With new teacher orientation scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, August 28 through 30, the WW-P district will try to prepare its 41 new teachers in place for 2012-’13. Among the new teachers:
At Maurice Hawk Elementary: Tara McGuiness, special education; Amanda Barclay, Grade 1; Brianne Bergen, elementary for instructional support; Amy Fomecker, computers K-1; Stephanie Huth, elementary for instructional support; Marla Savage, Grade 1; and Barbara Phillips, Grade 3 (changed from Grade 2).
Town Center School: Julia Brocker, Elementary; Jamie Conlon, Elementary for instructional support.
Dutch Neck Elementary: Amber Koney, elementary for instructional support; Michelle Krolikowski, special education; Alyssa Petrino, special education; Jennifer Davis, elementary for instructional support.
J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary: Mary Denunzio, media specialist; Michael Sheehan, leave replacement-Grade 1; Vicki Cox, basic skills-reading (changed from Grade 3); Matt Jones, Grade 3 (changed to replace Cox).
Millstone River: Michelle Barbarasch, elementary for instructional support; Gina Ferrara, special education; Shana Weber, Grade 4-5 teacher resource specialist (new position).
Village School: Elizabeth Samber, instructional support reading teacher; Kimberly Schroeck, Grade 5.
Community Middle School: Jonathan Brosius, physical education; Alison Eitel, leave replacement – integrated reading and language arts (IRLA); Nancy Olsson, leave replacement – Math; James Vance, leave replacement – social studies; Marnie Dratch, IRLA (changed from Grover).
Grover Middle School: Brittany Ku, leave replacement – Math; Jennifer Boutros, IRLA (returning from leave of absence); Teresa Aakhus, IRLA (changed from Community).
High School South: Jessica Lamarca, special education (new position); Cheryl O’Brien, leave replacement – language arts; Joshua Verb, leave replacement – special education.
High School North: Diane Csekitz, leave replacement – science.
In other personnel news, John Bach has been appointed the interim principal at Grover Middle School. He replaces Dennis Lepold, who was transferred into the principal position at High School South (WW-P News, May 25). Bach will earn $575 per diem.
Lori Skibinski, the new assistant principal at Millstone River School (WW-P News, July 20) has been appointed as the school’s Affirmative Action Officer. #b#The school board has also made the following changes in July and August#/b#:
– The board rescinded its approval of High School North Model United Nations field trip to “Yale Model Government Europe” in the Czech Republic, which was approved on June 22. The trip had been scheduled for November 19 to 25.
– The Foundation for Education Administration has been approved to provide mentoring management services for new administrators in the district at a rate of $800 per individual. The district will also reimburse new administrators for the cost of their mentor at $1,500 for the first year and $1,000 for the second year.
– Inja Chang’s position has been changed from an ESL/Korean teacher at Wicoff, Community Middle School, and High School South to being a WW-P district school nurse.
– A leave of absence, unpaid with benefits, was approved for North’s social worker, Melanie Edmonds, from October 26 through December 17.
– The board approved Mary amm’s proposal for a special education project manager (an IDEA grant) in the amount of $425 per day through August, 2013.
– The board voted to dispose of the following obsolete equipment that has met its life expectancy: 23 computer table tops, 10 blue chart stands, three television sets, three TV stands with wheels, seven Elmo overhead projectors, a 3’ x 2’ white easel board, a counter top, a white wood bookshelf, and a 4’ x 2’ vertical two-drawer cabinet.
– A new Communications Arts class for sixth-grade students starts in September (WW-P News, May 25) www.west-windsor-plainsboro.k12.nj.us/Guidance/program_of_studies
– This year the district will be using online software for lesson planning: mylessonplanner.com
At its Tuesday, August 21, meeting, the school board approved a job description for a new position: a teacher resource specialist for special education, with a focus on the development of social skills.
The new hire would write assessment reports, conduct “functional behavior assessments,” and train WW-P staff in the implementation of “behavior support plans” and recommended strategies for working with students. Qualifications include standing as a BCBA (board certified behavior analyst) and “Handle with Care” training.
Also on August 21, the board approved consultants services:
– Dr. Kenneth Shore, a psychologist, was approved to provide psychological evaluations at a rate of $450 per evaluation.
– Anne S. Holmes was approved to provide speech therapy, consultations and evaluations at a rate of $150 an hour.
– Therapeutic Outreach for Children Inc. was approved to provide speech, occupational, and physical therapy at a rate of $50 per session with a minimum of two sessions per day and provide speech, occupational, and physical evaluations for $300 per evaluation.
– Clarity Service Group was approved to provide physical and occupational therapy at a rate of $74.99 per hour; physical and occupational therapy evaluations at $260 per evaluation, and bilingual physical and occupational therapy evaluations at a rate of $320.
– Hunterdon Medical Center and Drs. Audrey Mars, David Atkin, Frances Rhoads, and Michele Williams-Plakyda were approved to provide neurological evaluations at a rate of $843 and up per evaluation.
– Dr. Wendy S. Mathews was approved to provide a specialized neuro-developmental evaluation at a rate of $2,220.
