Newsletter July 2017 Watchung Hills Regional From the desk of the Superintendent As we celebrate another outstanding year of accomplishments by our Watchung Hills Regional High School students and staff members, our long awaited summer recess is once again upon us. I was honored to be able to articulate my appreciation and congratulations to the Class of 2017 during their commencement ceremony. I would now like to take a moment and welcome the incoming Class of 2021 to our world class learning community. While these following words may sound familiar to those of you who read last summer’s newsletter, I find that they are important enough to revisit for our incoming Class of 2021 as they begin to navigate the next four years at Watchung Hills. I have learned from my years as an educator that two key components result in success: 1. Kids being involved in their school. 2. Parents being involved in their kids’ school. Every member of the staff and Board of Education at Watchung Hills is committed to ensuring every student is provided with the opportunity to reach his or her potential. I encourage all of our incoming 9th grade students and parents to peruse the pages that follow filled with the accomplishments of your 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classmates and begin a conversation around the opportunities that interest you at Watchung Hills next year. My number one piece of advice for all members of the Class of 2021 is: Get involved! Join a club, sport, musical ensemble, academic team, etc. - there is something for everyone at Watchung Hills. I would also like to offer a few additional recommendations to the Class of 2021 to assist you on the path to success at Watchung Hills: ● School is important; but so is your social and emotional development. Keep balance in your life. ● Eat breakfast and lunch. Keep your body well fueled throughout the day. ● Get enough sleep. The average teenager needs between 7-9 hours of sleep at night. ● Do not worry about fitting in. Worry about being true to yourself and your value system. ● Never give up. The only failure is when we stop trying. To the Watchung Hills Regional High School Class of 2021 - stay the course as the best is yet to come! Warm Regards, Superintendent High School District
Transcript
Newsletter
July 2017
Watchung Hills Regional
From the desk of the Superintendent
As we celebrate another outstanding year of accomplishments by our Watchung Hills Regional High School students and staff members, our long awaited summer recess is once again upon us. I was honored to be able to articulate my appreciation and congratulations to the Class of 2017 during their commencement ceremony. I would now like to take a moment and welcome the incoming Class of 2021 to our world class learning community. While these following words may sound familiar to those of you who read last summer’s newsletter, I find that they are important enough to revisit for our incoming Class of 2021 as they begin to navigate the next four years at Watchung Hills. I have learned from my years as an educator that two key components result in success:
1. Kids being involved in their school. 2. Parents being involved in their kids’ school.
Every member of the staff and Board of Education at Watchung Hills is committed to ensuring every student is provided with the opportunity to reach his or her potential. I encourage all of our incoming 9th grade students and parents to peruse the pages that follow filled with the accomplishments of your 10th, 11th, and 12th grade classmates and begin a conversation around the opportunities that interest you at Watchung Hills next year. My number one piece of advice for all members of the Class of 2021 is: Get involved! Join a club, sport, musical ensemble, academic team, etc. - there is something for everyone at Watchung Hills. I would also like to offer a few additional recommendations to the Class of 2021 to assist you on the path to success at Watchung Hills:
● School is important; but so is your social and emotional development. Keep balance in your life. ● Eat breakfast and lunch. Keep your body well fueled throughout the day. ● Get enough sleep. The average teenager needs between 7-9 hours of sleep at night. ● Do not worry about fitting in. Worry about being true to yourself and your value system. ● Never give up. The only failure is when we stop trying.
To the Watchung Hills Regional High School Class of 2021 - stay the course as the best is yet to come! Warm Regards,
Superintendent
High School District
Page 2 Newsletter Page 2
Graduation 2017
Under brilliant mid-morning late-June
skies, and in front of family, relatives,
friends,
administrators,
teachers and
each other,
more than 540
students
received their
diplomas on
Thursday, June
22, on the field
in Tozier
Stadium at the
60th Commencement of Watchung Hills
Regional High School.
