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

The science fair has returned in full force to Memorial Middle School. All seventh grade students took part in the event on May 31, showing off their projects to family, friends, and classmates. Students either worked solo or in a pair to create their project. At the event, they explained their work and the result of their experiments to guests stopping by their booths.

Attendees of the fair were asked to vote on several categories. Congratulations to the 2023 Science Fair winners (shown below):

• Most Creative: Madeena and Maritza - making a phonograph
  
• Best Scientific Thinking: Maher and Andres - fastest way to cool a soda
  
• Best Design: Nicola and Christian - the science of shooting hoops
  
• Best Experiment: Phillipe - designing a solar oven
  
• Overall Science Fair Winner - Jenai and Sammy - battle of the senses: taste vs. smell
  

Beatrice Gilmore School held Field Day on Monday. The students rotated through 15 activity stations outside which included javelin, horseshoes, capture the flag, tug-of-war, gaga ball, and more. The day ended with a tug-of-war match between teams of teachers and parent volunteers. The Home & School Association provided shirts, a DJ, lunch, and ice pops for all the students and staff members.

Charles Olbon School kindergarten classes held two moving up ceremonies yesterday morning. Students, family, friends, administration, Board of Education members, and Mayor Keith Kazmark gathered in the all-purpose room for this special ceremony.

Beatrice Gilmore School held three grade level musical performances this week for classmates, parents, and friends. Fourth grade general music students, under Music Teacher Ms. Maldonado, showed off their skills on the recorder, while fifth grade students who are not in concert band showed their skills on the xylophone, glockenspiel, and hand drums. The fifth grade concert band, below, performed a number of songs as part of their final showcase of the year under the direction of Music Director Mr. Schaefer.

Memorial Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade band visited Beatrice Gilmore School on Tuesday to showcase the musical achievements of the students and to provide BG students with an opportunity to see just one of the many activities they can be involved in at the middle school. The concert band and the jazz band both performed a few songs.

One of the newest programs in the Beatrice Gilmore School Bear's Den after-school program is the Be Organic group. Led by Mrs. Yesonosky and Mrs. Gunasekera, students in Be Organic have been learning about composting, planting, and how to appreciate nature. They have used available natural resources to create pictures, built natural bird feeders, and used nature as inspiration for both art and poetry.

The Woodland Park Police Department will be hosting its annual free Junior Police Academy this summer. It is from Aug. 14 to Aug. 18 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the WP Boys & Girls Club.

Cadets must be from the ages of 11-14, must be residents of Woodland Park, and must be in middle school. The first 30 completed applications will be accepted, as long as the cadet meets all requirements.

The program is designed to offer both boys and girls a deeper understanding and appreciation of law enforcement. Cadets will be guided through a variety of hands-on experiences ranging in all aspects of law enforcement. A shirt, shorts, hat, and water bottle will be issued to each cadet.

Applications can be picked up at police headquarters, 5 Brophy Lane, and can be brought back once fully completed. If your child is accepted, there will be a mandatory orientation meeting on July 21, at 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 5 Brophy Lane. A parent/guardian and the cadet must be present.

For further information, contact Capt. Brady at 973-345-8123 or mbrady@wpnj.us.

Cub Scout Pack 31 will be registering new Cub Scouts (boys entering grades K-4 in September) on Monday, June 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the American Legion on Mount Pleasant Avenue. If you are interested in signing up, please stop by. Can't make it or want more information? E-mail Pack 31 at WPCubScouts@gmail.com.

The WP Summer Camp held a parent meeting last night where attendees could meet some of the staff, learn about the schedule, and get answers to any questions they had. The camp will be led by director Kelsey Marren, and assistants Hannah Relovsky and Andrea Cruz. This year, we will have 250 children at camp and a lot of new and exciting activities.

Parents are encouraged to follow the camp on Facebook and Instagram, as photos of activities and reminders will be posted. If parents have any concerns or questions they should call or email the camp and not post on social media. Camp reminders will strictly be emailed to parents. Please make sure your current email is up to date on the Community Pass system.

The children are broken down into three groups - grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Activities were designed by educators and are age-appropriate for each group of campers.

Other important notes:

• Camp drop-off is from 8:15 to 8:45 each morning. Parents cannot drop off children prior to 8:15 a.m. Activities start at 9 a.m. Pick-up is between 3 and 3:30 p.m.
  
• Parents can park their car facing Rifle Camp Road and walk to the entrance or utilize the drop-off/pick up line. Parents are not to exit their vehicle on the line.
  
• Hand-held games, toys, and cell phones are strongly discouraged.
  
• Label all items brought to camp (lunch box, towel, bags, etc.)
  
• The First Aid Squad is stationed at the camp daily.
  
• Apply sunscreen before the day begins. A camper may bring spray sunscreen with them to reapply. They will be reminded.
  
• Attendance is taken daily. If you will be away or your child will be out for the day, please email or call the camp.
  

Any questions regarding camp can be directed to recreation@wpnj.us. Once camp is in session, parents can contact the camp at 973-278-5053 or summercamp@wpnj.us.

The Alfred Baumann Library announces its 2023 summer reading program, "All Together Now!" Summer reading programs encourage children to read for pleasure and retain their reading skills during the summer months. The program runs from June 19 to Aug. 12. Children can register here.

As you may know, the Alfred Baumann Library received a grant for a brand-new building. While it is under construction, its temporary location will be at Berkeley College, 44 Rifle Camp Rd. To commemorate the move, the Library will be hosting a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, June 27 at 6 p.m. Following the ceremony, Miss Jolie will help the Library kick off summer reading with her "Bubbly Beats" show at 6:30 p.m.

Have you ever wondered what's behind the trees at 44 Rifle Camp Road? On June 8, the Alfred Baumann Library will initiate the long-awaited event of packing and relocating to its temporary home on the Berkeley College campus. Its dedication to serving its patrons remains unwavering. Throughout the transitional period, curbside and foyer services will be available at 7 Brophy Lane, ensuring seamless access to any holds (requested materials received) and material returns until June 15.

The Library staff eagerly anticipates the launch of full services at Berkeley College, scheduled to commence on June 21, offering a fresh chapter in the library's narrative. The official ribbon cutting for this "grand partnership" between the Library and Berkeley College will be on June 27 at 6 pm. All are welcome to attend and discover "What's Behind the Trees at Rifle Camp Road?" Stay tuned to the Library's website and social media as more updates are shared.

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, June 10, 11 a.m. - Arts & Crafts for grades K-4 (to be held in the Municipal Building community room). Register here.

June 11-24 - Library programming will be limited as the staff and volunteers pack for the move to the temporary location at Berkeley College while building renovations are being done.

Monday, June 12, 10 a.m. - Weigh To Go weight loss support group (to be held in the Municipal Building community room.) Register here.

Monday, June 12, 6:30 p.m. - ESL Conversation Club (to be held in the Municipal Building community room.) Register here.

Wednesday, June 14, 6:30 p.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join in to work on a craft of your choice (to be held in the Municipal Building community room.) Register here.

Thursday, June 15, 11 a.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join Pat to unwind with the craft of your choice (to be held in the Municipal Building community room.) Register here.

Thursday, June 15, 12 p.m. - Sit & Fit chair exercise class (to be held in the Municipal Building community room). Register here.

Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m. - Shell Science STEAM for grades 3-6 (to be held in the Municipal Building community room). 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