BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD REGIONAL SCHOOLS —— Fresh from his appearance in Washington, D.C., to claim one of eight national awards given for exemplary school leadership, Michael Fiorello, principal of Berkeley Avenue Elementary School, accepted a district resolution to match.
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And he was hardly alone in accepting plaudits at the Nov. 16 Board of Education meeting.
Meanwhile, Eric Kopp, one of two senior students on the school board, delivered an update on student life, including academics, the arts, and athletics.
Daniel Vivino lands NJSIAA Service Award
At the Nov. 16 Board of Education meeting, Daniel Vivino, junior and senior high school assistant principal and director of athletics, was honored for landing the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Service Award, which will be given at NJSIAA’s annual business meeting Dec. 4.
“This couldn’t happen to a better person. He has grown up in this community, grown up in the school district—and now as the athletic director to win an award of this caliber, it’s huge for himself and for the district,” said Paul Liddy, a representative of the Township of Washington.
“It shows the type of people we’ve brought into this district and how they continue to proliferate and just reach for the stars. Well deserved,” Liddy added.
Mary-Elizabeth Wren named state council’s ‘Social Studies Teacher of the Year’
Social studies instructor Mary-Elizabeth Wren accepted a resolution, introduced by English teacher and Township of
Washington representative Joseph McCallister, praising her for landing this year’s New Jersey Council for the Social Studies “Social Studies Teacher of the Year” award.
According to NJCSS, that award owes to Wren’s leadership in communicating with psychology teachers from around New Jersey and rallying them to attend NJCSS’s recent conference at Rutgers University Oct. 23 to receive authentic professional development geared toward high school psychology teachers.
She facilitated two psychology-based workshops at the conference, “Teaching The Three R’s: Rights, Reforms, and Regions,” including best practices in psychology, and a roundtable discussion for high school psychology instructors.
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Student art is backdrop for student achievement awards
With a variety of student artwork on display behind them from Introduction to 2D Art and eighth grade art cycle students, four students from the district were honored for their accomplishments.
Angelia Zervoudia, sixth grade student; Ariana Gaub, seventh grade student; Emily Gorham, eighth grade student; and Gabriella Dunay, tenth-grade student, are the district’s students of the month for October.
The artwork, under the direction of Lynda Panno, is a showcase of the talents of Joseph Kuchenmeister, 10, Adair Lopez, 10, Katherine Poley, 8, Xiaocao Dong, 8, Patrick Flynn, 8, Nicholas Ingrasselino, 8, Thomas Linaris, 8, and Daniel Lin, 8.
STEAM Tank competition shows off district know-how
Also at the meeting, the school board heard reports on the recent statewide High School STEAM Tank competition, presented by applied technology instructors Adelyn Gann and Purvik Patel, and students Alex Chang, Ben Bross, Sri Leela Sattenapalli, Michael Giordano, Luis Zuniga, Matthew Hetherington, Tyler Kanter, and Adelyn Gann.
The students presented on eco-plastic and pop furniture.
The challenge is created and sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and the U.S. Army to encourage New Jersey’s public school students in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
Student representative updates board on student life
According to Board of Education Student Representative Eric Kopp, students have been working very hard.
Of note in academics, Purvik Patel’s Fabrication and Design 1 class is making Jacob’s Ladder toys. The project includes the use of table and chop saws, palm sanders, stains, and paint.
On Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, candidates vying for positions on the governing bodies of the Township of Washington and the Borough of Westwood participated in a Town Hall in Campbell Auditorium.
“Mr. [Charles] Collis’s [Advanced Placement] government and politics classes formed the questions and asked the candidates their solutions to certain problems in both towns. The student body thanks Peter Calamari, Arthur Cumming, Michael Werfel, Jodi Murphy, and Erin Collins for coming to give the student body some exposure to local politics,” Kopp said.
Kopp said the art department has a lot to be proud of as the Woodington Players wrapped up preparation for its fall play, “She Kills Monsters,” which opened Nov. 16 and ran Nov. 17 and 18.
Art students, led by Pamela Duffus, are raising money for their Young Artists in California trip.
Members are selling sketchbooks designed by high school students. Anyone taking an art class will be able to go on the trip during spring break.
In student athletics, the football team won its first playoff game against Ramsey, 49-7, and advanced to the semifinals and were set to play Newton at home.
Girls soccer won its North 1 Group 2 Section championship against Sparta, 1-0. Senior Camryn Collova did great as goalie , denying all shots, and Senior Erin Wilson scored the game’s only, and winning, goal.
The team then beat Hanover Park, 1-0, in the Group II semifinal, sending them to a Group II championship game against Cinnaminson at Kean University.
Senior Sara Buchner competed at Montgomery High School at her state gymnastics meet. As the sole representative for Westwood, she competed in the beam, vault, and floor competitions.
Buchner also recently signed to be a part of the University of Oregon’s Division I Acrobatics and Tumbling team.
Students have also been very busy with clubs and activities, Kopp said.
Westwood’s Math Team has had three competitions. By year’s end there’ll be a New Jersey Math League champion, a Bergen County Math League champion, and an overall champion.
The Westwood Marching Band ended its competitive season at the NJSMA Bloomfield competition on Oct. 29. The rain didn’t stop performers, who sounded off inside the gymnasium at Bloomfield High School.
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Photos by John Snyder