from the ramsey schools - (www.ramsey.k12.nj.us).

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from the ramsey schools - (www.ramsey.k12.nj.us).
FROM THE RAMSEY SCHOOLS
VOLUME XXVII, Number 4
FALL 2014
New District Staff
The Ramsey School District welcomes new staff members. They are (front row, left to right): Melissa Aujero Dater 5th grade, Jennifer Back - Smith/Dater French, Stefanie Benson - RHS Science, Dana Ragone - Smith Science,
Lucine Kinoian - Smith English, Ruthann Inserra - Smith Social Studies, Kaylin Bessler – Smith Social Studies, Amy
Schuster – Tisdale 1st grade.
(Back row, L-R): Caline Treger – Smith French, Mary Hartnett – RHS
French, Richard Garcia – Dater Nurse, Christine Mugno – Smith Art,
Michele Megna – Hubbard 1st grade, Reina Iula – Hubbard 1st grade, Linda
Wrisley – Tech Dept. Database Specialist, Meaghan Schreck – Tisdale 1st
grade, Danielle Schepis, Tisdale 2nd grade.
Dater Girls Club
The Dater School Girls Club is a fun way to gain support from
peers while learning valuable coping strategies for friendship issues
and worries common to this age group. The students will participate
in small group activities from G.I.R.L.S. in Real Life Situations. Some
of the topics this year will be: Understanding Emotions, Healthy
Friendships, Communication Skills, It’s OK to Need Help: Reaching
Out, Making Choices. Girls Club also gives students the opportunity
to form new friendships with girls across their cluster. Fifth graders
will provide peer support for a fourth grade “little sister” and gain
tons of confidence through this first mentoring experience. Fourth
graders benefit from having their “big sisters” give them support and
encourage them when needed during their first year at Dater. Pictured
are two groups of fifth grade girls with their guidance counselor,
Annamarie Fishman. A Boys Lunch Bunch is also offered.
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SUPERINTENDENT’S
MESSAGE
Dear Ramsey and Saddle River Residents,
Welcome! This September marks Ramsey’s 106th
academic year. While not as old as the Hartford High
School established in 1638, our longevity is not too
shabby! We have had an incredible start to the school
year. As I enter my 25th year in education, I still feel
excited when I walk the buildings and see students
engaged in thoughtful and meaningful learning, or go to
athletic events in which our students play well and with
honor, or watch a co-curricular activity taking place.
The 2014-2015 school year holds many possibilities
and promises to be one of continued transition. We have
our One-to-One initiative in grades 7-12, 30+ new staff
members, new curriculum and programs, and of course,
new testing. You are certainly aware that despite calls
for delays, students in grades 3 - 11 are still scheduled
to take the Partnership for Assessments of College and
Careers (PARCC) in the spring. We have been preparing
for this, but, as with anything new, there are going to be
challenges, both expected and unexpected. I would not
be surprised if scores dip around the state as they did in
New York. Despite the uncertainties, I know we are up
to any and all challenges, and I promise you that we will
address them as needed.
As I have written in the past, our mission is bigger
and more important than a single test score or a ranking.
This is not to say that data is not important. We have
identified improving our SAT scores and increasing
the number of students attending four-year colleges
as priorities. But our efforts must stay focused on
preparing our students with the skills and knowledge
that they need to be successful in an unpredictable and
complex future, where critical and innovative thinking,
teamwork, and initiative are essential. We must help our
students understand that working hard is admirable
and not something to be circumvented. We must create
a culture in which students respect each other, our
community, our state, and our country. We must remain
a District that values all students as we help them
develop into adults.
In 1638 Hartford High School did not have to worry
about social media, ACHIEVE NJ, PARCC, the Common
Core, etc., but I would wager that they had the same
conversations we are having in Ramsey about helping
each and every student achieve excellence.
I look forward to my second year in the District and
I thank you in advance for your contributions that will,
no doubt, continue to move us forward.
