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Phillipsburg School District News Phillipsburg School District News

Volume 5, Issue 2

Winter 2017

Inside this issue:

PHS Guidance

Information 2

PHS Guidance

Information (cont.) 3

Cabaret Night at PHS 3

Helping Hands 4

HOPE: Heroin and

Opioid Prevention

Education Event

5

NJHS Gives Back in a

Mighty Way 6

Spreading Cheer, One

Stocking at a Time 7

Bye Bye Birdie at PMS 7

Music Department

Hosts Leaders in

Business Series

8

PMS Celebrates Black

History Month 8

All Hands on Deck at

PPS 9

Literary Award

Nominations 9

Common Sense Media 10

It’s Coming! CODE 11

STEM Clubs 12

Math Night at ECLC 12

Home Sweet Home for

SBYS 13

Motor Lab Helps with

Readying Bodies and

Minds for Learning

14

Students at PPS Get

Organized 14

19th Annual Stateliner

Spring Classic 5K 15

Getting “Locked In”

With Problem Based

Learning

16

PSD Admin & BOE

Directory 16

We’re on the Move Again!

As part of the school district’s

Facilities Transition Plan,

building renovations to the

former Barber School are

scheduled to be completed

within the next two weeks. The

district is making final

preparations to relocate the

district offices from its current

location on 445 Marshall

Street. The new address for the

Board of Education and district

administrative offices will be

50 Sargent Avenue.

Plans are being finalized to

move the district offices in two

different phases. As one can

imagine, this is a huge

undertaking and will need to be

accomplished in multiple

phases. The first move will

take place on Friday, February

17, 2017 when the Technology

Department will be moved into

Barber School. Once that is

completed over the weekend,

the remainder of the central

office staff and administration

will be moved on Tuesday,

February 28, 2017.

The new offices will provide the

district with two large group

areas to conduct professional

development activities and

meetings. Off-street parking

will ease the number of

vehicles that need to park on

the adjacent neighborhood

streets. The school district is

committed to keeping the

playground on site for use by

the children who live in the

neighborhood.

ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WORK

BEING PLANNED

As the school year progresses,

plans are being finalized to

complete the installation of

spectator stands on the high

school athletic fields for use

during the upcoming spring

athletic season. In addition,

design plans have gone out to

bid on a building that will

contain public restrooms, a

concession stand, and space

for our athletic trainers to

attend to athletes using the

fields for practice and

competition. That facility is

expected to be completed in

time for the fall athletic season

in August 2017.

During the summer of 2017,

several projects are being

planned in our buildings. Work

will continue at the Middle

School to upgrade the interior

part of the facility with new

lighting, replacement of

student lockers, and removal of

carpeting in classrooms.

Classroom carpeting will also

be removed at the Elementary

School and replaced with tile

flooring. Finally, the walkway

that connects the two

classroom sections at the

Primary School will be

permanently enclosed during

the upcoming summer.

Once these multiple projects

are completed this summer,

the school district will have

successfully completed its two

year Facilities Transition Plan

and our school facilities will be

able to meet the needs of the

school district and community

for many years to come.

Sincerely,

George M. Chando

Superintendent of Schools

Phillipsburg School District News

Phillipsburg High School Guidance Information

SAT Administration at PHS The SAT exam will be

administered at PHS on

Saturday, March 11, 2017.

Registration deadline was

February 10, 2017 with a late

registration of February 28,

2017. Interested students can

register for the test by

creating an account at

www.sat.collegeboard.org/

register. ASVAB Administration at PHS Phillipsburg High School

offered the Armed Services

Vocational Battery as means

for senior students to fulfill

New Jersey State proficiency

requirements. State mandate

requires high school students

to demonstrate proficiency in

math and language arts prior

to graduation. The ASVAB is

one measure designated by

the New Jersey State

Department of Education that

can be used to demonstrate

proficiency for high school

students. On November 17,

2016, 63 seniors participated

in the exam that was

administered by local military

in the library of Phillipsburg

High School. All participants

were extremely focused during

the test, leading to the

majority of students exceeding

the minimu m required

composite score of 31. The

successful outcome may lead

t o a n a d d i t i o n a l

administration of the ASVAB in

March 2017. Phillipsburg High School

2017-2018 Course of Study

The Phillipsburg High School

2017-2018 Course of Study is

now available for review

online. In February and March,

the high school guidance

counselors will be meeting

with students to schedule

classes for next school year.

