Monday, June 17, 2013
One of the events this week we'll be covering.
Friday is the first day of summer, coming at just the right time for Hillsborough students—high school ends Thursday, so the kids will get waking to their first day of vacation on the first day of summer (elementary schools are in class until June 25). The cap on the 2012-2013 school year will be Friday night's graduation at Watchung Hills Regional High School, scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Weather permitting, the ceremony will be held in the stadium. Before Friday's big night, however, the high school's board of education meets, with plans to take time to say goodbye to five teachers retiring at the end of the school year, as well as Superintendent Frances Stromsland. The board is also scheduled to hear the annual report of graduating …
Monday, June 3, 2013
Also coming up this week: Watchung Hills' bid for state softball title.
When the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. Monday night, members will be voting on a resolution that launches a new chapter in the school's adult education classes. For many years, the school has hosted the Watchung Hills Regional Adult School, which has seen enrollments plummet in recent years. After schecking alternatives, the board is poised to approve an agreement with the Somerset Hills YMCA and the Adult School of the Chathams to provide classes for adults beginning in September. The board of also taking time at the meeting to honor teachers retiring this year, including Glen Braxton, Richard Hanft, Barry Kostibos, Robin Simonetta and Bonnie Quigley. We'll also anxious for Tuesday's state championship game …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Also, Watchung Hills Regional softball team looks to repeat as count champs this week.
For those their planning their week ahead, here's what we're looking forward to this week: Monday: The Watchung Hills Regional girls softball team is looking to repeat as Somerset County champions, and travels to North Branch Park for a 4 p.m. semi-final against Immaculata. The winner advances to the finals Saturday against Hillsborough. Later, the Warren Township Board of Education will meet at the district administrative offices at 7 p.m. The board will be busy renewing "service appointments" for the 2013-2014 school year. Tuesday: The five-day Watchung Hills Regional Spring Festival of the Arts begins. Make plans to get to the school to check it out—whether you love photography, music, fine art, fashion art or dance, you'll be …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
And the Watchung Hills Regional board to decide fate of referendum proposal.
As Monday approaches, many Warren families will be getting their young children ready for the NJASK testing slated for this week. Experts say helping kids get enough rest and enjoying a good breakfast is the best way to help assure they're ready for the tests, but school officials do their part, too. For example, Angelo L. Tomaso School helped get students ready with a little pep rally last week, timed in conjunction with the school's salute to it Archery Team which leaves at the end of the week for a national championship event. Watch the video for the pep rally and check back later for more on the amazing success of the archery team. Other events coming up this week inclue the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education meeting (at 7 p.m…
Sunday, April 28, 2013
And a visit by U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance
The last week of the month is often a quiet one in Warren, with few meetings planned as the calendar pages turn. But since last week's regular meeting for the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education was dedicated to interviewing candidates for superintendent, the board members will be meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to conduct the regular business planned. Another meeting residents will want to note is Wednesday's Town Hll meeting with U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the municipal complex. We'll bring coverage of both events—as well as last week's 40th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Warren Township Police Department, which included a special "present" for the department announced at …
Monday, April 8, 2013
A look at the week ahead in Warren.
It's Monday and time to plan your week—here's a look ahead at what's happening in Warren this week:
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Kids will be out of school this week.
Many Warren families head out of town during the week kids are out of school for spring break, and this year, municipal officials also seem to have planned for a week off. Currently, the township Traffic Advisory Committee is the only meeting set for this week (after the Planning Board cancelled its meeting). Which may be just as well: with Passover starting Monday, and Good Friday capping the work week, it may be a very quiet week in Warren. Plus, there's yet another winter storm headed our way overnight, with a fair chance as much as 4 inches of snow may accumulate, according to the National Weather Service.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Residents can weigh in on spending plans before votes lock budgets in.
Residents who have been following the two school districts' budget processes know this is the week the boards give final approval to the plans. If they plan on commenting on either the $43 million Warren Township schools budget or the $36.8 million Watchung Hills Regional budget, they'll have a tough time: both boards have scheduled public hearings at 7 p.m. Thursday. But attending the meetings will also give residents a chance to learn more details about the spending plans. If approved without further changes, the combined budgets will increase the average Warren property owner's annual tax bill by $208. We'll bring coverage of the public hearings and let you know if any changes are made, as well as all the news happening in Warren this …
Sunday, March 10, 2013
School boards take a week off.
It's a rare Monday night that either the township or regional school board isn't meeting, but thanks to the state-set calendar for school budgets, tonight is one of those nights. In order to meet the requirement to submit a tentative budget to the county executive superintendent by March 7, the Watchung Hills Regional board moved its meeting intially scheduled for tonight to last week. That also means this is one of those unusual weeks when no school board is meeting—but there will be plenty of local news nonetheless. The Township Committee meets Thursday, and the Planning Board will meet tonight.
Monday, March 4, 2013
March 7 deadline means local, high school boards must approve a spending plan.
Local school districts must submit proposed budgets by March 7, so when the Warren Township and Watchung Hills Regional boards of education meet Monday, the main action will be on finalizing the proposed spending plans. With little change in state aid this year, the budgets may hold little surprise—Warren's Business Administrator Patricia Leonhardt noted the township's total tax assessment increased by more than 2 percent which will more than offset the maximum possible increase the district's tax cap would allow. The picture is more complicated for Watchung Hills Regional, since Warren's tax rate is also affected by adjustments based on the student enrollment at the school, in a formula set by the state Department of Education. Both …
John Patten
6:14 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
Thanks, Heather—all of the school districts in Somerset County have public hearings on the same night. It's certainly more of a problem for residents here than in K-12 districts, but I've never seen this happen before. There is a deadline for the hearings set by the state (which is Thursday), but I'm note sure why Wednesday couldn't have been picked. more ›