• Making Spirits Bright
• Shop with a Cop
• Food Baskets
• Tree Lighting
• New Year, New Goals
• KHS Published Authors
• Celebrating our Crossing Guards
• Future Architects, Photographers, and Scientists

The Junior Peers, a group of dedicated 6th graders, led a district-wide food drive to support local service organizations, including the First Presbyterian Church and the Knights of Columbus, in their efforts to supply the a local food bank in Kearny. Our elementary and middle schools participated, with grade levels from PreK through 8th grade collecting a variety of food items.

During the month of November, the Peers encouraged participation and celebrated progress, by visiting classrooms, spreading enthusiasm, and cheering on the efforts of their classmates and friends. Contributions were further boosted by generous donations of non-perishable items and ShopRite gift cards from PBSIS and staff members. These combined efforts allowed the Junior Peers to create food baskets for families in need, demonstrating the power of unity and generosity across the district.

In the spirit of the holidays, the Kearny School District proudly partnered with the Kearny Police Department for the annual "Shop with a Cop" event, bringing joy and connection to students in grades 4-12. Each of our schools nominated ten students for their exemplary citizenship to participate in this special day.

The students had the unique opportunity to visit Target, accompanied by Kearny police officers, to purchase holiday gifts for their family and friends. The event allowed students to enjoy a holiday shopping spree while providing a positive, engaging experience with local law enforcement.

"Shop with a Cop" is a community outreach program designed to build meaningful connections between students and police officers, fostering trust and community ties. This event is a testament to the power of community collaboration and gives our students a memorable experience while reinforcing the values of citizenship and kindness.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all the sponsors, officers, and school staff who contributed to making this event a resounding success. Through initiatives like these, we continue to build stronger, more connected communities.

6th grade chorus students from each of our elementary schools participated in the Town of Kearny’s annual Tree Lighting ceremony. Under the direction of music teachers Yulema Bernal and Scott Burzynski, the students performed Last Christmas as the final musical act of the event.

Following their performance, Mayor Carol Jean Doyle and Members of the Town Council officially lit the town’s holiday tree. The event brought students, families, and community members together for a shared celebration.

Thank you to the Town of Kearny for including our students in this special tradition!

At the January Board meeting, 21 Kearny teachers were recognized for earning their ESL certifications through a partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University. Of those 21 teachers, 11 also earned their Bilingual certification. Teachers and their families were invited to a reception followed by recognition at the Board meeting with a certificate. Congratulations to our inspiring teachers for their notable accomplishments and for their dedication to our district's students!

Educators from Lincoln Middle School had the opportunity to accompany over 40 Fellows at the WIPRO Renew, Recharge, and Re-Energize retreat through the Wipro Science Education Fellowship program. This professional development program partners with Montclair State University to support experienced K–12 science teachers as teacher leaders within their districts.

The Kearny School District hosted the Coffee with the Superintendent series, an event held at each of our schools throughout January and February. Over a warm cup of coffee, parents and guardians had the chance to meet our Superintendent, Flora Encarnacao, alongside our Assistant Superintendent, Aliki Bieltz and Family Immigrant Social Worker, Patricia Tellez.

These relaxed gatherings created a welcoming space for families to ask questions, share concerns, and engage in meaningful conversations about our schools. From curriculum discussions to community engagement, parents connected directly with district leadership in an open and supportive environment.

We are grateful to everyone who joined us and look forward to more opportunities to keep the dialogue percolating.

Percussionists in grades 5-8 kept the beat strong at our first annual district-wide percussion masterclass, an exciting event that showcased the young musicians' growing skills and passion for rhythm. Led by Mr. Pamaar and the Kearny High School drumline, with support from each of our instrumental teachers, the event united students from Lincoln Middle School and all district elementary schools to collaborate, learn, and challenge themselves musically.

Throughout the session, students practiced percussion techniques, explored new rhythms, and even performed selections from the KHS marching band repertoire. The experience not only strengthened their musical skills but also fostered a sense of teamwork and school spirit as they played alongside their more experienced musical counterparts.

We are so proud of their hard work and enthusiasm, and look forward to seeing them continue their musical journey.

🎄✨ The 10 ABA classes at Franklin School held an unforgettable Breakfast with Santa! To kick off the event, each class also created holiday decorations to deck the gymnasium with cheer. Students enjoyed festive treats, holiday-themed crafts, and a delightful performance by the KHS Success students.

The Franklin School Junior PEERS were fantastic elves, lending a hand to ensure every activity ran smoothly. The kids made crafts, enjoyed treats, and painted holiday artwork. Students also posed for pictures with Santa, courtesy of the Kearny Optimist Club. To add even more delight, the ABA students were treated to holiday carolers from none other than the KHS SUCCESS students! Huge thanks to Mrs. Klein and Mrs. Best for organizing this magical event. The students had a wonderful time creating memories with friends! ❄️🎉

As part of their engaging Clothing Study, Franklin School’s preschool classes had a special opportunity to meet with members of the KHS Band and Color Guard. The high school students showcased their instruments, uniforms and flags, giving the preschoolers an up-close look at the connection between clothing and performance.

