Glassboro-Camden Line: UPDATE

I thought that you would be interested in reading this update that I received recently. There will be meetings coming up in May -- see the link at the end of this announcement regarding the dates and locations.

Southern New Jersey to Philadelphia Mass Transit Expansion Alternatives Analysis Project Update

Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) have completed an extensive Alternatives Analysis (AA) study that focused on identifying transportation needs and solutions for Southern New Jersey. This study concluded in 2009 with a recommendation for light rail transit along the Conrail rail right-of-way from Glassboro to Camden.

The Project is proceeding and DRPA/PATCO is pleased to announce the new official name, the Glassboro-Camden Line (GCL).

The GCL is now entering the next phase of project development. DRPA/PATCO is collaborating with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An EIS is a formal document that records the potential social, economic and environmental benefits and impacts of a proposed project or action and proposes measures to mitigate any adverse impacts. This environmental study is expected to be completed in 18-24 months.

What Happens Next?
The “scoping” process is the formal public comment phase conducted at the start of an EIS study. The primary purpose of scoping is to provide comment on the purpose and need, the alternatives to be analyzed, and the potential social, economic and environmental impacts and benefits of the project. Throughout the scoping process, active participation by the public, local community organizations and government agencies is encouraged and valued.

DRPA/PATCO invites you to attend and participate in a Public Scoping Meeting and requests your comments on the GCL project. Each scoping meeting is comprised of an Information Session, Formal Presentation and Formal Comment Period. Interested participants will be able to provide formal verbal testimony at a meeting. Those who wish to speak can register at the start of the meeting.

Individuals who require special assistance at a public meeting should contact Ms. Malaszecki at 856.223.0800 at least 3 days in advance.


The scoping comment period for the GCL will close on Thursday June 10, 2010.
Comments may be submitted to:
Ms. Victoria Malaszecki, Public Involvement Liaison
Envision Consultants, Ltd. PO Box 536 • Mullica Hill, NJ • 08062
Phone: 856.968.2252
Fax: 856.223.8886
E-mail: publicinvolvement@GlassboroCamdenLine.com
Web: http://www.glassborocamdenline.com/
Project Information Line: (856) 968-2252 (voice or via relay)


About the Project

The Glassboro-Camden Line (GCL) is a proposed 18-mile passenger rail line between Glassboro and Camden along and primarily within the existing Conrail rail right-of-way. The GCL corridor traverses Gloucester and Camden counties including the communities of Glassboro, Pitman, Sewell, Mantua Twp., Deptford Twp. Wenonah, Woodbury Heights, Woodbury, Westville, Brooklawn, Gloucester City and Camden. The proposed line would restore passenger rail service along the existing rail line using light rail technology similar to the NJ TRANSIT River LINE. Light rail along this corridor was selected as the Recommended Alternative based on the two-year Alternatives Analysis study completed by DRPA/PATCO in 2009.


Looking For More Information?
Visit the project website at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103325835911&s=2981&e=001r5AxSKdWyTDkUKDDyVTNwZLNsd2lqbRJvpIQH49Hm7f-6rf9GwbqWm2cGO5KFZyXV17AyOMyrmGXfrhIRb6PSEd_xthQnNMphBQUW0iv-IrwTl7JG7oxJaFgb0s23Dti, call the project information line at (856) 968-2252 (voice or via relay), or use these quick links to download key GCL project documents.

For the Public Scoping Meeting Flyer, Click Here
For the Scoping Information Booklet & Comment Form, Click Here
For the Project Fact Sheet, Click Here

MAIN STREET VOLUNTEERS TO “BEAUTIFY” BUSINESS DISTRICT

Main Street Woodbury volunteers will be helping to add spring colors, refresh benches and clean-up of the business district (Broad Street) in the downtown on Saturday, May 1, and they will welcome your help.

Dubbed – “Beatification Day”, by Main Street Woodbury’s Design Committee, the event will take place, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the business district, located on Broad Street, and flowers will be planted in the various patches around the trees in the district, as well as bench staining as a way of sprucing up the current benches.

“Broad Street is the focal point for people traveling through our downtown and, it’s important that we reflect positive energy and beatification when we show off our Business District ,” said Main Street Woodbury Design Committee Chairperson Dave Magyar.

“To see our volunteers joined by those from other organizations come out and work together to contribute beauty to our downtown is a true source of pride and satisfaction,” said Main Street Woodbury Executive Director Ronda Abbruzzese.

Volunteers will meet in the city’s parking lot, behind the White House at 8 a.m. that day and, though most tools and equipment will be available, those volunteering should bring gardener’s gloves, if they have them.

For more information, call the Main Street Woodbury office at (856) 845-8655.

Rob Guarino Visits West End

Meteorologist, Rob Guarino, made a special visit to West End on April 19th. The students in grades 3, 4, & 5 participated in the School Weather Challenge which included questions on weather symbols, various weather types, and thunderstorm safety.

With a total of 245 points out of 250, the girls beat the boys in the challenge. Our hope is that we gained a high enough score to win against other competing schools and camps.

Goals To Success

Angel Rivello and Socceroo of

the Philadelphia Kixx stopped by West End to present their “Goals to Success” program. As you can tell by the pictures, students, teachers and Mr. Myers participated in the program as the students learned to be successful while setting goals for themselves.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle . . . .

This news comes from Miss Jones' 6th grade Science class.  