The Class of 2017, wearing white gowns
and caps for the young women and gold
gowns and
caps for the
young men,
marched
down from
the WHRHS
main
buildings to
start the
graduation
ceremonies
around 10
a.m. They
marched behind
underclassman flag bearers, members of
the WHRHS Board of Education, various
elected officials from the sending
districts, administrators and faculty
adorned in black professorial gowns and
the colors and cowls of the schools where
they received their own bachelor’s
degrees, and masters and doctoral
degrees.
The WHRHS Symphonic Band, directed
by WHRHS Instrumental Music Director
Paul McCullen, played “Pomp &
Circumstance March 1 in D Major,” by Sir
Edward Elgar to serenade the graduates.
Once everyone had assembled, the Senior
Choral Group, under the director of
Choral Music Director Angela DiIorio Bird
and made up entirely of members of the
Class of 2017, sang the National Anthem,
“Star Spangled Banner,” by Francis Scott
Key.
The Commencement’s Speaking Program
started with remarks from four members
of the Class of 2017: Natalie Przybylski,
the president of the All School Council,
who first led the assembled students and
guests in the “Salute to the Flag,” and then
gave her remarks; Jordan Reynolds, the
President of the Class of 2017, who
presented his remarks; Michelle Shui, who
gave The Salutatory; and Joyce Zhou, who
presented The Valedictory.
During their remarks, Przybylski said she
wanted to
speak
about the
numerous
people who
had all
been so
influential
in her life,
but not by
name.
Instead,
she called
them by different colors, orange, yellow,
green, blue, violet, and indigo, etc. By the
end, she thanked them for being the colors
of her rainbow, and the people who had
introduced her to all the skills, the traits
and the values she will use all her life.
Reynolds had said to everyone who was
attending the graduation in
admiration of the Class of 2017
graduates
to feel the
gratitude
toward
them from
the Class of
2017,
because, “if
you are
here today,
you have
done
something right… you did something
to help these students… you have all
contributed. Thank you.”
He urged his fellow graduates to
cherish all the moments they have
shared together, including on
Graduation Day. Referring to the
school’s nickname, WHRHS
Warriors, he said “We are all
Warriors today… united as one…
filled with hope.” He thanked his
fellow Warriors, wished them all the
best in whatever they wish to do in
life.
Shui thanked all her teachers, and
said WHRHS would have a lasting
impact on her. She had made
“wonderful friends,” who had made
her laugh, cheered her up, and
shared wonderful memories.
Shui urged her classmates to search
for their passion, what they love to
Joyce Zhou Valedictorian
Page 3 Newsletter
do. She
recalled that
old adage,
“Do what
you love, and
you will
never work a
day in your
life.”
“Dream big,”
Shui said.
“Follow your
heart. Be
Awesome! Act
like you matter, like you can make a
difference… because you truly do
matter.”
Zhou asked her fellow graduates to
imagine where they might be in 10
years. It is impossible to know for
certain, she said, but it is possible, she
and her fellow graduates will go to
college and beyond, or go to work or
to serve in the military. They may
well, as well, start their careers, start
a family, buy a home, even start new
companies that might change the
world.
What is known is that as classmates
at WHRHS during the past four years,
“We have taken the hardest courses
with the most challenging teachers….
We survived… We thrived… We have
each changed Watchung Hills
Regional High School.
Congratulations, Class of 2017.”
Also speaking was Principal George
Alexis, Superintendent Elizabeth
Jewett, and WHRHS Board of
Education President Robert
Morrison.
Alexis said humans are drawn to
stories. “They delight us. They teach
us. They touch our souls. They help us
make sense of the world, and remind
us we are part of a larger world.”
A graduate of WHRHS, himself, Alexis
said the Class of 2017 had left its mark
on the school, which first opened its
doors to students in 1957. He urged the
Class of 2017 to continue to: Reason
critically; ask questions freely; solve
problems; be curious; explore new ideas;
forge their own narrative journeys
boldly; and write their own stories. “Do
your best,” Alexis said.
Jewett told the Class of 2017 to
remember that while graduation day is
the end of one journey, it is also the start
of another. She quoted
Facebook founder and social
media guru Mark Zuckerberg,
urging the graduates to go
forward having a sense of
purpose in life. Help create a
better world, where everyone
has a sense purpose in life.