Matthew J. Murphy, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Curriculum – The Heart
of Education
News & Views
A successful district can be
defined as one that maximizes a
student’s desire to learn. Simply
put…achieving excellence, one
student at a time.
There is no debating the value of a strong education.
The K-12 experience is the cornerstone for college, trade
school, military service or any other occupation a young
adult may choose to embark on. The heart of a strong
educational experience is a solid, refined curriculum,
one that weaves together core and elective classes that
allow students to individualize their Ramsey experience.
Don’t be misled, a strong curriculum does not end with
the dismissal bell; it must include sports, clubs and
special activities that are offered before and after school.
Education is not a static model, it must adapt as
the surrounding environment changes. When I joined
the BOE thirteen years ago we boasted about having
a computer in every classroom. Now every student
can have endless information at their desk, home or
anywhere. Today’s student researches, absorbs, and
communicates far differently than when I started my
BOE tenure.
In the past few years the administration has
recommended and the BOE approved changes to the
science, language arts, math, art, world language, social
studies and athletic programs. The changes impact
every grade and student in our district. At our October
7th meeting the BOE announced the plan to improve
our SAT/ACT prep program. I could list dozens of
changes that have occurred, but rather than listening
to me, I would suggest you experience the changes
firsthand. Starting in November, the BOE will continue
our tradition of having one meeting a year at Tisdale,
Hubbard, Dater and Smith schools. Dates and locations
can be found on the District website. If you come by for
the first half hour, you will be impressed by the student
and staff presentations.
My colleagues and I are often asked, “Why did you
volunteer to be on the BOE?” If you come see a student
presentation, you will never have to ask that question
again.
Anthony Gasparovich
President of the Ramsey Board of Education
NEWS & VIEWS from the Ramsey
Schools
266 E. Main Street, Ramsey, NJ 07446
www.ramsey.k12.nj.us
Published by the Board of Education
Marcy Cagan, Editor
Fall 2014
Curriculum Update
This summer the Ramsey School District initiated a
new series of professional development opportunities
for its staff. Sixty teachers, grades
K-12, participated in our Ramsey iPad
Institutes to learn various educational
apps and how to integrate them in the
classroom. Teachers learned how to
set up digital classrooms, connect with
classrooms and experts from around
the world through global video conferencing, and use a
variety of educational applications for instruction. The
Institute presenters included Leah McConaughy, the
K-12 curriculum specialist from the Apple Corporation,
Meg Wilson from the Avenues School in NYC, and
Christine Scharaldi, a technology expert from New
Jersey. Ramsey also hosted the New Jersey Google
Docs Summit, July 15 and 16, which brought over 250
educators from throughout New Jersey to explore Google
apps for education, including a sneak preview of the
Google Classroom platform. Also new were the Ramsey
Summer Curriculum Institutes, which involved teams of
teachers studying curriculum design principles as they
worked to redesign or create new units in their subject
areas. All in all, the summer professional development
initiative involved 90 staff members and provided an
excellent opportunity to utilize the summer months to
explore new teaching practices and to develop exciting
learning experiences for our students.
On October 27, our district teachers, supervisors,
and administrators participated in a full day professional
development program. The grades 6 through 12 staff
continued to develop instructional applications for
the iPads, which are now an integral part of the grades
7-12 educational program. Our guest presenter was
Lisa Johnson, a national consultant who has extensive
experience with 1:1 mobile technology in education.
Our K-5 staff continued their training and preparation
for the upcoming PARCC assessment, which will be
administered this spring. The K-5 teachers have been
building a strong language arts and mathematics
curriculum, which will support the transition to a more
rigorous end-of-year standardized assessment. The K-5
teachers are currently working closely with a consulting
team on the elementary language arts program.
