PARSIPPANY — The fifth grade class at Littleton Elementary School held a car wash to raise fund for end of year activities.
The students had fun washing and drying all the cars that came to the event.
Fifth grade students at Littleton School holds car wash
Parsippany Councilman slated to be appointed to County Park’s Commission
MORRISTOWN — The Morris County Freeholders are expected to vote in a new County Parks Commissioner at their next meeting scheduled meeting set for October 14. At a prior meeting of the Freeholders, a majority including Hank Lyon, David Scapicchio, John Krickus and Thomas Mastrangelo indicated that they would be in favor of appointing Parsippany Councilman Dr. Louis Valori to the post.
Former commissioner Judith Schleicher vacated her position in July and Valori’s appointment will fill her unexpired term which ends December 31, 2017.
“I feel honored to be considered,” Valori told Parsippany Focus.
The Morris County Parks Commission was established in 1956 by voter referendum. Lewis Morris County Park in Morris Township was the first park dedicated in March 1958 with 350 acres. The second park acquired was 75 acres and is now known as James Andrews Memorial Park in Randolph.
Morris County is the largest county park system in New Jersey based on acreage and is steward to over 18,730 acres of parkland. It includes 38 facilities: historic sites, golf courses, outdoor educational and recreational facilities, arboreta, conservation areas, 150 miles of trails, ice skating arena, and an artificial turf field complex with two inline hockey rinks. More than 3.5 million visit the parks each year.
The Morris County Parks System staff includes 156 full-time and 149 seasonal and part-time employees. Hundreds of volunteers contribute more than 13,000 hours each year.
There are 9 volunteer Park Commissioners serving 5-year terms selected by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Each Commissioner serves on several committees to oversee the Park System’s activities. The Commission has public meetings monthly, except for August.
PHHS Project Graduation has fundraiser at Applebee’s
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Hills High School Project Graduation committee held an Applebee’s fundraiser on Sunday, September 27.
Seniors served breakfast to the guests. The breakfast included pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and beverages.
Project Graduation is a program offered to Parsippany High School students, in which organized, adult-supervised and alcohol-free activities are offered as part of a post-graduation party, as an alternative to student-run events involving alcoholic beverages or other drugs. The event last through the night and is held at MetLife.
Say Hi to Felix!
Say Hi to Felix! Felix is about 12-14 weeks old his name should be Freckles! This is because Felix has a really beautiful unique coat, it’s white with brown spots and lot of brown freckles!
Felix was rescued along with his sister Felicia, from a high kill shelter in North Carolina and they are now living in a wonderful foster homes in New Jersey.
Felix foster mom says….” Felix is very loving and loves to be with people. He is so cute when he climbs on our laps to snuggle. And, he will lay on our daughter’s bed when she is doing her homework. Felix is a curious puppy who enjoys exploring in the yard. He is having fun playing with our dog, he likes to follow her around and run with her in the yard. Felix also enjoys playing with toys, especially kong and nylabones. He is a smart fellow who is learning his name, knows the commands “no” and “leave it”. Felix walks on the leash nicely and he is doing very well with house training. Felix is very sweet, playful, yet calm puppy and he is not a barker. Just a perfect little puppy!”
We are sure when Felix looks at you with those sad puppy dog eyes, you will fall in love! If you have a furever home for this pet, please e-mail FHDR@att.net and request an adoption application. To see more photos & a video clip of the pup and to see our other adoptable rescue pups, please go to www.fhdr.petdinder.com
Atlantis Sports Club renews membership in Parsippany Chamber
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Board members Ildiko Peluso and Robert Greulich, CPA with Atlantis Sports Clubs and Spa manager Diana Gil (left). The three are holding Atlantis’ renewal plaque.
Each member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce receives a plaque each year they renew the membership in the organization.
Atlantis Sports Clubs and Spa is located inside Parsippany Sheraton Hotel, 199 Smith Road.
For more information on Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce, click here.
Kiwanis Club volunteers feed dinner to over 40 homeless individuals
PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany cooks dinner once a month for the clients of Homeless Solutions, 540 West Hanover Avenue, Morris Township.
This month, Kiwanis Volunteers Joyce Garrow, Frank Cahill and Nicolas Limanov was joined by Aktion Club members Kevin Curtis White, Matt Rodaman and Kevin Luecht.
The menu consisted of Baked Ziti, delicious Meatballs, Tossed Salad, rolls, fruit salad and chocolcate cake.
