The Middle States Association’s Commission on Secondary Schools has announced that St. Joseph High School, Hammonton, has been re-accredited for the period ending May, 2017. To be accredited by the Commission on Secondary Schools, a school must meet the Middle States Association’s standards for each major area of a school’s work and activity.  These areas include the school’s philosophy/mission/beliefs/objectives, governance and leadership, organizational design and staff, educational programs, learning media services and technology, student services, student life and activities, facilities, health and safety, finances, assessment of student learning, and planning.

Students from Guardian Angels Regional School, Gibbstown, and St. Ann Regional School, Wildwood, recently celebrated their D.A.R.E. graduations. D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug- and violence-free lives.

The Andrew T. Rubel Scholarship Fund has awarded its 2010 scholarship to Dane Stolinski of Clementon. Dane is a graduate of John Paul II Regional School in Stratford and will be attending Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill. The scholarship will pay $1,000 toward the tuition for each of the four years that Dane is in high school. The scholarship is awarded annually in memory of Drew Rubel, a former student of St. Lawrence School and Paul VI High School. Dane is the 12th recipient of the award.

Caroline Byrne, a fourth grader at Bishop McHugh, recently received a letter from First Lady Michelle Obama for her Flat Stanley project. Fourth grade Social Studies teacher Margie Cullen recently introduced her students to the Flat Stanley project. Students created their own “Flat Stanley” and mailed him out to family and friends all across the United States. The students then coordinated pictures, postcards, letters and other memorabilia into their finished projects. Some places Flat Stanley visited was California, Florida and Maine and even the White House. Caroline mailed her Flat Stanley to the Obama children, Malia and Sasha. Byrne received a letter back from First Lady Michelle Obama . Included with the letter were pictures of First Lady and the First Dog, Bo.

Camden Catholic High School’s crew team honored school’s outgoing president by christening its newest crew boat the “Msgr. Andrew Martin.” Msgr. Martin retires in June after 26 years as both principal and president. The unveiling of the new boat took place recently at a gathering of incoming freshmen, members of the Class of 2014.

St. Mary’s School, Vineland, honored the members of the National Junior Honor Society. Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA and be recognized for their accomplishments in the realms of academics, service, leadership and citizenship. The NJH members served as volunteers in the Homework Helpers’ Club, some participated in the 2010 Law Adventure Program by the New Jersey Bar Foundation, they participated in two academic bowls sponsored by St. Augustine Prep and Buena Regional High School, and, assisted in the luncheon program run by the Spirit and Truth Ministries in Vineland. They also organized a Valentine’s Candy-gram Sale and school dress down days and raised over $1,000 which they donated to the Daughters of Mercy Mission in Haiti following the earthquake in January.

St. Joseph Regional School, Somers Point, has been awarded accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. MSCES is one of three accrediting commissions of the Middle States Association. The 18-month process leading to accreditation was governed by a steering committee chaired by Sharon Wilson.

The second grade students at Resurrection School, Cherry Hill, chose to donate part of their Communion gifts to Heifer International. The children brought in $330 and with it purchased a goat, a pig, two honeybee hives, and three rabbits, which will go to families in impoverished countries.

Three Bishop Schad Regional School, Vineland students earned academic scholarships based on the Sacred Heart High School entrance exam.

Olivia Gorecki and Kaitlyn Fox, eighth graders at Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School, were recently selected as the first place winners of an essay contest sponsored by the Office of Black Catholic Ministry. The essay topic was, “How Can We As Christian Youth Live Our Faith in Service to Others?” Olivia. the region’s first place winner, received a $75 savings bond. Kaitlyn, the Camden Diocesan first place winner, received a $200 savings bond.

Faith Waldron received honorable mention in the recent Cape May County Poster Contest. She is a fourth grade student at Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School.

Five students from Resurrection Catholic School in Cherry Hill performed with the Philadelphia Area Honor Band at Villanova University on Sunday, April 18. They are Lindsay Schnell (eighth grade, flute), Peter Frank (seventh grade, saxophone), Sean Hullihan (sixth grade, trombone), Alyssa Lorenz (fifth grade, flute), and Rebecca Schnell (fourth grade, clarinet).

Sean Hullihan, a sixth grader at Resurrection School and winner of the school’s Geographic Bee, advanced to the state bee and participated in that level at Rowan University, Glassboro, on Friday, April 9.

Faith Waldron, a fourth grade student at Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School, received honorable mention in the recent Cape May County Poster Contest.

