edition

VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Dedicated to developing healthy habits of mind, body, and heart.

Spring 2018 Edition

Verona High School | H.B.W. Middle School | Laning Avenue School | F.N. Brown School | Brookdale Avenue School | Forest Avenue School VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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A Message From Our Board President Verona Public Schools Strategic Plan 2013 - 2018 Capstone Design Staff Together We Are Verona Pride, Passion, and Progress Exploring the Richness of Math Sports Specialization Theoretically Speaking What’s In a Name?

The Verona SCA Conference Elementary Literacy Coaches: Guiding and Supporting Students and Teachers The Forest Avenue SCA, A School-Community Partnership A Closer Look At Verona’s Technology Improvements Successfully Supporting Teachers in the Verona Public Schools Book Clubs: Building Reading Communities with High School Students English As A Second Language

VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

Facilities and Improvements Live! from 18 Laning Road Financial Support for the Success of Our Schools Verona School’s Counseling Department: More Than Just Academics H.B.W. Students Advance to the National History Day Contest Moving Toward A Maker Mindset Choosing a Healthy School Life Balance VFEE Inspiring Excellence Award Recipients 2018 #WeAreVerona A Room For the Senses VHS Fitness Center The HBW Sensory Room: Coming Together to Support Our Students HBW Students Building a Culture of Caring and Kindness Verona Public Schools By the Numbers A Positive School Culture Congratulations Class of 2018

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A Message from our Board President The Verona Board of Education is pleased to share this annual review of successes for our school district. We encourage all members of our community to take a moment and review the report as we reflect on our strategies, progress and student achievements.

In 2013 the Board and school administration brought together nearly 100 members of our community to create the current 5-Year Strategic Plan for our schools. We are gifted with a terrific community who support our students and schools.

Staff, students, parents, township leadership, administrators, Board members, law-enforcement and others collectively devoted over 1,700 hours to this initial effort with countless others participating since then. We all worked together to hone almost 200 original action items into 6 main strategies – all captured in a single mission statement.

The Strategic Plan holds the Board and Administration accountable to our community for all our efforts. That plan is posted in every room, in every school building across our district to help us all keep focused on that commitment. It is a living guide we use to set all our annual objectives, to measure our progress, and to alter course when we find we must do better.

The current plan sunsets at the end of this school year, so we are bringing our community together this Spring to develop the 5-Year plan for 2018-2022. It is an exciting endeavor and immensely important, and I encourage you to participate in any constructive way you can.

Working with the Board allows me to interact with some of the most talented people imaginable – teachers, support staff, administrators - who are all devoted to the educational experiences of our students. In this annual review, we’ve summarized the impact of that devotion.

We hope you find the review informative and enlightening as we work together towards continued success.

John Quattrocchi President, Verona Board of Education 4

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VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS STRATEGIC PLAN 2018-2023 COMMUNITY EFFORT 1250 Hours 75+ Action Team Participants 30 Steering Committee Members

COMMITMENTS

GOALS

159 Recommended Action Items

• Acting in the best interests of all students

All Students Will…

26 Specific Results

• Respecting the individuality of students

• Grow through academic and extracurricular opportunities

6 Strategies

• Developing long-term financial plans

• Develop a compassionate and respectful perspective as part of the global community

1 MISSION

• Making data-informed decisions • Favoring action • Rejecting mediocrity

MISSION STATEMENT

In partnership with a supportive community, we inspire our students to be creative, critical thinkers and compassionate global citizens through dynamic teaching, meaningful curricula, and enriching experiences.

• Engage in meaningful partnerships with the greater community

WHAT WE VALUE Integrity • Accountability • Respect • Teamwork • Creativity • Resilience • Passion • Wellness

STRATEGIES

In order to support our mission, we will…

1. Secure and optimize financial resources 2. Uphold a healthy and respectful school culture consistent with our core values

Strategy #1: Secure and optimize financial resources

3. Partner locally and globally to expand opportunities for our school community 4. Continue to implement an engaging curriculum with meaningful experiences

Strategy #2: Uphold a healthy and respectful school culture consistent with our core values

Result #1: Develop educational programs that generate revenue and/or decrease expenses.

Result #1: Nurture and cultivate critical thinkers to establish a community that raises resilient students.

Result #2: Identify alternative sources of revenue.

Result #2: Integrate experiences that value diversity, promote cultural understanding, and consider multiple perspectives.

Result #3: Establish a communication plan to better inform stakeholders of the financial aspects of the district’s operations.

Result #4: Identify and develop partnership and shared services agreements with other schools, other educational entities, and the township of Verona.

Result #3: Cultivate an inclusive environment and provide opportunities for social and emotional learning.

5. Provide relevant professional development and resources to support dynamic teaching 6. Continue to provide upgraded technology and sustainable facilities

Strategy #3: Partner locally and globally to expand opportunities for our school community Result #1: Develop civic-minded students who will gain a greater understanding of community infrastructure through service.

Result #2: Continue to provide students authentic experiences in potential careers through the Verona High School Capstone program.

Result #3: Develop relationships for academic experiences with universities and organizations.

Result #4: Provide the students the opportunity to travel abroad to enrich global educational experiences.

Result #5: Invest in facility improvements that could provide for cost savings and rental income.

Strategy #4: Continue to implement an engaging curriculum with meaningful experiences

Strategy #5: Provide relevant professional development and resources to support dynamic teaching

Strategy #6: Continue to provide upgraded technology and sustainable facilities

Result #1: Re-evaluate current curricula to ensure alignment to standards and meet the needs of all students.

Result #1: Develop online professional development platform to support personalized and differentiated options.

Result #1: Continue to integrate technology in a dynamic learning environment.

Result #2: Integrate strategies to foster inquiry, effective critical thinking, and problem solving skills.

Result #2: Establish and maintain collaboration withlocal school districts and colleges/universities to meet staff needs and interests.

Result #3: Integrate STEM-based best practice educational opportunities.

Result #4: Continue to integrate literacy in all subjects to produce strong analytical thinkers.

Result #5: Develop UbD cross-curricular connections between core disciplines at the elementary and middle school levels.

Result #3: Ensure that professional development supports current needs of students and staff members.

Result #4: Establish a culture that promotes the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

Result #2: Create an environment that nurtures health and well-being by supporting sustainable schools initiative.

Result #3: Invest in safe, secure, and enduring school grounds and facilities.

Result #4: Continue monitoring, investments, and planning to further strengthen safety and security of the schools.

Result #5: Utilize time for grade level or department meetings to provide opportunities for self-directed collaboration.

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our CREW this issue

CONTRIBUTORS

W i l l i a m Fa u e r b a c h Ty l e r J a c k s o n Mitch Kiwior Caitlin Klose Sara Marriott Alex Ng

Julianna Spina D a r i a n Ya k h n i s

Northeastern University Dual-Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics “My favorite memory of Verona was seeing how so many of the teachers and administrators and staff from all my years of school here showed up at graduation to congratulate my class. It really showed what a community we are. ”

A l e x a n d e r Z i o l ko w s k i

“I am going to NJIT to major in digital design.”

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“I am attending the University of Richmond and my favorite memory of being a part of the Verona School District was playing kickball on the blacktop at Forest Avenue.”

Colgate - Physics and Economics “My favorite memories were all the after school conversations with my teachers; whether it be laughter or insightful advice, talking to them has brought unsurmountable positivity to my life.”

Wilkes University This isn't really a memory but the overall knowledge/feeling knowing that all the teachers are always ready to help, be it with school work or even beyond school.

We Are Verona

’’

By Mr. Frank Mauriello, Director of Special Services

’’

The mission of our SEPAC is to be a positive, solution-oriented group focused on being a resource for parents and guardians of students with special needs.

Community and school working together are critical in

provides a forum for parents, guardians, students and the

meeting the needs of our students. The Special Education

Verona Special Education Department to share information

Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), also known as Verona

and discuss matters of interest and concern regarding our

C.H.I.L.D

Learning

children. The SEPAC is comprised of parents who believe

Differences), is a district-wide organization created by

in the importance of supporting our students as they serve

parents to support the emotional, social, and academic

as a liaison between the special education community and

well-being of children with special needs. We provide

the Department of Special Services.

(Children

Having

Individual

information, educational opportunities, resources, and support to families and professionals striving to achieve the

If you would like to learn more about our SEPAC, please

maximum benefit for all children in our community. The

visit us on our district website under Special Services. We

mission of our SEPAC is to be a positive, solution-oriented

look forward to your attendance at a future meeting so that

group focused on being a resource for parents and

we may be able to carry out the positive mission that

guardians of students with special needs. The SEPAC

Verona C.H.I.L.D. has established for our community.

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“The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” Goethe

By Dr. Rui Dionisio, Superintendent of Schools

We are proud of the progress of the Verona Public Schools, grateful for the efforts of our dedicated and talented teachers, staff, and administrators, our highly engaged and intellectually curious students, and supportive Board of Education and parental community. We remain steadfast in our belief that all students can achieve at a high level and maximize their individual potential.

raise a family. The importance of building strong relationships cannot be underestimated. When children feel safe, a sense of belonging, and valued in school, great things will happen and students will blossom in all aspects of life. Such accomplishments are just one indicator of success and the culmination of a concerted effort, one where all the key people work together as a community, to support our students’ achievements.

To become a model school district, one that excels in every category, we must dedicate ourselves to educating the whole child. Academics are critically important. But we are more than that. The Verona Public Schools is a community of learners where we value educating our children socially, emotionally, and academically. Each child deserves to be healthy, safe, and supported. With a whole child approach to learning, we create highly engaging environments that appropriately challenge our students.

There exists a high degree of cohesiveness and collaboration between our teaching staff, leadership team, students, parents and community across the entire district. Strong relations are a testament to the product of rigorous and diverse curriculum, robust district goals, and horizontally and vertically aligned objectives in our district strategic plan. Our elementary staff supports important efforts such as the Columbia University Teachers College Reading and Writing Project to help young people become avid readers and writers along with a science program that engages students in inquiry. A focus on peer mediation and conflict resolution teaches students important life skills to navigate the inevitable challenges in life. Verona’s One District, One Book initiative each year brings our entire community together and teaches valuable lessons that will support students for years to come.

Healthy schools require much more than one dynamic person or innovative program. It starts with a culture that is created, molded, and sustained over time with a central focus on high caliber teaching. These results are a tribute to the dedication and efforts of many people who help make Verona a special place to 8

VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

It is not only the result of our dedicated and talented staff in Verona, but also the whole child approach which begins in our close knit neighborhood elementary schools and transitions with the guidance and support of our middle school staff in small, personalized learning communities. A team-based, middle school grade level approach is possible because of the dedicated professionals who support students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being by empowering staff in the decision-making process. Cultivating a sense of trust and confidence in children through improved social and emotional learning will continue to be sustained as the foundation of our school community. A district commitment to our progress is evident in our community action committee efforts on mental health and respect. The Verona High School Capstone Program provides authentic and relevant intensive internship experiences for senior students. Our partnership with universities has enabled expanded college course options through dual enrollment classes where students earn college credit while in high school. Our music program, the arts, extra-curricular activities, and athletics are the pride of our district and integral in educating the whole child.

In Verona, we have been utilizing important metrics for the past four years to drive important conversations on a student’s academic potential, rather than limiting their participation in high level courses. We look for reasons a child can achieve more, not arguments as to why students cannot or should not challenge themselves, if they so choose. We emphasize our commitment to removing barriers to higher level coursework as one of the main pillars in our vision. Our efforts have identified students, previously not engaged in rigorous coursework, who are capable of finding success in challenging academic study.

Simply put, we believe students will rise to the level of expectation set for them when provided quality teaching, appropriate supports, and the necessary encouragement along the way.

There exists a complex yet critically important issue of affording opportunities to all students, not just the few. We are committed to challenging our students from all backgrounds, providing equity and excellence for all children. Our theoretical approach is grounded in research, and both strategic and thoughtful action in how we support each student to become his or her very best self. At Verona High School, our counselors have made a commitment to meet with each student and parent every year. In these meetings, our counselors have discussions with students about the student’s goals and how we can help the student set the conditions to achieve their goals. Our counseling department has made a commitment to opening access to higher level coursework for students, discussing the cognitive and non-cognitive skills needed to achieve academic and personal goals, and focusing holistically on every child.

We continue to pave the way forward and establish a culture for learning that is purposeful and rooted in the idea that with hard work, good strategies, and perseverance, students will achieve greatness. Our work can be challenging at times, yet incredibly satisfying to know we are all fortunate to perhaps have a small part in making a difference in the lives of our future generations.

It takes a village to raise a child. With a highly committed school district and community we can ensure that all students become successful. When we do all of this well in a constructive and productive fashion, the results speak for themselves.

VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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Exploring Exploring the the Richness of Math Richness of Math

By Mr. Glenn Stevenson, Supervisor of STEM

By Mr. Glenn Stevenson, Supervisor of STEM

When people find out that I supervise our math department, comments orient When When people people findtheir find out reactions that out that I supervise Iand supervise our math our math around two poles…

“I loved math, I was really fast,” department, department, theirtheir reactions reactions and and comments comments orient orient or “Oh, I hated math, just not aI math person.” around around two two poles… poles…

“I loved “I I’m loved math, math, I was was really really fast,”fast,” Related to these responses is a general belief that math or “Oh, or “Oh, I hated I hated math, math, I’m just I’m not just anot math a math person.” person.” is a gift that you are either born with, or you will Related Related to these to these responses responses is a general is a general beliefbelief that that mathjust math not get.

My fear is the born WAY we teach math is a gift is a that gift that you you are either arethat either born with,with, or you or you will will just just creates not get. not My get.this fear Myduality fear is that is that the WAY the WAY we teach we teach mathmath among peoples’ view of creates creates this duality this duality their math capability. among among peoples’ peoples’ viewview of of Inspired by the work of theirtheir mathmath capability. capability.

