Schools

Clark and Garwood Year in Review: The Year in Schools

As 2011 comes to an end, we're taking a look back at some of the biggest school stories we captured throughout the year in Clark and Garwood.

Time to look back. Here, some of our favorite school stories from the year. Keep reading this week for more of our "Year in Review."

Jan. 21, 2011:

At the Garwood Board of Education meeting on Jan. 18, the board voted 6 to 3 in an executive session to approve the contract with the Union County Improvement Authority for installation of solar panels on the roof of The program promises to reduce a portion of retail electricity cost while requiring no out-of-pocket costs from the school district.

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

March 18, 2011:

Clark Township School District is one of fewer than 400 school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on its AP® Achievement List for opening AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. From 2008 to 2010, Clark Township School District has increased the number of students participating in AP courses from 102 to 146, while improving the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher (the score typically needed to earn college credit) from 72 percent in 2008 to 76 percent in 2010.

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

April 27, 2011:

The second question asked if an additional $134,744 should be raised "to be used exclusively for extra-curricular activities including athletics; additional periods of art, music and full day kindergarten and the transportation and benefit costs associated with these programs." These activities include middle-school sports, elementary art taught by a certified teacher, instrumental music, the seventh grade Stokes Outdoor Education program, the Board’s share of funding for the eighth grade play and full-day kindergarten.

The programs did not fit under the 2 percent cap mandated by the state. Had the second question not passed, these programs would have been cut from the district.

May 13, 2011:

In the halls of Arthur L. Johnson High School, news spread quickly regarding the school board's decision not to rehire head football coach and gym teacher Nick Gregorio for the 2011-2012 school year. The news led players and other students to react swiftly, passing around a signature petition to keep the second-year coach. Ultimately, the board's decision was upheld, and in June...

June 3, 2011:

The Clark Board of Education unanimously approved Mike Mancino to replace former head football coach 

"We're ecstatic about this decision," said Johnson Athletic Director Gus Kalikas. "Mike's been part of the program since 1993, and he's been part of two state championships and five conference championships."

June 3, 2011:

"All great people push themselves and others to do the unthinkable, to stretch the boundaries of what they think they can do," Phil Guido, class of 1979, told the classes of 2011 and 2012 at Arthur L. Johnson High School. Guido, a general manager for IBM, decided to return to Johnson to tell his career story – and bring with him a version of the company's famous artificial intelligence computer system "Watson" – as part of the IBM's call to service in honor of its 100th anniversary.

June 7, 2011:

Amongst the 217 Arthur L. Johnson graduates were seven sets of twins, comprising a solid 6.5 percent (double the census average) of the class of 2011. We decided to grill the Johnson class of 2011 twins in our video and learned lots about twin-life, including just how quickly one sibling was willing to rat out the other as “the troublemaker” and why sharing a car can almost tear them apart.

June 24, 2011:

Diplomas in hand, this year's graduates leave the halls of ALJ. Here, our video of the ceremony as the Class of 2011 crossed the stage and switched their tassels on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

Sept. 23, 2011:

Gayle Carrick, superintendent of Cranford schools, thanked the Garwood Board of Education for opening Washington School to Cranford students after flood damage hit Brookside Place School.

"A school is the greatest stability and in our time in need, we needed stability," Carrick said. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for opening your school to us."

"We wanted to help a neighbor, and we sympathize with them," said Garwood Board President Adele Lewis.

Sept. 27, 2011:

St. John the Apostle School in Clark has been named a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School for academic excellence by the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The Department will honor the school for this prestigious award at a ceremony held for National Blue Ribbon Schools on November 14-15 in Washington, DC.

St. John the Apostle School was selected as a high academic performance school because their standardized test scores in reading and math were among the highest in the nation.

Oct. 19, 2011:

The students - nine from fifth grade and 10 from third grade - received a score of 300 in the mathematics section, which is the highest score possible on the part of exam. 

"We are so proud of all of their accomplishments," said Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Knops. "They are truly ambassadors for the school and their families."

Nov. 3, 2011:

More than 200 students came out to Brewer Gym, packing the bleachers and spilling onto the floor, to celebrate the life and mourn the loss of their classmate and friend Nicole Marzano.

Arthur L. Johnson Principal Rick Delmonaco spoke to the students. "None of us is going to sit here and say tomorrow or Saturday is going to be easy, because it's not," said Delmonaco. "It's going to be very difficult. But we're here to express our emotions and we're going to stay strong together as a family. That's what Nicole wants."

Dec. 13, 2011:

Arthur L. Johnson High School was named one of 367 public districts in the United States and Canada – and one of only 21 high schools in New Jersey – to the National College Board’s prestigious Advanced Placement Honor Roll for 2012. Schools achieve the distinction for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement courses while maintaining or improving individual scores.

 


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