As we begin the 2024-2025 school year, I am filled with excitement and anticipation as I embark on my 32nd year in education and my 11th year as Principal here at Hightstown High School. It is an honor to continue serving this incredible community, and I look forward to another successful year of growth, learning, and partnership.
This year, our focus will remain on establishing and strengthening positive relationships with our students and families. We believe that fostering these connections is essential for creating a supportive and engaging environment where all students can thrive. I encourage all parents and guardians to play an active role in their child's academic journey by regularly monitoring their progress, attendance, and important notifications through the Genesis Parent Portal. If you need any assistance with accessing the portal, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s house office for support.
Together, with your involvement and the dedication of our staff, I am confident that this will be another fantastic year. Let's work together to make 2024-2025 a year of success, growth, and achievement for all our students.
BE SAFE RAMS!
Kelsey Fithen- ELA
Kelsey is excited to join the English department at Hightstown High School. After school, she will be coaching for Ram’s varsity girls' field hockey team and will contribute her knowledge from her NEC Division I career. She graduated with her Bachelor's in English and Master's in Teaching at Sacred Heart University. It was sad for her to leave her internship in Connecticut but she is overjoyed to return to New Jersey for a brand new future here at Hightstown.
Sean Feddema-Social Studies
My name is Sean Feddema and I will be joining the Social Studies Department at Hightstown High School for my 10th year teaching. I look forward to immersing myself into the Hightstown community through various extracurricular activities (I have been a class advisor, debate advisor and made guest appearances in school plays) and look forward to getting involved in athletics (I coach soccer, basketball and I played lacrosse at Rider University and was the 2024 CVC Assistant Coach of the Year for Boys Lacrosse. I also have been the PA Announcer for football and basketball in my previous districts) Let's Go Rams!!!
Luis Garcia-World Language
Luis F. Garcia: Luis was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Spain. He obtained graduate degrees at Michigan State University and started a career at AT&T Bell Laboratories. In 2005, Luis completed a PhD in Spanish Literature at Temple University in Philadelphia and, subsequently, taught at the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus. Luis is a published author; his works include a novel, two short-story collections, and a poetry book in Puerto Rico and Spain. He is excited to join the faculty at Hightstown High School.
Michelle Jarosiewicz - Special Education
Hi everyone! I’m Michelle Jarosiewicz, and since 2012, I’ve been teaching high school math to special education students. I love mixing creativity with flexibility to tailor my teaching to each student’s needs. When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen or digging in the garden. My passion for teaching and my hobbies both celebrate growth and the joy of nurturing others. I’m excited to kick off a fantastic school year as a Ram!
Midori Kawaue- Social Studies
Mrs. Kawaue will be joining the social studies department this year. From a very young age, she has enjoyed visiting historical houses and learning history.
She is also an avid board game and tabletop game player. She has 2 very adorable cats and a Labrador Retriever. Mrs. Kawaue is excited to join the wonderful team and contribute to the community!
Maxwell Kramer-ESL
I am thrilled to join Hightstown High School as an ESL teacher. Before moving into education, I worked as a researcher in linguistics, which deepened my passion for language and teaching. For the past 8 years, I taught at a high school in Ewing and have also taught adults. I am eager to bring my experience and enthusiasm for language learning to the students at Hightstown.
Patrick Landrieu - Science
I will be joining the science department as a first year teacher for the 2024-2025 school year. I will be teaching Physical Science and coaching Cross Country! Prior to joining the Hightstown High School staff, I worked for Temple University's Pathology Department and in the biology department for Penn State's Abington campus in Pennsylvania. I completed my Master's in Education from Arcadia University, and worked as an assistant coach for their track and field/cross country teams from 2021-2024! I am excited to be a part of the East Windsor school district!
Lea Clarke - ESL
Lea will be joining the ESL department this school year. My experience teaching our communities of multilingual learners has been so fulfilling and fuels my passion for learning as much as I can about other countries, languages, cultures, and, my two favorites, music and good food from around the world! When I'm not teaching, you will either find me using my 19 years of volleyball and Division 1 experience to coach and play volleyball, or watching anime and playing video games. I can't for an amazing school year meeting and working with everyone!
Joseph Rufolo - ELA
Joseph will be joining the English department this school year as a twelfth-grade teacher! I recently graduated from TCNJ and taught ninth grade at Trenton's Ninth Grade Academy and eighth grade at Montgomery Upper Middle School. When I am not in the classroom, you'll find me reading fantasy, science-fiction novels, and non-fiction, or binge-watching my favorite TV shows and movies! I am super excited to get to work and meet everyone! Go Rams!
Zhengyuan Ma - ESL
Zhengyuan (Mao) Ma — ESL Mao will be joining the Bilingual, ESL, and World Language Education department this school year. Prior to my career in education, I’ve lived in South China where I taught ESL to high school students pre-pandemic. It was a formative experience that really allowed me to grow personally and discover the profound impact of education on the lives of others. Apart from English, I’m fluent in Mandarin, and can speak casual French and Japanese. I am also an art and sports enthusiast. In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, tennis, and playing music on the ukulele or piano. I’ve lived in New Jersey most of my life, which I feel is a microcosm of the world in that it’s a melting pot and hub of multiculturalism. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to countries in Asia like Japan and China, and the Netherlands in Europe. I look forward to meeting all of you this year! Let’s go Rams!