Carol Inspired Inspired byDweck the bywork theand work ofJo of Boaler, the teachers Carol Carol Dweck Dweck and and Jo Joand administrators of theand Boaler, Boaler, the teachers the teachers and Verona Public Schools administrators administrators of the of the have begun to explore Verona Verona Public Public Schools Schools teaching havethe have begun begun to explore toofexplore mathematics in new the teaching the teaching of of ways. mathematics mathematics in new in new

be developed. Dweck has found in numerous studies that those Dweck withDweck a growth those be developed. be developed. has found hasmindset found in numerous inoutperform numerous studies studies with a fixed mindset.

A key feature of a growth that that thosethose withwith a growth a growth mindset mindset outperform outperform thosethose is learning mistakes withmindset with a fixed a fixed mindset. mindset.

A from key A feature key feature of aand of growth atreating growth mistakes as opportunities to grow. mindset mindset is learning is learning fromfrom mistakes mistakes and and treating treating

ways. ways.

Carol Dweck is a professor ofaPsychology Carol Carol Dweck Dweck is is a at Stanford professor professor of Psychology ofUniversity Psychology who is best known for at Stanford at Stanford University University her work on mindset. whowho is best is best known known for forIn 2006 Dweck published her work her work on mindset. on mindset.

In In the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

20062006 Dweck Dweck published published This workMindset: laysThe out The howNew success is heavily the book the book Mindset: New Psychology Psychology of Success. ofinfluenced Success. by our beliefs about our talents and abilities.

The basic ThisThis workwork lays lays out how out how success success is heavily is heavily influenced influenced dichotomy of mindset is there are those with a fixed by our by beliefs our beliefs about about our talents our talents and and abilities. abilities.

The The basic basic mindset, arethose fixed dichotomy dichotomy of the mindset ofbelief mindset isthat there isabilities there are those are withwith aand fixed a fixed unchangeable, and that there areare those growth mindset, mindset, the belief the belief that abilities abilities fixed arewith fixed anda and mindset, the belief that abilities are malleable and can unchangeable, unchangeable, and and therethere are those are those withwith a growth a growth

mistakes mistakes as opportunities as opportunities to grow. to grow.

In 2014 the New York Times Magazine ran an article called Why Doarticle In 2014 In 2014 the New the New YorkYork Times Times Magazine Magazine ran an ran an article Americans Stink called called WhyWhy Do Do at Math?

The article outMath? the Americans Americans Stinkspells Stink at Math? at typical, traditional pattern The The article article spellsspells out the out the at play in many, many typical, typical, traditional traditional pattern pattern math classes across the at play at play in many, in many, many many country.

“Most American mathmath classes classes across across the the math classes follow the country. country.

“Most “Most American American same pattern, a ritualistic mathmath classes classes follow follow the the series of steps so samesame pattern, pattern, a ritualistic a ritualistic ingrained that one series series of steps of steps so so researcher termed ingrained ingrained that that one one it a cultural script.” researcher researcher termed termed it This a it a pattern is frequently cultural cultural script.” script.”

ThisThis identified as “I, We, You,” pattern pattern is frequently is frequently and isas also asYou,” the identified identified “I,aslabeled We, “I, We, You,” gradual release of control. and and is also is also labeled labeled as the as the The usual math class will gradual gradual release release of control. of control. a script like this: 1) The follow The usualusual math math class class will will Check and review homework.

2) Present a new follow follow a script a script like this: like this: 1) 1) procedure (the I).

Check Check and and review review homework. homework.

2) Present 2) Present a new a new 3) Lead the(the procedure procedure (the I).class I).in 2-3 sample problems (We). 4) And then assign series of on a (We). worksheet 3) Lead 3) Lead the class the aclass in 2-3 insample 2-3problems sample problems problems (We).

4) And 4)orAnd thea textbook (You).

This emphasizes thenfrom then assign assign series a series of problems of problems onpattern aon worksheet a worksheet or or standard algorithms, places students in the role of fromfrom the textbook the textbook (You).

(You).

ThisThis pattern pattern emphasizes emphasizes calculator, and removes the students student from standard standard algorithms, algorithms, places places students in the inrole thethe role ofsense of

mindset, mindset, the belief the belief that that abilities abilities are malleable are malleable and and can can

calculator, calculator, and and removes removes the student the student fromfrom the sense the sense

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VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

making process. Worst is that it can also produce the making process.that Worst is that it can also the fixed mindsets Dweck describes.

Theproduce responses, fixed mindsets describes.

TheIresponses, “I loved math, that I wasDweck really fast,” or “Oh, hated “I loved math, I was really fast,” or “Oh, I hated math, I’m just not a math person,” are the end result math, I’m just not a math person,” are the end result of the repetitious script. of the repetitious script.

How do you flip the script and end with students who How do you flip the endJo with students love math because it script makesand sense?

Boaler, a who love mathof because it makesEducation, sense? Jo Boaler, a professor Mathematics also at Stanford, professor of Mathematics Education, also at Stanford, has taken Dweck’s ideas and applied them specifically hasmathematics taken Dweck’s ideas and applied specifically to learning.

In her book them Mathematical to mathematics learning.

In her book Mathematical Mindsets Boaler makes the case for emphasizing Mindsets Boaler makes case for emphasizing growth mindsets relatedthe to mathematics learning and growth mindsets related to mathematics learning and Boaler’s answer for flipping the script is the rich math Boaler’s answer for flipping the script is the rich math task. Rich math tasks have multiple methods, task.

Rich and mathrepresentations. tasks have multiple pathways, Theymethods, place the pathways,inand Theyand place thethem out students the representations. role of a sensemaker take students in the role of a sensemaker and take of the role of calculator. Rich tasks “make thethem out of the rolebetween of calculator. tasksstudents “make the difference happy,Rich inspired and difference between happy, inspired students andwith disengaged, unmotivated students.” Combined disengaged, unmotivated students.”

Combined rich math tasks is the approach that one teacher,with rich math tasks is the approach that one teacher, Magdalene Lampert, labels as “You, Y’all, We.” This Magdalene Lampert, labels as “You, Y’all, We.” This sequence deemphasizes “answer finding” and places sequence deemphasizes “answer finding” and places the emphasis squarely on the sense-making process. the emphasis squarely on the sense-making Students engage in mathematical discourse process. and arrive Students engage in mathematical discourse and arrive at mathematical understanding by learning from their at mathematical understanding by learning from their own mistakes and from the perspectives of other own mistakes and from the perspectives of other students. students.

Verona Public Schools teachers and administrators Verona Public Schools teachers administrators have been exploring these ideas and in various ways. We have been exploring these ideas in various ways.

We have established book clubs, one amongst the adminishave established book clubs, amongst thewe administration and another with our one teachers, where are tration and another with our teachers, where we are reading and discussing Boaler’s book. DIscussions reading and discussingand Boaler’s book.

DIscussions have been interesting engaging.

Teachers have have been interesting and engaging.

Teachers have begun to try Boaler’s ideas and report back favorably begun to try Boaler’s ideas and report back favorably each meeting with victories both large and small. each meeting with victories large and small. his Chris Cunningham reportedboth favorably on having Chris Cunningham reported favorably on having his students write and solve their own homework probstudents write and solve their own homework problems. Cindy Graves spoke proudly of her students lems. Cindymore Graves spoke proudly of her the students developing ideas for understanding multiples developing more ideas for understanding the of five when presented the task as a You and multiples Y’all of five when presentedand the task as aasYou and than when confronted tackled a We inY’all years than when confronted and tackled as a We in years past. past.

In October we began working with Bill Jackson of In October we began working withpedigree Bill Jackson Math Demystified.

Bill has a long as a of math Math Demystified.

Bill has a long pedigree as for a math teacher and coach. He taught 8th grade math teacheryears and and coach.

Hewent taught grade math for in many then on 8th to be a math coach many years and then went on to be a math coach Scarsdale, NY, eventually leading as a Director of in Scarsdale, NY,York eventually leading a Director of Math in New City. He is an as author and math Math in New York City. He is an author and math

education consultant. Bill has been helping Verona education consultant. has been with a technique calledBill lesson study.helping LessonVerona study is a with a technique called lesson study.sourced Lessonprofesstudy is a Japanese technique for community Japanese technique for community sourced professional development. Teachers form lesson study sional study groupsdevelopment. of 3-7 people Teachers and then form beginlesson a systematic groups of people and then begin a systematic process of 3-7 dissecting the pertinent learning standards, process of dissecting the pertinent learning curriculum materials, and resources. Once astandards, topic and curriculum materials, and resources.

Once a topic and materials are chosen, teachers work collaboratively to materials are chosen, teachers work collaboratively to plan a lesson which will be taught by one member and plan a lesson which will be taught by one member and observed by the other group participants. The observobserved by the group participants.

The observers focus on the other sense-making work completed by ers focus on the sense-making work completed by students. All members of the group reflect on the students.

All members of the group reflect on the lesson and provide feedback for improving the lesson, lessontimes and provide for improving the lesson, often with thefeedback lesson being taught a second time, often times with the lesson being taught a second time, to a different group of students, using the reflections to a suggestions different group of students, using reflections and provided to grow and the improve as and suggestions provided to grow and improve as teachers. teachers.

We established two lesson study groups for the We established study is groups for theof 2017-18 school two year.lesson One group comprised 2017-18 school year.

One group is comprised kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers.ofThe kindergarten, and second gradefourth, teachers. second group first, is composed of third, andThe fifth second group is composed of third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers. The focus in our lesson study sessions gradebeen teachers.

Themath focustasks in our lesson study sessions have the rich that are recommended have been the rich math tasks that are recommended

by Boaler. The classrooms have been a buzz with by Boaler.

The classrooms have been a buzz with student energy and conversations as they explore student energyOur andteachers conversations as theyaexplore mathematics. have learned great deal mathematics.

Our teachers have learned a great deal from our students and from one another. Our goal from our students and from one another.

Our goal moving forward is to support our staff in finding and moving forward is to support staff instruction in finding and implementing rich math tasksour in their and implementing rich math tasks in their instruction to expand our lesson study efforts to include moreand to expand our lesson study efforts to include more teachers. teachers.

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Sports Specialization

By Mr. Robert Merkler, Director of Athletics

F

or a young elementary school student first embarking on their athletic journey, they often participate in a number of different sports just to learn what they enjoy playing and are good at. It is not uncommon for that child to participate in 4-5 different sports that coincide with the changing of the seasons. As children progress through their young careers and become teenagers, we often hear that some students focus their energy on just one sport. The reasons a student-athlete chooses to specialize in one sport may vary, but they often range from trying to earn a college scholarship to subscribing to the Malcolm Gladwell theory that 10,000 hours of participation can allow one to become world class in any field.

At Verona High School, it is the belief of the Athletics Department that our students should compete in as many sports as allowed by the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletics Association. As a large Group 1 or small Group 2 school, much of our success on the playing fields is dictated by the ability of our student-athletes to apply their skills across multiple sports. Over the past 2 years, many of our successful teams featured student-athletes who you could cheer for on a field in the Fall, the court in the Winter, and then again on the field in the Spring. It may seem taxing on the body as some sports no doubt go long into the next season. So, why should a Verona High School student-athlete play as many sports as possible?

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First, after speaking to coaches and educators, the general consensus was that the spirit of competition is invaluable to the development of the the student-athlete. As our children progress from infants to adulthood, one must learn how to compete in order excel in many aspects of their life such as their career or simply providing for their families. At the high school level, a student is constantly learning how to compete, with much of that experience being gained from joining a high school sport.

Additionally, high school athletics career changing moments like sinking the game winning free throw with no time on the clock or hitting the game winning single can have cross over appeal and give our kids the confidence they need to excel in life. A student-athletes ability to come through in a big moment can quell the anxiety that might come later in life with an important job interview or solving a problem at work.

Next, playing multiple sports prevents overuse injuries.

An overuse injury is damage to a bone, muscle, ligament, or tendon caused by repetitive stress without allowing time for the body to heal. For a student athlete who is still growing, a repeated movement that occurs in the off-season could have devastating effects on the athlete being able to play in-season. It is no secret that professional athletes, after a long season that is sometimes followed by a postseason, often do not begin to practice their skills for at least one month after the conclusion of the seasons. This allows the athlete to heal, decompress

the mind, and refresh the body for the training that will occur for the upcoming season. Jason Calo, Verona Athletic Trainer and former three sport high school athlete shared, “Sports specialization can be detrimental to young athlete both physical and mentally. Using the same movements biomechanically and within the same movement planes, motions, and surface can put enormous stress on young joints that could lead to severe injuries such as ACL tear, Little League Elbow, and many more. Mentally, an athlete in playing the same sport the whole year can be "burned out" doing similar activities or drills on the same field with the same coach, they in turn tend to dislike the sport or even want to stop playing the sport because of being mentally exhausted. As an athletic trainer this has become more prevalent within the last 5 to 8 years with overuse injuries because the athlete is playing the same sport for 5 to 6 days a week for the whole year.

The "Multi Sport" athlete is changing movements and environment every 3 months which in turn can only help this athlete in any season sport that he or she participates in and reduce the chance of injuries tremendously.”

Finally, as our student-athletes turn their attention to playing in college, it becomes clear that college coaches look to bring more multi-sport athletes into their programs. In successful athletics program like the one at Verona, college coaches are in constant contact with our coaches in order to learn more about our student-athletes and what they do outside of the sport they are being recruited in. Coaches have asked if a student runs track and field in order to better their speed or played basketball so they can watch how well a particular prospects moves his hips. Additionally, coaches want to see how a person deals with success and failure in competitive moments. Nick Cesare, Pitching Coach at New Jersey City University, says, “We look for multiple sport athletes, especially pitchers, for a number of reasons. Dedicating a season to another sport means a break from throwing each year. Playing another sport also should allow the student athlete to develop athleticism and physical skills that will help him on the diamond.

Finally, we want a locker room full of competitors. We love seeing our prospects play other sports and contribute in crucial situations. It is something that we believe translates to all sports.”

experience that trains your body and mind to be successful in life. Jeff Samardzija, a football and baseball star at University of Notre Dame and then in Major League Baseball, had this to say, "Obviously, you should play as many sports at a young age [as you can]," Samardzija said. "You shouldn't be specializing -- unless it's the kid's choice. If the kid's like, 'This is it, and I want to go all-in,' then so be it.