As is her duty as
superintendent, Jewett said,
she then formally “Presented
the Class of 2017” for
graduation. Board of Education
President Morrison formally
accepted the Class of 2017 for
graduation.
Morrison said that graduation is one
of his favorite days of the year, when
the graduating class walks in as
students, and walks out as alumni.
He said to the students, that among
the most important tools that will
always serve them well in whatever the
future may hold, are: The skill of
establishing, developing, nurturing,
and relying on their “network” of
fellow professionals, colleagues,
employees, colleagues, even
competitors, family and friends; and
the continuing, utter importance of
establishing, building and maintaining
their reputation. These are two
important qualities, among a number
of others, necessary to “succeed and
thrive in the new world.” He said.
He ended saying, “It is my duty, and
profound privilege to accept the Class of
2017. Congratulations to all.”
Each graduate was called to the stage to
receive his or her diploma, with Vice Principals Patricia Toubin and Steven Searfoss reading off each name. Vice Principal Terry MacConnell was active behind the scenes, helping to make sure
everything at the graduation went smoothly.
Michelle Shui Salutatorian
Graduation 2017 (Cont’d)
Page 4 Newsletter Page 4
2017 Teachers of the Year—Julie Kumpf and Kim Gajewski
English Teacher Kim Gajewski, who has
been employed at WHRHS since 1980,
and Student Assistance Counselor
Julie Kumpf, at WHRHS since 2002,
have been selected by a committee of
their peers as the 2017 Teachers of the
Year.
Plaques presented to Gajewski and
Kumpf by Principal George Alexis
included the words: For Gajewski,
"For embracing students as
individuals, for teaching them to
imagine their potential beyond high
school, and for inspiring them to
engage with the world;" and for Kumpf,
“For joyfully promoting a culture of
acceptance and wellness, for serving
others in times of great need, and for
modeling compassion, empathy and
resilience.”
Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett
congratulated Gajewski and Kumpf on
their selection as Teachers of the Year.
About her selection as Teacher of the
Year, Gajewski said, “Without
sounding too cliché, and repetitious,
my job is who I am,” she said. “I
could never have continued in the
classroom for as long as I have if I
didn't love what I do.”
Kumpf said about her selection, “The
nature of the job involves bonding
with students, encouraging them to
be their best selves, and guiding
them to find the resources they need
along the way. I love this job
because I get to meet with students
individually and really get to know
them - to help counsel, coach and
cheerlead them through some
important years in their lives - it's one
of the best jobs in the school!”
Career Exploration Day
Graduating seniors at WHRHS had the
opportunity to meet and learn from more
than a dozen working professionals at a
Career Exploration Day, Tuesday, June 13,
at the school.
Among the professionals were keynote
speakers, WHRHS graduates Michael
Beneduce, Class of 2004, and his sister,
Justen Beneduce, Class of 2006, owners of
Beneduce Vineyards, Pittstown,
Hunterdon County.
Other guests with experience in health
sciences, entrepreneurship, marketing,
filmmaking, technology, arts, included:
From the world of finance and financial
planning, WHRHS Board of Education
Member Chris
Collins of Long
Hill Township;
from technology,
Jonathan Rochelle
and Shannon
Bradshaw; from
medicine, Dr.
Robert Yang and
Lauren Pincus;
entrepreneur and
former quarterback Chad Henry; from
photography and pottery, Brianna Lee
Johnson and Anthony Urango; from law,
Lucille J. Karp, and Robert F. Simon; and
from culinary arts: Tina Cappello and
Lisa Martins.
Career Exploration Day is one of several
new programs that have been worked into
the WHRHS student experience that grew
out of the ongoing 2015-2020 Strategic
Planning Initiative, A Warrior Vision.
As part of the district strategic plan
initiative, the Senior Experience
Committee was formed with Social
Studies Teacher Greg Krueger and
Director of Science, Instructional
Technology and Assessment Michael
D’Alessio as co-chairs. “During the
school year the committee had several
meetings with teachers, parents, and
community members in order to
develop ways for our students to learn
about career exploration and gain
contacts within the business
community.
