By Lois Staas NEWS Correspondent

 Superintendent Annette Castiglione presented the results of the 2007-2008 Bellmawr Public Schools Community Survey during the recent Board of Education meeting.

The survey was distributed to all district families and had 345 respondents.

Printed results were distributed as Castiglione highlighted the assessment.

The ongoing controversy over the length of the spring break was put into perspective.

Survey results indicate that 254 are in favor of a break as it was scheduled this year (one week); 75 were opposed, and 16 had no opinion.

\”We agree,\” Castiglione said to the 16 respondents who offered opinions that the teachers and principals are doing an excellent job.

As to the two respondents who expressed concerns over the changes to the middle school curriculum, the superintendent replied, \”We are planning a parent meeting to explain how this schedule will work to benefit students.

\”Also I believe in a rigorous program. To the respondent who expressed a need for less homework and fewer project-based learning activities, we try to give students multiple opportunities for learning and for assessment. Projects are an enjoyable way for students to demonstrate what they have learned.\”

Board Member Betty Sheppard said, \”Welcome back to Mr. Beail after his leave from surgery.\”

\”Thank you. I am looking forward to September,\” Beail said.

Castiglione acknowledged the resignation and service of Spanish teacher Ms. Susan Page, who has \”accepted a position at another district.\”

In his committee report Board Member Ron Henry assured everyone, \”The buildings are sound and are basically in very good shape with few problems.\”

Regina Andrews-Collette, president of the Bellmawr Education Association, asked for clarification concerning the roof repairs to the Bellmawr Park and Ethel Burke schools.

\”Some roof repairs need to be taken care of, as well as the carpets at Burke and Bellmawr Park,\” Henry said. \”As a matter of fact the air quality has been tested the past two years.\”

Mr. Beail requested and received confirmation that the needed work would be completed by school opening so that the buildings would be safe for employees, as well as students.

A special highlight of the evening occurred as Ethel Burke School student Anjali Patel, a fourth grader, accepted an award for placing fourth in the Camden County Poster Contest.

Presenter Ron Henry applauded Anjali, \”an enthusiastic student who is always willing to share ideas and is creative in all of her work, especially art.\”

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Belmawr BOE will be Tuesday, August 24, and the Board will go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters.

 Submitted by Bernadette Gorman

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was… How many steps does the guard take during his walk across The Tomb of the Unknowns —- All three missed it –

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknowns and why?

· Twenty-one steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and

· Why? Twenty-one seconds for the same reason as answer number one.

3. Why are his gloves wet?

· His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?

· He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

· Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

· For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb he must be between 5\’ 10\’ and 6\’ 2\’ tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30\’. Other requirements of the Guard:

They must commit two years of their lives to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way.

After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 wreath pins presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.

The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds, or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty, a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery…

A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred.

Among the notables are President Taft, Joe E.Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy {the most decorated soldier of WWII}, of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took two days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, \’No way, Sir!\’

Soaked to the skin, marching in the > pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The Tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7,since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/

Source Gloucester City\’s website

After much discussion on the appropriate way to honor those whom made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the United States, the Mayor\’s Advisory Committee has a recommendation that should please the families of the 68 individuals and the present residents of the City. The 68 persons were as follows: three from the Civil War, five from World War I, forty-nine from World War II, two from the Korean War and one from the War on Terror.

The committee has selected a 2 foot by 4 foot banner with a picture or a symbol, when a photo is not available, and name, the date and location of death and the war. The banners will be flown from the existing poles along Broadway during the months of May and November.

The committee needs the help of family members to supply a photo and the specific information on the individuals to be honored. The names that information is needed are as follows:

Civil War – William Bernard Campbell, William Groves, Sergeant Patrick Reilly

World War I – David Barnaby, Fredrick Baynes, Amon Lane, John Sheldon, Townsend Young

World War II – Robert Anderson, Joseph Barron, Ralph Batzel, William Boddingham, Daniel Booth, Samuel Burns, Alden Cochran, Thomas Costello, Albert Crabtree, Edward Crouthamel, Frank Dickinson, Joseph DiSantis, John Elliot, Albert Godalla, Fredrick Gehrig, Davis Ginsberg, Samuel Goldy, Joseph Harrison, Albert Harvey, John Hegener Jr., Albert Hobbs, Harold Holloway, Ross Hunt, Joseph Johnson, Thomas Joseph, Edward Keenan, Joseph Kobby, Gerald Lyons, Jack McDermott, Paul Mailley, James Myles Jr., Francis Newcombe, Albert Parker, John Pletkin, Edward Rogers, Joseph Scheurich, Thomas Sheridan, Hyman Small, William Spencer, Walter Springer, John Stainker, James Stinsman, Walter Stuhl, Fred Walker, Walter Walker, Joseph Wessell, James Wilkie, William Williams, Walter Williamson

Korean War – C. Richard Eppleman, Frank Sullivan

Vietnam War – Ronald Bates, Harry Brannon, Wayne Colantuono, Christopher Daniels, Paul Flaherty, William Hamacher, William Ridge, John Rodgers, Micheal Walters

War on Terror – Sgt. Mark Ryan

All information on the above can be sent to Ted Howarth at 315 Orlando Ave., Gloucester City, NJ 08030.

