may 2012 volume 3, number 2 njcte conference news and …...and joseph pizzo, past co-presidents and...

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Recently named NJCTE’s

new president, Laura Nicosia

is a powerhouse of energy

and accomplishments. She

served as chair for this 2012

Spring Conference – Occupy

the Classroom. Joining her

on the committee were James

Nicosia, Patricia Schall,

Maria Schantz, M. Jerry

Weiss, &Joyce Washington.

Conference attendance was

reported at 139. Ten

workshop sessions and six

exhibiting vendors and

representatives offered the

latest materials. Authors

included Neil Baldwin, Gayle

Forman,Shelia Kohler, Chris

de Vinck, and Sergio

Troncoso.

Attendees Praise NJCTE Conference Held on March 31, 2012 at Monclair University.

From the moment the conference opened with Neil Baldwin,

I knew we were on a cloud. What a fabulous presentation.

The first workshop I attended, Lynn Zisa's "Developing

Independent Reading Behaviors," was dynamic and practical

and had much interaction with the audience. The second,

Sergio Troncoso's "THIS WICKED PATCH OF

DUST:READING IN AND ABOUT LATINO FAMILIES,"

was moving as well as informative. He is very articulate and

involved in such matters as the Arizona movement that

prohibits ethnic studies in certain Arizona schools. The

audience really enjoyed his readings. Gayle Forman was

terrific, humorous and informative. She was down-to-earth in

meeting and greeting the teachers and signing books. Sheila

Kohler was excellent as the final speaker. I found it

enlightening as to how she explained truth and fiction in her

writing of BECOMING JANE EYRE. She stayed a long time

signing books. It was a wonderful conference. Laura and Jim

Nicosia and all involved made this a day to remember.

--M. Jerry Weiss

February 2010

Vol. 1 Issue 1

NJCTE Conference News and Notes

May 2012 Volume 3, Number 2

Award Winners join the annual NCTE open meeting.

M. Jerry Weiss Early Career Teacher Award and the Marcia Holtzman Preservice Teacher Award Winners with Patricia Schall

and Joseph Pizzo, past co-presidents and Laura Nicosia, current president of NJCTE.

Laura Nicosia is named

NJCTE Educator of the

year for 2012

Photos by Susan Reese

Sergio Troncoso

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Shelia Kohler

MEET THE AUTHORS

Neil Baldwin

Gayle Forman

Vol. 1 Issue 1

E-Focus, May, 2012 Volume 3, Number 2, p. 2

Christopher de Vinck


BOOK SIGNINGS took place after the authors addressed the audience.

Gayle Forman signs her novels for her many fans.

Shelia Kohler writers a persona

E- Focus, May 2012 Volume 3 Number 2, p. 3

M. Jerry Weiss gets an autograph from

Neil Baldwin while Laura Nicosia looks on.

Shelia Kohler writes a personal

note to each of her fans.


SAMPLING of WORKSHOP SESSIONS

E- Focus May, 2012 Volume 3 Number 2, p. 4

Joan Serafin, New Jersey City University instructs a

workshop on how to read photographs from history.

Montclair students, Chris Stuart and Aleesa Milleet.

provide tech support.

Participants try a hands-on approach to “View it! Question it!

Report it!”

Christopher de Vinck

It only takes one book to hook a child to become

a lifelong reader. Once children experience that

feeling of discovering themselves in a book, they

want to repeat that assurance again and again.


MORE WORKSHOP SESSIONS

Participants gather for the general session on a cold and rainy day.


From Brainstorming to Publishing in the English Class

Participants select postcards as they enter for the workshop.

Dana Maloney, Susan Reese, and

Susan Rothbard after the session.

Photo by Ken Ronkowitz



CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IN ACTION

Joyce Washington gets help from Rachel Rodman in

registering attendees.

Dr. Brian Friedlander, the Coordinator of the MA in

Education with a concentration on Special Education, Dr.

Patricia Schall and her student Peter Fredas, who is

graduating from CSE this May with his MA and Special

Education Certification re-unite. Fredas was recently

published in the NJCTE English Journal.

