Certification Report - Sustainable Jersey Schools

Name:	Brian Calligy
Title/Position:	Supervisor of Technology / IT Department
Address:	Weehawken High School 53 Liberty Place Weehawken, NJ 07086
Phone:	2014702553

Board Leadership & Planning

District Sustainability Policy

10 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority District

Program Summary: Weehawken Township School District recognizes Sustainability means using, developing and protecting resources in a manner that enables people to meet current needs and provides that future generations can also meet their needs, from the joint perspective of environmental, economic, and community objectives. The district policy is posted on our district website (Policies, Procedures and Notices). Parents/families were notified via email as well as our social media posts.

Professional Development for Sustainability

5 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority School District

Program Summary: In the Weehawken Township School District, our teachers and staff are consistently working to improve their teaching practices to ensure that we are giving our students a relevant educational experience. As evidenced by the variety of staff members listed below, we try to create an interdisciplinary experience for sustainable professional development. Sustainability is a topic that is imperative in each subject area, not just the sciences, which is why we have teachers and specialists across disciplines taking part in professional development and training in topics such as climate change, plastic use, and youth advocacy.

pdf Professional Development for Sustainability WHS

Green Enhancement of District Strategic Plans

10 Points

District

Program Summary: Our board approved strategic plan (2000-2025) specifically addresses green enhancements in Goal #3: Foster a culture of diversity, acceptance, physical health, social-emotional well being, and provide green and healthy spaces and mindset in and out of school. In addition to being in our strategic plan, it's also in our brochure and parent survey.

School Community Asset Mapping

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: Our urban community has so much to offer its residents, especially the youth in town. The goal of the Weehawken Community Asset Map is to have a database of places in town that serve to improve our community and to help community members find ways to give back to the community. While the town is not large, it is rich in lush outdoor spaces and historical sites, as well as a variety of religious, service-oriented, and municipal spaces. The Community Asset Map serves as a guide to ensure that everyone has access to the resources that the town has to offer. Our Asset Map is broken down into five categories specifically designed to help individuals navigate our town: neighborhoods, religious and community centers, outdoor spaces, municipal and educational spaces, and transportation. It was created collaboratively by our district Green Team and local town members and shared on our district website, as well as to school community members and stakeholders. It has been used by a variety of individuals to locate resources in town and places to do community service such as park cleanups to ensure our community remains clean and beautiful. This should have a tremendous impact on our community to help them be aware of all of the town’s resources, historical sites, and outdoor spaces. This Community Asset Map will also be especially helpful to newcomers to the town and visitors who are interested in local spaces to enjoy nature and historical landmarks.

School District Foundation

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: The Weehawken Education Foundation (WEF) is a proud supporter educational activities and objectives related to the Weehawken Township School District. This year, the WEF concentrated some of its efforts to support the district’s sustainability agenda. At Daniel Webster School and Theodore Roosevelt School, the WEF purchased Aquaponic Gardens for their school climate clubs. Clubs at each school are growing, learning and discovering the power of hydroponic systems. At Weehawken High School, the WEF purchased 2 new bicycle racks to encourage students to ride their bicycles to school as part of their ride you bike/walk to school initiative.

pdf Weehawken Education Foundation

Digital Learning Leadership

Community Engagement

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: In order to promote the innovation that is happening in the WTSD, it is imperative that we communicate with parents and students, as well as other community stakeholders through a variety of venues. While WTSD values include a high level of technology, we also remember that options should not exclusively rely on families having connectivity at home. To meet these needs, WTSD provides wifi hotspots to families in need. News and announcements can be found on our digital boards, website, SIS parent portal, all call system and across our social media platforms.

pdf Community Egagement
image Copy of Communication (1) (1).jpg

District Commitment to Digital Learning

10 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority District

Program Summary: The Weehawken School District has a robust commitment to digital learning. We are a 1:1 PreK - 12 Google district with several Google Certified Educators and broadband internet access. The Board of Education and administrative teams are supportive our digital learning initiatives. Teachers have the opportunities through professional development to maintain a high level of commitment to our students. The digital vision of our school district is to teach digital literacy and digital citizenship to prepare students to become 21st-century citizens. All students in Kindergarten through 12th grade are provided with their own Chromebook. Each PreK student is provided with an iPad. Teachers and students use a variety of grade-level, subject-specific software, digital tools, and Google applications. These are tightly integrated into the curriculum, to help students reinforce existing skills and learn new ones. All classrooms are equipped with interactive projectors and some have document cameras. Each teacher has established a Google Classroom and website for his or her class on the Internet, where parents can get information about classes and assignments, visit educational links, or email the teacher. As newer and better technology comes along, our Supervisor of Technology and his team work with other administration to address any upgrades they feel will benefit our students. The Supervisor of Technology has met with our Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Superintendent to review programs that we have licenses for and to discuss teacher training options for summer and next year. He met with the special education team recently to discuss new software for our AIM program at DWS and had a representative come in and do a demo. He and his team often meet with several vendors and other admin to discuss the needs of the district, specifically to address our aging SmartBoards and to discuss budgeting for replacements starting this summer. Finally, the Business Administrator/Board Secretary and Supervisor of Technology applied for a federal EDF grant to replace old Chromebooks and iPads for the Webster School population and they expect to receive the devices by June. WTSD is proud of our digital technologies and generating innovative practices, pooling resources and services, and developing distance education offerings adapted to the needs and realities of today’s and future generations of learners.

