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Graduation standards are raised statewide
By Cindy Forrest
Staff Writer
It just became tougher to complete four years of high school in New Jersey. Earlier this month, after three years in the works, the State Board of Education unanimously adopted revised high school graduation requirements.
By raising the bar, state officials hope that when students get a New Jersey high school diploma and head off to college or out into the job market, they’ll be better prepared for success.
Locally, some educators are concerned about the segmented approach taken by the state.
“This was not well thought out,” said Dr. Ernest Palestis, superintendent of schools for the Morris Hills Regional District. “They need to be concerned about the whole child, not just graduation.”
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Evaluating the merits of merging
By David Jimenez
Staff Writer
A resolution awarding a contract to Robert F. Casey, for consultation work regarding the reorganization of the township’s engineering and public works department, was approved last week by Denville’s municipal council.
The hiring of Casey is the latest move by town officials to seriously evaluate a proposal, introduced last May by Denville Business Administrator and CFO Marie Goble, to consolidate two major town departments under one director.
According to his resume, Casey is a seasoned municipal consultant who has assisted a number of municipalities within the state with projects and studies.
When the idea was first introduced, Goble championed the idea of eliminating two positions as a way of saving $250,000 from the town’s budget in salaries and benefits. Opponents loudly protested saying that the reduction in staff was impractical due to the high volume of work that exists today.
[Full Story]
Dover and Victory Gardens talk about sharing services
By Cindy Forrest
Staff Writer
Shortly after passing the $574,988 2009 budget, Mayor Betty Simmons and the Victory Gardens Board of Aldermen began discussing a money-saving plan to share services with Dover.
The mayor said that after meetings between the two towns, which began in 2008, there is a proposal on the table from the town of Dover to share the services of its fire and emergency management departments. Simmons put together an ad hoc committee, consisting of Alderman David Holeman Jr., and Alderwomen Vera Cheatham and Ondria Garcia-Montes, to review the document and make a recommendation to the full board at the July meeting.
Holeman was chosen because he is the deputy director of the borough’s office of emergency management and he participated in the meetings with Dover. Cheatham and Garcia-Montes were chosen for their experience as board liaison to the fire department.
[Full Story]
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Three friends 'stick their necks out' to help community
By Genny Elias-Warren
Staff Writer
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Three books and many people working together can make a difference.
What began as a boy’s request to his teacher and a discussion about books for ninth graders entering Mountain Lakes High School has turned into two efforts -- one to build a school halfway around the globe and the second to build community locally.
When Wildwood fourth grader Daud Shad first approached his teacher, Lynn Martin, his request was simple. His mother had told him about “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and the Pennies for Peace project. He asked Mrs. Martin to look it up.
From that small seed, the project grew. Daud mentioned the project to the Giraffe heroes program at Wildwood, of which he is a member.
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Are you smart enough to think like da Vinci?
By Elizabeth Martin
Managing Editor
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” -Leonardo da Vinci
Wise words spoken centuries ago still bear truth today. da Vinci is widely regarded to be one of the greatest innovators who ever lived. As a true Renaissance Man, painter, sculptor, scientist, mathematician, architect, botanist, writer, musician, engineer and inventor were just some of the job titles he held during his life.
Having that many talents must have put worries over job security firmly to rest in his mind. Would that everyone were so lucky.
And while most of us will never be able create art that endures through time, or invent a safety device such as the parachute centuries before it would become needful, we can get a glimpse of his greatness and a helping hand from his intellect thanks to the Rockaway Township Library.
Barb Hauck-Mah, a reference library at the Rockaway Township Library, will run a one-hour, two-part workshop based on Michael J. Gelb’s best-selling book, “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci,” starting on July 9.
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Funds for bond ordinances approved
By David Jimenez
Staff Writer
Two bond ordinances were adopted last week by the Rockaway Borough municipal council to handle annual recurring projects to maintain the borough’s roads, water and sewer system.
A bond ordinance to appropriate $345,200, of which $194,940 would be financed by bonds and the remaining $150,260 from the town’s Capital Budget account, was approved by unanimous consent. The funds will cover the cost of resurfacing Mount Pleasant Avenue, Central Avenue and Keller Avenue. The ordinance will also fund the purchase of de-icing solution that will be sprayed on roads during the winter and the purchase of laptop computers. “Work is expected to begin after the fourth of July holiday,” said Councilman Thomas Mulligan.
A second bond ordinance, to cover a variety of water and sewer projects, was also adopted. A bond ordinance to appropriate $477,000, of which $453,150 would be covered by bonds and the remaining amount of $23,850, paid from the borough’s Capital Budget account, was approved. The bond ordinance will cover replacement and repair work on storm sewers, water pipes, hydrants, town wells and the borough reservoir located at Reservoir Road. The funds will also be used to purchase a utility truck.
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