1. science
2. mathematics
3. algebra

HADDON HEIGHTS JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
HADDON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY
October 2013
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, EVENTS, FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS AND INNOVATION
REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT COORDINATORS' MONTHLY REPORTS
Congratulations to Mrs. Kathy Hunter and Mrs. Joanne Cresong. They are October’s
Educators of the Month.
ENGLISH/FOREIGN LANGUAGE
DEPARTMENT NEWS:
1. Mr. Bravo attended a webinar entitled “A Conversation with Mike Schmoker," which was
about how to narrow and enhance curriculum.
2. Ms. Mastascusa has been working diligently to keep all sections of French up to date with
activities and grades in the absence of a second full time instructor; Ms. Francesca Lanza has
also been doing long-term subbing for us in an effort to make the eventual transition to a new
French instructor as smooth as possible.
3. All World Language and English teachers worked during in-service time to develop Student
Growth Objectives; teachers also worked during department meeting times to refine and
expand upon existing curriculum documents.
CLASS NEWS:
Below are some specific courses and activities that took place during the month of October:
ENGLISH:
Grade 7 Language Arts: Mrs. Janel Gehring
In October, students created their own narrative storyboard based on the theme of “Be Brave. Don’t
worry if people may be staring or talking about you behind your back.” Students analyzed the lyrics to
the Sara Bareilles’ song “Brave” for tone and watched the video for theme. Students then created an
original story with images about a fictional junior high student being brave. The best storyboards were
posted in the junior high hallway. Also, students finished their first Independent Reading novels for
the year in the realistic fiction genre and created an original project based on their novels where they
were to persuade other students to read their novel. They shared these projects in small groups for a
Reader’s Workshop. Finally, students finished their first vocabulary unit of the marking period and
took an in class assessment where they needed to use some of their 30 vocabulary words on a writing
prompt.
Grade 8 Language Arts: Mr. Brian Bocchicchio
Students continued to explore writing through dialogues and creative application. Students examined
and applied the many facets of a short story structure to their outside reading, the historical novel
"Ashes of Roses", which is being co-taught with the subject of immigration in Civics. Students applied
and explored setting, mood, tone, theme, and symbol and their various applications to Poe's "The TellTale Heart." Students continued to explore and build on vocabulary.
English I: Mrs. Stacey Kerr and Mrs. Dannielle Marinella-McGill
In October, Ms. Kerr’s and Mrs. McGill’s English 1 classes have continued their work in their first
marking period unit, What Makes a Hero? They finished writing a narrative about a fictional or
real-life hero to meet the Core Content Standards’ requirement that students write a narrative using
dialogue and telling details. Additionally, the students read The Odyssey, focusing on both the
story as an epic poem, and Odysseus as an epic hero. As the month (and the first marking period)
comes to a close, students will be writing an in-class essential question essay. In this essay,
students will be using the various texts and writing assignments from the marking period to create
their own analysis of what makes a hero.
Honors English I: Mr. Dan Fraga
Students have completed Watership Down and presented their "Bookseller's Project," which
incorporates oral presentation skills as well as creative/multiple intelligence visual products.
We've begun All Quiet on the Western Front and students are researching the background/history
of World War I. The class also began incorporating weekly Study Island exercises into our
homework activities in order to reinforce reading, writing, and language skills.
English II: Mrs. Linda Vogt
Mrs. Vogt's tenth grade English class has been reading Fahrenheit 451. The class has been analyzing
the figurative language, the science fiction elements, and the dystopian elements of the novel.
English II: Mr. Bravo
Students in English II finished their short story unit and a short biographical narrative about
themselves. We also started Fahrenheit 451 and the essential question of "Can anyone ever be
TRULY happy?"
English II: Mrs. Lubonski
Students finished their unit on Fahrenheit 451 by taking a summative assessment. In addition to
familiarity with the plot, students were expected to know the definitions of the following terms as well
as be able to apply the terms to the novel: dystopian literature, character types (protagonist/antagonist;
primary/secondary; dynamic/static; round/flat), figurative language (imagery; simile; metaphor;
personification), and theme. Students reviewed the terms and practiced finding them in the novel.
English II students also took a diagnostic test measuring specific reading skills for the SGO process.
Honors English II: Mrs. Stacey Kerr
In October, Ms. Kerr’s Honors English II class is reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde. From a thematic point of view, they are looking again at identity as they did with The Old Man
and the Sea. They are doing close readings of this short text, looking at how dualistic motifs
foreshadow the ending of the book. They are also looking at characterization, and once again doing
close readings of the text to support any assertions they make. Finally, they are working on their first
oral presentation, where they will use a multimedia presentation (with limited words on slides) to
connect an aspect of Urban Gothic to both Jekyll and Hyde and some other cultural text, be it movie,
novel, comic, television show, or music.
Honors English II: Mr. Bravo
Honors English II finished their study of "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" and "The Old Man and the
Sea" by watching the movie "Into the Wild" with a culminating question about the idea of self
fulfillment.
English III-A & English III-B: Mrs. Linda Vogt
English 3A and 3B have been studying the roots of American literature including Native American
(creation myths/trickster stories/from -Iroquois Constitution) and Puritan literature - Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry God-analyzing for meaning and figurative language.
English III-A & Honors English III: Mrs. Sandy Mesiano
English 3A and Honors students completed their study of Puritan literature with a focus on Jonathan
Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The sermon was utilized as an
examination of the power of persuasion and the elements of rhetoric: ethos, logos, and pathos. We also
explored the many literary devices incorporated in the sermon in preparation for analysis of short
stories and poetry as we begin exploring the American Romanticism and Transcendentalism era. As an
introduction to the literature of the era, 3A and Honors students focused on the works of Poe,
analyzing “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Raven,” specifically for the writer’s craft and his use
of ambiguity. Honors also presented their cultural myth projects and explored Washington Irving’s
“The Devil and Tom Walker” and the legend of Dr. Faust. We will continue in November exploring
the works, poetic and prose, of additional Romantic era writers. All English classes began HSPA
preparation through HSPA practice readings/writings and continued SAT questions and discussion as
well as SAT caliber vocabulary.
English IV-A: Ms. Alison Myers and Mrs. Michelle Lubonski
We examined the identity of the hero, complete with all of the stages and steps of Joseph Campbell’s
Monomyth. To prepare for college, students also learned to take Cornell notes while watching a
lecture. Finally, to show that students understood the Monomyth, they used Campbell’s theory, along
with other archetypes, to create a video game hero and orally present that hero’s story to the class.
English IV-B: Mrs. Michelle Lubonski
Students started a "Future Planning" unit. After listening to a presentation by our guidance department
about planning for the next year, students spent time investigating Naviance program. Naviance is a
college and career readiness program which enables students to take interest profilers to determine
possible career paths. Once students took the profiler, Naviance provided students with career
"clusters" that matched their interests and abilities. Students researched and compared careers
according to average salary, educational requirements, and job prospects. Students also used Naviance
to create a resume.
Honors English IV: Ms. Alison Myers
We finished the Iliad, after examining the epic in light of the concepts of determinism/indeterminism.
To reinforce these concepts and Campbell’s monomyth, students wrote a hero myth. We also read
Oedipus Rex, in conjunction with studying three major theories of Tragedy (Aristotle, Hegel, and
Miller). To reinforce the Tragic Hero, students then turned their hero myth into a tragedy, aligning
their hero’s story to one of the three theories we studied. Finally, students exchanged stories and
analyzed each others’ stories for adherence to the qualities of tragedy.
