OBOE-Mail Blast December 8, 2017 Volume 7, Number 13

In This Issue:

Events on Saturday, December 9

8th Annual AP® District Honor Roll

FIRST LEGO

League Qualifying

Tournament

Recap of November

Board of Education

Meeting

NJ Sharing Network Field Trip

Forest Street Students Preview Google Augmented Reality

Orange High Dance Students Attend MSU Dance Days

Orange Preparatory Academy Students Give Back

FYI

Preschool

Registration

Orange Page

Turners

Safety Summit

Contact Information: Orange Board of Education 451 Lincoln Avenue Orange, NJ 07050

Send Us An Email

Saturday, December 9, Parent Academy Safety Summit, 10AM–12PM,

Scholars Academy

Saturday, December 9, The Complete History of America (Abridged), 2PM

and 7PM, Orange Preparatory Academy

Monday, December 11, Park Avenue Winter Concert, 6:00PM

Tuesday, December 12, Monthly Board of Education Meeting, 7:00PM,

Orange Preparatory Academy

Thursday, December 14, Lincoln Ave. School Winter Concert, 6:00PM

Friday, December 15, Cleveland Street School Winter Concert, 6:00PM,

Central Auditorium at Rosa Parks Community School

Don’t Miss Two Great Events on Saturday, December 9

Final Performances of The Complete

History of America (Abridged) at

Orange Preparatory Academy, 2:00

PM and 7:00 PM ($5/$7)

Visit www.orange.k12.nj.us for details.

The Parent Academy Community

Safety Summit at Scholars Academy

on Saturday, December 9 at 10:00 AM

– 12:00 PM

Visit www.orange.k12.nj.us for details.

The Orange Public School District Placed on the College Board’s

8th Annual AP® District Honor Roll for Significant Gains in

Student Access and Success

447 School Districts Across the U.S. and Canada Are Honored

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Orange, NJ - The Orange Public School District is one of 447 school districts in the U.S. and

Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the 8th Annual AP® District

Honor Roll. This is the second time that Orange has been honored with this distinction. The

district previously received this recognition in 2014. To be included on the 8th Annual Honor

Roll, the Orange Public School District had to, since 2015, increase the number of students

participating in AP while also increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning

AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. Reaching these goals shows that this district is successfully

identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are ready for AP.

The Orange Public School District is one of thirty-nine districts in New Jersey to be placed on

the 8th Annual AP® District Honor Roll. Of the New Jersey districts, six have 30% or greater

enrollment of Native American, African American, and Hispanic/Latino students. Orange is

the only district in this group that has received this distinction more than once.

“We are extremely proud of this accomplishment, as it demonstrates that we are providing

advanced opportunities for our students,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools Ronald C.

Lee. “Our students are proving they are capable of meeting the challenges of advanced

coursework in preparation for college and careers.”

National data from 2017 show that among Native American /Alaska Native, Black/African

American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students with a high

degree of readiness for AP, only about half are participating. The first step to getting more of

these students to participate is to give them access. Courses must be made available,

gatekeeping must stop, and doors must be equitably opened. The Orange Public School

District is committed to expanding the availability of AP courses among prepared and

motivated students of all backgrounds.

“Congratulations to all the educators and administrators in this district who have worked to

clear a path for more students of all backgrounds to participate and succeed in AP,” said

Trevor Packer, head of AP and Instruction. “These educators and administrators are

fostering a culture in their schools and classrooms that allows students to face new

challenges and build the confidence to succeed.”

Helping more students learn at a higher level and earn higher AP scores is an objective of all

members of the AP community, from AP teachers to district and school administrators to

college professors. Many districts are experimenting with initiatives and strategies to see

how they can expand access and improve student performance at the same time.

In 2017, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for

college credit, advanced placement, or both, and/or consideration in the admissions

process. Inclusion in the 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on a review of three

years of AP data, from 2015 to 2017, looking across 38 AP Exams, including world language

and culture. The following criteria were used.