Counselors are encouraging

students and families to

review new course selections

and necessary prerequisites

that have been added to the

list of preexisting courses. This

will enable students to make

the best possible choice when

selecting classes. To access

the Course of Study:

Log on to www.pburgsd.net Select “Phillipsburg High

School”. Cl i c k on “G u i d a n c e

Services” located under the

“School Shortcuts” tab, on

the left hand side of the

page. Click on the “Course of

Study” tab on the left hand

side of the page. Select “Course of Study

2017-2018”. Scholarship Opportunities

The Guidance Department

continues to update lists of

available scholarships. Senior

students may visit the

guidance office to receive a

p a c k e t . S c h o l a r s h i p

information is also available

on the High School website by

clicking “Guidance Services”

and going to the “Scholarship

Resources” tab. Peer Tutoring The guidance department in

conjunction with School

Based Youth Services is now

offering peer tutoring. It is

available during Activity

P e r i o d o n M o n d a y s ,

Wednesdays, and Thursdays

from 7:15-7:45am. The peer

tu tors h a v e s h own a

successful mastery of the

subjects they are tutoring

including all levels of Math,

Social Studies, English,

Science, and World Language.

Students needing assistance

may attend the program at any

time. Introducing Naviance to the

Freshman Class The class of 2020 has been

introduced to Naviance. Mr.

C l a r k e , t h e f r e s h m a n

guidance counselor, met with

all freshmen to assist them as

they begin their high school

exploration of college and

careers. Mr. Clarke modeled

the elements associated with

Naviance and had students

explore careers. Students

were able to asses individual

s t r e n g t h s , a b i l i t i e s ,

personality characteristics,

and different learning styles.

Mr. Clarke presented students

with career theories based on

John Holland’s theory of

career choice and highlighted

additional features including a

resume builder and career

inventories. Class of 2021 is Officially

Welcomed to Phillipsburg High

School The class of 2021 was warmly

welcomed on January 23,

2017 at Phillipsburg High

School by administration,

faculty, and guidance staff.

(continued on Pg. 3)

http://www.sat.collegeboard.org/register

http://www.sat.collegeboard.org/register

http://www.pburgsd.net

Volume 5, Issue 2

Families from all of the

sending districts were first

given the opportunity to tour

the high school. Approximately

1000 people were in

attendance. Tour guides

directed the guests into the

cafeteria where staff and

student representatives from

the many clubs and athletic

teams were available to

answer questions and provide

insight into all extracurricular

opportunities available at

Phillipsburg High School.

Following this, Mrs. Trent, The

Phillipsburg High School

Principal, greeted the class of

2021 and their families. She

introduced the administrative

team and then turned the

program over to Mrs.

Schinstine, Director of

Guidance Services. The

guidance team highlighted

important steps in the

scheduling process as well as

graduation requirements. At

the completion of the

presentation, faculty members

gave an overview of available

electives, world languages,

and core courses. Following

t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n ,

administration and staff were

available to answer individual

questions.

Phillipsburg High School Guidance Information (cont.)

Cabaret Night at Phillipsburg High School

Strains of the greatest songs

from musical theater echoed

through the new Performing

Arts Center at Phillipsburg

High School on the evening of

November 7, 2016. Students

treated friends and families to

an array of songs from George

a n d I r a G e r s h w i n ’ s

Fascinating Rhythm (1924) to

Sara Bareilles’s recent

Broadway smash Waitress

(2016).

It was the first time our new

grand piano was heard in our

new Performing Arts Center,

and to make the evening an

intimate experience, all

audience members were

seated on the stage, looking

out over the seats of the hall.

The event was well attended,

with over 60 people enjoying

the music performed by ten of

the most talented singers at

PHS. The students performed

like professionals, acting out

the lyrics of the songs to bring

them to life for the listeners.

