Newsletter February 2017 Watchung Hills Regional From the desk of the Superintendent Wellness, diversity, makerspace, coding, 9th grade transition, mentoring, profile of a WHRHS graduate - these are just some of the initiatives being discussed by our students, parents, and faculty who are actively involved in our 2015-2020 Strategic Plan action teams and sub-committees. I encourage you to visit our Strategic Plan web site via the link below to read about the progress we have made toward the goals and action items set forth in our Strategic Plan. Strategic Plan Action Plans One of the three overarching goals in the Strategic Plan focuses on student wellness and reads as follows: Create and expand programs and services that enhance the social and emotional wellness of all students within a compassionate learning community. The discourse around this goal has been rich and meaningful. A recent example of one outcome of these discussions was our first homework free holiday break in December to emphasize the importance of taking a break from schoolwork to recharge and spend time with family and friends. We need to prioritize balance in all of our lives. In addition to overall wellness being a primary goal articulated in our Strategic Plan, the district has implemented environmentally sound practices in recent years to lower operating costs while reducing our carbon footprint. During the 2016-2017 school year, we will be working toward our Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. The application process requires us to conduct a comprehensive review of our current practices, determining areas in need of improvement to enhance the overall wellness of our entire learning community. As you can see from the list of Green Team members below who are facilitating the certification process, representatives from all aspects of school operation - facilities, food service, health, curriculum and instruction, finance - are collaborating to ensure that we are doing our part as a district to promote and model sustainable practices. As educators, it is not only our responsibility to prepare our students to succeed in a changing world, but also to help ensure the world’s resources are still abundant for future generations to enjoy as we have. Let’s hope for a mild culmination to winter and an early spring! Regards, Superintendent High School District Green Team Elizabeth Jewett, Superintendent Timothy Stys, School Business Administrator/Board Secretary Beth Scheiderman, Director of Human Recourses and Professional Development Roland Juliano, Director of Operations Daniel Bertelli, Supervisor of Arts, Physical Education/Health, and Co-curricular Activities Kathy Haines, Teacher, Environmental Club Advisor and WHREA Member Angela Valerio, School Nurse Angelo Foschini, Food Service Director Nicholas DiNizio, Assistant Production Manager Dina Ballaro, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Iris Comune, Secretary to the Director of Operations and WHREA Member
Transcript
Newsletter
February 2017
Watchung Hills Regional
From the desk of the Superintendent
Wellness, diversity, makerspace, coding, 9th grade transition, mentoring, profile of a WHRHS graduate - these are just some of the initiatives being discussed by our students, parents, and faculty who are actively involved in our 2015-2020 Strategic Plan action teams and sub-committees. I encourage you to visit our Strategic Plan web site via the link below to read about the progress we have made toward the goals and action items set forth in our Strategic Plan. Strategic Plan Action Plans
One of the three overarching goals in the Strategic Plan focuses on student wellness and reads as follows:
Create and expand programs and services that enhance the social and emotional wellness of all students within a compassionate learning community. The discourse around this goal has been rich and meaningful. A recent example of one
outcome of these discussions was our first homework free holiday break in December to emphasize the importance of taking a break from schoolwork to recharge and spend time with family and friends. We need to prioritize balance in all of our lives. In addition to overall wellness being a primary goal articulated in our Strategic Plan, the district has implemented environmentally sound practices in recent years to lower operating costs while reducing our carbon footprint. During the 2016-2017 school year, we will be working toward our Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. The application process requires us to conduct a comprehensive review of our current practices, determining areas in need of improvement to enhance the overall wellness of our entire learning community. As you can see from the list of Green Team members below who are facilitating the certification process, representatives from all aspects of school operation - facilities, food service, health, curriculum and instruction, finance - are collaborating to ensure that we are doing our part as a district to promote and model sustainable practices. As educators, it is not only our responsibility to prepare our students to succeed in a changing world, but also to help ensure the world’s resources are still abundant for future generations to enjoy as we have. Let’s hope for a mild culmination to winter and an early spring! Regards,
Superintendent
High School District
Green Team
Elizabeth Jewett, Superintendent Timothy Stys, School Business Administrator/Board Secretary Beth Scheiderman, Director of Human Recourses and Professional Development Roland Juliano, Director of Operations Daniel Bertelli, Supervisor of Arts, Physical Education/Health, and Co-curricular Activities Kathy Haines, Teacher, Environmental Club Advisor and WHREA Member Angela Valerio, School Nurse Angelo Foschini, Food Service Director Nicholas DiNizio, Assistant Production Manager Dina Ballaro, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Iris Comune, Secretary to the Director of Operations and WHREA Member
configurations entertained the audience in the WHRHS
Performing Arts
Center, Wednesday,
Dec. 14, while also
demonstrating their
mastery of the music
they played.