District Professional Development Plan Retires 10/31/23

10 Points

District

Program Summary: Every year, the Weehawken Township School District administrators use data to create a comprehensive Professional Development Plan that focuses specifically on digital learning. School and district administrators meet several times throughout each year to discuss the various online platforms that teachers use. In preparation for these meetings, the school district sends out a Google Form that asks teachers to rate and request additional information about different online programs. This data is used to craft the Professional Development Plan, that is advertised to the staff within the district. The school district additionally has set up 16 PLC meetings that also promote the vision of the Professional Development Plan. Teachers and staff are asked to fill out surveys at the conclusion of each PLC to offer their feedback on different tools and practices that were covered during the meetings. During professional development opportunities for teachers, there is a particular emphasis on integrating digital learning knowledge and delving into specifics of the different programs that are available. Online training outlined in the District Professional Development Plan include but are not limited to Orton Gillinghman, Rubicon Atlas, Peardeck, SMI/SRI, NewsELA, Read 180, and Savvas Realize. The Weehawken Township Board of Education also takes an active role in the process by approving the Professional Development Plan to focus on digital learning for teachers and staff members. The board also encourages staff to pursue additional professional development to support student learning. Teachers each complete an individual Professional Development Plan that allows administration to best support specific needs in terms of growth.

Digital Learning Practices

Authentic Application of Digital Learning Tools and Content

10 Points

School

Program Summary: Providing students with authentic, real-world learning experiences is imperative to increase student engagement and buy-in. Across all disciplines at Weehawken High School, teachers are facilitating activities that students can place into a real-world context. Pairing our innovative use of digital tools, personalized learning strategies, and relevant topics, students have the unique ability to apply their learning in a variety of ways. Whether it’s through administering their own original polls and analyzing data to researching current global issues and proposing solutions, Weehawken students have the opportunity to apply their learning outside of a traditional classroom setting.

pdf Authentic Application of Digital Learning Documentation

Digital Citizenship

10 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority District

Program Summary: As an innovative school, digital citizenship is of the utmost importance. Prior to implementing technology in the classrooms, the district provided professional development to ensure all students will be using digital tools correctly and safely. With the addition of remote learning, beginning March 2020, all staff members researched and implemented more digital citizenship activities than ever before. Weehawken Township School District created an Internet Access Plan. Our commitment to digital citizenship is outlined in our technology (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dKTLzf2St2BQwOWKm2swNkwBxGAwN484m5DVsZcWENA/edit?usp=sharing) plan. Digital Citizenship training has increased awareness of personal digital responsibilities and helped our students and staff be better digital citizens.

pdf Digital Citizenship - Twitter.pdf
pdf Digital Citizenship SJS (1).pdf
image digcit.png
pdf Tech Plan 20-23 (3).pdf
pdf Digital Learning Vision - from our Tech Plan.pdf
pdf Digital Citizenship PD.pdf

Personalized Learning and Growing Independent Learners

15 Points

School

Program Summary: At Weehawken High School, we take personalized learning seriously. Our goal is to provide an individualized learning experience where all learners can excel, and aligns with the digital learning vision for the district in providing equitable access to education for all learners. Teachers are consistently working on professional development and in their departments to share best practices and improve their digital learning resource database and strategies. One way we do this is by providing Google for Education training to teachers regularly, where many of our staff members have either Level 1 or Level 2 Google Educator Certification. We analyze data regularly to identify student needs and tailor staff professional learning to help meet those needs. In the evidence, you’ll find examples of our data analysis, digital learning tools, lesson plans, and student work samples.

pdf Personalized Learning & Growing Independent Learners Documentation

Professional Growth and Collaboration

15 Points

School

Program Summary: Teachers at Weehawken High School are consistently working both collaboratively and independently to grow as educators to provide students with the best possible educational experiences. This is no surprise, as teacher professional development and growth is spotlighted as part of the Weehawken Township School District’s Strategic Plan and Mission Statement. Throughout each school year, teachers are constantly collaborating during planning periods both in-person and using digital tools to communicate, in PLCs, and participating in workshops to learn innovative teaching techniques and put them into practice. Professional development often involves how to incorporate new digital learning tools into our daily practice. The Board of Education, school administration, and PTA are all supportive and encouraging of innovation and teacher growth. Incorporating innovative blended learning tools is an important part of our philosophy at Weehawken High School since we have implemented a 1:1 Chromebook program. Part of the success of that program is thanks to the extensive professional development and collaboration that teachers participate in year after year. Each year, teachers set professional development goals (PDPs) that tightly align with the district’s digital learning goals. Teachers make regular use of the digital tools that they learn about in their various professional development opportunities and regularly collaborate with colleagues on pedagogical best practices.