"But you're only going to be so good, anyway, right? If you choose to get that much better at a young age, then you'll peak earlier. I feel like the best thing for me was -- and in negotiations -- is I could always negotiate that I had a young arm. I still had something to learn. It keeps you young in the grand scheme of things -- maybe not by age, but I had a lot less [wear and tear] on my arm. They can say, 'He's still going to get better.'

"Whereas if you did baseball your whole life, you live in the South, that's all you've ever done -- they've got the book on you. They can tell how the projections are going to go and who you are. I like to keep people guessing."

We hope when you join us as a 9th grader, you will consider being a multi-sport student-athlete.

In the end, each student-athlete has to make the best decision that supports their high school athletic career.

For some students, specializing in a sport is the decision that could benefit them greatly. It could lead to an opportunity to play at the next level or help earn an All-County or All-State honor. For others though, playing multiple sports can provide an amazing competitive VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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By Mr. Howard Freund and Mr. Erik Lynch usic in the Verona Public Schools certainly has a rich lineage that continues to mature, evolve, and grow each year. The public faces of the program are certainly our fine bands and choirs, however there is a hidden gem in our district ...

If you happen to walk past the VHS band room during a theory class you will most likely not hear what you would expect. Typically, you hear small or large groups of students working diligently on mastering challenging repertoire, but if it is during a theory period, you would hear in depth discussions of voice leading, tone rows, Neapolitan chords, and counterpoint amongst many other things. Students who enroll in music theory at VHS learn the academics and aesthetics of what makes music work. They start with the basic building blocks of rhythm, intervals, and scales and progress to college level discussions of intricate details that made the masterpieces what they are.

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The theory curricula at Verona High School prides itself on embracing the classic vocabulary and language of the Western European canon (Haydn, Mozart, Schubert) while pushing the envelope of a typical high school theory class.

In addition to preparing for the rigorous Advanced Placement exam in May, our students engage in intensive rhythmic activities, read and discuss scholarly articles about education, and pick a complete symphony to study for the year. In addition to learning the science behind composition and orchestration, theory students develop and hone their ear training skills. Through ear training, students gain the ability to transcribe what they hear as well as developing the ability to examine a piece of music and “hear” it inside their heads. These fine students are kept busy~ In 2016, Dr. Jennifer Snodgrass of Appalachian State University surveyed the two hundred plus quarter finalists of the Grammy Music Educator award to garner their thoughts on music theory. Mr. Erik Lynch, music teacher at Verona High School, was part of this process. This past school year, Dr. Snodgrass “Skyped” into the Advanced Placement music theory class at VHS. She was thrilled with the work the students were doing, specifically the activities that went beyond the typical framework of high school/university music theory classes.

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Snodgrass will include our theory classes in her new book Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches, published by Oxford University Press. There will also be short teaching videos on the YouTube Channel that accompany the text.

Feel free to visit bridgingthemusictheorygap.wordpress.com for more information!

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Name?

What’s in a

By Mrs. Yvette McNeal, HBW Principal - Olmsted House

We use his name every day: Henry B., H.B., H.B.W., but, if put on the spot, could we tell you who he was? Most of our staff and students know that he was a doctor, but why is our school named for him? What qualities did he embody which galvanized the community, and how does his legacy live on at H.B.W?

Henry B. Whitehorne was born in New York City to Henry Whitehorne and Matilda Watts Cooper in 1846. His father, a Greek scholar, was teaching in Mississippi at the outbreak of the Civil War. The family made a difficult journey back North as they were Union sympathizers. When Henry was eighteen, he joined the Union Navy and fought in the Civil War until its end. He stayed in the navy which brought him to the West Indies, Brazil, Africa, India, China, and Japan. It could be said that he personified the idea of being a global citizen – one of the traits we work to cultivate in our students today.

member of Mountainside Staff, spoke of Dr. Whitehorne in this way: To my mind his greatest belief has been that the greatest happiness that can come to the human heart, grows

’’

’’

To my mind his greatest belief has been that the greatest happiness that can come to the human heart, grows out of helping others.

Upon leaving the navy, Henry B. studied medicine at Albany Medical College. It is said that he decided on medicine because he had witnessed his brother suffer a long illness. He moved to Verona around 1874 to become an assistant to Dr. Personnette, Verona’s local doctor. After Dr. Personnette’s death, Dr. Whitehorne became the area’s physician and served in many capacities in the area until his retirement in 1932. During his time in Verona, he became a founding doctor at Mountainside Hospital and ministered to the boys at the Newark City Home which stood on the grounds of Verona High School.

Our historical records in the H.B.W. Media Center are a treasure trove of letters to Dr. Whitehorne thanking him for his “faithful work”.

His portrait was presented to Mountainside Hospital with great ceremony. Dr. Areson a 16

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out of helping others. Dr. Whitehorne personified service – service to country, service to his town, and service to the individuals in it.

Current programs at H.B.W. – our Peer Leaders, Heroes and Cool Kids, The Dream Team, Jump Rope for Heart, and all of the fundraising events we host to help others is a testament to this ideal.

Not only was Dr. Whitehorne a leader in his profession, but he also served on the Verona Board of Education for many years. He was instrumental in the push for expanding the school system from the little white building that stood on Bloomfield Avenue to the red brick “Bloomfield Avenue School” to the construction of the high school in the Civic Center circa 1923. The little white schoolhouse and the red brick grammar school have since been demolished, but a

picture of the white school house and a model Bloomfield Avenue School can be viewed in the H.B.W. lobby and auditorium.

Dr. Whitehorne was gracious and humble in receiving the honor of the new high school’s being named for him. His wife, Katherine, reported that he asked of her: Why do you suppose they did that when there were so many… in this town that might have been given that honor, seems to me. Graciousness and humility are two components of kindness that we are working to instill in our students at H.B.W. and are highlighted in our Kind Club and Kindness Campaign.

During Dr. Whitehorne’s portrait dedication at Mountainside Hospital, a portrait that now hangs in the H.B.W. lobby, Dr. Harris asked: Is this life an inspiration to those who have witnessed it? Yes, a thousand times yes, for it has left its imprint through the heredity of those who have been improved with it, and that imprint will be carried down through the ages and when eons have been built upon eons, there will still be here on earth, those whose lives are being moulded by the life that he has lived, and is now living. To have done that, it seems to me, is to have lived gloriously – almost divinely.

Let us all at H.B.W. be guided by this precept!

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�e Forest Avenue SCA, A School-Community Partnership

By Jeffrey Monacelli, Principal of Forest Avenue School

Forest Avenue School is a partnership between teachers, administration, staff, students and families. As referenced in the Verona Public Schools mission statement, it is “the center of an engaged and supportive community.” A vital arm of Forest Avenue School is the School Community Association (SCA). The SCA promotes the welfare of students in the home, school and community. It is a partnership between educators, parents and members of the general public to support students and provide them with the highest advantages in physical, intellectual, social and moral education.

The SCA is charged with developing programs and activities that provide for the exchange of information and opinions among educators, children and parents, the disseminating of legislative information concerning the educational process, providing supplemental educational activities and programs during school and nonschool hours and encouraging parental participation in school programs and activities. The mission of the Forest Avenue SCA is built on three foundational pillars: 1) Build a sense of community; 2) Provide/support enrichment activities; 3) Supplement/enhance Forest Avenue School materials and SCA activities.

It’s not just a bake sale anymore. The 2018 Forest SCA is comprised of an eight member executive board and over 40 committees. Each committee has a chair and several parent volunteers. The executive board meets monthly and the committees meet numerous times to plan and carry out their events which supplement and enhance the regular school program.

The 2017-18 school year began with the launching of the Forest Avenue SCA Facebook page, introduced to keep parents informed of school information, activities and events through social media. The SCA also publishes a weekly

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newsletter that outlines important events taking place the following week and month. To foster a sense of community, Forest Fridays morphed out of the annual spirit wear sale. Students and staff members are encouraged to wear Forest Avenue clothing on Fridays to 90th Celebration promote school spirit.

At the end of October, the SCA sponsored a weeklong celebration of the school’s 90th anniversary. Over the course of the week the school community participated in a series of events that included taking a picture of all the students and staff forming a “human 90”, providing historical facts from 1927 to the present via the morning announcements, conducting alumni interviews, creating a memory tree with students favorite Forest memories, burying a time capsule and planting a tree with a colorful 90 in front of it designed from rocks painted by the students. The culminating Forest Fridays activity was having the Verona High School band and cheerleaders join the students, staff, alumni and district administrators for a celebration that included music, cheers, speeches and singing Happy Birthday to the school. There was also a surprise visit from the school’s bulldog mascot.

Through the district climate survey, the school administration learned that Forest parents were

interested in enrichment opportunities for their children after school. The principal enlisted the SCA to work with Flex Academy, an outside vendor, to provide a variety of enrichment experiences for Forest students. Parents can enroll their children in these stimulating activities for a nominal fee. Classes that have been offered so far include theater, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math), art and chess.

The SCA encourages community outreach. The children participate in donation and fundraising events for UNICEF, Progeria Research Foundation, Verona Fights Hunger, Heavenly Hats Foundation and Happiness is Sharing which assists families in need during the holidays. Through these activities, the children learn the value of helping others.

Forest Fights Hunger

The SCA’s largest fundraiser of the year, which usually nets about $10,000 is supermarket scrip.

This “effortless” fundraising activity does not require parents to spend money or time on the traditional fundraising methods but instead focuses on something everyone does - grocery shopping. Parents purchase scrip through the SCA that they can use at the specific supermarkets where they buy their groceries. For every dollar they spend on scrip, they get that amount back in the form of a gift card. The school then gets a percentage of the scrip that is sold.

The SCA’s generosity includes start-up funds in September and mid-year gifts in January for teachers to purchase special items for their individual classrooms. They also provide refreshments for the Thanksgiving Feast, Walk to School Day activities, cultural arts assemblies, a carnival event, the 4th grade trip to Tomahawk Lake, 4th grade yearbooks, class picture oversight, book fair, a family fun night, a family outing, the Festival of Jack-O-Lanterns, library volunteers, lunchtime crafts, a parent-teacher gathering, pre-k workshops, Secret Shoppe holiday shopping, a

spiritwear sale, the 4th grade car wash to raise funds for the legacy gift, funding to offset the cost of class trips and Teacher Appreciation Week activities. These and other events that they offer enhance the teaching and learning at the school.

At the end of the school year, the SCA provides the school with major gifts based on how much profit is remaining in their treasury after funding their yearly activities. During the 17-18 school year, the remaining funds were used to purchase six short throw projectors and eleven laptop computers so that each homeroom classroom is now equipped with an interactive projector and laptop computer. Prior to this, only one or two projector/computer �anksgiving Feast set-ups were purchased each year.

It would have taken five years to complete this initiative but with the SCA’s assistance, it only took two years.

The SCA encourages every parent to get involved with at least one activity or event during the school year. With more families having both parents in the workforce, they afford working parents opportunities to participate and be part of the community during non traditional working hours.

In January of 2015, the Forest Avenue School library was in desperate need of a facelift. The room had a worn out carpet, faded paint, old bookshelves, outdated circulation desk, old projector and laptop and an air conditioner that spewed water and did not adequately cool the room. The principal approached the SCA to see if they could assist with purchasing a few items to make the room more presentable.

Renovated Library Instead of just purchasing a couple of items as a band-aid approach, the SCA decided to VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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develop an ambitious fundraising plan to makeover the entire library.

The first step was to consult with a local architect, Frank Messineo of Solutions Architecture who volunteered his services to provide strategic consulting on how the library could be designed. �e Falcone Family Forest parent Teresa Boyd, co-owner of Olive Hill Design assisted with developing the color scheme for the paint and carpet. Mrs. Freda, the Forest Avenue library/media specialist consulted on what types of furniture should be purchased.

The fundraising for the library renovation project began with a generous donation of $10,000 from the Thomas J. Falcone Memorial Fund. The fund was established when Thomas Falcone passed away at the age of 35 as a result of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his brain. He fought this condition for 20 years. Thomas Falcone’s family members have been Verona residents for 60 years.

Thomas and his siblings attended the Verona Public Schools. His mother, Cathryn attended Forest Avenue School and his niece, Reese and nephew, Chase are current Forest students. The family established the memorial fund in his honor because they wanted to honor his memory and ensure that his courage would continue to inspire others. The $10,000 Forest Carnival donation was a wonderful start for the library renovation. The SCA was determined to raise the rest of the money necessary to provide the library with a complete renovation as quickly as possible. They held two Casino Nights (one in March 2015 and another in March of 2017) which raised total net profit of $16,000. An additional $3,000 was contributed through the class of 2016 and class of 2017 legacy gifts and the 2016 22

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Conference of SCAs Harlem Wizards fundraiser.

The new library is now enjoyed by the current Forest students and includes new carpeting, circulation desk, shelving units, reading nook, Lego wall makerspace area, laptop computer, projector, screen, air conditioner and a mural being painted by Forest Avenue art teacher Lisa Varuolo.

The library renovation project was truly a school-community partnership that included support from Forest parents, staff, students and the Thomas J. Falcone Memorial Fund. This two-year community effort produced a beautiful new library that will be enjoyed by students for many years to come.

The SCA provides funding and support on a regular basis during the course of the school year to enhance all aspects of the school. The organization is made up of dedicated and supportive parents and family members who work tirelessly all year long as a partner with the school to provide a nurturing school environment as well as the funding for so many programs, events and materials that supplement and enhance teaching and learning at the school. Forest Avenue School truly embodies their motto “A community of learners”. The entire school community interacts and participates in order for the children to experience and grow in a safe and stimulating environment.

Family Fun Night

A closer look at

VERONA’S TECHNOLOGY improvements.

By Mr. Eltion Ballaj, Manager of Technology o start off the 2017 – 2018 school year, the district completed the installation of an up to date network infrastructure and upgraded its Wireless Access System to accommodate all district devices as well as students’ personal devices through a bring your own device policy (BYOD). With many hours of work from both the Verona IT department and its partner companies such as Dell, Google, and Alcatel, students and staff can now connect to the internet from almost any location of our school buildings with no connectivity issues.

