Superintendent's Corner

Welcome Back! It's Time for the 2024-2025 School Year!

Welcome Back!

Greetings to the Wonderful NRESC Family!

I am excited to welcome everyone back for another school year—my 21st in education and 5th as NRESC Superintendent! As we enjoy the final weeks of summer, it is once again time to think about returning to our schools/programs and making a difference throughout the region. The Commission is ready to continue its work as the premier organization for offering exceptional solutions for specific educational challenges.

Educationally Yours,

Dr. Nicholas V. Vancheri

Superintendent of Schools

Save the Dates!

NRESC New Staff Orientation (Wednesday, August 28, 2024)

For new, certificated staff (as well as non-certificated staff working in NRESC schools, programs, and offices), your journey begins on Wednesday, August 28, with the new staff orientation. This orientation for newly hired staff, as well as individuals who joined the NRESC mid-year or later during the 2023-2024 school year, will take place from 9:00am-11:30am at our central office. A light, continental breakfast will be provided.

NRESC Staff Convocation (Tuesday, September 3, 2024)

For our entire staff, our journey begins with our IN-PERSON CONVOCATION on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at Second Home Day Habilitation Center (515 Union Boulevard, Totowa, New Jersey). This will be the first time that the NRESC is hosting an in-person, opening day event since 2019! And it is very exciting to host this event at a beautiful facility of our own!

This event was formally known as our "Orientation"; however, the name has been changed simply because an orientation implies that you are just being imparted with knowledge while a "Convocation" is a celebration which brings the NRESC together as a school district, entity, and family to revisit our core values and beliefs, look back on how far we have come as a commission, and plot out our future in this arena.
The convocation will take place from 9:00am-1:00pm, with a continental breakfast being provided from 9:00am-9:30am.
PARKING: The building at 515 Union Boulevard has a decent amount of parking; however, we encourage people to car pool when possible. There will be parking spots available directly on Union Boulevard and its side streets. In addition, if looking at Second Home directly from Union Boulevard, you will see Totowa's Washington Park School and the Totowa Public Library in the background. Both the school and the library have additional parking lots and we have been granted the usage of these lots for any overflow traffic.
Our expectation is that every NRESC employee attends this mandatory orientation session unless you are a staff member with significant responsibilities in a partner district AND have cleared this with your immediate NRESC supervisor.
All staff (and students) will report as directed to their Commission program or partner school/district starting on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

What's Happening around the Commission???

Our Central Office is Growing!

With the growth of services to be outlined below in greater detail, the Commission's central office will be expanding within our current building and complex. At some point during the 2024-2025 school year, our transportation team will be moving to another space on the first floor!

Transportation Expansion!

The transportation department continues to take the lead in organizing routes throughout the region and their reputation for diligent and professional work is well-known statewide. Next month, we will be receiving our first vehicle, with 1-2 more vehicles on the way each year! Additionally, the NRESC will be working with the owner of 82 Totowa Road to create an area within our expansive parking to not only house NRESC vehicles but also provide this "housing service" to partner school districts.

Technology Working on our Digital Footprint

The technology department, under the leadership of Mr. Brian Zinn, still offers a service that no other ESC offers: full and part-time technicians working within partner school districts on a daily basis!

This year, the technology department is spearheading an initiative to improve our digital footprint and, potentially, provide this service to partner school districts.

Instructional & Related Services Throughout the Region!

Under education department directors, Dr. Brad Haimowitz and Ms. Ayanna Thorne, the Commission continues to expand its reach. Aside from our schools and programs, Dr. Haimowitz continues to lead a department whose staff provides services to students in over 30 public, charter, and private school districts on a daily basis. What’s more, Ms. Thorne continues to strive to make the Commission the leading provider of childcare and alternative education services.

Welcome Woodland Park to Our Childcare Family!

In year 2 on the job, Ms. Susan Koger is excited to grow the childcare department, with before and after care programming now in Woodland Park. In addition, serious daycare expansion options in current partner districts, as well as other local towns, are in the works!

New Leadership at Second Home.. With Location #2 on the Way!

