ValleyView200712Winter - Hopewell Valley Regional School District

The
VALLEYVIEW
Hopewell Valley Regional School District
425 South Main Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
(609) 737-4000
A NEWSLETTER OF THE H OPEWELL VALLEY R EGIONAL S CHOOL D ISTRICT W INTER 2007
Everybody is Doing It!
… Or Are They
E
verybody is doing it!
But, is it really everybody And what exactly are they
doing
Whether it’s about buying the latest piece of technology,
spending a prom weekend at the shore, or using tobacco, drugs,
or alcohol, the question that needs to be asked is “Is it really everybody”
Moreover, why is what everybody is doing so important
These are the questions sociologist Wesley Perkins hopes to see
posed in the households of young people across Hopewell Valley.
They are questions central to the theory known as social norming, a
field Perkins has pioneered over the last 20 years working with corporations
and higher education. In social norming, humans adapt
their behavior to their surroundings based on their perceptions.
Perkins, who believes we are often wrong in our perceptions, is
working this year with Hopewell Valley educators to compare perceptions
with reality.The focus at Central High School is on drug
and alcohol use.
(Cont. on page 6)
Uncertainty Vexes Budget Work
U
nfinished tax reform efforts, some with major implications
for the state’s public schools, continue to hamper
Hopewell Valley’s efforts to finalize a budget for the
coming year.
Some of the multiple bills under consideration in Trenton
would change state aid and budget caps, along with the types of
permitted cap waivers.Waivers act as relief valves in a capped budget,
helping districts pay for expenses that suddenly spike, such as
operating costs for a newly opened building or health insurance
costs that escalate at rates higher than the overall budget is permitted
to increase.
District officials have been told not to expect budget guidelines
before late February. In the meantime, school leaders are building a
spending plan for next year and have directed department managers
to hold the line and economize where possible.
“Even if we ultimately get some cap relief, we must be sensitive
to the property tax problem in our state that forces us to rely on
our local residents for over 90 percent of our budget,” said
Superintendent Judith A. Ferguson.“People need to remember that
this year we used $1 million in reserves to reduce the tax burden.
That money is now gone.” ■
7th graders Mark Thompson and Taylor Stathopulos study in
one of Timberlane’s new science labs, outfitted with northfacing,
floor-to-ceiling windows to capture maximum daylight.
Early Nods from the Ivies
A
number of Hopewell Valley seniors have won early acceptance
to some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and
universities for the 2007-08 year, signaling an exceptionally
strong class poised for post-commencement study.
Among the highly competitive institutions promising a spot to
Central High School students during this first wave of admissions, commonly
known as early decision, are Princeton University, Columbia
University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University,
Swarthmore College, Lehigh University, New York University, Tulane
University and Washington University in St. Louis.
Early decision acceptances are considered noteworthy because, like
first-round draft picks in professional athletics, they represent an institution’s
top choices from among the early applicant pool. Given the low
odds of being accepted at all by a top-tier school – many reject between
85 and 90 percent of all applicants – being one of those accepted early
is especially distinctive.
Other distinguished schools offering early acceptance to Hopewell
Valley seniors are The College of New Jersey, Dickinson College,
University of Pittsburgh, University of Richmond, Pennsylvania State
University and Rider University. ■

2
THE VALLEY VIEW W INTER 2007
Superintendent’s
Perspective
by Judith A. Ferguson, Ed.D
Explaining the meaning of manhood
in his poem If, Kipling penned this opening
line to his son.“If you can keep your
head when all about you are losing theirs
and blaming it on you…”
This is a powerful poem about keeping
life in perspective.We live in challenging
times when national panels are calling for a
remaking of public education and state
political leaders are determined to solve New Jersey’s property tax
dilemma by severely cutting back on school and municipal spending.
Whenever a system undergoes significant change, those within,
and those benefiting from the status quo, are likely to resist and perhaps
blame. But change we must and, fortunately, the destiny of the
school district had been set before I took the helm. My job is
merely to move it toward its mission.
The Strategic Plan, adopted after significant community debate
and input in 2000, is our roadmap. It lays out the direction and the
means to achieve a mission that is still, seven years later, viable and
achievable.What has changed since its inception is the level of
financial support available from local taxpayers, because of many
new factors including the economy, public disposition, and legal
constraints. For this reason, some of the original strategies to reach
our goals needed to be modified, and this was completed last year
with a revised, board approved plan.