WHRHS Director of
Bands and Orchestral
Music Paul McCullen
c o n d u c t e d h i s
students through
some 19 pieces. While some of the pieces were drawn from
the canon of classical musical artistry, such as from J.S.
Bach, many came from the folk music in the British, Welsh,
and Eastern European traditions. There were also some
Medieval tunes included.
The Concert Band opened the evening with “Festive Sounds
of Hanukah.” The Wind Ensemble closed the concert with a
sprightly rendition of Leroy Anderson’s familiar, “Sleigh
Ride,” complete with the crisp whip sound and other song
appropriate garnishes such as the clip clopping of horses’
hooves, produced by some creative student percussionists.
The overall affect painted a most authentic picture of a
winter’s “Sleigh Ride.”
Winter Instrumental Concert
The Wind Ensemble presented an utterly solemn performance
of “Kaddish,” by W.F. (William Francis) McBeth (1933-2012),
an American Composer. Kaddish is an ancient Jewish prayer
sequence used to honor the dead, and McCullen indicated that
its inclusion in the Winter Concert was in acknowledgement of
the passing this Fall of WHRHS Teacher and Coach Juan Carlos
Cruz.
The String Orchestra added spice to its menu of stellar
performances on the night, with a break in its customary
classical decorum to add electronic amplification to some of its
strings. The Orchestra played in a darkened house -- the better
to show a dazzling light show on ceilings and walls of the band
shell on stage, and out into the audience in the auditorium. They
intentionally and theatrically ignored the billowing fog around
the musicians’ feet spewing from fog machines stage left and
stage right for a spirited rendition of a couple of tunes from the
Tran Siberian Orchestra Songbook.
Senior Sopranos Allison Horvath and Veronica Mu were selected for the All Eastern Honors Chorus for the second year in a row
and Junior Ethan Marmolejos was selected for All-Eastern Orchestra on Tuba.
Students in the All Eastern Honors Chorus and All Eastern Honors Orchestra attend schools in all five New England States (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and
Connecticut), in the four MidAtlantic States (New York, New Jersey,
Delaware, and Maryland), in Washington, D.C., and in schools operated by the Department of Defense in Europe.
The All Eastern Honors Chorus and Orchestra are programs sponsored by the NAFME (National Association for Music Educators) Eastern Division Conference, and managed by the New Jersey Music Educators Association. It’s 2017 conference, and the rehearsals and performances by the All
Eastern Honors Choruses and Orchestra, as well as All Eastern Honors Band and Jazz Ensemble, will be held from Wednesday, April 5, through Saturday, April 8, at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
All Eastern Honors Chorus and Orchestra
Page 4 Newsletter Page 4
Winter Choral Concert
Some 275 student singers and accompanists performed before a
packed Performing Arts Center audience of students, parents,
family members and the general public on Friday, Dec. 16, at the
2016 Winter Vocal Concert at WHRHS.
The WHRHS Chorus has 123 singers. The Advanced Chorus has
134 singers. There were also six songs sung by smaller
ensembles of singers, some all girls, some all boys, and some
mixed, drawn from the ranks of the Chorus and Advanced
Chorus.
Three students performed “Senior Solos:” Mariella Zijdel,
singing “La Vie en Rose,” by Edith Piaf; Katie Napell, singing
“Goodnight My Angel,” by Billy Joel; and Allison Horvath,
singing “Wind Beneath My Wings,” by Silbar and Henley.
