District Newsletter
GREETINGS from the SUPERINTENDENT!
At this time, Haddonfield Schools are in the middle of their New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) review. NJQSAC is the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) monitoring and district self-evaluation system for all public school districts in the state.
The procedure occurs every three years and monitors and evaluates school districts in the five components that have been identified as critical factors in effective school districts. These components are:
Instruction & Program
Fiscal
Governance
Operations
Personnel
The nine-month process is quite involved, necessitating that we gather evidence, self-assess, review with the county, and finally gain approval from the NJDOE. Each of the five areas is scored on a 100-point scale; 80% is “passing,” and each school district must score at least 80% in all five areas.
You may recall some recent and interesting history between the HSD and the NJQSAC process. For a time, school districts that performed well enough on standardized testing were exempt from the NJQSAC process. Because of our excellent test scores, Haddonfield schools went nearly a decade without participating in the state review. In 2018, the NJDOE required all schools to participate, and in September of 2018, Haddonfield was required to go through the process even though our academic performance measures were still high.
During our first NJQSAC review in nine years, we learned that HSD did not have adequate systems in place, and we failed in four of the five areas. What followed next was the implementation of a District Improvement Plan that spanned 13 months. Corrections of old systems and implementation of new systems were put in place, and we received passing scores from the state in June of 2020.
We are currently halfway through the current process that started in September of 2021. Under the leadership of Dr. Priolo, we have amassed the materials we need, reviewed our systems, and completed the self-assessment. We presented our work at the December BOE meeting. (Please see the chart below.)
Having been through the NJQSAC experience twice recently, I can assure you it is onerous, frustrating, and time-consuming. But the process is valuable. Accountability is important. Moreover, we have found ways to improve by reviewing our instructional materials, professional development, business office systems, and governance. The scores have improved because we have learned and grown. The most significant difference between 2018 and 2021 are the systems, curriculum, and operations now in place, thanks to our administrators, teachers, and business office staff.
In early February, the county will be on site to review our schools, look over our paperwork, examine files, and provide feedback. In May, we should be receiving the final scores. I am confident that we will be successful in all areas.
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One more note: I would like to take the time to wish all students, staff, and families a healthy and restful winter break. I hope we can all use the time off to enjoy each other, rest, and refresh.
Chuck Klaus,
Superintendent of Schools
November PD a Big Hit with District Staff
Each November, Haddonfield sets aside time for teachers and staff to participate in three days of professional development (PD) on various topics. This year, we offered 69 sessions that included in-district presentations, off-site learning trips, wellness activities, team-building exercises, self-care lessons and cross grade-level “articulation” meetings.
“If ever we needed some great PD, it was this year.” said Chief Academic Officer Dr. Colleen Murray. “We didn’t have this time at all last November due to COVID, and QSAC work dominated the topics in 2019, so having more teacher-led and substantive joint learning experiences this fall was overwhelmingly appreciated.”
The first-ever “wellness afternoon” included sessions such as
· the science of setting boundaries
· self-care
· multiple team-building sessions
The district’s first-ever “articulation day” allowed facilitators to co-lead sessions catering to the needs of each team, such as a focus on the transition years from middle to high school, revising common assessments, and searching for gaps and overlaps in our curriculum.
The off-campus trip to Brigantine (pictured above) featured teachers counting shore birds, gathering real data and learning how to apply “citizen science.” Important elements in this lesson were understanding how the data is used and how it is valued in the real world. A second trip to Philadelphia’s “Gayborhood” was just one reminder of our district’s commitment to cultural responsiveness including respect for “people of diverse identities, experiences and points of view.”
HMHS Teacher Recognized at White House
Kimberly Dickstein Hughes, HMHS English teacher, was recently recognized at the White House with the 2020 and 2021 State Teachers of the Year. First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, hosted the annual event (after it had been postponed for two years due to the pandemic) and lauded educators for the miracles they perform in their classrooms everyday. You can read the full Haddonfield Sun article about Ms. Dickstein Hughes's experience here. In addition to this event, Ms. Dickstein Hughes attended education advocacy workshops in Washington D.C., met virtually with both of New Jersey's State Senators, and visited with Congressman Norcross at the Capitol Building.
CENTRAL STUDENTS CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN MONTH
Over the summer, a team of teachers created lessons for each grade level celebrating different cultures. The lessons they created for Native American Month for second grade centered around the book, "We Are Water Protectors." After reading the book, the classes discussed how Native Americans are "stewards" for the Earth and how the students also can be stewards. Students used the book's beautiful illustrations to inspire their own artwork portraying how they will protect Mother Earth. CAPTION: Mrs. Kennedy reads "We Are Water Protectors" to her class.
ELIZABETH HADDON THIRD-GRADERS STUDY LENAPE CULTURE
Third-graders in Elizabeth Haddon are learning about the Lenape Indians, who were the first Native Americans in the tri-state area (specifically New Jersey). Students are becoming experts at a specific topic, such as hunting, fishing, medicine, house-building, transportation, and vision quest. Later they will create a Google Slides presentation and a display such as a diorama or poster. Using these projects, they will "teach" their topic to their classmates, so that each student will learn all about Lenape life.
TATEM FOURTH GRADES STUDY EXTREME WEATHER
Fourth-graders at Tatem are working in research teams to study extreme weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, droughts, earthquakes, and floods. Members of each group play different roles as they develop their expertise on an extreme weather topic, reading books, websites, and watching videos. Students are learning to take notes that follow the structure of their texts. This unit will culminate in a presentation of what they've learned!
EIGHTH-GRADERS WRITE to an AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE
Ms. Baer's eighth-grade Techniques of Writing students have been talking about writing to an "authentic audience." In class, students researched charities and nonprofit organizations and crafted a persuasive fundraising letter to the governor on behalf of their choice. This project combined persuasive writing, research skills, and writing for real-world purposes, such as advocating for an important cause!
SPIRIT WEEK = HARD WORK and LOTS of FUN
written by student Marisol Russo
The high school's late November Spirit Week was a big hit! Everyone appreciated getting back to some normalcy and had lots of fun doing it.
The themes of the hallway competition were Roaring 20s (Seniors), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Juniors), Clue (Sophomores), and Wizard of FrOZh (freshman). The Juniors came in first place for the hallway competition, but the overall winner was the Senior class.
- United Nations Children's Fund (Seniors)
- National Suicide Prevention (Juniors)
- For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (Sophomores)
- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (Freshmen)