The group decided to have a day in
which a keynote speaker, specifically a
WHRHS graduate, would visit school
and share their experiences with
WHRHS students.
Additionally other professionals served
on panels in break-out sessions allowing students to have in-depth discussions with career experts. Over the past few months, panelists were
chosen from the fields of technology, medicine, professional artistry, and the entrepreneurial spirit. The Beneduce family have been long standing supporters of WHRHS, and were
excited to bring their story back to our senior class.”
Page 5 Newsletter
A Day in the Life of a Student
Sixteen administrators at WHRHS “shadowed” students on Thursday, May 25 and Friday, May 26, as part of “A Day in the Life of a Student,” an initiative of the school’s Wellness Committee.
Part 2 of the
Day In The Life
shadowing
experience is
expected to
take place in
the Fall, when
a group of
teachers will
shadow other
students. It is
all in an effort to help administrators
and teachers better understand what it is
like to “walk in the shoes” of students
through typical school day experiences
at WHRHS.
Following a full day of sitting through
class, negotiating changes in class
locations, sometimes from one end of
North Building to the other end of South
Building, and waiting in lines for lunch,
and other sometimes complex and
sometimes mundane day-to-day
activities of the everyday life of a high
school student, administrators and
teachers hope to be better able to make
more informed and better decisions
about what administering to and
teaching students.
The Day in the Life of a Student is just
one initiative of the Wellness
Committee, one of the many working
committees of administrators, teachers,
parents, volunteers, and guest experts.
They have been helping WHRHS to
implement its strategic plan throughout
the 2016-2017 school year.
One goal of the plan is to create and
expand programs and services that
enhance the social and emotional wellness
of all students within a compassionate
learning community. To address this goal,
a Wellness Committee was formed. The
committee decided that a good place to
better understand student wellness is by
experiencing what their typical days are
like, and so, ‘A Day in the Life of a
Watchung Hills Student’ was planned.
Staff members were given the opportunity
to experience what a student's day is like
by following their school schedule and
then meeting the next day to discuss the
experience. Administrators and teachers
were enlightened by the experience and
their findings will be shared with the staff.
Teachers will have the opportunity to
participate in this experience next year.
In addition to Toubin and Kumpf, other
administers who participated in the Day
In The Life” program are: Superintendent
Elizabeth Jewett; Principal George Alexis;
Vice Principal for 9th and 10th Grades
Terry MacConnell; Vice Principal for 11th
and 12th Grades Patricia Toubin; Vice
Principal for Special Services
Students Steven Searfoss; Director of
Human Resources Beth Scheiderman;
Director of Curriculum and
Instruction
Mary Ellen
Phelan;
History/
Social Studies
Supervisor
Anita Falvo;
World
Languages
Supervisor
Brad
Commerford; Arts, Health/Physical
Education and Co-Curricular
Activities Supervisor Dan Bertelli;
English Supervisor James Aquavia;
Director of Science, Instructional
Technology, and Assessment Michael
D'Alessio; Student Assistance
Counselor Julie Kumpf; Student
Assistance Counselor Gwen Blake;
Mathematics and Business Teacher
Susan Sheldon; Social Studies
Teacher Evan Oftedal; and
Mathematics Supervisor Dan Twizler.
The students who participated are:
Esha Mamtaney, Patricia DePinho,
Catherine Baker, Christa Sarrico,
Jenna Woo, Gianna Tautonico,
Rebecca Baitel, Kevin Caracappa,
Angelia
Seda,
Michael
Hopwood,
Jillian
Rakin, Myah
Toubin,
Zachary
Velling,
Rachel
Simons, and
Matt King.
For more information about this and other initiatives, visit the Healthy Edge site at the school's web page www.whrhs.org.
hosting a TED talk here at school we were very excited,” said WHRHS Math and Business Supervisor Dan Twisler, who is familiar with and supportive of “21st Century” concepts.
“We had seen great success with students taking leadership roles and felt honored that we would be able to host the event. Students had a part in all aspects of the event from finance and sponsors, videography and
photography, to collecting and being speakers. We are thrilled with the results and have already begun plans for next year."