Please see the schedule and procedures below:
The purpose of this evening is to provide you with information about our programs and to give you a chance to meet your child’s teachers. Please understand that the teachers will not be able to hold individual conferences about your child during this event. You are welcome to make an appointment with the teacher for another time if you wish to discuss your child in particular.
All parents will directly report to their child's first period class. Parents will follow student schedules, which should be downloaded and printed from the Parent Portal, and hear our teachers present information about course objectives, materials used and grading practices. On this night all eight class periods will meet for approximately 10 minutes.
Counselors will be available to meet and greet during your child's study hall period near the Security in the main foyer.
Schedule:
6:00 pm- 6:30 pm Presentation in the Auditorium- "Welcome to HHS what does a parent need to know?" A Spanish version will take place in Cafe R.
*NOTE- ALL Driver Ed Classes* -will met in Room 312
FORMAL PROGRAM
6:30- 6:40 Period 1
6:45- 6:55 Period 2
7:00- 7:10 Period 3
7:15- 7:25 Period 4
7:30- 7:40 Period 5
7:45- 7:55 Period 6
8:00- 8:10 Period 7
8:15- 8:25 Period 8
Please join us on September 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the HHS Auditorium for an informational presentation about the college application process. This program will be hosted by the senior counselors, Mrs. Freihaut and Ms. Mora, and will detail all of the necessary steps you'll need to take to complete your applications, request transcripts, and request letters of recommendation from your counselor and teachers.
Information about refining your college list, SAT and ACT, important deadlines, and using Naviance Student will also be discussed.
- Please join us for Financial Aid Night on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the HHS Auditorium, Seniors only.
- This information session will be presented by a representative from the New Jersey Higher Education Assistance Authority (HESAA).
- The program will focus on financing your child's college education and will provide information about FAFSA, grants, loans and scholarships.
As part of our commitment to creating a safe and healthy school environment, we are taking additional steps to address the growing concern of vaping among students. Vaping poses significant health risks, and we believe it is essential to be proactive in preventing this behavior on school grounds. To that end, we have installed vape detectors in all student bathrooms and locker rooms. We anticipate the VAPE DETECTORS will be operational early next week. We will have already shared this with our Students during last week's Town Hall Meetings. We will be sending out a reminder next week.
These detectors will immediately alert our administrative team and security staff if vaping activity is detected. Our rationale for installing these devices is grounded in our responsibility to protect the well-being of all students by reducing exposure to harmful substances and promoting a smoke-free campus.
When an alert is triggered, our team will act quickly, speaking with students in the area and, if necessary, conducting searches. As always, parents will be notified by the appropriate Assistant Principal in an incident involving your child.
We recognize that parents play a critical role in reinforcing the message about the dangers of vaping. We encourage you to have open and honest conversations with your child about the health risks associated with vaping and the importance of making responsible decisions. By staying informed and engaged, you can help us address this issue both inside and outside of school hours. Together, we can ensure that our students understand the long-term consequences of vaping and support them in making healthy, positive choices.
To further educate our students about the dangers of vaping, we are excited to host Tim Shoemaker, a highly regarded speaker, on October 23 Tim has been well-received in schools across the region, and he will address all grade levels to provide valuable insights into the risks associated with vaping and making healthier choices.
Parent Presentation - Oct 23. 6:0pm HHS Auditorium
This evening event is open to all parents
Timothy Shoemaker M.S. has been featured on both the television and radio news. He was invited to appear on NBC’s Today Show, been a guest on internet podcasts and served as a contributor to several major publications. He has been an author, an editor and media consultant. Tim is a recently retired Police Sergeant with certifications as a SRO, DARE and LEAD officer. In 2009 he was named the N.J. State DARE Officer of the Year. In 2011 he was honored as the U.S. National DARE Officer of the Year. Today, Tim is the CEO of MpoweredParent LLC, where he serves as their Lead Instructor and School Consultant. A professional trainer, motivational speaker and school facilitator, Tim has presented to over 750,000 live audience members in the past five years alone. His keynotes encompass topics such as Raising Resiliency, Vaping Prevention, The Best Me is Drug Free, and several others. His prevention video, “I Believe”, has been seen and shared over 100,000 times on Youtube and his virtual programming has been used by dozens of school districts across the country. Tim is happily married to his college sweetheart, and is the busy father of two crazy teenagers. To learn more about Tim’s unique story, visit www.TimothyShoemaker.com.
Free & Reduced Lunch Program
Free/Reduced Meal Forms for the 2024-2025 school year will be available by August 19 through the parent portal. All families will receive the lunch application packet in the mail by the end of August. For more information about Chartwells, visit here.
Our district app is now live in both the Apple and Google App stores!
The app provides one central location to access important information and allows you to receive push notifications.
Download today! https://edap.ps/7bebca
