Waldwick High School Principal's Blog

NJ Start Strong Assessments  Individual Student Reports (ISR) T he 2022 Start Strong Individual Student Reports (ISRs), which will be mailed on December 21, are also available in the NJ Parent Portal at http://nj-results.pearsonaccessnext.com . There is one report for each content area in which your student tested. To view the ISRs in the parent portal, parents/guardians must create an account. If you do not already have one, use the claim code provided on the ISR once you receive it in the mail . Start Strong was administered in the following grade levels and subject areas: ELA (Grades 4 through 10), Math (Grades 4 through 8, Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II), and Science (Grades 6, 9 and 12). The Start Strong assessments were given in the fall and assessed students on a subset of priority standards from the prior school year. For instance, a fifth-grade Start Strong mathematics test focused on fourth-grade New Jersey Student Learning Standards. These tests were created to help e

As part of our Health curriculum, all Junior Health classes will be covering CPR towards the end of the marking period. As mentioned on Back-To-School Night by the PE and health teacher, upon completion of the unit, the students are provided with an opportunity to test for certification. Students who choose to participate will be charged $20.00 plus a Transaction Fee. Beyond the ability to be prepared in the case of a medical emergency, the benefits of becoming officially certified are: An official LifeSaver card to keep in their wallet Job opportunities such as life guarding, babysitting, coaching opportunities, etc Resume and college application information MiniKey CPR Key-chain disposable mask, customized for Waldwick High School If students wish to become certified: Use Pay School  - To pay the fee (just like the Chromebook Insurance) Any questions, please reachout to your Health teacher.

PSAT/NMSQT Scores were released via the College Board on Monday December 5. It will be the responsibility of each student to access their free on-line College Board account to view scores and the score report. PSAT scores have also been uploaded to Naviance.  If a student has any issues accessing The College Board site they can see their counselor. They can also reach out to their counselor with any questions.  Below are some resources/video from The College Board Site: Your Score Report Explained.

The Global Awareness Club is selling Waldwick sweatshirts to raise funds for the Grace Project in Kenya. Please see links below if interested. Everything will be delivered before the holidays! Warrior Hoodie Warrior Crewneck Breast Cancer Awareness Hoodie

The Waldwick School District is thrilled to announce that Hackensack Meridian Health will be supporting our staff and community with monthly wellness webinars. We are committed to supporting our families and educators in working through the challenges that we all faced during the past few years. Starting this month, on November 29, at 3:15pm, you can join the first live webinar entitled, Letting Go of Stress: How to Adapt, Cope & Thrive. This webinar will discuss the nature of stress, types of stress, and offers coping skills and relaxation techniques. Please look through the first five offerings below to see if you would like to take part in any of our wellness learning opportunities. You do not need to commit to all five webinars and can join the ones that you feel would benefit you the most. Please join us in supporting YOU! Join Zoom Meeting ( The same link will be used for all webinars ) https://hmhn.zoom.us/j/9821401265 Letting Go of Stress: How to Adapt, Cope, &

Genesis will be converting to a new high-performance hosted environment.  There will be a different URL for the website for staff, parents and students beginning on Monday, November 14.  See links below and please update any of your bookmarks. New Genesis AWS URLs Staff:   https://genesis.c1.genesisedu.net/waldwick Parents:     https://parents.c1.genesisedu.net/waldwick Students:     https://students.c1.genesisedu.net/waldwick

Boys Soccer  NJSIAA GROUP 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Waldwick vs Haddon Township Sunday November 13, 2022 Franklin High School 10:00am Game Info 1) Directions to Franklin High School - Franklin High School 500 Elizabeth Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873 2) Spectator Parking is located near the Athletic Field and around campus Handicap and Bus parking will be located near the Athletic Field 3) Tickets are on Sale NOW!!!! You must purchase them online. They will be scanned at the gate, print or have on mobile device Tickets can be found at www.njsiaa.org/tickets $5 Adults $3 Student/Senior Tickets are for students grade 1-12 / adults over 65 Children 5 and under are free of charge There are no refunds or exchanges 4) All Fans must sit across from the team bench. NJSIAA rules prohibit banners, signs, and noisemakers. 5) According to NFHS/NJSIAA rules, alcohol/tobacco/drugs are strictly prohibited at all high school events. Can’t make the game? Watch it Liv