Art Students Memory Project
For the second year in a row, WHRHS Art Teacher Kate Griffin’s Advanced Placement
2D Studio Art class participated in The Memory Project.
“The Memory Project is a charitable nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create and donate portraits to youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, violence, and extreme poverty,” according to the program’s Web site, www.memoryproject.org. “This year’s WHRHS students created portraits of children from Tanzania, Africa,”
Griffin said. “Many of these children have had to leave their homes due to
unfortunate circumstances, and as a result don’t have any personal belongings.
Page 7 Newsletter
Art Students Memory Project (Cont’d)
The portraits were created by the WHRHS students and sent to these children as keepsakes to let them know they are cared about by
people all over the world.”
Students at WHRHS each donated $15 in September to participate, and in return received an 8x10 of a student in Tanzania with
their name and favorite color. Students were able to create their portraits in any medium they wanted including oil paint, watercolor
paint, colored pencil and graphite, and were encouraged to be creative while also creating realistic renderings of each child. When
finished, the WHRHS students sent the portraits back to Tanzania, Griffin said.
The Memory Projects allows students from WHRHS to recognize the ability of art to connect people from across the world, she said.
It also teaches them about the importance of giving back to a community of their peers, and to recognize the challenges they face.
The portraits served as a reward for the AP students and were created after the submission to the Advanced Placement exam was completed in early May.
Portrait by Senior Julia Portrait by Senior Hannah Portrait by Senior Bridgette Portrait by senior Abagail
Four Watchung Hills Regional High School students have been awarded medals recognizing achievement in fiction and poetry
writing as well as photography and filmmaking at the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Another four students have received recognition in an Italian Poetry competition at New York University (NYU), sponsored by the Association of Italian Teachers of New York.
The four who won medals in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are: Senior Raymond Tang, who won a Gold Medal, called the New York Life Award, in Film and Animation for a reflection piece titled, “Just Another File;” Freshman Vivian Zhang, who won a Gold Medal in Flash Fiction, for a Less Than 500 Word Short Story titled, “A Taste of Heaven;” Junior Edward Cai, who won a Silver
Award in Photography for a photo titled, “Solitary Joy;” and Junior Linda Ye, who won a Silver Award in Poetry for a poem titled, “Unsung Apology.”
The four students who won medals in the NYU Poetry Competition are: Annabel Kopell, 1st place prize; Emilie Ricciardi and Carrie Zhang, tied 2nd place prize; and Juliet Keselman, 3rd place prize.
Scholastic Art & Writing and Italian Poetry Awards
Page 8 Newsletter Page 8
Some 302 students studying one of six World
Languages at Watchung Hills Regional High School
were inducted into those languages’ academic honor
societies at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 19, in the
school’s Performing Arts Center.
The numbers of students honored this year for superior academic excellence of the six languages are: 162 in
Spanish, 52 in Italian; 52 in French; and 34 in Chinese. In two languages, Latin and German, enrollment has dwindled and the programs are being phased out.
One student, junior Vincent Pasquale Tartaro, qualified for induction into two language
honor societies, in Spanish and Italian.
World Languages Honor Societies Inductions
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Twenty-Nine students were inducted into the 2017 local chapter of
the Tri-M Music Honor Society on Thursday, April 20, at Watchung
Hills Regional High School.
Students from among this year’s inductees who were voted to the
Executive Board are: Co-Presidents Andrew Morrison and Jordon
Reynolds, Vice President Ethan Marmolejos, Secretary Hannah
Melillo, Treasurer Emillie Ricciardi, and Historian Allison Horvath.
Other inductees this year are: Kyra Anthony, Christopher Barry,
Nikhil Bhat, Jeremy Cui, Calvan Davis, Anchal Dhir, Taylor Hestvik,
Jack Horan, Justin Horowitz, Francesca Infante-Meehan, Timothe
Iroudayassamy, William Johnson, Kira Leinwand, Craig Mandelbaum, Emma Marszalek, Carl Peterson, Diana Sarrico, Lindsey
Shi, Sam Sinnott, Anthony Speros, Amelia Stapperfenne, Sanjay Subramanian, and Mariella Zijdel.
