Woodland Park School District News
Nov. 19, 2021
Welcome to the Woodland Park School District e-Newsletter which is sent out weekly when school is in session. It serves as a glimpse of some of the wonderful things going on in our schools, as well as a point of reference for upcoming events.
Your Partner in Education,
Michele R. Pillari, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
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Mustang Academy Launches
Memorial Middle School has launched our first ever Mustang Academy! This after-school program provides students the opportunity to engage in various activities that will challenge both the mind and the body while having fun at the same time.
Coordinated by Mr. Segarra, Mustang Academy sessions are being facilitated by staff who organize “clinic” style programs for sports and clubs that will run between 4-6 weeks. Each session will offer different activities for one hour, three times per week. Session offerings will run based on information collected from student interest surveys on a rotating schedule.
This first session includes: art enrichment, Chess Club, TREP$, soccer, basketball, and volleyball.
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Fall Flowers
Mrs. Farrell's seventh and eighth grade art students at Memorial Middle School gathered maple leaves to create leaf roses. The class learned about sculpting and folding techniques as well as the science behind why leaves change color in the fall.
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Fun With Equations
Mr. Ling and Ms. Elman's seventh grade math classes at Memorial Middle School have been learning about proportional relationships. On this day, students drew a coordinate plane with chalk, rolled blow-up dice, and plotted coordinates (x, y), then identified the constant of proportionality (y/x) and wrote an equation (y=kx) for each problem we created. The students truly enjoyed this outdoor lesson!
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Balance Experiments
The students in Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Lindsay’s PreK-4 class at School 1 have been studying simple machines. This lesson focused on levers and using a balance scale to determine which objects are heavier and which objects are lighter. The students learned the word “fulcrum”! The students enjoyed creating their very own balance scales and experimenting with various objects in the room.
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Wheel It In
While studying simple machines, Mrs. Mete's PreK-4 class at School 1 transformed their dramatic play area into an auto shop! There, the children continued to role-play, sparking creativity and imagination while growing and learning.
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Mastering Measuring Skills
Mrs. Morozowski's PreK class at Charles Olbon School worked on measuring and counting skills. Each student measured the length of their bodies by using turkey feathers. The children truly enjoyed this lesson.
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Art Portfolio Club Launches
Pictured above are the many Memorial Middle students anxiously checked the main bulletin board for acceptance into the Art Portfolio Club conducted by Mrs. Farrell!
This group of advanced art students meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays during period one. The purpose of the class is to prepare students for portfolio presentations for high school Interviews. It is a rigorous process and of the 120 students who expressed interest, 60 were selected!
The first project for these students was to learn about the Hudson River School painters and create a painting inspired by the artists in the theme of autumn. Mrs. Farrell is excited to share this experience with the students and looks forward to a very successful year creating art in a wide variety of genres and mediums.
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Memorial Middle School Animal Club Learns About The Seeing Eye
The Memorial Middle School Animal Club met last week and learned all about The Seeing Eye organization which is based in Morristown.
Founded in 1929, The Seeing Eye works to enhance the independence, dignity, and self-confidence of blind people through the use of Seeing Eye dogs. The students learned about those who raise the puppies as well as the process one goes through to obtain a dog. The Seeing Eye program graduate, Jonathan, told the students how those who wish to obtain a dog must attend a school to learn how to work with their dog. He said that having his dog helps him live without fear and has raised his level of security and freedom.
Students saw a virtual tour of The Seeing Eye facility and also watched a video of a woman, Susan, and her dog, Logan. Susan said that Logan is an extension of her and allows her to do everything she wants to do in life.
Find out more about The Seeing Eye here.
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Outside Lessons
Beatrice Gilmore School and Memorial Middle School music teacher, Mr. Schaefer, has been taking advantage of the nice weather by holding band lessons outside.
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Theme Day Fun
Ms. Tonti’s first graders at Charles Olbon School enjoyed a "campfire” themed day. The class wore their favorite “campfire” attire, ate snacks from home, listened to seasonal stories, and shared written stories and favorite books in a show and tell style. The children enjoyed a candlelight classroom with fake candles and a toasty fireplace on the smart TV. It was a fun-filled day!
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Register For Annual Holiday Movie
Just a few seats remain for our annual Holiday Movie at AMC Wayne 14 Theatre next to Willowbrook Mall. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. The movie will be Disney's "Encanto." Cost to attend is a $10 gift card per family to any store for the Borough's annual gift card drive. Registration is required and can be done here. One adult per family; all attendees must register. This event is for Borough residents only.
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Travel Basketball Tryouts Are Planned
The WP Panthers will be hosting tryouts for the 2021-2022 season for travel basketball. All players must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and each parent/guardian must sign a permission form prior to the tryout. No player will be permitted on the court without a signed form.