Today, April 22, is Earth Day.  Her science classes are doing a “Go Green” unit this week and discovered that Woodbury, NJ was the first U.S. city to mandate recycling (1980).  

 

Election/Budget Vote Update

Congratulations to the Woodbury residents elected to three year terms on the Board of Education:

STEVEN R. ABBOTT with 602 votes
WILLIAM TOOLE with 588 votes
ALVIN R. GARLIC, JR with 570 votes

Unfortunately, the school budget was defeated by a vote of  359 YES to 451 NO.  Therefore, we will now work with the Woodbury City Council in the next step of the budget process to see if we can reach an agreement with regard to the spending plan for the 2010-11 school year.

Thanks to all who took the time to vote yesterday!

Traveling Science Show

Congratulations, Girls Track

Congratulations to the Woodbury Girls Track team for winning the Group I division of the Woodbury Relays this past Saturday.  We had another wonderful day at our refurbished stadium as schools from across South Jersey participated during the 38th annual event.  

Good work to all who helped support the effort.  Woodbury is fortunate to have so many volunteers ready to assist -- especially with this large event.  

38th Annual Woodbury Relays

http://www.woodburysch.com/athletics/relays.php

Our Day at Wendy's!

Dinner at Wendy’s will bring us closer …

closer to having a Boys and Girls Club in Woodbury, NJ!

Come to the Wendy’s Restaurant
at 704 Mantua Pike in Woodbury Heights
on Friday, April 16th, between 4 - 8 pm
-- have a great meal --
and 20% of the proceeds will go to
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Gloucester County
in support of their effort to open a Club in Woodbury next September.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions regarding this fundraising event or the establishment of a Boys and Girls Club in Woodbury, NJ, please contact Councilwoman Gwendolyn J. Brown at (856) 853-0253.

West End 2010 Talent Show

The students at West End Memorial would like to invite you to our 2010 talent show this Friday evening.
We hope to see you there!

Presenting the 2010
West End Talent Show
Hosted by the West End PTA

Friday, April 16, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Woodbury High School Auditorium


Musicians, comedians, poets, dancers, & singers,
…this show has something for everyone!

Tickets sold at the door
$5/adults ~~ $1/students
Refreshments will be sold during Intermission

Woodbury 4th Grade Students Go To College!

On Friday, April 9th, 4th grade students from across the Woodbury City school district visited Rowan University. The trip included a Planetarium show, a tour of the campus and lunch in the student cafeteria. The 4th graders saw college classrooms, talked to present college students and got to sample college cuisine.

Prior to the trip, our twelfth grade AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students presented a lesson to each 4th grade class on college and their experiences in selecting a school to attend next year. The fourth graders learned about different occupations that require a college degree and the different salaries associated with professions.

The trip provided the 4th graders with a firsthand look into the world of college.

Absentee Ballot for Board Budget Vote/Elections

You can go to the district's website and find out information regarding the district's 2010-11 budget proposal.

Also -- it is very easy to mail in an absentee ballot request. That will save you the need to get to the polls the afternoon of April 20th.

ABSENTEE BALLOT requests need to be mailed by tomorrow -- April 13th. The form can be found using this link.

West End Wax Museum

West End fifth grade students pose during their annual Wax Museum. Student conducted in-depth research about a famous celebrity, developed a formal report (written and technology based), and dressed the part for the program.

OPRAH WINFREY

AMELIA EARHART

JACKIE ROBINSON

Evergreen First Graders - Helping Their Community!

First Graders in Ms. Dube's Class Participate in a Service Learning Project!

As part of one of Ms. Sherwood’s (classroom aide at Evergreen) graduate action research projects, Miss Dube’s first grade class spent the last three weeks actively engaged in a service-learning project.

The project was called “Lemonade from Lemons”, and it was based on the quote, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”. The project was inspired by Alex Scott (founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand) and aims to teach Alex’s inspiring message of making a difference, helping others, and overcoming obstacles to school-aged children (K-5) through children’s literature and service learning. The main focus of the program is to educate children on the value of philanthropy and the value of service to others.

The students spent time reading about young philanthropists and writing about how one person can make a difference. The service-learning project was paired with a character education component as well. The students read Heartprints by PK Hallinan and were challenged, as a class, to perform 100 deliberate acts of kindness at school, home, and in their community.

After one week of doing nice things at home and in school, the students took the project to the community level by organizing a penny drive. They wanted to involve their friends, family members and teachers in their efforts to give back to their community. After one week, the students, families, and faculty at Evergreen Elementary School raised $500 to be donated to the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF) located right here in Woodbury, New Jersey. The money will be used to help families care for children diagnosed with cancer by providing emotional and financial support.

Public Hearing on Budget : TODAY

A special meeting of the Woodbury City Board of Education will be held today at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will take place in the auditorium of the Jr.-Sr. High School.

The purpose of this meeting is to hold the Public Hearing on the 2010-11 school budget.

(Reminder to school staff: There is a 3:30 p.m. meeting today in the auditorium for all who are interested in hearing a preview of the information that will be part of the public hearing on the school budget. This time will allow for staff specific questions regarding the budget.)

VOTING INFORMATION -- PLEASE NOTE:

Tuesday, March 30th, is the registration deadline for the BOE vote.

The League of Women Voters is reminding state residents that the deadline to register to vote or to submit a change of address for School Elections is Tuesday.

