District Newsletter
BOARD MEETING June 23, 2022 7:00 p.m.
These Board meetings are open to the public. There are no limits to the number of people who may attend in person, and masks are optional. Board meetings will continue to be live streamed as well, but there will be no call-in comments or questions.
Link to Live-Streamed Meetings
Presentations from Recent Board Meetings:
GREETINGS from the SUPERINTENDENT!
Over the last several weeks I have attended dedications, Memorial Day celebrations, end-of-year awards, and celebration ceremonies in our schools. I have met with Girl Scouts who are trying to make the world a better place. I have observed high school students celebrating “Earth Day in Action” by sharing their knowledge with first-graders. In the upcoming weeks, many of us will attend or take part in even more celebrations of our students.
Throughout these days of student events and activities, I have noticed several common threads that define who we are as a school district. Each reflects the core values of passion, commitment, and service.
As I think about the unique qualities of these events and how they came to be intrinsic to our identity as a school district, I can’t help but notice that these qualities mirror those of the Haddonfield community at large. It is easy to see where our students first learn these valuable traits. These qualities are part of the fabric of the community in which they live. The qualities we look for in our students and staff, those qualities of which we are so proud, define the Borough of Haddonfield.
Our community is filled with passionate individuals who dedicate themselves to service for the betterment of the whole. We have multi-generational families whose voices have echoed the core values of kindness, hard work, high expectations, and success for many years. I am happy to say that the school district hears these voices, listens to the echoes, and takes a great deal of pride in working to develop the same core values in our school community.
Our students have learned these values from their families and neighbors by observing them in action. Our families, our PTAs, and the community as a whole support the District more than any other I know. Last year, a simple call resulted in hundreds of volunteers willing to help supervise extra lunch periods so our schools could remain open. Another simple call resulted in dozens of individuals willing to serve as substitute teachers so instruction would not be interrupted. The list of activities, donations and other kinds of support provided by our PTAs is too long to share in this space! Community support is evident in volunteers in our buildings, on our athletic fields, on the playgrounds, before and after school.
Just yesterday at the Memorial Day parade and service, one could see the blending of work from the community and from the District. The power of the community was demonstrated again to our students as they worked hand-in-hand with committee members in support of this special day. Experience tells me that this kind of collaboration will continue in the future.
Haddonfield is one of the top school districts in the state of New Jersey. This is not just about test scores and the athletic championships. This is a school district that honors service to others and sets self-interests aside in order to benefit the community at large. These are lessons that come from the home and are reinforced by the schools. It has become a shared identity of who we are as a District and a Borough. Haddonfield has a truly unique and powerful sense of community that I am proud to serve.
Chuck Klaus,
Superintendent of Schools
DISTRICT NEWS
A New Health Resource for Haddonfield Families, Students and Staff
Because we are committed to the well-being of our school community, Haddonfield School District has partnered with Care Solace to better connect students, staff, and families to mental health and substance abuse treatment options.
Care Solace will connect you quickly and confidentially to mental health and substance abuse providers that match your needs, regardless of insurance. Their Care Companion team is available 24/7/365 to help you connect with verified providers in our area, making phone calls on your behalf to find and book appointments.
- You* may call 888-515-0595 and speak to a Care Companion to find the best option, or
- You may go online for an anonymous search of possible providers.
- Also, you may contact your building principal, school nurse or school counselor for a “warm handoff.” In a warm handoff, the school staff person shares your basic contact information with Care Solace so they can help you find a provider that fits your needs.
* Students age 16 and older may access these services independently.
Care Solace is optional and is provided at no cost to you by Haddonfield School District. It is not an emergency response service and does not replace calling 911.
Connect to care today. Call 888-515-0595 or go to the Care Match site here.
New HMS Principal Announced
At the May 19th Board of Education meeting, Hamisi Tarrant was approved as the next principal of Haddonfield Middle School, effective July 1, 2022.
Currently the Dean of Students at Haddonfield Memorial High School (HMHS), Tarrant has been a compassionate and supportive member of the district community since August 2019. He served as head of counseling services and focused on the social-emotional aspects of education. Tarrant has worked closely with the faculty of Health, Physical Education, Science and World Language departments, observing classes and evaluating curriculum. Attendance, discipline, 504 accommodations and I&RS issues also fell under his supervision. In April, Tarrant was co-leader of the second annual Equity Summit, engaging students from seven local school districts on the HMHS campus.