Faculty Advisor is Choral Music Director Angela DiIorio Bird.
2017 Arts Festival
More than 1,000 individual pieces of 2 and
3-dimensional art created this year by WHRHS
students were featured on Monday night, June 5,
at the opening of the school’s annual Spring Arts
Festival, a year-end celebration of the
accomplishments in, and dedication to, the arts
by WHRHS students.
Displays of artwork in all media, including
drawings, paintings, photographs, ceramic
works, basketry, jewelry, sculptures, crafts, electronic graphic design posters and program covers, and art creations made from
Page 9 Newsletter
2017 Arts Festival (Cont’d)
wood were on display in the Atrium at the main entrance of the school and up and down corridors surrounding the school’s
Performing Arts Center.
The artwork remained in place later in the week for the benefit of audiences who
attended the Spring Vocal Concert on Tuesday, June 6, and Spring Band Concert, Wednesday, June 7, in the PAC.
2017 Arts Festival - Shakespeare In The Park
Students involved in classes and activities offered by the
WHRHS Drama Department were also featured on
Monday, June 5, in an outdoor learning space of the
South Building.
Small groups of students enacted scenes from a variety
of iconic Shakespearean plays, including: “Two
Gentlemen of Verona,” “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream,”
“Twelfth Night,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Romeo
and Juliet,” “Henry V,” “As You Like It,” and “Much Ado
About Nothing.”
The weather threatened to force the performance indoors, but in
the end the saturated air acted as real-life scenery for some of
Shakespeare’s most popular acting class vignettes.
Numerous graduates of the arts department programs were also seen throughout the audience, marveling at the talent of the
current WHRHS thespians.
Newsletter Page 10
Students and parents were treated to an array of some 16 numbers, some big band,
some ensembles, some quartets, as well as some accompanied vocalists, at the Spring
Jazz Concert, Friday, April 28, at the Performing Arts Center.
The student musicians and vocalists played and sang at times loud, at times soft, at
times fast and at times slow, and the performances all culminated in an
audience-encouraged encore that, in true jazz fashion, might have gone on
indefinitely.
The evening featured performances by: The WHRHS Jazz Band; select ensembles, including the Brass Ensemble, the Soph Sax Quartet, the String Ensemble, the Sax Quartet, and the All-Star Dixieland Band; and three solo singing performances.
Spring Jazz Concert
All but four of the 18 dances presented by the Watchung Hills Regional High School Dance Ensemble at the “Spring Dance Concert,” Thursday and Friday, May 18 and 19, were not only danced, but also choreographed, by the WHRHS Dance students.
The Dance Concert gave all the students in the Advanced Dance Class as well as the after-school extracurricular,
Dance Ensemble, an opportunity to express their artistic style by performing solos, duets, and group dances on the big WHRHS Performing Art Center stage, We are very proud of the artistic expression the students shared with the audiences at the Dance Concert, and of their self-driven dedication, imagination and thirst to explore and master
their craft through choreographing, learning, rehearsing and performing these ambitious dance pieces.”
Spring Dance Concert
Spring Band Concert
WHRHS student musicians
in the Concert Band, the
O r ch est r a a nd Wind
Ensemble demonstrated the
considerable breadth and
depth of their musical
progression with a varied
and complex program at the
2017 Spring Band Concert, Wednesday, June 7, in the school’s Performing Arts Center.
The Spring Band Concert was part of the 2017 WHRHS Spring Arts Festival, a year-end celebration of the accomplishments in the
arts by students at Watchung Hills Regional High School. The Arts Festival was held Monday, June 5, through Wednesday, June 7,
at various exposition and performance spaces at the school.
The community was invited to attend the three-day festival, to witness exhibitions of 2 and 3-dimentional visual art as well as film
screenings, theatrical, musical and choral performances involving students of all grades and levels. The Orchestral Music Director
and Teacher is Paul McCullen.
Page 11 Newsletter
Watchung Hills Regional High School student singers in the
Advanced Chorus, Chorus, and numerous variations of ensembles
and solo performances, presented a virtual “master class” for a
packed audience at the Spring Vocal Concert, Tuesday, June 6, in
the school’s Performing Arts Center.