Chairman Howarth states that with the help of family and friends of our decreased veterans, plans are to have the banners on Broadway in November.

A sample of the banner will be on display at the Municipal Building for the next few weeks.

 

By John P. Schmidt NEWS Correspondent

The Gloucester City Board of Education held an emergency meeting last Monday (June 30) to accept a bid to renovate the auditorium in the Gloucester City High School for $525,200.

Superintendent Paul Spaventa said the district had money in its Capital Improvement Fund, which is used to improve and upgrade facilities. The auditorium renovation had been on a list of projects deemed important.

The vote was held last week in hopes that construction can start in August, when school is not in session, because there is espestise glue underneath the floor.

Spaventa said the district had received money from the former NJ School Construction Corporation, which had been responsible for building schools in Abbott Districts.

However, due to mismanagement, the state closed it down, and now has a new organization to oversee building and construction.

Spaventa said that there was leftover money the district received for three projects deemed to be emergencies.

They are fixing the roof of Mary Ethel Costello School, the playground at Cold Springs School, and lighting at the High School.

The board also approved personnel for different positions in the district from teachers to support staff.

Also approved was a student teaching program in conjunction with Farleigh Dickinson University.

Board Member Jacqueline Borger, who runs the Municipal Alliance program, asked if it could utilize space somewhere in the district.

She said the Alliance has a record number of kids signing up for camps throughout the summer, and that the PAL Building may not be large enough.

Borger also said more than 100 children signed up for the basketball camp, which was held in June.

The board approved Borger\’s request, 6-0-1, with Borger abstaining.

It was okayed on condition that space was available. John Kenney, director of Facilities, will have to approve the request as well.

The next meeting for the Board of Education will be July 29 at 7 p.m. in the High School Media Center.

 

Link: | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/16/2008.

High schools

Gloucester Catholic announced the hiring of Todd Powers, 30, as boys\’ basketball coach and Joe Matranga, 50, as softball coach.

*Note: At the time this article went to print the Gloucester City News could not clearly verify the legality whether or not the Superindent could act as president of the Board of Education meeting. There have been conflicting answers and as of present time the News is waiting for a response from the Office of the Interim Camden County Superintendent of Schools H. Mark Stanwood.

 

–John Schmidt

 

 

By John P. Schmidt NEWS Correspondent

As Gloucester City Mayor William P. James played the bagpipes on the Delaware River, the Schooner North Wind sailed into port Saturday evening, July 5.

It docked at the old Coast Guard Pier, which has been renamed Freedom Pier, under the direction of Captain Charles Reed.

Reed has more than 40 years of maritime experience and is volunteering his time to help the City.

\”It\’s a beginning,\” Councilman Jay Brophy said. \”The King Street Theater went down, the Coast Guard Base closed down, and all this property closed down. Now, it\’s alive. It\’s absolutely a benefit to everybody, it\’s unbelievable.\”

The Schooner was followed up the river by the Flagship IV, which also docks at Freedom Pier.

Reed said the schooner departed its dry-dock in Greenwich at 9:40 a.m.

The schooner, which will be renamed Saoirse Ceallaigh (the Gaelic for \”freedom from strife\”), and it will be the gem of the Gloucester City River Front revitalization.

The goal is to turn the waterfront into an Irish Village dubbed, \”Dublin on the Delaware.\”

According to the 2000 Census, 34.2 percent of the City\’s population has Irish ancestry, which makes Gloucester City the ninth-highest percentage of all municipalities in the United States with Irish ancestry, and the third highest among municipalities with a population above 1,000.

\”When you sit back and you don\’t do anything and stand in stagnant water, you sink,\” Mayor James said. \”You got to move your feet, and all we did was move our feet onto this pier so we can create the future. No more sitting back doing studies. Governments stall themselves doing that all the time.\”

James added, \”Let\’s start moving forward. Let\’s start doing things and making things happen.\”

The City plans to utilize the ship as a classroom and use it as a charter vessel.

Community Relations Specialist Bob Bevan said the next step is for the City to form a successful program to relate the boat to the youth of the city.

Reed said the inside of the ship will be stripped to set it up to act as a school, along with sleeping quarters.