...the district deployed over 1,000 Chromebook devices throughout its schools, giving our students a flexible learning environment.

With the implementation of the Google G-Suite for Education in 2015, the district deployed over 1,000 Chromebook devices throughout its schools, giving our students a flexible learning environment. G-Suite for Education made it possible for students and teachers to share information, assignments, and homework from anywhere on any device that has internet connectivity.

Currently there are over 2,000 Google Classrooms created on our domain with over 400 of them active per day.

As technology advances, so does the need for enhanced digital security. The district improved school security by implementing solutions ranging from closed caption TV, building access control, and visitor management systems with intercom capability.

With more and more students connected to the internet, the need for enhanced cybersecurity was necessary. The Verona IT department implemented different technologies to keep students and staff safe from cyber attacks. The IT Department configured its network to allow incoming connections to only approved internet traffic. With a local firewall system in place, all traffic is scanned for malware and any potential cyber threats. The implementation of a web filtering system monitors and blocks inappropriate and potentially malicious websites. Student and staff data are saved on the cloud on the secured Google’s G-Suite for Education servers.

Even though data are on Google’s secured servers, the district implemented a cloud filtering solutions specific to G-Suite for Education to monitor, scan and protect its users from phishing and cyber-attacks.

Although it is not possible to block all cyber-attacks, the Verona IT department is doing its best to further expand the technology in our district and maintain a safe learning environment for our students.

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SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTING TEACHERS IN THE VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By Mr. Charles Miller, Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

W

hen the evaluation code was updated in New Jersey, the new law, AchieveNJ, was created for the 2013-14 school year, and the one essential piece with respect to observations that was not significantly addressed was the frequency or number of teacher observations in the classroom.

AchieveNJ required administrators or supervisors to observe at least two formal observations of tenured teachers per year and at least three formal observations of non-tenured teachers per year. The law previously stated at least one formal observation for tenured teachers at least three for non-tenured teachers. Therefore, the essential question is: Does two or three

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observations actually help a teacher improve his or her craft with curriculum, instruction, and assessment?

Let’s take a step back and review the world of coaching athletics for a moment. When an individual is hired to coach an athletic team, isn’t the expectation that a coach will work with a child more than three times per year? Of course, you would say, a coach normally works with student-athletes from two to six days a week. The lessons that are taught (and learned) quickly improve the student’s skills on the playing field, whether it is soccer, basketball, or track, and the result is that his or her performance level, understanding, and communication will increase with

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practice and feedback. Additionally, coaching a child several times per week can improve his or her skills and confidence as long as the coaching or teaching is well-planned and nurtured by the coach.

So what would happen if administrators and supervisors would be able to observe or visit the teachers they support more often than two to three times per year? Well, using the same premise as with coaching in the previous paragraph, a teacher’s skills could conceivably improve with planning, curriculum, instruction, and assessing students if she or he experienced more classroom visits from a supervisor or administrator.

While it is not realistic for a supervisor or administrator to visit each teacher they are responsible for on a weekly basis, it is possible for him or her to visit each teacher on a monthly basis - whether it is with a formal observation or a walkthrough. A walkthrough occurs when a supervisor or administrator visits a teacher’s classroom unannounced for 10 to 15 minutes and briefly shares with the teacher the strengths of what

was observed as well as an area for improvement as soon as possible after the classroom visit.

Kim Marshall, a teacher, central office administrator, and principal in the Boston Public Schools for 32 years, was one of the first administrators who wrote about the effectiveness of walkthroughs. He found the formal procedures associated with a formal observation, which included a pre-conference, observation, post-conference, and a lengthy written narrative of the experience, to be cumbersome and frustrating for at least a few reasons.

First, the process of formal observations was time-consuming and prevented the administrator or supervisor from visiting classrooms more frequently.

Second, Marshall saw that the structure of formal observations was complex and the amount of feedback from only one formal observation could be overwhelming to a teacher.

As a result, he decided to visit his teachers more often (at least once per month), spent about 10 to 15 minutes in each room (instead of 45 to 60 minutes), and held brief, focused conversations with his teachers within 24 to 48 hours after his classroom visit. What Marshall experienced was uplifting, for both he and his teachers enjoyed this new approach, for it developed trust, it was

informative and specific, and most importantly, it provided immediate feedback to the teacher. In summary, the instructional coaching relationship between the teacher and administrator or supervisor became stronger after each visit.

Three years ago, the Verona Administrative Team discussed at length and concluded that two to three formal observations per year was not enough time to support their teachers. After reading, discussing, and understanding Marshall’s philosophy and approach to supervision, the administrative team decided to visit their teachers on a monthly basis, whether it was with a formal observation or a walkthrough. Three years later, the administrative team agrees that visiting teachers more frequently has improved their teachers planning, comprehension of curriculum, delivery of instruction, and understanding of formative and summative assessments. Additionally, the administrative team has found that using both methods of supervision has developed and cultivated a stronger professional relationship between the administrator or supervisor and teacher, which ultimately benefits the students.

Formal Observations vs Walkthrough Visits 300 250

Formal Observation

Formal Observation Walkthrough

281

6.7%

6.7%

200 150 119

100 69

50 16

Sept

Oct

126

93.3%

78 36

0

130

120

117

Nov

Dec

28

Jan

Walkthrough 93.3%

39

Feb

Our administrative team formally observes our tenured teachers at least two times per year and non-tenured teachers at least three times per year.

The goal is to formally observe or conduct at least one monthly walkthrough for each teacher every month.

The pie chart above compares the percentage of formal observations versus the number of walkthroughs completed from September 2017 through February 2018. For every 1 formal observation, there are 15 walkthrough visits to additionally support our teachers!

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book clubs:

By Dr. Sumit Bangia, Supervisor of Humanities

Building Reading Communities with High School Students One of the key goals at Verona High School is to help students develop a positive reading identity and cultivate classroom reading communities where students can engage in insightful and respectful dialogue about shared reading experiences. According to the National Council of Teachers of English, in a 2004 study, students with greater access to books tend to read, students who read more tend to improve as readers, and reading improvement tends to spill over into other areas of development.

Teachers at VHS have incorporated book clubs in their classes to achieve this academic goal.

Book clubs are teacher guided and student led. Specifically, students engage in discussions with classmates who have read the same book. Book club expert Cindy O’Donnell Allen has found that book clubs “inspire students to become readers for life by providing them with in-school experiences that approximate those of readers outside of school” (37).

Students engage in discussions that “tend to be free-flowing” and the “ideas and functions mingle so completely that no one can take sole credit for the final outcome” (O’Donnell, 13). A final assessment project is completed by students at the conclusion of the book club to help monitor student understanding of their chosen book. Assessments are guided by the themes, characters and/or cultural norms explored in the book read by students.

Book clubs were initially introduced with the freshmen students enrolled in English I during the 2016-2017 school year. Students selected reading material for their book clubs from a list of vetted books that explore a variety of literary themes and topics, including fulfilling your destiny, expanding your global/social perspectives, the teenage experience, challenging societal norms, team/group dynamics, STEM, and stories in history. The school librarian Ms. Maria Mayo conducted book talks to help students select books that best matched their interests.

The book club initiative was expanded to st udents in English II classes this current school year. New themes, such as dystopia, immigration, and other current issues that impact adolescents in America, were added to reflect the sophomore curriculum and the students’ increased maturity.

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Students lead many of the book talks with Ms. Mayo providing support. Ms. Mayo stated, “It has been truly gratifying to see the level of student ownership of the book clubs increase over the course of the past school year.”

In addition to expanding book clubs to sophomore English students, Spanish classes are now utilizing the book club framework with only one book choice. All students in Spanish III classes are reading the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan in Spanish. The primary focus of book club in the Spanish classes is to build students’ proficiency by engaging in fluid conversations in the target language. Ms. Kenya Velarde and Ms. Jessica Calvo, VHS Spanish teachers, have shared that students are now reporting thinking in Spanish and have been exploring various perspectives on social and cultural issues.

The impact of book clubs has been overwhelmingly positive.

Students shared that they loved talking about the books because the topics were interesting and relatable.

Current ninth-grade student Mariam Girgis said, "I like that the book clubs are led by the students and that there are a lot of choices, so it really is for everyone. I also like that it doesn't feel like a homework assignment. It feels like something that you do for fun."

Dakota Tramel, another ninth-grade student, shared, "The book club gets you to talk to other people that you might not usually talk to. It is also great because you get to talk about a book that you enjoy with other people who feel the same way." Teachers have also enjoyed the unit. Ms. Taylor DeMaio, a ninth-grade English teacher at VHS, shared that the book clubs provided students with full autonomy over how their sessions were run. By circulating and joining in student discussions, Ms. DeMaio sensed their genuine interest in the novels and the conversations.

Students took ownership from day one, resulting in nearly 100% engagement and participation from start to finish within the sessions themselves and the unit as a whole. Mrs. Alice Kobylarz, also a ninth-grade English teacher, reported that she enjoyed “watching the students prepare and present their final assessment projects. Last year, it was gratifying to see the students work collaboratively to turn their ideas and discussion points into a creative product. With so many different books and different groups, I had to fully turn the reins over to the students and they absolutely took charge.

As educators, we understand demands As educators, we understand the the demands thatthat our our students face on a daily basis.

Due to full students face on a daily basis. Due to full schedules, schedules, oftendo feel that they not or students often students feel that they not have thedotime have the time or direction to read for pleasure.

By direction to read for pleasure. By providing guidance providing guidance and carving out time in the The book club initiative also helped to increase book and carving out time in the classroom, book clubs have classroom, book clubs have allowed our high circulation in the learning commons. Ms. Mayo shared that the allowed our high school students to rediscover a love of school students to rediscover a love of books and book club experience allowed students to build their reader the book club experience allowed students to build their books and engage in meaningful, organic conversations engage in meaningful, organic identities; students now know like andlike what reader identities; students nowwhat knowthey what they andthey about text—the building blocks to conversations creating lifelong about text—the building blocks to creating don’t like.

Ms. Mayo stated that most importantly, “Book clubs what they don’t like. Ms. Mayo stated that most importantly, readers. lifelong readers. offered an opportunity for me to build relationships with “Book clubs offered an opportunity for me to build relationstudents. am able toI am match ships withI students. able to match students to books students to books based their based on their experienceonwith experience with books they read in books they read in their book their book club. ” Book club choices club.” Book club choices and and students’ reactions totext the text students’ reactions to the will will also inform our collection also inform our collection develdevelopment theschool next school opment for thefornext year. year.

As we develop a culture of As we develop a culture of reading reading at VHS, we hope to offer at VHS, we hope to offer book club book club to juniors choices to choices juniors next year, next year, providing these students providing these students an an opportunity to discuss current issues in America through a literary issues in America through a lens. literary lens.

Through their unique presentations, they taught one another and me about the manythe great books available through the another and me about many great books available book clubs, inspiring us all to read. ” through the book clubs, inspiring us all to read.”

“If werea ayoung young person “If IIwere person today, trying to again a today, trying to gain sense of inmyself in the ofsense myself the world, I world, I would that would do that again do by readagain as I ing, justbyasreading, I did whenjust I was did when I was young.” young.”

MayaAngelou Angelou -- Maya

ODonnell-Allen, Cindy. The Book Club Companion: Fostering Strategic Readers in the Secondary Classroom. Heinemann, 2006 ODonnell-Allen, Cindy. The Book Club Companion: Fostering Strategic Readers in the Secondary Classroom. Heinemann, 2006.

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English as a Second Language

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ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Each spring the ESL students’ reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills are assessed in the content areas of reading and language arts, math, science, and social studies with an on-line, secure assessment called ACCESS 2.0. According to the WIDA consortium (www.wida.us), the purpose and use of ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 includes the following:

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Helps students and families understand students’ current level of English language proficiency along the developmental continuum.

Provides teachers with information they can subsequently use to enhance instruction and learning in programs for their English language learners.

Serves as one of multiple measures used to determine whether students are prepared to exit English language support programs.

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Generate information to assist ELL language proficiency in content area classrooms without program support.

Provides districts with information that will help them evaluate the effectiveness of their ESL/bilingual programs.

Meets, and exceeds, federal requirements for the monitoring and reporting of ELLs' progress toward English language proficiency.

Facilities Improvements

by Mr. Joe Trause, Director of Facilities The recent referendum may be behind us but our maintenance and custodial team along with the support of contractors have been busy keeping our schools and grounds safe and adequately maintained.

For the 2017/2018 school year our staff has been working on accomplishing goals set forth in our budgeted projects. One of our major projects completed was a total enhancement of the Verona High School weight room into a significantly improved fitness center. Our team also completed the renovation of the technology server room where our network infrastructure is located to ensure proper functioning of our district technology.

Additional facilities projects throughout the district include landscaping beautification, stair tread replacement that improves aesthetics and safety, restroom renovations, gymnasium floor refurbishment, and a paved walkway around the VHS upper field. A special thank you to our custodial and maintenance staff for all of their hard work and efforts to help make our schools a safe and inviting place for children to learn.

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F.N. Brown School Stair Tread Replacement Installation of Air Conditioners Installation of Playground Mulch Roof Repairs SCA Paver Installation

Forest Avenue School Installation of Playground Mulch Replace Floor Tile Computer Room Roof Repairs Restoration of the Restroom Landscaping Front of School Installation of Water Fountain Replace Univent motors

Brookdale Avenue School

Installation of Playground Mulch Stair Tread Replacement Water Fountain Installation Masonry Repairs Roof Repairs Restroom Renovation Replacement of Stage Curtains Landscaping Front of School

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Laning Avenue School Replace Floor Tile Multi Purpose Room Door Hardware Installation Installation of Playground Mulch Replacement Stage Curtains Roof Repairs Water Fountain Installation Rebuild the Parking Lot Storm Drain Replace Floor Tiles Room 110

H.B. Whitehorne Middle School Sand and Paint Gym Floor Water Fountain Installation Masonry Repairs Renovation Speech Room Renovation LLD Room Running Track Repairs Renovation of Office Renovate the Server Room Science Room Renovation Stair Tread Replacement

Verona High School Roof Repairs Carpet Replacement Locker Refurbishing Hall Gymnasium Floor Recoating Renovation of the Fitness Center Landscaping front of School Phase 1 of Tree Plantings Renovate Server Room Masonry Repairs Installation of Air Conditioning Installation of Paved Walkway Around Upper Field Restroom Renovation Lower Field Parge the Retaining wall on the Lower Field Water Fountain Installation VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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LIVE!