Over the years, this community has generously given financial
resources to the schools, and students have flourished from its
investment.These resources are currently constrained.The district
must either find alternative resources or do with less.
New strategies may allow us to do more with less. We have already
begun to implement some and more will follow.A few strategies,
such as the elimination of non-mandated busing and the downsizing
of support services and pull-out programs, will allow up to reduce
the cost of education. Others, such as charging a fee for participation
in after-school activities and athletics, will allow us to continue programs
with alternative funding sources.
Strategies to engage community partners in the education of our
students can promote the mission of the district while simultaneously
decreasing our heavy dependence on classroom instruction.
While classroom instruction is critical, additional legitimate and
appropriate vehicles for learning are available to us. Internships, dual
credit programs with area colleges, and expansion of alternative
learning experiences that lead to high school credit will help us
maintain a viable and exciting program while containing costs.
I know from experience that change brings anxiety and confusion
can lead to blame.We need to keep our heads during this potentially
rough ride ahead of us as the district transitions and adjusts.
We have no options: we must either re-invent ourselves or let others
do it to us. In the words of Rudyard Kipling…
If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same…
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it… ■
Meet the
HVRSD Staff
Pat Kuhl
Substitute Teacher
Central High School
F
or her age, 81-year-old Pat Kuhl
has surprisingly few orders from
her doctor. No diet restrictions. No
exercise guidelines. She takes just
two medications, to keep her blood pressure and bone loss in check.
But as for Kuhl’s job, the doctor has been quite adamant.“She said,
‘don’t you ever stop going to school,’ ” related the legendary substitute
teacher, widening her bright blue eyes for emphasis.“And I have no
intention to.They keep me alive! I just love this age!”
“They” are the students at Central High School, where the spunky,
diminutive Kuhl has been a regular for the past dozen years, filling in
for teachers from auto shop to biology. (The only classes she passes on
are wellness and music.)
The great-grandmother of three is wildly popular with students
and staff alike for her positive demeanor and compassion. Colleagues
say she has a gift for making others feel good about themselves, and
students bear extraordinary affection for her.
“Everybody I know loves her,” says freshman Kristin Morocco.
“She’s really sweet and she has control of the class because everybody
respects her.”
“Students love Pat,” confirms principal Mike Daher.“They really
do look out for her.”
And that’s saying something.At 4’11”, Kuhl could easily be swallowed
up in the mass of bodies and swinging backpacks that choke
corridors between classes.“They’ll say ‘here comes Mrs. Kuhl’ and
they make way for me.Well, that’s flattering to an old bird like me!”
she says with one of her characteristic, impish winks.
The retired high school English teacher from Virginia hadn’t lived
in the area for a full month in 1995 when she told her husband,
Phineas, a retired insurance company executive, that she didn’t intend
to sit around their new Pennington condominium. She missed the
rhythms and energy of a high school campus, so she signed up as a
substitute teacher.
The first call had her report to CHS.“I always felt (then-vice principal)
Rich Lang was looking at me and thinking ‘What in the Sam
Hill is SHE doing here’ ” she confided.
Before long, the Corning, N.Y. native was a part of the CHS family.
Today she is in a classroom at least once a week, sometimes every
day.“I’ve not had one bad day. Not one. I absolutely love this school
and these students!”
Her favorite classes are English, of course, and the 41-year teaching
veteran confesses to be “fascinated” by classroom innovations.
A lifetime spent with young people, though, has not calloused her
to the painful realities of adolescence. She intervenes when she sees
things that bother her, putting an arm around a lonely student or
working to mend ruptured relationships.
“I don’t want anyone unhappy here.This should be a joyous time.”
When she’s not teaching, Kuhl feeds her hunger for good literature,
curling up with compelling biographies and English murder mysteries,
and keeps tabs on twin daughters Joanne and Roxanne, both of
whom work in elementary schools. Son Thomas, a retired stockbroker,
lives with her. ■

W INTER 2007 THE VALLEY VIEW 3
Progress in Our Mission
Hopewell Elementary students Kenny Smart, Kyle Bennison &
William Burditt work on the next issue of Hopewell Hopper,
the school’s newspaper. The after-school technology club has
grown so popular that adviser Amy Orlando has divided it into
two editorial staffs.
Award-Winning Author to Help
Students Find Their Muse
Award-winning children’s author and illustrator Neil
Waldman will share his experiences and inspirations
when he spends nine days with the district’s elementary
students in February.The visiting author will share tips
on how to write from ideas, the writing process and how to do
research for non-fiction literature.
