The Cougar Chronicle

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Cranford High School Performing Arts Department will present its annual Opening Gala Concert on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 7:30pm. The concert has become a back-to-school tradition in Cranford and provides parents and the community a first look at the performing groups for the coming year. The concert features first performances from the Cranford High School Concert Choir, Madrigal Choir, Noteworthy and West End Blend a cappella groups, the CHS String Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Concert Band, as well as the CHS Performing Arts Dancers and Actors, and the Cougar Marching Band. The Cranford High School spring musical production will also be announced. Click here for more information.

On Sept. 23, the Cranford Board of Education recognized the Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence (CFEE) for its dedication and support to education in the community.

The CFEE, which was founded 20 years ago by members of the community interested in supporting innovative educational initiatives in the Cranford Schools, has awarded more than $300,000 to support our teachers and students. The supplemental funding for educational grants empowers our teachers and impacts our students every day. These grants support ideas aligned with the goals and focus areas of district schools but outside the regular school budget.

This year, the CFEE awarded grants totaling $34,484 in the following areas:

• Differentiation/ Personalization
• Makerspaces / Innovation Zones
• Innovations in Classroom Design
• Innovations to Support School District Goals

Pictured above are Board of Education members Terry Darling, Kurt Petschow, Sue Shaw, Jess Soltys and CFEE members Shannon Gallo, Robin Yablonski, Guinevere Pherson, Karen Bennett, and Inga Reibarkh.

Every month this digital newsletter will highlight someone making an impact in our schools.

We are pleased to announce that the district was able to secure lower rates for bonds than previously projected, meaning that residents will pay less taxes than projected for the projects approved by the community last January in the bond referendum.

In June, the district sold bonds at lower rates than previously projected. Seven public bids indicated interest rates had gone down from the original estimated annual tax impact of $410 for the average assessed home ($186,000) to $383.05 - a decrease of nearly $27 per year. The district also still has the option to refinance in the future should rates drop even lower.

“As part of the district’s strategy to be fiscally responsible, we used conservative estimates of the interest rate throughout the referendum process,” said Business Administrator Robert Carfagno. “We were pleased to see that rates were lower than anticipated. The vote was only the beginning of this process, and it is important to continue to share how taxpayer money is being spent.”

Please visit cranfordschools.org/vote for more details.

Cranford Public Schools hosted their Annual Safety Presentation on Wednesday, Oct. 9. This meeting was presented in partnership with the Cranford Police Department, Cranford Fire Department, and Cranford Office of Emergency Management and provided safety updates as well as an open forum for the community to have input in the district's safety initiatives.

In Mrs. Dugandzic's Precalculus Honors class, students engaged in a dynamic activity where they practiced graphing piecewise functions using vertical dry-erase surfaces. This hands-on approach encouraged active collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving among small groups. Each group member took on specific roles to ensure efficiency and accuracy. One student verified each segment of the piecewise graph using Desmos, an online graphing utility, while another student focused on drawing the graphs precisely. A third group member contributed by analyzing the work, providing valuable insights into any possible errors or improvements. The combination of tactile, visual, and digital tools fostered a rich learning experience that deepened the students' understanding of piecewise functions while emphasizing teamwork and diverse perspectives in approaching mathematical challenges.

Students spent September discussing respect and various ways to respect themselves, each other, the schools, parents and teachers. Respect week brought various activities including role playing rude and respectful behaviors and lessons and stories about “The Golden Rule” and mindfulness activities. The students learned various breathing techniques to practice daily and then each picked one they were most comfortable with to practice at home.

Cranford High School students are getting a head start in careers in engineering by learning to do things like design and build bridges while other students interested in biomedical careers are witnessing surgeries and listening to presentations by medical experts.

The 43 engineering students are part of the C.T.E. Engineering Academy, and the 32 health science students are members of the Biomedical Career Academy.

“The students all take these college-level courses at CHS and receive college credit once they pass an exam offered by Rutgers University for the Biomedical Career Academy and the New Jersey Institute,” said Lisa R. Hayeck, Cranford’s Supervisor of Science and Applied Technology K-12 and CTE Coordinator Biomedical & Engineering.

“While the Science Academy has been an integral part of CHS for 20 years, it has been a rewarding experience to evolve the academy into a comprehensive career-focused program,” said Hayeck, who is also a CHS alum. “This transformation offers students a wealth of real-world experiences, rigorous coursework that provides college credit, interactions with industry professionals, competitions, career fairs, and numerous other opportunities. The academy enables students to explore their career interests at a deeper level, helping to ignite their passions and clarify their future life goals.”

“Taking the NJIT Engineering course at CHS is really helping me figure out what I want to do for a career,” said junior Ryleigh Cucculo, a student in the Engineering Academy. “The opportunity to hear guest speakers and participate in engineering competitions has given me a real idea of what it could look like to pursue a career in the engineering field.”

Eighth graders who are interested in engineering and health science can write essays about their interest in either field to apply to the C.T.E. Engineering Academy or the Biomedical Career Academy.

Engineering students get exposed to robotics, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering, she said. In the engineering program, students compete in bridge-building competitions where they design bridges using a 3D printer or even out of tongue depressors.

In the biomedical program, students attend the Rutgers University Health Science Career Fair, a virtual medical conference, a live surgery at Liberty Science Center and join a high school medical careers club.

“The Biomedical Academy at CHS provides students with many opportunities and classes to broaden their understanding of science and health care,” said junior Anna Mutti. “The course Dynamics of Healthcare covered more than 40 healthcare careers in depth, allowing me to gain further insight into my future.”

"The Biomedical career academy has significantly impacted my education and career goals," said sophomore Natalia Reguera. "It has allowed me to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor by providing a strong foundation in medicine, college credit, and fostering my love for science.”

The program gives students “an edge over their peers at other high schools,” noted Hayeck. “This initiative presents an exceptional opportunity for our students to engage with professionals across various fields, participate in college-level coursework, compete in relevant competitions, and attend real-world experiences, such as live surgeries. Such experiences allow students to explore their career interests before enrolling in college and selecting a major.”