...from 18 Laning Road

By Mr. Howard Freund, Principal of Laning Avenue School

Well... maybe it’s taped and not actually live, but many of the students at Laning Avenue school are experiencing what it is like to be part of a video broadcast and other video productions. This project started in the 2016-2017 school year when Mr. Samples, a third grade teacher, and the principal, Mr. Freund were simultaneously coming up with proposals to complement the programming at Laning with multimedia technology.

Mr. Freund was interested in having the older students write their own news stories and report them in a taped news show aired weekly to all Laning classrooms. At the same time, Mr. Samples was beginning to work on a grant application to purchase video production equipment with the hopes of adding multimedia to the third grade Poetry Slam and some of the third grade Social Studies and Language Arts assignments. Knowing that Mr. Samples had a great deal of experience in media, Mr. Freund approached him about equipment suggestions. At that point they realized that they should combine their efforts and work on setting up a small “green screen” studio in one of the rooms that was free at times.

The idea was presented to the incredible Laning SCA and they quickly ordered all of the equipment. Through the generosity of the Laning SCA, the school was able to purchase a green screen, camera, lighting equipment, and a dedicated computer capable of working with large video files.

Laning is just getting started in utilizing multimedia to enhance student connections to content. Students enjoy and learn a great deal from the authentic experience of creating presentations and broadcasts. Students are encouraged and given the freedom to discover interests, express creativity, and possibly uncover a lifelong passion.

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Laning Live!

Interested fourth grade students sign up to be part of the broadcast program. They are randomly assigned broadcast teams and given the task of finding an appropriate and interesting news story to present. Past story segments have include: student polls and surveys, staff interviews, kindergarten and new student first impressions.

Once a broadcast team has finished writing their pieces, they will stay after school and tape their segments. Segments are then edited and compiled complete with a typical news background. Once credits are in and the editing process is complete, the “Laning Live Theme Song�, composed and recorded by Mr. Morden, is added in and the video is sent to staff to show their students.

Social Studies Students do research on the regions of the United States and compose informational writings highlighting characteristics and interesting facts. They then rehearse their presentations and finally tape them in front of a green screen. After taping their presentation, the green screen is replaced by a defining setting of that region.

Language Arts Students compose their own poetry as part of the third grade curriculum. They are then taped in front of the green screen and choose a background that complements their subject material. The presentations are edited and compiled and screened for all third grade students and their families.Students also create video book reports/reviews.

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Financial Support for the Success of our Schools

By Cheryl Nardino, Business Administrator

The primary responsibility of the Business Office is the management of all finances for our school district. These include the performance of purchasing, payroll, accounts payable, financial planning, and budgeting.

These areas are the responsibility of the Business Administrator along with lease purchasing and bond financing. The Business administrator also oversees the annual audit, health & other staff benefits programs, transportation, and the cafeteria program.

The greatest challenge the district faces in terms of our budget is the continuance of the 2% NJ cap on tax levy. Although there is a 2% cap, banked cap and the election of budget waivers allows the district to create a budget that is above the cap. From budget

years 2012-2013 to 2018-19, the tax levy increases have ranged from 2.37% and 3.08.

The budget timeline and budget process begins in November when the administrative team identifies the needs of each school and every department budget. In December, the Business Administrator and Superintendent review those budgets in preparation of the budget to the Board of Education. Beginning in January, the budget is reviewed and discussed in each respective Board sub-committee. The preliminary budget is adopted at the end of March each year. The annual budget presentation and adoption of the final budget occurs at the end of April.

The budget is effective beginning July 1 of each year through June 30 the following year.

5 YEAR BUDGET SUMMARY 2013- 2014 ADOPTED

2017- 2018 ADOPTED

2018- 2019 ADOPTED

5 YEAR CAGR*

SALARIES

$16,956,742

$17,087,972

$16,930,169

-.92%

-0.03%

BENEFITS

$4,690,638

$5,017,023

$5,223,413

4.31%

2.21%

SPECIAL EDUCATION

$6,222,589

$8,274,512

$9,106,517

10.02%

7.91%

NONDISCRETIONARY

$2,014,437

$2,192,285

$2,089,372

-4.69%

0.73%

DISCRETIONARY

$1,107,950

$1,103,971

$1,042,916

-5.53%

-1.20%

TOTAL

$30,992,356

$33,675,763

$34,399,387

2.15%

2.11%

*Compounded Annual Growth Rate 34

1-YEAR CHANGE

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When the Board presents the budget, the expenditures are summarized in four major categories: ● Salaries and benefits comprise 65% of the budget ($22,163,582) ● All special education expenditures including the respective salaries in the program, encompass 26% of the budget ($9,103,517) ● Non-discretionary expenditures, which are those necessary in operation of the district (i.e. professional development, curriculum writing, custodial/maintenance supplies), include 6% of the budget ($2,089,517) ● Discretionary spending is 3% of the budget and are those items that can be deferred to subsequent years, but are ultimately required to support programs and co-curricular activities. ($1,042,916) TOTAL SPENDING PER PUPIL

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES

EXTRACURRICULAR

AVERAGE PROPERTY TAXES

$16,180

$256

$600

$12,586

$14,840

$427

$500

$11,012

$14,607

$384

$557

$19,659

KINNELON BORO

$16,455

$267

$596

$14,574

MADISON BORO

$15,592

$268

$579

$12,916

MAHWAH TWP

$18,329

$242

$545

$8,499

NEW PROVIDENCE BORO

$13,725

$353

$492

$13,871

RAMSEY BORO

$19,007

$245

$506

$12,279

VERONA BORO

$12,843 (1st Lowest)

$288 (6th Lowest)

$440 (1st Lowest)

$11,285 (3rd Lowest)

SCHOOL DISTRICT

BERKELY HIEGHTS TWP CALDWELL WEST- CALDWELL GLENN RIDGE BORO

In terms of revenues, Verona property taxes fund 94.69% of the budget, followed by state aid that amounts to 3.23% of the overall revenue stream. The balance of the revenues is made up of extraordinary aid, tax relief from prior year excess surplus, student tuition, rental income, and miscellaneous revenue.

Despite these challenges, the Verona Public Schools takes great pride in our collective success and achievements of not only our students, but our dedicated and exceptional staff. On a comparative basis, the NJ Department of Education lists Verona as 11th lowest spending in our peer group of 71 like school districts.

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VERONA SCHOOL’S COUNSELING DEPARTMENT:

More Than Just Academics The mission of the Verona School District’s School Counseling Department is to provide a comprehensive counseling program that supports students’ academic, career, and social and emotional development through education, prevention, intervention, and referral services. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, we are dedicated toensuring students gain a heightened sense of responsibility, maturity, and the skills needed to continue on their journey to becoming productive, well-adjusted citizens.

Adapted from American School Counselor Association, 2012 Mental Health in schools has been in the spotlight across the country. According to a recent study, there are strong and consistent correlations between increased amounts of school counseling services and positive student outcomes (Dimmitt and Wilkerson, 2012). Last year, the district developed an action committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

The group, consisting of key Verona stakeholders, worked together to make recommendations for developing a compre hensive support system for students districtwide. A comprehensive list of health and wellness resources can be found on the district website. In addition, some notable changes have been made in the school counseling department.

Verona High School has added an additional school counselor to its team. The addition of another staff member has reduced caseloads below the 250:1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association. Smaller caseloads allow a more student-centered approach. School counselors have hour long family meetings with all students in grades 9-11.

These meetings focus on student well-being, individual goals and interests, as well as academic planning. The high school counselors also meet for a half hour with 8th grade families to discuss courses for their 9th grade year as well as assist in the transition to the high school. Counselors can be seen with students in the classroom, discussing college essays and the application process. In addition to college and career counseling, they can also be found in their office with individual or small groups of students assisting in conflict resolution, providing

strategies for success, or assisting in crisis management.

Smaller caseloads have allowed counselors to work more closely with students and develop positive and lasting relationships.

Another counseling initiative has moved our Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) to a districtwide position. The SAC now provides services in all buildings, including elementary schools where services were previously limited. In the beginning of the year, counseling groups were developed based on needs at each school. The Student Assistance created groups based on decision making, social skills, healthy relationships, and mindfulness. In addition, the SAC is teaching classroom lessons at the elementary level based on the Social Emotional Learning Curriculum that teaches critical social competencies necessary for academic and life success such as resiliency, self-management, and responsible decision-making skills.

The action committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention continues to meet to reflect on current practices and programs and make recommendations for new initiatives, such as the PBSIS (Positive Behavioral Supports in Schools) program. As a counseling department, it is our goal to focus on the social and emotional well-being of students that will pave the way for student success. Our partnership with families and community resources will continue to play a pivotal role in meeting the needs of our students.

Carey Dimmitt and Belinda Wilkerson (2012) Comprehensive School Counseling in Rhode Island: Access to Services and Student Outcomes.

Professional School Counseling: December 2012, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 125-135.

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H.B. Whitehorne Students Advance to the National History Day Contest

By Miss Rebecca Hadjiloucas

Three eighth grade students from H.B. Whitehorne Middle School have been chosen to represent the state of New Jersey at the 2018 National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland, College Park. There, they will join other students from across the country to celebrate their historical research and compete for a coveted national medal.

Eighth-graders Ella Mathewson, Emma Sheehan, and Meghan Kenneally earned top honors at the New Jersey History Day state competition held at William Paterson University of New Jersey on May 5, 2018. New Jersey History Day is an educational program designed for students in grades 6-12. Throughout the school year, students conduct research of primary and secondary resources in order to prepare presentations based on an annual theme. The program culminates in a series of contests held at the regional, state, and national level.

sources, placed the students at the forefront of their own learning. This kind of problem-based inquiry establishes unique opportunities for discovery that textbooks and lectures simply cannot; it helps students bring social studies to life. Building research skills and practicing proper citations by working with Mrs. Jennifer Kleinknecht, the knowledgeable media specialist, reinforces the importance of all stages of the research process. Additionally, while one of the greatest sources of nerves for the students has been in anticipating their presentation and interaction with judges, they all agree that this public speaking experience is valuable. In this way, Verona’s inclusion of the National History Day model is of significant advantage to students, especially in preparing them for the rigor of AP level courses at the high school and beyond, into college and career.

Their teacher, Miss Rebecca Hadjiloucas, is proud of her students’ continued dedication to refining their historical argument and website design. She encourages students at the middle school who are interested in history to pursue the History Day elective, which is offered in the second marking period of their eighth grade year.

The H.B. Whitehorne students created a website showcasing the historic Students Ella Mathewson, Emma Sheehan, and importance of the women’s suffrage Meaghan Keanneally movement in connection with this year’s present to judges theme: conflict and compromise. Their website features primary source images, quotes, analysis of historical documents, and seeks to H.B. Whitehorne Middle School and the Verona School connect the women’s suffrage movement to continued District congratulate Ella, Emma, and Meghan for their progress surrounding women’s rights and equality in the hard work and wish them continued success! present day.

For more information on New Jersey History Day, please The eighth-graders faced many of the same difficulties contact the state coordinator at: that established historians face when grappling with njhistoryday@wpunj.edu. Or, visit the National History their own research. Selecting and narrowing down a Day website at: http://nhd/org. topic, in addition to finding, evaluating, and interpreting VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAGAZINE

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oving Toward a Maker Mindset

By Mrs. Nicole Stuto, Principal of Brookdale Avenue School

"I have had the pleasure of watching the students use the makerspace and stem activities on a variety of different occasions. With the ozobots, I've seen the kids working together in a team based approach to map out a plan, acknowledge their classmates’ ideas and suggestions, and incorporate it into their end programming design. It's amazing to watch the class have such a great time learning how to program and code in a supportive fun environment."

Dr. Jeannette Simon- Brookdale mom of Sophia (4th grade) and Lily (Kindergarten)

W

hen we think about the qualities and values that we are hoping to instill in our children, the words teamwork, creativity, growth, collaboration, and a knowledge of literature are among them. You may have heard the term “makerspace� before- a makerspace is essentially any area where you have the opportunity to make or create, where supplies, skills and ideas are shared, and where teamwork is essential.

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Many libraries have found that maker culture fit naturally with their existing missions and have begun to incorporate this type of learning as a way to enhance lessons.

Mrs. Walker has taken the goals of the library curriculum and transformed them to meet the needs of our 21st century learners. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are merged with thinking empathetically about the needs of characters in a story. The infusion of these learning goals into library instruction have allowed our students to connect and engage with literature, while using STEM and design thinking to foster an inquiry based approach to learning.

STEM challenges became a part of the library classroom, serving as an extension of the curriculum and with connections based in literary texts.

With the increase of chrome books throughout the building and the continued integration of technology in general education classrooms, there became less of a need for the standalone technology lab. The technology lab at Brookdale has transformed over the past year and the makerspace continues to evolve in its place.

“The makerspace is always evolving to provide opportunities for students to collaborate, create and use the design process to problem solve. The learning is directed by a specific problem that students have to brainstorm and design ways to solve or guided by student interest and passion.

Giving students access to both high-tech materials such as robotics, as well as low-tech materials such as cardboard allows students to take part in the decision making process and promotes self-directed learning. I find myself learning from the students as I watch them figure something out or find new ways to do things. It has been an incredible experience for me as an educator to see students embrace failure as an opportunity to grow and celebrate success and perseverance as they work through a challenge.”

Corisa Walker, School Librarian

Items that students utilize in the makerspace range from cardboard to Ozobot robots. Students have engaged in creating and narrating the timeline and story of Rosa Parks, and used the robots to code a move at each significant moment in her life. Another literacy connection was made when students read a book about space travel and then worked in teams using blocks and magnatiles to build something that would make life easier on a spaceship. Among some of the other available items, which were largely funded by an anonymous donation to Brookdale, are iPads, Makey Makey, Sphero, and Cubelets.

Activities in the makerspace are not just designed as “play,” but as exploration of passion and challenges that require collaboration and perseverance. The room is meant to encourage experimentation without the fear of making mistakes.

The impact that the makerspace has already had on the students is real.

There are countless lessons learned throughout the inquiry process and the real-life experiences children have encountered are certain to be ones our students will not forget.

“I think the makerspace is great because you get to create and work together as a team. We build things, are challenged, and have to learn from our mistakes.”

Sola Takahashi, Third Grade Student

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Choosing a Healthy

School-Life Balance

by Mr. Josh

J

ohn Lennon, of The Beatles, is often credited with telling a story of an assignment he received when he was a young boy. ”When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life.

When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life” (SmartCollegeVisit.com, 2012). At Verona High School, our goal is that each child grows up to have a happy and fulfilling life.

As parents we understand the importance of delaying instant gratification so that more long-terms goals can be achieved. However, we see that student stress and anxiety continues to rise in this country. Reasons for the increased stress include higher expectations to succeed in school, over connectivity on social media, and other pressures of adolescence (Schrobsdorff, 2016). In a recent survey, we asked students at VHS if they felt stressed at school. Of the student who reported feeling stressed, the most commonly cited reasons were high expectations to do well in school and having too many commitments.

The University of California, Davis, and the University of Texas at Dallas found that students saw “no firm line between their real and online worlds” (Schrobsdorff, 2016). Janis Whitlock, director of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery said that students

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Cogdill, VH

S Principal

are in a “cauldron of stimulus they can’t get away from, or don’t want to get away from, or don’t know how to get away from” (Schrobsdorff, 2016). Students today are connected 24 hours a day, participating in numerous extracurricular activities, and deciding to enroll in rigorous coursework. The constant stimulation gives little time for the students’ mind to rest and process information. So how do we reinforce to students the importance of developing a healthy life-school balance?

Verona High School has made strides in helping our students develop healthy expectations. Mrs. Gadaleta, VHS School Counselor, regularly tells students, “to please place a greater emphasis on the quality over the quantity of the things we do”. She goes on to say, “learning how to balance a schedule is a very important skill needed throughout one’s lifetime”. In our 2018-2019 Curriculum Bulletin students and parents are reminded to please consider the student’s commitments and mental health throughout the scheduling process. The VHS Counseling Department believes that students should take courses they are interested in and always consider the time commitment required of each item in the student's daily schedule.

We regularly hear parents and students say that they have to take specific courses to get into a “good college”. Mrs. Ferlauto, Director of School Counseling says, “there is a

college for everyone, and that every student can find the right fit for them”. High school should not be approached through the lens of building a resume. A positive high school experience will allow students to take interesting courses and develop positive peer relationships. Counselors and parents have a responsibility to remind students not to overextend themselves, so they may lead happy and well-adjusted lives in high school.

Barlow, D. (2001). "Doing school": How we are creating a generation of stressed out, materialistic, and miseducated students. The Education Digest, 67(4), 74-75. Retrieved from http://library.saintpeters.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-c om.library.saintpeters.edu/docview/218182727?accountid=28700

Ms. DaSilva, VHS School Counselor, encourages students “to remember that as teenager, you should take time to be connected to the present.” Ms. DaSilva went on to say that “students should spend less time comparing themselves to their classmates and more time focusing on becoming the best version of themselves…true happiness and self fulfillment lies in progress of your own journey”.

http://smartcollegevisit.com/2012/01/john-lennons-take-on-whatdo-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up.html

We believe each parent wants their child to be happy.

Please remember that happiness and success are not mutually exclusive. It is our responsibility as parents, teachers, school leaders, and community members to consistently remind students that life is a journey and not a race. There is old fashioned saying, please remember to take the time to stop and smell the roses.

Let’s encourage our students to do just that.

Bernstein, J. (2016, January 23). The Rising Epidemic of Anxiety in Children and Teens. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/liking-the-child-you-love/ 201601/the-rising-epidemic-anxiety-in-children-and-teens John Lennon's Take On: What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Kaufman, J. (2008, May 24). High school's worst year?; for ambitious teens, 11th grade becomes a marathon of tests, stress and sleepless nights. Wall Street Journal Retrieved from http://library.saintpeters.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-c om.library.saintpeters.edu/docview/399061049?accountid=28700 Melman, S., Little, S. G., & Akin-Little, K. (2007). Adolescent overscheduling: The relationship between levels of participation in scheduled activities and self-reported clinical symptomology.

The High School Journal, 90(3), 18-30. Retrieved from http://library.saintpeters.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-c om.library.saintpeters.edu/docview/220222790?accountid=28700 Schrobsdorff, S. (2016, October 27). Teen Depression and Anxiety: Why the Kids Are Not Alright. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://time.com/magazine/us/4547305/november-7th-2016-vol-188 -no-19-u-s

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VFEE

Verona Foundation for Educational Excellence

Inspiring Excellence Award Recipients 2018

Melissa Symczak Brookdale Avenue School Mrs. Melissa Symczak graduated from Glassboro State College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. After college, she taught first grade for seven years. She has been teaching second grade at Brookdale for twenty-one wonderful years.

Louis Waibel F.N. Brown Elementary School In 1997, Louis Waibel earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities from William Paterson University. For the next 10 years, he operated his own business selling tropical fish to the pet industry. In 2007, Mr. Waibel completed his post baccalaureate work at Montclair State University and received his certificate in Elementary Education with Advanced Standing. Mr. Waibel began teaching Kindergarten in 2008 and in 2009 moved to fourth grade. Mr. Waibel is very excited to be part of the F.N. Brown family and is looking forward to a year full of fun and learning.

Joan Petronico Laning Elementary School In 1978, Joan Petronico graduated from Holy Name School of Nursing located in Teaneck, N.J. While working as a nurse she earned a Bachelor's of Science degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology, School of Architecture in 1985. Mrs. Petronico earned her School Nurse Health Education Certification in 1997. Mrs. Petronico accomplished the completion of her thesis project entitled "The Introduction of a Conflict Resolution Program into a K-4 New Jersey Public School.� The result of completing this thesis was her attainment of a Master of Science degree in Health Education 2003.

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Julia Harth H.B. Whitehorne Middle School Ms. Harth is in her third year at H.B. Whitehorne Middle School. She teaches the Technology, Engineering & Design (T.E.D.) cycle course at HBW and is the advisor for the Makers Club which is focused on creating more opportunities for students to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and math through making. She graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Masters Degree in Special Education. As an undergraduate, Ms. Harth double majored in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and Special Education.

Thomas White Verona High School Tom White is in his 30th year as an English teacher at VHS. He has served as area coordinator for the high school English department, as a member of the district's Curriculum Council, and on its Understanding by Design training team for curriculum revision. He has also served the high school as a member of the Academic Council and the Principal's Advisory Committee. This school year, he teaches AP Literature and Composition, English III Honors, and Journalism I and II. He advises the school's newspaper, The Fairviewer, and its yearbook, Shadows. He has both a bachelor's and master's degree in English, with a concentration in American literature.

Joan Weiss Forest Avenue School Mrs. Weiss graduated from Rider University with a BA in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. She received her MA from Montclair University in School Guidance and Social Work. Mrs. Weiss just recently completed two years of Orton Gillingham certification courses through Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mrs. Weiss began her teaching career in the Hawthorne School District teaching fourth grade for seven years and kindergarten for four years. After taking a few years off to raise her three children, she was fortunate to get a job teaching kindergarten at Forest Avenue school in 2004. After teaching every grade in Forest Avenue School, Mrs. Weiss has finally settled into first grade. She enjoys the enthusiasm the first graders have for learning, especially when learning to read.

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#WeAreVerona

By Mr. Charles Miller, Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

The Verona Action Committee on Code of Conduct & Respect met monthly and worked collaboratively to raise public awareness about student code of conduct and respect.

The committee was comprised of community members, administrators, staff, and students. The group focused on addressing the needs of our students as it related to student conflict, code of conduct, H.I.B. (harassment, intimidation, and bullying), and identifying and supporting educational initiatives and programming for Verona youth that would foster and support healthy and responsible decisions and choices.

The District created this committee to consider community input and to make recommendations to the Verona Board of Education in an effort to develop a comprehensive support system of educational resources, both preventive strategies and interventions, to support children and families through collaborative partnerships within our community. Our goal was to support students in the area of code of conduct and respect in an effort to sustain social, emotional, physical, and academic learning with recommendations for continued growth aligned with the Verona Public Schools Strategic Plan.

In our first meeting, December 2016, we reviewed the Verona Public Schools existing areas of strength, opportunities for improvement, and any obstacles that may present challenges

the first, sixth, or twelfth grade. The group agreed that the mission statement language needed to be positive, simple to understand, and memorable. Furthermore, once the mission statement was completed, the group expressed interest in posting it in each classroom in every one of our schools.

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to achieving our goals and solutions. We reviewed our programs, teaching and learning (curriculum), and our intervention and support services. We summarized our findings and organized them in a chart titled “Verona Public Schools Program Summary”. You can find the link by clicking on the Health & Wellness tab, which is the sixth tab at the top of the Verona Public Schools webpage.

During the January and February meetings, committee members were divided into five groups and began researching these common threads (see Chart #1 below). Using chromebooks, the committee members developed a running Google Document that contained the information gained from small group discussions as well as whole group reflections.

After much research and discussion, Group #1 decided that the district would benefit from a mission statement with a shared a common language, regardless if the student was in

The group drafted several different examples during the March meeting (one example is at the left) and shared out their findings with the larger committee. Receiving a “thumbs up” from the committee, Group #1 decided to share these slogans with our middle and high school

share these slogans with our middle and high school students to use as a starting point. Mr. Galbierczyk, HBW Carnegie Principal, worked with his Safety Team students at HBW and Mrs. Lustig, District Student Assistance Counselor, met with a group of VHS students during the months of April and May to create artwork and expand upon the ideas the members of Group #1 had established.

At the May meeting, Mr. Galbierczyk and Mrs. Lustig shared several student examples that delighted the entire committee.

Additionally, several group members in the committee recommended the support of Mrs. Sciacchitano, VHS graphic arts teacher, to work with our students to create a logo of our mission statement that would be presented to the entire committee

as well as the Board of Education in June.

The Verona Board of Education was impressed with the final product and commended the Action Committee on Code of Conduct & Respect for its efforts and thanked the students and staff who helped make this vision a reality. The district developed and distributed these posters in local restaurants and businesses around town in addition to each of our schools. The next time you see the #WeAreVerona posters at school or around town, you will know our story.

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A Room for the Senses

By Mrs. Gina Venezia, Supervisor of Special Education

Have you ever sat in a compression kayak? Hugged a hug-a-boo? Touched a dynamic thermo touch wall or played with mermaid fabric? For most of us the answers to those questions would be a resounding no, but for many students at Laning Avenue School those events are a daily practice. That is because those items are part of their experience in the new Laning Avenue Sensory Room.

You may be thinking, what is a sensory room?

According to the latest definition on Wikipedia, ”A sensory room is a special room designed to develop a person's sense, usually through special lighting, music, and objects. It can be used as a therapy for children with limited communication skills”. Traditionally sensory rooms were intended for students with special needs, but over recent years that concept has dramatically shifted to include any student who needs to achieve a sense of calm or re-focus. That is exactly what Mrs. Diane Conboy, a speech-language pathologist at Laning Avenue School, had in mind when she came up with the idea. She envisioned a sensory room that could serve the students two-fold. One, it could serve any student in a state of anxiety or agitation by providing a soothing place to de-escalate or calm down, or two, it

could serve as a preventative space where students could unwind and take a “brain-break” before any potential anxiety or stress could begin. In either case the basic premise would be the same, the sensory room would provide a relaxing and calming space where users, in this case students, could become distracted or engaged with the various sensory stimuli in the room and thus achieve a sense of calm and focus.

To start this project Mrs. Conboy had to do her research, and of course there was no better place to start than with the Laning Avenue School staff. Mrs. Conboy met with special education teachers, paraprofessionals, occupational therapists and physical therapists and asked them all the same question, “Knowing our population what would satisfy the students’ sensory break needs and help them get back into the classroom to learn?” It was the answers to those questions that helped drive the selection of sensory equipment that would be purchased for the space. She also consulted with various companies in the industry to get additional ideas and suggestions.

When asked about the equipment in the sensory room, Mrs. Conboy explained that it is important to consider the 7 senses when designing and purchasing equipment for a sensory space. Those 7 senses include the 5 traditional senses along with proprioception, the concept of knowing where your body is in space, and vestibular, the sense of balance. Her goal was to buy one piece of equipment in 6 of the 7 senses which

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excluded purchasing items for taste.

Mrs. Conboy also had to tackle the task of designing the physical layout of the room. For that she hired the expertise of Hannah Brandt, an artist and Verona High School alumni. Ms. Brandt has worked as an art therapist and could provide insight on color schemes as well as assist in designing the overall theme of the space. The final decision, a sensory room with a theme of bringing the outdoors inside.

All of the colors and fabrics placed around the floor and walls have been intentionally designed to achieve that theme within the room.

Mrs. Conboy also noted it was important to make the space gender neutral and to fill it with saturated colors that would be inviting to the students. One of the most inviting elements of the room is the use of light filters that cover the harsh fluorescent lights on the ceiling. The tranquil blue and soft white filters are the perfect colors for creating the calm, soothing outdoor atmosphere which sets the tone of the sensory room environment.

The success and impact of the sensory room on the students has been extremely positive. The room is used multiple times each hour throughout the school day.