Ramsey High School begins the new school year
with the implementation of several newly adopted
Advanced Placement courses. AP courses are rigorous,
college level courses that are sanctioned by The College
Board and accepted by many colleges for college
level credit. New AP courses for this year include
AP Environmental Science, AP Physics, AP Human
Geography, and AP Economics. These are among the
many AP course offerings that are available across
the subject areas at Ramsey High School. In a related
college initiative, Ramsey High School is revising its
SAT preparation program and the resources that are
3
made available to juniors and seniors who are preparing
for the college SAT exam. A restructured SAT course
during the lunch program and options for before and
after school instruction are being offered. A new on-line
diagnostic and preparation program is now available
and is compatible with the iPad. Additional attention
will be given to the concepts and skills associated with
the SAT in all of the Mathematics and English courses.
Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of
these resources at the high school. Please contact your
child’s guidance counselor for additional information.
Richard N. Wiener, Ed. D.
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Smith Students in
County Band & Chorus
Band Students (left to right): Amanda Siemsen – flute, Grace
Kim – trombone, Michael Cseh – percussion, Jack Kramer – bass
clarinet, Joe LeBert – trombone, Will Simpson – percussion,
Ishaan Chawla – percussion, Greta Dobson – French horn,
Hanora Chapman – trumpet.
Twelve Smith School music students were recently
accepted into the 2014 Bergen County Middle School
Band and Chorus. These students auditioned against
hundreds of other musicians from across Bergen
County. This year, Smith School had 9 students accepted
to the County Band - more than any other school in the
county for the second year in a row. These ensembles
will rehearse over the next several weeks and perform
in a concert at Bergenfield High School on November 16.
The Smith School students are taught by Band Director
Michael Stephenson and Choral Director Paul Ricigliano.
Chorus students (left to right): Marisa Alvarez – alto, Carolyn
Coletti – alto, Jeffrey Castellano – alto, Hanora Chapman,
soprano.
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Full Day Kindergarten Analysis
The Ramsey School District is examining the
feasibility of full-day kindergarten. In early October,
Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Murphy presented the
Board of Education with a report estimating the costs of
instituting full-day kindergarten in the district.
Murphy emphasized that his report was not an
endorsement or recommendation —but merely a list
of demographics, considerations and estimated costs
associated with instituting an expanded program,
according to the Ramsey Suburban News. The board’s
committees will assess the impact the expanded program
would have on curriculum, buildings and grounds, and
the budget.
The costs of instituting full-day kindergarten would
exceed the state-mandated two percent budget cap
on taxpayer-supported spending, currently limited to
$979,434 annually in Ramsey, and would have to be
approved by voters as a “second question” or cut current
staff and programs.
The report, which is now viewable on the board’s
website ramsey.k12.nj.us lists the recurring cost of allday kindergarten at about $771,000: Six additional
classroom teachers ($510,000); The equivalent of two
part time teachers to handle additional sections of
art, physical education, and small group instruction
($170,000); Five to six aides ($80,000); and supplies
($11,000).
Space is also is an issue that the District must
address. To move to full day, the District would need
five additional kindergarten classrooms. Tisdale
Principal Gina Aliano and Hubbard Principal Dr. Molly
Dinning supplied overviews of current room use in
their respective K-3 buildings in the report. Tisdale
currently uses three rooms for kindergarten. Two
additional rooms are used for a half-day kindergarten
enrichment “WRAP” program, one of which is shared
with small-group instruction along with occupational
and physical therapy. Hubbard currently uses three
rooms for kindergarten. One of the three rooms is
used for kindergarten in the morning and transitional
kindergarten in the afternoon. Two additional rooms are
used for the WRAP Around Kindergarten program. This
is a program run by the Ramsey Community School that
is an extension of the half-day kindergarten program.
There are a variety of regulations for the classrooms,
but foremost among them are that kindergarten
classrooms must have a minimum 950 square feet, and
an in-class barrier-free bathroom. If existing classrooms
are converted for kindergarten use but do not meet
the current square footage requirements, the state can
reduce the number of students allowed in those rooms,
effectively increasing the number of rooms and teachers
needed to accommodate the full class. The state limits
kindergarten class size to 25 students; Murphy predicts
an average class size of 17. If an existing room does not
News & Views
have its own bathroom, the state requires the school to
hire a full-time aide for that classroom to assure safe
transfer of children to nearby restroom facilities.