More than 200 singers presented 25 songs, commanding the stage
for some two and a half hours of memorable performances. The
evening concluded with the annual singing of “Hallelujah” from
“The Messiah,” by George Frederic Handel.” The Combined
Chorus was joined on stage by alumni familiar with the parts in a
thunderous rendition of the classic piece.
The Spring Vocal Concert was part of the 2017 WHRHS Spring Arts Festival, a year-end celebration of the accomplishments in, and
dedication to, the arts by students at WHRHS.
Spring Vocal Concert
Dancing with the Teachers
Any reticence that might have exhibited itself during last year’s inaugural “Dancing With The Teachers (DWTT)” fundraiser at
WHRHS completely left the stage at this year’s DWTT, as it seemed many more students, teachers and administrators participated –
and participated wholeheartedly – on the big stage of the school’s Performing Arts Center, Monday, June 12.
Plus, many more of the participating amateur dancers, mentored patiently and lovingly by
this year’s remarkable crop of student Dance Ensemble members, threw themselves entirely
into their performances, seemingly losing themselves in the fun of doing something
completely out of character during a night of lighthearted celebration filled with exuberance,
fun and heretofore hidden raw talent.
The 2017 DWTT raised more than $2,000 to benefit the Cruz family. This donation was in
addition to another $1,000 donated by the Senior Class from a fundraiser held outside of the
school.
Everyone seemed to dance with the energetic spirit of Juan Carlos Cruz, the late WHRHS
Spanish Teacher, Soccer and Track Coach, cultural ambassador, mentor, colleague and
friend. He died unexpectedly last Fall, and left a young family, including his wife and infant
son. Several members of the Cruz family, including his wife and son, attended the performance and were on stage at the end thank-
ing everyone for participating and spreading the spirit of Mr. Cruz.
DWTT ended with everyone in the audience encouraged to come up on stage, to join the dancing of the last number, “The Cha Cha Slide,” by DJ Casper.
Newsletter Page 12
Four teachers retired this year from Watchung Hills Regional High School.
Physics Teacher Georgia Fisanick, who started at WHRHS in 2004, holds a doctoral degree in Theoretical
Chemistry. She graduated as valedictorian from Bayside High School in Queens, N.Y. in 1966. She majored in
Chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
science in 1970, as one of only four female students in her graduating class. Fisanick attended graduate school at
Princeton University, and received her doctoral degree in Theoretical Chemistry in 1975. At WHRHS, Fisanick
taught integrated science, chemistry and physics, and developed the forensic science elective which introduced
more than 600 kids to the real science behind CSI (Crime Scene Investigation).
Kim Gajewski, an English Teacher who has been employed at Watchung Hills Regional High School since 1980,
was named as one of two Teachers of the year for the 2016-2017 school year. With her 37 years on staff at
WHRHS, Gajewski retired as the currently longest-serving teacher on the faculty. Gajewski received her Bachelor
of Arts from Seton Hall University, South Orange. She completed her teaching certification and master’s
degree - an MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) -- also from Seton Hall University. Once she finished her
certification, she started work at WHRHS.
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Julie Jaran , who started at WHRHS in 2009, graduated from Cicero
High School in Syracuse, N.Y. From there she attended SUNY (State University of New York) Oneonta and
received a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics Education, which is known today as Family and Consumer
Sciences. She then attended Syracuse University and received a master’s degree in Home Economics Education.
Since graduating, she married, had three amazing children, worked as a teacher in three different states, been a
cafeteria lady, subbed in Mount Olive, ran several home businesses, helped her husband start a consulting firm
and home schooled her oldest child. Eight years ago Jaran began work at Watchung Hills teaching Child
Development theory and best practices to the high school students.
Guidance Counselor Marlene Milkosky, who started at WHRHS in 1992, attended Arthur L. Johnson Regional
High school. A few years after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from West
Chester State University, she began her career at Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung in 1985, where she spent
seven years as a Health and Physical Education teacher and coach. She started working at WHRHS in September
1992, as a Health and Physical Education teacher. After eight years, she became a Guidance Counselor which is
what she has been doing for the past 17 years. She received her master’s degree in School Counseling from Kean
University in 1996. She has also coached several sports at WHRHS, assisting in Basketball, Softball and Soccer
and was the Head Girls Varsity Tennis coach from the fall of 1997 to 2006.