A resident of White Plains, N.Y.,Waldman is the author or illustrator
of more than 50 children’s picture books and has created more
than 200 young adult book jackets. He has won seven Newbery
Awards and multiple writing honors, including the Parents’ Choice
Award, the ALA Notable Award and the Smithsonian Notable Award.
Each of the district’s four elementary schools has customdesigned
programming with the visiting author, and all have included
book signings so parents may meet with Waldman.
Older students will participate in writing workshops that include
critiques and discussion about writing careers.Younger students will
learn techniques on generating ideas for writing. At student assemblies
in all schools Waldman will speak about the power of childhood
fantasies, a central theme of his book,“The Starry Night.”
Waldman’s books have explored topics as diverse as the rescue of
the American buffalo from near-extinction (“They Came from the
Bronx”), the inspiration of Vincent Van Gogh (“The Starry Night”)
and the water cycle (“The Snowflake”), among others.
An accomplished painter,Waldman’s works are held in prestigious
collections around the world as well as the capital buildings of more
than a dozen nations. His design for the official poster for the
International Year of Peace was chosen over entries from around the
world and today hangs in the halls of the United Nations’ General
Assembly.Waldman has also designed postage stamps for 13 nations.
His visit is being funded through a $6,000 grant from the
Hopewell Valley Education Foundation and $7,500 in grants from
school PTOs. ■
Anumber of initiatives, advancing the goals of the district’s
strategic plan, move forward.Among them:
Shared Services. At the district’s invitation, representatives
from Pennington Borough met with school
leaders in January to explore new ways to reduce expenses
through shared services.The district has extended a similar invitation
to officials from Hopewell Township, with whom Hopewell
Valley has shared costs for many years.The two have shared
expenses for professional services, including engineering, recreation
planning and administration, theatre management and cable
TV planning. For many years the district has also joined with the
Township in the bulk purchase of diesel fuel, gasoline and road
salt.The district has also partnered with Hopewell Borough to
share the cost of recreation services for area youth.
Partnerships. An agreement was approved with the Hopewell
Basketball League, dedicating the league’s rental fees for upgrades
at the Bear Tavern Elementary gymnasium.The grant agreement
gives league officials a fixed rental rate in exchange for lump sum
payments to be set aside for capital improvement.
Non-mandated Busing. The Mayor’s Task Force on Busing
completed its work and recommended the three municipalities
and school district jointly resolve the financing issues in order to
continue non-mandated busing. Board and municipal officials are
meeting to identify possible funding sources. One cheaper alternative
under consideration for Pennington Borough secondary
students is a shuttle service, provided in a prior year when the
school budget was defeated.The state-mandated busing mileage is
2.0 miles for K-8 students and 2.5 miles for high school students.
Safe Routes to Schools Grant Application. In December the
district applied for $14,420 through the Safe Routes to School
grant program to establish a Walking School Bus at Stony Brook
Elementary.The application also seeks funding for bike racks,
pedometers and other curricular-related incentives to encourage
more walking and biking by students. District officials also collected
and shared key data needed by each of the three municipalities
that also applied to the new grant program.
Athletic Fields at Timberlane. The Recreation Foundation of
Hopewell Valley marked its best fundraising year to date in 2006,
collecting more than $150,000 for field development at AFT.The
largest single gift – $45,000 – came from the Hopewell Valley
Soccer Association. Other major gifts included a $30,000 corporate
gift from Janssen L.P.; $10,000 from Hopewell Valley Lacrosse
League; $5,000 from the Hopewell Valley Athletic Hall of Fame
Committee, and $5,000 from the Arkay Foundation. Its major
annual fundraising event, the Fall Ball, netted a record $40,000.
The foundation’s first-ever community-wide appeal – a professionally
produced mailing to Valley households – drew $20,000.
The foundation’s goal is $212,799.
Timberlane/CHS Campus Redesign. The Board’s facilities
committee continues to review a new traffic circulation pattern
for the adjoining secondary school campuses.Among the options
under consideration is a phase-in of the high-priority project.The
design by district architect Faridy Veisz Fraytak is intended to alleviate
bus and car congestion at arrival and dismissal times and
vastly improve student safety. ■

4
THE VALLEY VIEW W INTER 2007
The Greening of Timberlane
When the new wing at
Timberlane Middle School
opened on Jan. 16, visitors
admired its attractive design
and bright new spaces, and students and
teachers celebrated the end of classes meeting
in corridors. But within the 30,000-
square-foot addition’s design and construction
lay numerous Earth-friendly elements
to save energy and money.