AP English: Ms. Alison Myers
After studying three theories of Tragedy (Aristotle, Hegel, and Miller), students read Oedipus Rex and
Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. In addition, the end of the month brought the beginning of a unit on the
craft of the Short Story.
Science Fiction: Mr. Dan Fraga
The Science Fiction students completed their reading of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and submitted
literary analysis papers in which they examined the novel from a particular school of literary theory.
They are now reading Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and are also working on
a research power point presentation in which they will teach the class about the life of a famous
science-fiction author.
Philosophy II: Mrs. Alison Myers
We continued to study Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What
Alice Found There. Students continued to connect these novels to other works of literature through
students’ “tethers.” Students also began to lead discussions in our Socratic circle, to foster
understanding through discussion and experience. This month culminates in a literary analysis paper,
where students will explore philosophical issues as they emerge in a student-selected text. Students
also presented their papers to the class, as a practice thesis-defense.
WORLD LANGUAGE
Grade 7 Spanish: Ms. Kelly Wentzell
The students have been learning to say what they do and do not like and classroom or bedroom
items. They have also learned how to describe people and use adjectives. They created a poster
describing several celebrities. They learned vocabulary on their own to do this and shared their
posters with the class.
We also learned about Equatorial Guinea, looking at pictures and watching videos about the
landscape, food, festivals, dance, and customs.
Grade 8 Spanish: Ms. Kelly Wentzell
The students have learned how to say where they are, where they’re going, and what they are
doing. They have learned how to conjugate many types of verbs and are putting that into a very
short children’s story. They are also creating “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” type
clues. In addition, they are learning how to talk about the weather and various types of clothing.
We also learned about Equatorial Guinea, looking at pictures and watching videos about the
landscape, food, festivals, dance, and customs.
Spanish I: Ms. Ebony Wilson
Spanish 1 – Learned about cultural differences when it comes to saying hello, good-bye and
introducing oneself and others. Oral practice – building communication skills and etiquette
Spanish I: Ms. Kelly Wentzell
The students have been learning to introduce themselves and talk about what they like. They
created PowerPoint presentations to introduce themselves and a friend to the class. They have also
learned classroom and bedroom items. They have begun to tackle the difficult task of conjugating
verbs.
We also learned about Equatorial Guinea, looking at pictures and watching videos about the
landscape, food, festivals, dance, and customs. We also celebrated the Day of the Dead, a
traditional Mexican holiday.
Spanish II: Mr. Neil Ortiz
Objectives:
To talk about what they and others do
Writing: They wrote a paragraph on an ideal weekend. They mentioned what they can do with a friend
in a city in the world. They mentioned 5 things they are going to do and explained why.
Reading: They read an entertainment guide to explain where some people might be going based on
what they do.
Listening: They listened to what some people do to match them with some pictures.
Speaking: In pairs, they presented a conversation, talking about what they do on weekends and what
they are going to do next weekend.
Spanish II: Ms. Ebony Wilson
Students used their information to demonstrate their comprehension of the material by writing about
someone whom they admired.
Spanish III: Mr. Neil Ortiz
Objective:
To describe people
To ask for information
Writing: They created a questionnaire for an exchange program in Spain. They wrote questions to
interview the students who want to participate.
Reading: They read a letter about a girl from Spain. They found specific information about her
physical and personality traits.
Listening: They listened to some Hispanic teenagers talking about what they are like. Students
needed to find out who has more in common with the girl of the letter they read.
Speaking: In pairs, students talk about joining a club at a college. They have to mention the things
they know and people they have already met from the club.
Spanish IV: Mr. Neil Ortiz
Objective:
To talk about hopes and wishes
Writing: They wrote a myth, taking as a baseline a landmark of their country. They wrote it in at
least 4 paragraphs. They had to describe 5 characters and the places where the myth occur. They
expressed hopes and wishes. They also included vivid dialogues.
Reading: They read a legend from Guatemala “Quetzal never dies”.
Listening: They listened to some Hispanic people expressing hopes and wishes. Students had to
decide if those hopes became a reality based on some pictures shown.
Speaking: Students pretended they were Hispanic ambassadors for the United Nations making a
speech to the world. They described five things they hoped or wished for.
Grade 8 French: Ms. Marisa Mastascusa
« Qu’est-ce qui te plaît ?» (What do you like?) Students are beginning to express their likes and
dislikes using the new vocabulary from the unit. At the end of this marking period students will be
able to present to the class, using PowerPoint, their likes and dislikes and say what they do after school
in French.
French II: Ms. Marisa Mastascusa
Unit 5 – “Le temps Libre” (Free Time) The highlight of this unit will be playing Pétanque (French
bocce ball). This unit is about sports and hobbies. In addition, the students will write a 4 paragraph
essay about their life, using elements from each unit, which is a great benchmark; because students
realize that they can say and write a lot in the target language. They learned how to express
activities with the verb faire (to do) to say what they do during their free time. They also learned
about the weather and seasons. They will write a one page paper about their life as a final
assessment of this unit and the previous review of units 1-4. In addition, students continued to
work on forming the passé compose, or the past tense with avoir as a helping verb, for –er verbs
and some irregular verbs as well.
French III: Ms. Marisa Mastascusa
We began the year by researching the different regions of France, and students are presenting their
region to the class-highlighting culture, art, specialties and dishes, history and famous landmarks.
They also started unit 10, “Let’s go on vacation”. Students are learning travel vocabulary; i.e.
hotel, airport, and train station vocabulary, which will be useful to those students taking the France
trip this year with Mr. Ormsby.
Now we are working on the 2nd past tense, the imparfait, to help them write their childhood story.
They have compared, contrasted and analyzed the 2 past tenses. They are also reading a French
reader called “Un été pas comme les autres.”
LIBRARY
Class News
As of October 23rd, there were 69 classes that used the Media Center this month with guided
instruction from a teacher. Assuming there are 25 students in each class, this works out to be
1,725 students using the Media Center with a class throughout the month. This is especially
impressive since we were closed during the first and last weeks of the month for HSPA testing and
the Fall Book Fair, respectively.
If you are thinking of bringing your class in for a visit, don’t hesitate. The library media center has
the same benefits as the computer lab, with the addition of print resources students can reference to
strengthen their arguments and projects. Don’t forget, students will be expected to know how to
use a library when they head off to college…jumpstart their library education now by bringing
your class down for a library orientation! Also, we become extremely busy in the spring. Late fall
and winter is an excellent time to schedule a project because there tends to be more availability.
Remember, to sign up your class for a visit, you must go to the signup page on Google Drive.
Double click on the day you’d like to sign up for and type your name and the section of the library
you’d like to use.
Department News
Murder Mystery @ the Library
Ever wanted to try a murder mystery party? Well this year during our Fall Book Fair you can!
Mrs. Irace has been murdered and 16 Heights teachers and staff members are prime suspects!
Who committed such a dastardly deed? Drop by the library and listen for the clues during the
morning announcements to find out! Prizes will be awarded to students who figure it out who the
murderer was, what his or her weapon was, and why they did it!
Scholastic Book Fair
The annual Fall Book Fair is coming at the end of the month! It will be held in the Jr/Sr High
School Library from October 28th-November 1st every day from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. A big thank
you to all of the staff members who are participating in the Murder Mystery-you’re helping us
create a successful (and profitable) book fair!
If you are interested in bringing your class down to shop the book fair and check out the Murder
Mystery, please sign up on Google Drive. We can host up to three classes at once so. The signup
sheet is located in the “Shared With Me” folder.
