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RTNJ NEWS 1

Randolph Township Schools Newsletter September 1 20,2016

Upcoming Events:

Sept. 20: BOE

Meeting

Sept. 21: Ironia

School Photos

Sept. 22: First

Day of Fall

Fernbrook PTO

Meeting

Elementary PreK-

Grade 2 Back to

School Night

RHS Financial Aid

Night

Sept. 23: Center

Grove Carnival

Sept. 24: Fern-

brook PTO Family

Picnic

Sept. 26: Early

Dismissal/Staff

Development

(Childcare availa-

ble)

RMS Team 6-1

and 6-2 Dance,

Animal Show and

Ice Cream Social

Sept. 27: RMS

Teams 6-1, 6-2

Fairview Lake Trip

Sept. 27-28: RHS

Underclassmen

photos

Sept. 28: Teams

6-3, 6-4 Dance, Animal Show and Ice Cream Social

Randolph High School Ranked No. 16 in New Jersey

New Jersey Monthly has ranked Randolph High School has one of the top high

schools in New Jersey. RHS, which was

ranked No. 63 in 2014, is now ranked No.

16.

“Randolph strives to give our students the

best education possible and prepare them

for success in college and careers,” said

Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano. “I am

thrilled with the top 20 ranking by New

Jersey Monthly and will continue to lead

and support an amazing team that truly

deserves such positive recognition.”

Board of Education President Al Matos said he was very pleased with this

“excellent accomplishment.” “Last year, the Board of Education, administration

and staff remained diligent on our core mission of education and raising the bar,”

he said. “Our teachers and supportive parents make it look easy, but in fact, it’s

hard work. Congrats to our administrative leadership, High School Principal Deb-

bie Iosso and her staff and our teachers who provide the day to day execution in

reaching our goals.”

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Randolph School District Recognized for Safety

The School Safety Advocacy Council National Conference has recognized the Randolph

School District for its outstanding dedication to keeping students, staff and schools safe at

its annual conference on July 26.

Randolph High School Principal Debbie Iosso accepted the award on behalf of the school

district at the conference. When she returned, she shared the news with district officials,

principals, school district Security Supervisor Harry Ruiz and Randolph Police Chief David

Stokoe. (Pictured left to right, Shongum Principal Cliff Burns, Ruiz, Iosso, Stokoe, Fernbrook Principal

Danielle Soldivieri and Ironia Principal David Kricheff.)

“I continue to not only be passionate about enhancing security but also thrilled with the

ongoing collaboration of our Board of Education,

Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano, building admin-

istration, security personnel and Chief Stokoe’s

police department,” Iosso said. “I nominated the

Randolph School District and our police depart-

ment because of the incredible effort that went

into enhancing our security protocols. It was val-

idating to learn that a National Safety Agency

agreed that we were in the forefront of making

school security a priority. Plans include continu-

ing these efforts moving forward!”

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Board of Education Welcomes New Staff for 2016-17 School Year

More than 40 new staff members enjoyed a three-day orienta-tion program at Randolph High School August 29-31.

On August 29, Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano welcomed the

staff to Randolph and Ms. Fano and Director of Secondary Ed-

ucation Jonathan Olsen spoke to staff about Maker Culture.

Later, more than 40 of the 47 new staff members got on a

school bus and visited each of the district’s schools and town

hall where staff members met Randolph Mayor Roman Hirniak

and Township Manager Steve Mountain who showed new staff

the municipal building. Randolph Police Lt. Jeffrey Gomez gave

new staff a tour of the police department. (Ms. Fano address new

staff at the orientation program, right.)

On August 30, Ms. Fano introduced new staff to the dis-

trict’s administrators and central office staff. New staff

attended special presentations and workshops August 30

and 31 on everything from special education to 21st cen-

tury teaching to middle school STEM and creating learn-

ing environments to educate the whole child. (Human Re-

sources Coordinator Meredith Conway talks to new staff.)