Registration forms are available on the League of Women Voters of New Jersey's Web site, www.lwvnj.org.

Driver Education - New Driving Laws for Teens

DID YOU KNOW???

CHANGES TO THE GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSE (GDL) LAW TO TAKE EFFECT - MAY 1, 2010

What restrictions are placed on my teen driver with the New Jersey GDL Program ?
Drivers holding a GDL license have the following restrictions placed upon them:
· May not drive between 12:01 and 5:00am.
· May not have more than one friend in the car
· May not use a cell phone (including hands free) or any other hand-held electronic device (Note: GPS systems - portable or built in - and iPods connected to a vehicle's sound system are permitted, but a teen should not make any adjustments to these devices while driving)
· Must ensure that they and ALL of their passengers wear seatbelts
· Face a fine of $100 and possible license suspension for violation of GDL law
· May not plea-bargain any point carrying offense

What do I need to know about the new decal requirements?
The NJ Motor Vehicle Commission is charged with designing and distributing the decal, which must be displayed on a vehicle's front and rear license plate when a permit or provisional license holder under 21 years of age is driving. The decal will be:
· Affixed with a velcro system to allow for its removal when GDL holder is not behind the wheel.
· Reflectorized so it can be seen at night
· Non-descript (it is intended for law enforcement purposes)
· $4 per pair at MVC agencies (Note: MVC is developing a bulk purchase program for driving schools, high schools, police departments, and other organizations)

FOR MORE INFORMATION

WEB RESOURCE: www.teendriving.com

New Jersey's online resource for all things teen driving.

March Board of Education Meeting -- Today

The regular March meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for today, Monday, March 22nd. The location of the meeting will be the auditorium of the Jr.-Sr. High School. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

This month, there will be a presentation to the Board of our new Teachers of the Year, an update on the district Strategic Plan, and board discussion of the budget for the 2010-11 school year. There will be a special meeting next Monday, March 29th, for the annual "Public Hearing" for the school budget.

The agenda for today's meeting is posted on the district's website.

Have a good day and week!

1.1 Million Dollar Cut

The state aid numbers were released late yesterday.  Woodbury City Public Schools will work with 1.1 million dollars in state aid LESS THAN what we received for this current school year.  That represents a cut of a little over 9%.

The board will be finalizing its budget proposal based on this information.

You can find out about the state aid numbers state-wide by checking out this New Jersey Department of Education link:  http://www.state.nj.us/education/stateaid/1011/.

Still Waiting

Though the Governor's budget address confirmed that the state budget proposed would cut $819 million dollars of funding to schools, the impact that this will have on individual districts is still not clear.

There was word that we were to get our state aid number for the 2010-11 school year yesterday, but that did not happen.  We hope to get it today, though the requirement is to have the information out to districts within two days of the address.

Therefore, we wait to understand the full impact of this cut to the Woodbury City Schools.

FYI -- The overall cut of $819 million represents a little over a 10% cut in state aid, state-wide.

Budget Address/Board Meeting

Governor Chris Christie will give his budget address tomorrow afternoon.  School districts have been waiting for this date, since it is expected he will give indication of the level of school funding for the 2010-11 school year.  (The official state funding numbers for the schools are not required to be released until two days after the address.)

Due to the fact that this information will be critical to finalizing a school budget and since school budgets need to be approved by the local Board of Education prior to submitting it to the New Jersey Department of Education County Office for approval, the regular meeting of the Woodbury City Board of Education has been moved from this Wednesday to next Monday, March 22.  

A public hearing on the school budget is slated for a special meeting of the Board of Education set for Monday, March 29th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Jr.-Sr. High School auditorium.

High School Musical

Fame.  If you missed the high school musical last night, you have three more chances to catch the performance:

Friday -- 7:00 p.m.

Saturday -- 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Enjoy!

World Affairs Council -- Model United Nations

Advisor, Cheryl Federline, reported that our high school students competed in yesterday's Model United Nations debate.

Ms. Federline reports that, once again, one of our resolutions was accepted for consideration at the event. Over 100 resolutions were submitted this year, and eighteen were accepted for debate.  Our successful author was Michael Ulmer, who submitted his resolution on the topic of the "Illicit Trade of Small Arms and Light Weapons" -- representing the country of Egypt. We had six students participating this year, representing Egypt and Australia.

For more information, see World Affairs Council.

Woodbury Library Presents . . .

Presents

THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

at Woodbury City Public Schools

Join our invited students. educators, administrators, and Board members as we discuss the experience and goals of education in the Woodbury City Public School system.

All programs will be held at the Woodbury Public Library and are free and open to the public. You may attend as few or as many as you wish.

Please call the library at 856-845-2611 to reserve a seat.


All programs are Thursday evenings 7:00pm to 9:00pm

March 11: Secondary School Experience
Jr.-Sr. High School Students, Educators, and Administrators

March 18: Elementary School Experience
Evergreen, Walnut, and West End Educators and Administrators

March 25: Leaders in Personalizing Education
Woodbury City Board of Education Representatives and Superintendent



Woodbury Public Library -- 33 Delaware Street -- Woodbury, New Jersey 08096

856-845-2611
Programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for library promotional purposes.

High School Spring Musical

The members of the Woodbury Education Association

invite the

Senior Citizens of Woodbury

to our

Fifth-Annual Senior Citizens’ Luncheon

to be held on

Saturday, March 13, 2010

in the High School Old “Blue” Cafeteria

at

11:00 a.m.