Additionally, we will be hosting a Teacher Sneak Peek after school on October 28th from 2:454:30. We encourage all staff members to drop by to view the books, make recommendations to
their students, create a classroom wish list, and shop! Coffee and snacks will be provided!
New Print Books
We received 25 brand new non-fiction books that are aligned with the New Jersey Common Core
Standards. Topics range from controversial issues like racial profiling to various diseases. We
also received numerous books from donations, including several graphic novels. Stop by and see if
there is anything of interest!
Usage Statistics as of 10.23.13
Class Visits: 69 classes x 25 students/class=1,725 students serviced in the library with class
instruction.
Individual Student Usage: Many students rely on the Media Center to complete assignments, use
the computers/printer or to select books for pleasure reading. The individual student use statistics
are:
Before School: 267 student patrons, an increase of 109 students from last year!
Periods 1-8: 352 student patrons, an increase of 237 students from last year!
After School: 57 student patrons, an increase of 25 students from last year!
Total Number of Student Visitors without a class: 676 students
Total Student Usage: 2,401 student patrons, an increase of 822 students from last year!
Students are welcome to visit the library before and after school, as well as during their study hall
periods.
Student Aide Projects
Our aides have been helping us catalog new books, create new displays, and re-organize the
library, along with their regular projects. Thank you again for all your help!
The Media Center is open daily from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. We hope to see you for a visit!
MATH
Department News
The Math department has started the school year with high expectations of excellent student
achievement. As a department, the learning goals are for students to obtain math skills then apply
them to real-world situations. With many changes occurring in education, the Mathematics
department has continued to enhance their instruction for a positive student experience. Similar to
last year, the department will begin a school-wide “Mathematician of the Month” award for two
students that demonstrate excellent Mathematics in their classes. The award is sponsored by LiteN-Up located on Station Avenue in Haddon Heights. Department members have been working
diligently within their PLC teams while reviewing curriculum and creating common assessments.
Below is a description of what is occurring in each of the teacher’s classes for the month of
September.
Ms. Michelle Carter
AHSA - Working with students to prepare for October administration of the HSPA.
Algebra 2 & Trigonometry - Students have been applying previously learned skills to evaluate
expressions, solve equations in one variable, and write linear equations given various information.
Authentic Math - Students have been applying previously learned skills to solve proportion and
percent problems. Class discussion has been centered around Rules for Improving One’s Financial
Life. These rules were derived from the results of the Millionaire Game. Students have learned
the meaning of human capital and identified the relationship between human capital and career,
opportunities and income.
Honors Precalculus - Students have learned conditions needed to be able to add, subtract and
multiply matrices. They have also learned to identify if a matrix has an inverse and how to find it by hand for a 2 X 2 matrix and on the TI graphing calculator for larger matrices. These skills were
applied to solve real life problems. This is another way to solve systems of equations.
Mr. Mark Johnson
7th Grade Math
During first month of 7th grade, we have begun a unit on Variables and Patterns. The big idea of
this unit is the various forms of representation of the relationship between two variables. Students
have learned to express this relationship as both a table and a graph. Students have been
introduced to the concepts of independent and dependent variables, discrete and continuous data
and proper methods of creating a graph.
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Mr. Brian Simpson
The beginning of the school year is a time to review core concepts from the previous year. High
expectations have been established for the achievement of desired goals correlating with a strong
and consistent work ethic. The Statistics students have begun their first unit of “Collecting Data
and Drawing Conclusions.” Stats students are adjusting to the TInSpire Navigator network that is
used daily for many reasons such as communication from student to teacher, calculator,
spreadsheets, graphing software, and more importantly gives the teacher the ability to
instantaneously offer feedback to each student in a class. The TInspire is used to enhance learning
and give more opportunities for students to analyze concepts and is an essential tool of technology
in order to meet today’s standards. Pre-Calculus has begun a unit of logarithms while reviewing
some exponential concepts from Algebra 2 and Trigonometry since they have an inverse
relationship. Logarithmic regressions will enhance the logarithm experience.
Mrs. Ruth Tocco
Algebra I
To begin the year we are reviewing skills necessary to proceed in Algebra I, translating from words
to algebraic expressions, following the order of operations, using properties and inverse operations
to simplify expressions and solve one variable equation, and evaluate expressions. We will end the
month solving equations with one variable using multiple steps.
Honors Algebra I
To begin the year we are reviewing skills necessary to proceed in Honors Algebra I, translating
from words to algebraic expressions, following the order of operations , using properties and
inverse operations to simplify expressions and solve one variable equations, solve real life word
problems and evaluate expressions. The month will end solving equations involving absolute
value, inverse operations variables on both sides of the equation using multiple steps.
Geometry
To begin the year we are learning the vocabulary and symbolism used in the course. We found the
distance between two points on the number line by taking the absolute value of the difference
between the two points and then determined its midpoint location. We used Segment Addition and
Angle Addition Postulates to write the appropriate sentence, evaluate for the given measures and
the find missing measures by solving the equation. Algebra skills were reviewed and applied. We
have constructed congruent segments, their midpoints and the perpendicular bisector of a segment
by using the compass and straightedge. We have constructed angles and their angle bisector. We
measured angles using the protractor. To end this month, we will be calculating distance of a
segment at its midpoint on a coordinate plane using the distance formula and midpoint formula.
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Ms. Audra Schappell
Geometry
To begin the year, we are learning new vocabulary and symbolism used in the course. Topics
covered in the course have been segments, distance, and midpoint. We will be learning about
angles (w/ some protractor use), angle addition postulate, and angle bisectors in the upcoming
weeks. Algebra skills are reviewed and applied to many of the properties that we study.
Additionally, block days have consisted of Geometric Constructions using a compass &
straightedge. We will continue to complete construction activities throughout Unit 1.
Algebra 1
To begin the year we are reviewing skills necessary to proceed in Algebra I. Topics that have been
covered include translating from words to algebraic expressions, following the order of operations,
using properties and inverse operations to simplify expressions and solve one variable equations,
and evaluate expressions. We will continue using these skills to write and solve algebraic
equations with one variable using one-step, two-step, multi-step equations, and equations w/
variables on both sides.
Pre-Calculus
To begin the year, we have started a unit of logarithms with some review of exponential concepts
from Algebra 2 & Trigonometry, due to the inverse relationship of the functions. Logarithmic
regressions will be used to enhance the logarithm.
All Classes
In all Math classes, vocabulary is an essential part to learning. To present the vocabulary words to
the class, the students have been selecting a word (in a Google spreadsheet), researching its
meaning and finding a picture to represent it. After performing the research, they are putting this
information on trading cards using the website http://bighugelabs.com, and presenting their word
to the class with any presentation tool (e.g. PowerPoint, www.prezi.com, www.glogster.com, etc.).
For more information on this project, and the classes, please visit the class webpage in
www.schoology.com.
Mr. Anthony Medio
Algebra 1
This month in class, we are tackling the basics of pre-algebra in order to move on and succeed in
this course. In the coming weeks we are going to begin solving equations and relating them to real
life situations. The students will connect a linear pattern in a positive or negative correlation.
Algebra 2
Currently, we are applying slope and rate of change to write equations of lines. The ultimate goal
is to connect these linear relationships to a set of data. In the upcoming days, we will begin to
graph lines by hand and with the calculator. To end the unit, students will graph absolute value
equations and solve systems of equations
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Honors Algebra 2
Currently, we are applying slope and rate of change to a set of data. In the near future, the students
will complete a project where they must conduct research on the increase or decrease of a
product’s sales over time and calculate the average rate of change. Students will also create an
equation for this data. We are also moving towards systems of equations where the students must
solve by graphing and algebraically.
