Cherry Hill Public Schools

Given the anticipated arrival time of the next round of inclement weather, please note the following regarding the Board of Education meeting and other scheduled events:

Tonight’s Board of Education Meeting will be held, but will adjourn no later than 8:00 pm. The Special Action Meeting will begin, as scheduled at 7:00 pm and the work session will follow at approximately 7:10 pm. A presentation on class size will last approximately 20 minutes, followed by Board questions about the presentation. While tonight’s meeting will provide little or no time for public comment regarding the class size topic, the Board and administration are committed to determining a way to give staff and residents an opportunity to provide feedback at a future time. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation!

The following school events have been postponed and rescheduled:

The Cherry Hill East 8^th Grade Information Night/Open House has been rescheduled for the snow date, Tuesday, February 16, at 7 pm.
The Barclay Parent Open House has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 17, at 7 pm.
Beck Middle School’s Spring Sports Meeting (originally scheduled for February 10) has been rescheduled for Monday, February 15 at 7 pm.

All community activites (e.g., basketball leagues, Recreation Department classes) held in our buildings are canceled for tonight.

Cherry Hill Township has announced that there will be no trash or recycling collection made in Cherry Hill on Wednesday, February 10, due to inclement weather. Wednesday’s trash, recyclables and yard waste are expected to be collected on Thursday, February 11, weather-permitting. All other collection days will remain the same.

The Board of Education will hold a special action meeting and work session on Tuesday, February 9 at the Malberg Administration Building. The meeting will begin at 6 pm with a brief discussion on the Board's plans for community outreach regarding the 2010-2011 budget. The Board will go into closed executive session at 6:30 pm and the special action meeting and work session will follow at 7 pm. On the work session agenda is a presentation and discussion of class size. Click HERE to view the special action and work session agenda for Tuesday.

The Board of Education held its “first look” budget meeting on Tuesday, January 19. Click HERE for highlights of that meeting and an overview of the challenges we face. You can also watch the meeting on CHPS TV (Channel 19 on Comcast; Channel 24 on Verizon) on Saturday at 3-4:45 pm or next week on the following days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7-8:45 pm; Wednesday from 8:30-10:15 pm; and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 2-3:45 pm. For additional budget details, visit the website’s budget page and check back frequently for updates.

Monday, February 15, 2010, will be the make-up day for December 21st snow day. (This is in accordance with the district's approved calendar.) February 15 will be Day 4 on the elementary rotation calendar.

Are you interested in becoming a candidate for the Cherry Hill Board of Education? The New Jersey School Boards Association 2010 School Board Candidate Kit is now available online (click HERE to access the kit). The kit includes a guide on how to become a school board member, school ethics information, frequently asked questions, important dates, and a nominating petition. The nomination deadline (barring a change by the NJ legislature) is March 1 and the annual school election will be Tuesday, April 20. You can also pick up a candidate's kit in the office of Board Secretary James Devereaux at the Malberg Administration Building.

Budget Message from the Superintendent...Click HERE for a message from Dr. David Campbell that sets the stage for January budget discussions. For dates of upcoming budget meetings, click HERE.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, NJ Gov. Jon Corzine, and Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy visited Rosa International Middle School on Tuesday, October 27 to recognize the school's selection as a 2009 NCLB Blue Ribbon School. The dignitaries visited several Rosa classrooms, then particpated in a roundtable discussion with Rosa parents and teachers. Secretary Duncan praised Rosa for its commitment to excellence. "When parents and teachers work together on behalf of kids, great things happen," said Secretary Duncan. Rosa is the third Cherry Hill school to receive the Blue Ribbon designation; Cooper Elementary School and Cherry Hill High School East received the award in 2007 and 2002, respectively. Click HERE for photos. For the US DOE's coverage, click HERE.

2010-2011 Budget Preparation… Click HERE to view the draft calendar for preparation of the 2010-2011 Cherry Hill Public Schools Budget. At the October 20 meeting, the Board began a very general discussion of budget framework and expectations. Principals and central office administrators are beginning the budget development process.The district goals will serve as the guiding priorities for building the budget. Administration will present a "first look" budget to the Board in early January.

