LaMonte/LaMonte Annex Elementary School began the Family Literacy Project in 2017 to encourage reading at home among families and create a community of readers. The program welcomes all families with students in the school district.

Think of the Family Literacy Project as a bi-monthly book club for parents. Attendees enjoy coffee, tea and a light breakfast while they share reviews of the previously distributed books. Educators introduce the new set of books and provide techniques and activities the families can engage in together.

“We encourage families to share reading tips, as well as their family traditions and cultures,” said Clinical Social Worker Ms. Sally Mendoza. “The Family Literacy Project has become much more than reading; it’s a community-building program.”

Bilingual households that speak both Spanish and English benefit from the reading materials and techniques. Ms. Sally Mendoza leads the program and translates information so that all attendees can participate in the language they are most comfortable with.

Reading helps develop language and listening skills, builds brain connections, and fosters a strong foundation for academic success.

“I fell in love with this program. It’s one of my favorite things the school does,” said Elanor, a parent who began attending The Family Literacy Program in 2023. “It has given me the opportunity to learn Spanish because I’m an English speaker, so my household is bilingual.”

Before attending the program, Elanor did not realize there were so many bilingual books. That is what she values most – access to reading materials she and her two students can learn from together.

The book selections accommodate a wide range of reading levels so parents can work with multiple students. Some books fit reading proficiency levels up to fourth grade. One parent says her older student practices reading the more difficult books to her other child, a student at LaMonte. Then they all work on the comprehension activities together.

“Flores Family Café,” one of the books introduced at the February meeting has a vocabulary section at the end of the book. Many of the Family Literacy Project books have

this tool; parents appreciate it as they work with students on recognizing words in both Spanish and English. The books selected often have cultural themes that encourage discussion among families.

Bound Brook High School Librarian Mrs. Kathryn Llera attended the meeting. She recommended families read for 20 minutes each day with their student(s). And that doesn’t mean saving reading for bedtime; she encouraged families to find time throughout the day to weave it in, such as identifying letters, numbers and words while on a walk or a drive in the car.

Regular reading at home helps students build a richer understanding of the world around them. The Family Literacy Project is one way the Bound Brook School District encourages a lifelong love of reading in students.

Mrs. Kathryn Llera is holding a free book fair with books for all ages, interests and reading levels in May during the spring musical at the high school. Stay tuned for details.

Each year, New Jersey school districts nominate their educators for the prestigious Governor’s Educator of the Year Award through the New Jersey Department of Education. The program seeks to recognize educators “who have gone above and beyond in their service to New Jersey’s students” and to create a culture that recognizes excellence and brings public attention to the work of outstanding educators.

“On behalf of the district and Board of Education, I want to say, ‘congratulations’ and ‘thank you’ to the 10 teachers and educational services professionals who were recognized through the program,” said Superintendent Alvin Freeman, Ed.D. “Their hard work and dedication to student success is what makes Bound Brook School District and its students bound for greatness.”

The Governor’s Educator of the Year recipients are:

Teachers:

Samantha Melesurgo, LaMonte/LaMonte Annex Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Stephanie Ackley, Lafayette Elementary Art Teacher

Gina Petrusky, Smalley Elementary Gifted and Talented Program Instructor

Kim Kredatus, Community Middle School Science Teacher

Joelle Smith, Bound Brook High School Mathematics Teacher

Educational Services Professionals:

Alma Pena, LaMonte/LaMonte Annex Teacher Assistant

Renee Jacobs-Grauer, Lafayette Elementary Speech Therapist

Lee Eaton, Smalley Elementary School Counselor

Genesis Picado, Community Middle School Teacher Assistant

Deborah Paulsen, Bound Brook High School Student Assistance Counselor

Families were invited to see the efforts of students and staff who used recycled materials to make sea creatures, plants and other underwater organisms. Blue streamers hung from the ceiling, while a bubble machine blew bubbles into the hallway as guests strolled through the event and took photos of the artistic wall displays on December 3.

The project marked the end of the students’ academic unit about recycling and the environment, according to Pre-kindergarten Instructional Coach Kristin Redziniak. LaMonte and LaMonte Annex’s pre-kindergarten classes utilize Connect4Learning for their curriculum—a research-based, interdisciplinary platform for early childhood education.

“We asked all the parents to contribute to the event,” said Redziniak. “Then, the teachers worked on making all different kinds of animals and plants to build the coral reef for the parents and anyone else that wanted to come and enjoy it.”

Pre-kindergarten teacher Jessie Kilgore emphasized the importance of collaborating with families to collect recyclable materials. “All of the recycled materials came from the homes, creating a strong connection between the schools and families that allowed students to share what they were learning.”

The items included water bottles, egg cartons, Styrofoam and more.

Each of the preschool classrooms contributed toward a part of the coral reef display, granting another opportunity for the classes to collaborate and work together on the project.

“It was really nice to work with our colleagues,” said Kilgore. She worked with two additional teachers on the display. “Our classes got closer because they were able to work together to make different things and make one big item at the end.”