Calculus
Students have discovered the definition of a limit, and we have begun to evaluate limits without
discontinuities. In the near future, we will be evaluating limits where discontinuities exist, such as
holes and vertical asymptotes. The goal of this unit is for the student to understand the concept of
a limit and be able to calculate them in any circumstance
Miss Michelle Devlin
8th Grade
Connected Math 8 - In 8th grade math, we started off by reviewing basic key concepts that will
further be implied as we go throughout the year. We started a unit on thinking with mathematical
models that introduces linear models and equations. The students have performed various
investigations to better understand the new knowledge. We will be finishing up the unit on
thinking with mathematical models with creating/interpreting scatter plots and function notation.
Algebra 1 - The Algebra 1 8th grade math class started off by reviewing key concepts that make
connections to algebra as well as the properties of real numbers. This will give the students a firm
background of basic key concepts that will continue being brought up as we learn new topics. We
will be starting a unit of solving linear equations next week.
Mr. Ryan Yaniak
Algebra 1: This month in Algebra 1 was used to review important concepts that the students
learned last year. All of the topics that were revisited are some of the most important concepts in
building an understanding of Algebra. These topics include order of operations, properties of real
numbers, evaluating expressions and inequalities, distributive property, absolute value, and intro to
functions. Throughout the course of the month the students have been given one quiz and one test,
which was very successful. The students have a good understanding of the material and we will
begin covering new material during the month of October.
Algebra 2: This month in Algebra 2 was used to review important concepts that the students
learned in Algebra 1. Being as it has been a full year since the students took Algebra 1, the review
was needed to revisit important concepts. The students received one quiz and one test during the
month of September and I was pleased with the results. The students have a good understanding of
the content and we will begin linear functions during the month of October.
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Mrs. Dorothy Johnson
Geometry and Honors Geometry
We are off to a good start in our study of Unit One. This month the focus has been on learning and
working with the terms and definitions. Our focus has been on using algebra skills in the solving of
geometry problems. We have practiced finding missing angle and segment measures. Students
have worked in groups to solve challenging problems. They have also gone to the computer lab to
work on practice problems from a website called IXL.
AP Calculus
This month our focus has been on the study of the limit, and continuous functions. We have
studied and worked with algebraic limits, limits as x approaches infinity, and the limits as x
approaches 0 positive or 0 negative. We have worked with the definition of continuity, and have
studied functions that have removable discontinuities and functions that have essential
discontinuities. Students have worked in groups and have used Study Island this month to practice
AP type multiple choice questions. We are about to have our first major test, and then we can
begin the study of the derivative.
Mrs. Julie Ulrich
Algebra 1 Modified students are currently covering a review of important pre-algebra and
foundational skills for all following units of study. They are evaluating, simplifying expressions,
translating words into algebraic sentences, checking solutions, defining functions, and of course,
strengthening their ability to use order of operations. Geometry Modified students are in the
middle of the “Building Blocks of Geometry” Unit where they are understanding important
definitions and labels for points, lines, rays, angles, etc. They are applying new postulates and
definitions to write and solve equations for missing lengths and angle measures. This unit makes a
great connect between Algebra 1 and Geometry.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Ms. Darroch:
First period- the juniors just finished up their floor hockey unit, and we started the football unit
today. We worked on throwing in partners, and increasing the distance for partners when they felt
comfortable with their throws to create a bigger challenge. Second period- adaptive, I have two
students with concussions and one student with a bad knee and shoulder. Students either walk the
track outside or stay inside in the weight room according to their needs. Third period- the freshmen
are into their second week of the soccer unit. We did skills last week and are doing soccer-relative
activities this week that let the students recognize the offensive and defensive strategies involved
in soccer. Fourth period- the juniors just finished their football unit and start the floor hockey unit
today. We will be working on passing with partners today and maybe a little bit of dribbling.
Mrs. DelCollo:
The students in Teen PEP spent the month of October working both on their Postponing Sexual
Involvement unit and workshop, planning for the week of respect as well as starting the new unit
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called, “Later Baby”. The Teen PEP group presented their first workshop to the freshmen and did
an excellent job conveying the objectives and having their students reaching understanding by
using assessment methods such as 1 finger for, 2 fingers for, 3 fingers for. The objectives for the
unit were as follows:
• Describe the benefits of PSI
• Describe the reasons why some teens have sex and some teens wait
• Identify the qualities that need to be in place in a relationship before beginning sexual
activity
• Demonstrate effective negotiation and refusal skills
The Week of Respect was executed through posters with quotes through the halls, as well as
morning announcements, and YouTube videos with discussion questions that were used during the
extended block day homerooms.
Currently I have had the students become member of my Edmodo group for Teen Pep. And will
be using this to maintain communication as well as collect data for my SGO’s. They will be taking
pre-tests for each unit and will compile average to match progress of student growth and
achievement.
Mrs. Hunter:
Students learned about nutrition and the importance of reading food labels. A fast food analysis
was done comparing meals from various fast food restaurants with daily allowances of calories,
saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrates and sugars. Students also learned about eating disorders, the
symptoms and treatment. Teen Pep presented a workshop, Postponing Sexual Involvement, to the
freshman classes.
Mrs. Mailahn:
The Freshmen PE class has been working on the skills of Football and has been playing small
sided games.
The Sophomore PE class has been learning the skills of soccer and football. They have been
playing small side games.
Mr. McGroarty: First aid is working on CPR and AED certifications
Mr. Newell:
This month in driver education the students learned about rules of the road, losing their driving
privileges, and the signs and road markings that they will encounter will driving. The students
have participated in hands on activities to enhance their learning with driver education. Also a
speaker from NJ Transit came into the class to talk specifically about railroad safety. The students
have been doing very well on their quizzes and activities throughout the month.
In Physical Education the seniors have been participating in soccer, football, and floor hockey.
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They have been learning the skills and needed to play the game effectively then moved into game
play situations. The students have done a lot of self-assessing their skills, attitudes, and efforts on
a daily basis.
The 8th graders have been participating in soccer and floor hockey throughout the month. We have
broken down skills into the details necessary to play the games. After spending time on skills the
students gradually moved into modified games then eventually regulation games.
Mrs. Stride:
Juniors in Physical Education class have learned all of the skills and rules necessary to play a
modified game of football. They were able to apply those skills to a class wide football
tournament. In 7th
grade health we began talking about alcohol, categories of alcohol, how it is made, the effects of
consuming alcohol, how it affects the decision making process and alcoholism. In 8th grade health
we began
the reproduction unit. Students are in the process of learning about the male and female
reproductive systems as well as pregnancy.
SCIENCE
News:
Mrs. Richards: In Life Science, students were introduced to basic concepts of chemistry such as
atoms bonding to form molecules, writing and interpreting chemical formulas, and explaining
simple chemical equations. Students also became familiar with organic molecules that are
important in living organisms (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids). The next short
unit was on Microscopes. Students were able to investigate in the lab using a simple microscope,
and a deeper investigation was performed using a compound microscope. Through these labs,
students are developing observation patience and skills, attention to detail, and problem solving.
Mrs. Dooley: During the month of October the eighth graders were introduced to the physical and
chemical properties of matter. They began their investigation by using density to identify the metal
used in pre and post 1982 pennies. After performing this task they had to determine a procedure
for calculating the density of water. Students were then shown a density demonstration and posed
the question “why does a can of diet coke float and a can of regular coke sink?” Continuing the
unit led to the discussion of Boyle’s and Charles’ Law. The eighth graders can now tell you how
the volume, pressure, and temperature of gases are related. Students have also discovered how
matter can undergo both physical and chemical changes. Soil and the topography of Earth’s surface
were discussed to show that physical and chemical properties are present all around us. Students
explained how chemical and physical mechanisms were responsible for creating a variety of
landforms. Up next is a discussion of atoms, elements, and compounds.