pdf Professional Growth & Collaboration Documentation

Digital Technology Access

Data Safety and Security Policy

10 Points

District

Program Summary: The Weehawken Township School District developed a board-approved Data Safety and Security Policy in 2018. Since that time, members of the technology task force meets annually with members of the board of education, administration, and the curriculum and instruction committees. At that time, we review the privacy policies for our current third party vendors and discuss the policies of prospective vendors. Policies and procedures are scheduled for ongoing review and policy changes are shared with our WTSD community via multiple communication channels: our district website, email blasts, all social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). Additionally, acceptable-use policies have been developed for staff and students.

pdf WTSD Data Safety & Security Policy and Evidence

Support for Digital Teaching and Learning

20 Points

District

Program Summary: Support for Digital Teaching and Learning is led by our Supervisor of Technology and supported by technology personnel experienced in managing technology infrastructure and support resources. Together, this team is responsible for evaluating and implementing technology resources and crafting service level agreements with our third-party vendors. Our network operations center serves as the hub for all core networking services, server workloads, and distribution of internet access. A technology committee, led by the Supervisor of Technology and consisting of five staff members, are the first line of support for our students and staff. Based upon input from the faculty, staff, and student population, this team seeks to create ways to better improve the delivery of technology into the curriculum. Additionally, they serve to research new educational platforms that would help optimize learning and improve the climate. Lastly, they serve as the conduit between the school and the community-at-large, regularly reaching out to students’ families to assess their hardware, software, and connectivity needs. The technology acquisition process and support system is managed through Google Forms.

Diversity & Equity

Breakfast After the Bell

20 Points

School District

Program Summary: The Weehawken Township School District is proud to offer "Breakfast After the Bell" for all our students. As the 2020-2021 school year began, the WTSD developed a restart and recovery plan that included ensuring food service availability daily whether school was open or virtual and whether students were participating in in-person or virtual learning. At Daniel Webster School (PreK-2nd) & Theodore Roosevelt School (3rd - 6th), students are provided an opportunity to have breakfast in the classroom. A quick breakfast (cereal, milk, juice and fruit) is prepared and made available to each student from 8:15 to 8:50. During this WIN (What I Need) period, students are able to eat during instructional time at their desk behind their shield. Teachers are encouraged to be sure that each child has had an opportunity to eat breakfast. At Weehawken High School (7th - 12th), we provide a Grab and Go (GNG) breakfast option for all our students. There is a kiosk set up in the cafeteria and students may grab a breakfast after 1st period, during homeroom. They may also eat in their classrooms during 2nd period instructional time. Our students that are participating in virtual learning are also able to pick up free breakfast/lunch at the end of the school day at each of our schools. Breakfast After The Bell is FREE to all students. Notification of this program was shared with families and students via our student information system, electronic signage outside each school, our district website and social media.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency for School Facilities

30 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority School District

Program Summary: The Weehawken Township School District completed an impactful energy efficiency program with PSE&G to make some facilities upgrades. We installed LED lighting in common areas and offices that were not upgraded as part of our 2017 referendum proposal. Additionally, we installed fuel use economizers on our boilers so they run more efficiently and use less energy. A full listing of the measures and budgeted costs are on the attached Environmental Impact Statement. The total project cost was $67,000, of which PSE&G covered $47,000 through an Energy Savings Grant program. Our $20,000 will be paid at 0% interest over 5 years. Two huge benefits from this project are: 1) The energy savings/positive impact on the environment. PSE&G estimates we are making an impact equivalent to planting 18.5 acres of trees and taking 9 cars off the road each year. 2) The positive cash flow from using less energy, thus spending less money. Based on previous usage and the cost of energy, we are expecting to save between $25,000 - $35,000 per year from this project on our utilities bills.

Food & Nutrition

Healthy Food Choices Beyond the Cafeteria

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: At Weehawken High School, there are numerous programs for students that promote wellness and nutrition. These initiatives exceed state and federal requirements for school healthy food options, as outlined in the district’s comprehensive Wellness Policy. All foods provided at Weehawken High School meet the HHFKA nutrition standards and at least 50% of all grains in school meals are whole grain rich. As per district policy, Weehawken High School uses their school website and other channels of communication to reach out to staff members, parents, and students about these programs. In collaboration with Pomptonian Food Service, the school offers Farm Stand, an award winning fruit and vegetable choice program for students. The Parents Choose program encourages parents to take a proactive role in the dining choices, as well. Students can also learn about healthy foods and nutrition through the Culinary Arts courses available at Weehawken High School.

