Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Johanna S. Ruberto, Interim Superintendent

Sept. 11, 2025

Volume 12, Issue 1

 

Excitement and Energy Fill the Air as School Returns

Students and families arrived on Tuesday, Sept. 2, with great anticipation and excitement for our first day of school. Parents gave their children extra long hugs at the bus stop or the school door, then handed them off to waiting bus drivers, administrators, and staff. Students reunited with their friends, then headed to their new classrooms, where teachers welcomed them to the 2025-26 school year. Thank you to everyone who shared photos of their children on social media using our special #FirstDayPway hashtag so the community could share in the joy and excitement.

 

Board Appoints Glover as New Superintendent

We want to offer a hearty welcome to our new superintendent, Erskine R. Glover. Mr. Glover, who has more than 30 years of experience as an educator and has served as the superintendent of Hillside Public Schools since 2021, was appointed at the Aug. 14 Board of Education meeting and is expected to start his new position in November. “I’m definitely excited about the opportunity to lead a district that has demonstrated strong performance, that has demonstrated a commitment to students, and a community that is receptive to new ideas and innovation,” he said.

 

Programs Aim to Smooth 9th-Grade Transition to PHS

FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE: Piscataway High School welcomed ninth-graders over the summer for two days of informative and fun activities to smooth their entry into high school. The Freshman Experience sessions, held the week of Aug. 11, included ice breakers, team-building games, and Q&A sessions with peer mentors. It also featured a special presentation by Class of 2029 Assistant Principal Jonathan Bizzell and Dean of Students Cynthia Botett, and workshops covering technology tips, decision-making, and conflict resolution.

MENTOR TRAINING:

Seventy-two PHS juniors and seniors came together in August to prepare for their roles as peer mentors for the Class of 2029. The mentor training included four days of skill building, inclusivity awareness, and leadership activities, and is a required component of Freshman Seminar Mentor Course. The camp is run annually by District Supervisor of Special Projects Noel Aprile and PHS teacher and Freshman Seminar mentor coordinator Dawne Dionisio. Magdalena Adamczyk, a PHS learning consultant and Child Study Team member, also joined the camp this year to provide supplemental training for mentors who will be working alongside students with diverse learning needs.

 

Seniors Get a Head Start on College Applications

Before this school year even started, Piscataway High School seniors were busy preparing for what comes next. On August 12, the PHS Counseling Department hosted its annual College Application Bootcamp. Throughout the morning, students rotated through four interactive workshops led by PHS counselors and special guests. The sessions covered key topics including the Common App & Scoir, Financial Aid, Scholarships, and College Essays. By the end of the bootcamp, seniors left feeling informed, motivated, and better prepared for the college application process.

 

Seniors Experience Political Process at Girls State

Congratulations to PHS seniors Jane Rodrigues and Leyna McBride for their successful participation in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State civic education program. The event took place June 22-26 at Georgian Court University, where the girls learned about the political process by forming mock governments, running for office, and debating legislation along with 200 high school girls from around the state. The girls got involved after Leyna learned about the program and asked if it was available to PHS students. The week was filled with many learning opportunities, as well as fun, and the formation of long-term friendships.

 

Coming Up

 

Back to School Nights Starting at 6 p.m.

Sept. 16: Middle Schools

Sept. 17: Intermediate Schools

Sept. 18: High School

Sept. 24: SAIL Program

Sept. 25: Elementary Schools

 

Sept. 15: Piscataway Education Foundation Spirit Wear Sale begins

Sept. 23: Rosh Hashanah – Schools Closed for Teachers and Students

Sept. 30: Culture, Climate & Community Relations Committee meeting, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1: Fiscal Planning & Operations Committee meeting, 7 p.m.

Oct. 2: Yom Kippur – Schools Closed for Teachers and Students

Oct. 6: Curriculum Committee Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9: Board of Education Meeting,  6:30 p.m.

 

Physics Teacher Chosen as NASA Education Ambassador

Congratulations to Piscataway High School astronomy and physics teacher Erin Bontempo, who was selected as one of only eight educators nationwide to serve as NASA Heliophysics Education Ambassadors in 2025. Ms. Bontempo first connected with the program at the National Science Teaching Association conference, where she was inspired by lessons that use real NASA heliophysics data to make science come alive. In this exciting new role, she will bring even more cutting-edge space science opportunities to our students while representing Pway in a national community of educators.