Mrs. Ryan: In Biology, Mrs. Ryan’s students have been studying cellular structure and function.
Within this unit, students used their skills developed during the first unit as they investigated how
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the selective permeability of the plasma membrane influenced cell mass when placed in various
osmotic solutions. Traveling beyond the plasma membrane, students then studied the cellular
organelles, such as the nucleus and chloroplasts, which will be discussed throughout the year in
other units.
Mr. Schoettler:
The Honors Biology and biology classes began study of the structure and function of the cell. The
labs utilized various forms of technology including microscopes, computers, centrifuges,
spectrophotometers, microtomes and a flex-cam which allows live video of cells through a
microscope.
The Microbiology classes studied viral and bacterial disease. They completed viral disease
reports using the media center subscription data base, the CDC, and World Health Organization
web sites to discover the cause, virulance, symptoms, treatment and survivability of persons
stricken with a specific disease. They also used the movie “Outbreak” to study the way health
organizations deal with highly communicable infectious diseases. They also analyzed the film for
its scientific accuracy based on their knowledge of microbiology and disease. They completed
product testing for the effectiveness of antibiotics, antiseptics and disinfectants in the control of
bacterial growth.
Ms. Woods:
Astronomy topic: 400 years of the telescope
Students examine human methods for observing the Universe from ancient times to the present.
Students tried binoculars and refraction telescope to see distant objects. Students who attended
the optional night lab saw the early evening planets rise and some fall constellations.
Galileo shook up the medieval world with his telescope invention. For the first time, anyone could
see the moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus that proved that the sun is at the center of the solar
system. Students gained some appreciation of our current separation of church and state.
Students researched refracting (Galileo and Kepler), reflecting (Newton) and compound (modern)
telescopes.
Romans and many ancients viewed astrology as part of their religion.
Eventually astronomic observations developed into a science.
Galileo provided the first concrete proof of the Heliocentric view with his telescope (a state of the
art strategic weapon that helped Venice achieve its remarkable role in trade.)
Students also read articles from scientific magazines/journals to learn new astronomical findings.
Environmental Science topics:
Food chains and Food webs
Students examined simplified food chains and realistic food webs. Students looked in detail at
some Australian food webs since government website with the Chesapeake Bay habitats was shut
down.
Humans are highly integrated into Earth’s food webs. We examined the various abiotic factors
that limit life. Students reviewed real life examples of populations, communities and ecosystems.
Students used graphic organizers to clarify real ecosystems.
Students read science articles from Ms Woods’ personal science magazine collection.
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Utilized Study Island to reinforce learning.
Used technology to enhance student acquisition of content.
Ms. Keller: The Honors Chemistry students finished their introductory unit and began
investigating the atom. They traced the evolution of the atomic model from the beginnings of
chemistry to the current model of the electron cloud. They learned how the electrons move
between energy levels to produce different colors of light. The students analyzed the different
wavelengths of light that are emitted and correspond to different energy amounts using the
spectrometers. The Chemistry Students finished their Chemath unit, which introduced the
mathematical concepts that are going to be used throughout the course and began an investigation
of Matter and Change. They completed a lab activity where they observed the different indicators
of chemical change as they removed copper ions from solution and turned them into copper atoms.
They also began an investigation of Atomic Theory. Chemistry students also completed the
spectrometer lab where they analyzed the different color spectra of different light sources. Ms.
Keller’s Environmental Science students began their study of Food Chains and Food Webs this
month. They learned that all organisms are connected to one another through energy transfers. The
students were able to analyze what could happen to a food web in a particular habitat if an invasive
species is introduced, one organism is harmed or removed from the food web.
Mrs. Egner:
Chemistry: This month is mostly Atomic Theory and Structure. The best lab of the year, The
Flame Test, is a crowd pleaser. We study the beginnings of the Atomic Theory with Dalton and go
through to today’s knowledge of The Electron Cloud Theory. This class learns how to create an
electron configuration for any element up to Xenon. The other 2 lab activities are Line Spectra and
Dimensions of a Molecule. So by now this class can handle physical versus chemical properties,
classification of matter and the study of the parts of an atom. They are ready to start tackling
chemistry in depth.
Forensics: To take advantage of the warm weather, the students started the month with the
decomposition of a chicken and the life stages of the common fly. They were 2 cycles of maggots
this time. This class can now take a fingerprint, lip print and bite mark and compares for points or
similarity. The end of the month the class explores Forensic Anthropology. We will be rebuilding a
face from a skull.
Biochemistry: Class explored Oxygen functional groups. We will be cleaning up the esters they
made for use latter this semester. The biochemistry class can also use the fermentation process and
recover the organic liquids they made. When finished with the oxygen groups class moved to the
nitrogen functional groups. The differences amines and amides were identified. Their relationship
to ammonia was tracked. The end of this topic resulted in the students researching the amino acids.
They can identify essential from non essential and what that entails. The sources of these amino
acids were also discussed. The end of the month has us fractionally distilling an organic solution to
retrieve a portion for comparison testing.
Environmental: This class has been studying the interdependencies. We start with a simple food
chain and expand into food webs. A good portion of time was spent on the cost of invasive species
and how they have interrupted a biome. Those species directly affecting NJ have been discussed at
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length. Students have tracked origins of the 10 species most concerning the US. Various mapping
exercises have been introduced this month to be used later.
Mr. Lynch: · This month Mr. Lynch’s Honors Physics classes wrapped up their study of motion
with a projectile lab which involved the students having to determine the spot on the floor where a
marble will land after rolling off a table. The students worked hard and were quite successful
showing a good mastery of the topic. The class then began its study of Newton’s Laws of Motion,
which included labs on Net Force and apparent weight. Mr. Lynch’s Physics class continued their
study of motion and moved on study motion in 2 dimensions including projectile motion. The
students were able to test their knowledge of projectiles by performing the “hit the target lab” in
which they predicted the spot on the floor where a marble will land after rolling off a table using
kinematics equations. This required some extra time on the concept of projectile motion, so we
dedicated a lab period to problem solving techniques in order to resolve any issues with this topic.
Mr. Lynch’s AP Physics class is moving at a brisk pace. Topics covered this month included:
Newton’s Laws of Motion, Mechanical Equilibrium, Forces acting at angles, Force of Friction,
Mechanical Energy, Conservation of Energy, Momentum, Conservation of Momentum. Labs,
hands on activities, and demonstrations were done to help understanding of the topics covered. The
students are handling the challenge of this fast pace very well, and our working very hard to
complete the rigorous problem sets required to provide practice for the AP Exam. We are now
using actual AP problems in class and on assessments to further prepare for the exam and
thoroughly assess understanding of the material.
Mrs. Gramble: In AP biology this month, Mrs. Gramble’s students studied cellular energy. During
this unit, the students completed three inquiry labs which covered enzymes, cellular respiration,
and photosynthesis. In Mrs. Gramble’s Genetics class, the topic of the month was Mendelian
Genetics. The students learned how to use statistical analysis to validate results of an experiment.
They perfected their ability to complete monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. The students also
began to work on their fruit fly lab by preparing F2 cross. This lab will continue for several weeks.
Department Business
The Science Department worked together to create both personal and PLC SGOs.
PLCs continued to work on making courses common between teachers and narrowing curriculum.