Tarrant earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Health from William Paterson University in 2004, and his Masters of Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University in 2009. Returning to his hometown of Cherry Hill, N.J., he taught PE and health in several schools throughout the district, spending his last nine years at Cherry Hill High School West. He also acted as the PLC (Professional Learning Community) Coordinator, encouraging and including student voice and integrating technology into the classroom.
“Members of the interviewing panel agreed that they were most impressed with Tarrant’s sincere enthusiasm for being a public school leader with a student-centered lens,” said Dr. Gino Priolo, Haddonfield’s Assistant Superintendent. “His passion and professional background will make him an exceptional leader for Haddonfield Middle School students, staff, and families.”
District Undergoes Water Testing
In compliance with New Jersey Department of Education regulations, lead-in-water testing was performed on April 2, 2022, for drinking water locations in all four district buildings.
The purpose of the sampling was to identify and address the possibility of lead in the water of any drinking water location in our schools. The EPA's "action level" is 15.5 parts per billion (ppb). Drinking water locations included, but were not limited to, classroom water fountains or sinks, water coolers, sinks in the nurse’s offices, faculty break rooms, and locations in kitchens used for food preparation.
Water was allowed to stay motionless in each facility for a minimum of eight hours prior to sampling. After this period of inactivity, an “initial draw” sample was collected from the first water to come out of the outlet. After the initial draw sample was collected, water was allowed to flush for 30 seconds, and a second “flush sample" was collected. The purpose of the flush sample is to help determine – if contamination does exist – whether contamination originates from the outlet itself or from the building’s plumbing.
Approximately 200 drinking water locations were tested, and most were found to be safe. The chart below lists locations that tested above the action level, as well as the short-term response. It is important to note that each of these locations will be remediated, retested and verified as safe before returning to use.
For building-by-building reports of this testing please go to our Buildings and Ground website and choose "Lead in Water Sample Results" from the menu bar.
A summary of each location above the action level, as well as the short-term response, is found below:
HMHS Shakespeare Day held at Inkwood Books
In fact, yes, they could!
On May 15th, all 22 members of the class presented their Shakespeare Day at Inkwood Books in downtown Haddonfield. To a standing-room-only crowd, they presented "Romeo and Juliet/Star Wars: a New Friar;" "Twelfth Night/Twelfth Grade;" "Julius Caesar/
Graduation Day;" and "A Midsummer Night’s Dream/ A Midsummer Night’s MORP."
The printed program for this event included the student-actors' thoughts in making their adaptations, such as the following for "Julius Caesar/Graduation Day:"
"We chose to adapt the story of Brutus which ultimately is the focal point of Julius Caesar. Our play will touch on ideas of betrayal along with right vs. wrong and the choices a person has to make for the whole. Brutus struggles with an internal conflict of where his loyalty lies and having to make choices to benefit himself even at the expense of Julius Caesar, his dear friend. It also talks about injustice and government instability and the decisions individuals make."
The students were assisted on their creative work by playwright-in-residence Alison Carey as well as Quintessence Theatre Group’s Teaching Artists Daniel Ciba, Travoye Joyner, Hillary Parker, and John Zak. The students earned a grant through the Haddonfield Educational Trust to support this project.
Read this terrific article in the HMHS Bulldawg Bulletin about Shakespeare Day, written by Mary Clare Michael.
To read the program, click here!
Elementary Students Study the Harlem Renaissance
For the first time, students in grades 1-5 in all three elementary schools are participating in a study of the Harlem Renaissance in their general education classrooms as well as in all of their special areas.
The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s.
Beginning in early May, Haddonfield students have enjoyed workshops with artist-in-residence Abe Ovadia, well-known jazz guitarist (pictured below left). With art teachers Kristin Kimmell and Claire Ruskoski, students have also worked on projects that reflect art of the Harlem Renaissance (below center and right).
The unit culminates with a special assembly on May 31st.
HMHS Garden Dedicated
A multi-year Haddonfield Memorial High School (HMHS) campus beautification project culminated in the dedication of the Sarah Tarditi Gallagher Garden at 5:30 p.m. on May 24, 2022.
The beautification project was the brainchild of Maureen Eyles, former Haddonfield Board of Education member and current HMHS parent. In 2017, Eyles appreciated the extensive renovations that had taken place across the school district under a recent bond issue, but she recognized that the exterior spaces, especially at the high school, needed revitalization.
