Advanced Knee Pain Treatment in Roosevelt, NJ

Roosevelt School's "Friday Friends."Photo Credit: Rahway Public Schools

Roosevelt Elementary School.

Roosevelt School's "Friday Friends."Photo Credit: Rahway Public Schools

By Colleen Kurdyla

RAHWAY, NJ — In an exciting leap towards fostering inclusivity and building strong connections within the school community, Roosevelt Elementary School is proud to announce the launch and expansion of its innovative "Friday Friends" program.

The program was kicked off with a reading from our very own published author Ms. Laura Necci. Ms. Necci wrote a book titled Luna the Lion. Luna the Lion always does what she is told, but no matter what she does, she cannot fit the mold. Luna works to find her true place while navigating adventures and staying true to herself. The story helped remind students that everyone is unique and follows their own pace.

Initiated by the autism program, Friday Friends has rapidly gained traction as a dynamic platform for promoting understanding and collaboration between students in self-contained classrooms and their peers in 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade general education classes.

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Originally conceived as a monthly initiative, the overwhelming success and positive feedback received from both students and educators have prompted the decision to elevate the program to bi-monthly meetings, with aspirations to make it a weekly staple in the school's calendar.

The Friday Friends program is designed to create meaningful interactions through various engaging activities, including modeling play and social skills, collaborative crafting, and festive holiday celebrations. Students from both self-contained and general education classes come together, breaking down barriers and fostering an inclusive environment.

The program's success is attributed to the dedication of Roosevelt Elementary School's educators and the enthusiasm of the students involved. The school is actively exploring opportunities to further enhance the program with additional activities and support, including workshops on inclusion, neurodiversity, and effective communication strategies.

Roosevelt Elementary School invites the community to join in celebrating the success of the Friday Friends program and looks forward to witnessing its continued growth as an integral part of the school's commitment to fostering a culture of inclusivity.

Related Article:

Rahway Elementary School Teacher Publishes Children's Book, Spreads Message of Love and Support

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WESTFIELD, NJ — Despite a "stop work" order being issued for a subcontractor working on the Roosevelt Intermediate School facade renovations, Westfield Superintendent Raymond Gonzalez says work on the project has not stopped.

Investigators from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) issued a stop-work order on July 20 to Gravity Construction Corp., Jamaica, N.Y., a subcontractor who put up scaffolding for the facade renovations at Roosevelt Intermediate School.

"NJDOL’s Division Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance received a statement via the Laborers Union signed by three workers indicating they were being paid less than the New Jersey Prevailing Wage rate as building laborers conducting clean-up at a construction site," according to the NJDOL.

Violations included failure to pay prevailing wage; unpaid wages/late payment; failure to register; failing to properly classify employees; improper classification of a construction worker, according to the NJDOL.

The case is awaiting notice of request for a hearing.

Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Work on the Roosevelt facade has not stopped. When the concern regarding wages was brought to our attention after the project began, we investigated and discovered that the concern was directed at the subcontractor who put up the scaffolding," said Gonzalez.

"Business Administrator Patricia Ramos has been in direct contact with the New Jersey Department of Labor and the contractor on the project was advised of the concern and the need to correct it moving forward. There is no impact on the progress of the project and there are no anticipated school-related delays," said Gonzalez.

The stop work order in Westfield is among a recently released list by NJDOL of county-by-county data that show the locations of all "stop work" orders issued between July 2019 and July 2023.

Since 2019, the NJDOL has issued 110 stop-work orders which state officials say 87 involved construction jobs, and 44 were public works projects.

Stop-work order investigations have so far led to 11 contractors being debarred from engaging in future public works jobs. Officials said these companies could owe up to $2.7 million in back wages, damages, and penalties.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, the NJDOL’s Division of Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance has the authority to immediately halt work at any public or private worksite – both construction and non-construction – when an investigation finds evidence that an employer may have violated state wage, benefit or tax laws.