At the October 13 work session, Director of Security Michael Nuzzo presented the Annual Violence, Vandalism, Weapons, and Substance Abuse Report for the 2008-2009 School Year. Cherry Hill continues to compare favorably to suburban New Jersey districts of similar size. The report reflects a slight decrease in the number of reported incidents from the pervious year. Click HERE for details.

Congratulations to Cherry Hill East and Cherry Hill West. Both of Cherry Hilll's comprehensive high schools are listed on Philadelphia Magazine's Top 50 Public High Schools - in fact, both are ranked in the top 13! The magazine looked at public high schools in the eight Pennsylvania counties neighboring Philadelphia, and in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties in New Jersey. The rankings are based on a variety of statistical factors, including test scores, percentage of students attending college, faculty information, and extracurricular offerings. Cherry Hill is East is ranked 6th; Cherry Hill West is ranked 13th. The rankings were published in Philadelphia Magazine's September 2009 issue, which is available on newstands now.

In addition to her primary responsibilities, Assistant Superintendent Maureen Reusche has assumed responsibility for overseeing Special Education services in the Cherry Hill School District since the February 1 retirement of Israela Franklin. This assignment will continue through June 30. Special education supervisors John Moody and Marta Audino will continue in their roles and support Dr. Reusche during this period. In addition, some of Dr. Reusche’s Curriculum and Instruction responsibilities have been temporarily reassigned to other administrative colleagues. The search for a Director of Special Education continues. Meanwhile, if you have questions regarding Special Education Services, please call the Special Education office at (856) 429-5600, ext. 424.

The Secondary Jazz Showcase, originally scheduled for February 11, has been postponed and will be rescheduled for later this year.

In commemoration of School Board Recognition Month, the executive board of the Cherry Hill Zone PTA presented certificates and a special gift to each member of the Board of Education—a book entitled The PTA Story: A Century of Commitment to Children by National PTA. The student Board of Education representatives received a book entitled: Success for Teens: Real Teens Talk about Using the Slight Edge by John Fleming. Zone chair Trish Maraski thanked the Board members for their service and commitment to the children of Cherry Hill. In that same spirit...Did you know that the nine members of the Cherry Hill Board of Education are unpaid volunteers? For the countless hours they devote to our public schools, thank you to the 2009-2010 Board members: Lisa Conn (President), Seth Klukoff (Vice President), Eric Goodwin, Ken Hartman, Colleen Horiates, Kathy Judge, Steve Robbins, Elliott Roth, and Wayne Tarken.

Click HERE for Board Notes - highlights of the January 12 and January 26 Board meetings.

Cherry Hill High School East will hold its High School Information Night for current eighth graders and their parents/guardians on Tuesday, February 9 at 7 pm. Also, if you missed the Course of Study Orientation meeting for your eighth grader in January, you can view the slide presentation by clicking HERE.

At the January 26 action meeting, the Board approved the calendar for the 2010-2011 school year. Click HERE to view.

Attention Parents of Preschoolers! The Barclay Early Childhood Center is now accepting APPLICATIONS for the 2010-2011 school year. The application period continues through March 1, 2010. Application information ise available at the Barclay School or on the website (click HERE). Barclay will also host Open Houses (for adults only) on February 9 at 7 pm and February 17 at 10 am. Children must be at least 3 and no older than 4 as of October 1, 2010. [Note: Tuition for this 2-1/2 day, five days per week program is currently $95 per month ($950 per year); this will likely increase for new students.] Questions? Contact Colleen Thompson at (856) 429-7283, ext. 4010.

In special action on Tuesday, January 12, the Board of Education approved a memorandum of understanding with the State of New Jersey in connection with the federal Race to the Top grant project. Approval of the resolution followed a lengthy discussion in which the pros and cons of the state’s plan were discussed. The majority of Board members agreed that, despite the lack of details in the state plan at this time, signing on allows the district to pursue this alternative funding source when more details are released later. The Board solicitor also advised that an opt-out provision safeguards the district if the detailed requirements of the grant do not align with the district’s goals.

Registration for kindergartners and first graders entering public school for the first time begins in March ... Click HERE for the schedule. Each elementary school has its own registration date, but all registration is conducted centrally at the Malberg Administration Building, 45 Ranoldo Terrace. Children must be five years old on or before October 1, 2010 to be eligible for kindergarten in fall 2010. Prior to registration, parents should pick up a kindergarten registration packet at their nearest neighborhood elementary school.