She organized and recruited members for the committee and asked Dr. Joseph Serico, former district administrator, to serve as president. In addition to funds provided by the Board of Education, committee members worked diligently for four years raising money through a series of projects including the Nick and Maureen Baker track dedication, the stadium's Legacy Walk, Haddonfield Educational Trust (HET) Golf Tournament and the Haddonfield Alumni Barbecue. Additional funds were provided by individual donors.
Tarditi family members and friends gathered for the dedication, as did representatives of the HET, the Haddonfield Board of Education, the landscape designer, the architects, many of the committee members, district Buildings and Grounds, current students, and other members of the Haddonfield community.
For more details, you may read the entire news release here.
Elementary Students Participated in Honors Orchestra
Nine of our elementary students were a part of the South Jersey Elementary Honors Orchestra. Representing each of our three schools, they are:
- Violin 1 - Jackson Moon, Henry Gralish
- Violin 2 - Evan Pirouz, Aqeel Chinwalla, Brooke DeMichele
- Cello - Max King, Aiden Baek
- Bass - Josh Devaney, Landon Cain
Several of these students were recognized at a May Board meeting (below). The concert was at Absegami High School on Saturday, May 7th in Galloway. Congratulations to all!
Latest @HSD Health News
The latest issue of @HSD Health news was emailed to everyone on May 27th. Here is the link.
SCHOOL GLIMPSES
Central Students Won County Poster Contest
Each year, Camden County Surrogate Michelle Gentek-Mayer works with elementary schools to share with students how their local and county government work and the importance of being involved.
Following each lesson, the Constitutional Row Officers of New Jersey sponsor a poster contest for fourth-grade students across the state. The Surrogate received over 400 submissions from throughout Camden County. Time and effort were put onto each poster submitted, and all posters highlighted why Camden County is so special.
The judges selected four winners and 10 Honorable Mentions. Second place winner and one of the Honorable Mentions came from Laura Hood's class at Central Elementary. Congratulations Claire Patterson and Bella Kennedy!
Four Lizzy Students Qualified for NJ Honors Choir
Four students from Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School performed in the state honors choir concert at JP Case High School in Flemington on May 7th.
Over 100 singers in grades 4 to 6 auditioned in December, and only five South Jersey students were accepted. Four of those five are Elizabeth Haddon students!
One of the Lizzy singers – Marcella Mistretta – was the top scorer for Treble 3. The four Lizzy Haddon singers are: Theresa Miller (4), Marcella Mistretta (grade 4), Katharine Usher (5) and Catherine Ferrilli (4).
Congratulations to choir director Polly Murray and the students!
Fifth-Grader Corresponded with President Biden
Tatem fifth-graders had many audiences for their research-based argumentative essays this past winter. Some wrote to Haddonfield School District administrators, a few wrote to President Biden and a few to Vice President Harris. One of these students received a response from our 46th President.
Catherine Watson wrote about the importance of banning plastics and the detrimental effect they can have on our planet. While students thought it was unlikely that she would receive a response, the class was more than excited to receive a very personalized reply from the President of the United States on May 17th!
We are all so proud of Catherine, and we celebrate what was surely a massive victory for our fifth graders.
HMS Student Groups Earned Numerous Accolades
There has been so much good news from the middle school that this section actually represents four stories. Great job to all!
HMS Choir Excels at Hershey Festival
Jr. Model UN Earns Recognition
SeaPerch Team Advances to International Level
HMHS Students Held Wellness Day
For the fifth year, HMHS Peer Leadership held a Wellness Day for the entire student body. The rationale is to promote wellness in all forms (mind, body, and soul) and to help students develop strategies to find balance in their lives amidst the stress.
HMHS Students Recognized for Poetry
Kiki Shim, Maggie Cody, and Bella Carle were honored for writing winning poems at the Walt Whitman Association’s High School Poetry contest on Wednesday, May 25th. All three are seniors in Mrs. Smart’s AP Literature class. Congratulations!
Environmental Science Club Tip
Time to Plant
Spring is a time for planting gardens….
- Plant some veggies
- Plant some flower beds
- Be sure to include some native plants for our pollinators!
For a great read, check out "The Garden Jungle" by Dave Goulson.
In the Loop
Keep up with current information, news and photos.
Social Media:
District Twitter: @HaddonSchools
District Facebook: @HaddonfieldSchoolDistrict
New page on website:
LRFP (Long-Range Facilities Plan)
- Read the latest @HSD Health newsletter.
- Read the latest issue of SAC (Student Assistance Counselor) Corner
- Look for your school's Twitter feed.
- Your student's team or club may also tweet.
- Our PTAs have a presence on Facebook and/or Twitter.