The start of the concert was held across campus in the gym
where the WHRHS Warrior Boys Basketball team hosted the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Panther Basketball team on
Juan Carolos Cruz Night. It was a night to remember the late WHRHS Soccer Coach and Teacher, Juan Carlos Cruz, who died this Fall, and a fundraiser to help his family and a scholarship that has been established in his name.
The students then hustled down the hall to the PAC, where the audience in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) watched the
National Anthem and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You,” from the gym on the video screen above the stage. The concert that followed was an inventive program that showcased the talent of all the students involved, not just as singers, but also the accompanists.
The last two songs of the concert were performed by the
Combined Chorus, which filled the stage with members of the Chorus and Advanced Chorus. They sang, “Man in the Mirror,”
recorded by Michael Jackson,” and concluded the concert with, “Disney Movie Magic.” This song featured portions of songs from nearly a dozen Disney movies. The singing was conducted by student Jordon Reynolds. During the medley, videos clips from the Disney movie songs being sung, played on the
overhead screen.
Eighth Grade students from the Watchung Hills Regional School District gathered in the Performing Arts Center at WHRHS on
Friday, Dec. 23, to hear a 90-minute special performance of the annual winter concerts by the WHRHS Orchestral groups and the
WHRHS Choral groups.
The current WHRHS students gave 90 minutes of reasons for the future Class of 2021 to feel pride in their prospective school. The
students in the audience were from Warren Middle School, Watchung’s Valley View Middle School, Central Middle School in
Stirling, and Green Brook Middle School.
The special concert included performances by a special brass
ensemble, the Concert Band, The Orchestra, and the Wind Ensemble, as well as the WHRHS Chorus and Advanced Chorus, and a variety of smaller choral ensembles.
Students in Dance Classes at WHRHS joined the Advanced
Chorus to perform “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy from ‘The
Nutcracker Suite,’” by Peter Tchaikovsky, at the 8th grade con-
cert.
Among the other numbers performed was a Choral Medley of songs from Walt Disney movies, titled, “Disney Movie Magic.”
Conducting was WHRHS student Jordon Reynolds, and singing the medley was the Combined Chorus of both the Chorus and the
Advanced Chorus. Throughout the number, as many as nine students emerged from the concert risers to sing solo lines of the songs.
Concert for 8th Grade Students
Page 5 Newsletter
All Region II Vocal and Instrumental
Twelve student instrumentalists and another seven student singers from Watchung Hills Regional High School have been selected for
Region II scholastic honors musical groups.
The Central Jersey Music Education Association
(CJMEA) high school Orchestra and Percussion
Ensemble Concert was held on Sunday, Jan. 8, at
Montgomery Township High School. The CJMEA
Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Concerts were
held on Sunday, Jan. 15, at Montgomery Township High
School.
Region II Symphonic Band are: Lindsey Shi, Cathleen
Luo, Katie Tan, William Narayanan, Andrew Morrison,
Carl Peterson, Cristina Sarrico, Jack Horan, Olivia Xu
and Craig Mandelbaum.
Region II Wind Ensemble is: Ethan Marmolejos.
Region II Orchestra are: Catherine Cai and Ethan Marmolejos.
Region II Mixed Chorus are: Kyra Anthony, Kira Leinwand, and Suchir Govindarajan;
Region II Treble Chorus are: Angelina Carrano, Anchal Dhir, Summer Stuart, and Christine Tanko.
Dance Clinic
Our first Dance Clinic for all middle school students was held on Saturday,
Jan. 21, in the South Auditorium at WHRHS.
Middle school students in Warren Township, Watchung, Green Brook
Township, and Long Hill Township were invited.,. The students experienced
a master dance class, learned a fun routine, watched a short preview of the
Dance Ensemble’s Spring Concert., followed by a Q and A with high school
dance students.
Some 21 student acts, mostly singing performances by small groups, duets and as solo singers, but also some dramatic play scene
reconstructions, were presented to an intimate gathering of family and friends,
parents, teachers and students at “Script and Cue’s Winter Cabaret,” on Thurs-
day, Jan. 19, at Watchung Hills Regional High School.