Choir teacher, Mr. Tom

DiGiovanni, accompanied the

students on piano.

This was the first concert

completely dedicated to songs

from musicals, and is part of

the Music Department’s

mission to give students more

f r e q u e n t p e r f o r m a n c e

opportunities in diverse

locations.

http://calendariu.com/tag/colour-music-notes-borders-clip-art


Students in Mr. Bronico’s

Transition 2 class, through

their Employment Orientation

course, are doing volunteer

w o r k t h r o u g h o u t t h e

Phillipsburg community. This

opportunity allows the


student to give back to the

community while they are

experiencing a variety of

career paths.

The students have created

positive relationships with

many organizations in town.

They assist with general

maintenance, yard work and

landscaping as part of their

program. You can see some of

their work at the Phillipsburg

Primary School and Early

Childhood Learning Center

where they assisted with the

outdoor playground and

ornamental floral displays. The

students have flourished and

have asked to expand their

program into more of the

Phillipsburg School system.

With assistance from The

Director of Guidance, in

c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e

Phil l ipsburg Elementary

School administration and

counselors, the students are

piloting their “Helping Hands”

program. As a service learning

experience, students in Mr.

Bronico’s Transition 2 class

are paired with; “Lunch

B u d d i e s ” , d e l i v e r

“Backpacks” (weekly food

delivery from Norwescap), and

participate in reading

e x p e ri en c es w i th P E S

students. Mrs. Schettini, a

school counselor, works with

staff to create a weekly

schedule for this opportunity.


students meet with Mrs.

Schettini to receive their

schedule and a debriefing

occurs after the experience.

Here is some of the feedback

received thus far:

PES Teachers: “How do I get a PHS student in

my class?” “I have six more students who

would benefit from a Lunch

Buddy.” “ T h e s e s t u d e n t s a r e

wonderful. They interact well

with our students.” “Wonderful role models.” PHS Students: “This was the best day of my

life.” “I never had anyone to talk to

when I was little.” “Can we do this more than

once a week?” “These kids just need

someone to listen to them.

They have to understand how

important is it to set goals and

getting in trouble isn’t a good

goal.”

Helping Hands

Volume 5, Issue 2

SAVE the DATE

You are invited to attend the

Phillipsburg School District offering of:

HOPE Heroin and Opioid Prevention Education

We are losing current and former students to heroin addiction.

We have students losing parents. We have family members that

are struggling. It is critical that we educate ourselves.

HOPE was developed by the Center of Humanistic Change in

response to this growing epidemic. By attending the program,

participants will be able to identify:

What is Heroin? What are Opioids? Signs and Symptoms of Someone Using Effects of Use - on Health, School, Relationships, and Life Local Resources Where to Go for Help

Tuesday

March 28, 2017

Phillipsburg High School Auditorium

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

No one is immune from addiction; it afflicts people of all ages, races, classes and

professions. – Patrick J. Kennedy


National Junior Honor Society Gives Back in a Mighty Way

The cornerstone of the

National Junior Honor Society

(NJHS) has always been

service. The students have

been blessed with talents,

knowledge, and time and they

use all of those attributes to

benefit those around them.

D u rin g th e m on th of

December, they turned their

attention to three deserving

charitable organizations to

see how they could make an

impact in the community.

National Junior Honor Society

sponsored a school wide

fundraiser where students

were encouraged to bring in

items for Toys for Tots,

Common Sense for Animals,

and the newly opened

Phillipsburg Animal Shelter.

For a month, students in sixth,

seventh, and eighth grade

piece by piece, item by item,

filled boxes to make the

holidays brighter for those in

need.

Both Common Sense for

Animals and the Phillipsburg

Animal shelters received five

boxes, each overflowing with

wet and dry dog foods, cat

foods, leashes, bowls, chew

toys, paper towels, blankets,

laundry detergent, and

cleaning supplies, to name a

few.

Animal Control Officer,

Michelle Crosson and Mayor

Ellis received the boxes of

goods for the Phillipsburg

shelter, which reopened its

doors November 18, 2016.