pdf Healthy Foods Beyond the Cafeteria Documentation

Promote Locally Grown Foods

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: At Weehawken High School, there are numerous programs for students that promote wellness and nutrition. These initiatives exceed state and federal requirements for school healthy food options, as outlined in the district’s comprehensive Wellness Policy. In collaboration with Pomptonian Food Service, WHS offers Farm Stand, an award winning fruit and vegetable choice program for students. Each month a local fruit and vegetable is featured in our cafeteria under the “Jersey Fresh” brand/program. Posters hung in the cafeteria highlight nutritional benefits and provide background on the farms supplying this local produce. The WHS Cafeteria staff finds creative ways to prepare the fruit and vegetable of the month, challenging students to think about food differently. All stakeholders receive information and guidance about food choices and menus on a regular basis. Our cafeterias feature not only local produce, but also local milk and bread regularly. Students learn about nutrition and food production in WHS’ Culinary Arts program.

pdf Promoting Locally Grown Food Documentation

School Gardens

10 Points

School

Program Summary: During the 2020-2021 school year, Weehawken High School built a new and innovative hydroponics lab in the biology classroom. Teachers and students are learning about hydroponics and sustainable food growth, and are currently growing swiss chard, kale, tatsoi, lettuce, sweet basil, and arugula. They are growing on a heat pad, under a humidity dome, in Q-Plug media. This media is a mixture of Coco Coir, Sphagnum Peat Moss, and Coconut Shell BioChar, a biodegradable and sustainable media. This is all under a grow light on and on/off a 12 hour cycle. We can see in the picture some immature leaves (cotyledons). Students are learning about how fast the growth is in a hydroponics system, allowing for feeding more people as more food is produced in less time. This is a combatting feature of food deserts and the trying effects of climate change on the agricultural industry. The hydroponics infrastructure not only allows for real-world, authentic learning experience for students, but also allows for community connections since food can be donated to the local senior citizen center and homeless shelter.

pdf School Gardens Documentation

Green Purchasing

Green Purchasing Policy

10 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority District

Program Summary: The Weehawken School Board encourages the use of environmentally preferable products and services. By including environmental considerations in purchasing decisions, the district can reduce its environmental footprint and promote practices that improve human health, conserve natural resources, and reward environmentally conscious manufacturers. School district personnel are encouraged to actively seek out environmentally preferable products and services for use in day-to-day operations when quality, performance, price, and functionality are comparable to their non-environmentally preferable counterparts. The district also alerted all our vendors about our environmentally preferable purchasing policy.

pdf Green Purchasing Policy
pdf Green Purchasing Policy Posts.pdf
pdf Environmentally Preferable Purchasing.pdf
image TCO Certified Chromebook Purchase

Healthy School Environments

Indoor Air Quality Review Retires 10/31/23

15 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority School

Program Summary: The Weehawken Township School District (WTSD) has specific regulations regarding Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) listed in the district policies (see Evidence Section.) The WTSD Board of Education endeavors to provide air quality consistent with NJ Department of Labor standards here: The Board of Education will provide air quality for school employees in school buildings that meet the standards established by the New Jersey Department of Labor pursuant to N.J.A.C. 12:100-13. Weehawken High School has an Administrative team that is responsible for Indoor Air Quality (see Evidence Section). As a result of COVID-19, Weehawken HS had a comprehensive IAQ review by New Wave Engineering, LLC completed as of Sept 2020. This was shared with the school via email and is still accessible on the school's website. The IAQ report contains floor-by-floor and room-by-room walkthrough and action plan items (see Evidence Section). Materials related to training and education about the IAQ of Weehawken HS were presented and shared with faculty and staff at the time of the emailed report. (see Evidence Section)

pdf IAQ Review Documentation
pdf DWS Indoor Air Quality Data

Access to Healthy Water in Schools

20 Points

School

Program Summary: The Weehawken Township School District has established access to healthy water in all three of its schools. Within the past three years WHS has installed, tested and encouraged the use of healthy safe water features. Water services have been tested and documented. In 2018, the Weehawken Township School District replaced all outdated water fountains and installed filtration stations and water fountain combination machines. In Weehawken High School, there are 8 machines. Each station has two heights to accommodate for different needs. Attached to each station is a hands-free water bottle filtered fill up station. These stations provide sanitary accessible clean water and help reduce the use of single use plastic. The climate club has documented the single use plastic water bottles saved from recycling and landfills by reporting on the numbers located on the fountains that indicate how many fill ups have occurred in each station 26,228 plastic water bottles have been saved as of February 22, 2021. The Weehawken High School Climate Club also ran a fundraiser to support the use of reusable water bottles. They sold aluminum 24 ounce refillable bottles to the staff and student body for $10 each. The money earned from this fundraiser went directly to the charity “Charity Water“ an organization who educates and builds wells and pumps in areas on the globe that do not have clean water sources. In 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency visited Weehawken High School and gave a presentation about the remediation of lead in all schools. Weehawken was a forerunner in this remediation from the beginning. The acknowledgment of the EPA helped illustrate the mission of bringing healthy water and healthy attitudes towards water to the Weehawken Township School District.

