Chief Report

The school year is in full swing as we kick off November here at PHS. Fall sports are wrapping up, with many of our teams still in the championship hunt. Tennis, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, and football are all still alive in the playoffs and we wish the best of luck as they look to bring home some hardware for PHS. We started October with the Week of Respect where we had morning messages that challenged us to transform our intentions into positive actions. We administered the PSAT in a digital format to all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students while our 12th grade students began preparing for graduation. Order those caps and gowns now; June will be here before you know it! We capped it off with an amazing Spirit Week. We ended the week with a pep rally homecoming game where the Class of 1969 was back to support their Chiefs, and a dance. It was a busy but enjoyable start to the school year, and I am looking forward seeing what November has in store!

Talisa Butler - English

Vanessa Da Silva - Special Services Secretary

Kristen Dowling - Science

Ely Hernandez - Secretary to Mr. Berdecia & Ms. Cooper

Aziel James - Social Studies

Akilah Johnson - Science

Stavroula Kelesidis - Math

Jenna Levine - Special Education

Holly Roche-Robertson - Special Education

Tenille Stewart - Athletics Secretary

Keshav Tallavajhala - Social Studies

Greg Thomas- Math

Patrick Wallace - ESL

VPA Supervisor Rebekah Sterlacci has been selected to be a part of the Arts Ed NJ Professional Learning Facilitation Community (PLFC)! This cohort will focus on the philosophical foundations of the NJ Student Learning Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts and reflect upon examples of implementation informed by Social Emotional Learning and Culturally Responsive Arts Education, which provide a foundation for student empowerment through arts education.

Rebekah is so excited to be a part of this team and thrilled to have an opportunity to have a positive impact on arts education in our state!

Piscataway High School’s Rho Kappa student Board held its induction ceremony in The PAC on Wednesday, September 25th. Vice President of the Board of Education, Dr. Tom Connors, Director of Administrative Services, Dr. Glenn Lottman and Principal Baldassano welcomed students and family members. The new members were sworn in by Mr. Wernlund, who serves as advisor to the society. Congrats to all, we look forward to seeing how Rho Kappa will serve our community, upholding the value that “knowledge without service is useless”. ​

The Superchiefs Band Festival was on Saturday, October 5, 2024. The students across the state competed and then capped off the show with their own exhibition. The event was a huge success thanks to Ken Zampella and the Band Festival Superchief Staff, Band Parents Association, and volunteers.

Junior Milani Washington was selected as GMC Volleyball Player of the Week 1 of the season by nj.com

Congratulations to Piscataway High School Senior Jahai Johnson, who tied a national high school football record with three kickoff return touchdowns in the Chiefs’ September 6th game against Bridgewater-Raritan.

Congratulations to Piscataway High School Junior Milani Washington for being named girls volleyball Player of the Week for the Greater Middlesex Conference on September 12th. The article on NJ.com said Milani led the way in wins over South Brunswick, East Brunswick, and Woodbridge with 38 kills, 24 digs, four aces, and two blocks.

Piscataway High School Senior Michael Shtelen, earned a medal by finishing in the Top 25 at the competitive Bernie Magee Cross Country Invitational on September 22nd at the Central Park of Morris County. Michael also won a medal winning 8th place at the Middlesex Country Cross Championships at the end of October.

"The 2024 Fall Spirit Week celebrated everything about being a Piscataway Chief! We saw record participation from our staff and students in our various spirit theme days, especially decades day. Our class councils worked hard to create engaging scenes from popular video games in our hallway decorating contest. This year, our Seniors claimed first place with their Fortnite hallway. The week culminated with our Pep Rally recognizing our Fall athletes, PHS Superchief Marching Band, performances from our Cheer and Dance teams, and an intense competition of tug-of-war and hamster wheel races. On Saturday, we held our Homecoming Dance that saw our students dressed up to dance the night away."

Steve Virgone Social Studies Teacher at PHS will be presenting at this year’s National Council for Social Studies in Boston, MA November 22-24. Mr.Virgone co-wrote the Honors World Cultures curriculum which is based on OER (Open Educational Resources) and Digital Promise resources. In addition to participating as a presenter at NCSS conference, Mr. Virgone is being honored for his contributions to Digital Promise curriculum.

Piscataway High School senior Aishwarya Govindaswamy has been selected for the Arts Ed New Jersey Youth Arts Ed Council! The council has been working diligently to learn about arts education and advocacy. Through their research, the council members have explored the positive health effects that studying the arts can have on high school students. Aishwarya is eager to work toward ensuring that the arts receive the recognition and support they deserve in schools. She is excited to collaborate with like-minded peers, contribute to meaningful projects, and further her understanding of how arts education policies can evolve to better serve students across New Jersey. Congratulations to Aishwarya on this outstanding accomplishment!

The Superchief Marching Band and Chiefs Dance Team are giving stellar performances at our Football Game Halftime Shows! Make sure you catch these performances before the season is over! Thanks to Ken Zampella, Jason Lakshmanan, the Superchief Marching Band Staff, the Band Parents, and Kylah Sessoms!

Jason Lakshmanan joins the Superchief Marching Band as the new Assistant Director, bringing a wealth of experience and a deep passion for music and education. With a background in music performance and instructional leadership, Jason has demonstrated a remarkable ability to inspire and develop young musicians. Jason is a graduate of the PHS class of 2014 and the 2019 class of Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts. In his previous roles as Brass Caption Head of the Superchief Marching Band and featured soloist with the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps, he excelled in areas of show design, music arrangement, and student mentorship, contributing significantly to the success and growth of both ensembles. In his new role with the Superchief Marching Band, Jason is eager to leverage his expertise to enhance the band’s artistic and technical capabilities. He looks forward to working closely with the band members and fellow staff to elevate performances, nurture talent, and achieve new levels of excellence on the field. With a strong emphasis on teamwork and discipline, Jason is poised to help lead the Superchiefs to new heights of success and recognition. Jason currently works as a freelance trumpet player in the shore area and an elementary school music teacher in Little Silver New Jersey. In his free time he loves going to the beach, playing golf, skiing, watching the Yankees and spending time with friends and family.

Dasia graduated in spring of 2024 with a BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Her first teaching experience was summer of 2024, where she co-directed a dance program for ages 6-12, in conjunction with the nonprofit organization NJ Rise. By spring of 2025, she will have a master's degree in Dance Education PK-12 from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. This fall, she is a student teacher at Piscataway High School and mentored by Jessica Taylor.

Our PHS Dance students got a uniform upgrade this year with these awesome PHS Dance sweatshirts!

Thanks to Mrs. Taylor!

Mr. Grimm - Teacher of the Month

9th Grade - Melanie Lopez

10th Grade - Jennie Hernandez

11th Grade - Terance Young

12th Grade - Faith Patrick

Ms. Ramacharran - Teacher of the Month

9th Grade - Jadamarie Owens

10th Grade - Linda Nguyen

11th Grade - Nataly Supe

12th Grade - Benjamin Marcinko

November 1 - Inservice (School Closed for Students)

November 5 - School Closed Election Day

November 7 - School Closed NJEA Convention

November 8 - School Closed NJEA Convention

November 20 - 1/2 Day for Students (Evening Conferences)

November 21 - 1/2 Day for Students (Evening Conferences)

November 22 - 1/2 Day for Students (Afternoon Conferences)

November 27 - 1/2 Day for Staff & Student

November 28 - School Closed for Thanksgiving

November 29 - School Closed for Thanksgiving