A FREE luncheon will be provided

Compliments of the

WOODBURY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

and each Senior Citizen will receive

a complimentary ticket to the High School Musical,

FAME

Compliments of the

WOODBURY HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA CLUB

Performance begins at 1:00 p.m. in the High School Auditorium

 

Please R.S.V.P. to Sharron Knauss at 853-0123 ext. 248 or sknauss@woodburysch.com by March 6^th

(The show will also run Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m.)

TIcket Update for Boys Basketball

The boys will play Pennsgrove tonight in the next round of the NJSIAA state playoffs.
 
Game time:  5:30 p.m.

Location:  Salem County Community College Gym (Pennsgrove has an issue with their gym floor)
 
$3 Adult; $2 Senior Citizen/Student

Tickets will be on sale during the school day for students/staff.  Then, tickets will be sold at the Woodbury High School gym starting at 3:00 p.m.  We anticipate that there should be tickets available at the door -- doors open at 4:30 p.m.  Obviously, it is possible that the game sells out.

Our Athletic Director, Grant Shivers, is organizing a student fan bus.  Tickets are $7 and that covers the cost of the transportation and the ticket into the game.  These will be on sale during lunch.

 

Boys Basketball Playoff Update

The boys play at Paulsboro tonight -- Wednesday evening.  It is Paulsboro's call for how tickets will be sold.  And, they have a girls basketball playoff game right before our game.

Girls game at 5:00 p.m.

Boys game  at 7:00 p.m.

Paulsboro has decided that they will sell tickets at the door.  Doors will open at 4:00 p.m.  The gym will  NOT be cleared between games.

We worked with Paulsboro during the course  of the day Tuesday to get  them to agree to sell tickets to the boys game in advance and empty the gym between games, but there are reasons why they have decided against this course of action.

We suspect that many Woodbury fans will go to see the Paulsboro girls game at 5 p.m. to ensure that they get in the gym for the game that follows.  It is unfortunate that this is how this next round has played out, but the specifics were beyond our control.

Playoff Basketball

Congratulations to the girls basketball team for their performance in yesterdays first round of the NJSIAA playoffs against Gloucester City.  Though they lost to a tough opponent, they finish a year playing stronger team basketball and ready for the next season with many returning players.

The boys basketball team came away with a victory over a tough Clayton team last night.  The second round game will now be played at Paulsboro on Wednesday night.  I will put a posting up here to update the ticket situation for that game once we hear from Paulsboro about how they intend to handle ticket sales.

Again -- congratulations to both basketball teams.

Blood Drive Success

Congratulations to the Woodbury High School National Honor Society for success with their recent blood drive.  

The report received from the American Red Cross was as follows:

• The High School Drive you had 62 donors present and 64 were productive which will help save 192 lives.
  
• With the Community Drive, you hit your Goal!!! You had 29 donors present and 31 were productive which will help save 93 lives.
  
• Woodbury High School help save a total of 285 Lives on February 19^th, 2010. Please let the students know how well they did and how appreciative we are for their support.
• Thank you for all of your help, you’re a great group to work with.

Great work!

Gloucester Alert

While your thinking about all this snow, I encourage you to go to Gloucester Alert and sign-up, if you are not registered.  Those currently registered received an e-mail and text message about today's school closing at 5:08 a.m. this morning.  It is one of the first messaging systems that we employ.

It is easy to register.  You need to choose a Woodbury school and then you will receive any emergency message associated with that school.

You can also sign up for other alerts -- general weather, traffic, etc.

GLOUCESTER ALERT

(There is also a link on the school district's main web page when you click the red box on the left side of the front page:  "Safety and Emergency Information.")

Fast in the Pool

 (Pictured are Coach Jamie Jess and Coach Joe Pegues with Tim Wagner, Brian Sullivan, Brendan Davis and Dale Davis.)

The above four members of the swim team broke the WHS school record in both the 200 and 400 yard freestyle relays and also qualified for the state tournament in the 200 yard freestyle relay.  In addition, the same four played a key role in helping the Wooters (Woodbury/Gateway) Swim Team qualify for the state playoffs for the first time in over two decades.  

NJSIAA state tournament competition will be on March 6^th at GCIT starting at 2:00 (preliminaries) and on March 7^th at 2:00 (finals).

(Article on the team)

Good luck!

Young Writers

Ms. Lyons’ second grade class at Evergreen Elementary School has been busy at work writing and editing an original piece of realistic fiction. Through the use of writing workshop strategies, Ms. Lyons  has inspired young authors. 

Students worked through a process of brainstorming, drafting, editing and rewriting to create a final product.  Students addressed the theme of problem solving. The character in their stories always seemed to find a solution.  Topics ranged from losing a dress to rescuing the family dog who had jumped into a backyard pool.

Father/Daughter Dance

On Friday, February 12^th, love filled the air in the West End All Purpose Room. Ninety-Five girls and their male role models danced the night away at the Second Annual Father/Daughter Dance.

Fathers and daughters danced to some favorites like The Electric Slide and The Chicken Dance along with musical selections from favorites Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers. Rumors were flying that Mr. Myers even joined and led the girls in The Electric Slide, but everyone was in such awe, cameras remained in pockets!

It was a great event sponsored by the West End PTA.

