According to a long standing annual tradition, Rex and the girls and I are spending the week from his birthday through the 4th of July at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, but for those of you who are sticking around the Roxiticus Valley (Mendham, Chester, Bernardsville, Peapack-Gladstone, and Morris County), I thought I’d provide some entertainment in the form of local parades and fireworks.

I’d like to start with one of the biggest and closest 4th of July celebrations, put on by the Brookside Community Club in Brookside, NJ (part of Mendham Township, near the Mendham Township Elementary School). This year (2009) marks the 86th anniversary since the Community Club held Brookside’s first Fourth of July Parade in 1923. The theme for the parade is “Dancing In the Street” with lots of singing, dancing, and music for all to enjoy, including Motown legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas making their first U.S. appearance on their summer tour.

The Brookside Community Parade and Grand March begins at 9:00am on Saturday, July 4, 2009, and after the parade, Martha Reeves and the Vendellas will set up shop in the firehouse and continue to belt out such Top 10 Motown classics as “Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack,” “Quick Sand” and “Nowhere to Run.” The performance is free. As usual, children of all ages will enjoy field games, clowns, moon walk, dunking booth, fire truck rides, food, drink, and an afternoon swim at the Brookside Beach.

The famous Pooch Parade returns this year with dogs of all kinds, shapes and sizes. To enter your dog, please call Diane Tolley at 973-543-7302 or e-mail heratdto07926@aim.com

For all the details, visit the Brookside Community Club web site or call 973-543-7250.

I hope all the Roxiticus Desperate Housewives who are in town for the 4th of July will check out the parade and events and let us know all about it.

Now my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that Roxy is far from a stage mother, and on that note I’m going to let you in on a little secret… Hexagon Players are holding open auditions for their Fall 2009 production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory tomorrow (Sunday, June 14, 2009) at 2pm and Monday, June 15th at 7pm.

Auditions will be held at:
Grace Lutheran Church (Fellowship Hall), 65 E. Main Street, Mendham, NJ
Children (6 years and older) and adults of all ages
are invited to audition. Auditions are walk-in — please bring your own sheet music. For further information please visit www.hexagonplayers.org or contact (973) 543-8770.

Photo Courtesy of A Grateful Heart

Oh, for Pete’s sake… maybe I’m one of those people who buries my head in the sand, but I truly believed that, despite the media hype, I didn’t really have to worry about swine flu.  Now I have a letter from our school district superintendent that tells me there have been at least 5 cases in New Jersey, and if someone in our school district catches it, they will have to close the schools for a minimum of seven (7) days.  Kids, please don’t kiss pigs!

May 1, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to update you on the H1N1 Swine Influenza situation with respect to our schools and to share the attached letter from the Morris County Office of Health Management and related resources.

We suggest that you continue to send your children to school, as long as they are not sick and/or experiencing flu-like symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose or stuffy nose. Additional symptoms that may be experienced with Swine Flu include muscle pain, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. If your child is experiencing any flu-like symptoms, it is important that you contact your physician immediately.

In the evenings our custodians are taking special precautions to keep our classrooms as germ free as possible. All telephones, door knobs, water fountains, desks (on a rotating basis), light switches, backs of chairs, and other commonly touched areas are being cleaned and disinfected nightly. Our buses are also being thoroughly cleaned twice each day. We are encouraging all students and staff to wash their hands as often as possible, especially after a cough or a sneeze.
It is also important to teach your children how to reduce the risk of getting the flu and how to protect others from infection. Some general tips for decreasing the spread of germs include:

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if a tissue is not available, the crook of the arm-not in your hand).
• Carefully dispose of the tissues in a wastebasket, and then wash your hands.
• Teach your children to keep their hands away from their face and avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes.
• Wash your hands as often as possible. If water is not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used. Products such as hand gels, rubs and hand wipes all work well, providing they contain at least 60% alcohol. Once used, the hand wipes need to be disposed of properly.
• Do not share drinking cups or food.

While the current circumstances do not warrant school closure, information about the spread of Swine Flu changes by the minute and is being monitored by the Morris County Department of Health, New Jersey Department of Education, and our District Office. If a confirmed case of Swine Flu is reported in a District school, we may be required to close school for a minimum of seven days. Additionally, if students are displaying flu-like symptoms they will be required to be removed from school until medical clearance is provided. We will communicate with you immediately in the event of a school closure via our automated phone system and website postings. As a proactive measure, you are encouraged to consider making plans for childcare should the schools be closed.

