Students Showcase Work at Teen Arts Festival

More than 100 Watchung Hills Regional pupils attend Raritan Valley Community College event.

Dance Ensemble to Unveil New Show at Watchung Hills' Spring Festival

Annual program features original presentations—don't miss this year's show.

The Watchung Hills Regional annual Spring Festival of the Arts offers a nearly-overwhelming array of artistic expression by students at Watchung Hills, from fashion and sculpture, to drawing and painting, video productions and dance. For the dance ensemble, the show includes a premiere of original choreography, and this year's presentation will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday nights. Tickets to the show at the school's Performing Arts Center are $10 ($5 for students; seniors free) and are available at the door.    WHRHS Dance Teacher Marisa Joshi encourages everyone to "Come out and support these talented dancers and choreographers as they present an evening of new dance works."  

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Director Retiring as Adult School Set to Shut Doors

Sandra Hockridge and advisory council to be honored by Watchung Hills BOE.

Sandra (“Sandy”) Hockridge, who will retire after 26 years as Watchung Hills Regional High School’s Adult School director/administrator, has compared her position to that of an artist who is faced with a huge, blank canvas that has to be filled in with all kinds of themes, colors, motifs. Every year a new canvas must be filled in, yielding to the tastes, preferences and needs of the viewers. It is a task Hockridge has successfully completed for almost three decades. “I’ve enjoyed my run here: the environment, the energy, the supportive administration, the cooperation and help of the Buildings & Grounds people.  I think I’ve given a lot, but I’ve gotten a lot back," Hockridge said. However, as Hockridge steps away, the Adult School itself …

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Choir Students Offer to Sing for Your Donations

Visit 16 Handles Yogurt Saturday night to help support the choir's future travels.

After a trip to the Virginia International Music Festival, the WHRHS Chorus picked up a quartet of trophies in recognition of their skilled performances. Such journeys benefit the students, not only by exposing the students to other high-level performing groups but also in the opportunities to perform before larger groups. But the choir's trips require lots of fundraising—and on Saturday, the choir is hosting a fundraiser at 16 Handles Yogurt everyone can help with. The store will donate 10 percent of all proceeds from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.— which will go towards future trips for the choir. There will also be a donation jar for any further donations anyone would like to make. And best of all, performances by some of the award-winning WHRHS …

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Somerset County Track Championships Attract 650 Student Athletes

Franklin High School Sweeps at major track competition held at Hillsborough High School.

An estimated 650 or more students that are part of boys and girls track teams from high schools throughout the county came together for Tuesday's Somerset County Championships held at Hillsborough High School. The students participated in 15 events that included running, jumping and throwing, starting after school and continuing until the skies got dark. About 1,500 attended. Coming out on top of the boys and girls rankings were the teams from Franklin with the highest ranking Patch town Hillsborough, which captured a second for the girls and fourth for the boys. Women - Team Rankings - 16 Events Scored 1) Franklin High School 137 2) Hillsborough High School 90 3) Montgomery High School 50 4) Bernards 49 5) Ridge High School 45 6) …

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June 5K Helps Fund Bob Beckert Scholarship Program

Register now to participate in tenth annual event.

The 10th annual Bob Beckert Memorial Scholarship 5K Run/Walk will be held on June 2 at Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren. Bob Beckert, who grew up in Warren and was raising his family with wife Nancy in Watchung, was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2004 while traveling on business. He was a devoted husband, father of four children, successful businessman and an active volunteer in the community. Beckert was a member of Watchung Hills’ state high school championship cross country team and continued to be an active runner as an adult. His friends and family believed an annual run was a fitting way to honor Beckert's love of running, community, youth and fun. All of the profits of the event fund scholarships for …

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Watchung Hills Regional Board Names New Superintendent

Elizabeth Jewett set to begin July 1.

Elizabeth Jewett will become superintendent of Watchung Hills Regional following the retirement of Frances Stromsland, as the school's board of education unanimously approved a resolution to hire her Monday. Jewett is currently the Verona school district's director of Instructional Studies, overseeing the district's curriculum. She was acting superintendent for the 2,200-student K-12 school district for a six-month period in 2011 as that district transitioned to a new superintendent. "I'm truly humbled and honored to be selected to be the next leader of the Watchung Hills Regional High School district," she said. She said Watchung Hills Regional was a "highly achieving district that is characterized by outstanding educators, a highly …

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