“The most common violations leading to stop-work orders are: employers not having workers’ compensation insurance or misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Other examples include employers who fail to pay prevailing wage or overtime; those who have outstanding judgments against them; or those whose workers were not paid, were paid late or were shorted, or were paid in cash off the books,” the state official said.

— With reporting by Nicole Rosenthal, Patch Staff

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

By Andrea Crowley-Hughes

WESTFIELD, NJ — Scaffolding at a Westfield intermediate school entrance will still be in place when public school students start the 2023-2024 school year on Thursday, Sept. 7.

This is due to the multi-year project of restoring the masonry façade at Roosevelt Intermediate School on Clark Street, which the district architect has said is being done to improve the building’s structural integrity.

“The exterior work to restore the masonry façade at Roosevelt continued as planned,” Superintendent Raymond González said at the Aug. 29 Westfield Board of Education meeting. “This project has taken place in phases, so to ensure the safety of students and members of the community, the scaffolding and fencing that is in place now will remain there as the work continues throughout the school year and into the next summer.”

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The entire project is estimated to be finished in October 2025, School Business Administrator Patricia Ramos told TAPinto in an email.

“When the new school year begins in September, any continued work on the façade will be limited to what can be done to the exterior of the building,” Ramos said.

At the August meeting, González said the scaffolding and fences are staying up as a safety measure.

“If and when the particular side that they’re working on is deemed complete and we are able to safely remove the scaffolding and the fencing, we will, but this is certainly being done in an abundance of caution,” González said.

The New Jersey Department of Labor issued a stop-work order at Roosevelt School in July after reports of workers’ rights violations, but González had told TAPinto those complaints were directed at the subcontractor and did not cause project delays.

“Work on the Roosevelt façade has not stopped,” González said in July. “When the concern regarding wages was brought to our attention after the project began, we investigated and discovered that the concern was directed at the subcontractor who put up the scaffolding.”

In addition to restoring the façade at Roosevelt, Ramos listed other projects worked on this summer:

“Summer maintenance and repair projects are standard operating procedure in school districts across New Jersey,” González told TAPinto in an email. “Given the age of many of our buildings, it is especially important in the Westfield Public Schools. I am grateful to Business Administrator Patricia Ramos, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Sean McArthur and the many skilled employees who work tirelessly to ensure that our facilities are well-maintained and safe.”

Parents: We want your Westfield back-to-school photos! Send pictures of your children to jlieberman@tapinto.net and we may include them in our back-to-school photo gallery!

Photo Credit: Roosevelt Intermediate School

Roosevelt students rehearse for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”Photo Credit: Jenna Burke

PublishedOctober 23, 2023 at 1:03 PM

Since mid-September Roosevelt Intermediate School students have been hard at work preparing this year’s fall drama, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

While the script offers an abridged version of the play, all the language remains in its original form. Thus far, students have risen to the occasion, undaunted by Shakespeare’s complexity. Early in the process, the cast participated in a workshop on how to present Shakespearean speeches, which has proven useful in rehearsals.

What seems to have resonated with cast members the most are the familiar tropes of the romantic comedy present in Midsummer.

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Taking place in ancient Athens, the plot follows Hermia (Chloe Pfeifer) and Lysander (Derek Goldstein) who have run away into the forest after Hermia’s father, Egeus (Corbin Aslanian), forbids them to marry, preferring his daughter accept the offer she’s received from Demetrius (Madeleine Froehlich).

They are followed by Demetrius and his ex, Helena (Jane Reichart), who still longs for his affection. In the forest, Oberon (Grayson Heintz) the fairy king feuding with his wife Titania (Delia Balakhan), takes pity on Helena’s unrequited love. He commands his mischievous servant Puck (Dorian Ritter) to place a love potion upon Demetrius’s eyes so that he may love Helena back. Unfortunately, he mistakes a sleeping Lysander for Demetrius, and everyone’s affections become misplaced. It only grows more complicated from there.