Retiring Teachers
Two of our students, Nicole Wang and Jenny Yan, have been selected as winners of the National Merit Novartis Scholarship, as part of the National Merit Scholarship Competition.
WHRHS junior, Clara Citarella, has been selected by the staff of Watchung Hills Regional High School to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Society of Women Engineers. This is awarded to a junior and/or senior at each high school who demonstrates high achievement in mathematics and science.
Eleven students from our Fine Arts and Photography classes participated in this year’s Seventh Congressional District Art
Competition held on Saturday, May 13 at Merck & Co., Inc. in Kenilworth, NJ. The following students were invited to attend a reception and exhibit their artwork by Congressman Leonard Lance: Odalys Barahana-Ordonez, Ruchi Biswas, Martina Cruz, Alyssa Inacio, Anna Kaplan, Rachel Minhee Han, Fiona Mulvey, Micaela Rebelo, Sophia Su, Jordan Wilen, ans Natalie Zurek
The Hills Final Roundup
Page 13 Newsletter
Athletic Signings
A total of 20 graduating student athletes
from the WHRHS Class of 2017 plan to
continue playing in their sports next year
for the colleges or universities they plan to
attend. Eight have committed to Division I
schools, two to Division II schools, and 10
to Division III schools. Seventeen of the
20 gathered in the WHRHS Media Center
on Thursday, May 25. They are: seated,
from left, Taryn Rotondo, who plans to
play Field Hockey at Kean University;
Jesse DeLello, Cross-Country/Track,
Richard Stockton University, Dominic
Heise Fencing, NJIT; Brooke Stanicki,
Fencing, Johns Hopkins University; Sydney Wilcenski, Loyola University, Maryland; and Alexa Ferreira, Soccer, Rutgers
University; and standing, from left, Kevin Sylvestri, Baseball, George Washington University; Melanie Cunha, Soccer, Montclair
State University; Chelsea Semper, Soccer, Swarthmore College; Krysta Garcia, Swimming, Monmouth University; John Dardis,
Swimming, Fordham University; Ryan Martins, Cross Country/Track, University of Nebraska; Michael Montecalvo, Football,
University of New Haven; Michael Ugarte, Football, Muhlenberg College; Kyle Shanahan, Cross Country/Track, Muhlenberg
College; Marc Larson, Wrestling, Gettysburg College; and Kevin Flynn, Swimming, Bucknell University. Not in the photo are:
Lamar Evans, Division I, Football, Sacred Heart University; Dylan Murphy, Division II, Baseball, West Chester University; and
Tyler Kulisz, Division III, Baseball, William Paterson University.
The Hills Final Roundup (Cont’d)
Watchung Hills student Diana Sarrico was accepted to Governor’s School of Engineering.
One of our students, Michael John Maloney III, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award in scouting. To attain the rank of Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout must demonstrate leadership, service, and outdoor skills. They are also required to do a service project that benefits the community.
The Watchung Hills Science League holds four events (25 question tests) from January through April and scores are submitted on line. Team plaques are awarded to the top 10 teams in each science category: Biology 1 & 2, Chemistry 1 & 2, High School Physics and AP Physics C. The final Science League results are as follows:
Overall Team Results Biology 1 Team 8th place state wide Biology 2 Team 4th place state wide Chemistry 1 Team 10th place state wide Chemistry 2 Team 2nd place state wide High School Physics Team 6th place state wide Physics C Team 6th place state wide
Individual plaques are also awarded to students who placed in the top 10 percent in each area. Those students are:
Biology 1 - Manthan Naik, Maya Zhang Biology 2 - Michele Shui, Zachary Young, Jason Ye Chemistry 1 - Neelay Trivedi Chemistry 2 - Aaron Hao, Olivia Xu High School Physics - Calvin Li, Vincent Dai