Click HERE to view the latest edition of Marching into Mathematics from Curriculum Supervisor Tony Trongone and the district math coaches. This valuable tool helps parents understand what their kids in Grades K-8 are learning in their math classes – and to support that learning at home!

Moody's Investors Service recently upgraded to A1 the rating on the school district's outstanding general obligation bonds, a reflection of the district's improved financial position and sound financial management. Click HERE for a Courier-Post article with details.

At the work session on December 8, the Board of Education began review of the 2010-2011 District Calendar. Click HERE to view the DRAFT calendar; the calendar will move through the Board approval cycle in early 2010.

Click HERE to view the lineup of STEP after-school classes for Winter through Spring 09-10. From theater to cooking classes…from hip hop to mind games, there’s something for everyone! Register early; nothing cancels a course like late registrations!

More news from our STEP staff… Information about the 2010 STEP Summer Enrichment Camp program for elementary school students, including registration information and the registration form, is available online; click HERE to access. The program has added a ninth week to the end of the camp this year to help families who need a longer summer camp program before the new school year begins.

Congratulations to Brett Rosen, Cherry Hill East graduate and valued member of the Cherry Hill Public Schools staff. Brett was honored recently at a Vocational Program Celebration Breakfast hosted by Samost Jewish Family & Children's Service. Click HERE for a Courier-Post article with more details.

Registration for STEP after-school elementary courses, many taught by district classroom teachers, is underway. Classes begin soon! Click HERE for the schedule and HERE for the registration form. Contact the STEP office at (856) 429-6564, ext. 2 for information and a registration form.

Click HERE for the latest edition of Marching into Mathematics from Curriculum Supervisor Tony Trongone and the district math coaches.

Click HERE to view the latest edition of the C&I Courier; this issue highlights technology resources that the district is making available for teaching, learning, and data management.

Also at the October 13 meeting, Kilmer teacher Steve Redfearn presented a check from the 2009 Volley for Support competition to representatives of the South Jersey Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter. Congratulations to all Volley for Support participants and supporters!

Transportation Information... Click HERE for information about transportation services in the Cherry Hill School District. This booklet includes details on transportation eligibility, our buses and drivers, bus routes and bus stops, late runs, lost and found, and more. Don't miss the section on Bus Safety Rules - and take a few moments to review these simple but important rules with your children.

Two Cherry Hill West ensembles - Men of Note and Chamber Singers – will perform this week at the American Choral Directors All Eastern Convention in Philadelphia. Click HERE to view the conference program with biographies and photos of the groups.

On Wednesday, January 6, four students from the Cherry Hill Alternative High School traveled to the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden to assist in providing meals for the less fortunate. Cathedral Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on private funding and community support, provides dinner for more than 200 people daily. Students assisted with filling baskets with toiletries and snacks for guests to take home after the meal. In addition to setting up, students served and cleaned up. Student representatives included seniors Dinah Mainsoff, Michael Ito, and Sean DeSario and sophomore, Heather Weir. While there, the students met Camden County Freeholder Joe Ripa, who thanked them for their time and effort in helping to make the community a better place. Students will return to the Cathedral Kitchen this month to continue their good work.

Barton Elementary School is hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on Thursday, February 25 from 2:30 to 7:30 pm. Give life...give blood! Click HERE for details and sign-up information.

Gently Used Crutches or Canes Needed for Haiti Relief Effort…If you have any gently used crutches or canes that you no longer need, consider donating them to the Haiti Relief Effort. Please bring them to the lobby of Cherry Hill High School East. East students are working with the Cooper Medical Center to ship these much needed items to Haiti. Your donation can really make a difference. Thank you!

Media links... Rider, a certified therapy dog used by Knight guidance counselor Eileen Taubman to assist students in developing communication skills, was the focus of a recent feature article in the Courier-Post. Click HERE to read about Rider and his friends at A. Russell Knight. Tuesday's Courier also reviewed plans for Black History Month activities at Knight, Carusi, and other schools in the region. Click HERE for that article.

