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Where Did Bergen School Principal, Assistant Principal Go? Those Who Know Won't Say Where Did Bergen School Principal, Assistant Principal Go? Those Who Know Won't Say
Where Did Bergen School Principal, Assistant Principal Go? Those Who Know Won't Say It’s been nearly a month since their local middle school principal and his second in command suddenly "vanished" from the district, and concerned parents in Wyckoff, as well as their children, still have no idea why. Had they gotten into some kind of trouble? Were they fired? Did they quit? “We found out that we had no principal and vice-principal through the hair salon and through town gossip,” prominent civil attorney Michael Epstein said during a Wyckoff Board of Education Zoom meeting Monday night. Parents in the northwest Bergen County town who are concerned for their children’s safet…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Authorities: Pompton Lakes HS Teacher From PA Found Dead At School Of Suicide Authorities: Pompton Lakes HS Teacher From PA Found Dead At School Of Suicide
Authorities: Pompton Lakes HS Teacher From PA Found Dead At School Of Suicide A teacher from Pennsylvania who was found dead at Pompton Lakes High School had apparently killed himself, authorities said Saturday. Although an autopsy was to determine the official cause, the death of Patrick Moccia, 47, of Doylestown, PA, was “believed to be the result of an apparent suicide,” Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Pompton Lakes Police Chief Derek Clark said in a joint announcement. Police found the body of Moccia, who taught at the school, shortly after 9 p.m. Friday following a search on a welfare check, they said. Moccia began in the school district as a w…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Famed 'Lean On Me' Paterson Eastside Principal Joe Clark Dies Famed 'Lean On Me' Paterson Eastside Principal Joe Clark Dies
Famed 'Lean On Me' Paterson Eastside Principal Joe Clark Dies He roamed the hallways of Paterson Eastside High School with a bullhorn and bat, wielding a brand of drill-instructor discipline that drew both admirers and critics alike. He held news conferences at 7 a.m. and once expelled 300 students for "fighting, vandalism, abusing teachers, and drug possession" – all in a single day. And he left such an indelible mark that John Legend, Wendy Calhoun and LeBron James were preparing to create a TV drama about him 30 years after his retirement. Joe Louis Clark, a Georgia-born, longtime South Orange resident who appeared on the cover of Time magazine an…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Four Dumont HS Teachers Suspended For Anti-Gay Comments In Zoom Class Four Dumont HS Teachers Suspended For Anti-Gay Comments In Zoom Class
Four Dumont HS Teachers Suspended For Anti-Gay Comments In Zoom Class UPDATE: Four Dumont High School science teachers were suspended for anti-gay remarks about a female colleague during a Zoom class. The teachers will continue to be paid as an investigation continues, with possible disciplinary penalties to follow, they said. A student captured a screenshot from a teacher’s monitor during the disturbing open group Zoom chat last month. “Who the hell is that kid with [the] gay gym teacher?” one asked. “Why is that kid with the gay gym teacher,” another wrote. "Is that her adopted kid? Who is gonna be all f----d up growing up watching 2 chicks kissing and …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Consequences Demanded For Homophobic Remarks In Dumont Teachers' Zoom Chat Consequences Demanded For Homophobic Remarks In Dumont Teachers' Zoom Chat
Consequences Demanded For Homophobic Remarks In Dumont Teachers' Zoom Chat Homophobic comments posted in a Zoom chat among Dumont High School teachers has parents, students, graduates and other educators fuming -- and district officials investigating. Mayor Andrew LaBruno said he's contacted Schools Supt. Emanuele Triggiano, "who has assured me that this incident is being taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated." Meanwhile, signatures mounted on a change.org petition calling for the teachers' ouster. A screenshot captured from the chat contains references to a "gay gym teacher," along with the comment: "Is that her adopted kid? Who is gonna be all f--…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
'Bring Your A***s Back To Work,' Atlantic City School Super Says On Zoom As Teachers Sick-Out 'Bring Your A***s Back To Work,' Atlantic City School Super Says On Zoom As Teachers Sick-Out
'Bring Your A***s Back To Work,' Atlantic City School Super Says On Zoom As Teachers Sick-Out Coronavirus continues to wreck havoc in schools across New Jersey, upsetting parents, students and teachers alike.  In Atlantic City, hundreds of school teachers called out sick this week and planned to stay out until working conditions improve, union leaders said. Simmering COVID-19 tensions among teachers and administrators hit a boiling point Tuesday night, when a microphone captured an inflammatory remark by the school district's superintendent. “Bring your asses back to work,” Superintendent Barry Caldwell is heard saying during the public comment portion of a virtual staff meeti…