In preschool, the Clothing Study unit helps young learners explore the purpose, design, and function of different types of clothing. Students learn about fabric, how clothes are made, and why specific outfits are worn for different jobs or activities. By meeting the KHS Band and Color Guard, they discovered how uniforms help create a team identity and how Color Guard members use flags to enhance performances.

The KHS Color Guard, an essential part of the marching band, combines dance, flag routines, and synchronized movements to bring a visual element to music. Alongside the musicians, the color guard creates dynamic performances that require precision, teamwork, and creativity.

This collaborative visit gave Franklin’s preschoolers a fun and meaningful way to see how clothing, music, and movement come together in a performance, inspiring curiosity and excitement for learning!

During the week before our winter break, Garfield School hosted three nights of virtual holiday story time. With twelve different guest readers from the Garfield School Staff and community, every night was a cozy family experience. Over 60 families enjoyed the nightly read-alouds! A special thank you to the volunteer readers: Principal Donna Masters, Director Melissa DeLima, Supervisors Barbara Biondo, Mary Goffredo and Sofia Levchak, and our teachers: Lauren Berberian, Stephanie Gerbasio, David Tchalabi, Kristin Mazurkiewicz, Shannon Gallagher, and Danielle Curry and Garfield school counselor, Valerie Balogh.

In honor of this year's National School Crossing Guard Day, Garfield School recognized crossing guard, Pamela Washington for keeping our students safe while walking to and from school. The Junior Peers showered her with cards that were signed by all of the Garfield students, and the Hudson County Improvement Authority awarded Ms. Washington with a plaque. A special thanks to KPD Lt. Rakowski for attending the ceremony and recognizing Ms. Washington's contribution to our community.

During this year’s No Name-Calling Week, Roosevelt School’s 6th Grade Peer Leaders and student council representatives took an active role in promoting kindness and friendship. The student leaders visited Pre-K through 2nd grade classrooms to read books about kindness, engaged in meaningful discussions about friendship, and shared ways to be a good friend.

Through storytelling and conversation, younger students learned how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. This initiative not only reinforced the importance of treating others with respect but also fostered connections between students across grade levels.

Roosevelt School is proud of its student leaders for setting a positive example and creating a culture of kindness!

Roosevelt School 6th graders enjoyed a sweet event as they made and decorated holiday themed gingerbread houses! In the spirit of community, kindness, and collaboration, the group had a chance to connect with their peers for a truly special memory. The houses they built not only reflected the strength in their bonds but the memories that will be sure to last them throughout their childhoods.

Schuyler School's 6th grade Junior Peers organization held a school-wide pajama-drive, encouraging their fellow students, faculty and staff to donate pajamas for a worthy cause. Together, they collected an impressive 208 pairs of pajamas for distribution to Kearny families! Special thanks to Ms. Rocha and the Schuyler School Junior Peers for their outstanding efforts in strengthening our community relationships!

Schuyler School's Pre-K 4 students recently concluded their comprehensive Camera Study with engaging activities and special visitors. Mr. McShane, a Kearny High School teacher and Pre-K parent, enriched the study with an interactive presentation featuring camera facts and diagrams.

In Ms. DeRay's class, students explored various camera applications, including virtual communication through Google Meet. Families joined a virtual morning meeting, allowing students to understand how cameras function not only to capture memories, but to bring people together in real time.

Especially notable was a project in which students made miniature security cameras to monitor their stuffed animals left at school! The stuffies were photographed exploring the classroom and school grounds, including visits to Mrs. Iacono's office and a lively circle time activity. The students were delighted to see the photos of their favorite friend's weekend activities.

This hands-on approach successfully combined technology education with engaging activities, fostering both learning and excitement among the Pre-K students.

Mrs. Smyth and Ms. Martinez's preschoolers wrapped up an exciting five-week study on architecture, where they explored the fundamentals of building design and construction. As a class, they chose to create a model of the Empire State Building, putting their newly learned skills to the test.

Throughout the project, students discovered the importance of planning, designing, measuring, and problem-solving - all while working together as a team. They carefully constructed their skyscraper, learning how architects bring ideas to life. In addition to their large-scale project, each student also had the opportunity to design and build their own homes, using creativity and critical thinking to shape their unique structures.

This hands-on learning experience not only introduced preschoolers to architecture but also reinforced collaboration, perseverance, and the joy of bringing imagination to reality!

Mrs. Mirigliani's students celebrated their graduation from "Text Feature Medical School" with an engaging, hands-on learning experience! Transforming the classroom into a bustling hospital, students dressed in scrubs and turned their desks into medical labs, fully immersing themselves in the role of doctors.

Using their knowledge of text features, these young "medical professionals" diagnosed their "patients" - various texts - by identifying bold words, captions, headings, diagrams, and more to uncover key information. This interactive lesson not only reinforced the importance of text features but also made learning fun and memorable.

