The Central Connection
HCRHS District Newsletter - November 2025
Check out our website calendar to stay up to date on the latest events and important dates!
DATES TO NOTE:
November 6 & 7 - School Closed, NJEA Convention
November 12 - Parent Engagement Committee Meeting, 6:30PM in the IMC (open to any HC parent/guardian)
November 13 - Tri-M Music Honor Society Induction Ceremony, 7:00PM in the auditorium
November 17 - New deadline for payment to RVCC for approved dual enrollment courses
November 17 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00PM in the auditorium
November 21 - 11/12 Fall Play, Arsenic & Old Lace, 7:00PM in the Little Theater
November 22 - 11/12 Fall Play, Arsenic & Old Lace, 2:00PM and 7:00PM in the Little Theater
November 25 - Annual Day of Music with Visiting 8th Graders
November 26 - Early Dismissal at Noon, Thanksgiving Recess Begins
November 27 & 28 - School Closed, Thanksgiving Recess
Homecoming Royalty
Congratulations to seniors Jorja Krowicki and Joshua Fisher on being selected 2025 Homecoming Royalty!
Juniors Win Spirit Week
Congratulations to the Junior Class for winning Spirit Week, going from 4th Place leading up to the Pep Rally and then dominating to take 1st!
Congrats to Ms. Miller!
Music teacher, Mackenzie Miller, received 1 of only 5 inaugural scholarships to attend the Midwest Clinic International Band & Orchestra Conference, which is the world's largest instrumental music education conference with more than 18,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 40 countries! Congrats!
We have completed another successful month of school here at HCRHS. During the first two months of the school year, our students, staff, and school community have enjoyed numerous learning opportunities and events, from the Fall Pep Rally to the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration to Honor Society inductions and Fall athletics playoffs. As we enter November, I encourage our students and our families to take some time to review student progress for the year thus far. This not only includes course work and grades as we move into the second half of our first semester, but it also includes reviewing opportunities to get involved in our school community. For students, this may mean seeking out co-curricular activities and supporting peers at a school play or concert. For parents, we invite you to connect with your child’s teachers and counselors and to join our Parent Engagement Committee.
As part of our district goals this year, we are focused on climate and culture. We look forward to collaborating with groups of students, parents, and staff to revise our annual climate and culture survey so it can reflect the metrics and feedback that will help our district continue to progress in this important work. Our next Parent Engagement Committee meeting on November 12th at 6:30 PM will center on this work. Additionally, Principal Brandt and I are working with a group of students to design “pulse” surveys – these short questionnaires are designed by our students to gather student feedback on specific student-selected topics, such as block scheduling, passing time, cell phone procedures, lavatory availability, etc. They will be administered throughout the school year to provide timely feedback to our district. We are thrilled to have our students leading this initiative!
As it is November, there is so much at Central for which I am grateful and of which I am proud. As we near the completion of the first quarter of the school year, I thank you for your collaboration and support. I would also be remiss to not recognize our dedicated and passionate staff, students, and Board of Education members. I remain confident that, together, we are upholding our district mission: Hunterdon Central is an innovative educational community dedicated to the intellectual, social, and emotional safety and growth of all students. While fostering curiosity and promoting wellness, we aspire to create powerful learning experiences, establish strong partnerships, and serve as contributing members of society.
I look forward to seeing you at some of our late Fall and Winter events!
- Jessica Cangelosi-Hade, HCRHSD Superintendent
Yearbook - Order Before Price Increases!
Still haven’t reserved your 2026 Yearbook? Now’s the time!
Yearbook is currently $95. Order on Jostens website.
Why pre-order now?
✅ You’ll save money
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✅ You’ll lock in your place in Red Devil history — once they’re gone, they’re gone!
This month we highlight our Business Education Department!
The Business Education department offers an exceptionally broad curriculum designed to equip students with practical, high-demand skills essential for college and career success. Many of our courses provide direct college pathways, such as our Entrepreneurship courses, which allow students to earn college credits through Dual Enrollment. Students interested in marketing can enroll in Sports & Entertainment Marketing, which highlights how major industries operate and generate revenue. For those looking to build foundational technology skills, the department offers Computer Science Discoveries, where students learn to code and create their own video games, and Digital Multimedia Design, a project-based course utilizing industry standard programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere for image editing and video production. Other vital courses include Accounting 1 and 2, where students act as accountants determining profitability, and Explore College and Career Options, which enables students to prepare for their next steps in life through research-based activities.