According to Crosson,

“Donations are very helpful

and are vital for the

continuation of the shelter.”

Mayor Ellis made it a point to

talk with the contributing

NHJS members about their

importance in supporting the

school and community and

stressed how each person can

make a difference.

Knowing that the holidays are

also difficult for children who

go without, over 250 toys were

collected for Norwescap, as a

Toys for Tots campaign. Box

upon box upon box were

loaded into a truck to ensure

that children had presents to

open during the joyous holiday

season. NJHS Vice President,

Kaylie Hanisak offered,

“Volunteer work and donating

is a great way to help out and

support your community.”

Thanks to the efforts of NJHS

and the school family,

hundreds of children and

animals in Phillipsburg know

they are cared for.

Volume 5, Issue 2

Everyone knows that the

“Stockings were hung by the

chimney with care”, at long

last, we finally know who made

those stockings! Students in

Mr. DeRaymond’s classroom

lovingly sewed and crafted

handmade stockings for the

students in Mrs. Bower’s and

Ms. Lazur’s classrooms so that

their mantels would not be

unadorned.

According to Mr. DeRaymond,

though the process was long,

the students were committed

to sewing each stocking and

spreading Christmas cheer.

Through the project, they

learned how to work so that

someone else could benefit.

Jakhi Taylor, who created a

gorgeous stocking for Calvin,

felt the project was a success

and he felt amazing giving the

finished stuffed stockings to

the students.

“They were filled with toys and

candies that the teachers

donated, and it was nice to

give them to the kids,” said

Taylor.

In the process, memories were

created that will long be

cherished.

Spreading Cheer, One Stocking at a Time

On February 10, 2017 and

February 11, 2017, the

Phillipsburg Middle School

Drama Club presented the

Young Performers Edition of

the classic production Bye Bye

Birdie, with book by Michael

Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams,

and music by Charles Strouse.

The cast and crew, comprised

of roughly 50 sixth, seventh,

and eighth graders, were

excited to perform in their new

auditorium space! The story

takes place in the late 1950’s,

when the Elvis style rock star,

Conrad Birdie, is drafted into

the army! Manager Albert

Peterson and his longtime

girlfriend, Rosie, come up with

the idea to have Conrad kiss a

girl from his fan club on the Ed

Sullivan Show before he

leaves. They hope this

publicity stunt will earn them

enough money to get out of the

music business and get

married! Between the teen

energy, the humor of Albert’s

hysterically overbearing

mother, and the love story of

Albert and Rosie, audience

members were treated to a

rockin’ performance.

Middle School Drama Director

Lauren Smith, and Music

Directors Linda Pettinelli, and

Ellen Shelly are so proud of

this talented group of students

who put in many hours of

rehearsal time to create a truly

amazing and entertaining

show. This PRIDE sponsored

event was complete with

colorful costumes and sets,

wonderful choreography and

some really sweet singing!

Now in its fifth year, the


Drama students have truly

spread their thespian wings

and look forward to continuing

what will hopefully be the start

of a resilient theatre tradition!

Bye Bye Birdie at Phillipsburg Middle School


Music Department Hosts Leaders in Business Series

The Phillipsburg High School

Music Department is playing

host to a series of five lectures

by professionals who are

leaders in their field. The

series is designed to educate

students about careers as a

performer and the myriad of

jobs that exist off of the

performing stage.

On October 4, 2016 Alison

Ahart Williams spoke on her

career organizing musical

events. Her love of music

began while a student in the

Phillipsburg school district

(Class of 1999) and started to

take shape at Lafayette

College as she helped to

organize everything from small

student coffee house events,

to presenting the Counting

Crows for thousands of fans.

Currently, Alison is Senior Vice

President and Executive

Producer at Columbia Artists

Management LLC (CAMI).

Students were treated to

behind the scenes stories of

working with artists such as

Danny Elfman, Tim Burton,

Rebel Wilson, John Stamos,

and a host of elite classical

music artists.

