Superintendent Sentinel
Parent Newsletter / October 2025
As we watch the leaves transform into brilliant shades of yellow, red, and orange, I'm reminded that fall is a season of change. We're well into the rhythm of the school year now, and I couldn't be more proud of how our students, teachers, and staff have embraced this year's theme: stepping up to the plate and taking a swing.
Just as autumn asks nature to let go of the old and make way for new growth, we're encouraging everyone in our school community to try something new this year. Whether it's a student joining a club for the first time, a teacher piloting an innovative lesson approach, or a staff member volunteering for a new initiative, we're creating a culture where taking that swing, even if we miss, is celebrated as an act of courage and growth. I’ve seen so many examples of individuals stepping up to the plate: students raising hands challenging new problems, teachers experimenting with new strategies, and families becoming more engaged in our schools. Every attempt and all of the effort truly matters!
As the cooler emerges and baseball season draws to a close, let’s remember that home runs are only possible if we have the courage to take a swing. If you haven’t had your chance in the batter’s box yet this year, your chance will be coming!
Dr. Jonathan Hart
Follow me on X @hartjonathanr
In Photos: Dr. Hart's son, Luke Hart - trying for his home run ⚾
Please join us for a Referendum Information Session on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board of Education Conference Room located in Holland Brook School, 52 Readington Road, Whitehouse Station. To join via YouTube, please click here.
Should you need more information, please feel free to email referendum@readington.k12.nj.us, or simply contact Jason M. Bohm, Business Administrator at jbohm@readington.k12.nj.us or by calling 908-534-2885. You can also visit our referendum website.
Dr. Stacey Brown/Supervisor of Humanities & Ms. Sarah Pauch/Supervisor of Math, Science & Technology
The Readington Board of Education reviewed 2024-2025 student assessment results during their October 14th public meeting. District supervisors provided data from the spring administration of the NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessment) assessments, writing benchmarks, i-Ready Diagnostic results, cumulative math assessments, and special education learning results. While each assessment measures different components of our students’ academic growth, the overall news is that Readington students are surpassing state norms.
The New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) test is an online test that matches the rigorous content and skills outlined in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. These tests measure more complex, real-world skills such as critical thinking, writing, modeling, and reasoning.
The NJSLA assessment uses five performance levels that delineate the knowledge, skills, and practices students are able to demonstrate, with Levels 4 and 5 considered to be passing:
Level 1 – Did not meet expectations
Level 2 – Partially met expectations
Level 3 – Approached expectations
Level 4 – Met expectations
Level 5 – Exceeded expectations
Our other assessment results show equally strong performance among Readington students. i-Ready reading and math indicate that students showed tremendous growth over the school year. Intervention programs are in place for those needing support.
Finally, Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) assessments are administered to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for whom general state assessments are not appropriate. DLM assessments offer these students a way to show what they know and can do in mathematics, English language arts, and science.
If a student did not meet expectations on any of these assessments, it does not mean your child did not learn or lost skills. Scores can be affected by things like stress and distraction. No one assessment can provide the full picture of your child’s learning. Teachers take this into account and use multiple data points as one of many tools to understand your child’s unique needs and progress. It is essential that instruction meets students where they are in order to help them grow academically.
The Readington community can be assured that the interventions the district has put in place continue to be successful and will be offered to qualifying students in the upcoming school year. A full presentation of the district’s assessment results for the 2024-2025 school year is available on the district website under the Curriculum tab. https://www.readington.k12.nj.us
One School One Book
Holland Brook School is excited to launch our One School, One Book event on October 20, featuring Wish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. This uplifting story follows Oliver, a young boy who learns the power of kindness, friendship, and courage as he works to make the world around him a little better. When Oliver discovers that even the smallest acts can make a big difference, he begins to see how wishes and people can grow in unexpected and beautiful ways. The book’s themes of empathy, hope, and community make it a perfect fit for our Holland Brook students, and we are eager to explore its message together through shared reading and schoolwide activities.
Week of Respect
Earlier this month, we celebrated the Week of Respect, a cornerstone of our school culture that emphasizes kindness, empathy, and positive relationships. The week culminated with an inspiring assembly led by Rachel DeGutz, a former American Ninja Warrior contestant. Rachel shared her powerful story of perseverance and overcoming obstacles, encouraging students to lead with compassion, kindness, and confidence. Her message resonated deeply with our students, reminding them that strength isn’t just physical, it’s also about character and heart.
