SCHOOL NEWS

Angel Showcase Day Fuels Interest in AHA

Nearly 160 eighth grade applicants to the Academy of the Holy Angels participated in Angel Showcase Day on Nov. 4. The AHA Admissions Team said in a press release it had organized the event “so future ninth graders could spend a day exploring their individual interests at the Academy in a Covidsafe environment.”

Admissions director Michèle McGovern and assistant admissions director Jennifer Bullis reserved the school building for the day. This format allowed visitors to receive personalized attention from their assigned Angel Ambassadors, and the faculty and staff who were on campus that day.

“Based on post Showcase surveys, visitors had a positive experience. Guests said they received warm greetings, and most gave their Angel Ambassadors the highest rating possible,” AHAsaid.

Many said AHA is their first choice high school, and most said they are now more excited about spending their high school years at the Academy.

Faculty members prepared engaging, hands-on lessons to give visitors a better idea of life at AHA. Showcase participants chose from classes such as environmental science, psychology, engineering, art, religion, journalism, creative writing, math, and world languages.

Visitors who worked with AHA Science Department chair Patricia Prucnel and Nadine Behrens learned about beach erosion by creating “mini-beaches” in plastic containers and observing the effects of water on the terrain. Students in this class also put together take home versions of the beach by selecting natural ocean treasures and adding them to jars of sand.

Students in Jing Looʼs engineering course experimented with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Angels and their guests put together basic circuit boards that lit small LEDs.

Vanesa Formosaʼs students made quicksand by combining baking soda and water. This lab allowed future Angels to explore the phases of matter and become familiar with some equipment and techniques.

Teachers Andrew Sanchez and Chris Paladino also guided this experiment in their classrooms. The lesson was inspired by the Dr. Seuss book “Bartholomew and the Oobleck.”

Theater arts teacher Katie Collinsʼimprov exercise had everyone generating outlandish stories, gesticulating, and laughing out loud.

Students also explored their connections to various saints in religious studies teacher Kathleen Walshʼs class. Her guests also engaged in a brief research project and shared highlights of the lives of selected saints.

Highlights of Angel Showcase Day included a special performance by the award-winning AHA Dance Team and a greeting from AHA head dance coach Jenny Sweet. The Academyʼs varsity dancers have earned five national championships. The JV team won its first national title this year.

Prospective students also won prizes in an AHA-forward trivia contest, and enjoyed lunch in the Student Commons.

Founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1879, the Academy of the Holy Angels is the oldest private girlsʼschool in Bergen County. While AHA is steeped in Catholic tradition, this prestigious school serves young women from a broad spectrum of cultural and religious backgrounds.

Thousands of women have passed through AHAʼs portals. Many go on to study at some of the nationʼs best universities, earning high-ranking positions in medicine, government, law, education, public service, business, arts, and athletics.

For more information call (201) 768-7822 or visitEmily leads a demonstration of beach erosion at the Academy of the Holy Angels Angel Showcase Day on Nov. 4.

holyangels.org.

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rooms to be in compliance with that optimum number by the 2024–2025 school year — when American Dream students may be entering local schools.

If the grade levels were at a “maximum” of 22 students per classroom, the district would need only two additional classrooms for 2024–2025, according to the projections compiled by Rosado.

Rosado presented his findings in a detailed report to trustees on Oct. 28.

He said the next steps needed were for trustees to determine what would be the maximum class size they wished to achieve by 2024-2025; discuss the need for a new demographics study that includes the Franklin Court development; and determine whether a bond referendum or public question at the general election would be the better selection.

Rosado said that a possible September 2022 bond referendum or public question, if approved, would enable them to complete construction of additional classrooms needed by September 2024, when students from American Dream and other developments are entering the district.

Rosado noted bidding, getting funding, and signing contractor contracts must be done to get the project moving with a deadline before the 2024-2025 school year.

In 2017 district voters approved a $24 million question to significantly expand Westwood Regional Middle School. The work was completed amid the pandemic, when many students were studying remotely. (Separately, weʼre reporting on the Montvale School Districtʼs Dec. 14 special election on upgrades at its elementary and middle school.)

Rosado said his recommendation would be to build four classrooms, a compromise between the two and eight classrooms projected to be needed.

He said four classrooms could be built at Washington Elementary School or Jessie F. George Elementary School, which would balance the number of classrooms at 34 for the township and 34 for Westwood.

The township currently has 30 classrooms offered in local schools.

Otherwise, Rosado said, the board could consider Brookside in Westwood. He said Berkeley had flood zone and DEP issues with its proximity to a brook.

Trustee Thomas Snee noted American Dream was a 66-unit project, with 24 townhomes and 42 single-family homes. He wondered how the classrooms would be added to either township elementary school.

Snee said that the board previously considered doing an updated demographics study for Washington Township only.

However, Rosado said any future study should include both district towns. “In fairness, if weʼre going to move forward, I mean thereʼs been a lot that has occurred over these past two years that could have a substantial impact on our decision… a lot of people moved out, a lot of people moved in.”

Snee said he was glad another study would be done.

Trustee Maureen Colombo questioned whether four new classrooms were enough and said the project needed to be done right

Member Michael Pontillo said that construction now might not be a good idea. “I think weʼre talking about building in possibly the worst time in the history of the world to build anything.”

Pontillo, who also is Westwoodʼs police chief, noted supply chain issues, contractor time constraints, and a deadline for a referendum question six months before September 2022 made this effort “an uphill battle.”

He said he agreed with Colombo about doing the project right. He said the finance and facilities committee identified Washington School as the best site.

He said dealing with asbestos abatement and flooding issues at the school must first be addressed.

“I donʼt know that we can actually do it and do it right,” Pontillo said of a classroom expansion.

He said to address public concerns, other ways to address more students and increasing class sizes could be adding instructors for co-teaching and monitor the results. Meanwhile, he said the discussion should continue over how many classrooms need to be added.

He said when the supply chain issues resolve and contractors are not so backed up, he said the district would get a “better value” for the construction needed.

Rosado said the two projects, American Dream and Franklin Court, need to be fully accounted for “and will be subject to change to what (development) actually happens.”

Rosado said the new demographic report may include the new units. He said even an updated demographics report “will be subject to change to what actually happens” with area development projects.

He said that the impact of the American Dream project in the current demographics study projected four students more per grade in each grade from K–12 in 2024-2025, when families are expected to occupy

Pontillo said we should update the demographics report in a year or two to give trustees “the current data” to make the decision on adding classrooms.

Trustee Roberta Hanlon said “we really have to look at the eight” classrooms to be added. She said the eight classrooms is a better number. “It gives not just parity but cushions too,” she said.

She said electrical upgrades along with HVAC “is a major focus.” She said the board first needs to agree on how many classrooms should be added.

Member Andrew Gerstmayr said “We want to get this right” regarding more classrooms, and that the district needs to look at upgrading its electrical infrastructure to match the new classes.

Snee said the 44 Franklin Court development “will be a challenge” to the district. He later said they will fill homes as they build them on the site. He said should construction occur quickly, students could start arriving in district schools by late 2022 as homes are sold at the site.

Snee said that means there would not be “an onslaught” of children in 2024–2025. He said itʼs likely to be “a drip, drip, drip sort of thing” for students being added to the district, starting next year or 2023.

Rosadoʼs report also suggested an “art on the cart” option for teaching art, which could free up a classroom in schools if needed — and not cost millions, he said.

Most trustees did not appear too happy with the art on the cart alternative.

HILLSDALE

$29K upgrade aims to boost civic participation

Can you hear me now and can you see me now?

The answers to both will be yes for all residents early next year should the Borough Council purchase and install new audio and video equipment to enhance its two way, real-time communications with residents calling into Zoom council meetings.

The Borough Council introduced a capital ordinance Nov. 9 to spend $29,000 on the gear, which will allow the council to hold “hybrid meetings” where residents can fully participate inperson or online.

The capital ordinanceʼs public hearing is Dec. 7. It was introduced, 4-1, with Council President Abby Lundy opposed. Councilman Zoltán Horváth had technical difficulties and was not online for the vote.

Before that, he said, “This opens up another avenue for participation, there's no reason not to do this.”

Borough Business Administrator Chris Tietjen said the improvements mean “Itʼs as if [residents] were in the room.”

Lundy questioned the cost when people can access meetings streamed live online and archived on the website. Tietjen said those meetings are one-way and do not allow two-way communication between council and residents.

In addition to enhancing twoway communication between members and public, meetings will be livestreamed on Zoom, broadcast on the public access channel, and archived for later viewing on YouTube.

— Michael Olohan

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