October 2025 Bulldog Bulletin

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our Family Engagement Survey. We are truly grateful for the outstanding level of participation – more than 500 responses were submitted. Your feedback plays a vital role in helping us better understand the experiences and perspectives of our parents and school community.

This survey is more than just a snapshot of opinions – it’s a tool that will help guide our planning for both the immediate and long-term future of our schools.

At the time this newsletter was being prepared, our professional consultants were still in the process of tabulating and analyzing the data. Once their work is complete and we’ve had an opportunity to review the results, we will share a summary of the findings with the entire school community.

Your voices matter. The insights you share help shape the direction of our district and ensure that our work reflects the needs of our students, staff and the community.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our students’ success. Together, we are building a stronger future for every Rutherford student.

Regards,

Jack Hurley

Superintendent of Schools

As a Board, our focus is to set a clear and strategic direction for the district, make sure the work is well-resourced, and ensure that our students feel the impact in classrooms. Thank you for the trust you place in our schools.

For the 2025-2026 school year, we’ll support and monitor the district’s priorities, including:

• Strengthening ELA, Science, and Mathematics comprehension
• Monitoring how the district weaves the Profile of a Rutherford Graduate more deeply into everyday learning
• Overseeing the full implementation of the Atlas platform to document curriculum across grades and disciplines
• Supporting the approach taken to the responsible use of AI

We will also support the Superintendent’s comprehensive surveys, carefully listening to families, staff and students about engagement, instructional support and school climate. Those findings can be used to strategically guide district planning and budgets.

Finally, we will maintain our commitment to open communication: designated Board members will post periodic updates on our social media accounts, and you’ll see us at school events throughout the year.

Our approach is intentional. Good governance means setting goals, aligning resources and asking for evidence of progress, while leaving the day-to-day operations to our educators and administrative team. In short, we aim to create the conditions for great teaching and learning. We are grateful to have a strong partnership with families and district staff and look forward to a year of steady, student-centered progress.

Sergio Alati, Ed.D

President, Rutherford Board of Education

Students in Rutherford High School’s marketing class pitched their ideas in a high-energy, Shark Tank-style presentation to a panel of sharks, comprised of teachers and administrators. The class, taught by Ms. Brielle Mattiello, put the students’ entrepreneurial skills to the test by developing innovative business concepts.

From product development to persuasive pitching, students demonstrated the core competencies of the Profile of a Rutherford Graduate in real-world scenarios, blending academic learning with essential life skills. Students successfully exemplified communication, critical thinking, character, collaboration, creativity, and citizenship.

This marketing class is one of the many dual enrollment opportunities offered at Rutherford High School in partnership with Felician University. Students earn college credit while gaining practical experience that prepares them for success in both college and future careers.

Richard Guerry from the Institute for Responsible Online and Cellphone Communication (IROC2) spoke to Pierrepont School students about internet safety. He emphasized that the internet is a powerful tool – capable of great things - but also dangerous, and we need to use it carefully and responsibly.

Mr. Guerry encouraged students to apply safety parameters akin to fire safety when online. It reinforced the Golden Rule of the 21st Century – all digital activity is public and permanent – but with smart online habits, you can navigate the web safely.

The Rutherford High School varsity cheerleading team earned first place in the Battle of the Halftime Routines competition held at Wallington High School on Sept. 13. Competing against 10 teams, they impressed the judges with their collaboration, precision and energy. One standout cheerleader, Giuliana Centrello, was also recognized with the Best Running Tumbling award, reflecting dedication and hard work.

School pride continued into Homecoming Weekend. The dance attracted over 400 students on Friday, October 3, capturing school spirit and creating countless memories. A lively parade on Saturday afternoon through Rutherford engaged the community in the fun. A thrilling Bulldog football victory under the lights capped the weekend of unity and unmistakable Rutherford pride.

Special thanks to Mrs. Leonard and all the class advisors for making the weekend such a memorable success.

Third-grade students at Lincoln School used LEGO bricks and Play-Doh to model, build and explain arrays. Arrays are part of the third-grade math curriculum, but this high-interest activity helped students visualize the connection to repeated addition and multiplication facts. Students demonstrated creativity as they designed their arrays and used communication to explain their thinking to classmates.

Third-grade students at Washington School tackled the Great Marshmallow Challenge with transforming their classroom into a hub of discovery!

Equipped with just spaghetti, string, tape and a single marshmallow, students raced to engineer the tallest, most stable structures using critical thinking skills. Students mastered effective communication - sharing ideas, problem-solving and delegating tasks throughout the activity.

Students experimented with different, creative designs. Learning from mistakes, they turned individual strengths into shared success. This hands-on challenge showcased the value of collaboration and inventiveness in a fun, supportive classroom environment.

Pierrepont School offers 15 co-curricular clubs that give students a chance to explore their interests, develop new skills, and connect with peers.

Clubs range from service and arts-based activities to science, business and debate. places to relax and unwind, a business club, and even a debate club. There are also spaces for students to relax and unwind.

Two exciting new additions - the Coding Club and Wellness Club - join the lineup for the 2025–2026 school year, expanding opportunities for creativity, collaboration and personal growth. Check out the club website for detailed information about the opportunities.

Students in Union Middle School’s Executive Functioning elective applied creativity and critical thinking to a hands-on project called Build Your Own Neuron to understand the brain’s communication system.

Using candy, snacks, and craft materials, students designed and assembled model neurons to visualize how the brain’s communication system works. The engaging activity also strengthened key skills such as planning, organization, and problem-solving – making learning both meaningful and memorable.

Students from Kindergarten Center honored local first responders with a special event called High Five to Hometown Heroes. The event, which took place on Sept. 11, gave kindergarteners a chance to personally thank the brave men and women who serve the Rutherford community. Through the event, students demonstrated citizenship and practiced character.

The High Five to Hometown Heroes event is a cherished tradition at the Kindergarten Center, fostering a sense of community pride and teaching the youngest generation about gratitude and service.