The Board of Education will be reviewing the report
in its respective committees. The community is invited
to share their input at [email protected].
Hubbard Kindergarten Orientation
5
Fall 2014
Gregory
Acocella is
New Director
of Special
Services
The Ramsey School District is happy to welcome our
new Director of Special Services, Gregory Acocella. A
lifelong New Jersey resident, Acocella grew up in Clifton
and currently resides in Hunterdon County with his wife,
Terese, a Colonel in the NJ Army National Guard and
counselor for veterans. Daughter Maya is a student at
the University of Maryland and son Evan is a sophomore
in High School.
Acocella earned his Bachelors degree from William
Paterson University, and his Masters from Kean
University. He also earned many school certifications
which include Teacher of the Handicapped, School
Social Worker, School Psychologist, Supervisor, Director
of Student Personnel Services, and Principal. Most
recently, Acocella was Director of Student Personnel
Services at Hanover Park Regional High School District.
The wish to move back to Pre-K through 12th grade
brought him to Ramsey.
“I like the coordination of services in a high achieving
district,” said Acocella. “As part of our process, we will
consider all options for students with special needs and
create opportunities that will allow them to maximize
their potential.”
To that end, he finds the teamwork in Ramsey to be
collaborative and constructive by sharing thoughts and
ideas and incorporating 21st Century Learning Skills.
The integration of different types of assessments and
technology is also key to the process.
“Technology is a wonderful tool with special needs
children,” explained Acocella. “It levels the playing field.
Using devices like the iPad and speech-to-text programs
make it easier for students with special needs to be part
of the fabric and culture of the community.”
His goals include staff training to implement coteaching models that are useful at every level, offering
fresh ideas, and supporting the staff in enhancing
techniques and strategies that will assist students to
synthesize and apply the information they learn.
“All staff members have been welcoming and
responsive. Everyone is unified and looking out for the
best interest of our students. Ramsey is a great district
that is always looking for ways to improve education and
ensure that all our students are afforded the education
they deserve.”
“It’s the reason I came here,” said Acocella.
National Merit
Semifinalists
Sabrina
Casavechia
and
Alexander
Kwon
Photo by Keith Nixon
Dr. Michael J. Thumm, Principal of Ramsey High
School, has announced that Sabrina Casavechia and
Alexander Kwon have been named National Merit
Semifinalists in the 2015 competition. Sabrina and
Alexander are among the approximately 16,000 students
named to this status. These academically talented
young people have an opportunity to continue in the
competition for approximately 8,000 Merit Scholarship
awards, worth about $31 million that will be offered
next spring.
Juniors in some 20,000 high schools in the United
States entered the 2015 Program by taking the 2013
Preliminary Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which
served as an initial screen of more than one million
program entrants. The highest scorers in each state,
representing fewer than one percent of the state’s high
school graduating class, were designated Semifinalists.
The next step for Semifinalists is to fulfill
requirements to advance to Finalist standing, a
prerequisite to consideration for a Merit Scholarship
award. To become Finalists, Semifinalists must have an
outstanding high school academic record, be endorsed
and recommended by their school principal, and submit
SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test
performance. The Semifinalists and a school official
must submit a detailed scholarship application, which
also includes the student’s self-descriptive essay, and
information about the Semifinalist’s participation and
leadership in school and community activities.
Hubbard School
Teachers at
Kindergarten
Orientation.