More media links...Saturday's Courier featured an article about Kilmer Elementary School's efforts to raise funds to help earthquake victims in Haiti. The article also mentioned Haiti fundraising efforts at Harte, Paine, Stockton, Beck and West. Click HERE to view.

Also, the Courier recently featured an article about a collaborative project to digitize children's books to make them more widely available. Directing the project is Waleska Batista-Arias, the district's structured learning experiences coordinator. Click HERE to read all about it.

On Friday, January 29, about 2,200 students and staff of Cherry Hill East honored the memory of United States Marine Lance Corporal Jeremy Kane by lining the sidewalk in front of the school as his funeral procession passed by on Kresson Road. Lance Corporal Kane, a 2006 graduate of Cherry Hill High School East, was killed in action in Afghanistan last weekend. The Board of Education also observed a moment of silence at Tuesday's meeting in honor of Lance Corporal Kane.

Three students from the Alternative High School were recently awarded Artistic Merit Scholarships from Moore College of Art & Design. Corey Altman, Danielle Interlante, and Kyle Harrison were nominated by their art teacher Mrs. Lauren Arno, based on their artistic potential. The students will enroll in the Spring 2010 Young Artists Workshop Program which allows students in grades 1 – 12 to experience studio courses taught by Moore College faculty members.

Following a series of written and oral assessments, 12 Carusi students recently competed in the fourth and final round of the school-wide National Geographic Bee. Eighth grader Valerie Wilson took first place for the second year in a row. Valerie has also qualified to go to the state-level bee two times in the past. Other winners included Brian Cieslewicz (second place), Tyler Dunphy (third place), Ari Dinero, Alex Bruno, Elizabeth Potts, Madison Panelli, Ian Williams, Rebecca Trotman, Hannah Abrams, Kevin Wong, and Chasen Shao. Congratulations!

Hollywood bound! Two Cherry Hill West grads – sisters Bernadette and Amanda DeSimone – have advanced to the next round on American Idol. Bernadette, Class of 2000, and Amanda, Class of 2004, both made the cut at their Orlando audition. Both girls are products of the West Choral Music Program and sang during all four of their years at West. Both made the top choir West Singers (directed by Christine Bass), and the select female a cappella group, Fermata (directed by Jim Boeckle). Both girls were also involved in the West musicals, with Bernadette starring as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and Amanda as Anita in West Side Story. Congratulations to the DeSimone sisters and good luck in Hollywood!

The students at Johnson Elementary School enjoyed a hands-on exploration of science on Friday, January 15. All students (grades K-5) participated in a variety of presentations, including the Bug Lady, the Wetlands Institute, Wallaby Tales, Seeds, Meteorites, Planetarium, Bees, Current Events, and Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. The program ran all day, with each grade level participating in two events. The annual Science Day program is sponsored by the Johnson PTA, which also arranged a luncheon for faculty and scientists so that conversations could continue over the lunch period.

The combined West Choirs (300 students) raised $600 to be donated for Haiti relief. This effort was a result of their Winter Concert “Songs to Help Change Our World.” In more news from the West music department, members of West Singers participated in the Martin Luther King Day city wide celebration by singing at the Christ Our Light church at on Monday January 18.

On Thursday, January 28, Ujjwal Tamhankar and Sumeje Duka, eighth graders at Carusi Middle School, will be honored for their outstanding achievements in science. The students were nominated by their teachers and selected by Camden County Technical Schools, Camden County College, and Camden County. A special awards ceremony will highlight their classroom performance and overall efforts. Congratulations Ujjwal and Sumeje on a job well done!

Children in the AM SACC program at Woodcrest School have completed a very successful service project called “Have a Heart for Animals.” The students prepared posters and donation boxes, sent home flyers, and made announcements to remind their classmates how a donation could help the animals at the Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees. Each morning, the students collected the donations and sorted them into boxes for delivery. The SACC students worked with enthusiasm and purpose. Thanks to the generous support of the Woodcrest community, the SACC students created 19 boxes with supplies and food, which were delivered to the animal shelter on December 16. AM SACC wishes to thank all the students and families who opened their hearts to help the animals! Woodcrest really does rock!

