It’s the beginning of a new year, and that means a lot of new things on the horizon to look forward to in the township of Shamong.
Shamong Township
Deputy Mayor Michael Di Croce is looking forward a possible uptick in the economy, which he hopes will spur new growth in local businesses and provide opportunities for those out of work or graduating from college.
Some of the things residents should be aware of for 2017, according to Di Croce, are the continuation of road repairs, the township’s efforts to get better cell reception and looking for ways to raise income without raising taxes.
Road repairs will continue through the 10 Year Roadway Repair and Resurfacing Plan that prioritizes the roadway repairs and resurfacing needed while not breaking the bank and placing unrealistic tax burdens on residents.
For 2017, Di Croce hopes to work more efficiently and smarter and surround himself with all around good people.
“Let’s keep doing what we can to change things for the better in our part of the world and watch our good deeds, prayers and hard work turn into a flood of positive actions all across America. If you see something wrong, ask what you can do to fix it. Remember when you saw someone broke down on the side of the road and your pop would stop them to help? Or your neighbor was having some type of problem and friends came to be with them and help? Let’s bring back this mentality and caring to Shamong,” Di Croce said.
Shamong Township Schools
January is the middle of the school year for young Shamong residents, and things are not slowing down.
One of the biggest things coming up in 2017 for the K-8 school district is the $5.39 million bond referendum. The school district is going out for referendum as a number of its facilities are in need of upgrading or renovating.
The vote will be March 14.
Over the next two months, Business Administrator Laura Archer and Superintendent Christine Vespe will be attending meetings and events to provide information and answer questions on the building projects included in the referendum. The STS website has been updated to include extensive information on the project, including costs. The website can be found at Shamongschools.org.
Vespe wanted to highlight initiatives coming up for the schools provided by the Shamong Foundation for Educational Excellence.
The first is a Language Arts Mural. Students will participate in a year-long study of children’s book illustrators and authors, and gain understanding of the important role illustration plays in reading comprehension. Kathy Casper will be the Indian Mills artist in residence for the project. Kasper is from the Perkins Center for the Arts and will assist students in creating a large mosaic tile mural that visually represents the critical role picture books have contributed to students’ reading and language arts growth and development.
The second is Mind Storms and Brain Storms, a hands-on robotics project that will have fourth-grade students build Lego models and then use Lego Mindstorms Education software to write programs to bring their creations to life.
“The Shamong Foundation for Educational Excellence funds many exciting and innovative projects in the school district,” Vespe said.
LRHSD
For 2017, the Lenape Regional High School District is looking forward to the continuation of many programs. From new — such as the four day rotating schedule and the second Transition Services Awards Ceremony — to the traditional — such as prom and graduation — carrying on the LRHSD initiatives and events is something to be excited about.
“Our goals remain pretty consistent … which is to continue the high quality of programs associated with the LRHSD while remaining conscious to the ever-changing world of the 21st century,” Seneca High School Principal Jeffrey Spector said.
Superintendent Carol L. Birnbohm said she is looking forward to the continuation of the four-day rotating schedule, benefiting students and teachers with the opportunity to get extra help, make up missed work and meet with clubs. Spector looks forward to the ceremonial events such as prom and graduation.
Spector wanted to highlight the Prom House 110 Carranza and The Seneca Send Off. Prom House 110 Carranza, run by Seneca’s student council, and the Seneca Sendoff, run by the Seneca Parents Group, are drug- and alcohol-free events after prom and graduation.
“The highlight for me is the awarding of a car donated by Medford Ford to an attendee of our post-prom event. The support from Medford Ford is a large reason we have over 90 percent attendance at the post-prom party. The anticipation of the drawing and the incredibly strong message sent by Medford Ford is just great to see,” Spector said.
Each year, goals are made to achieve the LRHSD mission. One goal is to ensure the academic programs prepare all seniors for college and a career. That goal is supported by the “Two Graduations” initiative, emphasizing the importance of reaching a second graduation, with high school being the first of two. A new portion of the LRHSD website, which will be coming soon, will feature the “Two Graduations” initiatives in one location.
“We hope that this site will be informative to parents and students. But, most importantly, we hope that this site inspires all students, especially those who may be first-generation college-goers in their family,” Birnbohm said.
Birnbohm wanted to remind parents about changes in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers — New Jersey’s assessment for students in grades three to eight and high school — for this year that impacts the classes of 2020, 2021 and thereafter. To see the changes and more information about the PARCC test and graduation requirements, visit www.nj.gov/education/sca/parcc/.
“I encourage all parents to be aware of these changes, which we have communicated via email to parents and at parent meetings. Parents should also visit our ‘Requirements for Graduation’ website, www.lrhsd.org/page/715, which provides information about the testing requirements for each grade,” Birnbohm said.
This year, in each of the high schools, the driver’s education classroom was outfitted with eight new driving simulators for all students. The purpose of using the most current and modern simulation equipment with the LRHSD curriculum is to better provide real-life driver training experiences for students in a safe environment.
“While there are not many new events planned, I encourage and invite people to come catch an event like a sporting event, the art show, the LRHSD robotics tournament, a concert, the musical and so much more. I promise the students of Seneca High School will amaze you. A calendar of all these events can be found on our website or download the LRHSD App,” Spector said.
Birnbohm invites all members of the community to follow the LRHSD on Twitter, as well as club and sports pages.
“You can find a listing of all official Twitter pages at www.lrhsd.org/Page/6592. I encourage all students and their parents to select their school’s main Twitter account, as well as any of the other 69 official Twitter accounts that interest them. You can also follow me @cbeducator,” Birnbohm said.
For more information, visit the LRHSD website at www.lrhsd.org.