Districts must:

Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4% in large districts, at least 6% in medium

districts, and at least 11% in small districts;

Increased or maintained the percentage of Native American/Alaska Native, Black/African

American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students taking exams

and increased or maintained the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African

American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students scoring 3+ on

at least one AP Exam; and

Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2017 percentage of students

scoring a 3 or higher to the 2015 percentage, unless the district has already attained a

performance level at which more than 70% of its AP students earn a 3 or higher.

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When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population in which 30% or

more are underrepresented minority students (Native American/Alaska Native,

Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander) and/or

30% or more are low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price

lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.

The complete 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found

here: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/score-reports-data/awards/honor-roll

2nd Annual FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament

The Orange Public School District hosted

the 2nd Annual FIRST LEGO League

Qualifying Tournament, On December 2, at

Lincoln Avenue School. The office of

Mathematics and Science, led by Director

Dr. Tina Powell and spearheaded by

Supervisor of Science/Robotics Shafeek

Mohammed, organized the event. Seventy-

six students, Grades 4-8 from Cleveland

Street, Forest Street, Heywood Avenue,

Lincoln Avenue, Oakwood Avenue

Community, Orange Preparatory Academy,

Park Avenue and Rosa Parks Community

Schools participated in the event. Interim

Superintendent of Schools Ronald C. Lee

was present to officiate the event.

The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robotics challenge this year is the HYDRO DYNAMICSSM

Challenge. People need water every day, but they don’t think much about how and why

they use water. Whether it’s directly through drinking and washing, or indirectly through

manufacturing the products they use or producing food or energy, humans have a lot of

different water needs. The challenge for the season is to improve the way people find,

transport, use, or dispose of water in order to meet a specific need or desire.

Each school team, over the course of a five-hour period, were judged and awarded points in

four areas: Project Presentations, Core Values, Robot Design and Robot Performance.

Overall rankings in these areas produced the district's champion, Orange Preparatory

Academy.

Congratulations to all, the teams and the winners in the four award categories:

Competition Category School Winner

Project Presentation Heywood Avenue School

Core Values Forest Street School

Robot Design Rosa Parks Community School

Robot Performance Park Avenue School

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Pictured (left to right): Heywood Avenue School; Forest Street School; Rosa Parks Community School.

Pictured (left to right): Park Avenue School; Orange Preparatory Bison Robotics Team; Oakwood

Avenue Community School.

Orange Preparatory Academy Bison Robotics Team earned a spot at the New Jersey State

Championship, to be held Saturday, December 9, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., at Mt. Olive

High School, Flanders, NJ.

Pictured (left to right): Bison Robotics Team; Lincoln Avenue School; Cleveland Street School.

Pictured (left to right): Park Avenue School and Orange Preparatory Bison Robotics Team.

The teams, coaches and judges are congratulated for their participation.

FIRST® LEGO® League introduces young people, ages 9 to 16* (grades 4-8), to the fun and

excitement of science and technology. Children program an autonomous robot (using a

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot set) to score points on a thematic playing surface, create

innovative solutions to a problem, all while being guided by the program’s signature Core

Values.

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Recap of November Board of Education Meeting Featuring

Orange High School

December Board of Education meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, December 12

Hosted by Cleveland Street School

After the audience stood for the flag salute,

the Orange High School Mighty Marching

Tornadoes and dancers opened the

November Board of Education meeting with

high energy, leading the way for a

celebration of all that’s good at Orange

High School. The cheerleaders cheered, the

Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp

presented their accomplishments, Boys 2

Men mentoring group gave testimony for its

purpose and students proclaimed a series

of “did you know” facts about the

opportunities, successes and achievements

of Orange High School. Principal Jason

Belton proudly congratulated his students

and staff and invited the audience to get to

know Orange High School. Principal Dr.

Erica Stewart, of the Career and Innovation

Academy of Orange, represented her

school with wooden tablet stands for each

board member, handmade by her skilled

students.

Pictured: (above) Boys II Men (right top to

bottom) Band and dancers; NJROTC; OHS

students.