Many of these were first used by the district
in 2002, in the construction of Stony
Brook Elementary School.Their proven
success in that building, documented to be
the most energy-efficient in the district,
encouraged the Board of Education to
duplicate them at Timberlane. Norman
Torkelson, head of facilities for Hopewell
Valley, likes to call it “proactive energy
planning.”
“It’s the sum total of all these things
that results in a lower, long-term operating
cost for this new addition, benefiting taxpayers
now and into the future,” said
Torkelson.
Among the advanced technologies
incorporated in the middle school addition
are:
away from the building, captured energy is
recycled to temper the incoming fresh air
used for ventilation.The system includes
features to reduce relative humidity and
MERV 8-rated filters for improved indoor
air quality.The high performance of this
heat recovery system allowed officials to
design a smaller geothermal loop.
Perimeter Insulation
In between the concrete block and brick
veneer of the perimeter walls are sandwiched
high-insulating polystyrene boards. In
addition, sheets of this insulator, known as
blue board, were also sunk some four feet into
the ground, below the frost line, around the
building perimeter to further reduce heat loss.
Daylighting Features
To maximize the amount of daylight in
the classrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows
were installed.The west wing’s creative saw
tooth design also permitted the installation
of north-facing windows to reduce glare.
High-performance, glare-reducing
Kalwall windows were installed in the
gym, band room and fitness center. Besides
reducing glare, the specially coated windows
are engineered to collect maximum
sunlight, even on cloudy days, to reduce the
need for interior lighting. Dual switches
were installed in all rooms, allowing occupants
to selectively illuminate spaces as necessary,
and all lighting is provided indirectly,
through diffusing fluorescent bulbs.
Motion sensors in all classrooms ensure
that unoccupied rooms are not lit.
Numerous studies have linked higher
student learning with certain building features,
including better lighting conditions.
A 2003 study of more than 8,000 California
students in grades 3 through 6
showed significant achievement gains
among youngsters in classrooms having
more daylight.The study concluded that
Geothermal Heating and Cooling System
A series of 48 wells, drilled to depths
exceeding 400 feet, comprise the closed
loop that captures energy from the Earth to
help heat and cool the building. Fluid circulating
in this loop is warmed naturally
underground to about 55 degrees and, on
entering the building, is channeled through
adaptable heat pumps which, depending on
the need, blow warm or cool air to individual
classrooms.
This is the second geothermal system
installed by the district; Stony Brook’s was
the first. Compared to the district’s other
schools, Stony Brook consumes up to 30%
less energy per square foot, an efficiency
credited in large part to its geothermal
system.
Further energy savings at Timberlane are
being realized through a companion heat
recovery system. As much as 70% of the
energy in exhausted air is recouped with
air-to-air heat exchangers. Once vented
“Hopewell Valley is 5 years ahead of
the rest of the state on this.”
-- Chris Leyenberger, construction manager
Teacher Karrin Phillips leads a class in Timberlane's new band room.
High-performance, low-e, doublepaned
windows were installed throughout
the building. Roof insulation was
increased and a white, reflective coating will
be applied to help reflect the sun’s heat
during summer months.
glare negatively impacts learning, particularly
in math, where instruction is typically
conducted visually on a board.
Solar-to-Electric Panels
A 50 kilowatt, solar-powered electrical
system is planned for installation over
the summer.The panels, covering approximately
5,000 square feet and planned for
the roof on the school’s south side, are
expected to reduce energy costs and earn
the district money over time through the
sale of energy credits.The bid also requires
the contractor to install a permanent information
kiosk in the school lobby that will
display data, such as real-time power output
and panel efficiency.“There are a lot of

W INTER 2007 THE VALLEY VIEW 5
What Did
Timberlane Gain
New
Renovations
7 classrooms Kitchen
2 science labs Nurse’s office
Gym & fitness Child study offices
center Locker rooms
Band room Student lavatories
House center near cafeteria
Offices Conversion of
Student auditorium into
lavatories 2 computer labs
Timberlane's new wing, as seen from the detention basin near the tennis courts.
things teachers can do with that as a teaching tool,” said project
architect Jason Kliwinski. Bids go out in February.
quality. Construction crews were required to use the “green” cleaning
products used effectively for years by district custodians.