Students enrolled in Business Education courses gain unique exposure to the real-world through simulations, partnerships, and professional interactions. Some examples include: our 10-year partnership with the Entrepreneur Organization of NJ (EONJ), creating and pitching projects in a Shark Tank like setting, field trip to the Flemington Courthouse & Justice Center for our Business Law students, mock trial simulation for Criminal Law students, and an annual trip to Wall Street in New York City for our Investing Club students. Additionally, students in Stock Market Investing compete nationwide in the National Stock Market Game, while members of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club compete globally in the Wharton Global High School Investment Challenge. This year, our Leadership & Philanthropy class will be partnering with Harbor of Hope to provide service learning opportunities to our students.
Whether students are acting as corporate accountants in our year-long "Coffee House" simulation, participating in the FBLA club's 10-year tradition of attending Sports Business Day at Metlife Stadium, or engaging in "Client Challenges" for real-life application in our Digital Multimedia Design class, they are constantly developing and growing their business skills.These hands-on, high-impact experiences that are provided to students allow them to explore diverse career paths, and build leadership and financial literacy skills.
AI Guidance for Students
Guidelines for students in the use of artificial intelligence was shared with students during class meetings earlier this year. At HCRHS, we believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool for learning and preparing students for the future. However, students must use AI responsibly and ethically to ensure their voice and critical thinking skills remain central to their education. The guidelines provided will help students understand how to use AI effectively and appropriately in their coursework. By following these guidelines, students can uphold academic integrity and develop essential skills for the future.
The guidelines posted in the Student Handbook for easy access. They were developed utilizing feedback from students and teachers.
11/12 Fall Play - Arsenic and Old Lace
Hunterdon Central Regional High School is proud to present the hilarious, dark comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace, by Joseph Kesselring on November 21st (7:00PM) and November 22nd (2:00PM matinee and 7:00PM) in The Little Theater. Tickets are $10 and will be on sale soon on the HCRHS website!
The play centers around Moritmer Brewster, a dramatic critic, who comes home to Brooklyn to discover that his beloved aunts have developed quite an unusual hobby - murder! Filled with colorful characters and witty plot twists, this quirky comedy is great fun for the whole family. The talented cast includes: Josh Fisher as Mortimer Brewster, Megan Wash and Piper Berkowitz* (Aunt Abby), Caleigh Culliton and Leah Rosa* (Aunt Martha), Kaitlyn Osborn and Katie Gilliand* (Elaine), Aiden Goodman (Teddy Brewster), Connor Symmons (Jonathon Brewster), Sam Gauvin (Dr. Einstein), Zander Adagba (Reverend Harper), Logan Mausert (Officer Klein), Kieren Gohil (Officer Brophy), Madison Rebimbas (Officer O”Hara), Joziah Parris (Lieutenant Rooney), Sienna Albanese (Mr. Gibbs) and Celia Graziano (Dr. Witherspoon). Jocelyn Willis and Gary Carter are student directors.
*understudies (Saturday matinee performance)
On Tuesday, October 28th, I was driving home at around 9 PM reflecting on the day’s events. I began to realize that the day was an example of what a strong and cooperative school community we have. The day started with all students and staff members reporting to their assigned locations to take the NJSLA-A & NJGPA-A Field Test. It was evident immediately that everyone was taking the opportunity to experience this new state testing platform seriously, realizing this was a chance to get a feel for the new interface that would be used for the official assessment in the spring. For about an hour things were running smoothly, and the field test was live. Then a technical issue on the side of the testing platform forced us to make a decision…do we have students sit in classrooms idly waiting for the planned 10:40am start of block 1, or do we make a move to have students and staff shift to classroom learning as soon as possible. Well, we decided to get the students into their regular classes. In under an hour, our staff made the shift and students, with the exception of some seniors, were in their block 1 classes. While the morning did not go exactly as planned, it demonstrated just how well our school community is able to make adjustments when needed, with student learning at the core of our work.
The second part of the day had a few highlights to share as well. Our staff members used block 5 to work collaboratively in their professional learning communities. The field hockey team honored its 12th grade student-athletes with their senior night celebration and game. And the evening saw a gathering of well over 150 future students and parents who came to learn more about the academies offered in our Magnet Program. It was wonderful to welcome so many future Red Devils as they learned about some of our dynamic offerings, the teachers who bring their passion into their work, all while also meeting some of our staff and Red Devil Ambassadors who helped with the tours.
It was certainly a full day, but in some ways, simply a Tuesday in October with all that this school community does day in and day out.
- Edward C. Brandt, HCRHS Principal
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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