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by Jon Craig
News
COVID-19 Cases Reported At Schools In Berkeley, Jackson, Middletown COVID-19 Cases Reported At Schools In Berkeley, Jackson, Middletown
Covid-19 Cases Reported At Schools In Berkeley, Jackson, Middletown New cases of coronavirus have been reported by three more school districts in Central Jersey. Berkeley Township Elementary School will close for two days after officials identified "additional" coronavirus cases, without disclosing a number or whether they involved students or staff. BTES students will learn remotely on Thursday and Friday, Berkeley Township Superintendent James Roselli wrote on Wednesday in this letter. "This temporary closure will allow us to gain a better understanding of the COVID-19 situation impacting the school and perform contact tracing," Roselli said. School off…

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
Aetna Ranks 2 NJ Counties Among Nation's Healthiest Communities Aetna Ranks 2 NJ Counties Among Nation's Healthiest Communities
Aetna Ranks 2 NJ Counties Among Nation's Healthiest Communities From education and economics to housing, public safety and even the environment, several factors were considered for the 2020 Healthiest Communities rankings compiled by the Aetna Foundation. The list — which comprises 500 communities across America — includes two New Jersey counties in the top 25 spots alone. Hunterdon County came in at no. 15 and Morris County at no. 22. While population health and equity are the most heavily weighted factors, several other elements were considered as well. “Local health outcomes are often driven by factors like a community’s economic performance, the …

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by Valerie Musson
News
Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ
Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ Niche.com has released its latest rankings of best places to live in New Jersey. Crime, quality of schools, things to do, and cost of living were among the factors used in determining the rankings.  Princeton came in at No. 1, with Princeton Junction following at No. 2. Upper Montclair was listed as the third best place to live in New Jersey, and is described as a family-friendly area with plenty of parks and great schools. Here are other top places to live in New Jersey. 4: Ridgewood 5: Mountain Lakes 6: Princeton Meadows 7. Springdale 8. Monmouth Junction 9.Westfield 10. New Prov…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Murphy Cancels School Through May 15 Amid Coronavirus Crisis Murphy Cancels School Through May 15 Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Murphy Cancels School Through May 15 Amid Coronavirus Crisis New Jersey schools will be closed until at least May 15, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Thursday amid the coronavirus crisis. "There is no one who wants to reopen schools more than I do," Murphy said. "We cannot be guided by emotion. We have to be guided by the facts on the ground." New classroom configurations and more testing are needed before schools can be opened again, the governor said. "There is no doubt we are saving lives and we must maintain the course," Murphy said. There were 75,317 coronavirus cases as of Thursday in New Jersey, including 3,518 fatalities.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: Morris Catholic Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Students Reportedly Positive COVID-19: Morris Catholic Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Students Reportedly Positive
Covid-19: Morris Catholic Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Students Reportedly Positive A former Morris Catholic High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting two students tested positive for coronavirus while detained in the Morris County Jail, published reports say. Carlos Franco-Leon, 42, of Rockaway Township, was alone in an isolation room at the jail wearing surgical gloves and a mask during a brief video hearing before a Superior Court judge on Monday. The former teacher and volleyball coach has been jailed since his arrest in early March on aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment charges. The Morris County Jail last month released 28 non-violent offe…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
VIDEO: Tyra Banks Surprises Unsuspecting Union High School Students During Zoom Class VIDEO: Tyra Banks Surprises Unsuspecting Union High School Students During Zoom Class
Video: Tyra Banks Surprises Unsuspecting Union High School Students During Zoom Class Award-winning Union High School educator Nick Ferroni caught his students completely off guard by introducing them to a special guest during a Zoom class Monday morning — the one and only Tyra Banks. Ferroni, who teaches History and Cultural Studies, brought on Banks to share some words of wisdom in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, People.com reports. After virtually greeting his class, Ferroni casually introduced the TV personality, who was met with jaw drops and exclamations from star-struck students (click here to watch). “This is not real,” one student said in disbelief. “They’re s…

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by Valerie Musson