The department would like to congratulate Chris Snyder and Pat Hughes for being October’s
Scientist of the Month
SOCIAL STUDIES
Greetings from the Social Studies Department! There has been some great educational experiences
going on in our History classes this month and we hope you enjoy reading about them.
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Class News
The Krause Account - 7th grade students have finished learning how to study geography and are
now delving into the “tools” used by geographers. They are exploring latitude and longitude,
compass rose, scale, and legends. Students are discovering that maps can lead in a variety of
directions—history, economics, politics, mathematics, and even science!
For example, studied how the borders of the United States came into existence. Some
borders (like New Jersey) are 350 years old! Since a lot has changed since then, students were
asked to consider changing the state borders of our country. New maps were drawn, and essays
were written to explain their rationale. All changes had to be supported by reasoning based on
physical or cultural geography. Overall, the students learned that geography is everywhere and in
almost every decision they make.
J. Smith’s Summary –On October 28th, the 8th Grade students took a field trip to Ellis Island and the
Statue of Liberty! Students were able to learn about Immigration while visiting a national historic
landmark. Students have now begun the “Roots of Liberty” Mini-book project: Students started to
create their own personal mini-book on the roots of American government, including events, people,
and ideas that influenced the creation of a federal republic, our United States of America.
Grigioni’s Globe – This month, we have spent time wrapping up our unit on Global Exploration and
began our unit on the Renaissance. Last block day we did a Renaissance Connection activity in
which the students discovered the importance of 5 aspects of the Renaissance, Humanism, Arts,
Writers, Why it began and where and Technology. They did so in group settings and there were 5
different stations throughout the room designated to those topics.
Ms. Kelly’s Communiqué – WHAC/H-WHAC- Students started the month working on the Age of
Exploration and compared what life would have been like without European involvement in
various areas.
They then continued to the Renaissance and learned about changes in Art, literature, the Scientific
Revolution and the Protestant Reformation and evaluated how those changes impact their life
today. We wrapped up the month preparing for the First Marking Period test. H-WHAC
attempted their first DBQ (Document based question.)
AP Euro- Students began the month with the Reformation and completed a DBQ on it. They then
moved into the Age of Absolutism and discussed which absolute monarchs used their powers most
efficiently. They debated the impact of Oliver Cromwell and why England wasn’t able to achieve
Absolute monarchy. They debated whether Cardinal Richelieu of France was a hero or villain for
them and wrapped up the month comparing the ruling styles of Peter the Great and Louis XIV.
They also prepared for the First Quarter Test.
Chambers’ Chronicles – Students in Mr. Chambers’ history classes participated in discussions of
the essential questions that they uncovered for their unit on the pre-revolutionary war and
revolutionary period. The students wrote stories of the various outlooks on life that the colonists
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had and the struggles they faced regarding whether they should remain loyal to Britain or fight for
Independence.
Martins Memos – His US 1 students studied New Jersey’s role in the revolutionary war. We
concentrated on the battle of Trenton and local battles such as Red Bank. In American Wars,
students just completed a group research project on “The Banana Wars”, which covered US
interventions into Central America. Students created PowerPoint presentations that detailed
conflicts in Haiti, Panama, The Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Grenada. The students picked
this subject matter themselves and showed great initiative studying a topic that is outside of the
normal US history curriculum.
Cuneo’s Corner – The month of October presented students with the opportunity to explore
solutions to the problems caused by industrialization. While exploring this “Progressive Era”
student have researched labor unions, created political cartoons, and developed opinions on
women rights, child labor, and safety regulation. Connor McLaughlin, Danielle Corsi, and Trevor
Carr showed off their artistic skills and earned the “Thomas Nast” award for best political cartoon
in their respective class.
Borden’s Bulletin – Students participated in the Thomas Nast cartoon contest. Students were
introduced to various techniques in creating political satire. Students then created their own
cartoons relating to a current issue or problem. The Thomas Nast Awards were given to the top 3
cartoons.
Department News
The Social Studies Department has been working hard to complete the Student Growth
Objectives and curriculum revisions required by the State of New Jersey.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Mr. Clark:
The TAP English class in doing well and continues reading Maus. The students have enjoyed
learning about the Holocaust survivor's story. We have also continued to enrich our vocabulary
with daily vocabulary lessons.
TAP History class just finished a unit about the Revolution. We are now beginning a unit on the
Birth of Nation and how the nation created a working government.
Mr. Celli:
Literacy
In Literacy, the students have worked on building comprehension skills via the students’
assigned reading of Ashes of Roses in Language Arts. They have also applied the use of imagery
in their writing pieces, and are now using the skills taught to write an affective position argument
paper.
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Civics (in class support)
In Civics, the students completed a detailed project on immigration and are now working
on a mini book project entitled “Roots of Freedom.” Students are also reading and taking notes on
chapter 4 of the text. Projects are chunked and students are given a timeline to help their progress
to complete work on time.
Math (in class support)
The students have been working on translations and rotations and were recently tested on
the topics. Students are now learning about reflections on a coordinate plane. Notes and modified
tests are provided for students on an as need basis
Science (in class support)
Students have recently been tested on science vocabulary. They are preparing for a chapter
2/3 test with a unit test to follow. Supplemental notes have been provided. Students are often
encouraged to stay after school for extra help with difficult topics. Tests will be modified to
support individual needs.
Language Arts (in class support)
This month the students are reading Ashes of Roses. Also, the class has covered many
topics such as vocabulary, types of nouns, imagery, argumentative compositions, characterizations,
and the use of mood and atmosphere when creating a setting. Supplemental notes are provided
and tests are modified.
Mrs. Garofalo:
Contemporary Issues: The next unit for the class is capital punishment in relation to the 8th
amendment. This issue will be addressed through lecture, projects, note taking, discussion and the
video, Green Mile. The unit will end with a test on the information that was covered in the unit.
Study Skills: Students are continuing to bring any work that needs to be completed or that they
need help on. Many teachers are taking advantage of the study skills program to give students
extra time or assistance. Each of the students is responsible to complete an assignment and /or
read during the period. The students also worked on their first Career Research which is
researching different careers that they me interested in.
Mrs. Gershowitz:
In English 1 we are reading the epic poem "The Odyssey” by Homer. Students are taken on a
voyage with Odysseus by reading aloud through text and flow charts.
In English B1 we are reading aloud the play 12 Angry Men. Everyone has taken the part of a juror.
The room is set up as a deliberation room, as seen in the movie, and they are trying to sort through
all of the evidence.
In English B2 the unit is the" American Dream" and we are reading aloud the Play A Raisin in the
Sun. Students are creating characterization charts and then writing a 5 paragraph essay using the
information from the chart. They have also read 2 poems from the author Langston Hughes and
wrote an essay comparing the two.
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In Spanish 1 students are learning about other countries with Spanish/Latin cultures. They are also
learning vocabulary and how to conjugate verbs with varies fun activities.
Mrs. Hosack:
Literacy students have taken their first SRI to obtain lexile scores and are engaging in program
rotations. We are looking forward to positive results in the near future. Denise
Ms. Klawunn:
This month in REACH Science the students have been learning about local trees. The students
collected, organized and graphed their data using into bar graphs. The students researched the
trees using Apps on their IPad.
Ms. Kovach:
Language Arts/Literacy – The vocabulary words that were chosen dealt with their subjects and
preparation for school; the students incorporated their vocabulary words into sentences and used them
in variety of activities to help grasp their understanding of the definitions. The students are learning
about literary devices and they started with poetry. The students watched the video on poetry from the
website – www.brainpop.com which it consists of videos and activities on every topic in education.