They served dinner to over 40 homeless individuals, which included females, males and young children.
Homeless Solutions provides shelter for 25 homeless men, 10 homeless women, 10 families and 20 Safe Haven guests. Their guests receive services including case management, transportation to work and necessary appointments, money management and employment assistance, housing search assistance and daily living skills training. Referral services for counseling, substance abuse intervention, and prevention are also provided.
Homeless Solutions, Inc. employs 49 staff, 36 full-time and 13 part-time. Homeless Solutions, Inc. is governed by a Board of Trustees and is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of New Jersey.
Aktion Club is the only service club for adults with disabilities, with more than 12,000 members worldwide.
Aktion Clubs draw members from various organizations that support individuals with disabilities, as well as other community programs. Aktion clubs can also be established at churches, libraries, YMCAs, lodges or similar facilities. A Kiwanis club, composed of like-minded, service-oriented people from the community, serves as the club’s sponsor.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany chooses service projects that we feel need attention. They are all local people who volunteer their time and talents to make our community a better place to live. Members, like you, are busy with making a living, church, family, and many other activities. However, they have found that Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany gives not only a chance to give back to our community in a meaningful way, but enjoy the fellowship, networking, and fun aspects as well.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets weekly on Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46.
For more information click here.
PHS hold service night; Students decorated pillow cases for Valerie Fund Children’s Center
PARSIPPANY — The students at Parsippany High School participated in a service night and decorated pillow cases for the children at Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Morristown Medical Center. The first service night of the new school year brought nearly 100 students to the cafeteria to participate in decorating pillow cases.
Fundraiser for Brian Bramley was held
PARSIPPANY — A fundraiser for Brian “Mouse” Bramley, 49 was held at Mount Holleran Town Tavern to help pay for his recovery from open heart surgery, on Saturday, September 26.
Bramley had open heart surgery on July 31. He’s doing well and will continue to be out of work for several months as he recovers.
The event had a suggested donation of $25.00 for adults and $10.00 for children between 15 and eight years old. Children under seven years old are free.
The “Have a Heart for Mouse” event featured free food and 50/50 and basket raffles. Joe Jannarone, President Sons of Italy 2561, was present and made a donation on behalf of the organization. Also supporting the event was Council President Paul Carifi, Jr., and Councilman Brian Stanton.
Additional monetary donations for Bramley can be sent through PayPal to xmas2567@verizon.net.
‘We’re going to be brothers forever’; teammates, coaches mourn Warren Hills QB
Several cards were placed among the flowers at a memorial at Warren Hills’ football stadium – one branded with a large Superman emblem. It was clear on Saturday morning that Evan Murray was a superhero, and more, to the Warren County community. The high school senior died on Friday night after being injured during a home…
A papal miracle? N.J. woman gets new kidney in Philly during pope’s visit
PHILADELPHIA — The police called it divine intervention. A South Jersey woman anxiously awaiting some important news experienced her own personal miracle Saturday during Pope Francis’ visit to Philly. At 11 a.m., the New Jersey State Police received a phone call from the Department of Health. A Berlin woman in need of a kidney transplant had…
Mayor to provide attorney to Council in Inglesino investigation
PARSIPPANY — At the September 22, 2015 Township Council meeting, Parsippany Mayor James Barberio informed Council members that he would provide the legislative body with an attorney by October 6 who would represent the Council in lawsuit brought on against himself.
In April 2014, the Council voted to retain attorney Wilfredo J. Ortiz, II from the law firm of Dario, Albert, Metz & Eyerman to provide legal assistance in its investigation of the billing practices of Township Attorney John Inglesino. When Mayor Barberio refused to authorize the contract, the Council sued. Mayor Barberio counter-sued, arguing that the Council had overstepped its authority and that two Council members were conflicted from voting, thereby rendering the original resolution null and void.
Morris County Superior Court Assignment Judge Stuart Minkowitz ruled in August that Parsippany’s Council did not have the authority under the Faulkner Act to unilaterally chose its own attorney, but he also noted that the Township Council required legal representation and had the legal authority to approve or disapprove of any attorney Barberio may put forward to the Council. In his decision, Judge Minkowitz ordered the mayor to provide the Council with an attorney and should the Council not approve his selection, the mayor must continue to put forth a name until the Council agrees.
Under the Faulkner Act the powers vested with the Township Council include:
a. The override of a veto of the mayor;
b. The exercise of advice and consent to actions of the mayor;
c. The conduct of legislative inquiry or investigation;
d. The expression of disapproval of the removal by the mayor of officers or employees;
e. The removal of any municipal officer for cause;
f. The adoption of rules for the council;
g. The establishment of times and places for council meetings;
h. The establishment of the council as a committee of the whole and the delegation of any number of its members as an ad hoc committee;
i. The declaration of emergencies respecting the passage of ordinances;
j. The election, appointment, setting of salaries and removal of officers and employees of the council, subject to any pertinent civil service requirements and any pertinent contractual obligations, and within the general limits of the municipal budget;
k. Designation of official newspapers;
l. Approval of contracts presented by the mayor;
m. Actions specified as resolutions in the “Local Budget Law” (N.J.S. 40A:4-1 et seq.) and the “Local Fiscal Affairs Law” (N.J.S. 40A:5-1 et seq.); and
n. The expression of council policies or opinions which require no formal action by the mayor.
John Fox, Former Morris County Sheriff, Dies
Parsippany Focus has learned that former Morris County Sheriff, John Fox has died. Fox, first elected sheriff in 1975, served in the post for 18 years. Fox also served as a Morris County Freeholder, Parsippany Councilman, and most recently as a commissioner of the Morris County Board of Elections.
Parsippany Focus will update with a more complete obituary as more information becomes available.
Groundbreaking Ceremony for new ISKCON Temple draws hundreds
PARSIPPANY — The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) had a groundbreaking ceremony for its new temple today at 180 Troy Road, at the corner of Troy and Baldwin Road.
Hundreds of people participated in the event.
This will be the first ISKCON temple in the Northeast that will be built in a traditional, Vedic architectural style and will feature elements such as shikhars (domes) and jharokhas (decorative windows) among others.
ISKCON is also celebrating its golden jubilee, 50 years since its inception in 1966 by Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, when he brought Lord Krishna’s teachings to America.
Confusion, concern and disbelief over Warren Hills Regional High School quarterback’s death
Everyone knew Evan Murray. “He is an amazing kid,” said Taylor Coughlin, a 16-year-old junior at Warren Hills Regional High School. “He was in the National Honor Society. “He was an amazing student and an amazing athlete. He stood out in his athletics, his academics — everything.” Murray, a Warren Hills senior, died after being injured…
Breezy Saturday for much of N.J., flooding for the Jersey Shore
Coastal flooding and strong rip currents are expected along the Jersey Shore Saturday, but those inland can expect a cool and breezy weekend. Much of the Garden State will be dry, cloudy and breezy on Saturday with temperatures in the low to mid 70s, according to the National Weather Service. RELATED: Weekend weather in N.J. looks…
Sunday will be last chance to see a Super Blood Moon until 2033
For the first time in more than 30 years, you can witness a supermoon in combination with a lunar eclipse. Late on Sept. 27, 2015, in the U.S. and much of the world, a total lunar eclipse will mask the moon’s larger-than-life face.
Watch NASA’s live stream from 8:00 p.m. until at least 11:30 p.m. EDT broadcast from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., with a live feed from the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, Calif. Mitzi Adams, a NASA solar physicist at Marshall will discuss the eclipse and answer questions from Twitter. To ask a question, use #askNASA.
Throughout human history, lunar eclipses have been viewed with awe and sometimes fear. Today, we know that a total lunar eclipse happens when the full moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, the umbra.
Sunday’s supermoon eclipse will last 1 hour and 11 minutes, and will be visible to North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific. Weather permitting, you can see the supermoon after nightfall, and the eclipse will cast it into shadow beginning at 8:11 p.m. EDT. The total eclipse starts at 10:11 p.m. EDT, peaking at 10:47 p.m. EDT.
The moon does not make its own light; it reflects light it receives from the sun. During a lunar eclipse, the moon appears less and less bright as sunlight is blocked by the Earth’s shadow. As totality approaches, sunlight reaches the moon indirectly and is refracted around the “edges” of Earth, through Earth’s atmosphere. Because of this, almost all colors except red are “filtered” out, and the eclipsed moon appears reddish or dark brown. This filtering is caused by particulates in our atmosphere; when there have been a lot of fires and/or volcanic eruptions, lunar eclipses will appear darker and redder. This eerie — but harmless — effect has earned the phenomenon the nickname “blood moon.”
The live feed from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will offer views of the eclipse from not only the Griffith Observatory, but the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Fernbank Observatory in Atlanta and other locations across the United States. The live feed is an alternative for those experiencing less-than-optimal weather or light-polluted night skies.
If you miss this event, you’ll have to wait a while — the next supermoon eclipse won’t occur until 2033.
Weekend weather in Parsippany looks mainly dry, but breezy
The first weekend of fall in New Jersey is shaping up to be mostly dry with seasonable temperatures. Expect a partly sunny Friday with temperatures in the low to mid 70s, according to the National Weather Service. This evening should be partly cloudy with lows dipping into the 50s. It remains rain-free Saturday, though conditions are…
LivWell Pharmacy opens in Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — LivWell Pharmacy, located at 1110 Route 46 West, held a ribbon cutting grand opening on Friday, September 25.
Attending the festivities were Mayor James Barberio, Council Vice President Robert Peluso, Councilman Louis Valori, Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee Chairman Frank Cahill, Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Board members Ildiko Peluso and Nicolas Limanov, Pharmacy Manager Amit Patel and Amit Khandhar. Family and friends also joined in during the festivities.
Frank Cahill, Chairman, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Advisory Committee presented Mr. Amit Patel with a plaque welcoming the new business to Parsippany.
LivWell Pharmacy specializes in serving the community with fast, friendly, professional service and the highest-quality medicines and health products. You’ll always work with somebody at the pharmacy who greets you by name, and the pharmacists take the time to counsel you and answer your questions.
Visit LivWell Pharmacy for all your healthcare needs, Whether you need a prescription filled, or medical supplies for your home, you need a trusted pharmacy to help you handle your medical needs. When you need to contact your local pharmacy, choose LivWell Pharmacy.
They can be reached by calling (973) 794-4991 or click here to visit their website. Their store hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Middle Schools new student schedules should go in effect Monday: VIDEO
PARSIPPANY —Dr. Nancy Gigante, Acting Superintendent of Schools, announced at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, September 24 the middle schools student schedules have been completed and should go in effect on Monday, September 28.
At the close of school on Friday, September 25, they will move the new schedules from Genesis’ test server to the live server. They will be instructing Genesis to make that switch. They will spend the majority of the weekend running the appropriate tests before reopening Genesis, hopefully, some time on Sunday.
Dr. Nancy Gigante’s read the following to a crowded room at the Dr. Frank Calabria Education Center:
“It was my hope that I would be in a position tonight to offer a firmer timeline for the implementation of the new middle school schedule, which returns us to the familiar 9-period 40-minutes per period schedule we have always been accustomed to prior to this school year. Luckily I am able to do that.
Today we informed the middle school teachers of their teaching assignments for the new schedule. Further, I explained in an email to the middle school staff that it is my goal to make tomorrow, the fourteenth day of school, the last day in the current schedule. If I can accomplish that goal, it would mean that we will have our new schedule on Monday, September 28, before October even begins. It would also mean that the first full week of school—because we haven’t had one yet—will be in the new schedule. Finally, it would also mean that the movement of the new schedule from Genesis’ test server to our live server would be successful, something I can only be sure of by actually instructing Genesis to make that switch from the test server to the live server. We will do that tomorrow at the close of school and spend the majority of the weekend running the appropriate tests before reopening Genesis, hopefully, some time on Sunday.
If, in fact, we are successful, it would mean that our team of middle school counselors, content area supervisors, building administrators, and academic technology staff put together two master schedules for two different schools in nine school days, a feat that could never have been accomplished without a lot of hands on deck and a lot of support from this entire district. What had traditionally took—and under the right circumstances should take—five weeks to complete, we will have completed in these nine days. I know for many of you it feels nine days too long…but I assure you we have kept your frustrations in mind as we’ve moved to get this new schedule in place as soon as, like I said at the last meeting, “humanly possible.”
I want to spend some time now going through what needs to be explained so that parents, students, and teachers can begin the new schedule with clarity and understanding.
- Although we are looking at the year now in trimesters—that is three distinct parts—we must label them in Genesis as Q2, Q3, and Q4. We were not able to rename the periods of time. The year is still divided into three parts. As explained at the last Board of Education meeting, students and parents will receive narrative comments from the teachers they have had for these fourteen days, indicating their levels of progress in those courses.
| 6TH GRADE | 7TH GRADE | 8TH GRADE |
| Language Arts | Language Arts | Language Arts |
| Reading and Writing | Reading and Writing | Reading and Writing |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | Mathematics |
| Social Studies | Social Studies | Social Studies |
| Science | Science | Science |
| Physical Education and Health | Physical Education and Health | Physical Education and Health |
| Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| Elective / Elective / Elective | Elective / Elective / Elective | Elective / Elective / Elective |
| Current & Emerging
Technologies / World Cultures / Elective |
World Language | World Language |
- All grade levels will have our five core courses—Language Arts, Reading and Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science—along with Physical Education and Health five days a week, thus covering six of the nine periods. All students will also have a five-day a week, 40-minute lunch, thereby accounting for seven periods out of the daily nine. In grades seven and eight, an eighth assignment will be a five-day a week language, and finishing their ninth slot, three different electives to cover the three trimesters. For sixth grade, they will have the five core courses, Physical Education and Health, lunch, and then two periods divided into trimesters for a total of six other courses. All sixth graders will have Current and Emerging Technologies, World Cultures, and four other elective periods.
- Having returned all classes to five days a week and having reinstated the third full team at Central Middle School, we have subsequently hired and continue to hire for some positions. Teachers who are expected to begin teaching in our district soon will be designated by the school mascot and a number for a teacher who has not yet been hired—for example “Knight 1 TBD”—or the school mascot and a last name for the teacher who is expected to begin in our district soon—for example “Cougar-Smith.”
- Keeping a world language course in the sixth grade proved very, very difficult to staff. Language specialists are not easy to find, and this would keep our students in classes with temporary substitutes longer than we were comfortable with. Therefore, the decision was made to run World Cultures, taught by a world language teacher, and have that teacher infuse a beginning exposure into one of our languages—French, Italian, or Spanish.
- Current and Emerging Technologies was previously a seventh grade course, but has been moved to a trimester in sixth grade, in order to ensure that all three grade levels have had this computer experience. Our current seventh graders had computers last year, and our eighth graders also when they were in sixth. Content supervisors and the Director of Secondary Education will be working with these teachers to make any necessary adjustments to the curriculum.
- In scheduling electives for students, we used the prioritization they had provided to their counselors last school year when we were taking course requests. As much as possible, the counselors endeavored to schedule students for electives that they had given high priority.
- For music students in particular, we asked the music teachers what would programmatically be the best way to schedule students who wanted one semester of music. They determined that two trimesters would be appropriate and asked that we divide students by instrumentation and choral categories, which we did. In addition, sixth grade full year music students, for the first time, were also able to receive another elective in addition to music.
That is a basic overview of what to expect to see in the new schedule. In these nine days we have been able to restore five-day a week classes at all grade levels in Reading and Writing and Physical Education and Health, we have been able to return students to a 40-minute lunch period, and we have been able reinstate a third full team at Central Middle School.
Before I conclude, I need to thank the hard work of a lot of people. In particular, the middle school counselors and middle school teaching staff for their professionalism and dedication to making these first days of school meaningful and engaging for students. To all of our administrative team, from the content area supervisors to building administrators, to my fellow Senior Cabinet members, thank you for exhibiting the hard work and stamina that has come to characterize our district. To several staff members outside of these people who have also given of their time and provided us with an extra set of eyes to double-check our work as we tried to move so quickly throughout this process—Eric Berkowitz, Tricia Morsillo, Lou Miller, and Casey Maass. And to all of the students and parents who have been patient with us throughout a trying situation…thank you.
Again, it is with great hope that I announce we plan to shut down Genesis at the end of the school day tomorrow and instruct Genesis to move our work from their test server to our live server, thus enabling us to perform necessary tests to make sure everything got transferred correctly before opening school on Monday with the new schedule in place. Parents and staff members will receive School Messenger notices throughout the process.”
Parsippany Schools Superintendent Scott Rixford resigns
PARSIPPANY — At the Board of Education meeting held on Thursday, September 24, 2015, the members of the Board of Education passed a resolution accepting the resignation of Scott Rixford, effective January 26, 2016. The resolution states that it “Further approves the related agreement with Mr. Rixford in accordance with the terms and conditions therein, which the Board President is authorized on behalf of the Board.”
Rixford who was hired by the Board effective July 1, 2014 and the term of the contract was through June 20, 2019.
He was hired at a salary of $175,000 per year, for each of the five years of his contract.
For a complete copy of Mr. Rixford’s employment agreement, click here.
The next board of education meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 8, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Board Office, 292 Parsippany Boulevard.