December Wrap-Up

Dear Families,

The first four months of the school year have certainly flown! As we look back on 2022, there is much to celebrate, many lessons to be reflected upon, and countless memories to cherish. I look forward to a fresh new year, and new opportunities to continue building the future of our great school community.

Please see below for some updates and celebrations, and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Christina Egan

Welcome to 2023! Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable break with family and friends and are well rested for the new year. December was such a lively time in the West Long Branch School District. The classrooms and hallways were filled with joy, collaboration and innovation as the staff and students found creative ways to bring 2022 to a close. From artistic displays to STEM challenges, to lab experiments to friendly competitions, December was the perfect time for blending academic skills with twenty-century competency skills and social and emotional learning. Take a look at some of the fabulous December happenings!

The WLB Board of Education conducted its annual reorganization meeting on Tuesday, 1/3/2023.

Congratulations to Mr. Falgares (Newly Elected), Mrs. Skellinger (Re-Elected), and Mrs. Tabakman-Plancher (Re-Elected)! The West Long Branch School District is grateful for your willingness to serve this great community!

Congratulations to the 2023 elected board officers:

Board President - Mrs. Christine Skellinger

Board Vice President - Mrs. Meaghan Cavanaugh

Please click the button below to view the 2023 calendar of BOE Meetings

All Regular BOE meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM

Please join us in thanking all the members of our Board of Education, past and present, for their dedication and service to our school district. School board members provide countless hours of service to our community, and we are grateful for their commitment and care!

Our school district proudly participates in New Jersey's "Governor's Educator of the Year" program, and each year one exceptional teacher and one exceptional education services professional from each school are recognized for their skill, commitment and contributions to the school community.

This year, we are excited to honor the following individuals:

Mrs. Ricker is a preschool teacher at Betty McElmon Elementary School. She is a skilled and committed educator with a strong foundation in the HighScope curriculum. In addition to fostering a warm, nurturing classroom environment, she utilizes COR Advantage data to guide students in their learning while they explore and interact with peers through play-based activities. This year, Mrs. Ricker was instrumental in transitioning the West Long Branch School District to a full day preschool program in the Fall, providing her expertise, leadership, and experience throughout the planning process.

Mrs. Ricker's classroom is characterized by kindness and genuine warmth, and she has touched the lives of so many of our West Long Branch students and families during their earliest school experiences.

Mrs. Seward is a special education teacher at Frank Antonides School. On a daily basis, she demonstrates uncommon skill, patience, care, commitment, and collaboration with her colleagues to meet the needs of each student. She utilizes data to provide small group targeted instruction to her students each day, and couples her dedication within the classroom with engagement beyond the classroom and the ability to build strong positive relationships with students as an educator and a coach.

Mrs. Seward's knowledge and kind nature make her an invaluable resource for students and colleagues alike, and she truly epitomizes the qualities of the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year.

Ms. McKenna is a West Long Branch School Counselor, and she works hard each day to meet the social and emotional needs of all students. Depending on those individual needs, any given day might find Ms. McKenna implementing character education lessons in the classroom, running lunch groups to provide community and support for students, providing 1:1 counseling services, and much, much more. Furthermore, she coordinates the logistics of our WLB SPARTANS student recognition program.

Along with being an excellent counselor, Ms. McKenna is kind and nurturing in her interactions with children, and she has established cooperative relationships with her colleagues throughout the district. She plays an important role in our mission to put Students First!

Mr. Zaza is a School Psychologist for the West Long Branch School District. In this capacity, he serves a critical role in collaborating with parents and teachers to meet the learning needs of students. Furthermore, Mr. Zaza has become a vital resource to his colleagues, providing his expertise to build plans and recommendations, and also providing turnkey training to staff on the Handle with Care behavior management system.

Mr. Zaza works tirelessly to support our students and staff at all grade levels, and he can often be seen walking and talking with individual students, building positive relationships and helping students grow and make progress toward their goals. WLB is fortunate to have him working hard on our students' behalf!

January 16 - SCHOOL CLOSED (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

January 24 - Regular Action Meeting of the Board of Education @ 6:00 PM

January 25 - Winter Band and Chorus Concert - FAS Gymnasium @ 6:00 PM

January 27 - Family Bingo Night and Ice Cream Social @ 6:30 PM

February 6 - Staff Development PD Day (No School for Students)

February 17 - SCHOOL CLOSED (Presidents' Day Weekend)

February 20 - SCHOOL CLOSED (Presidents' Day Weekend)

February 27 - PTA Book Fair Opens