Woodland Park School District News

Welcome to the Woodland Park School District e-Newsletter, which is sent out weekly when school is in session. It serves as a glimpse of some of the wonderful things going on in our schools, as well as a point of reference for upcoming events.

Your Partner in Education,

Michele R. Pillari, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Mayor Tracy Kallert and the Borough Council honored Beatrice Gilmore student Gehan Atallah for being one of the 12 winners in the 29th annual Passaic County Poster Calendar Contest.

"I am extremely proud of our winner Gehan,” Mayor Kallert said. “Her picture for October depicts the fun and beauty of fall in Passaic County. Thank you to our County Clerk Danielle Ireland-Imhoff, along with our School Superintendent Michele Pillari and BG’s art teacher Sherry Toole, for continuing this time-honored tradition.”

This annual contest allows fourth graders to design a poster reflecting Passaic County’s great history, local interest, recreational sites, and cultural diversity, creating a greater sense of community and pride for their county. Over 975 submissions were received this year, setting an all-time record.

“Gehan created a beautiful drawing of a pumpkin patch which is featured as the October picture on the 2025 Passaic County calendar,” said her art teacher at Beatrice Gilmore School, Sherry Toole. “She remembered learning how to draw one-point perspective fields in art class in first grade, and used that technique to make her pumpkin patch look very realistic.”

Gehan said she was trying to draw any type of garden or any pumpkin patch.

“What inspired me to do that is because it was the month of Halloween like in October, so I thought of making a pumpkin patch,” she said. Gehan’s favorite subjects at Beatrice Gilmore are art, gym, and math. Outside of school, she likes to go shopping with her mom and sister, listen to music, and move around.

All contest winners received medals, t-shirts, and gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, courtesy of the Passaic County Clerk’s Office. Copies of the poster are displayed at schools, libraries, and government buildings throughout Passaic County. It is available for download here.

At last Wednesday evening’s meeting, Mayor Tracy Kallert and the Borough Council saluted School District Superintendent Dr. Michele Pillari on the outstanding achievement of being named Passaic County Superintendent of the Year by the Passaic County Association of School Administrators for 2024.

“Dr. Pillari has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the success of our students,” Mayor Kallert said. “Her vision for our schools is inspiring, and I am confident in their ability to guide our district forward."

The Mayor noted she has been consistently impressed with Dr. Pillari’s collaborative approach and focus on building strong relationships with teachers, parents, and the community.

“The School District is a true partner in our shared goal of providing the best possible education for our children,” she said. “The success of our schools is a top priority for my administration, and I value the partnership with Dr. Pillari in achieving that goal."

Dr. Pillari has been serving the students of Woodland Park as Superintendent since 2013. Before coming to Woodland Park, she served in Principal positions in Haledon and North Haledon as well as Director of Curriculum and Instruction in the Wyckoff School District.

During her years in Woodland Park, the District has seen immense student improvement on state testing. Dr. Pillari also oversaw the implementation of the District’s Technology Plan, which has resulted in a 1-1 student laptop program and upgrades to internal operating systems. Under her leadership, and working with the Board of Education and administration, the District has remained fiscally responsible to residents with its annual operating budget by providing the very best possible for the students with the least amount of financial impact.

In May 2021, the Woodland Park School District was named a “high performing” District after undergoing a New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum review.

Additionally, in 2021, Dr. Pillari was named one of Woodland Park’s Women’s History Month honorees.

“When I stand here and say this is not about me... it's absolutely not about me,” Dr. Pillari said. “This is about this community, it's about the children, and it's about the passion and the love for the work that I do each and every day, and I wouldn't change one single thing about that.”

Mrs. Najim and students from Beatrice Gilmore and Memorial Middle School played a pivotal role in organizing a meaningful and vibrant Ramadan celebration in collaboration with the Arab Committee in Woodland Park. This event brought together members of our community and neighboring towns, fostering unity and cultural appreciation.