$714,085

That is the amount of money in what was dedicated state aid to the Woodbury City Schools that the state will now NOT pay as a result of Governor Chrisitie's executive order last week.  Due to the financial crisis the state finds itself in for the current budget year, school districts across the state have been targeted as a main means to making up the shortfall.

Any money that was in a "excess surplus" account or in specially designated "reserve" accounts was used in the calculation to determine how much a district would have to find in these areas in lieu of what were to be state aid payments.  Woobury has used money in these accounts in the past to perform maintenance and upgrade work to our facilities and to also provide for taxpayer relief with respect to the local property tax.

Obviously, any of the good that would have come from this money has been eliminated.  It will now simply be used to pay bills.  Additionally, this decision will likely have serious impact on the development of the next school year's budget.

Unfortunately, this may not be the end for bad economic news for schools.  In a mid-March address, Governor Christie will provide an outline for state aid to schools for the 2010-11 school year.  This state aid number for Woodbury will be a key determiner for decisions related to our school programs for the future.

As a superintendent faced with the financial complications of school funding, it makes me wish for snow!  

Stay tuned.

Let it Snow -- Again?

Well -- this seems to be the winter of the snowstorm.  I am sure that my superintendent friends were pleased that the last two big storms started on Saturdays.  That helped us significantly.  Can you imagine the impact on school days if those two arrived during the middle of the week.

It does not look like we will be so lucky this time around.  They are calling for significant accumulations, and this time it is set to start tonight -- Tuesday. 

As always, we will use multiple sources to put out any notice regarding closings and or delays.  The information is posted on the district website, Gloucester Alert is used for those enrolled, and the local television outlets receive our information (ABC, NBC, and CBS).  Finally, we also contact the local "Channel 5" cable broadcast.

Keep the shovels at the ready.  

Wednesday, February 3 -- Jr.-Sr. High School Bathroom Fire Update

Today, at 12:33 p.m. an automatic alarm was sent to the fire and police departments of Woodbury due to smoke from a small fire that was in a bathroom of the Jr.-Sr. High School. The students were evacuated and then, once it was determined that the gymnasium and Annex could be safely used, the students were sent to those locations.

The 6th grade students returned to their regular classrooms in the Annex and the remaining students waited in the gymnasium. The fire department from Woodbury and surrounding areas responded and were able to extinguish any fire that remained active and they cleared the smoke that filled the bathroom and spilled out into the hallways.

We were able to have students return to their classes at approximately 1:45 p.m. The high school students returned to the class period that they were in at the time of the event. Junior High students were provided time in the cafeterias for a late lunch.

Unfortunately, the fire appears to have been deliberately set. Due to our inside surveillance system, we believe that we will soon determine the identity of the individual(s) involved. Obviously, serious consequences from both the school and the local authorities will follow.

Teen P.E.P.

(An invitation sent by the advisors/teachers of Teen PEP . . . )

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Annual Teen Prevention Education Program (Teen P.E.P.) Family Night

Studies show that teens who feel they can talk with their parents about sex are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior than those who do not feel like they can talk with their parents. At the same time, research demonstrates that most parents do not talk openly with their children about sex. Often this can be attributed to their own discomfort with the topic, and not feeling equipped with accurate information and responses. Many times parents are well-intentioned and want to do their best to talk with their kids about sex and sexuality, but they are not sure how to begin.

At the same time, teenagers report that they want to have honest discussions with their parents about a range of topics, including sexuality, but feel discomfort and awkwardness about how to begin.

Woodbury High School’s Sixth-Annual Teen P.E.P. Family Night provides an opportunity for parents and teens to talk to one another about issues such as privacy, trust, sex, friends and independence. The event begins with thought-provoking skits followed by small group discussion. The overall goal is to decrease some of the fears and discomfort surrounding conversations about sex and sexuality.

Parents who have attended Family Night in the past have indicated that because of their participation, they feel more comfortable talking with their teen about sexuality

WHO: Parents, guardians, teachers and community members
WHEN: February 10, 2010, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Woodbury High School Auditorium

Refreshments will be served!

Haiti Relief Effort, Continued

The two West End student organizers of the Haiti Relief Fund effort are pictured above -- Brianne and Becca Kennedy. West End School raised $639.25. The school will be making this donation to the Red Cross on Thursday morning.

Haiti Relief Efforts

The Woodbury City Public Schools are each helping the Haiti relief effort in different ways.

There was an article in the Gloucester County Times yesterday about the Evergreen Avenue Elementary School's effort -- a collection spearheaded by one of our 5th grade students at Evergreen. Click here for a link to the article.

At West End, a similar campaign is currently under way. Principal Myers reports that two students at West End proposed a similar idea. These girls created a flier and worked with Mr. Myers to get the word out to the school. They are currently collecting funds and will be presenting their donation to the American Red Cross next Thursday at 9 a.m.

Walnut's SLAG club (Scholars, Leaders, Athletes, and Gentlemen) is in the process of planning a service project that will focus on raising money for Haiti Relief. They plan to get more information out to the Walnut community in the near future.

Finally, the Jr.-Sr. High School has had a busy week raising money this week. Approximately $675 has been raised so far -- with one more day to go. There was a specific activity each day:

Monday: Soft Pretzel sale after school

Tuesday: Hoops for Haiti. Proceeds from the Woodbury vs. Gateway Basketball game will go towards the Haiti relief efforts.

