Woodland Park School District News

Welcome to the Woodland Park School District e-Newsletter which is sent out weekly when school is in session. It serves as a glimpse of some of the wonderful things going on in our schools, as well as a point of reference for upcoming events.

Your Partner in Education,

Michele R. Pillari, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Woodland Park’s annual Youth Month kicked off on April 18 with a visit from Mayor Kazmark to Memorial School. He described the program and its similarities to running for a real office. Students received descriptions of the jobs they could run for to be elected to by their peers.

“Participants get to learn about how every element of the town works,” Kazmark said, noting that he had served as a Youth Month councilman as a student in 1992.

Following election day at school, the students selected for the positions have a number of opportunities to see their government in action. On Thursday, a tour of the town included stops at Fire Company No. 2, the Department of Public Works, Board of Education building, municipal building, police department, and Alfred Baumann Library. This past Tuesday, the students sat in on a Borough court session with Judge Toni Belford-Damiano. On May 15 and May 17, students will run Board of Education and Mayor and Council meetings, respectfully, from the dais.

The 2023 Youth Month participants are:

• Mayor - Loujain Lafi
• Council members - Merieka Corpuz, Lisa Ribaudo, Adam Ramadan, Yoseph Khaled, Chris Calderon, and Jenna Moraktan
• Municipal Clerk - Jalal Elnatshe
• Borough Attorney - Tayeeba Ahmed
• Police Chief - Katie Ryan
• Fire Chief - Christian Lopez
• First Aid Squad Captain - Natalie Cruz
• Chief Financial Officer - Fabian Puzo
• Tax Collector - Jenan Moraktan
• Superintendent of Public Works - Laila Renne
• Construction Official - Jordyn Jacobs-Lee
• Library Director - Syd Kabir
• Recreation Director - Gianna Guzman
• Municipal Judge - Jayden Byles
• Superintendent of Schools - Miliani Mercado
• Board of Education President - Danny Stigliano

Students at Beatrice Gilmore School and first and second graders at Charles Olbon School last Friday enjoyed an assembly with author John Schu. A children’s librarian for the website Bookelicious, Mr. Schu is also a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University and shares his love of reading with countless educators and students around the world at assembly programs. Mr. Schu spoke about must-read titles, books that students are excited about, and his work as a reader and a writer. He also discussed the power of reading, the importance of school libraries, and ways to connect through stories. Dozens of students and teacher were very excited to randomly receive books from Mr. Schu and get them autographed after the assembly.

Memorial Middle School House System held its first-ever fundraising color run last Saturday morning. The runners and walkers had a blast navigating the course around the Memorial complex and the local neighborhood while being covered in colored powder as they passed the stations. House leaders Ms. Ament, Ms. McGarrity, Ms. Mangine, and Ms. Elman would like to thank all the runners and walkers who came out to enjoy the event. They would also like to thank the event sponsors: State Farm, Planet Fitness, Berkeley College, Pizza HQ, Joey McBride's Pub, Hanson & Ryan Inc., NJ Lenders Corp., and the Woodland Park Educational Association.

Last week, Memorial Middle School celebrated Mr. Scholtz and Mrs. Reilly on National Principal's Day. Pictured are the administrators with students from Mrs. Behnken's class. They were thanked for their hard work and dedication to the students and staff.

This week, Memorial celebrated Nurse Carbonelli for National School Nurse's Day. Pictured is "Nurse Carb" with students from Ms. Rengulbai and Ms. Elman's homeroom who presented her with a card and beautiful plant for her tireless work taking care of the students (and staff) and for doing so with such compassion and love.

Students in Mrs. Casasnovas' PreK-4 class at School 1 have been learning about a caterpillar's life cycle during their insect study. They also have their own caterpillars to take care of. During this lesson, the students demonstrate an understanding for the caterpillars life cycle by drawing the four life stages. They learned and wrote some vocabulary words as well.

Students have been enjoying field trips this spring! Shown are students from Ms. Tonti's first grade class at Charles Olbon School having fun at Turtle Back Zoo. Other grade field trip locations this year include Ellis Island, Medieval Times, and Liberty Science Center.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. We thank our teachers as well as all of our certified staff members for all of their hard work and continued dedication to our students. At each of our schools this week, the Home & School Associations organized special treats and meals for the staff that were funded by the HSA or donated by parents.

Last chance to order a Memorial Middle School yearbook for 2022-2023! To place an order, click here.

The Woodland Park School District preschool program will host an open house at School 1, 665 McBride Ave., on Thursday, May 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuition free preschool is available to Woodland Park children age 3 and 4. Come visit and learn about the program, meet the preschool director and principal, and visit classrooms and the playground. Enjoy popsicles with Paws, the preschool puppy mascot, from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year is open and ongoing. Any questions, call 973-317-7770.​

The Alfred Baumann Library will host the following programs. Visit the Library's website here or Facebook page here. Its phone is 973-345-8120. Email is library@abwplibrary.org.

Saturday, May 13, 11 a.m. - Arts & Crafts for grades K-4. Make a special Mother's Day craft, just for mom. Register here.

Monday, May 15, 10 a.m. - Weigh To Go weight loss support group. Register here.

Monday, May 15, 10 a.m. - Bouncing Babies. This program for babies age 1 to 23 months includes stories, rhymes, songs, and free play. Register here.

Monday, May 15, 11 a.m. - Chair Yoga. Come and find inner peace through chair yoga and meditation. Register here.

Tuesday, May 16, 1 p.m. - Crafternoon. Enjoy creating a beautiful craft to take home. Come and relax and let your creative juices flow with Linda. Register here.

Wednesday, May 17, 4 p.m. - Snails & Tales for ages 2 and up. Join Miss Sara for a story time with rhymes, songs, a craft, and more. Register here.

Wednesday, May 17, 6:30 p.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join in to work on a craft of your choice. Register here.

Thursday, May 18, 11 a.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join Pat to unwind with the craft of your choice. Register here.

Thursday, May 18, 12 p.m. - Sit & Fit chair exercise class. Register here.

Thursday, May 18, 4:30 p.m. - Afternoon movie for all ages. Join in to watch "Sing 2" and enjoy snacks and drinks. Register here.

Thursday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. - Zentangle with Maria. Learn how to make a beautiful zentangle frame with certified zentangle artist Maria. Register here.

Saturday, May 20, 12:30 p.m. - Spring into STEAM for grades 3 to 8. This month, learn some feathery facts and make an eco-friendly bird feeder. Register here.

Monday, May 22, 6:30 p.m. - ESL Conversation Club. Register here.

Tuesday, May 23, 6:30 p.m. - Pajama Story Time for all ages. The whole family is welcome and pajamas are encouraged. Register here.

Wednesday, May 24, 7 p.m. - OverBooked Book Discussion Group for Gen X and Millennials. This month, the group is reading "Lilac Girls." Copies are available at the Library and available in eBook or digital download format on Libby or Hoopla. Register here.

Thursday, May 25, 6:30 p.m. - Spice of the Month Club will meet to discuss this month's spice. Each month you will receive a sample of a new spice along with a recipe and the history of the spice. Bring a dish for everyone to sample if you choose to. Register here.

Friday, May 26, 11 a.m. - Legos for Seniors. Who said Legos are just for children? Come and have fun creating. Register here.

Click here for Instagram

Click here Twitter

Email: mpillari@wpschools.org
Website: www.wpschools.org
Location: 853 McBride Avenue, Woodland Park, NJ 07424, USA
Phone: 973-317-7711