Greg Riggio, Gayle Forman, Steven Criscuolo and Dr.

Laura Nicosia (Chair of the Conference) enjoy the photo

op and the chance to chat.

Jim Nicosia provides directions and updates to

those enroute to the conference.

M. Jerry Weiss introduces speakers and shares his

observations.

Maria Schantz keeps things running smoothly.



Kathleen Webber, Fiction Gallery Curator, and Michele

Marotta, Writing Contest Chair and Director of Judging,

greeted parents and students.

Kristine Mintel, Poetry Gallery Curator and photographer

and Julius Gottilla, Union Catholic host and forensics

coach of students presenting selected passages from

students’ entries welcomed winners, parents & teachers.

Union Catholic High School students presented selected

passages of winning entries.

Over 120 parents, students and teachers gathered for

the ceremony.

Poet, Catherine Doty, was the featured speaker. She

urged students to take risks with their witing.

NJCTE acknowledged Union High School Principal,

Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, for her continuing support.

NJCTE Writing Awards Ceremony Held on April 24 at Union Catholic High School

Students from 31 Schools Honored


T H E W I N N E R S


Photos by Kristine Mintel

Susan Reese, Essay Gallery Curator, presented Michele

Marotta, Writing Contest Chair and Director of Judging with

flowers.

Governor’s Awards in Art Education Winners

Honored on May 10, 2012

Essay - Gabrielle Salerno, Jimmy Edwards

Fiction – Kayla Allen

Poetry – Flannery James

NJCTE Educator of the Year 2012

Laura Nicosia, Ph.D.

School Author Grade Title Genre Teacher

Short Story

Gold Medalist

Immaculate Heart Academy Kayla Allen Grade 12 Untitled Short Story Dr. Cosmo Ferrera

Silver Medalist

Immaculate Heart Academy Nicole Saldarriaga Grade 12 Prove It Short Story Dr. Cosmo Ferrera

Bronze Medalists

Bergen County Academies Julian Royal Grade 11 Somewhere,

Anywhere but There

Short Story Richard Weems

Glen Ridge High School Madeleine Granovetter Grade 9 Al’s Red Schwinn Short Story Stephanie Pollak

Immaculate Heart Academy Nicolette Pire Grade 11 Seven Santas

Singing

Short Story Dr. Cosmo Ferrara

Poetry

Gold Medalist

Newark Academy Flannery James Grade 10 Aladdin’s Curse Poetry Alexandra

Mahoney

Silver Medalists

Livingston High School Shannon Stocks Grade 12 My Mother Speaks Poetry Susan Rothbard

Northern Highlands Regional HS Lida Weinstock Grade 12 Gulp Poetry Svea Barrett

Bronze Medalists

Morris Knolls High School Lucas Cuatrecasas Grade 10 Sink Poetry Andrew Curtis

Northern Highlands Regional HS Dana Lagomarsino Grade 12 This One Was Stuck

to My Chair

Poetry Svea Barrett

Personal Essay

Gold Medalists

Livingston High School Gabrielle Salerno Grade 12 Grandma’s Cooking Essay Susan Rothbard

Northern Highlands Regional High School Jimmy Edwards Grade 12 Never a Mint Leaf Essay Svea Barrett

Silver Medalist

Montclair High School Leo Hentschker Grade 10 A Simple Meal Essay Anne Bancy-

Giampoalo

Bronze Medalists

Bergen County Academies Aishwarya Raja Grade 12 On Curry Essay Richard Weems

East Brunswick High School Jasmine Wang Grade 11 Swallow the Red Essay Jeryl Ann Feis


GENRE WINNERS

AA

SCHOOLS WINNERS

School Author Grade Title Genre Teacher

Churchill Junior High School Rachana Balasubramanian Grade 9 The Little People Short Story Christine Maffa

Delaware Valley Regional High School Oliva Brogan Grade 11 My First Enticing Taste

of Success

Essay Margaret

Morton

Dreamacts, Cresskill, NJ Joyce Jo Grade 9 The Attack of The Nuts Essay Brian Hanson-

