Education Law
Ralph and Lois Gerstein of West Windsor have written “Education Law: An Essential Guide for Attorneys, Teachers, Administrators, Parents, and Students.” The book is written for both professionals and lay people to help them understand state and federal laws, as well as legal issues that can arise during the education process from nursery school through post-doctoral work.
“Negotiating the patchwork of federal and state laws can be like negotiating a mine field,” says Ralph Gerstein. The book offers insight and strategies for all parties while ensuring the rights and respect of the students.
Several chapters are devoted to special education, the laws protecting students with disabilities, and the procedures that determine students’ eligibility for special education services. There is a step-by-step guide for the development of individualized educational programs (IEPs).
Also discussed are free-speech rights of students and teachers, student activities and publications, school violence, religious activity in schools, privacy issues, home schooling, school athletic programs, and student conduct.
Both Ralph and Lois are freelance writers. He is an attorney in New York City and she is a social worker in Trenton. They became well-versed in education law when they acted as advocates for their son, Jason, a former special education student. The family moved from Long Island to West Windsor in 1998. Jason, now a student at Mercer Community College, is studying automotive technology. The book is dedicated to Jason, all students who strive to get the best education possible, and to the memory of their parents, Julius and Leah Kingsdorf, and Morris and Nettie Gerstein.
Ralph, an attorney licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey, writes about education law. A graduate of New York University, his earned his law degree at Brooklyn Law School. He was an assistant corporation counsel for the City of New York, an adjunct instructor at a major university, and a court-appointed referee and mediator in a wide variety of commercial and employment law matters. He has written about education law, elder law, business, corporate, and real estate law. He has also been a volunteer coach for a high school mock trial team.
Lois is a graduate of Queens College and holds a masters’ degree in social work from New York University. She spent a year working in an elementary school while in graduate school and was a New York certified social worker, assisting clients in obtaining third party benefits. She has acted as a paralegal in recent years.
The 816-page book was published by Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company in Tucson, Arizona, and sells for $129. It is available at both www.lawyersandjudges.com and www.amazon.com.
Hindi for Kids
Namrata Grover of West Windsor created a series of Hindi language videos for children with the help of a production company and area kids. The newly-released DVD, “Chalo Hindi Bolay” (Let’s Speak Hindi), teaches children Hindi language and culture through song and dance.
“I was looking for a children’s show for my own children,” says Grover. A mother of three, she has watched countless hours of children’s entertainment and knew that it would not be easy to hold a young mind’s attention. “I searched for a production company that would put the project together and film it,” she says. The finished DVD features key concepts including numbers, colors, and Hindi and English nursery rhymes. English subtitles are available.
Grover is a special education teacher in Trenton and teaches at West Windsor Library. Born in India, her family moved to Canada when she was 12 and she arrived in the United States 15 years ago. She graduated from college in Toronto with a degree in business and received a degree in special education in Jersey City.
Her husband, Mickey Grover, was also born in India although he grew up in Philadelphia. The couple met in Toronto when he was working in the computer industry. After traveling to New York City and California, they settled in West Windsor six years ago. Now he commutes to New York.
Their children are Dev, a seventh grade student at Grover Middle School; Samir, a second grader at Maurice Hawk; and Rava, a student at Maple Stream Road Preschool. The family converses mostly in English at home.
Vinay Chowdhry, a professor at New York University, directed the production, and Spencer Corbin, created the music. Grover is the writer and AMN Entertainment produced the show.
In addition to Grover and her children, West Windsor residents featured in the video include Simran, Kiran, and Jaktar Bains; Akash Goyal; Aditi Latey; Marco and Maya Kaisth; Naina Sahrawat; Sahir and Anushka Sagar; Priya Saksena; Nikita Deshpande; and Veer and Vidur Bhalla. Mickey Grover, dressed in an elephant costume, is their leader.
The DVD, recommended for ages 2 to 10, was designed for South Asian kids but has been welcomed by others who want to learn a different language and culture. It is available at www.Hindikids.com for $14.95 plus $6 shipping and handling.
Halloween
Decorating Winners
The winners of the second annual West Windsor Township Halloween House Decorating Contest were announced on Saturday, October 30, at the conclusion of the township’s Halloween parade. Prizes were donated by MarketFair and Blue Tulip.
Judging was based on four categories including Big Scare-Low Budget — winner was 6 Ziff Lane, the Stroczynski family; Judge’s Favorite — a tie between 10 Meadow Run Road, the Weber family, and 26 Sapphire Drive, the Weinbergs; the Best Dark Side Award went to 407 Village Road East, the Dresdners; and Family Fun Award was a tie between 3 Lanark Drive, Gambatese family, and 19 South Mill Road, the Kovals.
The judges included Mayor Shing-fu Hsueh, Councilwoman Alison Miller, and recreation commissioners Suzanne Hagen and Alan Todd. There were 17 entries this year — up from 11 last year.