Through creativity and collaboration, students demonstrated their critical thinking skills and left Text Feature Medical School with a deeper understanding of how to navigate nonfiction texts like true experts!

PreK 4 and Kindergarten registration is online only.

PreK 3 Lottery registration begins March 1.

For requirements and other information, please visit:

https://www.kearnyschools.com/page/residency-registration-copy

Kearny High School held their annual schoolwide Poetry Out Loud Competition on January 9th, the 20th year of this event. Poetry Out Loud, a free national program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, encourages high school students across the country to learn about great works of classic and contemporary poetry through memorization and recitation. Not only do they share their interpretation and delivery of poetry, they vie for awards and scholarships totaling $50,000.

All of our students delivered remarkable performances, demonstrating their passion and dedication to the art of poetry. The event was made even more memorable by our talented emcees, who ensured an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.

Congratulations to Isabella Held Gonzalez, our first-place winner, who advanced to the Region 6 Competition at Passaic County Community College on February 6th. Isabella delivered a captivating performance at the highly competitive showdown. Facing rigorous judging and tough competition, she successfully advanced through all three rounds. Congratulations, Isabella!

We are incredibly proud of the hard work and commitment shown by all participants. Special thanks to teachers: Laurie Keim, Ashley Dlugosh, Ashli Cassidy, Shania Medina, Stacy Deluca and Patrick Cassidy for organizing this event and acting as judges for the program.

Kearny High School senior Analyse Armstrong has turned her passion for poetry into a published work! The Nucleus, a compelling collection of free-verse poems, delves into the uncertainty of navigating a world where the universe's next move is unknown. Through themes of hopelessness, indifference, longing, and redemption, Ms. Armstrong distills the most fundamental aspects of the human experience into a single, thought-provoking anthology.

Adding to its artistic depth, The Nucleus is beautifully illustrated by a talented friend, enhancing the emotional impact of each piece. This self-published collection is now available on Amazon, giving readers the opportunity to connect with her evocative words and reflections.

We are incredibly proud of Ms. Armstrong’s literary achievement and look forward to seeing where her creative journey takes her next!

This fall, Kearny High School seniors embraced their creative side by entering the “Fright Club” contest hosted by Young Writers USA. Participants were challenged to write a mini saga - a story of 100 words or less - with themes centering on fear, tension, suspense, and atmosphere.

Students in the Ms. Flock's Supernatural Literature and Mrs. Cassidy's American Short Story classes rose to the challenge, crafting chilling tales that captivated audiences. Their efforts paid off - the students' works qualified to be published in an upcoming national collection of scary short stories!

Congratulations to these talented writers for their hard work and for showcasing their creativity on a national stage!

Led by the Lincoln Middle School instructors Patty Hester-Fearon and Kim Serino, the LMS Future Engineer Club students had the amazing opportunity to participate in the 2025 Palmer LTER Video Teleconferences!

This unique program immersed students in the fascinating world of Antarctic food web ecology, showing how scientists use long-term experiments to tackle the critical issue of climate change.

Through this NSF-sponsored program, students are:

• Exploring Antarctic ecology through engaging classroom lessons
• Following real-time scientific discoveries via social media
• Connecting directly with scientists in Antarctica during a live VTC on January 23, 2025

The experience has been unforgettable, especially as they dive into "Data to the Rescue", learning how data fuels groundbreaking discoveries.

Led by Lincoln Middle School Instructional Supervisor Karen Cristalli, the 'One Book, One School' initiative promoted a shared literary experience by engaging the entire school in the reading of a selected novel. This initiative sparked creativity among students, teachers, and administrators, and lead to themed projects, presentations, and a culminating assembly celebrating the novel.

The novel chosen for this project was The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba, an inspiring tale of the author's childhood in Malawi and his relentless efforts to bring electricity to his family's tiny village. This inspiring memoir has resulted in a variety of shared experiences at Lincoln, including student-led research projects, a teacher-student literary collaborative, and a school wide fundraising opportunity to supply desks to the village of Malawi.

The culminating assembly on February 14th featured a "Pie in the Eye" fundraiser, in which students purchased chances to throw pies at their favorite teachers and staff members to raise funds for UNCEF KIND (Kids in Need of Desks).

To learn more about this project, please visit the student-created "One Book One School" Website, linked below.

After 10 thrilling rounds of vocabulary and spelling, 30 incredible students tackled over 80 challenging words with courage and skill. Congratulations to Wilkins Rojas Jr., who emerged as our champion! 🏆

Wilkins proudly represented Lincoln Middle School at the Hudson County Spelling Bee, hosted by Hudson County Schools of Technology on Saturday, February 8, 2025. Competing against some of the county’s best spellers, Wilkins advanced to the 6th round, showcasing his dedication and talent.

We are so proud of Wilkins and all of our participants for their incredible effort and sportsmanship! 👏

2025 Board Meeting Dates