The Central Connection

This is the last district newsletter for the 2025-2026 school year and we hope you have enjoyed reading it this year! We will be back in August with a special back to school issue. Good luck to the Class of 2026 as you embark on your future endeavors - you will always be a part of the Red Devils community!

Check out our website calendar to stay up to date on the latest events and important dates!

DATES TO NOTE:

• June 3 - Senior Awards Night, 6:30PM in Auditorium

• June 4 - Tri-M Music Honor Society Showcase, 7:00PM in Little Theater

• June 8 - Biomedical Science Academy Pinning Ceremony, 6:00PM in Little Theater

• June 8 - Board of Education Meeting with Student & Staff Recognition, 6:30PM in Auditiorium

• June 9 - Class of 2026 Senior Sunset, on Stewart Field

• June 10 - Mandatory Class of 2026 Senior Meeting, Cap & Gown and Yearbook Distribution, 12:45PM in Fieldhouse

• June 10 - Deadline for students to pay obligations or return school materials (Check Genesis for obligations under Fees & Fines)

• June 11 - Senior Prom, 6:00-10:00PM

• June 15 & 16 - Yearbook Pickup during lunch or after school in fieldhouse lobby for all grades

• June 15 - Board of Education Retreat, 6:00PM in IMC

• June 16 - Early Dismisal for Students at 12:00PM

• June 17 - Early Dismissal for Students at 12:00PM and Last Day of School

• June 17 - Mandatory graduation practice for Class of 2026 at 12:15PM

• June 18 - Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony, 9:00AM on Stewart Field

• June 19 - District Closed in observance of Juneteenth

📆 25-26 Calendar

🕢 Bell Schedules

🥪 Cafeteria Menu

🏈 Sports Schedule

💻 Genesis

👪 Counseling

🏫 Board of Education

📱 Contact Us

In case you missed our posts online - check out our latest news!

• At the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony on April 30th, advisor, Kelly Dooley, welcomed 86 new members into the Honor Society! These students demonstrated strong academic merit and admirable dedication to community service.

• Choral Director Megan Petrushun assisted students with their virtual audition preparation for next year’s All-State Choirs. Our students competed with over 900 candidates from all over the state of NJ. Congratulations to the following students for their selection: Keira Farley, Avni Kakkar, Gabi Knox, Julia Muccilli, Devon Reed and Luke Schnaudt!

• Congratulations to junior, Nina Jategaonkar of Raritan Township, who has been selected to receive the Rensselaer Medal, a premier scholarship from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) totaling $160,000! Nina was presented with a certificate by academic superivosr Dr. Robert Hastings, who nominated her for the scholarship. The official Medal will be presented to enrolling Medalists in the fall of their first year at RPI.

• Congratulations to junior Cadence Szewc and sophomore Rose Weitz as they were selected to the NJ All-State Jazz Choir - the first in Hunterdon Central's history! They will rehearse and perform in Atlantic City during the NJEA teachers' convention in November and they will also perform at NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark!

At the New Jersey Chemistry Olympics competition, there were 30+ teams participating in eight events from 14 different schools. Congratulations to HCRHS Team A who won the overall award for Best Team in the competition, successfully repeating this feat after winning in 2025!

It was STEM Showcase Day at Hunterdon Central on May 20th! Coordinated by science teacher Victoria Grasso and the National Science Honor Society, over 50 science research projects were on display. Staff and classes toured the different displays, asked questions and hopefully learned something new. The Showcase included special demonstrations by the Drone Club, Robotics Team and Red Devil Rescue. Also in attendance were community organizations that do great STEM work such as Raritan Headwaters, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and Fairgrown Farms. Congratulations to all of the students who displayed and spoke about their projects - all were very impressive!

Counseling Services played a huge role in a very successful Open House event for 7th & 8th grade families on May 5th. Many students and their families were in attendance to participate in campus tours with Red Devil Ambassadors. Counselors for the Class of 2030 were in the IMC to meet families, answer questions, and create another opportunity for students to be in the presence of their future House Team.

Another joint initiative between current HC students and our soon-to-be rising freshmen was the visitation to sending districts by our Red Devil Ambassadors team, led by an HC counselor. The students had a great time interacting and setting the stage for a positive high school experience.

