Superintendent's Corner
September 2021
Welcome to the Start of the 2021-2022 School Year
"A good beginning makes a good end."
--Louis L' Amour
Welcome to the start of the 2021-2022 school year! We are excited to have all of our students back in our schools this September and return to some degree of normalcy. For some of our students, this will be their first return to our schools since March of 2020. With this in mind, we will have additional support in place to help ease this transition back to school, and we are excited to have all our students back on campus. All schools open on September 1, 2021, and the first day of school will follow a delayed opening schedule. School start times can be found here.
As you may already know, Governor Murphy recently issued Executive Order 251 mandating face mask usage for indoor activities in school; in addition, masks are required when students are on buses.
We are happy to share some new initiatives being implemented this year. The first is our Early College partnership with Middlesex College, where students graduate high school with both a diploma and associate degree. This offers a significant cost saving for our students and gives them a 2-year head start on their college career. To enroll your child or get more information on this program, please contact your child’s guidance counselor or building principal. You can also access information by clicking here.
Some other enhancements include the creation of our first-ever eSports Arena at Edison High School. We are excited about this new learning space and the start of this program in September. In addition, we created a larger cafeteria space at John P. Stevens High School to better accommodate our students during their lunch periods. Finally, the Lincoln Elementary School addition construction has already begun and is anticipated to be completed in September 2022. These are just a few of the many structural improvements taking place in our school district.
We continue to reflect and revise our programming, and as such, in the coming school year, we have added several new courses. Course additions include: Calculus 3, AP Research, Integrated Science, Introduction to African-American Studies, Diversity and Multiculturalism in US Society, and Contemporary Health Issues. At the Elementary level, the district adopted a new science program aligned with the next generation science standards, providing challenging opportunities for our students to utilize the scientific method via experimentation, inquiry, and discovery. These are a few samples of the many enhancements taking place in the district for the 2021-2022 school year.
We remain committed to providing our students with the superlative education for which the Edison Public School District is known and look forward to working together as your child continues their educational journey, settling for “Nothing Less Than Excellence”.
As always, continue to Shine Bright Edison!
-Bernard F. Bragen, Jr.
Meet Dr. Toohey, our new Assistant Superintendent for Pupil-Special Services
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Thomas Toohey to Edison. Dr. Toohey was recently appointed as the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil-Special Services and comes to the district with a passion for teaching and learning that can be traced to his experience as a child. He struggled in elementary school and pursued a career in education to connect with students of similar backgrounds.
Dr. Toohey began his administrative career as the Tri-District Supervisor of Special Education for Atlantic Highlands Elementary School, Highlands Elementary School, and Henry Hudson Regional High School. In this role, he coordinated special education programs across three separate and distinct school districts. In October of 2012, as the Tri-District homeless liaison, he was called to serve one of the hardest-hit areas of the Jersey Shore during Hurricane Sandy. Protecting and assuring the educational stability for these students was an emotional and professional charge, without equal in his career.
He then served as the Director of Special Education in the Hazlet Township Public School District between 2014 and 2019 and most recently as the Principal of Lawrence Intermediate School. In both of these positions, he established and maintained connections with the broader school community to further the district’s goals and meet the individual needs of students.
As a continuation of this practice, the Edison Township Special Services Department will be hosting a Special Education Parental Advisory Council "Meet and Greet " on Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 5:00 pm. This is a virtual event intended to give parents the opportunity to meet the administrative staff, connect with one another, and partner with Edison Schools for the upcoming year. Please use the link below to RSVP. A meeting link will be sent to the information you provide.
Edison Public Schools
Email: bernard.bragen@edison.k12.nj.us
Website: www.edison.k12.nj.us
Location: 312 Pierson Avenue, Edison, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-452-4900
Twitter: @edisonsupt