Northern Valley Regional High School District
Message from the Superintendent
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August 24, 2010
Dear Parents/Guardians and Community Members:
As August comes to a close, the Northern Valley Regional High Schools’ faculty and staff are eagerly anticipating the return of students. Preparation for the opening of school has been ongoing all summer. Both campuses have been busy as the marching bands’ camps are underway; the football teams began practicing on August 16, followed by all other fall athletes on August 21.
New teacher/staff orientation is taking place from August 23 through August 27. New faculty members joining Northern Valley Regional High School are:
Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest
Jennifer Hochenberg |
Biology |
Todd McMichael |
Chemistry/Physics |
Dana Murphy |
Special Education |
Courtney Van Slooten |
School Psychologist |
Steven Vega |
Chemistry |
Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
Joanne Anello Maher |
Family and Consumer Science |
Chiung-En Chen |
Chinese |
Kathryn Jones |
Special Education |
Gregory Oleson |
Physics |
Melissa Vion |
Guidance Counselor |
Kathleen Wehmann |
Physical Education |
All but two of the above faculty members are replacements for retiring faculty or those on a leave for the 2010-2011 school year. Ms. Chen will be teaching one period of Chinese per day due to an increase in enrollment. Ms. Van Slooten’s services are being paid for by the federal stimulus money the district received. This money must be spent according to guidelines written by the federal government.
Mr. Richard Orso has joined the administrative team at Northern Valley Old Tappan as Assistant Principal, replacing Ms. Laura Groppo.
Dr. Stuart Barudin as joined the district as Interim Director of High School Special Education. He is an experienced administrator who is replacing a retiring staff member on an interim basis.
Mrs. Kathy Vuoncino will be serving as the Acting Director of Region III until a permanent replacement can be found. Mrs. Karen Dinnell-LoPresti will be assisting Mrs. Vuoncino in the capacity of Supervisor.
Several changes have been made in the school office support staffs due to retirements. Mrs. Gloria Cerrato is now the Principal’s Secretary at Old Tappan. Mrs. Marie Orr has joined the Guidance Department at Old Tappan. An office professional previously assigned to the Superintendent’s Office will now travel between the two high school offices and the administration building. This new arrangement has allowed the district to realize savings by not replacing a retiring office professional.
Additional cost savings measures being taken this year are the virtual French class and the opening of the Junction Program. With the addition of the virtual class, students in both high schools will participate in same class at the same time, with one teacher, allowing the district to offer an opportunity for advanced world language study which would not have been possible otherwise.
The Junction Program is being offered to Special Education students ages 18 to 21. It will take place in a converted train station in Closter and will focus on teaching life skills to these students. Previously, the district paid tuition for the students to attend a similar program in another district.
The district has once again had a busy summer with yearly maintenance, referendum projects, and safety projects funded by our facilities grant from NJSBAIG.
The transition program at the train station location in Closter is progressing on schedule. The building will be ready for school opening. At Demarest several tennis courts are being resurfaced. Sidewalk and asphalt repairs and replacement of interior and exterior doors have been completed. The gym floors were refinished and the south gym was relined and bordered to enhance the basketball court for competition. In Old Tappan window replacement will be complete for school opening and the foyer floor in the new wing was replaced. This replacement was necessary due to irregularities which developed in the floor.
Based on referendum funding, the district is continuing several projects and developing bid specifications. The following items are being considered: additional HVAC upgrades and replacements at both schools, additional window replacement at Old Tappan, ADA restroom renovations at both schools, ramps at both schools and small roofing areas.
Finally, thank you to the citizens of our seven communities who continue to support the district’s efforts to provide high quality educational services to the students and the families of the Northern Valley. We wish everyone another successful year at Northern Valley.
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July 2, 2010
Dear Members of the Northern Valley Regional High School Community:
You may be aware of Facebook pages on the Internet representing themselves as the pages of the Northern Valley Regional High School District. I am writing to inform you these pages did not originate from, nor have they been approved by, an authorized representative of the school district. A district staff member has been assigned to complete the appropriate legal channels to communicate with officials from Facebook to have this misrepresentation corrected.
Sincerely,
Jan A. Furman
Superintendent of Schools
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June 16, 2010
Dear Parents and Guardians,
During the current school year, a group of parents addressed the issue of a more formal recognition of students who participate in our All School Musicals. The Principals of each high school, along with input from staff, students and parents, examined the issue in the context of all the co-curricular activities in each high school. Below you will find the new Student Recognition Program which will begin in the 2010-2011 school year. This Student Recognition Program will be referenced in the Student and Parent Handbooks which come out later in the summer. However, the details of the Program will be available from the students’ co-curricular advisors and/or coaches. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your school’s Principal.
Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable summer.
Sincerely,
Jan A. FurmanSuperintendent of Schools
Student Recognition Program
It is important for students to identify with, be loyal to and have pride in representing their high school. The status of earning a “letter” should be attainable by all students. The “chenille” represents the highest award a student can receive from his/her high school. Whether it is for participation in athletics, competitive clubs, marching band or theater it recognizes that a student has made a significant contribution to Northern Valley. Students earning this award must meet the following requirements.
1. Athletic Letter. A student may earn a letter by participating in a varsity sport through criteria determined by the coach and Athletic Director. In the event that an athlete earns a letter in a second sport in a particular year, or a second letter in the same sport in a different year, he/she will be awarded a certificate.
2. Music/Theater Letter. A student may earn a letter by participating in the music activities of the district vocal, instrumental or theater programs through criteria determined by the activity director and approved by the principal (e.g. 3 years marching band, choir, All-School Musical). A student earning a second letter in music in a different year, he/she will be awarded a certificate.
3. Co-curricular/Activities Letter. A student may earn a letter by participating in a “club sport” or other school activity/program which represents the District in performances or competitions through criteria determined by the activity advisor and approved by the Principal (e.g. Quiz Bowl, Science League, Math League). A student earning a second letter in a specific or second activity in a different year, he/she will be awarded a certificate. Each year the advisor will submit to the principal a statement that identifies the requirements for earning the “letter.”
Presentation of the award:
The presentation of the award will be determined by the director of the specific program. The athletic award will be presented by the athletic department. The music and activities award will be presented by the advisor or at an awards presentation in the late spring of each year (May).
Recognition of this award will not be included in the student transcripts as is consistent with current Northern Valley practice. However students may indicate in their applications or college essay of this award.
The Board of Education will purchase the chenilles necessary.
Students may purchase a letter jacket with an appropriate symbol of recognition at their own expense.
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Northern Valley Regional School District has an excellent reputation for its use of technology in the teaching and learning process. Over the years the district’s excellence in this area has been recognized by external validation through the Blue Ribbon Schools process and the New Jersey Technology Education Association.
During the 2009-10 school year a group comprised of instructional leaders, administrators, and members of the district’s technology team have been exploring ways to use this technology to maintain the breadth and depth of the curriculum, which has contributed to the outstanding education the school district provides to its students. The current fiscal situation in the nation and the state require educators to consider new ways to educate our students. As a result of identifying classes that have had historically low student enrollments (less than fifteen students) a plan is being developed to continue offering some of these classes during the current times that demand fiscal restraint.
The Northern Valley Regional High School District is planning to implement a “Virtual Classroom” for the 2010-11 school year. One proposed world language class will be held at the same time in both of the district’s high schools: Northern Valley at Demarest and Northern Valley at Old Tappan. The teacher will be in each “physical classroom” for a specified period of instruction so each group of students has the experience of working directly with the teacher as well as within the “virtual classroom.” The “virtual classroom” will provide each student the opportunity to work with a laptop computer and various software, which will allow students to interact with their peers in both classrooms as well as with the teacher.
This synchronous approach departs from an asynchronous one utilized by many online courses in which an instructor posts assignments and the students post their responses. One goal for the system to be employed in Northern Valley is to maintain as many normal classroom interactions as possible. The students will still be able to raise their hands, ask questions, and work within small groups. Yet, there will undoubtedly be many differences. The system will offer different types of collaboration tools: screen sharing, multi-user whiteboards, file sharing and chat will be used more frequently for this class than in a traditional one. The teacher using this system will also be able to poll students instantaneously and simultaneously.
The class will be designed to emphasize collaborative work among the students, increase student to student interaction and continue relationships among the district’s students beyond the class period.
Social activities extending beyond the physical classroom will be planned for both classes to help the students get to know their virtual classmates.
Sincerely,
Jan A. Furman
Superintendent of Schools
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Should you have any technical questions about accessing your student’s marking period grades, please call Mrs. Patricia DeRiso at 201-768-2200 ext. 12322. If you have any other questions or concerns about the marking period grades, please speak with your child’s guidance counselor.
We look forward to continuing to provide high quality educational services to your children.
Sincerely,
Jan A. Furman
Superintendent of Schools
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School Emergency Closing Information
If inclement weather or another emergency causes a delayed opening or an all-day closing, radio station WOR and WCBS will announce school closings. Cablevision Channel 12 will also announce school closing information. An automated message service, Swift Reach, will be implemented in which a recorded phone call message will be placed to your home.
It is important that that guidance office have your accurate phone number on file. Please follow the prompts as directed by the Swift Reach message so that the message may be delivered to you. The school district is currently considering the option to have parents provide the high school with a secondary phone number for another contact. In addition, parents may call 201-768-3200 or 201-784-1600 and press 9 for NVOT or 4 for NVD to hear emergency school announcements and information. You may also refer to the school district website, www.nvnet.org.
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for STUDENTS
Demarest HS