\”Volunteers are going to be working on it, mostly volunteers will be doing the whole program,\” Reed said. \”[We] will be getting involved with teachers and environmental groups to tie it into the river and ecology as much as we can.\”

Mayor James said he hopes the ship will act as a billboard for the City and that the estimated 140,000 cars which cross the Walt Whitman Bridge each day will take notice of it.

\”We\’re thinking by bringing this here and giving Gloucester pride, having people see it coming across the bridge [that it] is going to be a great thing,\” James said.

source Gloucester City News July 10

With Gloucester Catholic deserting blue-collar Gloucester City for the \”greener grass\” of Mullica Hill, everyone is now worried about the empty building left behind… and rightfully so.

Since the proposed middle school will never be built, why not use Gloucester Catholic\’s building for that purpose? I am sure there is plenty of room.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed, and merged, many Catholic schools in the mid-1990s. A lot of those buildings are now being used by the Board of Education.

Why can\’t the same thing be done here? It is better than having a huge empty building sitting there waiting to be vandalized!

Speaking of the wide open spaces where 68 homes and two businesses once stood (thanks a lot, State of New Jersey), why can\’t some stores be put there?

Not everyone drives and can go running to the malls whenever they need something. A mini-mall of some sort would create jobs.

Barring that, how about some picnic tables? Or maybe some playground equipment?

Sure would be better than what is there now.

 

Terry M. Callen, Gloucester City

Regarding the discussion on CNB www.clearysnotebook.com about the Gloucester City School District not hiring a local resident for the position of high school English teacher. Although not specifically mentioned by name the person who is at the center of the discussion is David Knecht, a graduate of Gloucester City High School, Class of 2004. Mr. Knecht received his teaching degree from The College of New Jersey.

Knecht said on Tuesday (July 15, 2008) that he submitted an application for the teaching position at Gloucester High in late May or early June. \”School was still in session\”, he said. \”I also applied for positions at several other schools. Such as Lenape and Seneca.

\”Sometime later I was told by individuals in the know that the City Board of Education had already hired someone for the job at the high school.

\”Shortly after I heard the position was filled in Gloucester City I received a call from the Seneca School District to come in for an interview about a teaching position. Following the interview I was hired.

\”On July 7, Jack Don, Gloucester City High School principal contacted me to come in for an interview. Since I already signed a contract with Seneca School Board I told him I was no longer interested.

\”My main concerns were that the administrators thoroughly advertised the district openings and interviewed enough candidates to feel confident that they hired the best teachers for the students of Gloucester City.\”

City School Superintendent Paul Spaventa was contacted for his response to the comments about the teaching positions posted on ClearysNotebook. \”I don’t respond to blog comments. And I cannot under the law (Privacy Act) respond to issues regarding personnel.\”

SAVE NEW JERSEY BLOG…..in my opinion one of the best blogs in the state.

Link: The Save Jersey Blog: To Tickets to Paradise:

Posted by Matt Rooney at 7/15/2008 6:55 AM

Governor Corzine is heading to Israel this weekend for trade talks with various Israeli leaders and businessmen.

NJ court dumps town laws limiting sex offenders
Newsday – Long Island,NY,USA
By JEFFREY GOLD | AP Writer NEWARK, NJ – An appeals has rejected laws in two New Jersey towns that placed tight restrictions on where sex offenders could …

Freeholders denounce dredging project
Gloucester County Times – NJ.com – Woodbury,NJ,USA
The proposal to deepen the channel from the base of the Ben Franklin Bridge to Cape May Point is a $379 million project with a timeline of about five years. …

By Albert Countryman Jr.

Maria Zuluaga of Colombia said goodbye to her friends, host family and members of the Gloucester City Rotary Club during a party June 14.

She had lived the past 10 months at the home of Jack and Linda Dilks as part of the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program.

\”I have enjoyed my stay. Things are a little different compared to my country. It has been a great experience. I appreciate the kindness of the Dilks\’ family,\” Maria said.

She has one more year of high school in Colombia, and hopes to attend a major university – where she wants to major in veterinary medicine.

During her stay Maria became friends of Moegi Hatte of Japan, who was staying with the Finn family in Collingswood; and Yunn Lin Wong of Brooklawn, who was born in Malaysia.

\”It\’s been an awesome year for me,\” said Moegi, who was going to return to Japan on July 9. The United States \”is very different than Japan. I enjoyed learning English.\”

Moegi attended Collingswood High School, and was introduced to many different cultures.

\”It is mostly Japanese that live in Japan,\” she said.

\”Maria was one of my best friends at Gloucester High,\” Yunn Lin said. \”Being here is absolutely different. I miss Malaysia.\”

She hopes to visit in the summer of 2009.

It is hard to say goodbye, but these three international students will still stay in touch with each other via email.

Meanwhile, they were all thankful to become friends.

Source Gloucester City News July 10th