Thursday, May 23, 2013
Alumni surprised Parsippany Hills High School choir teacher Linda Clark at her last concert before retirement.
Tears of joy and sadness were shed by chorus members, music staff, alumni and even attending residents at the conclusion of a very emotional Parsippany Hills High School choir concert held on Wednesday, May 22. Before the high school choir members were able to take their final bow, Central Middle School Choir Teacher Adam Aguanno stole the spotlight to introduce a special surprise for retiring high school choir teacher Linda Clark. Clark has taught at Parsippany Hills on and off since 1973 and has touched the lives of each and every student she has taught over the years. Clark was astounded as choir alumni filed onto the stage, one by one in a seemingly endless parade of beaming smiles and a few tears. More than 100 of Clark's former …
Monday, May 20, 2013
Commencement ceremony will include Peace Prize announcement, speech from college president.
The County College of Morris (CCM) will graduate more than 1,100 students Thursday as the college hosts its 44th annual commencement ceremony. CCM President Edward Yaw will serve as the speaker of the event, which begins at 7 p.m. To highlight the graduation ceremony, the school will announce this year's Peace Prize winner, Alisa Brescic of Budd Lake. "Students were invited to create works focused on the general theme of world peace while expressing themselves through a number of artistic forms including writing, music, dance or visual arts," the college noted in a press release. Brescic will be honored for working to advance world peace through her video essay, "The Peace of the U.S." (Watch Brescic's video attached to this article.) This…
Sunday, May 19, 2013
"Never allow yourselves to say ‘I’ve done my part,'" Shakespeare scholar tells grads.
Diplomas were awarded to 599 Drew University graduates Saturday on the school's campus in Madison. Michael Bressman, communications associate and special assistant to the president at Drew, shared this account of the ceremony. Drew University’s 145th annual Commencement was held Saturday, marking the graduation of its Class of 2013. The open-air ceremony, which began at 10:30 a.m., was held on the rear lawn of Mead Hall, Drew’s iconic 19th-century campus centerpiece. With University President Vivian A. Bull presiding, graduates heard from keynote speaker Frank Occhigrosso, an acclaimed scholar of Shakespeare who retired this spring after 43 years on the Drew faculty. Speaking to graduates, Occhiogrosso paraphrased Ernest Hemingway, urging…
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The student group gave its annual performance in an assembly last week.
On May 8, the Indian Cultural Club continued its annual tradition of putting on a show for classmates at Parsippany Hills High School. The show featured music, dancing and skits that delighted the student body and faculty members in attendance. Parsippany's Video on the Go was on site to capture every magical moment.
Monday, May 13, 2013
School district's summer camp program is accepting registrations.
Wide World of Summer, a Parsippany school district summer camp and enrichment program, is gearing up for a season of fun activities for students. The program is an eight-week camp/enrichment program for in- or out-of-district students that is administered through the Parsippany Adult & Community Education office. The program is filled with activities, programs and field trips. Students swim on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and spend Wednesdays on field trips. Afternoons are spent participating in enrichment classes in science, art, computers, physical education and more. PACE offers before and aftercare services, so kids of working parents may have a safe, reliable, summer program from 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Details are available in the attached …
Vote came after a board member questioned what he saw as a deviation from the proper procedure for approving raises for unaffiliated workers.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education approved a plan to give 3 percent pay raises to the district's non-union administrative and supervisory personnel at its meeting at Brooklawn Middle School last Thursday. The plan for the increase appeared as part of the omnibus Superintendent's Report voted upon by members at the end of each meeting. Per usual, Board President Susy Golderer called for a vote on the report, of which a number of items dealt with approving the re-employment of workers ranging from non-affiliated teachers and administrators to the Video on the Go staff and department supervisors; proposed salaries included a 3 percent pay hike. When it was time for member Anthony Mancuso to vote, he opted to make a statement. "I …
With improving school security in mind, Board of Education votes to try closing schools during the next school year on the days residents head to the polls.
At its Thursday meeting at Brooklawn Middle School, the Parsippany Board of Education easily passed a measure to change the school calendar to allow educational buildings that house students to shut down on election days. The move will be in place for the next school year, said BOE member Fran Orthwein; schools will be closed on Nov.5, general election day, and June 3, 2014, primary election day. Under the plan teacher orientation and development will be offered Sept. 1, teachers will have Sept. 2 and 3 for preparation days and students in grades 6 and 9 will report for their orientation Sept. 4. "We took away Dr. Martin Luther King day—for this one year only—while we look at whether we'll permanently adjust our calendar," Orthwein said. …
Friday, May 10, 2013
Board of Education heard annual technology presentation at Thursday meeting.
The Parsippany Board of Education's Thursday meeting at Brooklawn Middle School featured the body's annual look at technology in the schools. Barry Haines, the district's director of technology, offered a presentation on Par-Troy schools' 3-year plan for using computers and the Internet to boost student achievement. Haines said the district had to consider a snapshot of current technology use, what needs teachers have for effective instructional technology and determine how to use these tools over the next three years. He said the primary goal of using technology in schools is to produce effective learners who can cope with the demands of an ever-changing society. Haines and a number of teachers from elementary, middle and high schools …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Middle and high schoolers from 10 NJ counties will be honored for courage and compassion in service to others.
The public is invited to see New Jersey's cream of the crop May 15 at Parsippany Hills High School when the Wallenberg Awards will be presented at a special ceremony. A select group of 26 middle school students and 28 high schoolers residing in Essex, Morris, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Sussex, Passaic, Union and Hudson Counties will be honored for performing acts showing courage and compassion in their service to others, in the performance of an act of heroism or bravery or in promoting understanding, acceptance, tolerance and peace in their school or community. Nominations for the annual Wallenberg Awards came from faculty members at hundreds of area schools. The awards are named for Raoul Wallenberg, a young,wealthy Swede of…
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Here is a list of creative gift ideas and places to find them around the township.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. May 7 is Teacher Appreciation Day, the generally accepted day across the country for people to show just how important they consider the largely thankless job done by educators each and every day. Historically, teachers tend to get fake apples and such, and apparently, they appreciate the sentiment, but... According to the Rev. Dr. Suzi Robertson of the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Sammamish, Wash., even teachers can have their fill of purely symbolic gifts. “Teachers hate trinkets, fake apples and half-dead flowers," the cleric said. "They would rather get something practical they can use at their leisure.” Makes sense to us. With that in mind, here is a list of suggestions to help you get an …
Mr X
5:20 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013
Although I never had the privilege of performing under Mrs. Clark, I was lucky enough to attend many of her concerts throughout the past 15+ years. She was passionate about her art and it was evident in the professional level quality of the performances her students would put on. She would explore many cultures from around the world and truly made the audience feel as if we were experiencing … more ›