Shoebox Service Project… During the holiday season, seventh and eighth graders at Carusi Middle School joined in the spirit of giving by taking part in a shoebox service-learning project, which was spearheaded by House 7-2. The Carusi family collected various hygiene products, toys, coloring books, and crayons, to be packed into shoeboxes and sent to various countries around the world. The boxes were distributed to poverty-stricken children overseas who don’t have access to every-day necessities.

Also at Carusi, with the support of students and staff, House 8-1 spent weeks collecting clothing and toys to help make the holidays brighter for needy families through the Red Cross Holiday Project. Thanks to the hard work and big hearts of Carusi students and staff, 17 local children received new games, art supplies, and tricycles as holiday gifts. The Carusi family also collected hats, gloves, and scarves to assist their adopted families in keeping warm during the cold weather. Carusi is one of hundreds of schools nationwide that participate in the Red Cross Holiday Project each year.

Students in Grades K-5 at A. Russell Knight Elementary School took part in the school’s signature service learning project this week by decorating placemats for the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden. Also at Knight, for the second year in a row, 5th graders participated in the Annual MLK Philadelphia Mural Arts Project. They presented their mural with five other schools from the greater Philadelphia area at Girard College on January 6. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and other dignitaries were in attendance. Click HERE for a story that aired on KYW1060.

Congressman John Adler visited Sharp Elementary School on Tuesday, December 22 and collected hundreds of get well, thank you, and holiday cards for delivery to Veterans. The cards were made by students from all over the district. The Congressman also gave the school a new flag, which was flown over the Capitol. He answered questions about his job and his hopes for the people he serves. Watch for an upcoming story in the Courier-Post. Thank you Congressman Adler!

Congratulations to Chelsea Campbell and Christian Butts, students at Rosa International Middle School, who were selected to participate in the 2010 All South Jersey Junior High Chorus! They will join other students from the region in a concert at Eastern High School in January.

Cynthia Davidson, M.Ed., Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Rutgers University-Camden, provided perspectives on the current state of affairs in financial aid at a special presentation for parents of college-bound seniors at Cherry Hill East and West. Click HERE to view the presentation slides.

The Season of Giving… As the season of giving approached, staff, students, and friends of the Cherry Hill Alternative High School, once again, elected to sponsor Heifer International, an international nonprofit organization whose goals include ending world poverty and eliminating world hunger. This year’s Alternative High School campaign culminated with the purchase of a llama for a family located in the Andes Mountains of South America, a flock of chicks to a village in South America, and a flock of ducks to a village in Asia. The llama allows families to earn a modest income from selling the wool, or making clothes or blankets. The eggs that are harvested from Heifer International’s Poultry Project provide a sustainable food source to malnourished children. Congratulations and thanks to all who participated in this project. For information on Heifer International, please call 1-877-448-6437.

Congratulations to High School East instrumental music students Matthew Plevinsky, Katherine Baloff, Kevin Schwarz, and Catherine Yu who participated recently in the New Jersey All State Ensembles at the Atlantic City Convention Center and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Matthew performed with the All State Jazz Ensemble for the third year in a row, Katherine, Kevin, and Catherine performed with the All State Orchestra. In addition, Katherine Baloff was selected to be concertmaster (first chair- principal violin) of the orchestra. Click HERE for a Cherry Hill Sun article with details.

The Cherry Hill High School East Symphony Orchestra will perform at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, in New York City on Wednesday, December 9, in the Perform America Holiday Season Invitational Concert. The East orchestra will be participating with ensembles from around the Northeastern United States and will present works by Georges Bizet, Tomaso Albinoni, and Ludwig van Beethoven. The concert is open to the general public. A limited number of tickets priced at $30 are available through the Cherry Hill East music office at (856) 424-2222, ext. 2049. Tickets can also be purchased for $35 through Lincoln Center.

In the true spirit of responsibility and citizenship, students from the Alternative High School organized a canned food drive to help others during this time of need. The collection, which provided more than 100 canned and nonperishable food items to families around the tri-county region, solicited support from AHS students and staff, central office staff, and community members from neighborhoods surrounding the school. Items were donated to the Food Bank of South Jersey, which has been fighting hunger and malnutrition in New Jersey for almost 25 years. Robert Metzger and Dianne O’Brien, teachers at the Alternative High School, cosponsored the service learning endeavor.