Wednesday: Hat Day. Students (and adults) will pay $1 for permission to wear a hat for the day.

Thursday: Pin Vivadelli to the wall. SHS students buy pieces of duct tape—enough to tape Mr. V to the wall!

Friday: Pin Braddock to the wall. JHS student buy pieces of duct tape—enough to pin Mr. B to the wall!

And. . . . here are some pictures of the successful taping of Mr. Vivadelli's at Thursday's lunch:

STUDENT LEADER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

(We received information about this program -- open to juniors and seniors --yesterday. See your counselor for help regarding the application process.)

BANK OF AMERICA’S Neighborhood Excellence Initiative® HAS BEEN EXPANDED STATEWIDE IN NJ

FEBRUARY 17 - APPLICATION DEADLINE

THIS OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN TO ALL JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY

Please help share the following opportunity …

Bank of America is looking for tomorrow’s community leaders today. We are asking for your help to identify outstanding young people who are passionate about making a difference in our community.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Student Leaders program is an exciting component of our signature philanthropic program, the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®. We need your help to spread the word about the opportunities available to eligible high school juniors and seniors through this unique program. Please note that the deadline for students to apply is February 17, 2010.

Since the program’s inception in 2004, Bank of America has recognized more than 1,000 Student Leaders as exemplary high school students with a passion for helping their communities. Selected Student Leaders participate in a paid summer internship with a designated local nonprofit organization where they experience first-hand how they can help shape their communities-now and in the future. To enhance their leadership experience, awardees also participate in a six-day, all-expense paid Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC provided by Bank of America. The nonprofit internship and Student Leadership Summit exposes students to leadership aspects in civic, nonprofit and business arenas. Our goal is to nurture and develop our country’s next generation of community leaders – for our neighborhoods, our cities, and beyond.

To learn more about the program and for details about the online application process, visit the Bank of America Charitable Foundation website.

In Case of Emergency . . .

It is a warm (for January), rainy morning, but if this was snow, you would want to be connected to Gloucester Alert.

By signing up and registering your e-mail and/or cell phone and selecting one of the Woodbury City Public Schools, you will receive a message whenever there is an emergency matter that is conveyed to parents. This includes early notice about any snow closing/delay.

Go to the Gloucester Alert website and register today: Gloucester Alert

Mix-It-Up Day

Donna Lacovara, our school district SAC (Student Assistance Coordinator) prepared our 6th grade students for "Mix-It-Up Day" by visiting each class in advance and providing an overview of the program.

The students were randomly assigned to lunch tables on the day of the program. Upperclassmen (high school students) or adults in the school were assigned to each table and led the discussions. While students ate, the following prepared questions were discussed:

Welcome to Mix-It-Up Day
December 11, 2009
1. Introduce yourself and then quickly go around the table and ask each student to introduce him/herself and use one adjective to describe him/herself (i.e. brave, confident, athletic, artistic)
2. Ask students to describe the diversity in our school. What do you like best about going to a school with students from mixed religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds?
3. What can be done to help students cross social boundaries and mix-it-up on their own more often?
4. Ask students how they feel about the “label” they were assigned at their table today.( i.e. Eagles, Jonas Brothers, etc.)
5. Quickly go around the table and ask each student to describe today’s activity in one word (please jot down these words on the back of this sheet as they are shared…NO NAMES please)



Ms. Lacovara returned to the 6th grade classrooms and provided some closure for the activity with a PowerPoint presentation -- sharing the pictures and reviewing some of the outcomes from the discussions at the lunchroom tables and follow-up writing activity that occurred back in the classrooms.

January Board of Education Meeting this Week -- Wednesday

The regular January meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for this Wednesday, January 20th. The location of the meeting will be the auditorium of the Jr.-Sr. High School. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

This month, there will be a presentation regarding the new curriculum offerings planned for the 2010-11 school year including a new personalized learning plan initiative that the New Jersey Department of Education has promoted and a complementary "service learning" component that is part of the district's strategic plan. In addition, a new required finance course, Economics/Personal Finance, will be reviewed; this course will meet a new graduation requirement for next year's entering 9th graders.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the district's website during the course of the day (Tuesday).

Have a good day and week!

Martin Luther King, Jr. -- Day of Service

The Jr.-Sr. High School is conducting a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service program on Monday, January 18th.

The program will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be held in the Jr.-Sr. High School Library.

All in the school community are welcome to attend -- a light continential breakfast will be served.

(This is the second annual event. The program is still a small version of what is hoped to be an event that will capture the interest and invovlement of a large segment of the school community in the future.)

2009-10 Blogging, Continuted

Another impact on my blogging this year has been the competition from the district's website. Since I am the one who has been orchestrating the posting of pictures on the new "front page" of the website, I have been in competition with myself for items that can be posted in either location.

Because it is newer look to the district website, we have tried to maintain the website with pictures that would allow for a rotation of fresh images on a regular basis. Of course, coming off the posting of the H1N1 notice that was on the website for the last couple of weeks, this front page is currently in need of attention, but there have been over thirty different images rotated onto that page since the start of the school year. Each time the page is refreshed, a stored, current image is randomly displayed.

All of the images from the entire year are in the archive link at the bottom of the front page.

So -- all of this to say that here is another new item that I am juggling and it has had impact on the blog.