Water Conservation
Waterless urinals in the boys’ lavatories are projected to
reduce water consumption in the new wing by 20 percent.
Elsewhere, automatic fixtures on the sinks and toilets will also
reduce usage.These features helped demonstrate to local code
officials that the new addition did not require a change in the
district’s permitted sewage capacity.
Environmentally-Friendly Materials
All paints, floor finishes and cleaning products are low in ozonedepleting
volatile organic compounds (VOC). Only latex paints
were used, and glues used in composite wood products are formaldehyde-free.
All carpeting products and their components, including
yarns, dyes, backing and adhesives, were low-VOC to minimize
vapors in the addition, helping to further improve indoor air
Green and Practical
In addition to the wing’s many “green” features, the design supports
a basic component of effective middle schools – flexible use of
space. It created learning areas for both large and small group
instruction and activities, which supports the middle school team
concept, the Advisory program and elective and wellness programs.
“For example,” explains Principal Pat Coats,“four of the
classrooms were built with moveable dividing walls which allow
teaching teams to combine classes for interdisciplinary approaches
and team activities. Our additional gym, the band room, and
the new house center also support opportunities for large group
instruction and activities.”
Small group areas house speech classes and other special education
services.They are also useful for the school’s Advisory program,
in which small groups of students regularly meet with a
teacher as part of a character education initiative.
“All of these additions and renovations will provide us
with great opportunities to use our school day and our school
spaces in flexible ways which best support the needs of young
adolescents,” said Coats. ■
Low-Maintenance Floors
Vinyl tile flooring in the classrooms and ceramic and terrazzo
tiles in hallways and bathrooms carry the advantage of
lower maintenance and minimal dust accumulation. Certain
large assembly rooms were installed with high-performance,
no-pile carpeting for easier cleaning and large mats near the
exterior doors are helping to minimize the amount of dirt
tracked through the building.
Quiet Environment
Sound-absorbing concrete block was installed in the new
band room and gymnasium.Walls in the classrooms and house
center feature multiple angles to minimize echoing. Even
corridors were designed with jogs in them to help absorb
sound. ■
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
Hopewell Valley’s contract with builder Dandrea
Construction Co. carried a number of Earthfriendly
conditions.
Construction Waste – Dandrea was required to
sort concrete, plastic, metal and drywall at the site for
recycling.As a result, 80 percent of more than 700 tons – in
excess of 560 tons – of debris was diverted away from a landfill.
Recycled New Materials – All ceiling tile, wall board,
ceramic tile, terrazzo tile, concrete and structural steel
installed in the addition were required to have recycled content.
Steel used in the addition was 80 percent recycled.
Local Materials – All materials were required to originate
with suppliers no more than 500 miles away to minimize
transportation costs and mitigate associated issues, such as
pollution and energy consumption.

6
THE VALLEY VIEW W INTER 2007
Gyms, Fields No Longer Free
U
sers of district-owned gymnasiums and fields began
paying rent for the first time in January, as district
officials continue to explore non-tax revenue sources
to help support the school system’s budget.
Beginning Jan. 1, non-profit organizations using
the district’s fields, gymnasiums, tennis courts and classrooms are
paying hourly rates ranging from $10 to $50, depending on the
day.The highest rates will be charged on Sunday, when the cost
of renting a gym, classroom or parking lot, reaches $50 an hour.
Field rental is $15 per hour, regardless of the day of the week.
Fees cover the cost of custodial service, utilities and normal
wear and tear. Until now, the district has historically secured
nothing more than proof of insurance from users of its facilities.
In January the Board approved a grant agreement with the
Hopewell Basketball League, locking in the rental rate for league
members in exchange for lump-sum payments dedicated for facility
upgrades. Under the agreement, the gymnasium at Bear
Tavern Elementary School will get an air-conditioning system.
The league will pay $30,000 for the first 1,000 hours and regular
rates, which range between $25 and $50, after that. ■
Timberlane 8th graders Jeff Mulford, Madison Schreiber and
Kari Lang (left to right) get an aerobic workout in DDR during a
recent wellness class.
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em …
I
f flexibility is in the toolkit of the effective teacher, then
chalk another one up for the wellness teachers at
Timberlane Middle School.
Dance Dance Revolution, a popular and interactive
computer game that challenges players to match rhythm
and choreography while following onscreen arrows for dance steps,
is part of the cardioaerobic options available to students in wellness
classes.