Left to right:
Cecelia Schied, Judy
Copeland, Maureen
Morrissey, Mary Pat
Weir, Tonia Ramirez,
Kristen Charamis
6
New Culinary Arts Kitchen at
Ramsey High
The message that students receive upon entering
Ramsey High School is that this is your “home away from
home”. A kitchen is the heart of the home. It is the place
that we gather to prepare
and to “break bread”. It is
a place that plays host to
long discussions. It becomes
the situation room when
dealing with a problem or
crisis. According to realtors,
it is the room worth putting
money into. When hosting
large gatherings, it is the
room that is most crowded,
despite the existence of a
nearby large living room
replete with comfortable
seating. It serves as a
trophy case in hanging achievements worthy of note on
the refrigerator. As a school district, Ramsey strives to
advance 21st Century learning that prepares students
for success as they enter college and the workplace. We
expect our graduates to be able to solve complex, subjectbased, and multidisciplinary problems by collaborating,
thinking critically, and maximizing the use of available
technology. To this end, our kitchen “our home” serves as
a vehicle for learning.
The District is pleased to announce that Ramsey High
School’s culinary arts kitchen has undergone a complete
renovation. The original kitchen, built in 1937, was in
place prior to this renovation. This project was truly
a community effort with the bulk of the funds being
raised by the Ramsey Community School. In addition,
contributions were received from the Ramsey Public
Education Foundation, the Ramsey High School PTSO,
Class of 2014, and the Board of Education. Work was
completed over the summer and the kitchen was ready
for use when school opened. RHS Principal, Dr. Michael
Thumm and Jeanne Macko, Director of the Ramsey
Community School, worked closely with John Myer,
a local contractor, Ralph Venturini and the Building
Department in Ramsey, as well as Greg Bohacik, Building
and Grounds Supervisor for the Ramsey School District
to meet a very tight deadline and have the room ready for
the start of school.
The brand new Culinary Arts classroom at the high
school has been transformed and the kitchens are now
designed to replicate real-world commercial kitchens
while still offering a comfortable, prepared-at-home
instructional setting. In addition to this state-of-the-art
kitchen-classroom, a patio in the courtyard with two
barbeque grills has also been added, which will further
enhance and expand the curriculum. In the renovated
News & Views
Left to right: Contractor John Myer, RHS Principal, Dr.
Michael Thumm, Asst. Supt. Robert Marcotulli, Ramsey BOE
member Claudia Monteith, BOE president, Tony Gasparovich,
Superintendent Dr. Matthew Murphy, BOE member Laura
Behrmann, Building & Grounds Supvr. Greg Bohacik, Jeanne
Macko, Ramsey Community School Director.
classroom, students will gain experience in a more
professional workspace, which will prepare them for
independent living and potential careers.
Last year, Culinary Arts Teacher, Amy Iervolino,
developed a baking course with Stephanie Ormaeche,
(RHS class of 2014). This new offering proved to be
so popular that all sections were filled for this year.
Ormaeche is already building on the food preparation
experiences she gained at RHS as a student of the
Culinary Institute of America. The District looks
forward to sharing the fruits of our student’s labor and
to using the kitchen and the courtyard as we develop
the culinary arts curriculum, offer additional courses
through the Community School, and to being able to
host events and gatherings for our school community.
Students in the WRAP Students at Kindergarten
Orientation at Tisdale and Hubbard Schools. WRAP
is a half-day enrichment program for kindergarteners
offered by the Ramsey Community School during the
school year.
Hubbard
School
WRAP
students.
Fall 2014
Robotics Team at Ramsey High
7
Ramsey High School has started a Robotics Team as an after school activity for the first time. Under the guidance
of RHS teacher Carol Burke, students will be designing, building and programming robots to eventually compete in
the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Challenge against other teams.
According to their website FIRST®
Tech Challenge is a robotics competition
for high school students based on a sports
model. Teams advance from local qualifying
tournaments
to
state
championship
tournaments, before advancing to the World
Championship Tournament held each year
in St. Louis, Mo. The (purchased) robot
kit is reusable from year-to-year and is
programmed using a variety of languages.
Teams are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering
principles.