Therapy Dogs at HBS
Another special feature at Holland Brook School is the presence of our therapy dogs. These visits bring smiles to our hallways and provide emotional support for students, helping to create a calm and welcoming environment. One of the most popular activities during their visits is when students have the opportunity to read aloud to the therapy dogs. This special time helps build confidence, fluency, and a love of reading in a relaxed and joyful setting. The comfort and encouragement our therapy dogs provide make these reading moments some of the most cherished at HBS.
Parent Involvement
We are thrilled to expand parent involvement at Holland Brook School this year. Families will be invited into classrooms to observe and participate in learning experiences alongside students. This initiative strengthens the connection between home and school, giving parents a firsthand look at the wonderful teaching and learning happening every day at HBS.
The pictures below highlight one of these parent involvement activities in Dr. McGibbon and Mrs. Vance’s Discover Lab class, where families joined students for a hands-on learning experience that showcased creativity, collaboration, and curiosity in action.
Ms. Katie DaQuisto, Supervisor of Early Childhood Education
Our preschoolers have had an amazing first few weeks of school! From learning classroom routines and creating their own rules to building friendships and working together on projects, the children have been busy exploring, discovering, and growing. They’ve shown incredible teamwork, creativity, and joy as they adjusted to their new classrooms. One of the highlights was that a few of our classrooms attended their very first field trip - an adventure filled with laughter, learning, and hands-on experiences that brought our lessons to life. We are so proud of how much our students have accomplished already and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!
The Readington Township School District is hosting a substitute job fair on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. If you are interested in becoming a substitute, please join us. Substitutes are needed for teachers, secretaries, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, and nurses.
For substitute school bus driver requirements, please click here.
To pre-register and schedule an appointment, please email: jobfair@readington.k12.nj.us
After scheduling your appointment, please click here to complete an application.
For more information, please click here.
Mr. James Belske, Technology Coordinator
Another school year has successfully begun, with our students back and all necessary technology resources ready to go! The technology team assisted in the preparation and distribution of over 1,400 Chromebooks to all of our students in grades 1-8, as well as iPads to our youngest Kindergarten learners.
To provide easy and secure access to online learning resources, our district utilizes Clever, an educational platform. Clever offers a grade-specific interface and dashboard, allowing students to easily access websites and assignments for their current lessons. This eliminates the need for students to log into multiple websites directly, managing various user accounts and passwords. As a result, Clever has significantly reduced common classroom disruptions and lost learning time previously experienced when directing students to online resources.
The Readington Township School District is thrilled to officially announce the appointment of Mrs. Katie DaQuisto as the Supervisor of Early Childhood Education, which was effective September 1, 2025. The Readington Board of Education approved the appointment of Mrs. DaQuisto on July 22, 2025. Dr. Jonathan Hart, Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to have Mrs. DaQuisto join the administrative team.
Mrs. DaQuisto is a graduate of Delaware University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development & Education with a Dual Certification in Special Education, along with a Master of Arts in Special Education with a focus on High Incidence Disabilities from Kean University. Most recently, Mrs. DaQuisto obtained her Graduate School Supervisor Certificate.
The district hired Mrs. DaQuisto in December 2023 as the Preschool Instruction Coach for our newly established Preschool Program. Previously, Mrs. DaQuisto was a leave replacement Preschool Teacher at Three Bridges School, a Preschool Teacher at Mendham Borough School District for five years, and a Second-Grade Teacher in the Jersey City Public School District.
Mrs. DaQuisto comes to us with a strong background in early childhood education, and her boundless enthusiasm for preschool is contagious. She has a way of inspiring everyone around her with her passion.
Mrs. DaQuisto and her husband, Paul, reside in Readington with their four sons; Paulie is a freshman at Immaculata High School, Luke is in 7th and Nicholas is in 6th grade at Readington Middle School, and Christian is in 3rd grade at Three Bridges School. The DaQuisto family is busy on the weekends attending wrestling matches, baseball games, and they enjoy traveling to the beach for fishing and the mountains for skiing. See family photo below.
Please join me in congratulating Mrs. DaQuisto on this new role.
Readington Township School District participates in the New Jersey Department of Education Governor's Educator of the Year Program each year. This program recognizes excellence in education, a direct result of the hard work of our outstanding classroom teachers and educational services professionals.
One of the most meaningful gestures to show appreciation to our educators is to nominate them for the Governor's Educator of the Year recognition. To make a nomination, please complete the nomination form and return it to your building principal by October 31, 2025.
A selection committee at each school will review the nominations and jointly decide each school's honorees. At the end of the process, we will share all nomination letters with the nominated teachers and educational services professionals. Based on the criteria listed, we hope you will consider nominating one of our outstanding teachers and/or educational services professionals for this prestigious honor.
For more information, please click here.