Superintendent’s Report
January 9, 2025
Volume 11 Issue 5
Dr. Frank Ranelli

 

Board Honored for Attaining NJ Certification

Congratulations to our Board of Education, which was honored Thursday, Dec. 12, for attaining certification through the New Jersey School Boards Association Member Academy. All of the Board members volunteered 16 hours of their time going back to the 2023-24 school year to training and professional development in areas including general boardsmanship, governance, school law, labor relations, policy, and leadership. Piscataway is one of only 18 school boards in New Jersey to attain certification this year, and it is a testament to the commitment and dedication shown by these nine volunteer public servants.

 

The frogs are fake, the learning is real

Piscataway has added a new wrinkle this school year to middle school frog dissection by introducing synthetic frogs as an option for students who have religious or ethical objection to participating in a dissection. The great majority of students continue to cut into and examine real, once-living frogs for their lab work. But there were always some students who felt that they could not take part due to a specific objection. The frogs come from a company called SynDaver specifically for dissection. They are made of “SynTissue” – a synthetic material made from salt, water, and fiber to mimic the physical properties of actual tissues. “The frog feels totally real,” said Supervisor of K-8 Science and Engineering Dr. Jeffrey Celebre.

 

Three Board Members Take Oath of Office for 2025

Congratulations to the members of our Board of Education who were sworn in at our annual Reorganization Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 2. Dr. Tom Connors was reelected to the Board and was sworn in by Business Administrator and Board Secretary David Oliveira, along with newcomers Dr. Gayle Nelson and Prashant Patel. Also at the meeting, Shantell Cherry was selected as president, and Nancy Salgado-Cowan was chosen as vice president.

 

Mission Accomplished for Grandview SWAT Team

Thanks to the Grandview Elementary School SWAT Team for visiting with our Board of Education at its December meeting to show how they help their school. Members of SWAT (Students Who Assist with Technology) are third-graders who help their classmates and even their teachers when they run into issues with their iPads or other school technology. The students were supported at the meeting by Grandview Principal Neel Desai and Digital Literacy teacher Sandi Desai, and received certificates of appreciation from Board President Shantell Cherry.

 

Board Thanks Two Members for Years of Public Service

Our district extends a huge thank you to former Board of Education members Nancy Corradino and Sarah Rashid, who attended their final Board meeting on Dec. 12. Board President Shantell Cherry presented each with a plaque thanking them for their years of service to the schools, students, and residents of Piscataway.

 

Rolling the Dice on Fun at M.L. King Family Game Night

Students had a great time in December at Martin Luther King Intermediate School’s first ever Family Game Night. Everyone enjoyed fun board games, as well as video games in the exciting Game Truck. Students and their families also got an opportunity to do any last-minute shopping at the Holiday Shoppe.

 

Coming Up

Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Day, all schools and offices closed

Jan. 21: Culture, Climate & Community Relations Committee meeting, 7 p.m.

Jan. 28: Policy/Legislative Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 31: Marking Period 2 ends

Feb. 3: Curriculum Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 5: Fiscal Planning & Operations Committee meeting, 7 p.m.

Feb. 13-14: Schor musical, “Matilda Jr.,” 7 p.m.

Feb. 13: Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m.

 

Schor Mentor Program Enjoys a ‘Cup of Gratitude’

Schor Middle School kicked off its Golden Hawks mentorship program on Wednesday, Dec. 11, with a festive gathering over cocoa and cookies. Students and their mentors designed a “Cup of Gratitude” craft, played a winter word scramble, and enjoyed hot chocolate with festive toppings. The staff who volunteer as mentors were happy for the opportunity to get to know students outside of the classroom as they started off this year of mentorship together.

 

Traveling Planetarium Promises a Trip to the Stars

Our district’s Star Lab traveling planetarium has begun its school tour, giving students private, closeup excursions into the night sky. The Star Lab experience expands on and reinforces the district’s space science curriculum through grade-specific discussions of astronomy and mythology. Students climb inside what looks like a large inflatable igloo, where constellations and images are projected onto the ceiling. The star treks are led by Supervisor of K-8 Science Dr. Jeffrey Celebre. The tour started Dec. 16-17 at Grandview Elementary School, where he was joined by teacher Robert Ahrens, who is also a big proponent of Star Lab.

