NP Board of Education Welcomes New Teachers, Honors Students

The New Providence School District will have at least eight new teachers walking through the district after the Board of Education approved the first round of hiring to replace retirees and to fill in new positions on Tuesday night.

Superintendent of Schools David Miceli said the district received between 800 and 900 applications for teaching positions. After an extensive interview process, he believes the district has top-notch teachers to provide the best for the students. 

"We are very pleased to have these individuals coming to the New Providence School District," he said. 

The new fulltime hires are:

• Alexander Meyer
• Raquel Witham
• Rebecca Crawford
• Kristy McCauley
• Barbara Denike
• Christine Murphy
• William Paris
• Michelle Hoogerhyde
• Sandra Savage

Miceli said more hires will be presented in front of the board at the next meeting. 

Board Member William Dibble said it is rare to hire this many fulltime professionals at one time. But Miceli said the district had four retires (Judith Gallagher, Eileen Gorman, Hariette Doll and Michael Mitchell) and the district is opening additional first grade sections to account for the growing district.

Since the last meeting, seven students were added to the district, bringing the total enrollment to 2,280 students. 

Of those students, 145 will be graduating at the end of the year, with 123 set to attend a four-year college. Nine will be attending a two-year college, with nine still undecided. 

Conor Barry, one of the graduating seniors and the board's student representative, was awarded for a project he did with sixth grader Patrick Trezza. Trezza met with Barry to raise autism awareness in the district. 

Along with Barry and Trezza, the district awarded 10 other students for their accomplishments in state-wide competitions. 

The recipients are:

• Allison Hartenstein, who will represent the district in the national Technology Student Association competition
• Robby Fay, who won first place at the Caldwell Teen Arts Competition
• Sonya Han, who won first place at the Caldwell Teen Arts Competition
• Kristoffer Castaldo, who won first place for printmaking at the duCret High School Art Competition
• Laura Potter, who won first place for her pot at Clay in Mind competition
• Alexandra Kohut, who won Overall Best in Show at the Congressional High School Art Competition
• Lylah Dugan, who won the Director's Choice Award
• Lorelei Dugan, who won Best in Show at the SICA Competition
• Sierra Bagish, who won the Naomi Winston Scholarship sponsored by the NJ Society of Arts and Letters
• Julian Navarrete, who won outstanding in category for collage at the North Jersey Student Craftsman Fair.

"We are very proud of their accomplishments," Miceli said. "And we encourage them to continue with their educational endeavors in the future."