The stage area of the school’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) was turned into an
intimate “Cabaret” space, complete with blue mood lighting and a small stage
erected at one side of the stage facing an audience sitting on portable chairs and
at cabaret tables. Patrons enjoyed the entertainment while sipping coffee and
enjoying deserts.
The event was the presentation of the school’s Script and Cue Program. Many of
the performers in the Cabaret are veterans and newcomers of the school’s vocal
music, instrumental music, and drama programs.
Winter Cabaret
Page 6 Newsletter Page 6
Watchung Hills Regional High School Senior Allison Horvath
of Warren Township, a Girl Scout with Troop 65896 is
pursuing her Gold Award, a project to hold a book collection
to fill new book racks in waiting rooms of all Specialized
Children’s Hospital in nearby Mountainside, and other
satellite locations including Clifton.
As part of the project, Horvath is building and decorating
four book shelves to house new books as well as creating an
interactive coloring book that children in waiting rooms can
color in and read.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the
equivalent of the Boy Scout Eagle
Scout and is the highest award a Girl
Scout can attain.
Due to Health Department
regulations, only new books can be
accepted for the project.
““I took the time to sort through
books and chose selections at
various reading levels of the children
at the Children’s Specialized
Hospitals,” Horvath said. “The
amazon wish list is most convenient for this project, in part
because people from anywhere can donate books and then
the books come directly to my doorstep, when they click my
address at checkout. I have four shelves built and decorated
and now all I need are more books!”
The link for the Amazon Book Wish List is https://
amzn.com/w/1QVQOHWFZ83D4.
Her Scout Projects
Horvath reports that other previous projects completed by
her and her fellow Scouts in Troop 65896 have included
volunteering at the church’s big annual community Turkey
Dinners, cooking for SHIP food kitchens, and giving tours
around the high school for incoming freshman.
Horvath works for Gold Award
“As a troop we completed our Bronze Award in 6th grade,
raising money for Haiti,” Horvath said. “My freshman year at
Watchung Hills, I completed my Silver Award with my friend,
Amy Narakornpichit. We collected school supplies for the Red
Cross for less fortunate schools in developing nations.”
Horvath said she decided to concentrate on this effort to help
Children’s Specialized Hospitals because she is particularly
interested in programs benefiting children with special needs.
“I wanted to create a project that could add a positive
component to a child’s stay at the
Children's Specialized Hospital,” she
said. “When I met with the volunteer
manager, Vivian Cappolla from
Mountainside, she said that it was a
great idea to build and paint
bookshelves to brighten up the waiting
rooms and collect new books for those
shelves.”
To make the project a bit more unique,
Cappolla suggested that Horvath create
some sort of coloring book for the
bookshelf as well.
“I jumped on that idea,” Horvath said. “With the help of my
friend who is an artist, I wrote and produced an interactive
10-page story book, with a story line and a corresponding
black and white outline on every page so that the kids can read
and color. They will be able to take it home and work on it
over time and be proud of their art and reading, which I am
very excited about. There is a master copy for this book that
will be repeatedly copied for the kids’ enjoyment.”
So far, Allison’s project has collected many books. The project
must be finished by Friday, March 31, 2017, “but I hope to
complete it sooner,” Horvath said.
“I would like to thank my friends and family who have been
gracious enough to donate through my Amazon wish list,” she said. “I hope to get more books throughout the holidays to fill
the shelves and be able to give these kids something they can really enjoy. Every donation helps!”
“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
Nelson Mandela
Page 7 Newsletter
WHRHS Talent Show
Students and teachers at Watchung Hills
Regional High School demonstrated their
performance skills and entertainment
savvy, while raising funds for Project
A.L.S. (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), at
a Talent Show, Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the
school’s Performing Arts Center (PAC).
Some 16 acts were presented for the
enjoyment of the audience, including solo
and group performances of song, dance,
musicianship, and poetry. Three of the
acts were awarded prizes in the talent
show competition at the event.
First prize went to Peri Martins of Warren
Township, who sang “Rise Up,” by Andra Day, and accompanied herself on piano. Second prize went to Eliana Neuwirth of Warren Township, who sang, “Almost Lover,” by Fine Frenzy. Third Prize went
to Isabella Zhou of Warren Township, who performed a Chinese Dance to the music of the number titled, “Incense.”
