District Newsletter

WORK SESSION May 12, 2022 7:00 p.m.

BOARD MEETING May 19, 2022 7:00 p.m.

These Board meetings are open to the public. There are no limits to the number of people who may attend in person, and masks are optional. Board meetings will continue to be live streamed as well, but there will be no call-in comments or questions.

Link to Live-Streamed Meetings

Presentations from Recent Board Meetings:

Posted on our website

As we roll into the more spring-like days of May, I want to take a moment to revisit the continuing conversation regarding potential changes to our academic calendar.

As you are aware, last fall I proposed adjusting our 2023-24 school year calendar so that school would begin in late August and end in early June rather than our traditional post-Labor-Day-start model. (The 2022–23 school calendar has already been approved and is currently on the website.)

Over the last several months I have laid out my reasons in different forums. I acknowledge the change is high school-focused; starting earlier means increasing instructional time prior to standardized testing and increasing time for the college application process, alleviating stress in both cases. Since my Board presentation, I have met with all five PTAs and surveyed students and staff. For the most part, my initial surveys indicated indifference but also a general acceptance of the benefits of a new calendar.

Shortly after proposing a potential calendar change, I made a second Board presentation about the limitations of our district’s physical plant and the overwhelming need for more space. I announced that we would launch a Long-Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) that would more effectively address the educational needs of our children and that would be determined by a bond referendum in the fall of 2023.

Our last referendum was a response to a series of emergency situations such as the prevention of water coming through leaky roofs. The entire referendum was approached in one fell swoop and work was done all at once across the district.

The referendum we are now exploring has a much different approach. We are looking at educational spaces, at what students need, and how to best provide it. Some have expressed a vision of an early childhood center that supports full-day pre-k and kindergarten. This much more complex referendum may result in various projects spanning multiple years of construction.

Here is the wrinkle. The great likelihood of significant construction throughout the district beginning in the fall of 2023 may also result in the need for calendar adjustments designed to maximize the summer months, when construction will not disrupt classes.

With this probability in mind, I must ask myself, “Is it prudent to make the calendar change decision now?” I am hesitant to recommend a move that we may have to reverse for practical and necessary reasons.

To that end, and in consultation with stakeholders and the Board of Education, I will be discussing a potential new calendar at the May 10th Board meeting that will combine keeping the traditional summers with accomplishing some of the original goals that I believe are important.

Thank you for your support.

Chuck Klaus,

Superintendent of Schools

At last night’s Board of Education meeting, Ms. Donnetta Beatty was approved as the next principal of J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School, effective July 1, 2022,

Beatty graduated with her B.A. in English from The College of William and Mary. She continued her education at Temple University, earning her MA in Spanish and later her Master’s in School Administration from Rowan University. She comes to Haddonfield with over 25 years of public school experience and is currently the Supervisor of Teaching and Learning in the Black Horse Pike Regional School District.

Beatty emerged as the successful candidate from a field of 55 applicants. The interviewing panel members agreed that they were most impressed with Ms. Beatty’s focus on community and collaboration and that she demonstrated a commitment to building authentic relationships with the Tatem School community. Her passion for public service and her academic and professional background will make her an exceptional leader for Tatem students, staff, and families.

Welcome!

As announced at Board meetings in both February and March, the Board of Education and representatives of LAN Associates (the district’s Architect of Record) are holding "visioning sessions" with people from all facets of the school district community to express their opinions about the Long-Range Facilities Plan (LRFP).

In March and April we completed sessions for students and staff in all five buildings. One student session is pictured below.

In mid-April, we invited district parents and all Haddonfield tax payers to attend a visioning session to add their voices to the development of an LRFP.

Please share YOUR vision of the future of our schools at one of the remaining four sessions here. (One session has already taken place on Monday, April 25th.). Your RSVP is crucial as it allows us to determine if we need to add additional meetings.

You may access the LRFP webpage to learn more.

On Tuesday, April 26th, the Haddonfield School District held a special event, the World Café.

Sponsored by the district's Equity Council and the Haddonfield Education Association (HEA), this event was described as an "evening of community connection, conversation, and celebration around equity, diversity, and inclusion."

Approximated 60 people attended. After a light meal, participants heard introductory remarks by Stacey Brown-Downham (HMHS educator and the Community Events Co-Chair for the HEA) and Dr. Carmen Henderson, Director of Special Education and chair of the Equity Council. Additionally, guest speaker Ryan Strothers spoke to the group about the importance of equity initiatives in our schools and communities. Strothers is a fifth-grade math and science teacher in Lindenwold and the NJEA (New Jersey Education Association) Uniserv Consultant in Region 3.

Held in the high school cafeteria, the event had seven tables for small group discussions. Each table displayed a question, such as "What are our core beliefs and values?" and "How is Haddonfield perceived by outside groups/individuals?" One person "hosted" each table and led the conversations, as seen in the photo below.

"I'm so pleased and proud of how the Equity Council's first World Café went, and I look forward to future events and initiatives that encourage communication around these critical topics," said Jen Sheran, Haddonfield parent. "I love Haddonfield and our school district very much and am grateful for the focus we put on examining complicated issues here in our district, our town and in our world. It's not fast or easy work, but it's important, and I appreciate the dedication of everyone involved."

Stay informed about other upcoming events by following the HEA and the district on social media and by reading the district's monthly newsletter.

Twitter: @HaddonfieldEA @HaddonSchools

Facebook: @HaddonfieldEA @HaddonfieldSchoolDistrict

Instagram: @Haddonfield_EA

Central School principal Shannon Simkus and Central PTA president Ashley Staller presided over a meaningful Arbor Day celebration honoring and remembering Adam Sangillo, community member, district parent, and Board president (photo of ceremony below left).