This year’s competition, the Cascade Effect, challenges the team to program their
robot to put balls in a basket in a series of requirements. To accomplish this, the
students divided themselves into three sub teams: designing and constructing the
robot, programming the robot and designing and
constructing the arena in which the robots
compete. Coordinating between the three
groups and helping with budgeting and
fundraising is team leader Anna Brogowski.
Brogowski shares expertise she developed
the last three years in robotic competitions
with her Girl Scout troop.
“We are going to build an arena and
practice the challenge so that we can get ready for competition next year,”
said Burke. “This team gives students with these interests a school activity in
which they can participate.” Room Mother’s Tea at Tisdale
Every fall, teachers in Kindergarten through fifth grade meet with their room mothers to plan the year’s events.
The Room Mother’s Tea sets the stage for the teamwork approach shared by the teachers and parents. Tisdale School
had their iced tea in the cafeteria at the beginning of the school year.
More Room Mother’s Tea photos on Page 12.
8
AP Enrollment Jumps 37% in One Year
More “New” AP students than Ever
After a yearlong discussion between RHS Principal,
Dr. Michael Thumm and various District Supervisors,
the administration elected to offer four new Advanced
Placement (AP) courses for the 2014-15 school year.
Dr. Thumm set the goal to make AP courses accessible
to a wider variety of students, so the supervisors
investigated ways to increase both enrollment in the AP
program as a whole and the number of students who
had not previously taken courses at the AP level.
Dr. Thumm and the supervisors identified three
new courses that could be used to reach a previously
unidentified group of potential AP students:
AP Economics,
AP Human Geography, and AP
Environmental Science. Non-traditional AP students
with strong academic records were encouraged, during
scheduling meetings with their counselors, to sign up
for one or more of the new AP courses in which they
showed potential. As a result of these efforts, 10% more
RHS students have enrolled in AP courses this year than
in 2013-14. In addition, once the new courses were
adopted by the Board Of Education, they were added to
our Curriculum Guide and attracted many “existing” AP
students as well.
Changes by the College Board to existing AP
Physics courses also influenced Holly Falcone, Science
Department Supervisor, to expand her department’s AP
catalogue. When AP Physics teacher Patrick Spangler
reviewed the changes to the AP Physics curriculum,
he noted that the new AP Physics I bore a strong
resemblance to his Physics Honors course, and the AP
Physics II course was fundamentally the same course
as AP Physics B. This summer, Spangler retooled both
courses to align to the AP new curricula. Now students
in AP Physics I are essentially the “same” kids who
took Physics Honors in previous years, and AP Physics
II replaces AP Physics B as the “elective” AP course in
Physics. These changes also significantly increased total
AP enrollment.
These efforts combined to equal a 37% increase in
the AP course enrollment with more than 10% “new” AP
students. Now the question is: “How will this increase
impact AP exams performance?” Last year’s data gives
good reason for some cautious optimism. RHS saw
more students than ever take an AP test in 2013-14,
and thanks to the efforts of our AP teachers and our
students, our percentage of students scoring a three or
higher rose from 85% in 2012-13 to 87.5% in 2013-14.
This, however, should not be our only focus. As Karen
Vander Leest, Social Studies Supervisor, explains, “We
have consistently performed well on AP exams, and that
remains our goal. However, these new AP classes (such
as) AP Human Geography also help us address other
district goals like increasing global competency and
News & Views
creating a new platform to explore complex, open-ended
problems and thinking critically.”
Here is a breakdown of the students in our new AP
courses:
AP Economics
48
Total
38
AP Env Science
AP Human Geo
AP Physics I
Michael Biggan
Director of Guidance
29
48
163 students
AP
Physics
Students in Patrick
Spangler’s AP
Physics II class
experiment with
power supplies.
9
Fall 2014
Hubbard
Hubbard and
Tisdale Pumpkin
Fairs
The Hubbard and Tisdale Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) sponsored the Annual Pumpkin Fair on October
20th and 21st. Students were able to choose pumpkins, eat donuts and cider, get their faces painted at Hubbard and at
Tisdale they took turns making faces through wood cutouts.
Tisdale
10
Character Assembly on
Anti-Bullying at Tisdale
News & Views
Tisdale Elementary School held an anti-bullying
assembly in October produced by Soren Bennick
Productions. Soren Bennick is a group of experienced
theatre performers and writers whose mission is to give
children positive messages that build self-confidence
and the skills needed to deal with trouble, in whatever
form it comes.
This particular program reviews the roles of Bully,
Target, and Bystander; provides solutions to bullying;
teaches children that everyone has the Power of One,
the power to report and deal with bullying when they
see it. Using role-playing two actors brought students
on stage to be part of the process and engaged audience
members to help with solutions. Their attentiveness
and enjoyment of the program helped to make sure the
message was understood.
The Ramsey School district provides ongoing
character education at various schools that consistently
reinforces and models the values of respect, honesty,
kindness, trust, responsibility, fairness, caring and
citizenship.
Habits of Mind at Smith School
The Sixth Grade students at Smith Middle School
were introduced to a new concept this fall. The program
is designed to address skills that students need to
succeed in the 21st Century and defined these abilities
as our Habits of Mind. Those include being self-directed,
asking good questions, processing information, applying
prior knowledge, making connections, using logic and
evidence to support an answer and finally, reflecting. During the introduction period, the sixth graders
were sent on a scavenger hunt, using those skills that led
them from one fact to another and the end of the game.
11
Fall 2014
Senior Citizens Attend Technology
Class at Smith School
The Eighth Grade Computer Class teacher Kim
Scalanga has been working with her Smith School
students to offer technology classes to Ramsey senior
citizens. Recently, a well-attended class focused on
cell phone usage entitled “Your Cell Phone Does More
than Ring”. The eighth graders explained how to use a
cell phone and all of its capabilities via a Power Point
presentation and one on one coaching. The next day
the instruction continued with “The Ins and Outs of
Using Word”, a 45- minute tutorial on using the program
Microsoft Word.
Future classes this fall include “The Language of
Social Media”, an explanation of Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram and “Google Earth, Above and Beyond”
working with a virtual globe on your computer.
Hubbard Bicycle Rodeo
The Hubbard School Parent Teacher Organization
(PTO) sponsored the annual Bike Rodeo for third
graders on October 8th. All third grade students were
invited to bring their bike to school. The Ramsey Police
Department inspected the bicycles and helmets and all
riders participated in a safety obstacle course. Every
bicycle was registered for the town of Ramsey. Now our
Hubbard third grade students can safely ride their bikes
to school!
“Child Find”: Special Education
for Disabled Pre-Schoolers
Pre-school disabled programs for children ages 3 through 5
are conducted in Ramsey under the sponsorship of the Northwest
Bergen Council for Special Education, Region 1. These programs
are for children who have an identified disabling condition and/or a
measurable developmental delay in physical, social, communication,
and/or emotional areas, and who may require and would benefit
from special educational and related services. Eligibility for these
services is determined by a Child Study Team evaluation of the
child. Any resident who has a child, ages birth through 5 years, who
may require pre-school special services, should contact the Office
of Special Services of the Ramsey Public Schools at 201-785-2300
x25473. Project “Child Find” serves special needs children from
birth to 21 years of age.
Tisdale
Room
Mother’s
Tea
Board of Education
Anthony R. Gasparovich, President
Laura Behrmann
Mae Fine
Timothy Finnegan
James H. Meiman
Claudia Monteith
Richard S. Muti
David Rockefeller
Administration
Matthew J. Murphy, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Robert J. Marcotulli
Asst. Supt.-Business/Board Secretary
Ramsey Board of Education
266 E. Main Street
Ramsey, NJ 07446
www.ramsey.k12.nj.us
FROM THE RAMSEY SCHOOLS
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Permit No. 231
U.S. Postage
Non-Profit Org.