On April 16, Jillian Bottino, John Paul II eighth grade student, was awarded a certificate of participation and bronze medal from the National Daughters of the American Revolution, Haddonfield Chapter for placing first in the chapter’s essay contest. Essays were written on the topic “The Transcontinental Railroad: American’s Amazing Link between the East and West Coasts.”

Students at Assumption School, Atco, participated in a contest sponsored by The Marlton Elks. The students had to write an essay titled, “The American Dream: What Is It?” Jamie Bottino, seventh grade, won first place; while Grace-anne Butch, sixth grade student, won second place.

The Administration of St. Joseph High School is proud to announce that junior students Sarah Bariglio and Nathan Otto have been selected as semifinalists for this summer’s New Jersey Scholars Program, Human Rights: Past, Present, Future. The mission of the New Jersey Scholars Program is to reach out to 39 residents of New Jersey who are rising seniors and who come from a broad socio-economic, ethnic and racial cross-section of the state’s population.

Ryan Nicholson, a third grade student at Notre Dame Regional School, was recently awarded the Nonpublic Supplementary Instruction Award by Gloucester County Special Services. Ryan was nominated by his teacher, Lucrezia Scordo, for his hard work and dedication.

Principal Sister Sheila Murphy of St. Ann Regional announces the winners of the 2010 Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest, Cape May Patriots Chapter: eighth grader Jack Winans finished second place in his grade level and seventh grader Sean McBride finished second place in his grade level.

Our Lady of Mercy Academy is proud to announce the following Distinguished Scholars as chosen by the State of New Jersey Department of High Education:

— Marika Agnello, daughter of Luigi and Maria Agnello of Blackwood;

— Chelsea Consalo, daughter of Skip and Denise Consalo of Vineland; and

— Jamie Thai, daughter of Loi & Yen Thai of Atlantic City.

These students were selected as Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars based on the following criteria: class rank of one, two, or three in their graduating class and rank within the top 10 percent of the graduating class; and class rank within the top 10 percent of the graduating class at the end of their junior year with combined critical reading and math SAT scores of 1260 or higher.

The Distinguished Scholar award of up to $1,000 is available annually without regard to financial need.

Brigid K. Miller of Egg Harbor Township, a senior at Holy Spirit High School, Absecon, won an essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Brigid’s essay will compete with other contest winners in the state for a chance to represent the VFW Department of New Jersey in the national contest.

The VFW “Voice of Democracy” scholarship program was created in 1947. The theme for this year’s contest was “Does America Still Have Heroes?” Brigid received a $200 prize from VFW Post 9462.

Christina Krawiec, a 2009 graduate of Sacred Heart High School, Vineland, has earned an AP Scholar Award in recognition of her exceptional achievement on AP Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program provides students with the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the nearly 1.7 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

Each year, hundreds of high school girls first compete for a place in New Jersey Girls State and then come together to learn of the functioning of state government at Georgian Court College in Lakewood, N.J. This year, three girls from Camden Catholic participated, including Imani House, also a senior from Willingboro, and Maggie McHugh of Pennsauken.

While at the event, Walker rose from mayor of a fictional municipality during the five-day educational and interactive session to being elected governor. House was her opponent during the gubernatorial election.

Fourth grade student Mackenzie Walsh of St. Ann School, Wildwood, contributed nine inches of her hair to “Locks of Love.”

“Locks of Love,” based in West Palm Beach Florida, is a non-profit that provides hairpieces to finanically disadvantaged children under the age of 18 suffering from long term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Mackenzie had her hair cut at Hair Cuttery in Rio Grande.

Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School, Atlantic City, closed this week because so many students, teachers and staff reported suffering from flulike symptoms.

Many called in sick on Monday, Nov. 2, and others reported symptoms throughout the day. By the end of the school day, the decision was made to close for the rest of the week.

City and county health departments were notified.

Curatola is president of ECS, Enroute Computer Solutions, and founder of the “Soprana Coppola Education Foundation.” Curatola’s sister, Soprana, died in August 2007 from a rare form of cancer. The goal of the foundation is to put technology in the hands of as many students as possible so perhaps one of those students will help to find a cure for one such disease.

Curatola was introduced to the technology needs of St. Joseph Regional School by one of his employees, Gina Lucasti. Lucasti is the human resources representative for ECS, and also the mother of a student at the school.

Through notices sent from school Lucasti was made aware that the anticipated Technology Funds sent by the State of New Jersey would not be forthcoming this year. This loss of funds represented a major shortfall for the technology budget of the school.

“Through his generosity, Mr. Curatola gives us the tools necessary to prepare our students for the future. We are blessed to have him as a new member of our school family,” the school said in a statement.