Girls/Boys Soccer - NJSIAA STATE SECTIONAL FINALS DOUBLEHEADER Saturday November 5, 2022 Waldwick High School Girls vs Glen Rock - 11:30 am  Boys vs Wallington - 2:30 pm  Game Info 1) The NJSIAA is selling tickets to the Sectional Finals. Tickets are on Sale NOW!!!! You must purchase them online. They will be scanned at the gate, print or have on mobile device Tickets can be found at www.njsiaa.org/tickets $5 Adults $3 Student/Senior Tickets are for students grade 1-12 / adults over 65 Children 5 and under are free of charge There are no refunds or exchanges You must purchase tickets to each game. The stadium will be cleared after the girl's game. There will be two gates to enter the stadium and have your ticket scanned. Please try to arrive early to avoid lines. 2) Spectator Parking will be available in the stadium lot, upper lot, and the Hopper Ave Pool Lot. Parking in non designated areas or fire lanes will result in ticketing. 3) NJSIAA

 New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) Individual Score Report On July 5, 2022, Governor Murphy signed P.L.2022, c.60 (ACS for A-3196/S-2349), which requires the NJGPA to be administered as a field test for grade 11 students who are expected to graduate in the Class of 2023. This law also prohibits the results of the NJGPA field test or any other assessment from being used as a prerequisite for graduation for students expected to graduate in the Class of 2023. As a result, there is no graduation assessment requirement for any student who is expected to graduate with the Class of 2023. Students in the Class of 2023 must still meet all the other State and local graduation requirements, including but not limited to credit, curriculum, and attendance requirements. In the spring, your student participated in the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) administration to measure the extent to which your student is graduation ready in English language arts (ELA) and

What a day we had with the Kevin Atlas on Wednesday. Kevin delivered such a powerful message that all of us can learn from and incorporate into our daily lives. The positive feedback from the students and staff has been tremendous.   Less Judgement Believe in YOU! 21 Days to form a habit Strive to give two compliments a day What can you do to make WHS a better place    Z

Special Event @ WHS  On Wednesday, October 19, all students will have a school-wide assembly and get to hear an amazing message from Kevin Atlas.  Kevin Atlas (Laue) is an internationally-renowned motivational speaker who has shared his incredible life story of facing challenges and turning them into triumphs with audiences across six continents. Due to complications at birth, Atlas was born with a left arm that ended just below the elbow. As a young child, Kevin struggled in school and with self- confidence, until a middle school coach showed that he believed in him. From that moment on, Kevin dedicated himself to school, and basketball, and eventually became the first- ever player with one hand to earn a Division 1 basketball scholarship. Kevin’s story is so powerful that is was chronicled in an Oscar-qualifying documentary titled, “Long Shot.” In 2019, Atlas teamed up with Varsity Brands, whose mission is to elevate student experiences through sport, spirit and achievement, on a 200

New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) Individual Student Reports (ISR) In the spring, your student participated in the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) administration to measure their academic performance in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science as defined in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). Evaluating the results from statewide testing can be a helpful tool in measuring your student’s success in school. For decades, New Jersey has used statewide assessments as a valuable instrument for assessing our students’ annual progress. After two years of disrupted learning, this year’s assessment results are more important than ever. Due to the impact of COVID -19, the state did not administer the NJSLA in the 2019 – 2020 and the 2020 – 2021 school years. The Start Strong assessment was administered to provide districts with information on the level of support students may need during the 2021 – 2022 school year. Individual Score Report