One more item for consideration, and I will get to that tomorrow. Have a good day!

4:38 A.M.

Well -- that has been the problem with the blog this year. This time, I did not wait until January to make a fitness resolution -- I started back in the end of August. At that time, my family joined a gym and I decided that I would go to the gym, or work-out in some fashion, every day. The guidelines for exercise that you read about indicate that we should exercise something like five or six days a week. I know that, if I give myself that one day off, it will cause a problem: every morning that I would wake up and if it was cold or I was sore, I would be looking to take the day off. Therefore, I committed to every day.

I am simply better getting this exercise in first thing in the morning. Thus, that is where the 4:38 a.m. time comes in to play. That time for my alarm to go off so that I get to the gym by 5 a.m. and back by 6:00 a.m. Time to eat, shower, and dress -- and get to Woodbury.

What I have lost has been my typical blogging time. Over the course of the years of blogging, I have found that I gravitate to the morning. My habit was to wake, check e-mail, complete a blog entry, etc. I was managing okay this year without this morning time for blogging -- until basketball season hit. My work at school requires a decent number of night time commitments, but now there has been the added juggling of the basketball shuttles. We have been getting four kids to five different basketball teams since November. With whatever other work (home or school) that has to get accomplished, the blog has been taking a back seat.

So -- no promises. I am pleased that I have found a routine that has been working in terms of my fitness plan; that has to stay. There have been a few other factors that have impacted my work on the the blog this year -- and I will cover that in an additional posting or two this week.

Stay tuned! Have a great week.

H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Vaccinations on Thursday

The Gloucester County Health Department will be holding a clinic here at the Jr.-Sr. High School this Thursday, January 7, from 4 p.m. through 7 p.m. (The last hour has not been advertised to the general public and is set aside to handle Woodbury school community members.)

There is more information on the front page of the district's website.

We will be sending out a final reminder by the automated telephone system. Does this telephone system help as a reminder for these types of events? I suspect that different systems are preferred by different people -- blog, slip of paper home with a student, postcard mailing, automated telephone, e-mail. Obviously, we do not use all of these systems for each event. And -- we have not yet ventured into the Facebook/tweeter (is that the right term -- getting old!)world . . .yet.

Anyway -- here is one more flu shot reminder.

Happy New Year -- 2010

I have not read much about this topic, but it has been a point of some conversation in my own home: Is it "two thousand ten" or "twenty ten" -- 2010? I believe that this year's graduating class refers to the year as "two thousand ten." It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the media, etc.

I hope that everyone in the school community had a restful, enjoyable holiday season. With the four boys in our home, it was nice to have a break from the hectic pace of preparing lunches for the next day, packing gym/sports clothes, practices/games, and homework.

We had another small dusting of snow over the break -- on a Saturday. I like the Saturday snows (hopefully, no more 20+ inch varieties!).

Enjoy your January. We have a variety of important happenings in the schools that I will try to write about on this blog -- a New Jersey Department of Education Collaborative Assessment and Planning for Achievement (CAPA)visit at the Jr.-Sr. High School and the preparation for the 2010-11 school year budget are in the forefront of our work. Obviously, the most important work is what is happening in the classrooms with the students.

Welcome back.

Happy Holidays

I think my own kids ruined their snow day (in their case . . . two days, they were also off on Tuesday) by constantly wondering/asking/etc. if people thought they were going to be off the NEXT day. "Dad, if you were superintendent of our district . . . "

Anyway, we are now past this December snow. Let's hope we have a quieter balance to the winter weeks ahead.

I wish everyone a happy holiday season.

As my regular blog readers can tell, these last few weeks have been a bit rough with respect to blog posts. I hope to give some explanation when we return from this break. Until then . . . enjoy!

Preseident Obama Responds to Mr. Lessman's Evergreen Students

Jacob Lessman's elementary students at Evergreen wrote to President Obama and the President sent a letter in response. Below, there is a copy of the letter and some images of what was also included in the envelope from Washington -- a picture of the president and another of family dog.

Congratulations to these Evergreen students for writing to and getting a response from our President!





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New Automated Phone Attendant Menu

We have updated our automated telephone answering system. We have officially separated the telephone numbers for all four schools. The 853-0123 number is now focused specifically on the Jr.-Sr. High School.

The telephone numbers for each school are posted below. These are the same numbers that were advertised at the beginning of the school year and have been in operation all year:


Woodbury Junior/Senior High School 856-853-0123
West End Memorial Elementary School856-853-0124
Evergreen Avenue Elementary School 856-853-0125
Walnut Street Elementary School 856-853-0126

Board of Education Meeting

The regular December meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for this evening. The location of the meeting will be the auditorium of the Jr.-Sr. High School. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

This month, there will be a presentation given by the Jr.-Sr. High School including a focus on the alternative school program.

The agenda for the meeting is posted on the district's website.

Another Grant Awarded

Trinna Savage, 3rd Grade Teacher at Evergreen, applied for a small grant that will allow her to purchase additional materials for the Responsive Classroom program being implemented across the district.

The grant application was to the "Kids in Need Teacher Grants" program and she recently received word that she was selected to receive the $150 requested. Congratulations to Ms. Savage for taking the initiative to reach out to this organization and her success in being selected as one of the recipients.




