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CONTACT:        Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org)                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                        Mike Yaple (myaple@njsba.org)
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NJSBA RECOGNIZES FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR CREATIVE PROGRAMS

TRENTON, September 5, 2007 - Five public school programs have been selected for recognition in the New Jersey School Boards Association's 22nd Annual School Leader Award, the organization’s president announced today.

"A major role of NJSBA is to help local school boards focus their efforts on student achievement," said Kevin Ciak, president of NJSBA, a federation of the state's local boards of education. "The 2007 School Leader Award winners exemplify the creative approaches that our schools are using to teach children. School districts are using these fresh concepts to boost achievement, increase math, literacy and science skills and help students meet the state’s academic standards."

Exemplary This year's School Leader Awards drew 29 entries. Judges designated Literacy Adventures, an entry from the Livingston School District, for the top honor - the Exemplary Program award. In addition, programs in four other school districts were selected for recognition: River Vale (Kinesthetic Initiative to Expand Science—KITES); Roselle Borough (High Schools That Work); Shrewsbury Borough (School SAIL Fair) and Washington Township, Gloucester County (Not on Our Watch).

The judges selected the programs based on the level of innovation, how well they address a need, and how well they integrate New Jersey's academic standards (the Core Curriculum Content Standards).

NJSBA will honor representatives of the five school districts at the closing session of Workshop 2007, a statewide education conference, on Friday, Oct. 26 in Atlantic City.

In addition to the exemplary and recognized programs, five others were given honorable mention.

Student Achievement Judges for the 2007 School Leader Awards were Peter Calvo, chairman of the NJSBA Standards and Assessments Committee; Amy Fisher, former northeast region vice president of the National School Public Relations Association and retired community relations director for the East Brunswick Public Schools; and Anne H. Gallagher, communications director for the New Jersey Association of School Administrators.

Founded in 1985, the School Leader Award recognizes New Jersey's public schools for creative efforts to improve student learning. The program is named after the New Jersey School Boards Association's bi-monthly magazine, which focuses on information and research on educational trends and issues of importance to the state’s public school leaders.

2007 School Leader Award Winners

Exemplary

This kindergarten program improves and enhances students’ reading and writing skills through repeated experiences with language, rhythmic patterns, letters and sound. Funded in part by grants from a school PTA and Montclair State University, the program involves both in-class and take-home activities that connect sounds with letters and conversations with print. It builds a foundation for future growth in reading and language skills. The program judge termed the effort "unique" and "effective," an observation borne out by standardized assessments and parental review.

Recognized

River Vale (Bergen County) – Kinesthetic Initiative To Expand Science (KITES)
Contact: Meryl J. Wolf-Sage at (201) 358-4028 or mwolf@rivervaleschools.com

Through the enrichment and expansion of the basic curriculum, kindergarteners take part in hands-on activities that encourage the scientific behaviors of questioning, hypothesizing, experimenting, evaluating, and drawing conclusions.

Roselle (Union County) – High Schools That Work
Contact: Diane Lobosso and Karen Tanner-Oliphant at (908) 298-2000 or Lobozzocom@aol.com or K.tanneroliphant@verizon.net

The initiative involves all nine areas of New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards and, in the process, raises academic expectations of students. It increases the rigor of the curriculum, gives all students access to college preparatory courses, and provides support to enable them to succeed.

Shrewsbury Borough (Monmouth County) – Shrewsbury Borough School's SAIL Fair
Contact: Sallyann Jauch at (732) 747-0882 or jauchs@sbs.k12.nj.us

Students Achieving Independent Learning, or SAIL, sets aside four afternoons per week for enrichment activities that cross the curriculum and focus on student-initiated projects. The project draws on students' skills in areas, such as creative expression, collaboration, time management, organization, and communication.

Washington Township (Gloucester County) – Not on Our Watch
Contact: Steve Gregor at (856) 589-6644 or sgregor@wtps.org

By engaging students in community service projects, Not on Our Watch, heightens awareness of genocide and crimes against humanity while instilling the values of global citizenship.

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The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.