Information about summer programming for our students--academic credit recovery, credit recovery programming for improving attendance, and transition groups for new students--is beginning to filter out to our students and parents.

From the College & Career Office:

• May was an exciting month for our seniors as they are finalizing their post-graduation plans! On May 21st, we hosted the annual What's Next Senior Celebration in the Commons. Seniors signed the large banner sharing their future plans after Central, took photos at the booth, and enjoyed cookies, giveaways, and celebrating as the Class of 2026!

• Seniors who have received local scholarships and athletic awards are receiving invitations to Senior Awards Night on June 3rd. This program will honor 120 seniors for their accomplishments both in and out of school.

• Lastly, seniors are in the process of completing the required graduation survey, which is due on June 5th. Seniors should see emails from Mrs. Nuechterlein about this important requirement for graduation.

• Juniors will participate in one last session of college and career planning groups with counselors on May 28th and May 29th. All 11th grade college and career planning information can be found here.

• Watch soon for a thorough summer college planning email from Mrs. Nuechterlein, which will include a Common App guide, summer workshop dates, and more.

Hunterdon Central offers several courses through its Summer Institute. Summer Institute courses are tuition-based and offer students the opportunity to accelerate or advance their studies in a variety of subjects. Taking courses over the summer may also free up students' scheduling options during the school year. Students interested in Summer Institute courses can visit our website to register. Registration and payment are due by June 10, 2026 and need to be sent to our registrar, Mercedes Mariano.

Courses offered this summer include Global Studies, Personal Finance, Geometry CP, Calculus Readiness, and College Essay.

Above - Students in the ACHIEVE program and staff helped create a beautiful Memorial Day display by room 705. Staff and students had the opportunity to write down the name of a fallen military hero on a small poppy piece of paper and tape it to the wall of remembrance. Then, they can take a red, white and blue ribbon as a token of their memory. Students also included the In Flanders Fields by John McCrae as part of the display.

In addition, the Soldier Support Club decorated the display case outside the auditorium for Memorial Day that recognizes Hunterdon Central alumni who served in Vietnam. Soliders recognized in the case are: Michael R. Baldwin (Sergeant US Army), Andrew Fedor (Private First Class US Marines), Gregory T. Buczynski (Private First Class Army), John A. Hancock (Corporal US Army), Dale Haver (First Lieutenant US Army), Fred J. Zyck (Sergeant US Army), Larry Pypniowski (Corporal US Army), Barry L. Runyon (Special Fourth Class US Army), and Van Dyke W. Manners (Private First Class US Army).

“A true soldier fights not because he hates what’s in front of him, but because he loves what’s behind him.” - G.K. Chesteron

The following is a PA announcement from May 29th that gives you all a glimpse of our internal messaging, and the good things happening at HC.

This is the last school day in May…and what a month it was! We started May coming off of three strong days of NJSLA testing where more than half of our students had the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills for the mandatory state testing. We then shifted to our AP exams where 716 Students took a collective 1431 Exams to cap off their learning in some of our most rigorous courses, demonstrating their preparedness for what’s next. Thank you to all who shifted their daily routines to help support our students in providing a good environment to take the assessments. And this is just a sliver of the great things that are happening with the teaching and learning in our classrooms.

We also had opportunities for our students and staff to shine in co-curricular areas. Our spring athletes are still going strong in state playoffs and competitions. The campus was alive all week as we hosted games in softball, baseball, boys and girls lacrosse, and boys volleyball….and we will keep it going with a baseball game this afternoon [May 29] and track & field all weekend [May 30 & 31].

Our music department hosted three concerts in May, with impressive vocal and instrumental performances that entertained while also highlighting the amazing growth that takes place through a students’ four years in our music program. Our art department is hosting its annual Arts Show this evening [May 29] and tomorrow [May 30] in the Commons..again…a great way for our students to showcase their talents and their growth through the experiences in our programs.

Our student council has been inviting all of you to get involved, whether it is having fun in our first ever spring pep rally last month, or in the food truck and yard game rally this afternoon on the JV baseball field area between 2:30 and 4:30 [May 29]….come out out and have some fun.

