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Hasbrouck Heights Public Schools
Superintendent's Report
January 27, 2000

Junior-Senior High School
We are starting to formulate next year's schedule; with particular emphasis on class sizes, effective room utilization, and appropriate curriculum design with regard to the CCCS.

Mrs. Geftic's English 12 completed a unit on Oedipus the King. Currently, the students are preparing to read Shakespeare's Hamlet. Mrs. Geftic's and Mr. Pankiewicz's journalism students have also completed the second issue of the Pilot's Log. The cover stories focused on the airplane crash in Heights as well as the municipal building fire. Students went on location to take photographs of the sites and to interview our local heroes. Mrs. Geftic's Research Cycle classes have investigated information on the Internet and used this information to write a traditional thesis following Modern Language Association rules and presented this information to their peers using Power Point.

On Sunday, December 19, 1999, students in the French V AP class went to Aaron Hordych's house to prepare, cook, and serve a complete French dinner in order to understand the seven courses and went to present French holiday songs to the second grade at both Euclid and Lincoln Schools. Are your friends looking for a great spot to spend their vacations? Why not suggest Hasbrouck Heights to them! Using the grammar they learned, the students in Miss Kimmel's French III class created posters promoting the "hot spots" of Hasbrouck Heights.

Middle Level mathematics teachers are in the process of reviewing preparation materials and modifying their lessons to prepare students for the GEPA test. Articulation meetings with 5th grade and High School teachers will assure a continuity of topics and pedagogy so that student performance on the tests should be satisfactory.

In their current study of optics, Mr. Stine's Physics Class, in addition to doing traditional experiments with lenses, microscopes and telescopes, are also experimenting with lasers. This new device helps them to understand concepts involved in fiber optics and communications. During Exam Week Mr. Stine will conduct his annual Chess Tournament.

The Key Club, under the direction of Mrs. Kathleen Hicswa, has been very active in many community efforts. This year, the dedication and hard work of the members has managed to collect more coats, cans and toys than ever anticipated.

The students in Ms. Cassidy's Economics class recently did a research project in the Mac Lab using the Internet. The research culminated with a term paper. Ms. Cassidy is preparing her Mock Trial team for competition. They will be coached by a local attorney, Mr. Mark Musella. The Sociology class is completing a unit on minorities. Special emphasis was placed on the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King on January 17th.

Ms. Korkgy's World History class have watched two movies, Ben Hur and Spartacus highlighting the periods of history they have been studying. Extending their exposure to the play "Inherit the Wind," seventh grade students are not only reading high level literature, they have also enjoyed watching the performance of fine, old actors such as Spencer Tracey.

On December 23rd a panel of 6 graders staged the conference with representatives from various newspapers (8th grade correspondents). Representing each space team, the students answered questions and explained their mission to the eighth grade students and the rest of the sixth grade. Another extension of science to art will be on display throughout the Middle Level hall with the mounting of a "DNA strand." To increase student awareness of the complexity of the hereditary molecule,' members of Mrs. Toy's Environmental Club have constructed an 80 foot model of DNA. This will be seen wrapping around the hallway in Middle Level.

In celebration of Black History Month, eighth grade students in Mrs. Rucci's English classes are writing essays for a New Jersey Transit Contest.

Members of the Peer-to-Peer Club are continuing their training for disseminating all they have learned. Each member of the club has been teaching the rest of the group about topics such as team work, and building self-esteem and self confidence. In late February club members will begin meeting with other peers to spread the training that they have received.

December wrestler Morgan H.r, a junior, won the prestigious Bergen County Tournament at the 171 lb. weight class. Morgan became the 10th wrestler in the history of the school to win the Bergen County Coaches Tournament.

In basketball the boys team won the Saddle Brook Tournament by beating the host school in the the final by a score of 55-54 in double overtime.

Total student enrollment: 786 as of December 23, 1999.