The students were taking cloze notes to grasp the understanding of famous poets, Pablo Neruda, Maya
Angelou, and Edgar Allen Poe and create a Venn diagram to write the similarities and differences
between the three poets.
Mathematics –The students developed a deeper understanding on how banks run, and discussed how
to budget their money if you need or want to buy something. The students discussed the steps on how
to write a deposit slip, write a check, and fill in the information using the checkbook register and how
to balance the checking account and bank statement.
Science – The students are learning how to prepare to use a lab by completing the Scientific Method
graphic organizer, reading the procedures, completing the hypothesis, and writing the conclusion of the
lab. The students are currently using the microscopes, identifying the parts on the microscopes, and
creating slides with a variety of objects such as cheek cells. They observed Floating Egg, Lava Lamp,
Moldy Bread, and How to Use the Microscope using a variety made slides such as cut out letter “e”, a
word from a newspaper, and cheek cells.
Social Studies – The students were touched base on geography using the maps skills with latitude,
longitude, how to use the GPS (Global Positioning System), and how to write directions from one
place to another.
Careers – The student is learning how to make a thoughtful decision about a career, job or situation by
using the seven step decision making process. Also, the student is creating a portfolio of career
interests by logging on the Occupational Outlook Handbook website from the U.S. Government. The
student is exploring different types of jobs that he interested and finding out more about what does he
need to do or take educationally in order to apply for the job.
Mr. Weber:
In REACH Social Studies, the students are currently engaging in geographical awareness of
countries, states, cities, towns, and street addresses.
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In REACH Math, the students are currently working on the mastery of telling time through the use
of digital and analog means.
In REACH Life Skills, the students are learning about positive greetings, compliments and topics
of conversation.
In REACH Careers, the students are working various jobs around the school and keeping track of
hours worked.
In REACH English, the students are working towards mastery of writing complete sentences,
grammar, and paragraph construction.
Mrs. Weinberg:
US I with Mr. Chambers and Mr. Martin: Students were exposed to the American Industrial
Revolution using various charts, projects, film clips and other challenging materials. Students
were asked to use their knowledge in the first writing sample test.
US II with Mr. Martin and Mr. Cuneo: Students were drenched in the knowledge of the Industrial
Revolution, popular theories and social beliefs of the turn of the century ended the post Civil War
recession and led to the World's leading economy. Students were asked to use video clips,
cartoons, projects, discussions and notes to use this knowledge and write for the first sample test.
Mrs. Wilson:
The 7th Grade Reach class is moving on splendidly. We are continuing to collect evidences for our
Alternate Proficiency Assessment in Language Arts and Math. We are also delving deeper into the
language of comparison in Math, as well as finding missing numbers in equations. Writing essays
is our new topic in the writing component of Language Arts, and we're working on recalling and
sequencing story details in Reading Mastery. In Geography, we are almost finished with our Map
Skills unit, having only latitude and longitude left. And in Science, we are continuing with
Science Process Skills; we will be applying these skills in Mrs. Richards' class when we learn the
ins and outs of the microscope. And in Social Skills, we are in the midst of a unit on Selfawareness and Self-esteem.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
ART DEPARTMENT CLASS NEWS
Introduction to Art – Mrs. Carson
This month the Introduction to Art students have been working on learning portraiture and
proportion. Students have created self-portraits complete with head, facial features, neck and
shoulders. Following was an artwork created with a focus on texture, their next element of design.
Students learned about the difference between implied and actual texture. Value, another element
of design, was also the focus of artwork created this month. Creation and application are a strong
focus in this art class and students are continually challenged with building upon the skills learned
from previous artwork assignments
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2 Dimensional Design- Mrs. Carson
Students in the 2-dimensional design class have been working on the application process for
watercolor. They have created an artwork using traditional watercolor working from a still life and
now are in the middle of an illustration. Students are illustrating a line or scene from their favorite
book. They are leaning to use concentrated watercolors. They will be challenged with the addition
of descriptive line through the use of sharpie marker. This project also focuses on illustration as a
communication tool. Following the illustration assignment students will learn the traditional art of
Chinese painting with ink. They will learn a bit about the Chinese culture and the thoughts behind
traditional ink painting. Technique, symbolism, and communication will be stressed.
8th Grade – Mr. Kessler
The 8th grade artist will be introduced to three art elements and revisit the art element of Form. The
art element space was the first project where the students drew their names in block letters and
created the illusion of space with one point perspective. The students add orthogonal lines to their
block letters adding depth to the letters changing their name from 2-D to 3-D. The second project
the eighth graders will revisit Form by creating Face jugs out of Coil pots. Students will create an
eight inch pot using Coil technique. Once the students have finished their coil pot they will add
Facial features to create there face jug.
Graphic Design – Mrs. Carson
The graphic design students have been practicing their Photoshop tool skills. They began the
month working on a project that primarily uses the shape tool in the creation of an architectural
subject. Following was the creation of a business logo for a student-created business. The logo
was then used in an advertisement the students created for their business. Following is a focus on
typography. Students are learning about the effective use of typography in graphic design. They
will learn about the character palette and how its use will help them when adding text to their
designs.
7th Grade- Mr. Kessler
The 7th grade artists will be introduced to four of the art elements during their nine week rotation.
The art element of shape was the first project where they created tessellations, which involved
using math and art together. The students translated their squares into unique shapes and then
transformed them into creatures, people, or objects. The students filled their paper with one of their
tessellated shapes leaving no empty spaces and alternated the color schemes. Their second project
revolved around the art element of Form where they created faces with two pinch pots as the head
and then added facial features.
Intermediate Art – Mr. Smargisso
Students have been focused on the proportions and various gestures of the human figure by using
direct observations with figure drawing and rendering. Then, as they shift into creative problem
solving, students are designing fashion solutions based on a client wish list and proposing
illustrations for the presentation board.
Advanced Art and Portfolio Development - Mr. Smargisso
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Students have recently completed a graphite self-portrait using a grid system to achieve a sense of
photo-realism with textures and values. Now they are questioning the very essence of beauty by
creating full color pastel portraits of famous characters who are beautifully ugly such as the
elephant man. The students must write about their selections.
Advanced Art- Mr. Smargisso
Students have recently completed a graphite self-portrait using a grid system to achieve a sense of
photo-realism with textures and values. Now they are questioning the very essence of beauty by
creating full color pastel portraits of famous characters that are beautifully ugly such as the
elephant man. The students must write about their selections.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT CLASS NEWS
Accounting I – Mr. Kent
Mr. Kent’s students have been working on two projects to facilitate their learning of basic
accounting concepts. In pairs, students have come up with their own service businesses. After
defining their business, they have had to identify what type of accounts they will use in day to day
transactions. Students are now working on journalizing the first 20-30 transactions of business and
posting these transactions to a general ledger. We are also using an adaptation of the board game
Monopoly to become more comfortable with classifying accounts and analyzing transactions. In
its simplest form, the students have found that each roll of the Monopoly die leads to a transaction
that can be analyzed in accounting terms. Each turn, whether it is passing “GO” or paying rent, is
analyzed and recorded.
Financial Literacy – Mr. Kearns, Mrs. George, Mr. Kent, Mr. Ponzetti
Students have learned the advantages of investing into various tax-favored retirement and college
funding investment plans. Students learned how to prioritize the funding of a 401K and Roth IRA
retirement plans. Students started the first round of an online Investment Simulation Game,
spending 40K with a 50.50 split in stocks and mutual funds while maintaining diversity in the
portfolio
Desktop Publishing – Mr. Kearns, Mrs. George, Mr. Hennis
The students have come up with an idea for a business and have identified and target audience for
their business. They will use this business idea to create desktop publishing documents such as a
logo, letterhead, bumper sticker, place mat, business cards, etc. This desktop publishing simulation
is helping the students establish a real-world business identity by completing projects that have
real-world relevance.