  Week of 10/10/22  Please checkout my video (2:48) on what's going on during the week of 10/10/22. Prior Posts on Testing: PSAT/NMSQT Testing for Juniors (Class of 2024) - October 12, 2022 NJDOE Start Strong Assessments - Schedule for the Fall 2022

I saw this video over the summer and it really connected with me and I have not been able to get it out of my head. I thought I would share it with the WarriorNation community. Kara Lawson is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils Women's Basketball team and in this clip she is speaking to her team about life and how things don't get easier. We all need to learn to handle hard better ! Her message is so true for all of us. It doesn't matter if you are a parent, grandparent or student. You can be a teenager, someone in their twenties, thirties, fifties or even in their eighties, life is hard. There are constant challenges that we face in life and we can't have the mindset that things will just get easier. We need to work at finding ways to handle those tough moments and push through. Is it easy? No. Do we all struggle at times with finding our way? YES. But learning to handle hard better, one challenge at a time, is a great strategy to work your way through life.

Waldwick High School will be a national testing center for the administration of the PSAT Exam and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test on Wednesday, October 12, 2022. We offer the test free of charge during the school day to all Juniors. The PSAT is an excellent opportunity to prepare and gain an understanding of the SAT exam. Juniors are eligible for a National Merit Scholarship depending upon their score. PSAT study guides will be handed out to all Juniors. English and Math teachers will be taking time to review the study guide with the students. If there is a parent/guardian who wishes not to have their child sit for the test, I ask that you have a conversation with your son's or daughter's guidance counselor prior to making that decision. If you choose to opt them out, please send me an email so I can remove them from the list. Info for PSAT’s Testing Day - Wednesday, 10/12/22 All Juniors should report to their testing room by 8am. Please be on time. Testing rooms w

State Testing - Start Strong Assessments Once again, schools in New Jersey will be administering the Start Strong Assessment in ELL, Math and Science in various grade levels. The Start Strong assessments are intentionally brief, designed to maximize instructional time and quickly provide critical data to teachers and school leaders. The district will have immediate access to student results, allowing teachers the flexibility to address students’ unique needs at the beginning of the school year. Waldwick High School will be administering the Start Strong Assessments to students in Grades 9 – 12 on October 11, 12 & 13. Students will take a 45 to 50-minute assessment in Language Arts (9th & 10th Grade) and in Mathematics (Geometry, Algebra 1 & Algebra 2). Students in Grade 9 and 12 will also take a Science assessment. The testing will take place during the morning with a testing block to start the day from 8 - 9:15am, followed by a modified schedule. Students will need thei

  Waldwick High School Back-to-School Night Thursday, September 22, 2022 This year our Back-to-School Night will be held in-person on Thursday, September 22, 2022. The evening will begin at 7pm with all parents reporting to their student's 1st period class. Here are a few items to help you get through the night: All Physical Education and Health classes will meet in the Little Theater  Science "labs" do not meet  All Study Halls will meet in Media Center  Below is the schedule for the evening: Period 1 7:00 - 7:15 (Special Announcements & 8 minutes) Period 2 7:19 - 7:27 (8 minutes) Period 3 7:31 - 7:39 (8 minutes) Period 4 7:43 - 7:51 (8 minutes) Period 5 7:55 - 8:03 (8 minutes) Period 6 8:07 - 8:15 (8 minutes) Period 7 8:19 - 8:27 (8 minutes) Period 8 8:31 - 8:39 (8 minutes)

WHS School Picture Day - Tuesday, September 13.  Pictures will be taken during the student's Physical Education / Health class.  Please see link for ordering information.  School Picture Day 22-23 School Year

