Winter Wrap-Up

As I shared in my message to the community on January 24th, the WLB Board of Education is proud to share the news that we have entered into a shared service arrangement with the Borough of West Long Branch to place a Class III Officer full-time in our school buildings during the school year. We are grateful beyond measure for how our town and school district have come together to safeguard and protect our schools.

Please click the link below to review the letter from 1/24/2024.

Who better to showcase all the great things happening in our schools than our own student reporters?

Check out the December and January editions of the Spartan Press by clicking the images below!

We continue our tradition of honoring students for all the ways in which they are exceptional.

For December, we recognized students who exemplify the following characteristic:

• Authentic, showing honesty, trustworthiness and integrity.

For January, we recognize students who exemplify the following characteristic:

• Respectful of themselves, their friends, and all members of the school community.

Vivian S. (Fifth Grade)

Veronica J. (Sixth Grade)

Savannah R. (Seventh Grade)

Reagan C. (Eighth Grade)

Ryan M. (Fifth Grade)

Julian R. (Sixth Grade)

Alex C. (Seventh Grade)

Camila V. (Eighth Grade)

Emma W. (Kindergarten)

Lulu L. (First Grade)

Chris W. (Second Grade)

Marcus J. (Third Grade)

Elle Y (Fourth Grade)

Levi P. (Kindergarten)

Camila D. (First Grade)

Asher L. (Second Grade)

Delaney D. (Third Grade)

Luca D. (Fourth Grade)

Maria S. (Fourth Grade)

Our district proudly participates in the New Jersey "Governor's Educator of the year" program. Each year, the school community nominates and selects exceptional teachers and education services professionals for the honor.

This year, we are proud to honor the following individuals for their skill, commitment, and contributions to the school community:

Kathleen Beyers is a kind-hearted teacher who cares deeply about her students and what they learn. She places a high priority on making her lessons engaging and fun, and the outcome of her hard work can be seen not only in the test scores of the students in her classroom, but also in the connections she makes with them.

In addition to the connection she makes with her students, she is also valuable to her colleagues as well. She is supportive to the staff, and is always willing to lend a helping hand.

Additionally, Mrs. Beyers extends herself to opportunities outside of the school day by delivering home instruction, as well after school instructional support. She is reliable, dependable, and a positive contributor to the school community.

All in all, Kathleen can always be seen with a smile on her face, and that alone makes a difference in the lives of the individuals she interacts with each day. Our students, staff, and school community are truly so fortunate to have her!

Mrs. Andreasi is the art teacher at Betty McElmon Elementary and Frank Antonides School. She has a passion for the Visual Arts and is extremely skilled at modeling art techniques for students to emulate in the classroom. A parent at BME recently stated, “Mrs. Andreasi has a passion for the visual arts and her enthusiasm is contagious.” Indeed, Mrs. Andreasi has a knack for bringing out the creativity and excitement in all of her students, whether or not they originally thought of themselves as "artistic."

Each year, Mrs. Andreasi is instrumental in collaborating with the West Long Branch Education Foundation to design and execute the annual Artivity Night, a fun-filled showcase of artwork created by students during the school year. She also works with the Borough of West Long Branch for the annual Lantern Walk, and has historically been the creative genius behind the BME Spring Show set designs.

Mrs. Andreasi makes a difference for her students, colleagues, and the overall school community every day, and we're very fortunate to have her in West Long Branch!

On a daily basis, Mrs. Steel supports students under her supervision with their academic and social development in the classroom. Mrs. Steel is kind, friendly, patient, and professional in her interactions with children on a daily basis. A staff member at BME described Mrs. Steel as being, “A breath of fresh air every morning.” She is patient and nurturing, and such a wonderful colleague.

Truly, Mrs. Steel epitomizes the qualities of the 2023-2024 Educational Services Professional of the Year. We're so lucky to have here working with our students, and we appreciate all that she brings to the WLB school environment!

Registration is now open! Please click the link below to register your 3 or 4 year old child for our free preschool program!

For the 2024-2025 school year, we will be expanding once again. In addition to the three classrooms at BME, we will also offer two more WLB classrooms at Kiddie Academy of Eatontown. Staffed by certified teachers, overseen by Mr. Erhardt and our Preschool Instructional Coach, Ms. Defilippis, and featuring family-style meals cooked by a private chef and robust before- and after-care wraparound options, our WLB at Kiddie Academy classrooms have a lot to offer!

Click below for access to the presentation from our recent Preschool Information Night.

(Note from Dr. Egan - This is a competition after my own heart! Some of our families might know that while I'm no chef, cooking is my favorite hobby. I can't wait to see the recipes your families hold dear, and maybe pick up a few great cooking tips, myself!)

February 7: Report Cards Released

February 13: Future Chef Competition

February 16-19: School Closed for Staff and Students

February 23-March 1: PTA Book Fair

February 26 - March 1: BME Read Across America Week

February 27: Regular Action Meeting of the BOE @ 5:30 PM

February 28: PTA Book Fair Family Night 5:00 - 7:30 PM