Two students at Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievements on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams.

Hyun Ah Chang of Cherry Hill qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. She is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Christopher Duffner of Mt. Laurel received the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. He is now a freshman at Georgetown University.

Only about 18 percent of the more than 1.6 million high school students in more than 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar. Chang and Duffner took the exams in May 2009 after completing challenging college-level courses at Camden Catholic, which offers students 11 AP course selections and 25 Honors-level courses.

In the spring of 2008, students at Notre Dame Regional School participated in a statewide poetry contest on recycling. Councilwoman Patricia Andaloro submitted the poems to the Bureau of Recycling and Planning. Brandon Danley was one of 12 winners selected from over 900 poems for his poem entitled “Working Together.”

The new school year brought the opening of a new PK3 classroom to Notre Dame Regional in Landisville. The school had opened a PK2 in November last year and with the success of the program led to opening a PK3 classroom this year. “ We currently have a PK4 and a PK3 at our Newfield Campus but the need was definitely there for another PK3 in Landisville. We are truly blessed to have certified teachers who are kind and caring and have become part of our Notre Dame Family,” said Melissa Knapp, advancement director. The program provides before and aftercare from 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. For information contact Melissa Knapp, 856-697-3456 ext.112.

Members of the freshman class (parents and students) were asked to nominate eighth grade teachers who they felt should be honored. The following teachers were invited to a reception held at the Prep and were awarded the Outstanding Teachers Award for 2009: Thomas Mimm, Our Lady of Hope; Timothy Hale, St. Bridget; Mrs. Elisabeth Simon, Bishop Schad; Lori Larkin, Bishop McHugh; Marie Peltier, St. Ann Regional.

St. Joseph High School teacher Allan Sullivan was recently selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). Allan was nominated by recent student Edward Harper for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in the classroom.

Formed in 2002, The National Society of High School Scholars recognizes academic excellence at the high school level and encourages members of the organization to apply their talents, vision and potential for the betterment of themselves and the world. Currently, there are more than 450,000 society members in 180 countries.

She received the opportunity through the National Endowment for the Humanities and its Division of Education Programs.

Augustinian Father Paul Galetto, president of the Prep, said, “Madame Vermeeren, as our students call her, is an excellent teacher and this opportunity will not only enrich her, it will aid our students as well. Congratulations to Madame V on an honor well-deserved.  Bon voyage!” 

St. Rose of Lima School, Haddon Heights, participated in Catholic Math League, a four test math competition. St. Rose students were grouped geographically with other Catholic school students from around the nation. On specified dates tests were administered and the scores were posted online. Catholic Math League then ranked the school teams and individual students in their divisions based on these scores.

The Math 6 Team placed first of 14 teams in their division. Nicholas Viggiano, a fifth grader, won first place in Math 6 Division 6 and had the fourth highest score nationally of all Math 6 participants. The Pre-Algebra Team finished fourth in their division. Liana  DiCredio, an eighth grader, scored seventh highest in Pre-Algebra Division 7. The Algebra I Team placed fifth out of 17 teams (including some high school teams) in their division. Eighth-grader Wil Schade had the sixth highest score in Algebra I Division 4. 

Friday, May 15, was designated Bill Sheridan Appreciation Day at St. Mary Magdalen Regional School in Millville. The faculty, staff and students at St. Mary Magdalen said goodbye to Mr. Sheridan, who is retiring as principal of R.D. Wood School. As principal of Wood School, Mr. Sheridan and St. Mary Magdalen Regional School forged a close working relationship throughout the years.

Six students of Paul VI High School, Haddon Township, have been named National Merit Commended Students. They are Teresa Blumenstein, Vivian Erwin, Michelle Frett, Sarah Gettings, Jessica Urie and Samuel Watson. They, and three others — James Filer, Alex Hong, Tara Ostock — also have been named Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars. 

Our Lady of Mercy Academy has selected the following students to receive four-year scholarships for the upcoming school year: Megan Iaconelli, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Iaconelli, Vineland; Caitlyn Covella, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Covella, Vineland; Mallory Hansen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Hansen, Turnersville; Danielle Dougherty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dougherty, Erial; Madison Capella-Denny, daughter of Ms. Annlouise Capella, Hammonton; Samantha Robins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Robins, Hopewell; Giana Vozzi, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Vozzi, Egg Harbor Township; and Rachel Goloff, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Michael Goloff, Northfield. Each student was expected to take a placement test, answer a one page questionnaire and sit for a personal interview with the Scholarship Committee. These students were chosen based on their academic, written and verbal performances.