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RTNJ NEWS

Randolph Township Schools Newsletter July 10, 2018

Upcoming Events:

July 1: Randolph

Community School

Childcare Registra-

tion Opens for 2018-

19 School Year

9: ESY Program Be-

gins, Session 3 of

Randolph Communi-

ty School Summer

Camps, Super Sci-

ence Workshops,

Session 1 of Sum-

mer Strings, Piano &

Guitar Camp, Black

Rocket Workshops

16: ESY Program,

Session 4 of Ran-

dolph Community

School Summer

Camps, Week 2 of

Summer Strings, Pi-

ano & Guitar, Super

Science Workshops,

Black Rocket Work-

shops

17: Board of Educa-

tion Business

Meeting

23: ESY Program;

Session 5 of Ran-

dolph Community

School Summer

Camps, Week 3 of

Summer Strings, Pi-

ano & Guitar, Super

Science, Black Rock-

et and Young Rem-

brandts Workshops

24: Board of Educa-

tion Special Meeting

Randolph High School Graduates Class of 2018

On a lovely evening on June 20, 437 members of the Class of 2018 en-

joyed a beautiful graduation ceremo-

ny in Bauer Stadium, first proceeding

in their blue graduation gowns, enjoy-

ing speeches, accepting diplomas and

finally tossing their caps in the air.

Student Council President Alyssa Hor-

witz welcomed graduates and families

to the ceremony. Valedictorian Lauren

Spencer told graduates to start their

lives “with a blank slate” and “take

full advantage of each moment. Don’t

fixate on the mistakes and failures.”

For the first time, RHS had co-salutatorians: Jenna Sandler and Sydney

Jenkins, who delivered their speech together and used their speech to

recognize student achievements in everything from honor societies to mu-

sic to mass media.

Class President Nate Pangaro told students to “make sure you take the

lessons you have learned from your school life and use them in your fu-

ture lives.”

He then counted to three and told graduates to throw their caps in the air.

(Graduates clap during the ceremony at Bauer Stadium above. See more photos page 6.)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

RMS Eighth Graders Enjoy Promotion Ceremony

On June 20, showers stayed away as 421 Randolph Middle School eighth graders received promotion certificates as they moved up to Randolph High School.

Class President Paul Doran thanked RMS teachers “for always being excellent educa-tors and even better role models. He also thanked the RMS administration and par-ents and told students that they can expect to “confront more challenges in high school.” (The RMS Canzonetta performs, right. See more photos on page 6.)

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REF Hosts Successful 5K

More than 525 runners and walkers helped raised more than $25,000 at the

Randolph Rocks 5K on June 16.

First place overall for men went to Collin Frost of Randolph who completed the 5 kilometers in 16:21 minutes. Rebecca Crawford, also from Randolph, finished in 19:49 minutes obtaining the first place overall for women. Awards were presented in more than a dozen categories, including top male and female Randolph teacher or staff member, which went to Nicholas Albanito, health and physical education teacher at Randolph High School (RHS) with a time of 19:44 minutes; and Dawn Melody, first-grade teacher at Fernbrook School with a time of 23:49 minutes. The awards for top male and female Randolph resi-dents also went to Frost and Crawford. Since 2010, the REF has organized the annual 5K as an effort to bring the community together to raise funds in sup-port of initiatives that promote innovation, creativity, school readiness and wellbeing in the Randolph schools. “We are very grateful for the many ways in which volunteers, sponsors, the school district, teachers, students, the township and its residents have contrib-uted to the success of the Randolph Rocks 5K.” said REF President Margaret Clark. “It is the support of this that encourages the REF to continue to work every day creating opportunities that inspire teachers to innovate

Shongum Dance Residency

Shongum School fifth graders enjoyed a dance residency

with Morris Arts and performed dances from four differ-

ent countries on Thursday, June 21 in the school’s multi-

purpose room for friends and families. (Pictured above and be-

low.)

Randolph Education Foundation Honors Teachers of the Year at Rock Stars Event

On June 14, the Randolph Education Foundation honored the school district’s six teachers of the year and volunteers at the foun-dation’s annual Rock Stars event.

The 2018 honorees were (pictured below right by Ela Ravin): top row, Robert Chernow, Randolph Middle School; Beata Darbig, Center Grove Elementary School; Lisa Kruse-Marcus, Shongum Elementary School; Michael Lonie, Randolph High School; Roy Claps, Randolph Township Rotarian of the Year; (front row, l-r) Michele Savvides, Fernbrook Elementary School; Anne Standridge, Randolph Township Community Volunteer of the Year; Sofia Zingone, Randolph Township Student Volunteer of the Year; Lore Reinhart, Randolph Township Business Person of the Year; Linda Andrews, Ironia Elementary School

“The Randolph Rock Stars are a testament to our wonderful com-munity. We are thrilled to celebrate and acknowledge the amazing talent of our outstanding educators and dedicated leaders,” said Randolph Rock Stars Event Co-Chairs Monica O’Meara and Liz Olechowski who were very pleased with the outcome of the cele-bration. To learn more about the REF and how to get involved, visit www.randolpheducationfoundation.org.

Hosted in the Randolph High School Commons, a dinner buffet was provided by The Randolph Diner and live music entertained the record number of guests who came out to congratulate the Ran-dolph School District Educators of the Year and volunteers.

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Randolph High School Seniors Enjoy Senior Clap Outs at Elementary Schools

Randolph High School seniors took field trips to their elementary schools on June 11. Many parents went to each school to video, take photos and cheer for their children while students and teachers clapped, held signs and high-fived members of the Class of 2018. for the event. (Pictured below, seniors enjoy the Clap Out at Center Grove. Below right, parents pose for a photo with RMS Principal Dennis Copeland and Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano at the Ironia event.)