Pickin’, Pedometers, and P.E.
Carol Rosenberg, a fifth grade special education teacher at Village School, took her students on a trip to Grover Farm’s pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins for their classroom. They participated in a physical education activity called Pickin’, Pedometers, and P.E., to help them understand distance, physical activity, and exertion — along with the fun of picking pumpkins.
International
Children’s Day
Montessori Corner and Montessori County Day schools celebrated International Children’s Day on October 16 at both Plainsboro campuses. Diverse activities reflected the food, clothing, language, music, history, and culture of countries including Russia, Peru, Austria, Brazil, Argentina, and Kenya.
“There has never been a more important time for children to learn both the differences and similarities of diverse cultures,” said Eileen Spiewak, head of both schools. “We believe that learning to relate to the world at large, instead of focusing only on our own small part of the world endows our students with the capacity to appreciate and value the differences that contribute to the international mosaic of our lives.”
Participants started planning in September, creating booths featuring their country of choice. “Food tailored to teach country represented is always very popular,” says Speiewak. “The individual, handcrafted passports, made by the children for the country they are studying, are stamped as they visit all the countries — making each child an international traveler.”
In College
Charu Vaidya and Rachel Weizman, both of West Windsor and recent High School South graduates, participated in the Freshman Service Experience at American University in August. The 550 new freshmen contributed more than 10,”000 hours of community service in the four-day program aimed to orient students to community service in Washington, D.C.
Military
Cadet Brady Karey Dearden of West Windsor earned the 1st Cavalry Division Coin during cadet field training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He was chosen by his class peers to receive the award.
A graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Class of 2003, he is the son of Karey and Lori Dearden.
Art Honors
Donna Senopoulos of Plainsboro received the New American Gallery’s “Painting that Best Captures the Spirit of Princeton Academy” prize for her watercolor entitled “Caretaker’s Cottage” during Princeton Academy’s recent Paint Out.
On October 23, 90 artists and 30 students enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and spectacular foliage at the school’s second annual event. Artists arrived as early as 6 a.m. to begin their work. Coffee, food, and a warm fire inside, were kept going all day.
The event concluded at 4 p.m. with a silent auction of more than 107 pieces of art including oils, watercolors, pastels, and acrylics. Fifty-five paintings were sold for a total of $10,”865 to benefit the school.
Senopoulos is not currently exhibiting anywhere but is concentrating on architectural work. Working with builders and architects, she has been doing renderings of new homes and developments. She has also worked on renderings of complexes for sales and presentations, which require changes as plans are revised.
She says she learned of the Princeton Academy event through the New American Gallery, an Internet gallery based in Princeton. “I’m looking forward to next year,” she says. “It’s a fun thing to do.”
Girl Scouts
Laura Ribardo from West Windsor/Plainsboro Cadette Girl Scout Troop 20 sailed the coast of Maine and explored the beauty of Western Maine’s lakes and rivers this summer. She learned to sail, canoe, portage, and rock climb as part of the “Destination” program offered by Girls Scouts.
Bonnie Rumpf of Plainsboro is the new Training and Membership Manager of Girl Scouts of Delaware-Raritan. “My objective is to offer a variety of trainings,” she says. “Both the standard and the exciting — to all interested individuals and to ensure that they have fun while they learn.”
The West Windsor and Plainsboro Girl Scout service unit director, she works at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Her husband, Robert, works for the State of New Jersey. Her daughters are, Ashley, 16, a junior at High School South; and Heather, a Girl Scout of Distinction in 2004, and a graduate of High School South.
Megan Nieckowski of West Windsor, also a Girl Scout of Distinction in 2004, received a Women of Distinction Scholarship. She also graduated from High School South in June.
Larger than Life
Dominick Rodriguez of West Windsor has his photo prominently displayed on billboards along routes 33 and 29, and on Olden Avenue in Trenton. He, along with other students from Mercer County Community College, volunteered to model for the images as part of the college’s new marketing campaign. The photos are also being used at Quaker Bridge Mall and Sovereign Bank Arena, and appear in newsletters and newspaper ads.
The campaign, which uses fish-lens photos accompanied by the new motto, “A Great Education is Closer Than You Think,” has generated three awards from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations. Cheryl Grover, a photography major, photographed her fellow students.
Rodriguez, an architecture major, plans to transfer to New Jersey Institute of Technology when he graduates in 2005. He entered Mercer in the dual enrollment program that allows a direct transfer.
“I’ve always been interested in architecture,” says Rodriguez. “When I was six my mom used to buy me a box of Legos and I would just sit there and play with them.” He now works part-time for 3D Architecture in South Brunswick.
He was “discovered” for the photo campaign during an award ceremony last spring where he received the honor of being named in Who’s Who Among Junior American College Students. After the college officials took his photo, they asked if he would be willing to pose for some photos.
