School News

Rubic’s Cube competitors from throughout the northeast gathered at Franklin High School Dec. 13 for the first FHS Red Cross Cubing tournament. Yes, this is a thing. The event drew more than 100 competitors, aged 6 to 18 years, said Shaun Guru, president of the high school’s American Red Cross Club. The day-long event was used as a fundraiser for …

Words ruled the night at Franklin Park School Dec. 5 as students participated in the inaugural Spelling Bee and Night of Words. Organized by teachers Priya Kharawala and Stacey Young, the evening was both a competition and game night. While the 1st and 2nd graders were competing in the spelling bee, the 3rd and 4th graders were participating in word-based …

Nima Majidi, an 8th grader at Cedar Hill Preparatory School on Cedar Grove Lane, finished in 8th place at the recent Garden State Debate League tournament at Mater Dei Prep School. Majidi competed against 119 other students. In all, Cedar Hill sent four teams to the debate. In other Cedar Hill happenings: In late November, the students received a visit …

The latest theatrical offering by Franklin Middle School students is one that is close to the director’s heart. That’s because the idea for “A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Carol” was conceived by director Ellen Beattie in 2000, when she was the artistic director for Metuchen Forum Theatre’s “A Kid’s Forum.” The story marries two classics, “Winnie the Pooh” with “A …

The rock comedy-horror “Little Shop of Horrors” is the fall offering from Franklin High School’s theater program. The show, about an alien plant with dreams of taking over the world, runs 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22 and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 23 in the Theater at Franklin High, 500 Elizabeth Ave. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at www.fhslsoh.brownpapertickets.com …

  A third-grade class at St. Matthias School, John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Somerset, remembered veterans in their families with a special project. The students, in Miss Allegro’s history class, created an honor wall of names of their families’ veterans. The veterans’ names were read and photos shared during a prayer service, and veteran dolls were also made.    

There were plenty of ghosts and goblins – and a few princesses – at the Fall festival open house held Oct. 31 by Little Gems Early Learning Academy on Weston Road. The pre-school was acquired by its new owner, Sujatha Alladi, in August. The school adheres to the teaching principles espoused by the Montessori system founder, Maria Montessori, which is “progressively …

Kindergarteners at Cedar Hill Preparatory School on Cedar Grove Lane celebrated their grandparents Sept. 30 with songs, poems and food. The annual “Grandparents’ Day” is held at the end of September to “show the grandparents how much we love and respect them,” said Ruth Sulitzer, a Kindergarten teacher and the school’s admissions director. After singing two songs and reciting some poems, …

  What do you get when you combine a biochemistry Ph.D. candidate with some hip hop dance moves and an explosion or two? You get Jeffrey Vonkur, also known as “The Dancing Scientist.” Vinokur, a Montvale native, brought his 45-minute science and dance show to Cedar Hill Preparatory School on Cedar Grove Road Sept. 22. The UCLA Ph.D. candidate entertained …

The Franklin Park School PTO held its annual back-to-school ice cream social on Sept. 19. PTO co-president Kimberly Stephens said the social is a way to greet new students and welcome back returning students. The PTO supplied the ice cream, parents were free to bring other food, she said. “They come with chairs and they bring pizza and other food, …