pdf Access to Healthy Water in Schools

Innovation Projects

Innovative Project #1

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: In May 2019, the Weehawken High School Social Studies Department completed an innovative project with the 8th grade students inspired by TREPS, an entrepreneurship program. The leaders of this project were Mr. William Campi and Mr. Mark Perry from the department. Students were taught about the importance of entrepreneurship and creating products that offered value to the customer’s life. Students were encouraged to make products to sell using natural materials and other items available to them at home. In keeping with this framework, many students modeled their products to also have an environmentally friendly vision. On May 3, 2019, the 8th grade students had the opportunity to sell their products to the Weehawken school community in the Weehawken High School gymnasium. Staff members, students, parents, and other community members were able to interact with the students and purchase items that they were selling from this experience. TREPS became an experience that all students were able to engage and interact with as a result of the in-school marketplace. This innovative project gave students insight into the importance of entrepreneurship, as well as the importance of promoting sustainable practices in their created products.

pdf Innovative Project 1 Documentation

Innovative Project #2

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: During the 2019-2020 school year, representatives from the US Army and the New Jersey School Boards Association collaborated with Weehawken High School’s seventh and eighth graders for STEAM Tank. At the beginning of the day, representatives from the US Army educated the students about the importance of the STEAM Tank challenge in an assembly format. The students then engaged in various team building activities. Students developed bonds with one another and worked together to overcome different stages set up by the representatives from the US Army. With this experience, students were then tasked with using only recyclable materials to create an invention that would address a real-world problem. Weehawken High School students worked together to design and develop innovative projects. In a Shark Tank-like style, the students pitched their ideas and creations to the US Army representatives. Students answered a number of logistics questions about their inventions to prove effectiveness. STEAM Tank had a positive impact on the school community, especially for the students involved. The student learning experience from the STEAM Tank project was also featured in the December 2019 Weehawken High School Newsletter for the community at large.

pdf Innovative Project 2 Documentation

Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (iSTEAM)

iSTEAM Collaborative Units of Study

10 Points

School

Program Summary: In collaboration with Weehawken High School teachers, seventh grade students complete an iSTEAM unit and activity when they are tasked with building a geometric city. The project based learning activity addresses various learning standards, specifically from science, technology, arts, and math courses. Students first learn important background knowledge prior to engaging in the task in their different math, science, and technology classes, as documented in the evidence below. Following this instruction, students are divided into groups to use what they have learned from these different disciplines to design and build a geometric city. The project is broken down into five separate parts: completing a survey about the geometric city, outlining a blueprint with scale drawings, creating the city, designing a presentation to accompany the model, and presenting their findings to their peers. The students collaborate with one another and apply what they have learned to engage them in STEAM education. This unit in particular is one that seventh graders at Weehawken High School always look forward to completing because of the relevant skills they are able to apply throughout the process. This unit has had a positive impact on the students involved and has enhanced the quality of education offered at Weehawken High School.

pdf ISTEAM Unit Documentation

Learning Environment

Future Ready Schools - New Jersey Certification

10 Points

School

Program Summary: One of the features Weehawken High School is most proud of is its commitment to personalized learning, equity for all students, and ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn. One way we do this is by using digital tools effectively. Because of this, WHS has the honor of being awarded a Bronze Level Future Ready Schools Certification. Earning this certification was no small feat. WHS administrators created a Future Ready Committee comprising of a variety of teachers and other stakeholders, and since then has worked to increase digital access for all students. We are a 1:1 school district that provides each student a Chromebook or HP laptop. During the Coronavirus Pandemic, the school took extra steps to ensure each student had access to the internet by providing them with a wireless hotspot. This has had a tremendous impact on the school community, allowing teachers to continue providing quality education to all students, and allowing students to continue learning.

pdf Future Ready Schools Documentation

School Culture and Climate

Inclusive Environments Where All Can Thrive

10 Points

School

Program Summary: Weehawken High School adheres to the New Jersey Amistad Commission’s mandate in its courses that are offered and has established a Black Student Union to ensure an inclusive environment where all can thrive. All Weehawken High School students are welcome to join the Black Student Union and take inclusive courses available, including African American History. Surveys are sent out for students to sign up to take different inclusive courses and learn about the number of clubs at Weehawken High School. As per district policy, the Weehawken Board of Education supports equity in its educational programs and services in order to “provide equal and bias-free access for all students.” The Black Student Union has taken on numerous initiatives to embrace culture and address needs within the community. Weehawken High School and the Black Student Union have been proactive in addressing these unique needs, and have been highlighted for their inclusivity. To address the immigrant community, Weehawken High School has provided professional development to staff on teaching strategies for English language learners. In addition, an adult ESL class is offered to the parents in the community interested in learning English. Additionally, a Gay-Straight Alliance Club is opened to all students and participates in community outreach programs. The programs at Weehawken High School have created an inclusive environment where all students can thrive and learn.