From: penny hawk [mailto:pennyh@kinf.org]Sent: Wed 12/2/2009 11:57 AMTo: penny hawkSubject: Kids In Need Teacher Grants


Hello, Teacher Grant Applicant,


Thank you for participating in the 2009 Kids In Need Teacher Grants program. I know you are eager to find out the final results. Please find attached a list of the 2009 Teacher Grant recipients. The teachers are listed in alphabetical order by last name. The list will be posted on our Web site by the end of the day.

As you can see, 281 grants were awarded totaling $115,217.90. We’d like to thank our sponsors, LOFT Loves Teachers, Office Depot Foundation, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Fred Meyer Fund, and VIA Credit Union for their support of this program.

If you received a grant, please be advised that the checks are not distributed until the end of January, but they can be used for reimbursement if you have to purchase materials before you receive the funds. The checks are made payable to you. I will be sending further information within the next 10 days.

If you did not receive a grant this year, I will also be sending further information to you. Although we cannot give individual critiques of each grant application, I will send you information that may help when you apply next year.

Thank you again for your application.

Penny
Penny Hawk, Managing Director Kids In Need Foundation 3077 Kettering Blvd., Ste 114, Dayton, OH 45439 937-296-1230, x303 pennyh@kinf.org http://www.kinf.org/


Providing free school supplies to kids who need them.

Ms. Fitzgerald is Awarded $1,000 for the Science Department

Here is some exciting news for the Jr.-Sr. High School Science Department. Last year, high school biology teacher Colleen Fitzgerald participated in a Delaware Valley Innovation Network professional development activity. She was one of a few selected from among science teachers across the region who applied. The exciting weekend advanced Mrs. Fitzgerald's ever present quest to be the best teacher possible.

Recently, she received information about a bonus for the science department in a notice from the people at DVIN (see below). Congratulations, Ms. Fitzgerald and thank you for all that you do for the Woodbury Public Schools.


Subject: $1,000 Certificate to Ward's Natural Science from the Delaware Valley Innovation Network

Dear Colleen,

DVIN wanted to make you aware that we are awarding your school Science Department a Science Education Materials Grant in the form of a $1,000 Product Credit Certificate from Ward’s Natural Science Supplier. The certificate is being mailed to your school principal and should arrive within in the next few days.

Your school has been chosen because you showed a commitment to science education, by attending the DVIN BIO Teacher/Leader program. We believe a meaningful science education starts with a dedicated science teacher, but recognize, without sufficient equipment it is difficult for you to provide students with a classroom experience that will put them on the path towards a career in the sciences.

The certificate is to be used for science supplies and lab equipment that will enrich, excite, and enhance the science program for the students of your school. Directions on how to redeem your schools Ward’s Product Credit Certificate will be enclosed with the Certificate, which has been mailed to your principal. Please be aware that orders must be placed no later than January 15, 2010.

We thank you for your dedication to teaching and commitment to developing the future science workforce of our region.

Best regards,

Helen Groft

Project Director

Delaware Valley Innovation Network

Congratulations to the Football Team

I am sure that you heard, our varsity football team won the NJSIAA South Jersey Group I title on Saturday. Congratulations to the players, Coach Valentine, and all the coaches. Also -- the fans who braved the weather are applauded for their dedication. It was a day and a game to remember.

The following links were sent to me by high school counselor, Dan Howey. Thanks, Mr. Howey! Some of the articles provide nice recaps to the game and others focus on players and/or coaches.

Courier Post 1

Courier Post 2

Philadelphia Inquirer

Philly High School Sports Blog

Gloucester County Times 1

Gloucester County Times 2

High School Sports nj.com

Junior High Musical

The other night, I saw the musical director, Mrs. Berting, and asked if the Junior High School students were ready. Well, a director never feels that they are ready until that first performance is officially finished. So -- we will have to wait until Friday night.

This is the second year for a Junior High musical. Last year's performance was enjoyable -- many of the students made you forget that the students were only 6th, 7th and 8th graders on stage. I am sure that we will be in for another treat with this year's performance of Annie jr.

There are three show times: Friday night @ 7 p.m., Saturday morning @ 10 a.m., and Saturday evening @ 7 p.m.

(Note: For the Saturday morning show, those attending the musical are asked to park in the county lot by the courthouse. Our lower parking lot near the football field will be closed in preparation for the NJSIAA Group I Playoff game against Paulsboro -- game time, 1:00 p.m.)

Busy Weekend

This weekend has a lot in store for the Woodbury City Schools and the City in general:


Friday:


6:00 p.m. -- Festive Fridays: Santa Parade, Tree lighting @ Aberdeen Place, Pictures with Santa, Carriage Rides, etc!

7:00 p.m. -- Woodbury Child Development Center has a Silent Auction fundraiser happening here at the Jr.-Sr. High School. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)

7:00 p.m. -- Junior High School Musical: Annie jr.


Saturday:

9:00 a.m. -- West End PTA Holiday Shop (until 1:00 p.m.) [Thanks to the anonymous poster below!]

10:00 a.m. -- Junior High School Musical: Annie jr.

1:00 p.m. -- South Jersey NJSIAA Group I Championship Game, Paulsboro vs. Woodbury @ Woodbury.

4:00 p.m. -- Holiday House Tour sponsored by the Woodbury Jr.-Sr. High School Parent, Teacher, & Student Association (starts at the Woodbury Mews).

7:00 p.m. -- Junior High School Musical: Annie jr.



Wow!