Mrs. Lori Martorana, a special education teacher at Laning stated, “The students in my classroom love spending time in the sensory room. It's a quiet place with many novel sensory items that they don't have access to in the classroom, which makes it a very rewarding place for them. Some students enjoy laying in the canoe with the weighted blanket and relaxing, while others love the new sit and spin chair. Each trip to the sensory room is different for each student. It's a place for them to relax. When a student is unable to maintain focus in the classroom, a quick break in the sensory room often gets them back on track and ready to learn”. Mrs. Conboy noted that she is most proud of the fact that students are choosing the sensory room as opposed to screen time when selecting a behavior reward throughout the day.

Mrs. Tina Stokes added, “I have a student who would typically only request to work for the iPad

and now he consistently works to go into the sensory room instead. I must say I love having it in the building, especially across the hall from my classroom”.

The Laning Avenue Sensory Room continues to be a work in progress.

Initial funding was provided by the Verona Board of Education.

Through word of mouth and a presentation at Back-to-School Night other local organizations and individuals have made donations. Mrs. Conboy has noted that adjustments continue to be made in the sensory room and many of those adjustments are based on student needs.

The paraprofessionals who often assist the students while in the sensory room are critical to this aspect of the process as well. There is also an additional plan to paint a mural on one more wall.

Mrs. Conboy beams with pride when discussing the sensory room at Laning Avenue School. I think this article is best summed up by the quote that sits on the wall in Mrs. Conboy’s classroom, “Anything can happen if you let it.”

- Mary Poppins.

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H S V ER

FIT

NE

Verona High School athletics. With this transformation, we believe the new Fitness Center is “all-inclusive”, “forward-thinking”, and “inviting”.

SS C EN

T

By Mr. Robert Merkler, Director of Athletics

I

n the Verona Public Schools system, we pride ourselves in empowering our students to achieve their potential as active learners and productive citizens through rigorous curricula and meaningful, enriching experiences. At Verona High School, this is highly evident as our graduating class has been accepted to such prestigious institutions as Princeton University, Harvard University, & Duke University. When our students leave the classrooms to compete on the playing fields, they have captured a number of championships at the state, section, and divisional level over the past 2 years. At Verona High School, the connection between the mind and body is strong yet we continually look to improve our current programs and facilities to help our students grow into well rounded, productive adults.

With that in mind, as we look to continue to provide our students with rigorous curriculum that meets the needs of the 21st Century Learner, one of the biggest improvements we made to meet those needs is to revamp the Verona High School Fitness Center. In its previous form, the fitness center was often labeled as “dingy”, “dirty”, “outdated” and “uninviting” which rendered the space often unusable. As part of our newly enhanced Physical Education Curriculum and to provide a meaningful fitness experience for students, the school and community came together to transform the Fitness Center into an amazing space that can be used by our 600+ students to enhance their muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility during the school day. After school, the fitness center is utilized by our athletic teams to improve their athletic ability and sustain the athletic excellence that has been a staple of 50

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The new fitness center contains cardiovascular equipment including ski-ergs and rowers, portable racks that enable 24 students to lift weights simultaneously at stations, as well as 15 pound bars and kettlebells for those just beginning their understanding of fitness. A new sound system was installed to motivate our students and 4 fans were installed for cross ventilation. Our amazing maintenance staff painted all walls and the ceiling while also installing LED lighting to brighten the space. For added safety, an AED was also purchased. Quite simply, the fitness center includes anything and everything to whet the appetite for a deeper understanding of exercise and its lifelong physical and mental benefits.

Our school is a healthy, thriving place attended by bright, young minds who excel both in the classroom and on the playing fields.

In today’s competitive world, we strive to give our students every opportunity to succeed once they graduate from Verona High School. With the support of numerous contributors, we were able to improve upon our existing fitness center and increase the chance of success for our students.

We would like to thank those who generously donated to make this dream a reality: Verona SCA, Verona Sports Boosters, The Fifth Downers Club, Verona Education Association, Verona Dugout Club Club, Verona PBA, Verona Soccer Boosters, Verona Lacrosse Boosters and the many people who purchased personalized bricks where those proceeds directly contributed to improving the VHS Fitness Center. Without your help, none of this would be possible. Thank you!

(from left to right) Ms. Julia Harth, Ms. Raquel Grasso, and Mrs. Kathy Thomas take a seat in the H.B.W. sensory room.

coming together to support our students

By Mrs. Gina Venezia, Supervisor of Special Education The story of the sensory room at H.B. Whitehorne is a story about community. The school community. The design and implementation of this room is a result of the dedicated staff, talented students, and devoted community organizations who took the time to care about the purpose and mission of the project. The primary mission of the project, to create a space where students seeking opportunities to regain calm or focus, could engage their senses through a range of stimuli allowing them to return to their school day with success. Finding a space, selecting the best equipment, minimizing cost while maximizing dollar sense were all important factors in a project that has become a true reflection of a school and a community coming together to support the students.

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The project idea was launched in the summer of 2017 and received the overwhelming support of the Verona Board of Education and administration. Initial funding from the Board of Education along with a generous donation from Verona C.H.I.L.D., the district’s SEPAC organization, provided the funding to get the project started. Leading the charge was Mrs. Kathy Thomas, a speech language pathologist at H.B. Whitehorne. Much like the implementation of the Laning Avenue sensory room, Mrs. Thomas needed to determine the design of the room and the equipment to be purchased for the space. In addition, selecting equipment that met the sensory needs of adolescent students had to be considered. Mrs. Thomas began this part of the process by reaching out to several staff members for guidance.

One of the first staff members to provide input on the project was Mrs. Vasi Givas, a district occupational therapist. Mrs. Givas explained that many students need movement in order to improve concentration and focus. She suggested spinning chairs, swings and rockers as equipment that would meet these needs. Mrs. Andria Rosenberg, another district occupational therapist, emphasized the importance of choosing materials and equipment that were age appropriate.

She suggested tactile materials such as a tactile board and putty to help calm and soothe the student’s sensory needs.

Amy Quinn, a district physical therapist, also provided suggestions for equipment that would provide movement and enhance alertness.

As the word spread about the project and its’ needs, community and staff members started to take an interest. Mrs. Donna Ciccolini, an H.B.W. parent, donated some of the tactile items to the project. Harriette Warshaw, an H.B.W. school counselor, donated a sound machine which some students could use to seek out for its variety of calming noises.

In deciding what items to purchase with her budget Mrs. Thomas said she wanted items that would provide “the immediate positive impact”. One of the teachers who was supportive and instrumental in that part of the sensory project was Ms. Raquel Grasso, a special education teacher at H.B.W. Ms. Grasso had experience with sensory rooms in previous districts and has even designed her own classroom to meet the sensory needs of her students. Ms. Grasso stated, “Most students seek out a swing which provides them with comfortable seating while incorporating movement.” In addition to the swing the other big ticket item Mrs. Thomas chose was a bubble tube. She stated that she learned from sensory product vendors and her colleagues that, “Bubble tubes can have a calming effect on some students while encouraging interaction amongst the students.” The bubble tube is constantly changing colors while bubbling. Ms. Grasso also likes the bubble tube because she says, “When the lights are turned on it provides visual and auditory stimulation.“ 52

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Also providing input on the sensory room was Mrs. Diane Conboy who engineered the Laning Avenue sensory room space. Mrs. Thomas noted that Mrs. Conboy was an invaluable resource in terms of purchasing materials, transporting equipment and ultimately helping to set up the room during the summer. Mrs. Conboy also provided support and feedback to determine which materials and equipment would be useful along with introducing Mrs. Thomas to Ms. Hannah Brandt, a Verona High school alumni and owner of Hannah Jo Designs. Ms. Brandt provided ideas regarding the layout and color of the room. She also listened to ideas for the room’s design and equipment arrangement and then used software to visually create the prototype for the space.

Another valuable contributor to the H.B.W. sensory room has been Ms. Julia Harth, the technology education teacher at H. B. W. It was a conversation between Mrs. Thomas and Ms. Harth about involving the students in making items for the sensory room that led to the most creative and exciting part of this project. Ms. Harth proposed the idea of involving her 6th grade technology education students in the sensory room through her yearly Shark Tank project. The basic premise would be the same as the television show. Small groups of students would create a company and come up with cost effective, sensory equipment that could be made and used in the sensory space. The students would then present their product to a team of “sharks”, made up of teachers and administrators, who would decide if the sensory product would get funded.

Ms. Harth presented the idea to the 6th grade students who were thrilled to be a part of the process. “Students always seem to enjoy this project, especially since it's modeled after the show. This particular challenge really inspired several of the teams. They were also thrilled at the idea of actually having their products manufactured for use in the sensory room”, stated Harth. The end result, some amazing and creative ideas from the students that really hit the mark.

Student projects included The Firefly 1.0, a small, lighted drone that is placed in a jar and flown by a student for relaxation. Estimated cost is $40 to $60. Another student group created a product called Lap Feels, which is a portable lap desk with a variety of textures that are velcroed to the top of the desk. These textures can be used to soothe student stress or anxiety. Estimated cost is $20 to $25. One student “company” even included a tagline, “If you are stressed leave it to the best!” Their product was called the Texture Board, which is a wall-mounted board with multiple textures attached such as mermaid fabric, memory foam and marbles.

In the end, there were 5 winning student groups selected by the sharks. Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Harth were both very impressed with the amount of work and research conducted by the students. They were also delighted when The Verona

Foundation for Educational Excellence (VFEE) approved their $500 grant request to fund the students’ projects. The plan is to add the sensory equipment to the space once the projects are built by students.

Mrs. Thomas took me into the sensory room for a quick visit.

Currently the swing, a large bean bag island, a bubble machine and some tactile items are providing effective sensory breaks or “brain breaks” for the students. There is also an image projector which casts soothing images onto the wall. Recently Verona C.H.I.L.D. provided funding for new wheels for the projector so students can enjoy a greater variety of relaxing images. This item has been popular amongst students because it can positively impact their mood as it encourages conversation.

[The sensory room] has been used as a motivation tool, a safe, quiet space, and a fun and engaging environment.

The H.B.W. sensory room is used each school day for a variety of purposes. Some students earn the room as their reward for regulating their behaviors. Other students participate in a social language group in the room. Guidance counselors, the Student Assistance Counselor, special education teachers, Child Study Team members and paraprofessionals all have access to the room, so any student who needs a safe, calming space can go utilize the room. Mrs. Thomas noted, “When a student is experiencing anxiety, sensory overload or seeking opportunities to regain focus, the sensory room provides a safe zone in which students can regain focus and calm.”

At H.B.W. the sensory room has become a reality and it also continues to be a work in progress. Through the continued help and support of the school community, this space

continues to develop and grow. Mrs. Thomas continues to research and explore ideas to determine what kinds of new equipment will meet the sensory needs of the H.B.W. students. Mrs. Thomas says that some of the most valuable feedback comes from students who indicate what is helpful in providing support, calm or focus.

In the meantime, the sensory room certainly has its fill of visitors each day. As Ms. Grasso put it, “The sensory room provides much needed breaks from academics for students in the middle school. Students have benefited from taking movement and sensory breaks when feeling stressed or over worked, using the room to de-escalate themselves when feeling overwhelmed or using it as a tool to pick themselves up when feeling down. It has also been used as a motivation tool, a safe, quiet space, and a fun and engaging environment”.

Involving the students in the project has also been an exciting process. Ms. Harth believes that, “Ultimately, it's important to involve students in projects likes this. The sensory room is a space for our students and therefore should be designed by the students. It is my hope that their involvement also brought about a deeper sense of awareness and understanding of the needs of their peers”.

Mrs. Thomas is very appreciative that the H.B.W. sensory room has become a reality for all H.B.W students. She says that she is, “Very fortunate to work with staff, students and community members who share the passion and vision for creating a safe zone for students where they can achieve calm and focus.” The idea of coming together and supporting each other to improve our students’ experience has always been and continues to be fostered within our H.B.W. family and throughout our Verona Community.

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HBW Students Building a Culture of Caring and Kindness

By Mr. David Galbierczyk, HBW Principal - Carnegie House

The Verona community has long been known to pull together and support one another during times of need.

H.B.

Whitehorne Middle School students have

embodied

the

spirit

of

its

community by identifying ways to both look out for one another as well as those outside of the walls of our school who could use some help.

During the

2017-18 school year, HBW students in the newly formed Kind Club and Peer Leadership

Club,

longstanding

along

D.R.E.A.M.

with Team

the Club,

have made powerful contributions that are making their corner of the world a much better place.

Dream Team The Dream (Daring to Reach out to Each other And Make a difference) Team is a community service-based club sponsored by the Verona Municipal Alliance Committee (VMAC). Student members of the Dream Team are committed to making a positive impact within and beyond their community. Led by advisors Mrs. Debbie Marsano and Mrs. Mary Anne Halbert, already this school year, the Dream Team has raised drug and alcohol awareness at HBW through the Red Ribbon Week initiative. Dream Teamers sent 275 pounds of leftover Halloween candy and sent dozens of holiday cards to American troops serving overseas. It supported the VHS Toy Drive as the holidays approached and raised both money and awareness in support of the fight against juvenile diabetes. Students join Dream Team because they are committed to promoting health, wellness, and positive decisions both within and beyond the walls of HBW.

Peer Leadership While the VMAC-sponsored Dream Team has been a staple of HBW for years, many HBW students have been inspired to further the work of the Dream Team by doing and giving back more. As such, the 2017-18 school year marked the first installation of the HBW Peer Leadership club. Also supported by VMAC, Peer Leadership is an exciting club where students discuss and develop ways to help others. Advisors Ms. Stefanie Lijoi and Mrs. Mirja Paula called on faculty members to identify those students in the upper middle school grades most capable of leading by example in support of the district’s core values. Once invited to join the Peer Leadership club, students establish goals for making a positive difference in the lives of other students at HBW. The inaugural group of HBW Peer Leaders quickly decided that they wanted to provide support to our 5th grade students as they transition from the comfort of their cozy elementary school to the big school on the Avenue.

Peer Leaders have also committed themselves to making small but powerful statements in the building to help instill a sense of safety and belonging for all students.