The cast also features a group of craftsmen (Zoe Duque Durán, Alexandra Lerner, Kyle Vinegra, Tom Moshier, Ava Chiapetta and Elena Walsh), determined to celebrate the wedding of the Duke (Piper Moscowitz) to Hippolyta (Arianna Silverman), by putting on a boisterously butchered rendition of a play. Rounding out the cast are a myriad of attendants and fairies (Amelia Romeo, Jackie Bloom, Natalie “Aria” Thiga, Livia Gelinas, Emilia Radlmann, Eliana Gall, Vera Frez, Meyra Miller and Paige Aslanian)

.

This year’s show sees new language arts teacher Jenna Burke in the director’s seat, assisted by new drama and public speaking teacher Jackie Fogel, serving her turn as stage manager. The team plans to return for the spring musical as well.

They are supported by R.I.S. music teacher Sabino Losco and the assistance of Westfield High School students involved in the International Thespian Society for the show’s audiovisual needs. Also of note are the many parent volunteer committees supporting the production, ranging from set, props, and costumes, to publicity and program design and so much more.

Boasting a cast of 25 and a crew of nearly the same size, this year’s production is sure to be a hit. Don’t miss William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Roosevelt Intermediate School, running Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. and Oct. 27 and 28 at 7 p.m.

Polar Express at Roosevelt Elementary School.Photo Credit: Sue Krivenko

Polar Express at Roosevelt Elementary School.Photo Credit: Sue Krivenko

Polar Express at Roosevelt Elementary School.Photo Credit: Sue Krivenko

Polar Express at Roosevelt Elementary School.Photo Credit: Sue Krivenko

Polar Express at Roosevelt Elementary School.Photo Credit: Sue Krivenko

By Sue Krivenko

PublishedDecember 27, 2023 at 7:46 PM

RAHWAY, NJ — On Wednesday, December 13, Roosevelt Elementary School transformed into a magical train station, whisking students away on an unforgettable journey aboard the Polar Express! The evening adventure, inspired by the beloved Chris Van Allsburg story, saw our young riders embark on a thrilling trip to the North Pole, complete with festive activities and a heartwarming encounter with the Big Man himself.

Their adventure began as they boarded the train, complete with their golden tickets, ready for a night of wonder. Along the way, they made four pit stops, each filled with holiday cheer. At each station, their tickets were punched, the next chapter of the story was read aloud, and their creativity blossomed as they participated in festive crafts. Building anticipation with every stop, the excitement reached its peak when the train finally pulled into the North Pole – or rather, the festively transformed school cafeteria!

There, amidst a winter wonderland complete with twinkling lights and fluffy snow, the students were greeted by a jolly Santa Claus who brought smiles and laughter to all. Ms. Marianne Tankard, Roosevelt School's principal, with her captivating storytelling, brought the final chapter of the Polar Express to life, leaving the children wide-eyed and full of Christmas spirit.

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To cap off the magical evening, the young adventurers enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate, a perfect treat to warm their hearts and hands. While sipping their cocoa, they met and chatted with Santa, sharing their Christmas wishes and soaking up the holiday magic. And to add a sweet touch to the night, each child decorated a delicious train cookie with edible markers, a tasty souvenir to remind them of their incredible journey.

As the night came to an end, the students of Roosevelt Elementary School disembarked the Polar Express, their faces beaming with joy and their hearts overflowing with Christmas spirit. They left with a bell to remind them always to believe and memories of a magical adventure, ready to embrace the winter break and eagerly await Santa's arrival.

Our media specialist, Ms. Sue Krivenko, who also served as one of the teacher volunteers, said, “As we age, unfortunately, we become cynical, and we judge everything harshly and pick it apart. The Polar Express story is about accepting that some things are just a wonder. I see the brilliance of child-like belief every day, and I wish we all could see that and be able to hold onto it no matter what life throws at us. I hope all those who attended the program came away with just a little of that, so that those who truly believe can still hear the bell ring."

The Polar Express ride at Roosevelt Elementary School was a testament to the power of imagination and the joy of the holiday season. It was an evening filled with laughter, creativity, and shared experiences that will undoubtedly become a cherished memory for years to come.

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