Now…let's take the positive vibes earned from the great accomplishments from May into a strong and fruitful ending to the school year in June. Take inventory this weekend into the projects, assignments and assessments you have to complete over the next few weeks, and to make up for any missed from the past months…let’s finish strong…and celebrate the Class of 2026, like we did with the What’s Next? Event last week…as they complete their journey at HC.

Have a great summer!

- Edward C. Brandt, HCRHS Principal

The spring season has been filled with outstanding performances, championship accomplishments, and exciting postseason success for Red Devil athletics.

Championship Highlights:

Boys Tennis captured the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex (H/W/S) Championship, showcasing consistency, depth, and determination throughout the season.

Boys Track & Field earned the H/W/S Championship, continuing the program’s tradition of excellence with strong performances across multiple events.

Boys Golf enjoyed a historic season, claiming the H/W/S Championship and culminating their remarkable year by winning the NJSIAA Group IV State Championship.

State Tournament Success:

Several Red Devil teams continue their postseason journeys:

Baseball advanced to the semifinal round of the NJSIAA State Tournament, to be played on June 3rd.

Boys Lacrosse moved on to the second round of the NJSIAA State Tournament.

Girls Lacrosse also advanced to the second round of the NJSIAA State Tournament.

Boys and Girls Track & Field teams competed in the NJSIAA Group Championships on May 30 & 31, with individual honors going to the following Group 4 Champions: Kasey Kinsley in 400m hurdles, Molly Domurat in 3200m, and Olivia Silber in Pole Vault!

Red Devil Pride:

The dedication, hard work, and commitment demonstrated by our student-athletes, coaches, and families have made this spring one to remember. As postseason competition continues, we congratulate all of our teams on their accomplishments and wish our remaining competitors the best of luck as they continue representing the Red Devils with pride.

Reminder: Fall sports registration opened on May 11th and must be completed in Genesis. Make sure your physical is up to date - they should be dated after 8/10/25 to be valid for fall 2026 season. Instructions to complete sports registration were emailed to parents and available on our website.

Congratulations to all of our student-athletes on another great year of sports at Hunterdon Central! Follow Hunterdon Central Athletics on Instagram @hc_athletics20.

It's been a great year for clubs and activities! We loved seeing students get involved! Some activities coming up in June -

Mu Alpha Theta is going on a Field Trip to see the "Imitation Game" on June 3rd.

Tri-M Music Honor Society's last showcase for the year will be on June 4th at 7:00PM in the Little Theater. it is themed "Around the World" and will feature performances highlighting various countries.

All Strings Attached & Jazz Band are performing in Hershey Park as part of their Field Trip on June 5th.

On June 9th, our senior class will be watching the sun set on their last year at Central on Stewart Field! In addition, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society will be hosting a Living History Night from 4:00-8:00PM in the Little Theater. Students will share their historical knowledge with the community.

The Thespian Honor Society will hold its induction ceremony on June 10th from 7:00 – 9:00pm in the Little Theater.

We hope the Class of 2026 has a fun (and safe) night at their Senior Prom on Thursday, June 11th!

Pre-ordered yearbooks will be distributed starting with seniors at their class meeting on June 10th. Seniors can also pick up their yearbooks on June 11th and 12th during block 5 in the fieldhouse lobby.

Students in any grade level that pre-ordered a yearbook can pick them up starting June 15th during unit lunch or block 5 in the fieldhouse lobby. Please make sure all pre-ordered yearbooks are picked up by the last day of school on June 17th.

There is a very limited number of extra copies available for sale, though seniors will get first dibs to purchase. Any remaining extra copies will be for sale starting June 15th during the pick-up times listed above.

Graduation tickets will be available online for families starting June 10th following the senior meeting during block 4. Each senior gets five tickets for graduation. More information is on our Class of 2026 webpage linked above and an email will be sent to seniors and parents once tickets are available.

Chromebook return - Seniors must return their Chromebooks, or purchase them, by the end of the day on June 17th at the Central Hub in the IMC. Purchase price is $30. Please save all documents, classwork, emails, etc. off the Chromebook that you want to retain as Class of 2026 Graduate HCRHS email accounts and Google Drives will be deleted after August 1, 2026.

Looking for the house office or a specific staff member? Access our staff directory on our website:

https://www.hcrhs.org/contact-information.

General Email: communications@hcrhs.org
Website: https://www.hcrhs.org/
Location: 84 Route 31, Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 782-5727