Superintendent Newsletter
Roxbury Public Schools
September 2023
Greetings!
I hope this message finds you and your family well. As part of my commitment to community engagement and communication, I compiled this newsletter for your review. Upon review, if you have any questions or would like clarification on any item, please feel free to contact me at fsantora@roxbury.org.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Regards,
Frank Santora, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
First Day of School
Dr. Santora with his family at Franklin Elementary School's Welcome Back Social.
NY Jets Center Connor McGovern visits EMS PE classes to promote inclusivity and wellness.
Our First Month of School
As September draws to a close, it is important to reflect upon our first full month of school. The many preparations and planning that district staff engaged in over the course of the summer enabled us to welcome back our amazing students and get down to the business of teaching and learning.
Greeting students on the first day of school across the district, I was able to witness their enthusiasm and enjoyment as they entered the school buildings. Students were welcomed by their building principals, teachers as well as one another. As the weeks have progressed, I have seen the enthusiasm grow as the students have engaged in meaningful learning opportunities that have been carefully planned and constructed by our dedicated staff.
I had the privilege of attending all seven of the Back to School Nights throughout the district. It was truly wonderful to observe the interactions between the staff and parents. The presentations provided by the administrators and teachers at the various buildings were informative and well planned. Attending these events was exceptionally beneficial to me as I was able to meet a greater number of parents in Roxbury.
District Goals
On September 18, 2023, I had the opportunity to present the district goals for the 2023-2024 school year during the board of education meeting. A copy of the presentation can be found here. The district goals center on critical areas of focus for the district including student achievement, professional development, sustainability, health and wellness and parent/community engagement. In addition to these areas of focus, the district will also examine the extent to which the Portrait of a Graduate (POG) needs to be reviewed and or revised. The original POG was developed as the result of the hard work and collaborative efforts of a number of stakeholders in the community. Please know that I am truly grateful to those individuals. As the POG has been in place for a number of years, it is important that we, as a district, work together to assess the extent to which the POG continues to be a reflection of who we wish our students to become as individuals. During the course of this school year, members of the community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the POG via an anonymous survey as well as through focus group discussion and other activities. Please be on the lookout for more specific information about this topic in the coming weeks.
Teaching and Learning
Our teachers have been hard at work implementing comprehensive lessons that are designed to maximize learning opportunities for all students. Through thoughtful planning, systematic instruction and ongoing reflection, our teachers continue to strive for excellence for our students.
During the most recent Board of Education meeting, Dr. Seipp, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction presented the 2023 NJSLA testing results. In addition to presenting the assessment scores, Dr. Seipp included specific information regarding the various actions the district is taking to provide further support to our students. Our instructional leadership team is working closely with the building administrators and teachers in order to devise specific plans of action that are designed to address the needs of our students. This work will continue as the year progresses.
On October 9, 2023, the district will be hosting a full day of professional development for staff. The day will consist of a wide variety of training sessions that align with the district goals. Staff members have the opportunity to present as well as attend such sessions with the overall goal of improving their professional practices.
For further insight into various educational initiatives and endeavors taking place within Roxbury Public Schools, I encourage you to access the Schoolhouse Rox: POGcasts webpage. This page includes the complete list of all of the podcasts that have been recorded. If you have an idea or area of interest that you would like to learn more about, please use the feature on the web page to indicate such interest.
District Operations
I want to take a moment and acknowledge the dedication of the staff members in our Buildings/Grounds, Transportation, Security and Technology departments. Their tireless efforts enable the district to function effectively and efficiently every day. I am so grateful to each and every member of those departments.
Student Life
Over the course of the past month, in addition to their demonstration of interest, effort and engagement in their own journey as learners, a number of our students have also engaged in a wide array of extracurricular and athletic activities. I want to congratulate all of our students, advisors and coaching staff on their hard work, commitment and passion.
Parent Involvement/Community
Since my arrival in Roxbury in July of 2023, I have been welcomed with open arms by parents and community members. It has been truly a wonderful experience getting to know and work alongside members of our community. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending Olde Suckasunny Day where I was joined by a number of our Principals , Vice Principals and Instructional Leaders from Roxbury Public Schools. During the event, I was able to see our amazing marching band perform as well as meet student representatives from various school based groups/organizations.
Additionally, my family and I had the pleasure of attending both the Franklin School PTA’s Welcome Back Social and the Kennedy School PTA’s Back to School Barbecue earlier this month.These events enabled parents, teachers and students to spend time together, further building a sense of community. My young children particularly enjoyed the various snacks as well as accessing the playgrounds. I want to acknowledge the hard work of all our PTAs across the district. I look forward to many more opportunities to engage with our various parent organizations over the course of the 2023-2024 school year!
Roxbury Township Public Schools
Website: roxbury.org
Location: 42 North Hillside Avenue, Succasunna, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-584-6099
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxburyPublicSchools