The New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, commonly referred to as the NJ-ASK, will be replaced with the PARCC assessment later this year in the Tabernacle School District and the rest of the districts in New Jersey.
A group of Tabernacle students recently sent the NJ-ASK off with style.
Superintendent George Rafferty and the board of education took time to recognize students from grades three through eight for their performance on last year’s NJ-ASK. Districts establish high measures of achievement for teachers and students, with the goal of achieving 100 percent proficiency in all areas tested. The Tabernacle School District had 38 students achieve a perfect 300 score on either the mathematics or science portions of the exam. Those students were: fourth graders Joseph Balsavage, Nathaniel Burgess, Cassandra Dilks, Melanie Doub, Owen Eberman, Dominic Elentrio, Matthew Freeman, Mathew Gellis, Brianna German, Cole Glenn, Nathaniel Haines, Alexis Kemps, Trent Lehmann, Emma Morrison, Jessica Pronchick and Payton Ryan; fifth graders Amanda Benzenhafer, John Brescia, Emerson Cassel, Evan Foulk, Mason Milone, Alaina Pepe, Jessica Ritter, Arissa Serafine, Tess Strittmatter and Courtney Winters.; sixth graders Kirstyn Loftus, Shane Lovett, Cassidy Strittmatter, Devon Webb and Benjamin Yaroch; seventh graders Justin Curtis, Matthew Evans, Evelyn Locke-Tittle, Nikole Russek, David Schneider, James Sunbury and Matthew Teare; and eighth grader Linden Webb.
“We are so proud of them. This is a great accomplishment,” Rafferty said.
Rafferty credited the students’ parents, many of whom were in attendance at the board’s November meeting, on the accomplishment as well.
“Part of the reason for their success is right here in this room. Look at the support they get at home to do their best at school,” Rafferty said. “We appreciate everything you do.”
In other news:
• Rafferty also recognized school nurse Eileen Latini for her “Safety Star of the Year” award from the Burlington County Insurance Pool Joint Insurance Fund. Latini was instrumental in ensuring the school met new “Janet’s Law” requirements from the state, which requires all schools to increase the number of onsite AEDs as well as to train staff in their use in the event of an emergency.
• Residents can nominate an educator from the district for the NJDOE “Teacher of the Year” award. The state combined the Governor’s Educator of the Year award with the ones individual counties distribute. Teachers, administrators, specialists and nurses are all eligible to receive the award. The eligibility criteria and nomination form can be found on the district’s website www.tabschools.org.
• Both Tabernacle Elementary School and Olson Middle School will be closed Nov. 27 and 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday. The board will hold its next meeting on Monday, Dec. 15.