The students took full ownership of planning and executing the Woodland Park event, demonstrating remarkable leadership and creativity. Without the assistance of external agencies, they independently designed engaging activities such as face painting, glitter tattoos, and henna, showcasing their dedication and talent.

The celebration featured a Fanoos lighting ceremony, attended by Mayor Tracy Kallert and other officials, at Dowling Gardens, and a fun and heartwarming Ramadan gathering at the WP Boys & Girls Club.

This event was a true testament to the hard work, collaboration, and community spirit of our youth. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the positive impact they have made.

As we are in our sixth month of school, students at Memorial Middle School have been working hard. Ms. Omran's sixth grade class got a little pick-me-up with a visit from Mrs. Donato's therapy dog, Cash.

The students learned that Cash is a therapy dog that can help make people feel better. The students asked lots of questions regarding his training, his abilities, and his job. Working with animals has been shown to benefit students in many ways. Research has shown that therapy dogs in schools can:

• Reduce anxiety.

• Increase motivation, confidence, and self-esteem.

• Improve academic skills such as reading fluency and comprehension.

• Promote literacy interest.

• Help build trust and provide a sense of security.

• Animals offer unconditional acceptance.

• Promote character traits that include: caring, cooperation, compassion, gratitude, empathy, humanity, patience, perseverance, responsibility, and self control.

• Contributes to social/emotional development.

Ms. Omran and her classroom paras are incredibly grateful for the time and love Cash shared with our students. His gentle presence and unwavering kindness brought so much joy, comfort to all of Ms. Omran's class. A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Donato for sharing him with us and for the lasting impact they both make in our community.

This month Cash, a therapy dog that belongs to Mrs. Donato, visited the Animal Club at Memorial Middle School. The students were very receptive to his gentle and kind nature. There are many different kinds of specially trained dogs including guiding the blind, the deaf, and someone with a disability or acute medical condition. Dogs are also chosen to be trained to sniff bombs, drugs, and firearms, and recover people who have experienced earthquakes and other natural disasters. Cash was chosen to be trained as a therapy dog. The main goal for that specialty includes but is not limited to: reducing anxiety, stress, and blood pressure. They offer unconditional acceptance, and teach compassion, patience, and self-control among a few character traits.

Mrs. Tobia and Ms. A's PreK-4 class at School 1 has been using their imagination with box study! They made a box into a door for their Post Office. They have been delivering letters and packages to their friends.

Students in Ms. Regan's fifth grade class at Beatrice Gilmore School recently took part in a science activity where they worked to see how rotating a sphere affects its shape.

Attention sixth and seventh grade parents, the deadline to order the Memorial Middle School 2024-2025 yearbook is TODAY, Feb. 28. Eighth grade does not need to order a book as they will be provided to every eighth grade student by the Home & School Association's Eight Grade Dance Committee.

The yearbook staff has been working very hard and is in the process of submitting the final order number to yearbook publisher, Jostens. If you do not place an order today, we cannot guarantee that your student will still be able to purchase a yearbook, as there may not be any available extras during yearbook distribution this spring – and we do not have the ability to order more yearbooks once they are printed.

To purchase a yearbook TODAY click here. If you are not sure if you purchased a yearbook, contact Jostens and 877-767-5217 or look up your order here.

Congratulations to our PreK Puppies of the Month at School 1! Our puppies of the month exemplify our school rules - PAWS: Play safe; Act kind; Work Together, and Smile.

Our PreK were gifted sweet teats for Valentine's Day for their hard work and dedication to our students.

Registration is now open for Passaic Valley High School's annual Summer for the Performing Arts camp, sponsored by the Passaic Valley Education Foundation. The camp is open to students entering fourth grade and up. To register or for more information, click here.

The Alfred Baumann Library, 44 Rifle Camp Rd., will host the following programs. Visit the Library's website here or Facebook page here. Its phone is 973-345-8120. Email is library@abwplibrary.org. Register for events here.