Many staff members said they enjoyed the three-day

program and are very excited to work in Randolph. “The

new teacher orientation had a variety of learning oppor-

tunities designed to engage all of the new staff mem-

bers,” said Katherine Thorn, the district’s new K-5 Ele-

mentary Supervisor. Thorn did a presentation on curricu-

lum compacting with Fernbrook Principal Danielle Soldivieri with an interactive Powerpoint presentation

and a second program on balancing procedures and a positive learning environment, which was attended

by 10 teachers.

“We have a very enthusiastic and passionate group of new

staff who are eager to begin and will bring a dynamic

learning experience to their students,” Thorn said. (New

teachers participate in interactive activities during orientation)

All Staff Returned September 1

On September 1, Superintendent Fano welcome staff to the

new school year and Board of Education President Al Matos

(below left) told staff that Randolph has great teachers

who “are the cornerstone of our accomplished school dis-

trict.”

Matos congratulated teachers for Randolph High School’s No. 16

ranking by New Jersey Monthly magazine which “deserves much

accolades and thank yous.” On behalf of the board, administra-

tion and parents, Matos thanked teachers “for being the decisive

element in the classroom and “for being teachers and continuing

to inspire all of us.”

Board Vacancy: The Randolph Board of Education is seeking candidates

to fill an unexpired board term available through January, 2018. Interested

candidates must apply by Sept. 30. For info, visit rtnj.org.

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Below, new Center Grove staff and left bottom, Ms. Thorn and Mrs. Soldivieri offer a workshop

for new teachers. Fernbrook’s new staff, below right, and bottom, new staff listen.

Randolph Hires New Staff

Left,

new RHS

staff,

right,

new RMS

staff

Left, new

Shongum

staff.

Right,

new

Ironia

staff.

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Fernbrook Students Enjoy Summer STEAM Program

More than 90 rising third to fifth grade students at Fernbrook spent three weeks engaged in creative problem solving and learning about engineering, environmental science, performing arts, technology, visual arts and leadership activities through the Summer STEAM program.

Students selected a discipline they were most interested in and par-ticipated in the morning program July 18-August 4. This was the third year and largest for the program, which is made possible through Title I funding. Fernbrook teacher Jenise Januliis, the lead teacher and program director, worked with school media specialist Michele Savviides to create the program. This summer, students performed a play, built a water filtration system for the school’s pond, grew vegetables and learned cod-ing, 3D printing and robotics.

Register for Randolph Community

School Programs

The Randolph Community School is accepting registra-

tion for its fall programs. New programs will be offered

at RMS this fall including a dance fusion class on Fri-

days after school and a new cartooning class after

school on Thursdays.

Children can learn to play golf with a K-5 program on

Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Center Grove and a grade 6-

12 program at RMS.

A new Musical Theatre Workshop will be offered Fridays at Shongum at 3:45 p.m. In addition,

Young Rembrandts will offer drawing classes at all four elementary schools on different days.

RHS Students can register for SAT Prep which starts October 17 at RHS on Monday and

Wednesday evenings.

The Community School offers a new convenient online registration program. Please register at

https://register.capturepoint.com/RandolphCommunitySchool . For information, call (973) 361-

0808 ext. 8603 or visit rtnj.org and click on the Community School channel bar.

RMS Students Create “A Better School...A Better World” Mural

Fifteen Randolph Middle School students worked with professional artist Caren Frost Olmsted to beautify

their school this summer, creating a mural in the school’s main hallway.

From July 18-22, the students brainstormed ideas and then created a mural depicting students taking

care of the environment and enjoying a park with trees and flowers. It also included paintings of their

favorite books.

The students came up with ideas for things they

wanted to include in the mural and Olmsted drew

them on the wall and she and assistant Rose Siglin

and the students painted them together throughout

the week. Suzanne Grecco of RMS managed the pro-

ject. “I think the theme of the mural “A Better

School...A Better World” perfectly represents the

values at RMS. When people come in our school, we

want them to see what we are about.”