Register for Randolph Community

Summer Programs

Registration is now under way for the Randolph Community School Summer

Camps: Camp Discovery, for children in grades 5-8, Camp Summer Stars,

for children in grades 2-5, and Camp Summer Kids, for children entering

grades K-1 in the fall. The camps are offered in eight one-week sessions

through August 18. Give your child a summer to remember with special

activities, exciting trips and fun themed weeks. Please register at https://

register.capturepoint.com/RandolphCommunitySchool. Registration is also

now open for Summer Strings, Piano & Guitar Camp in July and Summer

Gardening Camp in August, Black Rocket, Super Science and Young Rem-

brandts summer programs and new Kidz Kraftz Kamp.

Registration is also open for the Community School’s Summer SAT Prep course for high school students at Randolph High School

on Monday and Wednesday evenings from July 9 to August 8.

The Community School will begin accepting registration for childcare for the 2018-19 school year on July 1, 2018. For information,

call (973) 361-0808 ext. 8603 or visit rtnj.org and click on the Community School channel bar. You may also email Commu-

nitySchool@rtnj.org.

Randolph Team Selected for MSUNER Grant Program

A team of Randolph School District educators has been selected to participate in the MSUNER Grant Program, Action Research for Educational Renewal. The program offers the opportunity to participate in professional development activities and offers classroom support.

The team consists of Student Assistance Counselor Maryalice Thomas, Randolph High School Vice Principal Lee Hackney, School Psychologist Maria Renken, School Social Worker Erin Donnelly, Health and Physical Education teacher Kelly Lambert and associate team member School Psychologist Susan Herschman.

Together the team members will provide mental health education and coping skills training to help students manage symptoms of anxiety, depression and other stress-related illnesses inside and outside the classroom.

About 8 percent of today’s teens suffer from some type of diagnosed anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

(The team is pictured left.)

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Randolph High School Senior Prom!

Randolph High School senior enjoyed an evening of delicious food, music including performances by Mr. Coleman and RHS senior Gabby Toledo and dancing at the Sheraton Tara on June 7.

(Left, seniors Gavin Renken and Caitlin Dempsey arrived in style at the prom. Below left, seniors enjoy the prom at the Sheraton Tara.)

Randolph Middle School Capstone Program

Randolph Middle School eighth graders spent months researching everything from how to stop straws from ending up in oceans and killing fish to how to reduce stress among middle school students.

The students then presented their Capstone projects to students, teachers and families on June 12.

(Below right, Ariana Krone, Cassidy Takacs holding Rocky Takacs and Nina Nile discuss how they participated in a walkathon with Eleventh Hour Rescue to raise money for thermal mats for homless pets.)

Bottom right, Logan Gleniewicz, Tyler Montone and AJ Cacciacarne with their Going Green project which encourages recycling.)

RMS Observed Autism Awareness

Randolph Middle School students decorated a bulletin board, distributed information and fact sheets about autism to staff for Autism Awareness Month. Information was also shared during morning announcements, according to Special Education teacher Maria Jose Bowden. Facts were also shared about autism and how everyone can be kind and ac-cepting of those with disabilities. (Students are pictured with the RMS bulletin board, above.)

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Elementary Moving Up Ceremonies

Fifth graders at Center Grove, Fernbrook and Ironia Ele-

mentary Schools enjoyed moving up ceremonies with their

families in June 20 while fifth graders at Shongum School

enjoyed a moving up ceremony on June 21.

(Above, Shongum Principal Cliff Burns, Vice Principal Michael Scott

and fifth grade teacher Janet Stella enjoy the fifth grade moving up

ceremony.)

(Right, Center Grove families listen to fifth graders sing about mov-

ing on to the middle school at the Center Grove Fifth Grade Moving

Up Ceremony.)

(Above, Fernbrook fifth graders walk under the 2018 bal-

loons at the end of the moving up ceremony.)

(Left, Ironia fifth grade families enjoy the beautiful outdoor

moving up ceremony at Ironia Elementary School.)

Center Grove Butterflies

As part of a Randolph Education Foundation grant, Center

Grove teacher Leah Konikowski raised butterflies with stu-

dents at the school.

(Left, students enjoy the butterflies. Photo by Carla

Schmidt.)

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Red Carpet Ceremony

Shongum fifth grade teacher Bobbie Sobel enjoyed a red

carpet ceremony in the RHS commons for her spotlight on

the NJEA’s Classroom Closeup show.

(Left, Shongum Vice Principal Michael Scott, Morris County Council

of Education Association Executive Director Ginny Osborne,

MCCEA President Laurie Shapiro congratulate Mrs. Sobel, with

Shongum paraprofessional Angela Cordova and NJEA Uniserv

Consultant Doug Finkel. Below, Superintendent Jennifer A. Fano

with Ms. Cordova and NJEA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Beatty.)

More Scenes from the RHS Graduation and RMS Promotion!

(Above , Superintendent Fano, board members

Anne Standridge and Tammy MacKay and Mr.

Olsen stand during the RMS promotion cere-

mony.)

RHS grads enjoy the ceremony above and below!

(Right, graduates applaud Mr. Jo-

seph Lusardi, the teachers students

selected to speak at graduation.

Below, eighth graders enjoy the

RMS Promotion Ceremony.)

(Above, RMS students walk during the presenta-

tion of diplomas. Left, RMS SGA President Paul

Doran addresses students, teachers, administra-

tors and parents.)