Michael Avitabile was the

guest lecturer on November 1,

2016. Michael graduated

PHS in 2009 and has gone on

to start a classical chamber

m u s i c en s em b l e a f t er

graduating from the University

of Michigan and New England

Conservatory of music. His

talk focused around the ability

to use all of your non-musical

skills to help build your career

in music. Michael performs on

flute, and is the founder and

executive director of his

ensemble, Hub New Music.

The lecture series continued in

2017. On January 10, 2017

internationally renowned

guitar duo Michael Newman

and Laura Oltman presented

on music entrepreneurship.

Laura Watts, jazz trumpeter

and composer presented on

February 7, 2017 and

producer and owner of

Midnight Studios, Andrew

Chervak, is scheduled to

present on March 7, 2017.

All lectures take place in the

new Phillipsburg High School

Choir Room at 7:00 pm. The

events are free and open to

the public. Each lecture is

followed by an “Open Mic

Night” in the cafeteria,

beginning at 8:00 pm.

As part of Black History

Month, the Phillipsburg

Middle School held an

assembly for seventh and

eighth grade students where

Mr. Kevin Cooper, the chaplain

for the New York Knicks, was

the guest speaker. The title of

Mr. Cooper’s message was,

“Overcoming Life’s Obstacles

to Achieve your Dreams”. Mr.

Cooper challenged the

students to choose truth over

lies and to make right choices.

He cautioned students not to

make decisions based on

emotions but on what they

know is right in their minds.

He encouraged students to set

goals and to work hard to

achieve those goals. The staff

a n d s t u d en t s o f t h e


wish to thank Mr. Cooper for

sharing his message.

Phillipsburg Middle School Celebrates Black History Month

Volume 5, Issue 2

All Hands on Deck at Phillipsburg Primary School

Students at Phillipsburg

Primary School worked

together to create a beautiful

collaborative art project to

commemorate their first year

in the new building. During art

class, each student worked

hard to create a one-of-a kind

handprint, using markers,

crayons, and colored pencils

in a color of their choice.

Students also used designs

and patterns to make each

handprint a special piece of

artwork. When finished, all of

the handprints were cut out

and glued together to create a

gigantic flower, which now

lives in the display case in the

front hallway. Through

participating in this art

project, students learned that

each of us is unique and

special, and that when we

work together, the result is

marvelous.

Literary Award Nominations


sophomores Michaela Madaio

and Candace Penrose have

both been nominated to

receive the 2017 Student

Literary Award from the New

J ers ey Com m i ss i on on

Holocaust Education and the

Prakhin International Literary

Foundation. They were invited

to attend the foundation’s

Tenth Award Ceremony to be

held at the Museum of Jewish

Heritage in New York City on

Sunday, January 29, 2017.

Both students are enrolled in

English 2 CP this year and

submitted their fiction pieces

to Mrs. Boncik, a literature

teacher at the high school.


There are many coined

phrases that identify the world

of educational technology we

live in from 21st Century

Skills, College and Career

Readiness, Digital Citizen,

Cyber Bully, Social Media,

Information Technology… And

the list goes on and on! What

it means is that our children

today are living in an

information overload, media

and device driven world.

Children today spend over 50

hours of screen time every

week. The amount of media

they are exposed to can

impact their social, emotional,

cognitive and physical

development in either a

positive or negative way. Our

job as educators and parents

is to teach, guide, and protect

children from the dangers and

focus on the benefits of our

“informational age”. Since we

weren’t raised in a society of

information bombardment,

this can be a daunting task to

accomplish.

We take the task of preparing

our students to be successful

in a technology-driven society

very s eri ou sly in the

Phillipsburg School District.

The safety and privacy of our

students is first and foremost,

but so is the importance to

t e a c h t h e m h o w t o

successfully live in a

technological, information

based society.

One of the valuable resources

we use to accomplish this is

Common Sense Media.

Common Sense Media is the

leading independent nonprofit

organization dedicated to

helping kids thrive in a world

of media and technology. Their

goal is to empower parents,

teachers, and policymakers by

p r o v i d i n g u n b i a s e d

information, trusted advice,

and innovative tools to help

them harness the power of

media and technology as a

positive force in all kids’ lives.