pdf Inclusive Environments Documentation

Social Emotional Learning Integrated Unit

10 Points

School

Program Summary: During the 2nd Marking Period of this (‘20-’21) school year, students in 7th Grade ELA class in WHS received instruction on SEL competencies while reviewing the content in the novel The Outsiders. Per the attached unit, students practiced basic content and skills standards for reading literature for comprehension, written and verbal communication, and community standards during the Outsiders Unit. In addition, students were instructed in SEL, as the themes plot and character development in the Outsiders naturally lent itself for the instructors to introduce and explore elements of SEL. In the Outsiders Unit, SEL competency of Self-Awareness was a natural fit because the first-person narrative style of the novel allowed students to literally “read the thoughts” of Pony Boy Curtis, the teenage protagonist. This is an ideal position to make connections and explore the concept of self-awareness through the characters in the novel. We’ve attached examples of the lessons in the unit, delivered via various methods of instruction. They demonstrate various creative and ways generally organic to the content for students to explore SEL concepts. The instructors report this is one of the more popular units in terms of student engagement, and the class frequently communicates with S.E. Hinton on Twitter about the work they do. As a result of Covid-19 protocols and consistent district access to technology, elements of this unit were delivered in hybrid, in person and remote digital.

pdf SEL Integrated Unit Documentation

School Grounds

Green Infrastructure Installation

10 Points

School

Program Summary: During the 2020-2021 school year, Weehawken High School spearheaded its new Bee Club in an effort to promote sustainability and environmentalism throughout the school and community. Part of this new initiative was incorporating green infrastructure to help teach students about renewable energy and how architecture can incorporate more green practices. Our green infrastructure project was installing a rainwater collection system on the Weehawken High School campus. Weehawken High School plans to put a bee observation garden on the school roof. The rainwater collection system is just the first step in a larger project to promote sustainability and enjoying nature. The rain collection barrel was donated by the Hudson County Improvement authority and was installed in spring 2021. It is used both to water plants in the bee area and supply water to the bee fountain. All the water for this space will come from this rainwater collection system. The rainwater collection system not only allows for real-world, authentic learning experiences for students, but also allows us to grow our Bee Club and community connections.

pdf Green infrastructure documentation

Student & Community Outreach

Green Team

10 Points

Bronze Required Silver Required School District

Program Summary: Weehawken has a district green team as well school green teams that were formed in the 2020-21 school year. The goal of each team was to successfully complete the application for Sustainable Jersey for Schools. This in essence became a self-reflective and assessment process as each action item was worked on and completed. Throughout this process, many sustainability initiatives were implemented, including the Bee Club, Breakfast after the Bell Program, #WalktheHawk campaign, and first annual “Green Game” with varsity sports teams at the high school, and a vermipost project, aquaponics tank, and staff wellness program at Daniel Webster School.

Community Education & Outreach

10 Points

Bronze Priority Silver Priority School

Program Summary: Description of Implementation: In December 2020, the Weehawken High School Climate Club put together the “Climate Club Craft Corner” school event to promote reusing everyday materials into useful household items. During this time, the school district was providing virtual learning only, but the Weehawken High School Climate Club was able to put together a remote school-wide event for all grade levels to participate. The event was advertised through digital flyers and online videos posted on the Weehawken High School Climate Club’s YouTube account. The craft corner event had a positive impact on the school-wide community and encouraged many students to try different projects at home, extending the effectiveness of the event to outside of the school. Considering the number of supermarkets in the Weehawken area that do not provide plastic bags, this project was relevant to the community and has helped make the township a greener place to live and learn. Additionally, in March 2021, the students involved in the Weehawken High School Bee Club began educating the community about the important role that bees play for the overall environment. With the central focus being pollination of plants, the Weehawken High School Bee Club has presented its message to the community on various platforms, including Twitter, to present “Live from the Hive.” The Weehawken High School Bee Club also participated in a community cleanup for the bees in Hudson County in April 2021. The students have shared with the community the safety precautions needed to take care of bees, as well as the impact they have on the world.

pdf Community Ed & Outreach documentation

Civic & Stewardship Volunteer Initiatives

10 Points

School

Program Summary: Two civic-minded volunteer initiatives that have taken place this year at Weehawken High School include the FreeRice World Hunger Initiative and our Glasses Donation Center in the Media Center. Started by the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society, the FreeRice World Hunger Initiative challenges students in grades 7-12 to help end world hunger in an easy way - by practicing their vocabulary. By partnering with FreeRice, sponsored by the 2020 Nobel Peace Laureate United Nations World Food Programme, students in the entire building have contributed to civic and social activism. As linked in the evidence section, the FreeRice initiative was promoted both on social media and via flyers in the school. During National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society meetings, students discussed the impacts of how this program has affected world hunger. They researched the efficacy of the program to date and have planned to report their results in the year-end Kid Witness News special. The WHS Media Center is also home to the Glasses Donation Center. Starting in the fall of 2019, the National Honor Society spearheaded an initiative to help ease the burden on others who don’t have access to medical care for vision. The students in NHS were tasked with creating an annual donation and they conducted research on a variety of needs both locally and worldwide. Students learned that the Lions Club International and the local Walmart Vision Center accepted donations of used prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses. They chose this as their service project after learning that inability to access glasses affects both children and adults. To date, we have collected nearly 100 pairs of glasses and have donated them to the Lions Club International and plan to continue this community partnership and involving students in promoting this initiative.