A graduate of Floral Park High School, Class of 1997, Rodriguez spent three years in the military in boot camp and technical school and is a member of the National Guard. “I always wanted to join and they are paying for my education,” he says. “The real-world experience from them is priceless.”
Rodriguez lives with his aunt and uncle, Steven and Fanny Medina, in West Windsor. His mother and sister live in Long Island and visit frequently.
“I first heard about the billboards when a friend called and said ‘Guess who I just saw on the side of Route 130?’” he says. “I jumped in my car to see it.” That was almost two months ago and now he is often recognized on campus.
Under the Bridge
Andrew Zutty of West Windsor did his final performance of “Children’s Letters to God” on October 30. He is now in rehearsal for a new off Broadway show, “Under the Bridge,” written by Kathie Lee Gifford. Previews begin on December 1, and the show opens on January 6, at the Zipper Theater.
Zutty is a seventh grade student at Community Middle School. “He will be provided with a tutor for the month of rehearsal,” says his mother, Jill Zutty. “He will hopefully be back in school once the show opens in December.”
“Under the Bridge” is being promoted as a family-friendly musical based on Natalie Savage Carlson’s book, “The Family Under the Bridge” about a French hobo who becomes caretaker to a group of homeless siblings. The book, published in 1958, won the Newbery Honor. The book and lyrics are by Kathie Lee Gifford, and the music is by David Pomeranz. Eric Schaeffer, who oversaw the Sondheim Celebration at the Kennedy Center, is the director. Paul Raiman is the musical director. Zutty plays Paul, one of Mademoiselle Calcet’s children.
Performances take place Tuesday through Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 and 6 p.m. through February 20, 2005. Tickets are $55 through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com or at 212-239-6200.
Mural in Plainsboro
Sharbell Development Corporation, the company building the Village Center in Plainsboro, invited students, Boy Scouts, and community members to create a mural on the wall of their construction site on Schalks Crossing Road. They donated painting supplies and hired Lisa Kaler, an artist, for guidance.
The mural was painted by students from both Wicoff Elementary and Millstone River schools with the help of Linda Oliver, an art teacher at both schools. Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu helped paint areas that the children could not reach.
Business
Victoria Howell of West Windsor was one of the conductors in “An Interactive Team-Based Simulation Challenge for Knowledge and Networking Skills” at the Newark Club in Newark on October 26. The networking and skills-building event was designed to build decision making under pressure and group dynamic skills. Howell has facilitated various team building programs for executive coaching clients in the pharmaceutical and financial industries.
‘Outrageous Home’
Irina S. Zaytceva of Plainsboro, above, has several works on display at the Hunterdon’s Museum of Art’s “Outrageous Home” exhibit. The exhibition, which features unusual, eccentric, and functional furnishings, is on view to January 9.
Zaytceva was born in Moscow, Russia, and graduated from Moscow Art Institute in 1982 with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in book illustration. After having illustrated a number of children’s books, she found that her love for sculpting offered a wider range of expression for her artistic views.
A Plainsboro resident since 1998, she lives with her son, Lev, in the “village.” Her studio was created out of the existing garage in the backyard. It is divided into three parts to include a working area, storage and packing area, and a small room for four kilns.
Zaytceva has developed several unique techniques with porcelain. Her works are created using highfire porcelain, and overglaze as well as underglaze colors. Her one-of-a-kind pieces also contain 18K gold.
Her artwork can be seen in museums both in the United States and abroad, including the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her works on exhibit in Hunterdon include hand-built porcelain pieces, “Woman in Charge,” 2003; “Pitcher,” 2004; “Girly,” 2004; and “Juggler,” 2004.
Her work is on exhibit at the Hunterdon Museum of Art, 7 Lower Center Street, Clinton, 908-735-8415. www.hunterdonmuseumofart.org. Museum hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Seniors
Friends of West Windsor Senior Citizens held their annual public meeting on October 2. The new officers include George Martch, president; and John Boyd, treasurer. Harley Pickens, with the assistance of Ron Slinn, continues as the chair of the nominations committee.
Vino Mastro, the outgoing treasurer, received a certificate of appreciation for his seven years of service. A certificate was read for Morey Shames, the outgoing secretary, who was not able to attend the meeting.
Their next event, “Mark Twain: Wit and Wisdom,” takes place on Friday, November 5, 1:30 p.m. at the senior center. David Kennedy portrays Mark Twain in a one-man presentation drawing on selections from Twain’s autobiography. For information call 609-799-9068.
Births
Princeton HealthCare System has announced the following births:
Daughters were born to Plainsboro residents Charlene Prince, October 11; Ginny and Yuan Sikri, October 14; Jennifer and Sonny Chohan, October 19; and Huiyu Qian and Binglong Xie, October 20.
A son was born to Plainsboro residents Lori and Tim Fisher, October 22.
Sons were born to West Windsor residents Dorothy and Kevin Ellwood, October 21; and Susan and Patrick Sunseri, October 21.