T h e i r w e b s i t e ,

www.commonsensemedia.org

offers numerous valuable

resources. This year

Phillipsburg School District is

focusing on 2 of them.

1. Common Sense Education –

We already implement

pieces of the Digital

Citizenship Curriculum in

grades 1-5. This year the

M i d d l e S c h o o l i s

implementing the 6-8 grade

curriculum. The high-

quality digital literacy and

citizenship programs offer

s t u d e n t s t h e s k i l l s

necessary to harness

technology for learning and

their everyday life. The

educational resources

include lesson plans,

videos, games, rating and

reviews of digital tools, and

more.

2. Common Sense Media –

This resource is designed to

help families make smart

media choices. There is a

Parent Concerns and

Parent Blog that help

families understand and

learn information about

issues they face raising

children of all ages in the

digital age. All of Commons Sense Media

Resources are FREE! We

encourage you as a parent or

educator to explore this

resource, and register so that

you and your family can

benefit from the information

available. To register go to

www.commonsensemedia.org

and click on the Become a

Member link.

1 "Our Mission | Common Sense Media." https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission. Accessed 7 Feb. 2017.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org

http://www.commonsensemedia.org

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission

Volume 5, Issue 2

It’s Coming!! CODE

There were signs all over the


School and the students were

heard saying, “What CODE?”

“When is it coming??” “I’m so

excited!!”

The fifth grade PRISM

students, Maggie Thompson,

Jillian Miller, Jackson Maczko,

Dalton Torre, Emily Ellis,

Joshua Rojas, Kate Mora-

Orenday, Alyssa Bodogh, Katia

Mora-Orenday, and Lillian

Wanisko, in the Gifted and

Talented Program, were

excited, too! They have been

l e a r n i n g C O D E s i n c e

September and now they were

goi n g t o s h a re th ei r

excitement with the entire

student body and district

administrators. “They” were

going to be the teachers and

the experts for “The Hour of

CODE!”

What is The Hour of Code?

“The Hour of Code started as a

one-hour introduction to

computer science, designed to

demystify “code”, to show that

anybody can learn the basics,

and to broaden participation

in the field of computer

science.” (from https://

code.org) The Hour of Code for

2016 took place during

Computer Science Education

Week – December 5 – 11,

2016.

The PRISM students created a

one-hour presentation and

exploration session for every

class, 30 classes in all, in PES

which took place over four

days. They worked with a

partner and began each

session with questions to see

what the students knew about

computer science. They

showed a few videos

explaining that CODE is the

language that computers use

to c om m un ica te. T h ey

explained that a computer

needs to be told what to do

and that is where a “Coder”

comes in. The students have

learned that coding jobs are

the jobs of the future and that

computer coding can be found

in the fields of art, music,

medicine, architecture, and

even gardening!

After talking about CODE, it

was time to try it! Students

modeled several games, using

“block” code, on the

interactive board. Then they

assisted students when it was

their turn to try. The only

downfall was that the hour was

over in the blink of an eye! The

classes were so into coding

that they didn’t want to stop.

Now kids can be seen coding

at recess, after school, and

sometimes they do it at home.

The PRISM students have

asked if we could do a SPRING

Hour of Code to see how much

their classes have learned.

“Every student should have the

opportunity to learn computer

science. It helps problem

solving skills, logic, and

creativity. By starting early,

s tud en ts w il l ha v e a

foundation for success in any

2 1 s t c e n t u r y c a r e e r

path.” (https://code.org)

https://code.org

https://code.org

https://code.org


STEM Clubs

Exxon Mobil worked with about

160 students during our two

January STEM Clubs at


School. The topic for the

month was Forces of Energy,

and students rotated through

stations to experiment with

Wacky Hall Walkers (Law of

Conservation of Energy,

Potential and Kinetic Energy),

C e n t r i p e t a l S p i n n e r s

(Centripetal Force and

I n e r t i a ) , Y e l l o w R i n g

Challenge (inertia), and Steve

Spangler’s Science Inertia

Challenge. Six scientists from

Exxon Mobil lead the

activities, and Exxon supplied

all the materials used. There

are two clubs a month planned

for February, March, and May,

and the topic for the February

clubs is Coding. Thank you

Exxon Mobil for continuing to

support our students by

promoting an interest in

science!