If you would like to learn more about the H1N1 Swine Flu, we recommend you check the following:
Center for Disease Control
NJDHSS Hotline: (866) 321-9571

Sincerely,
Kristopher Harrison

Tomorrow (Sunday, May 3, 2009) following the 9:30 am service at Hilltop Presbyterian Church in Mendham, NJ, a Special Meeting of the Congregation will be held to receive a report from the Pastor Nominating Committee nominating Reverend Robert Bob Heppenstall III for pastor and head of staff. Reverend Heppenstall will be preaching at the 9:30 am service. Following the service a meeting will be held to vote on the nominee and the terms of the pastoral call.

Rex, London, Maddie and I met the new pastor at a “meet and greet” at Hilltop House this afternoon, and hope that the vote tomorrow morning will be a positive one.

It is bedtime here in the Roxiticus Valley, but not before I dash off a quick post saluting two terrific teachers, Mrs. Bizzarro and Mrs. Picerno, who presented an amazing Art & Poetry Night at Mendham Township Elementary School.

Since Rex was flying home from Washington, DC tonight, he missed out on all the fun. There was plenty of glue and colorful paints and lots of Sharpies (fistfuls of permanent markers, I tell you, permanent!!)… London, Maddie and I had a blast with lots of our friends at MTES, who came together from 6:30pm until 8:30pm to combine art and poetry in four different projects:

• Inkblot cinquains
• Chinese brush painting and haiku (”Oh mom, pleeeeeease stop repeating the haiku about the lady with pink hair!!”)
• Poetry on a colorful “bag” (”If I were blue, I would be…”); and
• Poetry spinners

Over the weekend, I’m going to try to photograph London and Maddie’s projects (their inkblots are still drying) and post them here, and I’ll also try to provide better descriptions of the evening’s activities, as I know I have not done them justice tonight.

I also want to note that I’ve been corresponding privately with a mom of two boys who is considering a move to Mendham Township this summer, and I wish you could have been at MTES tonight, you’d have been completely sold on our wonderful teachers and community of friendly kids and down-to-earth parents (only a tiny fraction of whom stay up late at night posting naughty haiku on their blogs).

Presentation of 2009-2010 School Budget:  Wednesday, April 15th
On Wednesday, April 15th there will be two opportunities to hear Superintendent Kristopher Harrison discuss the 2009-2010 budget before voting day on April 21st.

Date: Wednesday April 15th, 2009
Time: 9.30am Meeting
Location: Elementary School Staff Development Room
Superintendent Kristopher Harrison and Business Administrator Pam Ranco will present the 2009-2010 School Budget

Date: Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
Time: 7 pm (no children please as this is an evening meeting)
Location: Mendham Township Elementary School
Welcome Our New Administrative Team
Spend an evening with our district’s superintendent and principals.
Topics will include:

• State of the Schools - Kristopher Harrison, District Superintendent
• Middle School Programs and Initiatives - Dr. Ciccone, Middle School Principal
• Elementary School Programs and Initiatives - Cara Allen, Elementary School Principal
• Program Updates - Mrs. Lombardi, Directory of Special Services and Mrs. Cullis, Curriculum Specialist

This is a great opportunity to get informed, ask questions, and welcome our new team.  Assuming we can get a teenage babysitter for the evening, Rex and I will plan to attend and I’ll report the highlights.

Voting Day - April 21st
Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday April 21st. It is important that Mendham Township has a good turnout to support the proposed school budget for 2009-2010 and give our children the best opportunities for their education. If the budget should fail there is a good possibility of existing services needing to be cut.

Come one, come all — it’s the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Brookside Community Club Field, this Saturday, April 11th at 10:30am.  From past experience, I’d recommend arriving a little bit early to find a parking space and scope out the competition.

London and Maddie are really looking forward to seeing all their friends there and collecting lots of candy-filled eggs.  This year, their niece and nephew are coming from Connecticut to join in the fun.

London and Maddie brought home the following letter in their backpack mail on February 10th, 2009:

Dear Mendham Township Elementary School Parents and Guardians,

I wanted to give you a brief update on the status of the Outdoor Learning Center.  Through the generosity of Mendham Township families within and outside of the school system, the Mendham Township Education Foundation (”MTEF”) has been able to raise about $90,000 in donations, pledges, and in-kind services.  This includes the $30,000 donation made by the Spinnaker Foundation on behalf of the Jennifer L. and Derek T. Malmberg Family.  This project would not be possible without their generous participation and valuable input.