Second Home Day Habilitation Center, under the leadership of our new supervisor, Ms. Stacey Gorman, will be doubling its enrollment during the 2024-2025 school year in its brand new facility in Totowa! Moreover—with COVID in our rearview mirrors and our new location steaming away--we are very confident that a second day habilitation center will be open by July of 2025.

Inspirational Work at the Phoenix Center

The Phoenix Center team, under the leadership of Dr. Nancy Finelli, continues to provide exceptional services to the children residing at the center in Wanaque. We are excited this year to now be the provider of instructional services to all of the residents of the center who are part of the New York City Public Schools. Moving forward, it is our mission to further expand our reach into this area of instructional services, as more often than not, children residing in hospital and rehabilitation settings get lost in the shuffle and miss out on needed and required educational services.

Hope Still Inspires!

Hope continues to provide Passaic City students with an opportunity to obtain their diplomas via smaller and more conducive instructional settings. I look forward to seeing Ms. Melissa Margaritis-Gettleman leading Hope to greater heights this year!

Calling the League of Municipalities!

Although the NRESC is an educational services commission, we have regularly provided business and technology services to municipalities, police departments, and local libraries. With this being said, our team is making a greater push this year to solidify ourselves in this space. Therefore, we are excited to attend (and hopefully present at) the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference this fall!

We are Fighting for ESC Funding!

Nationwide, educational services commissions exist in 40 of the 50 states. Out of these 40 states with ESCs, there are 22 states (including New Jersey) which receive ZERO FUNDING from their states. This means that all of these ESCs, including the NRESC, receive all of their funding from "payment of services." Although this has been a long-standing and accepted practice in New Jersey, this can no longer be the norm as, although the NRESC is committed to providing exceptional programs throughout the region, the need for services has far exceeded the available funding. Therefore, the NRESC has been working with local and state lawmakers to get the word out that ESCs are ready to make even more of a difference in the state of New Jersey and we can open more alternative education programs, day habilitation centers, etc., if we are provided with the opportunity to become a part of the funding formula or have grants accessible for new initiatives, just like 18 other states (including those such as New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Texas, and Florida) do.

Friendly Reminders

All human resources questions and inquiries can be sent to Ms. Marta Ortiz and Ms. Jennifer Manansala at hr@nresc.org.

All payroll questions and inquiries can be sent to Mr. Benito Squillaro at payroll@nresc.org.

Calendar Reminders!

August 28: New Staff Orientation (9:00am-11:30am at Central Office).
September 3: NRESC Staff Convocation (IN PERSON at Second Home, 9:00am-1:00pm)
September 4: First Day of School for Students at Hope and Phoenix.
September 24: Back-to-School Night for Hope, Phoenix, and Second Home (further details to follow).

Join Our Family!

The NRESC continues to seek qualified staff members to fill current openings. All current openings can be found at: https://www.njschooljobs.com and www.nj.com/jobs .

If you or someone you know is interested in any of our available positions, resumes can be sent to jobs@nresc.org . Retirees are welcome to apply for part-time and full-time positions!

The NRESC Apparel Store is OPEN!

New Items are Available & All Program/School Logos are Now Customizable

Keep shopping and showing off your NRESC spirit! As a reminder, 12% of all purchases on the website go back to the programs! In addition, there are always FLASH SALES so check in regularly!

https://apparelnow.com/northern-region-esc-apparel

Whether you need a Childcare hoodie, a Phoenix Center lunch bag, a Hope Academy pair of shorts, an NRESC hat, or Second Home leggings, we now have it all! We have even expanded our options for kids so feel free to get the students to wear NRESC clothing or dress your kids up in these cozy items!

Follow us on Instagram!

NRESCNJ

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter)!

As of October 1, 2024, only the following handles will be active: @NRESCNJ and @DrV_NRESC

On October 1, 2024, the following handles will be deactivated, as we are currently changing our approach to social media:

@PhoenixNRESC

@TechnologyNRESC

@HopeNRESC

@AscendNRESC

@SecondHomeNRESC

@ChildcareNRESC

Check the Website Daily!

www.nresc.org