“Everyone was able to contribute in their own way,” added Redziniak. “The teachers collaborated to come up with their design, and they really just flew with it and did an amazing job, each individually.”

“We are incredibly honored to continue growing our relationship with Rutgers University and to streamline the path for classroom aides and paraprofessionals in Bound Brook to earn their teaching certificates,” said Superintendent Dr. Alvin Freeman. “Bound Brook’s educational support professionals already contribute so much to our schools and students, and this grant provides them with the financial support and mentorship to advance their careers as educators.” 

The state DOE awarded Ramapo College and Rutgers University in New Brunswick $400,000 each to partner with eight school districts. Funding will be used to offset the costs associated with tuition, books and materials, mentorships, and structured on-the-job training. 

Chief Academic Officer Robyn Griffin said this opportunity is important to BBSD as schools across the state and country look for ways to recruit and retain K-12 teachers amid shortages. The program came from recommendations of the Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages in New Jersey. 

“We hope that one of the outcomes of this program will be a stronger and more diversified teaching staff in BBSD,” Griffin said. “Not everyone follows a traditional path to become a teacher, so this program provides the support and mentorship for our classroom aides and paraprofessionals to become teachers and play an even greater role in the lives of Bound Brook students.” 

Paraprofessionals in the program can typically earn their state teaching certification in two to four years, depending on their level of experience and education when beginning the program. The program targets fields disproportionately impacted by staff shortages, such as special education, science, math, English as a second language, and bilingual education.  

“We are excited to begin this work and to continue growing our relationship with Rutgers,” Griffin said. “This program stands to benefit many paraprofessionals and classroom aides in Bound Brook.” 

The Bound Brook School District invites the community to discuss the district’s future through three Strategic Planning sessions. Our first meeting will take place on Thursday, February 1. 

The district’s Strategic Plan is used to communicate and outline our goals, mission, vision, values, and strategic initiatives over five years. Students, staff, parents, board members, and the broader community will work together to shape a plan for the district’s future. 

“This is an exciting time in the Bound Brook School District as we collaborate with the community to chart a purposeful path forward,” said Dr. Alvin Freeman, Superintendent of Schools. “A Strategic Plan establishes a clear and shared understanding of our district’s intentional steps for the next several years. As we prioritize our district goals, we realize feedback from our neighbors, community members, friends, teachers, and students is vital. Together with these stakeholders, we will create a shared vision for the successful future of the Bound Brook School District.” 

The first strategic planning session will take place on Thursday, Feb. 1. The following meetings will take place Wednesday, Feb. 21, and Monday, March 11. All three meetings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Bound Brook High School cafeteria.  

The New Jersey School Boards Association will facilitate each session to guide the district and community in developing goals and objectives to move the district forward. Community members will have an opportunity to provide input on future direction as well as current strengths and needs of the district. 

Please RSVP using this registration link. The full invitation handout is also available.  

Join us in this exciting process to shape the path forward for the Bound Brook School District! 

“I was feeling connected to other school districts, but not in the same way as I felt at home in Bound Brook,” Todaro explained. “Here, I felt supported and wanted to give back to the community that raised me.”

Todaro then saw a pre-kindergarten teacher opening at LaMonte Annex Elementary School – and the rest is history!

She is one of three teachers in the district’s new full-day pre-K program for three-year-olds. While Bound Brook School District has long had pre-K for four-year-olds, the 2023-24 school year is the first time the district offered the program for younger students.

“We have 35 students currently enrolled in three classes, and it’s been amazing to see how much progress our students have made since September,” said LaMonte Annex Principal Hipolita Hernandez-Sicignano.

Research has shown that public preschool programs can be highly beneficial for students. One long-term study found that students had higher achievement in language/literacy, math, and science if they participated in a preschool program, and that those effects were even more pronounced if the children had two years of preschool.

Todaro agreed that starting preschool earlier can make a big difference in a child’s life and future academic success. She is excited to help shape and grow a new program for the district.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to start the foundation process for these new students,” she said.

Todaro herself recalls going to LaMonte Annex as a first grader and then progressing through all Bound Brook schools. In high school, she excelled in athletics — cheerleading, basketball, tennis, and softball. Both her parents also attended Bound Brook School District, as well as her brother and sister.

“I always felt supported here,” she said. “The teachers checked in on me constantly.”

She graduated from BBHS in 2018 and earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and psychology from The College of New Jersey. She then completed a master’s degree in urban education in May 2023.

On her first day back at LaMonte this September, she said it felt like coming home.

“It was a comforting experience,” she said. “I work right next to my former softball coach and am coworkers with my kindergarten teacher. Honestly, being a first-year teacher, it was helpful to see familiar faces.”

In her classroom and the two other three-year-old pre-K classes, students learn through play, which is developmentally appropriate for that age. They explore classroom materials and are learning social-emotional learning, such as how to share and how to talk about feelings.

Hernandez-Sicignano said the district hopes to continue the program in the future. Students must be three years old on Oct. 1 to qualify for the program.

Please view this flyer for more information: Red ribbon week 2023 October 23-27 (1) (1)