The celebration was held this morning, April 29th, adjacent to the Central playground where the borough planted a littleleaf linden tree. The town crier led Central's entire student body in enthusiastic "huzzahs," and several community members addressed the crowd. These speakers included representatives of the borough, the Shade Tree Commission, the HEA, and the Rotary Club. Perhaps the most powerful moment came when four students read their own Arbor Day poems (photo below right).

Many people attending this special event were particularly struck by the words of David Hunter, representing the Rotarians, who said, "I am sure you will agree that it would be hard to find anyone – anyone – who more completely exemplified the Rotary motto – 'Service Above Self.' As individuals, and as a community, we are all better for having had Adam Sangillo as a neighbor, as a friend, as a community leader, and as a Rotarian."

Haddonfield Memorial High School's Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) student group held a week of activities in support of LGBTQ+ students. They included:

• CHALK THE WALK, writing messages of strength and support for LGBTQ+ students
• Button and ribbons were available for free or for a donation.

• GSA made a presentation at a faculty meeting.
• NIGHT OF NOISE, a night of music, and performance art (free or by donation)

• HMHS DAY of SILENCE: Students took a vow of silence to raise awareness about the voices that have been silenced by anti-LGBTQ+ micro-aggressions, bullying, harassment, and violence.

The Haddonfield Education Association (HEA) is co-hosting and sponsoring an AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) book club with the NYT best-seller, "Crying in H-Mart," by Korean-American author Michelle Zauner (also known as the singer and guitarist for the Grammy-award-winning indie-pop band, Japanese Breakfast).

The event is free (hybrid—virtual and in-person options) and open to Haddonfield students, educators, and families. The first 20 people to register by May 1st will receive a copy of the book (hard copy or audiobook from Inkwood).

Sign up today to be a part of the HMHS Asian American Culture Community Club book club held on May 25th, 2022, at this link: https://forms.gle/srxHEchcMvAZacAN9

Email Stacey Brown-Downham — sdownham@haddonfield.k12.nj.us — if you have any questions!

The latest issue of @HSD Health news was emailed to everyone on April 25th. Here is the link.

Central first-graders have been working on review-writing. One student (Ethan N.) wrote a review of a local Tesla dealership, and teacher Jennifer Gallogly sent it in. The Tesla employees were so moved by his writing that they came to class to share their appreciation of "the power of the written word." The class had great questions for the representatives, including, "If the car can drive itself, who is responsible when it goes over the speed limit?"

Pictured below: Students posed with their new friends from Tesla. Each student received a red Tesla model 3 car to bring home.

Elizabeth Haddon first-grade students learned about American symbols in social studies, then incorporated their favorite symbol into a Google slide in their computer lab. Please enjoy this album of their creative work!

Each grade level at Tatem Elementary was assigned a narrative text to read aloud, along with ideas for planting associated with the text. This project, run by fourth-grade teacher Connie Lang, was completed to create a “Storybook Garden.”

On April 25th, Tatem kindergarteners read and discussed the story “The Carrot Seed” by Ruth Krauss. With the help of our science EA, Ms. Massie, the kindies then planted the seeds in the Tatem Garden. We learned that the seeds will germinate in about three weeks and will be ready to harvest in about two months. The students are looking forward to watching them grow and checking in on their harvest.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of the Haddonfield Middle School (HMS) Drama Club on a fabulous performance of "Annie Jr." on April 7th and 8th. They were so excited to bring musical theater back to HMS after a two-year hiatus. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the show and support the arts at HMS!

HMHS hosted an Equity Summit on April 8th for the second consecutive year. Six other schools were invited and sent students to participate in activities deigned to encourage thoughtful conversations "to understand and embrace differences in order to promote acceptance of each other and our communities."

Read the story in the latest Bulldawg Bulletin about this exciting event, written by student Helene Usher.

Earlier this month, Central fifth grades collaborated on a huge service project.

Each class supported a different organization, raising the funds needed to acquire their items and then packing everything up at school.

• Bellagamba (Unforgotten Haven-baby blessing bags)
• Dupuis (Ronald McDonald House-Birthday Party Boxes)
• Rogers (Joseph’s House- backpacks with hygiene items, socks, underwear, party-sized casseroles, towels, blankets & sheets).

Fifth-grade dad Mickey Delorenzo documented each day and made this terrific video. Great job to all!

Composting your food waste can reduce your curbside trash by more than 50%!

For help with your composting plans, contact Ron Smith, HMHS science teacher.

Join Mayor Bianco Bezich for Haddonfield’s first Health & Wellness Festival Saturday, May 7th, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Kings Highway!

This FREE event for the entire family has preventive health screenings, pediatric dental and vision screenings, and chiropractic sessions. The Haddonfield police department will give away free bike helmets and offer fittings and sizings for helmets you own, and Officer Blue will be on hand to help!

Library Point will host a sensory zone for kids with therapy chickens and hens, story time, and arts and crafts!

A stage on Kings Highway and Tanner Streets will have live fitness instruction for adults and kids, and communal lunch tables in front of Kings Court will give families and neighbors a place to enjoy the afternoon together.

A friendly reminder from the Borough of Haddonfield: Don't forget that businesses will not hand out plastic bags after May 3rd. "Bag Up" with your own reusable bags.

Social Media:

District Twitter: @HaddonSchools

District Facebook: @HaddonfieldSchoolDistrict

New page on website:

LRFP (Long-Range Facilities Plan)

Don't forget to:

• Read the latest @HSD Health newsletter.
• Read the latest issue of SAC (Student Assistance Counselor) Corner
• Look for your school's Twitter feed.
  
• Your student's team or club may also tweet.
• Our PTAs have a presence on Facebook and/or Twitter.