Integrated Computer Practices – Mr. Kent, Mrs. George, Mr. Hennis
Mr. Kent’s and Mr. Hennis’ students continue to learn more features in Microsoft Word. The
home and page layout ribbons were explored focusing on skills such as font effects, bullets and
numbering, styles, borders and shading, page set up, backgrounds and tabs. They practiced these
skills by creating a grand opening flyer for a new restaurant in Haddon Heights. These skills will
continue to be utilized as we learn how to format business documents and long reports in the
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upcoming marking periods. In fact, students just completed projects in which they were to
construct a personal business letter to a company either complimenting them or informing them of
a negative experience from their company/product.
In addition, our students continue to practice touch-typing to build speed and accuracy and to help
prepare for graded one-minute timed writings. Timings numbers one and two will be completed in
the next two weeks. Working with the typing program, Microtype Pro, they are also learning how
to touch-type the number keys and symbols.
Business Entrepreneurship- Mr. Ponzetti
Students continue to learn about the necessary functions that should be noted in starting up a
business, including staffing, promotion, and purchasing materials for a business. Students created
business plans to open a competing school store and they were presented to the class. In addition,
students are running virtual business simulations that allow them to gain a virtual understanding of
how their different decisions can and do affect a business.
8th Grade Computers- Mr. Hennis
The students have continued to focus on touch typing and basic Microsoft Word applications. I
have continued to receive positive feedback from the students on the new, web-based keyboarding
program I introduced this marking period, EduTyping. For Microsoft Word, the class has been
working with digital photographs. They have learned how to insert, edit, format, crop, and erase
the background of a picture. The class is currently working on a comic strip assignment. Overall, I
have definitely seen growth from the students in their touch typing abilities and understanding of
basic formatting in Microsoft Word this marking period, which will help them be better prepared
to begin high school next year.
Introduction to Marketing- Mr. Ponzetti
Students completed constructing a marketing plan for a business/product and presenting it to the
class. In addition, students have started learning how promotion can affect a business and its profit
margins. Students will be learning about different types of promotion and creating various types of
promotional activities in the next month
Legal Environment- Mr. Ponzetti
Students have been learning about different types of crimes, the punishments to particular crimes,
and the defenses for crimes. Students will be concluding the unit by attempting to solve a
crime/mystery that will be set up for them.
Web Design- Mr. Kearns
Students have learned to create custom graphics of various formats and used in web pages, with
full layout and design done by students. Students have started a Web Design Portfolio web site that
chronicles their progress in the course.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT CLASS NEWS
Band – Mr. Schoch
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Both the senior high and junior high band continue to work on their concert repertoire for the
winter concert. Both bands are also having their performance exams in the final week of marking
period 1. The performance exam incorporates warm-ups, scales, rudiments, etudes, and concert
repertoire
Garage Band- Mr. Schoch:
The students in garage band have been learning a variety of songs to put into a performance set
list. The students and I have picked songs from a variety of styles and genres. The students have
worked individually, in small groups, and as an entire ensemble to learn each stage of each song.
8th Grade Music – Mrs. Macolino
8th grade general music opted on a performance assessment. The boys will sing and act out
"Office Krupke" and the girls will present "I Feel Pretty"
Dance – Mrs. Horne-Greene
The dance class has just finished their unit on African dance. Students learned about polyrhythms
and focused on staying ground within the physical movement. We are currently working
on ballet. Students are learning to have proper body alignment, grace, and working on learning
necessary ballet terminology in French. We are looking forward to starting our jazz dance unit
next marking period
Choir – Mrs. Macolino
The choirs are busy preparing for their winter concert to be held on Dec. 5 in conjunction with the
band. Auditions for the musical "The Sound of Music" are coming up and students are preparing
the music in choir classes.
Guitar –Mr. Schoch
The students in guitar class have learned a variety of open chords on the guitar through the first
two months. The students have learned these chords through performing songs from various styles
and genres. The students have also been learning various rock and blues progressions to apply
improvisation in later lessons.
7th Grade Music - Mrs. Macolino
7th grade general music is finishing writing their radio show scripts and will be presenting their
shows in the next week.
Men’s Chorus- Mrs. Macolino
The men's chorus participated in the Young Men's Festival of Song on Wednesday, Oct 23 at
Rowan University. They prepared three songs chosen by the director, Chris Thomas, and travelled
to Rowan this morning. During the day they rehearsed, heard college music majors perform, heard
the University Choir perform and rehearsed some more. At the end of the day they performed their
three songs for a small but enthusiastic audience. 200 men singing at once is an incredible sound.
It was a positive day!
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TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT CLASS NEWS
Material Technology – Mr. Dean
The class is currently learning how to use the machinery in the lab. They must take a safety test on
all machines and receive a 100% in order to use it. They are beginning the only project for the
year in which I give them the plans, the Colonial Wall Shelf. This allows the students to become
familiar with what the machines can accomplish. They are using graphing techniques to transfer
working drawing to full size patterns.
Introduction to Technical Drawing & Design – Mr. Dean
The class just completed the Water Tower Design Challenge. They needed to design and construct
a tower in one double period that will transport water a chosen distance in the shortest time. The
tower is constructed with only the materials supplied in a brown paper bag. The formula for
deciding the winner is Height of the tower times Volume of water at the finish line divided by their
Time squared. The students must complete a detailed sketch to turn in with their tower.
Construction Technology: Mr. Dean
Students were given Student Info. Sheets, explanation of teacher’s expectation and safety rules
were reviewed. Measurement was reviewed and a safety assessment was completed. Review of the
4 main area of Construction (Light, Heavy, Industrial, & Civil), students demonstrated a clear
understanding of the differences of each main area. A review of sq./ft. area calculations was
assigned and assessed. The students gather information from watching “Housing Styles” VHS and
turn into teacher. The first activity on “Floor Planning” was introduced and a rubric was given for
the activity.
Transportation Technology – Mr. Hinger
The development of the Airplane, from past to present was introduced and the theory of flight
and main parts of an aircraft was covered. The students were giving an activity “construct a
glider”, which they detailed and assembled to perform 3 basic maneuvers: Roll, Bank, & Loop.
Then the students were shown a DVD on the “The Wright Stuff” which accounted the Orville
& Wilbur Wright contribution to the development of the” Airplane”.
Advanced Transportation Technology – Mr. Hinger
The development of the Box Kite, from past to present was introduced and the theory of flight and
main parts of the Kite was covered. The students were giving an activity “construct a ¼ scale box
kite”, which they detailed and assembled to be displayed in the technology area show case. Then
the students were given the rubric on their Box Kite….they researched, sketched, compiled a bill
of materials list, and constructed the kite….testing flight results, the students made their
adjustments.
CAREER AND TECHICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NEWS
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Mr. Schoch has renewed his membership in the South Jersey Band Directors Association. This
will allow students from Haddon Heights to participate in South Jersey band auditions at the high
school and junior high school levels. He will attend upcoming auditions on various weekends and
sponsor students choosing to audition.
The sign club is up and running and meets in the morning before HR to design and make signs and
banners requested by HHSD. They will also make signs for outside customers.
Mrs. Macolino reports that there are 12 students auditioning for All South Jersey Choir