Although our goal is to raise the remaining $20,000 in the upcoming months, I am happy to say that, even with the funds currently available, we would be able to build a substantial part of the Learning Center this summer.  The MTEF is in the process of obtaining the mandatory approvals for construction through the services of an architectural firm.  Summit Design Associates is in the process of conducting an egress study, which will identify safe levels of occupancy and identify evacuation routes in case of emergency.  Preliminary discussions with the architect, township engineer, and others have not revealed any obvious issues, so we are optimistic that we will receive approval to proceed.

After that, the MTEF will make a presentation to the school administration and Board of Education representatives regarding final scope, schedule, and construction procedures, soliciting their agreement to begin construction this summer.  The scope has not changed from the banner in the lobby, but, depending on the final funds available, we may have to reduce the project scope.  The MTEF will continue to pursue funding through June and hope to find patrons who can help us reach our funding goal, maximizing the educational benefits of the Learning Center for all grade levels.

Thank you all for your support over the course of this project.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any comments or questions or if you would like to contribute.  I can be reached at jutka at earthlink dot net or (973) 543-0441.

Thank you all so much!

Judith Kern

President

Mendham Township Education Foundation

Dear MTES Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share my excitement about my appointment as the new principal at Mendham Township Elementary School.  MTES has a reputation of excellence and I feel fortunate to be joining a school culture focused on student learning, a commitment to high expectations, innovation and collaboration.  It is my intent to continue to carry out these important traditions and practices.  I would like to build on the same reputation here at MTES and invite you to help us determine what is best for your child by attending monthly morning coffees, parent conferences and academic events.

I would like to share some information about my educational background and professional experience.  After graduating from Rutgers Preparatory School, I attended Fairleigh Dickinson University.  While at Fairleigh Dickinson, I studied Shakespearean Theater at Wroxton College, England.  After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, I attended Lehigh University where I earned a Masters in Education-Reading Specialist.  I taught for 10 years in New Jersey before my move to Florida.  I spent five years teaching in Florida while also pursuing my certification in Educational Leadership.  I have spent the last fifteen years in Pasco County, Florida as a building level administrator.

I look forward to be a part of a warm and caring school environment and working together with each of you this year.  Please feel free to call or stop by for a visit.  If you have questions or concerns, pleased do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Cara Allen

Principal

Mendham Township Elementary School

Just before the snowstorm on Saturday the 10th, Rex, London, Maddie and I headed over from the girls’ Mendham Patriots basketball clinic to the Mendham Township Public Libary.  London’s second grade art class at Mendham Township Elementary School had their projects on display in late December and early January; unfortunately, it seemed as though we had just missed it, and that the library was ready to move on to its next exhibit.

However, we took the opportunity to stock up on books for the wintry weekend.  London picked out four mysteries in the Nancy Drew series, while Maddie focused on Cam Jansen.  I picked up a few fliers on the following Mendham Township Library Children’s Winter Programs:

• Story Time with Liz (registration is NOT required):   Children of all ages welcome to join in the fun and enjoy stories, fingerplays, songs, dances and musical instruments.  Every Tuesday at 10:30am.
• Drop In Crafts (registration is NOT required):  Stop in to make a fun craft, do puzzles, and play games; available every day.  Week of January 19th — Snowman; Week of January 26th — Penguins.
• Chinese Culture & Language Program (registration is recommended):  Wen-Ling Lai tells stories in Chinese and English about Chinese language, people and culture.  Interactive program for children of all ages includes stories, games, crafts, and other great activities.  Every third Wednesday at 6:00pm — January 21st, February 18th, and March 18th at 6:00pm.  Special Chinese New Year’s Celebration Party on Sunday, February 1st at 1:00pm.  Ring in the New Year of the Ox with a special celebration before the Super Bowl.  Refreshments will be served.
• Pajama Story Time (registration is NOT required):  For children of all ages.  Come to the library in your coziest pajamas to hear relaxing tales before bedtime.  Every other Tuesday at 7:00pm:  January 20th, February 3rd, and February 17th at 7:00pm.
• PAWS for Reading (registration is recommended):  Grades 1-7.  Bring your favorite book to read to Coco, a real lovable, fluffy and friendly doggie who is eager to listen to your story.  Every other Tuesday at 4:00pm:  January 27th, February 10th, and February 24th at 4:00pm.
• My First Book Club (registration is recommended):  For ages 5, 6, and 7.  New readers are invited to join their first book club.  The first topic is Baby Animals.  Read a book on Baby Animals, then come together for discussion, fun and snacks.  Every other Thursday at 4:00pm:  January 29th, February 12th, and February 26th at 4:00pm.

Mendham Township Libary, Cherry Lane, Brookside, NJ  07926.  Phone:  (973) 543-4018.