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BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | |
Serving the Communities of Bridgewater Township and Raritan Borough | | |
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Greetings, and welcome to the latest edition of our district newsletter.
With September coming to a close, I hope this message finds you well and settling into the typical rhythms of the school year. Our back-to-school night programming has just concluded, and I hope you had a positive experience interacting with our faculty, staff, and administration.
We're excited to share some of our most recent achievements and updates with you. Please take a moment to peruse this latest edition as we proudly highlight some of the initiatives, improvements, and opportunities created for our students for the 2023/24 school year and beyond.
As a reminder, November 7th is Election Day: The Public Question on the ballot represents the final phase of the referendum. This question provides the funding to support the staff and ancillary expenses associated with full-day kindergarten, which was overwhelmingly approved in March. Please be on the lookout for updated information, which will be communicated as we get closer to November 7th.
Robert Beers
Superintendent of Schools
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Educational research is abundantly clear: possessing cell phones within instructional environments negatively impacts learning. While educators already know this, research conducted in recent years has confirmed this. Not only does cell phone use negatively impact one’s ability to retain information, but it also specifically correlates with lower test grades. Moreover, research suggests that cell phone use by other students in the classroom will negatively affect learning for every student, even those not specifically using cell phones.
Within instructional environments throughout BRHS and BRMS, cell phones are not permitted. Students who possess a device in the instructional environment should keep them turned off and placed apart from their body, preferably in backpacks, lockers, or away from learning activities. Teachers will provide a specific location and procedure for students to follow. (Excerpted from a presentation delivered by Principal Dan Hemberger to the High School community at the start of the 2023/24 school year.)
Kudos to Megan Corliss, BRRSD Middle School Principal, and Dan Hemberger, BRRSD High School Principal, for their leadership on this critical issue affecting our district's students and families.
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Referendum 2023: Full-Day Kindergarten | |
Curriculum Corner: The Science of Reading | |
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Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is committed to providing ongoing, content-specific professional development for educators to help them develop strong, research-based knowledge and pedagogical practices. One example of this commitment is the new partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University’s (FDU) Center for Dyslexia Studies.
Fairleigh Dickinson provides on-site teacher training to a cohort of elementary teachers in the Orton Gillingham (OG) approach for instructing struggling readers, including students with dyslexia. This program includes 12 graduate credits spread over four courses focused on the Orton Gillingham pedagogical approach. Each semester, teachers in the program attend lecture sessions weekly, then participate in a supervised practicum experience, working directly with students in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District. The program takes four semesters (two academic years) to complete. The classes and practicum occur after the school day at Eisenhower Intermediate School. This program complements the district’s phonics curriculum, taught to kindergarten through grade 2 students. Our district plans to provide this opportunity to additional cohorts of teachers in successive years.
FDU’s program is one of 25 university programs in the United States that has met the standards outlined in the International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading. The IDA standards provide the most comprehensive, research-supported documentation of what every teacher should know and be able to demonstrate, whether they are teaching dyslexic students, other struggling readers, or the general student population. In addition, Fairleigh Dickinson's Orton Gillingham Program is nationally accredited through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC).
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Spotlight on Bridgewater-Raritan Extracurriculars | |
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Thousands of Bridgewater-Raritan students participate in extracurricular activities district-wide. This month's spotlight is on our award-winning High School Marching Band.
The Bridgewater-Raritan High School Marching Band, led by Director Nick Mossa and Assistant Director Tom Bourgault, continues to grow in size for 2023. There are 77 high school students who are currently participating in the marching band, whose theme for the 2023 competition season is "The Journey of a Hero." This theme is based on the book, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," by Joseph Campell.
The Bridgewater-Raritan High School Marching Band has been practicing for the upcoming schedule of competitions that will be held throughout October, culminating in the State Championship competition on Sunday, October 29. Please click on the "Read More" link for an in-depth article on the marching band.
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During the summer of 2023, the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District embarked on a multi-year plan to modernize the media centers across the school district. Many of these rooms were not updated in decades and required an upgrade.
Bradley Gardens, JFK, Adamsville, Crim, and Van Holten were the first schools to reap the benefits of the renovations. Students and teachers now have an updated learning environment to promote reading, exploration, and creativity. In successive years, the Board of Education plans to update every media center in the District.
Stay tuned for additional updates.
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BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS
7:30 pm - Wade Administration Building
October 10, 2023
October 30, 2023(Community Forum on Referendum at 6:30)
November 14, 2023
December 12, 2023
January 2, 2024 (Reorganization Meeting)
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