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P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI |
NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Frank Belluscio (fbelluscio@njsba.org) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NJSBA RECOGNIZES NINE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR CREATIVE PROGRAMS TRENTON, May 10, 2006—The New Jersey School Boards Association is honoring nine school districts for outstanding educational programs through its 21st annual School Leader Awards. “The award winners exemplify the unique and creative approaches that today’s schools use to educate children,” said Patti J. Pawling, president of NJSBA, a federation of the state’s local boards of education. “School districts are using these fresh concepts to boost academic achievement, increase literacy and math skills, and utilize resources ranging from technology to the arts.” This year’s School Leader Awards drew 57 entries. Recognized districts are Brielle; Galloway Township; Passaic Valley Regional; Perth Amboy; River Vale; Rockaway Borough; Roselle; Woodbridge Township; and Wykcoff. Twelve other school districts received honorable mentions. The judges selected the programs based on the level of innovation, how well they address a need, and how well they integrate state curriculum standards. NJSBA is honoring the school districts at the spring meetings of the state’s county school boards associations. Founded in 1985, the School Leader Award recognizes New Jersey school districts that improve student learning through unique educational efforts. The awards program is named after the New Jersey School Boards Association’s bi-monthly magazine, which provides information and research on educational trends and issues to the state’s local school leaders. The judges for the 2006 School Leader Awards were John Bulina, member of the Tabernacle Township Board of Education and chairman of NJSBA’s Standards and Assessment Committee; Amy Fisher, former northeast region vice president for the National School Public Relations Association and retired community relations director for East Brunswick schools; Anne H. Gallagher, communications director for the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; Wendi Patella, public relations consultant for the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools; Dr. Mary Reece, director of innovative programs for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and Sharon Witchel, public information officer for Marlboro Township School District and president-elect of the New Jersey School Public Relations Association. 2006 School Leader Award Winners Brielle (Monmouth County) – Three-Strand Curriculum for South African Study – The program includes a study of the novel Many Stones, a research component, and a social action project with fundraising for organizations benefiting people of South Africa. Contact: Christin Collins or Trish Emerson at (732) 528-6400 or christin_collins@alum.shu.edu Galloway Township (Atlantic County) – Super Bowl Fever – Kindergarteners use football and the Super Bowl as a springboard to learn subjects such as geography, art and math, as they take part in games and pep rallies. Contact: Mary Abbamondi at (609) 748-1250, ext. 4400, or abbamondim@gtps.k12.nj.us Passaic Valley Regional (Passaic County) – The Around the World Project – The initiative promotes a global understanding of other nations as students research cultures and videoconference via the Internet with students from other countries. Contact: Matthew Conforth at (973) 890-2500, ext. 2541, or pvmconforth@yahoo.com Perth Amboy (Middlesex County) – NJASKed … And We Answered – Designed to improve lagging test scores in math, the program utilizes staff training, incorporates math across curriculums, allocates an hour-long block each day for math, focuses before and after school programs on academics, and involves parents to promote math studies. Contact: Gerald M. Chismar at (732) 376-6020 or gerachismar@paps.net River Vale (Bergen County) – Eggster Adoption: An Eggstraordinary Cross Curricula Eggsperience – Elementary school students acquire critical thinking skills and they learn to understand parenting responsibilities as they “adopt” and care for eggs at school and home. Contact: Meryl J. Wolf at (201) 358-4028 or mwolf@rivervaleschools.com Rockaway Borough (Morris County) – Real Life Language – English as a Second Language students visit places of interest each month in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, and they incorporate their experiences into classroom activities. Contact: Jerelyn Hurley at (973) 625-8602 or jh@rockboro.org Roselle (Union County) – Positive Behavior Support in Schools – The program teaches children to be safe, respectful and responsible by using computer evaluation of discipline, as well as tools such as student rewards and parent newsletters. Contact: J. Nancy Romano at (908) 298-2072 or nromano@roselleschools.org Woodbridge Township (Middlesex County) – Math Madness – The elementary school program uses community involvement as parents and citizens read math-based stories to students. It also incorporates peer tutoring in upper and lower grades; effective teaching techniques; cross-curricular instruction; and technology such as Web-based programs. Contact: Dr. John A. Crowe at (732) 499-6558 or john.crowe@woodbridge.k12.nj.us Wykcoff (Bergen County) – Dancing Across the Community Bridge – The program connects the entire school as students learn about traditional folk dances, and provide dance assemblies for parents and the community. Contact: Maddie Meyer at (201) 848-5707 or mmeyer@wykcoffschools.org Honorable Mention Winners
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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. ###
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