Bring on the 22-23 school year! I hope all the students and WHS families had a great summer. It's been an exciting summer here at WHS with all the construction and renovations going on. What a great time to be part of Waldwick High School and Warrior Nation. Yes, the construction will cause some inconveniences and changes to our normal routines, but the end product is something everyone connected to WHS and the Waldwick community will be extremely proud of!  I will continue to post updates on the construction and keep everyone informed throughout the project.    On Tuesday, September 6, we will follow a Special Schedule where all classes will meet. Everyone will report to their Period 1 class by 8am. Seniors who have Period 1 Independent should be in the building by 8:45am. and check in with Mrs. Raffaele in front of the Little Theater. Students should bring a copy of their schedule/screen shot or have access to Genesis via their phone. Health classes will start on Wednesday, 9/

It is my pleasure to introduce Stefanie Gosse Batory to the Waldwick community. Ms. Gosse Batory will be filling in for Mrs. Hidalgo (Ms. Hummel) while she is out on maternity leave. We are very excited to welcome Ms. Gosse Batory at WHS as our Library Media Specialist. Can you tell us a little about your background? I grew up in Allendale.NJ and St.Louis, Mo. After returning to NJ, I completed my undergraduate degree (BA Fine Arts) at Ramapo College and worked in Advertising/PR corporate management. A change of careers led me to librarianship, first in a public library then in school libraries and received my M.ED, in Curriculum/Instruction from William Paterson University with SLMS Certification. The 2022-2023 school year marks my 20th as a school librarian! What made you choose education as a career? When I desired a change from a corporate position, I realized my strengths in communication and research skills were applicable in a learning environment. Graduate school helped defin

It is my pleasure to introduce Nicole DeMatteo to the Waldwick community. Ms. DeMatteo will be a great addition to our Nurse's Office. We are very excited to welcome Ms. DeMatteo to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I was born in Hoboken and grew up in Upper Saddle River. I attended Northern Highlands for High School where I played flute in the marching band and was the drum major my senior year. I also was a basketball cheerleader. I then went on to Fairfield University where I majored in Nursing. I moved to Hoboken after college and started working for Hackensack University Medical Center as a Mother/Baby Nurse. I took my career, a few years later, into the schools after getting my school nurse certification from Felician University. I started working for Bayonne High School and then Hoboken Schools. Last year, I moved back to the area to Allendale and I am excited to be working so close to home. What made you choose education as a career? I chose to leave hosp

It is my pleasure to introduce Joseph Petrosi to the Waldwick community. Mr. Petrosi will be a great addition to our Science Department. This year he will be teaching Chemistry at the high school. We are very excited to welcome Mr. Petrosi to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I moved around a bit when I was younger between NY and NJ. But for the most part I grew up in Slate Hill, NY. I went to Rider University for a few years before transferring to William Paterson University where I received a B.S. in Chemistry and Secondary Education Certification. And just recently a M.Ed in Special Education. I was at my previous district for eight years, but I am looking forward to getting to know everyone here! What made you choose education as a career? I've always enjoyed helping others, and I have a love of Chemistry and Science as a whole. I wanted a career where I could engage people directly, and teaching fit that model perfectly. My end goal is to have my students f

It is my pleasure to introduce Cynthia Burmaster to the Waldwick community. Dr. Burmaster will be a great addition to our Science Department. This year she will be teaching Chemistry at the high school. We are very excited to welcome Dr. Burmaster to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I was born in West Virginia and grew up in Kentucky. I graduated from Centre College in Danville Kentucky with a major in chemistry and a concentration in education. After graduating college, I worked a short time for Ashland Oil and from there I went on to receive a graduate degree in chemistry from the University of Georgia. I’ve worked in the pharmaceutical industry but then returned to Ramapo college to obtain a teaching certificate and pursue my lifelong desire to become a teacher. What made you choose education as a career? Fond memories of school at an early age led to my inspiration to teach. My mother taught in a public elementary school for 33 years as did my grandmother. Bein

With the on going construction at the high school we will have limited student lockers available for this school year. Over the past few years the amount of students using their locker has become less and less, so I don't believe this will have a major impact on anyone that would like to request one. All students will have access to use their gym locker to store gear/equipment/uniforms for after activities. Please complete this form and we will work on assigning you a locker. Once the locker is assigned it will appear in Genesis on the Student and Parent portal. Locker Request Form   Locker requests need to be made by 1pm on 8/31. *Only Waldwick students have access to submit a request