pdf Civic & Stewardship Volunteer Initiatives Documentation

Enrichment Programs through Partnership

10 Points

School

Program Summary: In partnership with Bergen County Special Services, Weehawken High School offers any interested twelfth graders the opportunity to conduct different internships throughout the local community, Hudson County, and the State of New Jersey. Bergen County Special Services is a community-based organization that works with those in the northern New Jersey region of the state. The Weehawken Experience allows students an enrichment program that offers them hands-on working skills through internships. This partnership allows students this school year to experience life after Weehawken High School. Students complete the internship after school and document their hours with the Weehawken High School Counseling department. This partnership was developed to engage students in relevant working experiences and to provide them with opportunities aligned to their future career aspirations. As a result of this program, students have had the opportunity to learn important skills and service their community. The school is strongly committed to this program as it believes it offers students an incredible learning opportunity, particularly for those who are about to graduate from Weehawken High School. This program has had a positive impact on the students involved as it has given them insight into certain jobs and careers they are exploring.

pdf Enrichment Documentation

Green Fair

10 Points

School

Program Summary: On June 18, 2021, the Weehawken Township School District, with multiple submissions from Weehawken High School, hosted a virtual green fair. The district shared the virtual green fair on YouTube (https://youtu.be/Ol3FnsxZkZ0). The fair was sponsored by external organizations outside of the school district, including the Weehawken Education Foundation, the Hudson County Improvement Authority, the Hackensack Riverkeeper, the Weehawken Elks Lodge #1456, and the Township of Weehawken. On all promotion efforts to engage members of the school community, these external partners were featured. Entry submissions were submitted by students, parents, and teachers in the Weehawken Township School District, including at Weehawken High School. Some of the submissions from Weehawken High School included science department lessons and labs, physical education and athletics games, and extracurricular initiatives that promote sustainability. The virtual green fair was a combination of the sustainable efforts that were occurring throughout the school year. Students and teachers were also interviewed about their contributions to the Green Fair and the importance of sustainable practices.

pdf WTSD Virtual Green Fair Documentation

"Green" Your Green Fair or School Event

10 Points

School

Program Summary: On May 27, 2021, the Weehawken High School Varsity Softball Team hosted their “green” game to promote environmental activism and sustainability in collaboration with the Climate Club. Our green school event was communicated to the public both on social media and on the Weehawken High School Morning Announcements show. Those who came to the game were encouraged to use alternative transportation and carpooling to get to the game. At this outdoor event, the team wore green socks and held a pre-game rally to promote sustainable practices to the audience in attendance. At the conclusion of the game, the team joined the Weehawken High School Athletics Department to participate in a field cleanup. All disposable items were recycled at the game and all trash and recycling bins were labeled for the audience in attendance to reduce waste. The game was considered a success within the Weehawken High School community and supported the vision of ensuring a greener school climate.

pdf Green Your Green Event Documentation

pdf Technology Documentation

Student and Staff Wellness

Policies to Promote Physical Activity

10 Points

District

Program Summary: (blank)

Programs to Promote Physical Activity

10 Points

School

Program Summary: In collaboration with Zensational Kids this school year, students at Weehawken High School have been offered a new program to promote physical activity and mindfulness. Through Title 1 funding, Weehawken High School has provided students and families with training on breathing, movement, and mindfulness. Yoga with Allison, a representative from Zensational Kids, has been offered to Weehawken High School Students numerous times throughout the current school year. This program at Weehawken High School was created to address social-emotional learning needs of students and to increase the amount of time students are engaged in physical activities throughout their day. Weehawken High School also launched a new website for athletics to promote physical activity throughout the school. In addition to the various programs already in place at Weehawken High School that promote physical activity, these new initiatives for this current school year have been specifically started to increase the amount of time students are engaged in physical activities before, during, and after school.

pdf Programs to Promote Physical Activity Documentation

Staff Wellness Program

10 Points

School District

Program Summary: At Weehawken High School, there are a number of resources available to promote staff wellness. As supported by district policy, the Weehawken Township School District has prioritized a healthy workplace environment for administrative and teaching staff members. While the school leadership team has always taken a proactive role in ensuring staff wellness, the COVID-19 pandemic inspired a newly developed program. Under the leadership of school administration, the Weehawken High School Counseling Department has created a new interactive virtual classroom with a variety of resources to support the staff wellness program. A collection of videos, zoom meetings, support groups, stress relieving courses, strategies, and practices are available to all staff members through their interactive virtual classroom. To best support staff wellness, surveys have been conducted to better understand needs. As a result of this program, Weehawken High School staff understand that their wellness is important to school and district administrators. The staff wellness program has had a positive impact on Weehawken High School employees and school community at large.