Following OHS’s tour de force presentation, Interim Superintendent Lee gave an update for

the STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges. He noted that the STEM students will no

longer commute to NJIT. After a recent traffic accident, students will now attend Scholars

Academy. He thanked NJIT for housing the students while their new school is under

renovation. There have been some delays due to building code compliance issues.

Additionally, Interim Superintendent Lee thanked Ms. Laura Sacks for the Teen Summit held

on November 4 and introduced a presentation to the board proposing a STEM related

foundation raising grant monies for STEM school/activities.

A new board member, Ms. Rhoda Irodia, was introduced. She replaces Board Vice

President, Ms. Gloria Fisher.

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Student of the Month

Interim Superintendent of Schools Ronald C. Lee and Board of Education President Mr. E.

Lydell Carter presented students with certificates for being selected Student of the Month

(SOTM). On a monthly basis, students are recognized for exemplary behavior, academics

and citizenship by their school. The students honored were:

Student of the Month School

Rodney Housey Orange High School

Taleet White Career and Innovation Academy of Orange

Stacey Ankrah Orange Preparatory Academy

Zariah May-White Cleveland Street School

Hari Patel Rosa Parks Community School

Brando Beltran Park Avenue School

Jordan McAllister Heywood Avenue School

Kevin Renderos Forest Street School

Bregenine Raymond Oakwood Avenue Community School

Dakauri Pinckney Lincoln Avenue School

Courtnee Simpson STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges

Pictured bellow with SOTM and family members are school administrators, teachers, Board

President Carter and Interim Superintendent Lee:

Pictured (left to right): OHS SOTM; STEM Academy SOTM; Lincoln Avenue SOTM.

Pictured (left to right): Heywood Avenue SOTM; Orange Prep SOTM; RPCS SOTM.

Pictured (left to right): Park Avenue SOTM; Heywood Avenue SOTM; Forest Street SOTM.

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OHS Parent of the Month

Orange High School’s Parent of the

Month is Ms. Fatima Jefferson. She has

always taken an interest in the lives of

many students at Orange High School.

As a proud alumna of Orange High

School, Ms. Jefferson has always

believed in the motto of “Excellence,

Equality, and Character.” As a parent,

she has taken a keen interest in making

Orange High great. When the call is

put out for volunteers, she is the first to

answer. She never has an unkind word

and always has a smile for everyone

she encounters. She is a strong

believer that education will be your

greatest asset while encouraging, not

only her child but all students. Ms. Jefferson makes a concerted effort to speak to other

parents about becoming active in Orange High School’s activities. Whether it’s a sports

match, Parent/Teacher conference night or supporting the students, Ms. Jefferson has

tirelessly worked to support and encourage student success.

The Orange High School family would like to thank Ms. Jefferson for what she has done and

continues to do, not only for the Orange Tornado family but also for the Orange community

as a whole.

NJ Sharing Network Field Trip Submitted by Denise DePalma, Health Science Teacher, Orange High School

On November 30, 2017, the staff from the NJ Sharing Network hosted 40 students from the

Orange High School Health Science and HOSA Club. The facility is located in New

Providence, N.J. The NJ Sharing Network is a non-profit , federally designated Organ

Procurement Organization. They are responsible for the recovery of organs and tissues for

New Jersey residents in need of life-saving transplants.

The students received an educational presentation by Ms.

Brooke Hartrum, Community Education Manager. The

students also learned ways they could volunteer for the

organization.

In addition, a panel of experts shared their knowledge. The

panel consisted of an organ donor, the parent of a child who

donated her organs and a living donor. Keath Gerald is a

recipient of a heart and liver transplant. He shared his

journey with the audience. Patti Jackson lost her daughter on

4/7/11. Ms. Jackson shared her story and decision to donate her daughter's organs. Finally,

Ms. Kathy Kelsey, who is a living donor, shared her story of donating a kidney to her

husband. Their stories were all moving and touched everyone in the room. Students asked

the panel thought provoking questions.

Pictured: Ms. Jefferson with her family, Principal

Belton, Assistant Principals Matthews and Halstead,

Board President Carter and Interim Superintendent

Lee.