Math Night at ECLC

Over 50 parents and students

signed up for this informative

math evening which took place

on January 12, 2017. Students

and parents worked with

teachers Jess Martin and

Rebecca Freeman and Math

Coach Ann Ball on technology,

on creating a number book,

and observed a typical

kindergarten math lesson

using our math program,

enVision. Parents went home

with a packet of ideas for

helping their children with

math at home and learned how

to log onto websites to assist

with math concepts and with

fact fluency. Thank you to all

our volunteers for helping to

make this evening a success.

Volume 5, Issue 2

Home Sweet Home

The Phillipsburg School Based

Youth Services finally has a

home location that is centered

in the new high school. School

Based Youth Services (SBYS)

has been in the district since

1988, but had various

locations in its 28 year history

including offices near the

river, in the armory, at the

Green Street Modular and a

few trailers at the old high

school. SBYS operates all of

the services through various

grants and all services are

provided to Phillipsburg

Middle and High School

Students free of charge.

These services include

individual, group and crisis

intervention counseling,

m e d i c a l a n d d e n t a l

a s s i s t a n c e , p r e g n a n c y

prevention, food pantry,

housing assistance, advocacy,

t u t o r i n g , m e n t o r i n g ,

recreation. REACH (only at

Middle school) is also

implemented through SBYS as

an afterschool educational

enrichment program that

operates Monday through

Friday, 3-6pm. This program is

funded through the 21st

Century Community Learning

C e n t e r s a n d h a s

approximately 85 students

attending on a daily basis.

SBYS also operates a county-

wide program called Jobs and

More; for students who

withdrew from school and this

program offers the student

GED/HSE instruction to

ensure they receive their High

School Diploma from the NJ

Department of Education in

addition to employment

training and life skills

coursework.

The new high school boasts

many state of the art

upgrades, but the largest

change is for students who are

involved with SBYS. Not only

are the offices, group rooms

and classrooms an upgrade

with more room, but for the

first time there is a student

recreation area. Currently this

area is mostly used by a

progra m call ed “Lin er

Buddies” which is an

interactive lunch period. At

Liner Buddies, students share

their lunches and work on

social interaction skills

through various activities/

games alongside staff and

student mentors. There are

approximately 80 students

who attend on a daily basis,

along with 25-30 mentors.

The recreational area also will

be utilized as an after-school

drop-in program in the near

future. SBYS is proud to serve

the many students and their

families and we are excited to

finally have the space provided

to offer the services.


Motor Lab Helps with Readying Bodies and Minds for

Learning

Nearly 40 students have been

participating in a motor lab

program called Ready Bodies,

Learning Minds (RBLM) at

Phillipsburg Primary School.

Students come for 30 minutes

once or twice a week to

participate in the motor lab.

The program was developed by

Athena Oden, a physical

therapist in Texas, and it

combines gross and fine motor

skills with sensory input. The

main goal behind the program

is help children develop the

skills needed to learn and

function in the school

environment.

A typical motor lab consists of

a reflexive warm up, rotation

through seven to eight

stations focused on different

skills (one minute at each

station), and a cool down. The

cool downs will vary between

stretches, yoga poses, deep/

meditative breathing, or

MeMoves, an interactive

online video to help calm the

body and mind. The stations

change every few weeks, but

have included activities such

as a ball pit, slide, spinning

disk, log rolling, balance

beam, crawling through a lycra

tunnel, dribbling a ball inside

of a square, and continuously

drawing large infinity signs.

“I know it probably looks like

we’re doing a lot of playing,

but all of these activities

require some amount of

planning by the body and mind

and what the motor lab is

doing is teaching the students

to control that movement,”

said Veronica Sydlowski, the

occupational therapist at PPS

who runs the program. “Once

students begin to control their

movements, they have a better

understanding of how to adapt

their movement responses,

which should help them in the

classroom.”

