TEANECK BOARD OF EDUCATION Office of the Superintendent of Schools One Merrison Street Teaneck, NJ 07666

Phone: 201-833-5510	Fax: 201-837-9468

Christopher C. Irving, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools

September 3, 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students and Staff,

Welcome back! The summer seems to come and go so fast; but I hope that you enjoyed your time off and that you are ready for what promises to be an exciting year for our school district.

Let me begin with our new Strategic Plan that will guide our district forward for the next five years. I appreciate how many parents, students and staff members took part in the development of this plan; and I want to invite everyone to attend an upcoming Strategic Plan Town Hall Event where you will learn more about our specific school and district priorities and goals:

	September 16th 	September 16th 	September 17th 	September 17th 	September 23rd 	October 7th
	October 17th

(Monday) (Monday) (Tuesday) (Tuesday) (Monday) (Monday) (Thursday)

Hawthorne Thomas Jefferson Whittier
Benjamin Franklin Bryant
Teaneck High Lowell

6:30 pm Media Center 8:00 pm Media Center 6:30 pm School Library 8:00 pm Media Center 7:00 pm Cafeteria
7:00 pm Student Center 7:00 pm Library

NOTE: If you cannot make the specific date at your child’s school, you are welcome to attend any other school location.

Next, my leadership team has participated in several professional development sessions this summer with a specific focus on improving instruction in our classrooms. Many of you will see considerable changes this year as we emphasize rigor and classroom discussions, and through the daily use of instructional technology. In fact, all of our middle and high school students will now have access to their very own Chromebook; and our high school students will be able to take these devices home each day. For more information on this, please see the attached document on our district website: http://www.teaneckschools.org/ChromebookFAQ.aspx.

Additionally, we welcomed several new leaders to our district:
Ms. Christine Jimenez-Johnson – Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Schools Ms. Erica Cerilli-Levine – Director of Special Education and Nursing Services
Ms. Shellian Mirander – Assistant Director of Special Education
Ms. Keshia Golding-Cooper – Director of Guidance, Career Services and Vocational Education Mr. Cameron Cox – Public Safety Coordinator
Mr. Clifton Thompson – Teaneck High School Principal
Mr. Terrence Williams – Benjamin Franklin Middle School Principal

Over the summer, we also promoted several current staff members to assistant superintendent, principal, director and supervisor levels. I want to thank our new leaders for bringing their respective talents to our district; and I want to congratulate those who have risen to leadership levels because I know that you will continue to serve the children of Teaneck with integrity and compassion.

Finally, with the many advantages of technology, this district will be moving away from a paper-oriented environment. I already mentioned the use of Chromebooks in the classroom; but please also note that we will be keeping you informed throughout the year via the Skyward Family Access portal, email, our district and school websites, and our district Facebook page: Teaneck Public School District. One new example of this is that we will no longer send home “Media/Photo Release Forms” for parents to sign. If a parent or guardian does not want their child photographed by the district or by news media, please be sure to inform your child’s teacher or school principal.

In closing, I am truly excited about our new Strategic Plan, our energetic leadership team, our exceptional staff, supportive parents, generous volunteers, and our dedicated Board of Education trustees. Most importantly, I am looking forward to welcoming back our students on Thursday, September 5. These children must always be our top priority!

I am honored to serve as Teaneck Public Schools’ educational leader. Our new vision – The Teaneck Advantage: Educational Excellence for All – means that I am determined to see this district be your preferred educational choice because it is here that you will receive the best education for your pre-k through grade 12 child.

The next five years will be challenging work for all of us. However, when you are on a journey to be a leader in public education, the rewards for our children will be great!

Let us continue to work together to make Teaneck Public Schools a wonderful place to learn. Best wishes for a successful school year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Christopher Irving Superintendent of Schools