 

Eisenhower Families in Need Get Boost from Ferraro Foods

Great thanks to Ferraro Foods for donating holiday presents to Eisenhower Elementary School families in need. From left are Assistant Principal Diane Mosko, School Counselor Sara Haarburger, Principal Vincenzo Stio, and Lisa Faust and Melissa Garatino of Ferraro Foods.

 

Detective Discusses Online Safety with Caregivers Group

Thanks to Piscataway Township Police Department Detective Elk Peterkin for speaking Tuesday, Dec. 10, about keeping our children safe on social media. He was addressing our Caregiver Connections group, a program run by our Office of Community Education as an outreach to grandparents and other friends and family members who are helping to raise Piscataway students in Grades PreK-12. Detective Peterkin serves as School Resource Officer at Piscataway High School.

 

National Honor Society Welcomes 87 New Inductees

Congratulations to the 87 new juniors and seniors inducted into the Piscataway High School National Honor Society on Thursday, Dec. 19. NHS now has a total of 166 scholars committed to community service, such as park clean-ups and blood drives, as well as tutoring programs and homework assistance. The NHS is guided by adviser Holly Cregar-Porch.

 

Science Symposium Offers a Look at New Opportunities

PHS science students gained a wealth of knowledge Thursday, Dec. 12, at the annual Research & Internship Symposium hosted by our ACS ChemClub. Guest speakers, including several PHS alums, shared their experiences in a variety of internship and research opportunities with current students during an after-school session in the Media Center. The ChemClub provided QR codes that linked to further information about the programs they discussed. ChemClub is guided by adviser Amina Elmahalawy.

 

Senior Continues Her Fight for Overdose Awareness

Piscataway High School senior Tanvi Narava is continuing to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid use and inspiring others to join her mission for healthier communities. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project — a prestigious honor that recognizes leadership and community service — Tanvi collaborated with the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey to develop an informative and engaging webinar for its Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day initiative. Also, Tanvi’s overdose project, “Renew You: Embrace You,” has been selected to be showcased at Duke University’s MaryAnn Black Distinguished Health Equity Symposium on Feb. 7, 2025.

 

PHS Swimmer Selected for Academic All-America Team

Congratulations to Piscataway High School senior Joey Fay, who has been selected by USA Swimming for their 2024 Scholastic All-America Team. Recipients are selected from high school swimmers around the country for their academic and athletic excellence. Joey qualified by holding a GPA of 3.5 or higher for the 2023-24 academic school year and by excelling in the 2024 Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament 50 Freestyle event. He is coached at PHS by Noelle Hartje.

 

Pway Fast Fact

Did you know: Student handbooks are available on our website for each school level. These handy references include information on procedures for absences, conduct, and much more, as well as contact information and tips to help students thrive in school.

 

Instant Decision Days Pay Off for Seniors

Congratulations to 18 Piscataway High School seniors who gained acceptance to Kean University during the college’s Instant Decision Day at PHS on Thursday, Dec. 5. Our students were awarded over $40,000 in scholarships, including a full scholarship for Mani Helena. And congratulations to senior Natalie Nguyen, who was accepted to Fairleigh Dickinson University on IDD. Instant Decision Days are a non-binding way to receive an on-the-spot college acceptance from an admissions counselor who reviews a student’s submitted application. Students often walk away with an offer of admission and sometimes even a scholarship. The offers are not binding and students are free to continue exploring other colleges.

 

Freshman Boys Basketball Wins Holiday Tourney

Congratulations to the Piscataway High School freshman boys basketball team for winning the championship of the Piscataway Holiday Hoops Tournament by beating Roselle on Dec. 28. The freshman boys started the season at 6-1. The Chiefs freshman team is coached by  Alan Smarz.

 

NHS Drive Collects 78 Pints for Blood Center

Thank you to the Piscataway National Honor Society for hosting a blood drive for the New York Blood Center on Dec. 11. Members were able to register 99 students and staff to donate by publicizing the drive during morning announcements, with a blood-drop costume during lunches, and through social media. They collected a total of 78 pints to help save lives. The NHS is planning another drive for May 19.

 

Visit our @PwaySchools YouTube Channel to see video clips of PHS and middle school concerts!