Wellness teacher Candace Gore, who first saw the game last spring
in a boardwalk arcade, helped pitch it as an addition to the curriculum,
noting its obvious cardio benefits, not to mention its high fun factor.
“Any time you can show them activity is fun, they’re going to
want to continue it,” says Gore.“Our goal is to get students to participate
in daily physical activity voluntarily.There’s a ton of data out
there that shows the participation of young girls, in particular,
declines big-time once they get to high school.”
Set to a soundtrack with a wide selection of contemporary dance
music, DDR plays on a regular TV monitor and players go through
their steps on a specially marked foam floor pad. Pads are connected
to a PlayStation console.Timberlane has two interactive pads, allowing
two students to play at a time, and another dozen non-interactive
pads, allowing 14 students in all to follow along.
Although DDR is offered as an optional activity, at the same
time as ping pong, Gore says the pads are never empty long enough
to get cold.“The kids love it.”
For teachers like Gore, who believe that the seeds for physical
activity in adulthood are planted in childhood and are best nurtured
when they result in voluntary exercise, DDR is a perfect fit in the
curriculum.
“Gone are the days that you put them in line and march them
around a gym,” says Gore.“It may be good for them, but so is castor
oil.” ■
Everybody is Doing It (Cont. from page 1)
Perkins says perceptions are shaped by three influences – culture
(entertainment,advertising,news,and the media),social psychology (we
are drawn to remember and repeat stories of extreme,weird events) and
psychology (we interpret and make sense of things based on our understanding
of the context of the situation.)
Vice principal Kat D’Ambra, who is coordinating the project in
Hopewell Valley, says it is important for parents and educators to challenge
the “everybody is doing it” attitude by training youth to ask
themselves the right questions.
❖ How do you know that
❖ Can you explain the context of the story
❖ What were other people doing
❖ Do you believe this story represents what everyone does/believes to be
acceptable
❖ What do you think about the behavior
“We rarely hear stories about the young people who don’t engage
in risky behaviors,” says D’Ambra.“The stories we do hear are of the
extreme behaviors and usually with limited contextual understanding,
but they are the stories that create misperception about the attitudes and
behaviors of the majority of students. This is the creation of the everybody-is-doing-it
myth upon which young people are norming their
own behaviors.
“We need to debunk the mythology.”
Data collection for the norming project at CHS began in
November, when 651 students were surveyed on their attitudes about
tobacco, alcohol and drugs.At 53% of the student body, the size of the
sampling easily qualified as representative. By contrast,TV’s Nielsen ratings,
which influence billions of dollars of advertising spending, are collected
on nearly 10,000 of the nation’s 105.5 million households.
Using the survey results, a student-designed, multi-media marketing
campaign, will be launched in the next month.The first target is
parents.
“This is about how to have an intelligent, respectful conversation
with young people about how they make choices,” said D’Ambra. ■

■ AWESOME KIDS ■
W INTER 2007 THE VALLEY VIEW 7
* The CHS girls’ winter track team won the NJSIAA Group 2
State Relay Championships in January. It was a record-setting 6th
consecutive state title for the CHS team.
* CHS senior Megan DiBiase was crowned Miss St. Patrick
2007, winning a $3,000 scholarship and the honor of leading
Trenton’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March. Every year the parade’s
organizing committee crowns a Mercer County female between
the ages of 16 and 22, based on intelligence, community involvement
and interest in her Irish heritage.An accomplished competitive
Irish dancer, Megan will make her 6th trip to international
competition in the All-Ireland Championships in February. Also
finishing as a semifinalist in the Miss St. Patrick contest was CHS
senior Oona Urbanski.
* Seven students at Timberlane Middle School were named to the
2007 New Jersey Junior High All-State Choir, distinguishing
them as among the finest choral students in the state.
Preparing for a May concert are choristers Abigail
Berkowitz, Eleanor Fishman, Claire
Batchelder, Matthew Passolino,
Alexander Bhaskar, Luke Bessillieu
and John Castonguay.
* Toll Gate Grammar 2nd grader
John O’Connor persuaded his
classmates to hold a toy drive to
benefit Womanspace instead of
the traditional December gift
exchange.