Guest speakers wanted…Cherry Hill West teacher Alejandra Rivas-Mintz is looking for guest speakers for her Spanish for Native Speakers class. She is seeking professionals of Latino background in diverse areas of expertise to visit her 3^rd period class. (The class runs from 9:46 to 10:30 am, but guests do not have to stay through the whole period.) If you’re interested or would like to suggest a speaker, please contact Ms. Rivas-Mintz at MMintz@chclc.org. Gracias!

Terry DiMedio, nurse at Bret Harte Elementary School, and Harte fourth graders take a break from packing up food collected during the school’s Thanksgiving Food Drive. The students are (from left): Cassidy Forlenza, Carly Greenblatt, Madison Vogel, and Sammy Miller.

Congratulations to West PTA, recipient of the NJPTA 2009 Newsletter Award, and special congratulations to Ann Madara, editor of The West Word. The award will be presented at the NJPTA 109th Annual Convention on December 2 in Atlantic City.

Harvest Week...Students at Stockton and Johnson learned about Jersey Fresh produce this week as our food service partners, Aramark and J. Ambrogi, celebrated Harvest Week. Click HERE for the Inquirer article and HERE for the Courier-Post article.

Cherry Hill West was well represented in the All State Mixed Chorus, which presented a concert on November 6 in Atlantic City and will also be performing on November 15 at 3 pm at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark. West is very proud of its Honors Choir members: Burjis Cooper, Dennis Palma, Cody Southerland, Nick Petroski, Julian Kelhower, John Jordan, Jason Nop, Cole Dickson, Julie Hang, Courtney Humphrey, Yanellie Pabon, and Kelly Sinacori. Congratulations!

Cherry Hill High School East has reached its goal in RecycleBank’s Green Schools Program! Thanks to residents who donated their RecycleBank points, East will receive a $5,000 grant from RecycleBank to start a sustainable organic garden in the East courtyard adjacent to an existing greenhouse.

October was a special month for the Cherry Hill High School East Singers, under the direction of Laurie Lausi. The group was one of 11 high school music groups in New Jersey invited to record a PBS special, Celebrate America, which features the work of composer Tim Janis. The show will be aired on NJN in March. East Singers was a part of the premier recording last year and one of the few choirs chosen to pariticipate for the second year in a row. On October 28, East Singers was honored to perform at the Opening General Session of the NJSBA/NJASA/NJASBO Annual Workshop (NJ School Boards Association/NJ Association of School Administrators/NJ Association of School Business Officials). These talented students were chosen from among all the high school music groups who entered recordings in a competition to receive this honor. Congratulations East Singers!

Current and former students, parents, teachers, and friends celebrated Rosa International Middle School's 10th birthday on Sunday, October 25. The event featured great food, birthday cake sampling, carnival games and inflatables, music, face-painting, juggling, races, and more. Click HERE for a Courier-Post article about Rosa's first ten years and HERE for an article about the celebration. Happy Birthday Rosa!

Media link...Click HERE for a report from KYW1060 on the fifth annual Men's Night Out, which took place on October 22. Participants included young men from Barton, Johnson, Kilmer, Kingston, Knight, Paine, Stockton, Carusi, Rosa, and Cherry Hill West!

Danielle Leigh Rosenthal, a 6th grader at Beck Middle School, has been cast in the show Oliver! at the Walnut Street Theatre. This is Danielle’s third show at Walnut Street; she also performed in Les Miserables and State Fair. The show runs from November 10 through January 10. For more information, click HERE.

On Monday, October 19, Cooper School held its Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes in cooperation with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The walk was an outside event consisting of students walking, jogging, running, skipping, and leaping around a set course for a period of 30 minutes. The walk was designed to raise funds for research to find a cure for Type 1 (Juvenile) diabetes, which has affected an increasing number of children in recent years. Students raised nearly $3,500 for the JDRF through donations from friends and family. Kudos to Cooper!

Carusi Middle School students observed Hispanic Heritage Month with a special project that increased their knowledge about Spanish-speaking countries. Click HERE for details.

Congratulations to Cherry Hill West Graduate Chris Markos (Class of 2003), now a third-year law student at Rutgers School of Law where he was a leader of the Voters’ Rights Project. The project has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 Equal Justice Works Exemplary Public Service Award for a Student Group, a highly competitive national honor. Click HERE for more information.