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Mr. John Valentine discussed his job position with the NJ Sharing Network. John is the

Marketing and the Communications Manager for the organization. He discussed proper

marketing techniques to get out positive messages. The students determined good vs. bad

marketing. The students had fun and were moved while viewing and discussing marketing

video clips.

Ms. Hartrum also led the students in a

round of "NJ Sharing Network Trivia!"

Students correctly answering the

questions won prizes including T-shirts.

The day ended with a tour of the facility

and their testing laboratory. The

transportation for the field trip was

provided by "for Emma" and lunch was

provided by the NJ Sharing Network.

Staff assisting Mrs. DePalma with the

trip included Renee Covington, Tereasa

Venable and Nazi Badruddin (pictured

left in group photo).

Pictured: OHS students at NJ Sharing Network.

Forest Street Students Preview Google Augmented Reality Submitted by Naheela Irving, Technology Coordinator, Forest Street School

Forest Street School students in grades 2-7

participated in the Google Expeditions

Augmented Reality Pioneer Program on

Thursday, November 30th, coordinated by Mr.

Suro, science supervisor, and Forest Street

School Assistant Principal, Nyree

Delgado. Google Expeditions AR uses Google's

AR technology to map the physical classroom or

space and placed 3D objects. Students can walk

all around the objects, get in close to spot

details, and step back to see the full picture.

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Expeditions AR

enabled students to

see 3D models of

objects like

volcanoes, the

solar system,

World War II, and

more, up close in a

virtual

environment. The students were excited to

experience the technology first hand. Google

spent a full day at Forest, classes were called

down to the gym where the students were

immersed in multiple virtual experiences. They

thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see

objects up close that they wouldn't otherwise

have the opportunity to see. Classroom teachers

also got an opportunity to participate with their

students and Ms. Cooke, Principal, got in on the

action as well. Overall the students and staff had

a great time.

Staff members who

assisted were

Naheelah Irving,

Technology

Coordinator, Delila

Reed, 5th Grade

Science teacher,

Ernesto Lorenzo,

Community Liason, Mr. Suro, Science

Supervisor, Vice Principal Nyree Delgado.

Pictured (above): Students experience

Google's AR technology.

Pictured: Students experience Google's AR

technology.

Several other district schools, beginning with Park Avenue School on October 6, 2017, have

also participated in the Google Expeditions Augmented Reality Pioneer Program. Additional

information will be shared in an upcoming Weekly Email Blast.

Orange High Dance Students Attend Montclair State University

Dance Days Contributed by Donna Sinsigalli and Tosha Brown, Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor and

Orange High School Dance Teacher

Orange High School students made a valuable trip to Montclair State University for the

school’s Dance Days on November 30. Orange High School Dance Honor Society Members,

Dance Ensemble, and perspective members joined New Jersey High School dance

programs including Franklin Township, Bayonne, New Brunswick, Metuchen, Paterson,

Jersey City and Union City for this event aimed at students interested in pursuing dance at

the college level. The event featured master classes in modern, ballet, musical theater,

improvisation/stretch, contemporary, and jazz, as well as choreography demonstrations by

faculty and student facilitators.

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The event was a structured dance day consisting of auditioning techniques, dancing with

professors from New York. The students concluded by observing a performance by MSU

dance students on the stage. Students were taken outside of Orange, and got a chance to

reconnect with old friends, as well as making new friends. It was a network for seniors,

Dance Honor Society teachers plus outstanding high school dance programs. The seniors

and juniors are building steps towards becoming a Montclair State University dance major or

dance major in general, turning their experience into a life within the arts. MSU's faculty, and

staff loved our kids’ energy, knowledge, dance language, and their passion for dance.

Pictured: Orange High School senior dance

students display instant decision certificates

and scholarship offers received at the HBCU

College Fair.

Seven seniors in the Orange High School

dance program have received 30-college

acceptances, to date, along with

Presidential Scholarships (Tuition Free).

Dance instructor, Ms. Tosha Brown and Mr.