Harding

High Technology High School Katherine Lin Grade 10 Unwritten Short Story Sandy Ascari

Indian Hills High School Alexandra Glembocki Grade 12 Ballad of Ice and Fire Poetry Karen

Davidson

Linden High School Andrea Martinez-Moreira Grade 11 What I Like About Food Short Story Greg Stier

Mahwah High School Rachael Ravettine Grade 12 The Visit Poetry Mary Elbert

Manalapan High School Olivia Grosso Grade 12 Memory Mashed

Potatoes

Poetry Cheryl Soback

Marlboro High School Michelle Sperling Grade 12 My Life in an Eggshell Short Story Angela Rivera

Metuchen High School Quinn Shephard Grade 9 Tree of Life Poetry Frank

Wagenblast

Morris Catholic High School Anna Stopa Grade 12 If Only... Short Story Joseph McCaig

Northern Valley Regional HS. – Old Tappan Jiyeon Seo Grade 10 Part of Me Essay Brian Hanson-

Harding

Pascack Valley High School Lorenzo Sembiante Grade 10 Layers of a Roll Essay Amanda Lewis

Princeton Day School Kiley McCormick-McGead Grade 9 The Yard Flamingos Short Story Katy Terry

Ridge High School Allison Byrne Grade 10 Me, My Shellfish, & I Essay Sarah John

Rutgers Prep. Jolan Cseh Grade 12 Blue Dreams Poetry Elreann

Corrigan

Science Park Honoria Wah Grade 10 Momma’s Cooking Poetry Jessica Piental

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Sal Bhakuni Grade 10 A Melting Pot Essay Candace Keller

Tenafly High School HaeYoung Ha Yoo Grade 11 Oh, Miss Shirley Temple Essay Dana Maloney

Union City High School

Kevin Romero Grade 10 A Friend without an “R” Short Story Jessica Piental

Vineland High School Shyheme Days Grade 9 Spaghetti Essay Jennifer Belvett

Whippany Park High School Jania Bibighaus Grade 11 Swimming in a Bowl of

Dolphins

Essay Judith Meskill


S C H O O L W I N N E R S

New Jersey English Journal

The New Jersey Council of Teachers of English invites submissions for the 2013 edition of New

Jersey English Journal, a peer-reviewed journal. We are looking for research-based articles that

consider the needs and possibilities for learning and teaching in the 21st century (curriculum,

instruction and assessment):

Teaching English/ Language Arts

in and for the 21st Century:

What and How

What do we teach?

How do we approach teaching and learning in the 21st century?

What roadblocks are ahead, and how do we maneuver through/around them?

Suggested article length: 7-12 pages, double-spaced. We also welcome visual and poetry

submissions.

E-mail queries and submissions to Dana Maloney, Journal Editor, at [email protected].

Include “NJCTE journal submission” in your subject line. Deadline: December 1, 2012

photoph

2012 NJCTE Journal


Photo by Laura Nicosia

mailto:[email protected]

At the Writing Awards Ceremony a special drawing

was held for a free teacher membership to Poets

House, a 50,000 volume poetry library, research and

writing space in New York City. See the winners

below!

Teacher awarded a Poets House Membership

Michele Marotta with winner Greg Stier from

Metuchen NJ. “I never win anything!” he said.

Student Awarded a Poets House Membership

Michelle Marotta with Lucas Cuatrecasas of Denville,

New Jersey.

**************************************

Kayla Allen was unable to attend the GAAE

Awards Ceremony on May 10 in Trenton.

Governor’s Awards in Arts Education

Ceremony held at the War Memorial in Trenton

FOCUS was created by Dr. Patricia Schall and Susan Reese to keep members informed and to support those among us who desire

the camaraderie and support of other professionals in the field.


Flannery James

Jimmy Edwards

Gabrielle Salerno

Reception in the Ballroom

Laura Nicosia


Photos by Kristine Mintel

may 2012 volume 3, number 2 njcte conference news and …...and joseph pizzo, past co-presidents and...

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