Monday, October 12, was a huge night for Phillies fans – and equally huge for our youngest students who enjoyed “Game Night with Dad” at the Barclay Early Childhood Center. The Barclay students eagerly anticipated the opportunity to play games and have dinner with their Dads (or other important male figure). The annual PTA-sponsored program, which won an award from the New Jersey PTA in 2006, pairs preschool students with an important man in their lives for an evening of fun sporting events - including 5-pin Nerf hallway bowling, Little Tykes Basketball, mini-golf, waffle-ball tosses, and foam t-ball hitting. Dinner included pizza, pretzels, chips, juice boxes, and ice cream. This year, approximately 175 important men participated with Barclay students making the program a huge success! The many smiles on display Monday night were the payoff for all of the planning put forth by Rose Varallo, Game Night With Dad Planner, and the other PTA Moms, Dads and volunteers that helped make this event such a success.

On Wednesday October 7, the CCCAA (Camden County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Inc.) held its annual REBEL (Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lies) Recognition Dinner. The REBEL2 chapter at Beck Middle School was awarded the “Above and Beyond” award for completing and exceeding program requirements. Beck students won this award over all of the other REBEL2 chapters in Camden County for their work in spreading the message to their peers that tobacco products are unsafe and unhealthy. In attendance at the dinner to accept the award on behalf of all of the chapter members were K.Li DuBois and Daniel Espinoza. Congratulations Beck!

High School West’s AVID program is currently seeking interested applicants to serve as AVID tutors for the school year. We are searching for college students to fill these positions but are also accepting applications from community members with a minimum of 60 college credits. Tutors will work with students during school hours at West and receive an hourly rate. Training will be provided. West is also seeking community members who are college graduates to speak to our AVID students about the value of education and their college/career experiences. If you are interested in either opportunity, please e-mail Yolanda McClain, West High School AVID coordinator at ymcclain@chclc.org.

Adam Taliaferro shared his inspirational story with the students and staff of Sharp Elementary School in a special assembly program on Friday, October 2. Adam was a freshman at Penn State University in Fall 2000 when, during a game against Ohio State, he sustained a serious injury to his neck and spinal cord. Doctors predicted only a 3 percent chance that Adam would ever walk again. But, after eight months of intensive rehabilitation, Adam did walk again and, just one year after his injury, led his former Penn State teammates onto the field for their first game of the 2001 season. Adam spoke about the importance of perseverance, hard work, and goal setting. He also talked about the options that education can provide. When his dream of playing professional football ended, Adam said, “a million other dreams became possible.” Adam completed his undergraduate studies at Penn State and earned his law degree at Rutgers-Camden. He is now an attorney in Philadelphia. His foundation, www.taliaferrofoundation.org, provides support to student-athletes who suffer catastrophic head or spinal injuries in sanctioned team events in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Delaware. The foundation also provides educational and financial support related to the research, prevention, and care of such injuries.

Stockton PTA invites you to the Stockton School Fair on Saturday, February 20 from 10 am – 2 pm. Enjoy a day of family fun with food, games, crafts and activities for all ages. Win raffle baskets and other prizes! Stockton Elementary is located at 200 Wexford Drive. See you there!

Mark your calendars with dates for the Cherry Hill East production of Man of LaMancha - March 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 7:30 pm and March 7 and 14 at 2 pm. Tickets go on sale soon! Watch for details.

The Bret Harte PTA invites you to its Annual Carnival on Saturday, February 27, from 11 am – 3 pm at the school (rescheduled from Feb. 6.)Don’t miss the carnival-style games, cotton candy machine, MOON BOUNCE, airbrush tattoos, photo booths, awesome prizes, face painting, fun food, and raffle baskets! Bret Harte School is located at 1909 Queen Anne Road, Cherry Hill. Volunteers are needed (teens!); please contact Toni Chance at a.chance@comcast.net if interested.

Woodcrest PTA will hold its annual carnival on Saturday, February 20, from 11 am to 3 pm. The event will feature games, food, and fun for all ages. The PTA is seeking volunteers from the middle and high schools who need to earn community service hours.