Lyle Wallace, school social worker, took the

seniors to an instant decision HBCU College

Fair. The students received acceptance

letters plus scholarship offers on the spot,

based upon their high academic

achievement, community service, and SAT

scores. “OHS has jewels (students) among

their walls,” says Ms. Tosha Brown, dance

instructor,

Orange Preparatory Academy Students Give Back Submitted by Myledy Romero, School Counselor, Orange Preparatory Academy

Orange Preparatory Academy gives a special “shout-out” to its very own Irica Grigsby.

Ninth grade student Irica Grigsby showed great initiative when she orchestrated Orange

Prep’s Holiday Community Service Project. Irica was touched by a story of a young boy

named Jacob Thompson who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Given this prognosis, he

wanted to live out his last month with his family to celebrate all the holidays he would no

longer get to enjoy. He asked his community to send him holiday cards that he could open

and share with his family. His story moved not only his community but the world, receiving

66,000 cards and video messages. His request for holiday cards sparked a movement and

Irica seized the moment to make Orange Preparatory Academy a part of this charitable

phenomenon.

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Pictured: Irica and classmates prepare holiday greeting cards.

After losing her own sibling to brain cancer, Irica wanted to help students at Orange

Preparatory Academy give back. Irica reached out to her counselor, social worker,

administrators and teachers to help facilitate an after school event where students can

spread holiday cheer by making holiday cards for Jacob. Sadly, Jacob passed away on

November 19, 2017. He lost his battle after fighting the good fight for four years, but the fire

did not die out in Irica. She decided there are still many children continuing their fight every

day and who deserve holiday joy. The holiday cards, instead, will be delivered to cancer

patients at Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, NJ. After reaching out to her peers during

convocation, students came out to create holiday cards with eloquent words of

encouragement using materials donated by Orange Prep’s very giving staff. Not only was

she inspired to make cards, but motivated Orange Preparatory to host two dress down days

to raise money for cancer research. All proceeds will be donated to the Valerie Fund in

Maplewood, NJ which provides comprehensive care to children with cancer and blood

disorders and their families.

This event has taught all at Orange Prep Academy that time is precious. Inspired by his

favorite animal, Jacob Thompson lived by the motto, “Live Life like a Penguin.” He wanted

folks to be kind, be cool and stand by each other’s side.

“This event has shown us how to look beyond our own struggles and to do more than what

is expected of us. Irica has brought out the beauty and kindness that is in all of us and to

give back. So we have come from this event with a clearer perspective on our lives and

took the time out to do a little more for someone else’s. We have learned to stand by one another. We are Orange and we are allergic to AVERAGE. Thank you, Irica, for reminding

us of that.” Myledy Romero

FYI

2017-2018 Preschool Registration Dates

The Orange Early Childhood Department has scheduled

preschool registration, for the 2017 - 2018 school year, on

Tuesday, December 12 and 19, and January 9, 16, 23 and 30,

from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (with the last sign in at 12:00 noon).

Registration will be held at the Orange Early Childhood Center,

297 Park Avenue in Orange. Please see the flyers below for registration requirements.

For more information, call 973-677-4500, ext. 1904 or 1918.

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Click here to register for the Orange Page Turners 2017-2018 Reading Challenge

Parent Academy Community Safety Summit

On Saturday, December 9, the district’s Parent Academy is

sponsoring a Community Safety Summit. There will be

presentations from the Orange Police and Fire Departments

and discussions on mental health, financial security and home

ownership. Childcare, book giveaways and light

refreshments will be available to attendees and Clifford the

Big Red Dog will read stories to children. There will also be

information about the Orange Page Turners 2017-2018

Reading Challenge. The Summit will take place from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Scholars

Academy, 268 Capuchin Way (Freeway Drive East). Tickets to the final performances of the

play, The Complete History of America Abridged, will be raffled off at the Summit along with

gift cards from Barnes and Noble, American Express, Pizza Hut and more. See flyer below.

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SEE FLYERS BELOW C H ECK TH E DI ST RIC T W EB SIT E C A LEN DAR FO R C O N C ERT S A N D

A CTIVI TI ES .

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