 

Board Attorney Selected Among Best Lawyers in U.S.

Congratulations to our Board of Education attorney David B. Rubin, who has been recognized in the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Only the top 5% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S. were selected by their peers for inclusion. Mr. Rubin, of Busch Law Group in Metuchen, has been offering his expertise as Board Attorney for Piscataway Township Schools for an amazing 48 years – bringing an extraordinary level of stability to the position of assisting and offering legal counsel to our Board members and superintendents. Mr. Rubin has achieved national prominence in the field of education law through his representation of numerous public school districts and private schools throughout New Jersey, his longstanding leadership role in the National School Boards Association’s 3,000-member Council of School Attorneys, and his reputation as a frequent author on school law issues and a sought-after speaker at conferences and seminars throughout the country.

 

Women in Leadership Group Supports and Empowers

Several of our district leaders came together in June for the latest meeting of the Pway Women in Leadership Professional Learning Community. These educators are committed to fostering collaboration, empowerment, and diversity in leadership across the district. The group was founded by Piscataway High School Science Chair Jessica Pritchard to “share best practices, develop leadership skills, and support each other in navigating the unique challenges women face in education.” Attendees at the June meeting included, from left, Quibbletown Middle School Assistant Principal Alexandria Artist, PHS Supervisor of College, Career & Personal Guidance Kelly Chilakos, Supervisor of Special Projects Noel Aprile, PHS Science Chair Jessica Pritchard, Children’s Corner Preschool Principal Jen Sernotti, Arbor Intermediate School Principal Heather O’Donnell, and Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts Rebekah Sterlacci.

 

Arts Supervisor Honored with Multiple Recognitions

Congratulations to Rebekah Sterlacci, our supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts, for being selected to be a part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ Summer Forum: “Imagining the Next 50 Years of Teaching Artistry.” This four-day program brought together artists and educators from all over the world to engage and imagine the next 50 years of teaching artistry.

• Ms. Sterlacci also presented at the NJ Principals and Supervisors Association’s Arts Integration Leadership Institute. The session was titled “Oral History and the Arts: South Asian American Voices.” She shared resources for arts-based learning with resources from the South Asian American Digital Archive with NJ educators, artists, and leaders.

• Ms. Sterlacci was nominated to be part of the Middle States Association Evolutionaries in Action series. The Evolutionaries in Action is a digital series of stories that aim to shed light, inspire, and invite deep thought and conversation about school growth and transformative practices in education.

 

FBLA Wins 2 Top 10 Awards at National Conference

Congratulations to the Piscataway High School Future Business Leaders of America Club for a successful trip to the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA, June 29 to July 2. PHS placed in the Top 10 nationally in two awards: Om Purani, Rajveer Patel, and Navin Sakthivel secured 10th place in Introduction to Event Planning, and Khush Dhakwala placed 10th in Securities and Investments. The chapter also won the Gold Seal Chapter Award of Merit in the membership recruitment challenge, increasing membership by more than 50 members to 305 this past school year. The PHS students forged invaluable bonds by connecting with people from across the country, and celebrated the experience with a visit to Disneyland. They were accompanied by FBLA advisor Justin Critelli and PHS teacher Holly Cregar-Porch.

 

PHS Girls Volleyball Earns National Academic Honor

Congratulations to the Piscataway High School girls volleyball team for earning the Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association! In order to qualify for this prestigious national recognition, the team had to maintain a yearlong grade-point average of at least 3.3. “Our team’s overall GPA was 3.73, and almost half the girls were 4.0,” said coach Brian Tuskan. “It’s very impressive, and I’m super proud of my girls.” The Chiefs were one of 519 girls high school teams honored nationwide – and 1 of just 6 in New Jersey.

 

Board Honors Champions from Boys Spring Track

Congratulations to members of the 2025 Piscataway High School boys spring track team who were honored before the August Board of Education meeting for their outstanding achievements. Noah Grant, who is now attending Wagner College, was honored for winning the state Group 4 championship in the 100-meter dash, as well as setting a Middlesex County record of 10.34 seconds in that event. The 4x100-meter relay team of Noah Grant, Devonte Headd, Jamari Atkinson Waters, and Niles Thony was honored for winning the Group 4 championship with a time of 41.55 seconds. The 4x400-meter relay team of Jamari Atkinson Waters, Chiemeka Chukwu, Noah Grant, and Niles Thony was honored for winning the North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 championship with a time of 3:20.

 

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