West Essex Regional School District
Allison Freeman
Manager of Communications and Community Outreach
Find out what's happening in Caldwellswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Email: afreeman@westex.org
Find out what's happening in Caldwellswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
West Essex News December 9, 2011
Hello everyone! I hope everyone has had a great week.
Thank you for all of your submissions. Submissions can be sent to afreeman@westex.org. Any questions, feel free to call me at extension 101.
I have had several inquiries about this newsletter. I e-mail the newsletter to parents, students, staff, administrators, the Board of Education as well as anyone from the public who would like to receive it. I also send it to the Progress and the Caldwells Patch and post it on the District website.
Did you know that West Essex Regional Schools is on Facebook? Make sure you become a fan and receive updates on everything happening at West Essex.
Are you making regular visits to the School District website? Keep up-to-date with everything going on at West Essex. Check out the photo galleries featuring pictures of West Essex students. New this week is a gallery of photos of the High School Art Club creating its holiday mural.
West Essex Regional Board of Education
The West Essex Regional Board of Education will hold a Regular meeting on Monday, December 12th at 7:30 p.m. at the middle school.
Important Dates:
- December 13: West Essex PTO Meeting
- December 19: Middle School Photos with Santa
- December 23: All Schools – Early Dismissal
- December 26-30: Holiday Recess - No School.
- January 2: School Reopens.
Holiday Concerts:
- December 14: Senior Citizen Breakfast & Holiday Musical Performance 8:30 a.m.
- December 14: West Essex High School Winter Concert 7 p.m.
- December 15: West Essex Middle School Winter Concert 7 p.m.
District News:
The West Essex High School Honors Choir “The Accolades” performed at the Essex Fells Country Club December 8th for the Essex Fells Women’s Association Christmas Luncheon. The group performed seven holiday songs and received enthusiastic applause from the association.
Senior Citizens in the West Essex community are invited to a Senior Citizen Breakfast and Holiday Musical Performance December 14th at 8:30 a.m. in the high school cafeteria and auditorium. The event will feature the talents of students in the high school’s Culinary Arts and Performing Arts programs. Musical groups will take the stage and the work of art students will be on display. The school’s culinary students will prepare the food for the breakfast.
The West Essex PTO is also sponsoring Photos with Santa at the Middle School December 19th during lunch. Students can pay $1 to have their photo taken with Santa and their friends. All of the money collected will be donated to a charity selected by the Student Council.
The Sophomore Class will distribute its clothing orders for its fundraiser on December 15th. Please stop by the Student Council office between 2:35 and 3:30 p.m. to pick up your orders.
Vietnam Veteran Bill Van Eck, a retired District custodian, spoke to students in the Vietnam classes about his experience in Vietnam from 1965-66. He also told stories, spoke about daily life and his Bronze Medal of Honor and answered questions. Leon Samuels, who teaches the elective class, open to sophomores through seniors, said the class helps give students an understanding of American’s positions and actions in much of the Cold War.
The WEHS Masquers will stage Disney’s “High School Musical,” for its Spring Musical March 22-24. Auditions will take place January 9-13 in the High School Auditorium.
The West Essex High School Art Club is creating a Snoopy Christmas-themed mural which will be on display at the Senior Citizen Breakfast and the high school winter concert.
High School Yearbooks may be purchased online at www.Jostensyearbooks.com through December 31. Ads may also be purchased and can be designed by the yearbook staff. For information, visit http://www.westex.org/domain/68.
Middle School Yearbooks may be purchased now and should be ordered as soon as possible to make sure that enough books are printed. Yearbooks are $40 and can be ordered on our website at http://www.westex.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=774&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=2146&PageID=1067.
Student Achievements:
WEMS Teacher James Massa has announced the winners of the Middle School Scary Story Contest. They are: 1st place- Isabel Parsecki (7th grade), 2nd Place-Franklyn Stagnitto (8th grade) and 3rd place- Maisie Newman (7th Grade.) Each student received a book of their choice. More than 20 students submitted stories for the contest.
The West Essex Robotics Team has placed in the Finals of the MIT Zero Robotics Competition, an International Competition sponsored by MIT and primarily involving software coding.
The students in the classes of Mrs. Seton Ahearn and Mrs. Gabe Bauer have established a business, known as WECAN Enterprises, which will include a variety of activities throughout the school year. The purpose of WECAN Enterprises is to help students strengthen their vocational, communication and social skills in an effort to develop greater independence. The first effort of WECAN will be a gift wrapping service for administration, faculty and staff, which will collect fees for the Patrick Flaherty Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarships are awarded each year to deserved special education seniors who exemplify the qualities of character, competence, service and perseverance. For information, contact sahearn@westex.org or gbauer@westex.org. Mrs. Decker’s Class is also offer gift wrapping services. Drop off your purchases in room 409 and they will be returned beautifully wrapped for $1 per gift. Order forms are available in the main office.
West Essex Middle School Principal David Montgomery has recognized the Students of the Month for December 2011. They are seventh graders Isabel Parzecki and AJ Celentano, both from team 7C, and eighth graders Isabelle Caine and Jake Russin, both from Team 8C.
Kira Shabbab, a seventh grader at West Essex Regional Middle School, was cast as “Annie” in the musical “Annie” at the Smiling Rhino Theatre, 247 Wanaque Ave. Pompton Lakes. Kira is in the silver cast. Show times are Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. A new show has been added January 7th at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25; $22 seniors and $20 students and children. Call (973) 248-9491. Visit www.smilingrhinotheatre.com.
Staff Achievements:
The NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Association) presented the Sports Award to West Essex Baseball Coach Scott Illiano in recognition of his service and contributions to interscholastic athletics at a special NJSIAA luncheon on December 5th.
Athletics:
Congratulations to our own West Essex Knights Football Team for winning the North 1 Group II State Championship defeating River Dell 32-14 last Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. For a video and photos, visit http://http://caldwells.patch.com/articles/west-essex-brings-home-the-title#video-8607664
PTO News:
The West Essex Regional PTO will host its next meeting Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Please note the NEW date. The meeting will include reports from each grade’s student council on their plans for the year. All parents are welcome to attend and find out what is going on at West Essex.
The PTO is planning a Project Graduation meeting in January. Parents interested in helping out with the project, especially 8th Grade and current freshman parents should plan on attending. A meeting date will be announced soon.
PTO Membership forms will be mailed out to families in the near future. Each family is encouraged to make a $35 donation to the organization. In the past, the money has been used to purchase a mascot costume, a new speaker system for the stadium, equipment for the fitness center and contributions for the beautification committee’s efforts. The PTO also supplies refreshments for special events including class breakfasts, teacher in-service days and funds special teacher projects. The PTO is also looking for volunteers to help with these events. If you would like to volunteer, contact Jenifer at jpetrocca@optonline.net.
WEFE News:
The West Essex Education Foundation is planning its Annual Cut-A-Thon for the end of February to raise money for the Foundation. It is also looking forward to its annual 5-K Trotting for Technology on May 19th. The foundation will hold its next meeting January 10th at 7:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Any one interested in helping the foundation plan or host its events is encouraged to attend. For information, contact Eileen Fiore at EMGFiore@comcast.net .
West Essex Volunteers:
The WEHS Spanish Club is collecting new items for the Fairfield community as part of its Annual Toys and Clothing Drive. Collection boxes will be placed in front of the Attendance Office and in Rooms 808 and 809.
The WEHS Key Club will hold a toy drive for the Essex County Women’s Shelter through December 14th. Toys must be new and unwrapped. Requested items include trucks and cars, dolls, pencils, educational and developmental games, board games, books, crayons, coloring books and colored paper. All toys must be non-violent and have no small parts. Please place in box near Attendance Office or Room 100.
The English National Honor Society will host a Book Drive to collect new and gently used books for students in grades 5-8 who attend Public School Number 7 in Paterson. The book drive will run through December 23 and be delivered by honor society members in January. Age-appropriate books may be sent into school and given to English teachers or to Ms. Macaluso in room 713 or Ms. Zuppa in room 708.
Members of the English National Honor Society will wrap gifts at Barnes and Noble at the Livingston Mall on Tuesday, December 13th. Come out and do some holiday shopping and have your gifts wrapped by our students. Donations to support the society are appreciated. Give the gift of literacy this holiday season!
Community News:
The Roseland Municipal Youth Guidance Council is inviting the public to a Breakfast with Santa Sunday from 9-11 a.m. at Roseland Borough Hall’s All-Purpose Room, 19 Harrison Ave., Roseland. Adults are $10; children $5. Donations will also be accepted. Proceeds will benefit the Horizon School for Children with Disabilities in Livingston. For information, please contact Janine Piscitello at (973) 226-7475.
You could help win $100,000 for West Essex! The Caldwells Patch is asking readers to submit photos of their “best decked homes” for the holidays. The grand prize winner will receive $100,000 for a Patch School District. Runner-ups will have their electric bills paid-up to $500. Readers will vote for their favorites. For more information, visit www.Caldwells.Patch.com.
The Fairfield Home School Association is seeking donations for its May 10, 2012 Tricky Tray at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover. All proceeds go to the Fairfield HSA. If you would like to make a donation, e-mail Kelly Hricko at kellyhricko@yahoo.com.
Special Note:
We are asking parents to fill out a new Student Publicity Authorization form posted under general forms on the website and send them in to school with your child. This is different than the original form you filled out in September. The form will allow your child’s photograph or name be used in a press release for the District website and the local media. Please take a few minutes to fill it out now. Click here for the form: http://www.westex.org/cms/lib6/NJ01001533/Centricity/Domain/1/Forms/publicityauthorizationform.pdf.
If you do not receive the West Essex News and would like to have it e-mailed to you, please e-mail afreeman@westex.org.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Allison
Allison Freeman
Manager of Communications and Community Outreach
West Essex Regional School District
West Greenbrook Road
North Caldwell, NJ 07006
(973) 228-1200 ext. 101
