The Champions' Chronicle
A Look into Lodi Public Schools
Lodi Public Schools observed this special month with various activities, including a virtual museum, research projects and studying influential Black historical figures.
Lodi High School students read articles, the work of famous Black poets and biographies of Black historical figures to create posters, slides and presentations many of which are on display throughout the school.
History classes at Thomas Jefferson Middle School studied African American heroes. After researching their early life, accomplishments and legacy in modern America, students created a virtual museum exhibit to demonstrate what they learned about their hero.
Wilson School weaved important lessons from American history into its curricula to celebrate Black History Month. Students read the historical fiction play "The Rule Breaker," about tennis star Althea Gibson who fought segregation, and identified how she persevered and changed the sport for future generations. Students also collaborated on a project to highlight Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
Kindergarten students at Columbus School also celebrated Black History Month with singing, dancing, and learning about the impactful work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
At Roosevelt School, all grades engaged in classroom lessons on the many historical contributions of African Americans. Classes discussed the Civil Rights Movement and other important events in American history.
Students at Hilltop School participated in a variety of activities to learn about Black history including studying the work of Black artists, creating portraits of the people they learned about and listening to music by Black musicians.
Washington School fifth grade students studied Black History Month through music including ragtime, blues, soul, and smooth jazz. They also learned about talented Black musicians including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis.
After working as a sixth grade social studies teacher for 15 years, Laura Rinaldi left Lodi Public Schools to pursue her dream of becoming a Learning Disability Teacher Consultant (LDT-C).
However, Rinaldi missed Lodi’s family atmosphere and decided to "come home" two years later when an elementary school LDT-C role opened in Lodi for the 2024-25 school year.
"I missed the community, the people that I work with here and the family feel that Lodi has," she said. "Not every district has this."
As an LDT-C, Rinaldi collaborates with teachers to help make individualized educational plans, or IEPs, for students who are struggling in the classroom. When a teacher or parent identifies a problem a student might be having, they schedule a meeting with the child study team to share solutions.
"If more intervention is needed, we can test the student, make sure they continue to get what they need and that families are comfortable with everything that they are getting in school," Rinaldi said. "We can help classify for special education services. We can also see what interventions can be put in place for them before they are referred to the child study team."
Rinaldi also helps with the Intervention and Referral Services team, referring students before they move on to the child study team. This way students receive the support they need in the classroom, before being placed in special education.
In Lodi, the district supports its staff and fosters open communications with staff and administrators, she said. "Everyone in the district is working together to benefit the students."
Rinaldi also credits her decision to pursue her LDT-C with her mentor Christine Way, who works in a similar position at Lodi High School. "Christine guided me through my LDT-C program," Rinaldi said. “I called her before enrolling to ask if I should take this leap, and she told me to go for it. She's been instrumental in everything that I know, and I am lucky to have her because she exhibits such professionalism and caring for the students all around."
In addition to her LDT-C certification from New Jersey City University, Rinaldi holds a bachelor's degree in history and elementary education from Ramapo College and a master's degree in special education from Montclair State University.
Rinaldi is originally from Saddle Brook, but her connection to Lodi stretches to when she began dating her now husband, Jerry Rinaldi. At the time he was a state champion on the wrestling team. She said he credits Lodi High School for helping him reach the Ivy League college, Cornell University, where he was a two-time All-American wrestler.
Rinaldi also enjoys traveling with her family and usually plans annual trips to Disney World and Aruba.
Sharma attended Wilson School and is a 2013 graduate of Lodi High School.
How did Lodi Public Schools help prepare you for your future?
Lodi High School was instrumental in shaping my career in product management and business strategy by fostering resourcefulness and relationship-building skills. Taking initiatives from idea to execution, like helping start the volunteer tutoring program, taught me how to organize people and lead them toward a common goal. Facing academic and extracurricular challenges honed my problem-solving abilities, while leadership roles in student government developed my leadership style. These combined experiences have been essential to my success in navigating complex projects and collaborating effectively with diverse teams.
What is your favorite memory from school?
High school was filled with so many great times with friends, both in class and out. A few experiences that stood out the most were:
Working with the National Honor Society to organize a number of community service projects including park clean ups.
Working to highlight the positive aspects of LHS to prospective TJMS students.
Hosting some pretty incredible pep rallies to increase school morale (and getting unexpectedly pied in the face 😅).
It was so rewarding to see the impact we made and to work alongside my classmates, teachers and staff for a set of common goals improving the school and community.
What was your favorite class and why?
I was drawn to history and social science courses. Learning about ordinary people achieving extraordinary things, driven by their beliefs, was incredibly inspiring and continues to motivate me.
Who was your favorite teacher/staff member and why?
I was fortunate to have several great mentors at LHS, but Mr. D'Amico and Mr. Ciofalo stand out. We worked on a number of different initiatives to purchase laptops, provide exposure to various careers and creatively increase resources for LHS. They both worked incredibly hard, going above and beyond to make LHS a better place for everyone – students, teachers, and staff alike. Their dedication was palpable, and it showed me the power of collaborative leadership and strong work ethic.
What extracurriculars did you participate in?
I loved being involved in extracurriculars at LHS. Student Council, National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and tennis were my main activities. Looking back, I realize how much these experiences shaped me, as they gave me some amazing memories with friends and taught me lessons that continue to benefit me today.
What college did you attend and what did you study?
After LHS, I attended Caldwell University and studied Business Management with minors in Global Business and Political Science.
What advice would you give current students to get the most out of their educational experience in the Lodi School District?
My advice to current Lodi students is simple: get involved! Extracurriculars, clubs, sports – find something that sparks your interest and dive in. These experiences are where some of the most valuable learning happens.
Second, don't waste your time complaining. No place is perfect, including Lodi. Instead of focusing on the negatives, think about what you can do to improve the situation. Be part of the solution.
Third, leverage the resources available to you. Lodi Public Schools has so much to offer, from dedicated teachers to supportive staff, and a network of successful alumni. Don't be afraid to ask for help or seek guidance.
Lastly, remember it's not as serious as it seems. If it won't matter in a month, don't stress over it. Enjoy your time in school, learn, grow, and have fun - it goes by very quickly!
Lodi High School students are pretty good at predicting the future – especially Isabella Cengiz. Student forecasting tournaments, led by the Alliance for Decision Education, are competitions based on using data and statistics to predict future outcomes. The more accurate you are the better you place.
The tournament began on Nov. 11 and closed six weeks later. In that time, students were tasked with answering 11 questions. Results were released in January which placed Isabella in the top 10% of the tournament, ranking 16 out of the 530 participants. One hundred and five schools across 22 states took part, making this a highly competitive competition and a victory worth celebrating.
Forecasting tournaments offer students the opportunity to engage with forecasting in an approachable way. In previous tournaments, questions have been asked regarding topics like opening weekend box office profits for Marvel movies, popularity rankings of PlayStation 5 video games and even secondary market sales prices for Taylor Swift concert tickets.
Congratulations to all student participants and teachers Lindsey Specht and Stacey Kuhl who led them!