A registration fee, volunteer deposit, uniform deposit, and 2021 membership fee will be collected at the first team practice after the final team has been selected. Tryouts will be held at the Charles Olbon School gym. Players must participate in first tryout to be invited to the final tryout. Final tryout will be Monday Nov. 22 (time to be announced). Fifth and sixth grade boys tryouts will be Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Seventh and eighth grade boys tryouts will be held Saturday, Nov. 20 from 12 to 2 p.m.
In addition, basketball registration for the upcoming season is ongoing. This program is open to all Woodland Park children who are currently in kindergarten through eighth grade. To register and for more information, click here. A basketball commissioner for this season is still being sought. For more information, contact Tom Bolen at mbt2004@optonline.net.
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Make Your Plans For Tree Lighting, Holiday Parade of Lights
Next Saturday, Nov. 27 will be a big night in town. The Borough's annual Christmas tree lighting will be held at Dowling Gardens at 5 p.m. Santa and his friends will help Mayor Kazmark and the Borough Council light up the tree.
The 2021 Totowa & West Paterson Fire Department Holiday Parade of Lights will kick off at 6 p.m. and arrive in town to parade down McBride Avenue and through the Dowling section. In addition, the fire departments' Winter Festival will be held from 4 to 10 p.m. on McBride Avenue from Dowling Parkway to Browertown Road with vendors, food, music, and activities for the kids.
Roads will begin to close around 5 p.m. along the parade route. Spectators can park in neighborhoods along the route, as well as at 1225 McBride Ave. and the Park West Meadows Shopping Plaza.
Spectators can help support underprivileged children by donating an unwrapped gift. Toys collected will benefit local families in need as well as Hackensack Meridian Health, Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital. Gifts will be collected by Santa’s helpers, who will be walking along the parade route.
Outlined on the route map below, you will find food establishments throughout both towns. Come out and support the local businesses. Sip & Swirl will be at the Winter Festival as well, and 100% of proceeds that day will be donated to kids in need. Pie Oh My Wood Fired will also be donating pizzas to the firemen who protect us all year round that afternoon before the parade kicks off.
For updates, visit the event page here. Any questions, email wptfdholidayparade@gmail.com.
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Coming up at the Alfred Baumann Library:
The Alfred Baumann Library will host the following programs. While the Library building is temporarily closed due to flood damage, please check the website for event locations. Programming may be held outside, in the Municipal Building Community Room or via Zoom. Visit the Library's website here or Facebook page here. Its phone is 973-345-8120. Email is library@abwplibrary.org.
Monday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m. - Weigh To Go. Join the group every Monday to discuss your weight loss journey via Zoom. Enjoy a relaxed, judgment-free zone to share your stories, recipes, tips, and more. Register here.
Monday, Nov. 22, 11 a.m. - Chair Yoga. Come and find your inner peace during our chair yoga and meditation sessions. The class is held in Borough Hall's Community Room. Register here.
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 4:30 p.m. - Bookmarked book club for grades 6 to 8. This month we will be reading "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead. Patrons can pick up the book at the Library. The group will discuss the book and enjoy activities, crafts and games based on the book. Register here.
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 6:30 p.m. - Pajama Story Time for babies to Kindergarten. Put on your PJs and join us for evening stories. Register here.
Wednesday, Nov. 24, 4:30 p.m. - Autumn Bingo for ages kindergarten and up. Join in for a game of Autumn-themed picture bingo. Prizes will be available for all winners. Register here.
Wednesday, Nov. 24, 6:30 p.m. - Unwind With Pat. Join Pat to unwind with the craft of your choice. Register here.
Thursday, Nov. 25 - Library will be closed
Friday, Nov. 26 - Library will be closed
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 4 p.m. - Snails & Tales story time for ages 3 and up. Register here.
Thursday, Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m. - Benefits of Massage. Join Mecca Integrated Medical of Fairfield in the Municipal Building Community Room for a discussion on the benefits of massage therapy. Register here.
Saturday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m. - LEGO Mania for grades kindergarten and up in the Municipal Building Community Room. Register here.
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. - Holiday "Chopped" Family Edition. Decorate sugar cookies and create delicious mocktails for the special guest judges. Register one member of the family, then include the total number of family members participating. Add any food allergies or limitations in the accommodations section. Register here.
Thursday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m. - Stories from New Jersey Diners with author Michael C. Gabriele. For more than 100 years diners have played an important role in NJ’s history as gathering places for a community. Diner experiences reflect the state’s spirit, culture and mythology. This event will be held in person at the Municipal Building. Register here.