Student Grace Boyer said the mural brightens the

school’s hallway. The project was funded by the

RMS PTO, the REF and students. (Pictured, left, artist

Caren Frost Olmstead and Greco, right, with RMS students

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RHS “All In”

On the first day of school, motivational

speaker Gian Paul Gonzalez was the

keynote speaker for students in a special

first day assembly. Gonzalez, pictured

left, told students that they should be

“All In” for the new school year, which

was followed by a parade of depart-

ments at the assembly. (photo by Jim

King)

RMS Marching Rams Ready

for New Season

The Randolph High School Marching Rams are

all ready for the fall marching band season with

its new piece “The Jewel and the Dragon” by

Randall Standridge. The band practiced the

piece at band camp at RHS and then in Pennsyl-

vania to perfect the music and marching for the

new season. The band performs at football

games, marching band competitions and its own

“Under the Stars’ on October 1 at RHS.

Freshmen Orientation

The Randolph High School Class of 2020 was

invited to participate in a special orientation

program of school tours, lunch and team

building on the ropes course in August.

(Above. freshmen, led by Tomorrow’s Lead-

ers, work together to climb the wall in the

ropes course at one of the orientations.)

Big Wheels

Children in the Special Services summer

program at Center Grove Elementary

School got to get up close with trucks

from the district’s building and grounds

department in July. (Below, students got to

sit on the trucks and learn about them from a

member of the building and grounds depart-

ment.)

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New School Buses

The Randolph School District started the school year with four new school buses. (Left, Transportation Director John Aymil and Mechanic Glenn Malmstrone inspect the new buses.)

Open Houses

Randolph Middle School and the elemen-

tary schools offered open houses for new

students and their families before school

started. Some students met teachers and

others learned the way around their

schools through special scavenger hunts. (Pictured left, RMS, below middle left, Ironia, Center

Grove below and Shongum, bottom right.)

“Falc-e-Mon Go!” Fernbrook Principal Danielle

Soldivieri came up with the idea for a special scav-

enger hunt game modeled after Pokemon Go

which students enjoyed using parent cell phones

as they learned about their new school. pictured

left)

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Administrative Tenure

Three Randolph School District administra-

tors received tenure this year. (They are

pictured below, left to right, Fernbrook

Principal Danielle Soldivieri, World Lan-

guage Supervisor Paula Paredes-Corbel

and RMS Technology Supervisor Anne Vi-

tale-Richardson.)

Center Grove Library Renovations

Center Grove Vice Principal Michelle Telischak gave Center

Grove families tours of the renovated library at the recent

scavenger hunt. The improvements include new tables, a

mural and blue walls.

Tenured Staff

The following staff received tenure this year: secretary Luli Feti for the Central Office, above

left, RHS staff, above right, RMS staff, below and elementary staff, below right.

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Teachers Prepare Classrooms: Teachers

at all six schools were busy organizing shelves,

sorting books and getting everything ready for the start of school. (Mrs. Grunert at Shongum, above

left, Mrs. Zarillo at RHS above, right, Mr. Kircheff and Mrs. Acquaviva at Ironia, below left, Center

Grove’s Mrs. Vanderhoof and Mrs. Sturdevant, bottom left, RMS Ms. Spero below and Fernbrook, bot-

tom right, Ms. Foulkes.)

Early Dismissal Sept. 26

Randolph Township Schools will

have its first early dismissal of the

year for staff development on Mon-

day, Sept. 26. All schools will dis-

miss 2 1/2 hours early. The Com-

munity School offers early dismissal

childcare. Call (973) 361-0808 ext.

8603.

Freshman Parent Orientation

Randolph High School freshmen parents attended a special parent ori-

entation program at RHS Sept. 1 while

their students met with Tomorrow’s

Leaders and visited their homerooms

and received their schedules. (Left,

Principal Debbie Iosso introduces Vice

Principal Matt Agrati to parents at the

parent portion of the program.)

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First Day of School!

Enjoy these scenes from the first day!

(RHS right, Center Grove, below right, Ironia,

bottom right, RMS below, Fernbrook, mid

left, and Shongum, bottom left.)

Guidance Programs

The RHS Guidance Department hosted special pro-

grams for fresh-

men over the

summer. Fresh-

men were invited

to come to RHS

to meet with

guidance counse-

lors who an-

swered questions.

Ironia Scavenger Hunt

Ironia Vice Principal Michelle Telischak and Principal

David Kricheff

greet families as

they visited the

main office at Iro-

nia in the school

scavenger hunt for

new students,

which was orga-

nized by the Ironia

PTO.