pdf Staff Wellness Program Documentation

Student Safety

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Promotion Initiatives

10 Points

School

Program Summary: At Weehawken High School, there have been a number of initiatives to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety in collaboration with the local government. Considering that the Township of Weehawken is just less than one and a half square miles, many students choose to walk or bike to school regularly. To ensure safety measures have been taken into consideration to avoid accidents, infrastructural changes have been made to the streets and sidewalks around the school. In June 2020, the repavement project, specifically on Liberty Place and Highwood Avenue, served as a major infrastructural goal done for the improvement of pedestrians and bike riders. Sophomores are taught about pedestrian safety specifically in Driver’s Education classes offered at Weehawken High School as part of the Physical Education Department curriculum. Additionally, Weehawken High School held a Walk or Bike to School Day on Thursday, May 27th and the Weehawken Township School District collectively held a Walk or Bike to School Day on Earth Day, April 22nd, at all three schools - Daniel Webster School, Theodore Roosevelt School, and Weehawken High School. Many of the students who are attending school in-person participated in both Walk and Bike to School Days, as well as many staff members who live locally.

pdf Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Documentation

Waste Reduction & Recycling

Recycling Non-Mandated Materials

20 Points

School

Program Summary: This school year, Weehawken High School has embarked on three different recycling initiatives under the direction of the Student Council, the IT/Technology Department, and the Weehawken Township School District. In March 2021, the Student Council announced Purses for a Purpose, an initiative to recycle new and gently-used purses and personal care items. A donation box was outside of our school’s child study team office for people to place their donations. This program was advertised to the Weehawken High School community both internally through district communication platforms, including email, and externally through social media. The donation of the purses and toiletry items were made to a women’s shelter in Hudson County. In addition to this recycling initiative, the IT/Technology Department has recycled ink cartridges. As members of the HP Business Rewards Program, the department collects used ink cartridges for donation to minimize the use of plastic materials. Multiple boxes of ink cartridges have been donated to HP and Weehawken High School has received points from this program as a result. This initiative has been widely advertised, especially on Twitter and other social media platforms. In April 2021, the Weehawken Township School District began an initiative to recycle crayons in a new partnership with Crazy Crayon. This organization is considered a national crayon recycling program. At Weehawken High School, there is a box for individuals who would like to participate in the collaborative effort where they can donate used crayons. This program has been advertised on social media platforms to the community. The district also recycles used coffee pods in collaboration with Nespresso USA. This program is also advertised on social media platforms to the community.

pdf Recycling Nonmandated Materials

Sustainable Jersey for Schools Certification Report

Contact Information

Actions Implemented

Board Leadership & Planning

District Sustainability Policy

Professional Development for Sustainability

Green Enhancement of District Strategic Plans

School Community Asset Mapping

School District Foundation

Digital Learning Leadership

Community Engagement

District Commitment to Digital Learning

District Professional Development Plan *Retires 10/31/23*

Digital Learning Practices

Authentic Application of Digital Learning Tools and Content

Digital Citizenship

Personalized Learning and Growing Independent Learners

Professional Growth and Collaboration

Digital Technology Access

Data Safety and Security Policy

Support for Digital Teaching and Learning

Diversity & Equity

Breakfast After the Bell

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency for School Facilities

Food & Nutrition

Healthy Food Choices Beyond the Cafeteria

Promote Locally Grown Foods

School Gardens

Green Purchasing

Green Purchasing Policy

Healthy School Environments

Indoor Air Quality Review *Retires 10/31/23*

Access to Healthy Water in Schools

Innovation Projects

Innovative Project #1

Innovative Project #2

Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (iSTEAM)

iSTEAM Collaborative Units of Study

Learning Environment

Future Ready Schools - New Jersey Certification

School Culture and Climate

Inclusive Environments Where All Can Thrive

Social Emotional Learning Integrated Unit

School Grounds

Green Infrastructure Installation

Student & Community Outreach

Green Team

Community Education & Outreach

Civic & Stewardship Volunteer Initiatives

Enrichment Programs through Partnership

Green Fair

"Green" Your Green Fair or School Event

Student Learning

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Arts

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Career and Technical Education

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 English Language Arts

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Health

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Math

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Science

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Social Studies

Education for Sustainability Grades 4-12 Technology

Student and Staff Wellness

Policies to Promote Physical Activity

Programs to Promote Physical Activity

Staff Wellness Program

Student Safety

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Promotion Initiatives

Waste Reduction & Recycling

Recycling Non-Mandated Materials

District Professional Development Plan Retires 10/31/23

Indoor Air Quality Review Retires 10/31/23