First Day in Our School District

For Immediate Release

September 10, 2012

PR 01113-Opening Week

Opening Week

GLASSBORO STUDENTS AND STAFF WELCOME NEW CHANGES

Adriano at Bullock

It may be Adriano Platt’s first day at Dorothy L. Bullock School, but he already knows how to follow the bus safety line into school.

GLASSBORO – Glassboro students bounded into classrooms last week eager to begin their school year. New and familiar teachers, programs and improvements awaited them. Principals, teachers and camera-wielding parents greeted them. Excitement marked the September 5^th opening day.

Superintendent Mark Silverstein, Ed. D. spoke enthusiastically about the changes, “The Board of Education’s sound fiscal management, better-than-expected revenues and reduced energy costs are responsible for making 2012-13 a rebuilding year.”

At J. Harvey Rodgers School, the Genesis Program for 3-year-olds began its first year at its new location. Students will benefit from the music, gym, library facilities and district workshops offered at Rodgers. The district also reinstated the summertime student orientation at Rodgers enabling students to meet teachers and classmates ahead of the school year. Transportation helped ease first-year fears by showing students how to enter and exit school buses and buckle up seatbelts.

Dorothy L Bullock School students will welcome the return of after school activity buses and meet their new physical education teacher, Michael Bittner.

Bowe School changes include increased basic skills instruction. The district also plans to hire part-time music instructors at Bowe and the Intermediate School.

At Glassboro Intermediate School, students expressed excitement about the return of Field Hockey and Boys Basketball. These activities were cut from the budget due to a lack of funding in previous years. Dr. Silverstein, Glassboro Board of Education and administrators heard that the programs were sorely missed and were able to bring sports and afterschool activity buses back to the school this year. Glassboro Intermediate School will also feature a Renaissance Program, which celebrates student success. The district used a safety grant to rebuild the steps outside of the school.

Glassboro High School also has much to celebrate this year. The school ushers in a new financial literacy course that will teach students about household finance and other money-management areas. The district also was able to commit to funding the fall play and stage equipment. The fall play had been funded in recent years by generous community contributions.

Last year, curriculum writing was a priority Glassboro School District. Teachers returned to this school year with the ability to access online curriculum across grade levels. This benefits students because it enables teachers to better tailor curriculum to student needs. It provides teachers with a thorough look at how standards are incorporated at each grade level and encourages knowledge-sharing throughout the district.

Erica Stranix, Jessica Beck and Marysa Dais (left to right) arrive at Glassboro Intermediate School where Field Hockey and Boys Basketball were restored.

Alani Screven Meets Superintendent Silverstein at Glassboro’s Thomas E. Bowe School

Natalie Pope sports the accessories for her first day in Prekindergarten at J. Harvey Rodgers School in Glassboro.

Brice, DePalma, Silverstein

Dorothy L. Bullock Counselor Amanda Brice, Principal Joe DePalma and Superintendent Mark Silverstein prepare to meet buses and greet students at Glassboro’s Dorothy L. Bullock School.

Student Miana Brooks and Teacher Christina Duffey are off to a good start at Glassboro High School where the district has invested in a financial literacy class and restored its funding of the fall play.