Euclid School
The PTA held a brief monthly Executive Board Meeting on Tuesday, December 14th. It was followed by a cookie exchange and small holiday party attended by Lincoln School Executive Board Members, Lincoln School Kindness Committee, BOE members and me.

On Wednesday, December 15th, the fifth grade was honored to have Mr. Paul Scrudato as a special guest speaker. Mr. Scrudato is a resident of Hasbrouck Heights and a World War II veteran. He came to speak to the fifth grade about his experience as a soldier at the Battle of the Bulge.

Mr. Minichiello, physical education teacher, started the annual After School Athletic Club, on Monday, January 10th, for students in grades 4 and 5. Biweekly sessions will run on Mondays and Tuesdays until February 29th, activities will include touch football and floor hockey.

Students in Kindergarten and first grade, along with their teachers, held a special program for their parents in the Euclid gym on Wednesday, December 22nd, to celebrate the holiday season.

On Thursday, January 13th, "The Magic of Mathematics" was presented to the entire school in two sessions, using magic as the starting point and the basis for the exploration of mathematical concepts and mathematical problem solving.

The Hasbrouck Heights Junior Woman's Club hosted a town-wide spelling bee in the Kiefer Auditorium of the Hasbrouck Heights Jr./Sr. High School on Friday, January 14th. Austin C., a 4th grader from Mrs. Hagert's class, placed 5th as a finalist from Euclid School. He will compete in the district wide Bee next month with the Junior Woman's Clubs in Westwood.

Our staff, along with all Euclid Eagles, would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Simpson, parents in our school, for their generous donation and dual corporate matching funds to purchase 9 microscopes for Euclid School.

School Colors Day was held on Friday, January 7th. Staff and students proudly wore their school colors. This coincided, once again, with our new "Warm up to Reading" Program (school wide DEAR time) held from 2:25-2:45 pm.

The current enrollment at Euclid School is 326 .

Lincoln School
On December 16th, all of Lincoln School's children had the wonderful opportunity to hear the High School Italian Club, under the direction of Mrs. Washburn, sing in the Lincoln School Gymnasium.

On December 13th, Mr. John Schactel, from the Hasbrouck Heights Equipment Center, visited the fourth grades to share his knowledge of the ear.

On December 15th, Mr. Paul Scrudato, a Hasbrouck Heights resident, visited Lincoln School's fifth grade to talk about his experience in the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Scrudato presented many of the facts and circumstances that brought about this battle. To further illustrate his point, Mr. Scrudato brought in pictures and maps that clearly demonstrated the geographical location of this battle.

Lincoln School's American Heart Association's North Jersey Jump Rope Demonstrations Team has begun practicing in order to prepare for their visits to other school districts who are interested about Jump Rope for Heart programs.

Lincoln's students and staff members contributed a significant amount of sweaters to those in need in Hasbrouck Heights.

On Monday, December 15th at 2:30 pm, the officers for the first trimester of safety patrol relinquished their badges to the newly instituted 2nd trimester officers. Mrs. Lauren Schoen, Miss. Kathryn Kalisch and Mr. Dean Hoskin (Safety Patrol advisors) and many fifth grade parents were present for this event. The children were so proud to have served as patrols for this first trimester and the newly appointed patrols were very much looking forward to their turn to help the younger children.

December 13th marked the last Curriculum Monday dedicated to the completion of the Science Curriculum Scope and Sequence. The remaining Curriculum Mondays will be devoted to reading curriculum. Surveys have already been distributed to K-5 faculties to assess what components are being utilized to date to meet our curricular needs.

The January 10th faculty meeting included a number of different topics. Discussion included: the upcoming Science Exchange, the Martin Luther Luther King Kindness and Justice Challenge, and Kindness Week - beginning the week of January 24th.

Each year, our children in grades 1-5 have the opportunity to participate in the National PTA "Reflections" Contest. This is a writing contest and this year the theme was Anything is Possible.

The enrollment for Lincoln School is 354.

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