One of the highlights of the Talent Show
was an ensemble performance of “The
Room Where It Happened,” from the
current award-winning Broadway
musical, “Hamilton.” Among the perform-
ers were WHRHS History teachers
Rebecca Brown, Sean New, Ken Karnas
and Greg O’Reilly.
Students in the ensemble included Adele
Rotondo, Jack Melillo, Suchir
Govindarajan, Hannah Melillo, Kyra
Anthony, Claire Vickery, Matt Oboh,
Maddy Goffredo, Elisabeh Russo, Grace
Shanahan, Julianne Lin, Francesca
Meehan, Stephanie Moreno and Sarah
Kelly.
In a separate performance, Dana
Wasserman and Summer Stuart sang
another song from Hamilton, “Dear
Theodosia.”
Several singers offered solo singing
performances, including: Colton Berry, “I
Wonder as I Wander,” by John Jacob
Niles; Sarah Kelly, “I Can’t Make You
Love Me,” by Bonnie Rait; and Michael
Dumapit, “In Your Atmosphere,” by John
Mayer.
Several bands performed, including
“Tank,” comprised of Alex Overzat from
WHRHS, and his friends from other
schools, Nick Scafuto, and Kerry and
Thomas Stranick of Bridgewater-Raritan
High School, and Ben Boxer of
Livingston High School. They did
“Runaway,” by Bon Jovi.
WHRHS student band “No Fugazi,”
performed “Waiting on the World to
Change,” by John Mayer. Band
members of No Fugazi are: David Kim,
Natalie Kim, Eddie Cai, Ben
Kozakowski, and Matt Renzo. The
student band, “Wah!”, featuring Will
Johnson, Will Broder and Anthony
Speros, performed “Careless Whisper,”
by George Michael and Wham!, while
Anthony Speros also contributed a solo
vocal and guitar performance on,
“Phunkdified,” by Justin King.
The Piano/Violin/Cello Trio, featuring
students Minhee Han, Brian Zeng and
Kevin Lu, played the musical
composition, “One Summer’s Day.”
Student Hannah Melillo joined a trio of
The Teachers Band, comprised of
English teachers, Kristin Mannion,
Michael Porter, and Ira Horowitz, to
create three-part harmonies on “White
Winter Hymnal,” by Fleet Foxes. The
Teachers Band trio closed out the Talent
Show with “You’re My Best Friend” by
Queen.
Mehu Saju read an original poem. Spencer Acciarito offered an original comedy stand up routine.
Newsletter Page 8
graduates, Glassic and Ard, as well as Keith Sims, of the WHRHS Class of 1985, who played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins.
As the country went wild for Super Bowl LI (51) , WHRHS had
reason to be proud of its own piece of the hoopla: A new
display recognizing WHRHS as “Left Guard High,” and a shiny
new Super Bowl Showcase.
Last year, the National Football League (NFL) commemorated
that fact that last year’s game was the 50th Super Bowl. Among
many other recognitions and remembrances, the NFL
recognized every football player who had played in one or
more of the Super Bowls by honoring their respective high
schools.
WHRHS was honored twice by that recognition program.
Thomas Glassic, WHRHS Class of 1972, played for the Denver
Broncos in Super Bowl XII, on Sunday, Jan. 15, 1978. Bill Ard,
WHRHS Class of 1977, played for the New York Giants in
Super Bowl XXI, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 1987.
A new Super Bowl Showcase stands outside Gym 5/6, recognizing the two graduates. Next to the Super Bowl showcase are framed, mounted jerseys of three WHRHS
New Showcase Honors Alumni’s Super Bowl History
The New York Jets and STOMP Out Bullying announced that senior Greg Shanahan of Watchung Hills Regional
High School was named the Jets Upstander of the Week . “Greg is a positive role model for his teammates on the
cross country team,” said Cara Yukins, Cross Country Coach. “Greg was chosen by his coaches to participate in the
Freshman for a Day Program in which a current student shows an incoming freshman around the school and takes
the new student to his or her classes for the day. Greg showed a freshman student around the school for the day.
Greg sets a positive example for our younger runners because he is accepting of others and creates an inclusive
environment on the team.”