Physical Education Uniforms @ WHS If you need to order a PE uniform for the upcoming school year please see below: Please use this link for pricing, order deadlines, and submitting an order: Web Store to order Uniforms Deadline to order is Monday, September 12, 2022 ***Important*** It is a mandatory requirement for all HS Students to wear at least the WHS PE Department T-shirt and Shorts. Failure to do so will penalize a student's overall PE Grade. All orders should arrive to the High School by the last week of September. No student will be penalized until the orders have arrived. Until then, the PE Dept. will allow students to change into any appropriate top (t-shirt) and bottom (mesh/athletic shorts) that are grey or navy. Please contact Mr. Hagen if you have any questions. hagenm@waldwickschools.org

It is my pleasure to introduce Elizabeth Beck to the Waldwick community. Ms. Beck, a social worker, will be a great addition to our Child Study Team. We are very excited to welcome Ms. Beck from Traphagen/Crescent Elementary School to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I've always been interested in people! I love hearing people's stories and experiences, and I love helping people navigate life's challenges. I've also always loved creative expression in all its forms! That brought me to my undergraduate studies of psychology and music, and my graduate studies in social work and art therapy. For the last 10 years, I've had the opportunity to apply my skills at the elementary level here in Waldwick. I'm excited to "graduate" to WMS/WHS this year! What made you choose education as a career? Education is in my family! Both of my parents were teachers, which led me to school-based work. I think it's also one of the places where I have

It is my pleasure to introduce Melanie Moore to the Waldwick community. Ms. Moore will be a great addition to our Counseling Center. This year she will be working with the freshmen to facilitate the transition into high school. We are very excited to welcome Ms. Moore to WHS in this new role. Can you tell us a little about your background? I grew up in Waldwick and recently returned in 2021 to make it my home once again. I attended Crescent Elementary School as well as Waldwick Middle School and High School. After graduating, I moved to Philadelphia where I attended La Salle University and earned my Bachelor's degree in Speech Language Hearing Science. Before attending grad school, I worked in the Ridgewood School District. As a result of that experience, I decided to earn my Master's Degree in School Counseling from Montclair State University instead. I worked as a School Counselor at Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School and Warren Middle School. This year will be my fifth year worki

                                 It is my pleasure to introduce Caitlin Ernest to the Waldwick community. Ms. Ernest will be a great addition to our Special Education Department. This year she will be teaching Language Arts and Social Studies at the high school. We are very excited to welcome Ms. Ernest to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I grew up in Wanaque and now reside in Mahwah. I attended Pascack Hills High School where I played soccer, basketball and lacrosse. I currently coach high school girls’ basketball and girls’ lacrosse which is a huge passion of mine. I went to William Paterson University and majored in Secondary English Education with a minor in Teachers of Students with Disabilities. I student taught right here at Waldwick High School under Mrs. Kish and loved every minute of it! What made you choose education as a career? Growing up, my father was a huge inspiration of mine when deciding my career path. He was a coach and teacher at Pascack Hills

It is my pleasure to introduce Danielle Ramiccio to the Waldwick community. Ms. Ramiccio will be a great addition to our Special Education Department. This year she will be teaching Science at the high school. We are very excited to welcome Ms. Ramiccio to WHS. Can you tell us a little about your background? I grew up in Fair Lawn and attended Fair Lawn High School where I played Softball and graduated in 2017. I then continued my education at Monmouth University where I studied both Biology and Secondary Education. I did my full-time student teaching in Waldwick High School in my last year at Monmouth. I am currently attending Ramapo College in pursuit of a Masters in Special Education. What made you choose education as a career? I chose to go into education after having many teachers, professors and coaches in my life that shaped me to be who I am today. After the many clubs I was a part of throughout high school, I realized my passion for having an impact in the lives of children. T