Betsy Klacik, a second grade

special education teacher,

brings 8 students once a week

to RBLM. Her students quickly

became engaged in the motor

lab and enjoy stations such as

the suspended swing and mini-

trampoline. “My students look

forward to the stations

followed by the [cool down]

savasana pose and tranquil

music,” said Mrs. Klacik.

“Once back in the classroom –

I notice calmer, more

attentive, ready to learn

students!”

Students at Phillipsburg Primary School Get Organized

The Warren County Needle

Arts Guild, of which several

District employees are

members of, do a service

project every year to benefit an

organization in Warren

County. In late 2016, the Guild

p r e s e n t e d P h i l l i p s b u r g

Primary School teachers with

their chosen project. The Guild

m em b e rs s e w ed c h a i r

pockets, a much-needed

organization tool, to first and

second grade classrooms. The

chair pockets were presented

to the school by Mrs. Santa

Torres, second grade teacher

at PPS and a member of the

Guild. Many classrooms are

using the pockets to keep

supplies, organize reading

group time, and help students

stay organized.

Volume 5, Issue 2

19th Annual Stateliner Spring Classic 5K

The Class of 2020 at Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg, New Jersey is holding a 5K Run/Walk race on April 23, 2017.

Name: Stateliner Spring Classic 5K

Distance: 5K Run/Walk and a Children’s Fun Run

Date: Sunday, April 23rd, 2017

Time: Registration 8:30-9:30 a.m. 5K Race begins at 10:00 a.m. Walk begins at 9:45 a.m.

Where: Phillipsburg Middle School Maloney Stadium Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865

For an application please contact:

James Bronico 1 Stateliner Blvd.

Phillipsburg, NJ 08865

Contact Phone: (908) 235-1634 Email: [email protected]

Volume 5, Issue 2

Visit the Phillipsburg School District Website for More Information

www.pburgsd.net

Phillipsburg School District Administrative

and Board of Education Members Directory

Phillipsburg School District Education Center

908-454-3400

Board of Education Members

Thomas F. McGuire, President

Matthew Scerbo, Vice-President

Alan Amey

Bernard Brotzman

Peter Marino

Vickie Mendes-Branch

Sandra Morrisette

Rosemarie Person

William J. Spencer

Kevin Bayne, Greenwich

Ernest Gallant, Lopatcong

Joseph Delesky, Pohatcong

Student Representatives

Grace McAnally

Cole Mitchell, Alternate

George Chando, Superintendent Ext. 1010

Gregory Troxell, Assistant Superintendent Ext. 1012

Maureen Kehoe, Director of Planning, Research & Eval. Ext. 1020

Mary Jane Deutsch, Administrator of Special Services Ext. 2011

Staci Horne, Business Administrator/Board Secretary Ext. 1100

Tip Line - 908-213-2468

Getting “Locked In” With Problem Based Learning

Under the guidance of Mr.

George Johnson, learning

consultant from the Southern

Regional Education Board,

select Phillipsburg Middle

School and Phillipsburg High

School Career and Technical

E d u c a t i o n t e a c h e r s

participated in two full days of

professional development to

create problem based learning

units. After the first day of

training, teachers were

expected to create a unit and

participate in coaching visits

that occurred on December 8,

2016 and December 9, 2016.

Some of the projects included:

the creation of a catapult,

creation of recipes for

specialized dietary needs,

development of a marketing

plan, creation of floral

arrangements for specific

customer requests, creation of

a customized cutting board for

a customer with a physical

disability, and engineering a

product to bar a door given the

possible threat of an intruder.

Of particular note was the

scenario that Mr. Noble’s

Architecture and Engineering

class was faced with at

Phillipsburg High School.

Given the existing doors in the

lab, the students had to

measure, research, design,

and test their device to

prevent an intruder from

entering the room if one

cannot lock the door from the

outside. The device had to be

quick to install and remove.

The class work in pairs to

create and prototype their

solutions. Along with their

research, they were to draw

the device using the AutoCAD

(computer-aided design

program) and then prototype it

using the 3-D printer. The

students were completely

immersed in this problem

based learning task and were

able to create devices to bar

the door.

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