They have created posters that now adorn the walls in our hallways that remind all students that they are important. Peer Leaders also gather inside the lobby of

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HBW before school and welcome all students as they enter school by greeting them with a friendly, “Good morning” and wishing them a great day. Peer Leaders believe that making small but personal connections with individual students can go a long way in making students who might be struggling feel safe and supported.

Most recently, our Peer Leaders have taught lessons to our 5th grade students in their Advisory class about decision-making and identifying ways to make HBW a safe place where all students feel valued. The group is in the process of expanding its Advisory class instruction. Peer Leaders have also facilitated “Mix it Up Lunch,” where students engage in conversations and play board games with students with whom they do not typically sit with during their lunch period. Peer Leaders are hopeful that their interactions with students will help cultivate an even stronger and healthier school culture at HBW.

October 19, 2017 October 19, 2017 was one of the most moving days in recent memory at HBW. All of the female students in the school viewed a powerful documentary created by Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson of the Kind Campaign. Mrs. McNeal then surprised everyone in the audience when Lauren and Molly themselves appeared on the stage of the HBW auditorium. For the next hour, Lauren and Molly led a powerful and moving presentation to the school’s female students about the harmful effects of bullying. By the end of the presentation, many of the girls in the audience had written apology notes and messages of kindness to one another. Meanwhile, in the HBW Gym, the HBW Boys were treated to a moving presentation by HBW alumnus and internationally-recognized motivational speaker Scott Chesney. Scott spoke of the meaning of brotherhood. He boys with strategies to interact with students outside their existing friend group, and challenged students to try to do something positive for 21 consecutive days.

Many students and staff members were so moved by the day’s messages that they vowed that the unity that existed on that day would never leave the hallways of HBW. Before Lauren, Molly, and Scott had even walked out of the HBW Auditorium that day, plans were taking root to form a Kind Club at HBW. Within short time, the Kind Club, led by three HBW teachers, was formed and has already made a major impact on daily life at HBW.

Kind Club Students in HBW’s newest club, the Kind Club, meet regularly and engage in dialogue regarding respect, kindness, and reasons why people behave the way they do. Club members learn a great deal about themselves and their peers by engaging in open, honest, and often personal dialogue. Kind Club members recently had lunch with author Erin Entrada Kelly, who found out several days after her visit to HBW that she had been honored with the prestigious Newbery Award. Ms. Kelly shared that her experiences of being bullied and hiding from her classmates in the library during lunch when she was in school inspired her first novel and, more importantly, the person she strives NOT to be. Ms. Kelly praised the Kind Club members for their commitment to making a difference by spreading kindness.

The Kind Club has also made a visible mark on our building. HBW’s lobby now features a new “Kind Wall” that is filled with notes of kindness written by students and staff to one another. So many kind notes have been written that we have had to open a second wall - and that wall is now nearly full! HBW students have told me that receiving a kind note made them so happy because they did not realize how important they were to someone else and, in turn, they were motivated to wrote a kind note to others so that they could have the same feeling.

“Kind Club has opened my eyes to better understand others’ perspectives and not try to change others’ personalities,” 7th grade student Jackie Lawless said. She went on to say, “During a Kind Club meeting, I heard the quote, ‘Be kind because you never know how much the person next to you is suffering.’ I think this is really important for people to think this way.”

Kind Club members have plans to paint several student bathrooms and other areas of our building with positive messages to serve as a reminder that all of us are special and important. As Jackie told me, “We just want to make an impact on the school. We want to make a difference.”

Ms. McNeal and I are so proud that so many of our students want to make a positive difference in the lives of others! I cannot wait to see how many more connections our Dream Teamers, Peer Leaders, and Kind Club members make with others whose day is made better simply by knowing that someone else cares about them.

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Verona Public Schools

By The Numbers

#10

Number of plastic water bottles Brookdale students have helped eliminate through water fountain refilling stations donated by the SCA

35

$102,400

Days out of 180 days at Lanning that featured a community service or outreach theme

Scholarships Awarded to VHS students in 2017

$500,000 Raised for American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart by HBW middle school

of Forest families participated in the supermarket SCRIP fundraising program during the 2017-18 school year raising over $10,000

$33,650 Raised by FN Brown to date for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along with $15,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

“ 56

26

Sports at Verona High School

50%

Number of Google Chromebooks available to students K-12

40% Students actively involved in vocal and instrumental music programs

12,010

Hottest real estate market 2018 according to NJ.com

1,496

50% Percentage of students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) or dual enrollment courses at Verona High School

84 Pumpkins catapulted in HBW's Pumpkin Chunkin' Engineering & Design Competition

65+ District clubs & extra-curricular activities supporting academic, athletic, and social/community service-based

85%

Verona High School students participating in Senior Capstone Internship Program

2,294 # of Verona Public Schools students Pre-K through 12

366

Number of Verona Public Schools staff members

As the Juvenile Officer for the District, I love the opportunities I get to engage with all of the HBW students from the DARE program, to Student Council Lunches, Jump Rope for Heart, and so much more. As a parent, I am constantly amazed at the number of programs, special events, and activities available to HBW students and the amount of behind-the-scenes work and planning teachers do to make these happen.

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- Detective Joel Martin, VPD and proud HBW parent

“As we grow and mature we expect that our ideas and perspective on life will naturally change. I can remember being a student at Laning caring more about whether or not I was going to have fun at school than I did about my academic progress.

Now as a teacher at Laning, I believe if students are enjoying themselves at school, they will learn. Academics follow naturally if the proper environment for learning is there, so it’s no surprise as a Laning mom I always ask my kids what the best part of their day was. It’s heartening to me that my perspective about Laning has always remained a constant.”

Kristine DePoe, former Laning student and current Laning teacher and parent

“Verona High School is a special place where the faculty makes personal and individualized connections with students so that his or her unique aspirations and goals are achieved through a student-centered environment focused on the holistic approach to educating the whole-child.”

Ms. Della Fortuna, VHS Mathematics Teacher

90 “Brookdale celebrated its 90th birthday this school year. This was special because everyone involved in our Brookdale School contributed to making the 90th year celebration memorable. Everyone attended an assembly, wore the same shirts, and made the day at Brookdale special. I’m excited to come back for our 100th birthday celebration!”

Patrick Mann, Brookdale 4th grade student

#1 “One of the best experiences for the kids at Forest Avenue is their participation in our local Team Zoey events which support the Progeria Research Foundation. The children are all so excited for Hats on for Progeria Day and are finding the funniest, craziest hats to wear for the annual event. They are also involved in forming teams for the Turkey Trot and their sense of community is strengthened when they see the large numbers of Forest Avenue students, parents and staff at the event. This year Mrs. Cella organized a loose change drive for Team Zoey and the kids were searching for coins everywhere so that they could have a chance to be the #1 FUNDRAISING CLASS. Forming a strong sense of community is an important part of development for the students. It is really special, as a parent, to see the Forest Avenue children’s fierce dedication to supporting Team Zoey.”

Christine McGrath, Forest Parent

“Conflict Resolution has been instrumental in teaching the elementary students peaceful ways to resolve a conflict. Peer Mediation empowers our students through a leadership role as they assist others by mediating conflicts. The Win-Win Guidelines have become an integral part of the school and district culture.

I am thrilled to have been part of the inception of this program at the initial stages in 2012. It started as an idea proposed by Dr. Lanzo, Principal, followed by the formulation of an FNB building based committee. The committee attended professional development sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. The initial district implementation in our district began at FNB with the committee turn-keying the CR and PM approaches through PD with staff. This was followed by staff teaching CR and PM to our FNB students.

Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation have been introduced and incorporated at all of our Verona elementary schools. Home-School Connections are created and implemented in all elementary schools as a means of communicating the current focus. As a traveling teacher, I can say with certainty that our Verona elementary students have internalized the CR and PM approaches, resulting in our students being independent problem solvers and self-advocates. It has been an amazing process to be a part of and watch grow districtwide!”

Mrs. Luisa Hirsch, World Language Teacher

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A Positive School Culture

By Mr. Tom Lancaster, VHS Assistant Principal Resilience is an obvious theme of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, which tells the story of Louis Zamperini and his unfathomable experiences in World War II. Mr. Zamparini was unquestionably resilient, yet it was his willingness to ultimately focus on the positive and to have lived a compassionate life committed to supporting others, that is even more remarkable. Despite enduring horrific brutality, Mr. Zamparini chose to create opportunities to support people and help many find paths to success.

His choices not only helped individuals, but they also offer an exceptional example of how positive supports can strengthen a person’s ability to overcome impediments. The benefits of positive supports are continuing to expand in education, which is creating strong, collaborative efforts to help each student navigate his or her way through high school with a belief that he or she can enjoy high school and pursue even greater success beyond it.

Verona High School is now partnering with New Jersey Positive Behavioral Supports in School (NJPBSIS), which is a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, 58

and The Boggs Center, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, to create positive supports for each student, to continue to strengthen Verona High School, and to promote a healthy, comfortable environment.

The team, which includes multiple teachers and will include students, uses data for analysis to create supports that meet the needs of each student. This proactive approach emphasizes what should be done and guides students through potential challenges.

While a lack of discipline can breed unhappiness, especially in children who may not grasp the long-term impact of their decisions, positive support can spark confidence and promote success. Many people believe “character refers to something innate and unchanging, a core set of attributes that define one’s very essence” (Tough, 2012, p. 59), while others argue individuals are affected by “setting and thus capable of change” (Peterson and Seligman, 2004, p. 10). We believe the ladder and, as a result, are committed to utilizing all of our available resources to maintain a healthy environment that promotes success for every student.

One of the critical components of this

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venture is establishing an identity that aligns with the school district and the community. Consequently, Verona High School is using “Verona Values” as the name for our PBSIS endeavor and the core values are respect, responsibility, and integrity. The team consists of teachers Ms. Michelle DellaFortuna, Mr. Nathan Scott, Ms. Allison Quick, Mr. Matthew Swajkowski, Mr. Robert Hill, Mr. Patrick Bresnan, counselors Ms. Jennifer DaSilva and Ms. Jennifer Gadaleta, and the Verona High School administration. The team will expand to subcommittees that will include additional teachers as well as students.

Together, all of our students and our staff will focus on continuing to support every individual at Verona High School.

The focus on the positives and the desire to support everyone extends into other areas of our school. In September 2017, Ms. DellaFortuna proposed creating an award that would celebrate students and staff who have demonstrated a desire to treat others kindly. As a result, Verona High School honors two students each month and one staff member with a Kindness Award. Teachers and staff are encouraged to nominate students

and members of our Verona Values team select two recipients. Our Student Council selects one staff member each month. These awards are helping us highlight outstanding role models whom we believe others can emulate. The Kindness Awards offer a glimpse of what we see from numerous people at Verona High School. Simple acts of holding a door, offering a greeting, waiting patiently for assistance, and treating another person with respect can be seen throughout each school day.

These acts not only maintain the healthy environment that we all want, but they offer each student insight into the behavior and thinking that are essential for happiness and success.

Teamwork, another key component of success, quickly develops in an environment that promotes kindness.

One of the great challenges that teams confront is creating effective communication. Teammates have different points of view, which should be an asset. Listening to a different point of view and analyzing it without allowing bias to tarnish it requires maturity, curiosity, and respect.

Sharing a different point of view requires courage and trust. All of these qualities feed off kindness.

While history offers countless examples of individuals, organizations, and societies who have benefitted from considering multiple points of view, there are a comparable number of examples who have suffered because they were unwilling to participate in healthy communication. We are pleased that our students and teachers communicate and collaborate so each student can grow.

Communication flows throughout the building, yet its most evident within our classrooms. Each school day, students analyze potential business ideas, investigate chemical reactions, offer actionable feedback through writing conferences, debate the role of government, and explore solutions to problems in an environment built

on a commitment to working together to prepare each student for the opportunities he or she will pursue in the years ahead. These endeavors require leadership, which is evident in many forms throughout our school.

Teachers combine their passion for a subject with their genuine commitment to guiding and supporting each student to create opportunities that spark interest, prompt exploration, and build greater understanding in our students, while also constructing roads that allow students to drive lessons that promote greater neurological development

“The focus on the positives and the desire to support everyone extends into other areas of our school.” and, inevitably, offer each student tools that he or she can use to survey remote components of our society to forge wider highways that offer even more travel and development. These arduous tasks become less daunting when the environment encourages participation. While there is risk in exploring, our collective belief in creating a healthy environment that offers positive supports for our students is designed to encourage each student so he or she will not only grow, but enjoy the journey.

Passion can be infectious and “evolve through learning and exploration into something far deeper, more sustainable, and trustworthy purpose” (Wagner, 2012, p. 29). By sustaining an encouraging environment and fostering all of the elements of teamwork, each student has the opportunity to pursue his or

her passion and, eventually, discover a purpose.

A building filled with students who have discovered a purpose will prompt even greater benefits that will strengthen the environment. Wagner notes that an “engaged student who feels there’s a purpose to his or her school day is invariably a student who is learning and retaining factual information along the way” (Wagner, 2015. P. 47). Without a healthy, encouraging environment, students would not find their purpose so easily. This is why we emphasize the need for positive supports. Simple acts of kindness are essential for creating greater opportunities, so we are committed to recognizing them and building upon even the slightest attempt to help a student find his or her way to happiness. Although it can be challenging to document, we would argue the benefits are immeasurable.

Like Mr. Zamparini, we all have the opportunity to show compassion and support others as they navigate through life, which may promote communication that helps us consider different ideas, analyze potential solutions, and organize our collective effort to clear a small, section of a metaphorical wooded area that may eventually, after enormous sacrifice, become a path that others can build upon. Positive supports can lead a school to what some may incorrectly deem unimaginable progress. Such growth allows us to enjoy the journeys we choose to take and to dream of what may come after us.

Peterson, C. and Seligman, M. (2004) Character Strengths and Virtues. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Tough, Paul. (2012) How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. New York, NY: Mariner Books.

Wagner, T. (2012) Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. New York, NY: Scribner.

Wagner, T. and Dintersmith, T. (2015) Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era. New York, NY: Scribner.

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Congratulations class of

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