* Ninety-one CHS marketing students
took awards for excellence at
this year’s regional DECA conference,
qualifying them for state competition
in February.The contest drew some
1,300 high school students from Central
and South Jersey. For the 3rd straight year, a CHS team took the
Quiz Bowl trophy.Team members Arjun Sirrah, Arielle Wolfe,
Steve Deitchman, and Tim Haberin will compete for a state
title. Other students taking home 1st place ribbons were: Greg
Coats and Mike O’Connor, Accounting; Annie Knox and
Arielle Wolfe, Business Law Management; Emily Johnson and
Charlotte Taylor, Buying and Merchandising; Pat Jablonski,
Buying and Merchandising; Matt Hildebrandt, Business Services
Marketing; Sami Rodney, E-commerce; Arjun Sirrah, Travel and
Tourism, and Lisa Liu, Technical Sales.
* CHS marketing students advancing to state DECA competition
include 2nd place winners Michelle Facompre, Yannick
Hughes, Mike O’Connor, Mike Ruobo, Arielle Wolfe,
Charlotte Taylor, Tim Deasy, AJ Rodney and Sami Rodney,
Jared Williams, Aubrey Holmes, and Brian Haig.
* Also representing CHS at the state DECA competition are 3rd
place winners in the regional event Mike O’Connor, Steve
Deitchman and Garrett Myers, Brian Haig, and Lauren
Goldberg and Arjun Sirrah, Other students qualifying to
compete at the state conference were Susanne Fairbanks,
Nicolette Hitzel, Nick Strong, Brian Hendrickson,
Kyle Major, Nick Galeschiewski, Tom Kawalec, Mark
deGuzman, Tavy Lyle, Alex Lusdyk, Creg Pesta, Brian
Nowicki, Laura Stapperfenne, Tony Christensen, Jeff Kyle,
Robert Miller, Andrew Glander, Nick Walker, Lisa
Colasanti, Whitney Harding, Ryan Clements, Steve Nagy,
Phil Teachen, Mohammed Selim and Jameson Gehm.
* CHS senior Gina Colati will be recognized Feb. 11 at Seton
Hall University during ceremonies marking National Women in
Sports Day. Gina is being recognized for her outstanding achievements
in softball and soccer.
* The award-winning photography of Timberlane 6th grader Greg
Mitchell appears on the cover of the 2007 Hopewell Township
calendar. Greg's color shot of the 1885 Mine Road bridge was the
grand prize winner (junior color division) of the Honoring Hopewell's
History Photo Contest. He also dominated the black-and-white division,
logging 1st and 3rd place wins for his shots of the 1876
Woosamonsa Schoolhouse and the vintage road marker in the historic
village of Woodsville.Taking 2nd place in the black-and-white
division was CHS freshman Melissa Kolano. Other top finishers in
the color division were CHS sophomore Colin Ogren
and 8th grader Kyle Wert. The contest
required entrants to photograph
local historic landmarks after identifying
them from a set of clues.
* CHS seniors Liz Sidler, Jane
Bennett and Omkar Shivaprasad
and junior Alex Robertson graduated
from the Pennington First Aid
Squad’s EMT class in November.
The four completed 120 hours of classroom
training and 5 hours of riding time
with the squad.
* CHS seniors Samantha Germano and Gina
Colati and juniors Rose Rarich and Arielle Wolfe
were named to the All-State girls’ soccer team by the New
Jersey Girls’ Soccer Coaches Association.The Bulldogs finished
their season ranked 14th in the state.
* CHS junior Jonathan Tello spent two weeks in Ethiopia in
December as part of an international Operation Smile medical mission.
He gave presentations on nutrition and dentistry at local
orphanages and schools and provided comfort to children undergoing
surgery. Jonathan was selected from more than 100 applicants.
* CHS seniors Ben Sheng, Christina Jaworsky and Travis
Wolfe advanced as finalists in the Delaware Valley Science
Council’s annual competitive examinations at Temple University.
Just 38 of the 167 students taking the rigorous exams qualified to
advance, making them among the top science students in the
Delaware Valley. Also representing CHS at the competition was
Amalie McKee, who collected an honorable mention for her
strong finish in the biology exam.
* CHS senior kicker Steve Giovacchini was named to The Times
All-CVC first team in football. Senior lineman Ben Hart picked
up 3rd team honors.
* CHS junior Whitney Harding, who played midfielder for the
Bulldogs’ field hockey team, was named to The Times All-CVC
first team. Senior goalie Becca Wood and sophomore forward
Allison McGranaghan received 3rd team honors.