Congratulations to Sustainable Cherry Hill and its Executive Director Lori Braunstein! The nonprofit was honored on January 30 with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) West Jersey Community Service Award. Click HERE for a release with details.

Speaking of Sustainable Cherry Hill, SCH is hosting the 2nd Annual Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 24, 10 am - 5 pm at Croft Farm. SCH is seeking Vendors, Sponsors, Nonprofit Groups, Bands, and more to participate in this great event. For details, visit www.sustainablecherryhill.org and click on the Earth Day Festival link.

Write a song for social change… Cherry Hill teens are invited to participate in a songwriting project sponsored by Washington Township School District’s COW (Changing Our World) Project and Target. Song lyrics must address changing our world on a personal, societal, or global level. The deadline for submissions is April 6, 2010. Click HERE for a flyer with details, or go to www.thecowproject.com.

Cherry Hill FC Soccer is currently registering players for the Spring 2010 Recreation season. For additional information and online registration, please go to http://www.cherryhillfcsoccer.com/.

Cherry Hill Atlantic Little League… Online registration is now open for the Spring Baseball and Softball season. All returning players can register online at http://www.cherryhillatlanticlittleleague.com/Registration/Registration.htm. New players MUST register in-person at the CHALL Club House (Evesham Rd across from Virtua Hospital). Please bring a copy of your child's birth certificate to in-person registration. The in-person registration dates are as follows: January 16 from 9 am – 12 pm, January 19 from 6- 8 pm, January 21 from 6-8 pm, and January 23 from 9 am – 12 pm.

Cherry Hill Soccer Club...Registration for the 2010 Spring season is open for the Tot and Recreation age groups (ages U4-U10). Please go to www.cherryhillsoccer.com for online registration and more information.

Online registration for the Cherry Hill Lacrosse Club's 2010 Spring Season is now open! Please visit www.cherryhilllacrosse.org to register now!

The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. In Spring 2010, the Rotary Foundation will support a Group Study Exchange between the southern New Jersey and northern Norway. For four weeks, team members will experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas. Interested? Click HERE for details or contact timdatig@comcast.net or Alan F. Stein at alanfsrotary@verizon.net.

In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, the FBI reminds internet users to be wary in responding to requests for donations. Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause. The FBI has posted a warning regarding possible Haitian earthquake relief scams; click HERE for details.

H1N1 Phishing Scam… Be on the alert for fraudulent emails (phishing) that reference a CDC-sponsored State Vaccination Program for the H1N1 “Swine Flu” contagion. The CDC has NOT implemented a state vaccination program requiring registration. Users that click on the embedded link in the fraudulent email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. Take the following steps to reduce the risk: 1. Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages. 2. Use caution when visiting un-trusted websites. 3. Use caution when entering personal information online. For an example of a phishing email, please see the CDC website on Health Related Hoaxes and Rumors at http://www.cdc.gov/hoaxes_rumors.html.

What to do with those tricycles that your children have outgrown? Donate them to the Barclay Early Childhood Center and reap the benefits! You’ll gain space in your garage, reinforce an important message about sharing, reduce your curbside trash … Most importantly, you’ll be supporting our district’s youngest students. To donate those gently used tricycles, call the Barclay Early Childhood Center at (856) 429-7283. Thanks!

A calendar note: The County Superintendent has advised us that there will be no waivers in the 180-day requirement as a result of any flu-related school closings this year. In the unlikely event that we would have to close schools, makeup days would be scheduled following the snow day makeup schedule; the possibility exists that we would have to go later in June than the current calendar suggests.

In recent years, we have had to address situations in which students brought Air Soft Guns, BB guns, or pellet guns to school. Students may think of these items as toys, but pellet and BB guns are classified as firearms under the Firearms definition section of New Jersey's Criminal Code. Air Soft guns are classified as Imitation Firearms and the law prohibits possession of these items on school grounds or at school-sponsored events. There are severe penalties, both administrative and statutory, for bringing a pellet gun, BB gun, or Air Soft gun anywhere onto school property. Please reinforce with students the inappropriateness - and serious repercussions - of bringing these items to school. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and support in this matter. If you have any questions please call Michael Nuzzo, District Director of Security, at (856) 424-2222, ext. 2504.