NY Jets Upstander of the Week
Julia Cunningham Watchung Hills junior scored
1000 points
Alexis Tekin 2016 Courier News
Gymnast of the Year
Brooke Stanicki National Girls in Sports
Recipient
Four marching band students--Peter Bosco, Ryan Branco, Jack Horan, and Carl Peterson--auditioned and were accepted to the Macy’s Great American Marching Band. Ryan Branco, Jack Horan, and Carl Peterson also were invited to appear on the Today Show, which aired on November 21, 2016.
Ashil Jhaveri won a best speaker award at the JSA Fall State Conference for his participation in a debate regarding whether or not the United States should adopt English as its official language.
From December 1 to December 4, the WHRHS Model UN participated in the Rutgers Model United Nations Conference (RuMUN). The conference included approximately 1100 student-delegates from high schools around the globe who came together to simulate the actions of the United Nations. After hours of research and debates, the following 7 of our 23 delegates were recognized for their outstanding efforts: Suchir Govindarajan and Amay Mehta-Outstanding Delegates in World Health Organization Committee; Karthik Irakam – Best Position Paper in Summit on Cyber Security Committee; Brooke Stanicki and Katie Trovato – Best Position Paper in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Committee; and Jeremy Cui and Vamsi Desu – Best Position Paper in UN Human Rights Council Committee.
Eight of our math students, Kevin Huang, Kevin Sun, Olivia Xu, Cherlin Zhu, Vamsi Desu, Joshua Schmidt, Helen Yang, and Vivian Zhang, participated in the “Joseph Andrushklw Mathematics Competition” on November 19 at Seton Hall University. As a team they came in 3rd place overall. Cherlin Zhu’s individual score was the 4th highest out of the 249 students who participated in this competition.
Calvin Khiddee-Wu and Jagdeep Bhatia, teammates, have been named winners of the National STEM Video Game Challenge and were among 24 middle school and high school winners recognized at an award ceremony held at National Geographic in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2016, with top original video games and game design concepts selected in 18 categories from nearly 3,000 entries. They designed a video game with an apocalyptic setting, which told a story of survival in the wake of nuclear fallout.
Members of the Action against Hunger Club sponsored a school-wide Thanksgiving Food Drive for community members of Morris and Somerset Counties. Thousands of donations were collected and distributed between three locations: Market Street Mission in Morristown, Somerset County Food Bank, and St. Vincent DePaul RC Church.
Members of the Men’s Lacrosse Team made a generous donation of food towards the Food Pantry at St. Vincent de Paul Church for Thanksgiving. The Food Pantry serves about 60 families a month and the donation from the Men’s Lacrosse Team was greatly appreciated.
Senior Kelly McKenna was double featured in the January 2017 issue of Watchung Living as their “Hometown Hero and Athletic Achiever.” Ms. McKenna is a volunteer with the Watchung fire department and a varsity letter holder for football (1x), bowling (3x), and Ultimate Frisbee (3x). She also participates in dance and is part of the National Art Honors Society.
Twenty-two students from our Fine Arts 2 & 3, and our AP 2D Design classes will have one artwork from this academic year published in the Fall 2016 Celebrating Art Anthology. Congratulations to Ruchi Biswas, Ali Burman, Jen Cagno, Liam DePekary, Becca Friedman, Gemma Gallucci, Nick Giordano, Kathy Lee, Sarah McCraken, Abagail Pedroso, Natalie Przybylski, Aanika Sadana, Julia Skrobacz, Sophia Su, Carissa Tsien, Bridgette Whalers, Michelle Yang, Natalie Zurek, Anna Kaplan, Marissa Stamler, Joey Graziano, and Nick Kong.
Congratulations to Michelle Shui who was accepted into the NJ Governor’s School for the Sciences at Drew University. The Governor's School in the Sciences is a highly competitive program for high-achieving high school seniors who have an interest in STEM subjects. Its mission is to broaden the students’ appreciation and knowledge of science through exposure to a range of scientific topics and scientists. Students are introduced to scientific research via a hands-on research experience in an area of interest with the goal of inspiring young scholars to major in STEM fields in college.