* Kendall King-Sellars, a 5th grader at Hopewell Elementary,
kicked off a special school meeting in December during which
area agencies were presented with holiday gift baskets. Attending
guests included representatives of Anchor House, Angel’s Wings,
Featherbed Rest Home, Habitat for Humanities,Womanspace and
the Governor’s Office on Volunteerism and Service. Custom-made
to specific agency needs, the student-filled baskets included games,
puzzles, treats, books and personal care products.

8
THE VALLEY VIEW W INTER 2007
Staff Achievements
Rankel to Speak at National Chemists Conference
Lillian Rankel, Ph.D., chemistry teacher at Central High School, will present her paper,“Teaching
Chemistry to Mainstreamed Blind Students" at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in
March. Rankel will share the strategies she has developed to teach honors and AP chemistry to a blind student
currently enrolled at CHS. Rankel also co-authored another paper to be presented at the Chicago conference.
"Independent Laboratory Access for the Blind" will be presented by co-author Cary Supalo. Supalo,
a blind chemist and doctoral candidate from Penn State University, visited CHS twice in the last year to
gather research for his thesis. Last October, Rankel presented a similar paper on the same topic at Penn State.
Schott Named to Standards Board
Timberlane science teacher Ron Schott has been chosen to serve on the New Jersey Professional
Teaching Standards Board.The Board promotes high quality professional development and focuses on
teaching issues linked to student success.
A member of the Timberlane faculty since 2002, Schott was named to a two-year term, ending Dec. 31,
2008. He is one of 10 teacher representatives on the 19-person board, which includes school board members,
administrators, college educators and members of the public. Appointments are made by the state
education commissioner.
O’Boyle Finalist in Photo Contest
Robert O'Boyle, Ph.D., art teacher at Central High School, was one of the top winners in the
Honoring Hopewell's History Photo Contest. O'Boyle's black and white photography of the gravestone
of Rebecca Creed, located in the historic Pennington Methodist Cemetery, captured 3rd place in
Grand Prize judging in the competition.As a finalist, O'Boyle's photography was included in the 2007
Hopewell Township calendar. ■
Bullying Expert to Speak
Bestselling author and bullying expert Rachel Simmons comes to Hopewell Valley
Feb. 26 in a special 7 p.m. presentation at the Performing Arts Center at Central High
School. Parents and community members are encouraged to attend this free event.
Simmons, who wrote Odd Girl Out:The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, interviewed
300 girls from across the country in gathering research for her 2002 examination of girl-ongirl
bullying.
The Rhodes Scholar is the founding director of the Girls Leadership Institute and a consultant to
schools nationwide. She is writing another book, on leadership skills for girls, and is co-writing a film
about aggression between women.
Simmons will address staff from Timberlane and CHS on Feb. 27. Later that day she will meet with
girls in grades 7-9.
Simmons’ visit is being funded through grants from the Hopewell Valley Education Foundation and
the Timberlane PTO. Her appearance last year at The College of New Jersey drew a large crowd,
including many adolescents and parents from Hopewell Valley. ■
Hopewell Valley Regional
School District
Board of Education
Kim Newport, President
Linda Mitchell,
Vice President, CHS Liaison
Kevin W. Doran, Toll Gate Liaison
Edward R.Gainsborg, Jr.
Werner H. Graf, Bear Tavern Liaison
Jeffrey Bartolino, Stony Brook Liaison
Judy Karp, Hopewell Liaison
Mel H. Myers
Carl Swanson, Ph.D., Timberlane Liaison
Douglas Deutsch, Student Representative
Judith A. Ferguson, EdD
Superintendent of Schools
John W. Bach
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
John Nemeth
Business Administrator
District Wide Number............737-4000
Central High School..............737-4003
Timberlane
Middle School........................737-4004
Bear Tavern Elem. School.......737-4005
Stony Brook Elem. School.....737-4006
Hopewell Elem. School..........737-4007
Toll Gate Grammar School....737-4008
JoAnn M. Meyer.....................737-4002
Director of Communications Ext. 2104
and Development
The
VALLEYVIEW
Hopewell Valley Regional School District
425 South Main Street
Pennington, NJ 08534
(609) 737-4000
www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us
We want to hear from you!
Call us with your questions, concerns and comments.
Superintendent’s Office . . .737-4002, Ext. 2101
Stay informed about your schools.
Log on to www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us and tune into HV-TV 19.
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A NEWSLETTER OF THE H OPEWELL VALLEY R EGIONAL S CHOOL D ISTRICT W INTER 2007