Superintendent's February Message to Parents

smiraldi — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:50:46 +0000

Read Dr. Heflich's February Message to Parents.

Oakland Registration Information

smiraldi — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:03:30 +0000

Kindergarten 2012 Registration: January 24 & 25

Grade One 2012 Registration: January 31

Please provide the following documents when a child is presented for registration in the District:

A certified birth certificate for the child or other proof of the child's identity (e.g. passport).
Children are eligible for Kindergarten if they are five years old by October 1, 2012. At registration, parents may also register entering kindergarteners for the Summer 2012 Safetytown Program.
Children are eligible for Grade 1 if they are six years old by October 1, 2012. This registration is only for those families who have a child attending a nonpublic kindergarten program this year, and plan to have their child attend our District's Grade 1 next year.

At least two of the following documents certifying residence in the District:

Property tax bills, deeds, contracts of sale, leases, mortgages, signed letters from landlords;
Voter registrations, licenses (only when combined with another form of proof), current utility bills;
Court orders, State agency agreements, and other evidence of court or agency placements or directives;
Receipts, bills, canceled checks, insurance claims or payments;
Medical reports, counselor or social worker assessments, employment documents, unemployment claims, benefit statements;
Affidavits, certifications and sworn attestations pertaining to statutory criteria for school attendance, from the parent, legal guardian, person, person keeping an affidavit student.
Proof of current immunizations for the child.

Forms available in PDF format:

Registration Form	Immunization Requirements

Home Language Survey	Safety Town Emergency Information Form

Parent Questionnaire	Safety Town Photo Release Form

Parent Survey	Safety Town 2012 Registration Form

Parent Physical Letter	Physical Examination Form Letter

Superintendent's December Message

smiraldi — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:06:02 +0000

NJ Flood Assistance

smiraldi — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:45:22 +0000

NJ Flood Clean Up Assistance

Do you need help with cleaning up flood damage in your home basement, or small business?

Help is only one click away!

Subscription Busing for 2011/2012

smiraldi — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:17:29 +0000

Subscription Busing information for 2011/2012 is available at Information>Busing Information for 2011/2012.

Superintendent's May Message To Parents

smiraldi — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:40:07 +0000

Read the Superintendent's May Message To Parents

VMS Students Win National Honors at Future City Engineering Competition

smiraldi — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:38:48 +0000

Sidney Anderson, Benjamin Clauss, and Jeevan Jeyabalan, Grade 8 students at Valley Middle School in Oakland, were awarded Second Place at the National Future City Competition in Washington, D.C., and received a $5,000 technology grant for their school. The team’s work received further recognition by earning the National Competition’s Special Award for Best Future City Model!

The 2011 Valley Middle School Team continued the school’s winning tradition in this Competition. This was the tenth year that a Valley Middle School team became Regional Champions in the engineering program, thus advancing to the National Competition. Last year’s team also won the Second Place Award.

Team members wowed the engineer judges and extolled the virtues of their future city, which was located in Australia, with a unique presentation. Team member Ben Clauss, an engineer in “Crocodile Dundee attire” and boasting an Aussie accent, explained the city of the future with team member Sidney Anderson, the quarry control manager. In the presentation, Jeevan Jeyabalan played an investor from India, who was quite “gob smacked” by the city, and listened to his teammates description, adding information that he had obtained though due diligence on United Reclamation, the city creator. Following their presentation, the students defended their design before a panel of engineer judges who tested the depth of the team’s knowledge.

The city that the team designed, Eleebana Wahan (Peaceful Water), is a reclamation project surrounding a granite quarry and features a Health Dome, helicoid bridges, cliffside condos, and a humanoid robot named PAM. With more than 850 team hours invested on the city’s development, the students completed most of the work during after school hours.

The winning entry consisted of a Sim City computer model, an essay on “Providing A Reliable and Effective Health Care System That Improves A Sick, Injured or Disabled Patient’s Quality of Life and Comfort,” a narrative, a table top model, and a presentation.

The students traveled to Washington, DC, with their teacher/coach, Ms. Judith Vihonski, and presented and defended their city to panels of engineers. Mr. Robert Akovity was the team’s engineer-mentor and Mr. Ned Carpenter was the model facilitator. Former national contestants Kevin Cheetham, Alec Carpenter, and Matt Whittle served as student mentors.

The mission of the National Engineers Week Future City Competition is to provide a fun and exciting educational engineering program, for seventh and eighth-grade students, that combines a stimulating engineering challenge with "hands-on" applications. Problem solving, teamwork, research and presentation skills, practical math and science applications, and computer skills are needed to successfully complete the Future City challenge.

This year, more than 33,000 students from 1,000 middle schools in 35 regions across the country participated in the 19th Annual National Engineers Week Future City® Competition. And, Oakland’s Valley Middle School Team won Second Place as well as the Best Model Special Award!

For Additional Information:

Ms. Judith Vihonski, Future City Coach – 201-919-5048

Dr. Richard G. Heflich, Superintendent – 201-337-6156

Superintendent's Inclement Weather Letter to Parents

smiraldi — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 06:00:00 +0000

To review procedures for emergency changes in the school schedule or calendar, including the Emergency School Closing Procedures, please download the Superintendent's Inclement Weather Letter to Parents.

Tenth Straight Future Cities Win

smiraldi — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:00:00 +0000

VMS Students Win Future Cites Regional for Tenth Straight Year

Sidney Anderson, Benjamin Clauss, and Jeevan Jeyabalan, eighth graders at Valley Middle School in Oakland, recently captured the New Jersey Regional Championship at Rutgers University. This was the tenth year that Valley Middle School has won this prestigious award by competing in the New York and New Jersey Regional Championships.

The mission of the National Engineers Week Future City Competition is to provide a fun and exciting educational engineering program for sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students that combines a stimulating engineering challenge with a "hands-on" application to present their vision of a city of the future. Problem solving, teamwork, research and presentation skills, practical math and science applications, and computer skills are needed to successfully complete the Future City challenge.

Their entry consisted of a Sim City computer model, an essay on “Providing a Reliable and Effective Health Care System That Improves a Sick, Injured or Disabled Patient’s Quality of Life and Comfort,” a narrative, a table top model, and a presentation.

The students received a Flip cameras as well as a five-day trip to Washington, DC where they will represent the New York City region at the 19^th annual National Engineers Week Future City Competition Finals. In addition, they received a $1500 STEM grant for their classroom.

The students will travel to Washington, DC, with their teacher, Judith Vihonski, to present and defend their city to panels of engineers from February 17 - 22. Mr. Robert Akovity was the team’s engineer-mentor and Mr. Ned Carpenter was the model facilitator. Former VMS students, Alec Carpenter, Kevin Cheetah, and Matt Whittle were also mentors for the project.

Their city, Eleebana Wahan, is located in Australia and is a reclamation project. The city features a Health Dome, helicoid bridges, cliffside condos, and a humanoid robot named PAM. Their city, constructed of recycled materials – from computer parts to cereal boxes – also received the People’s Choice award. The students spent over 400 hours on the project. Most of the work was done after school.

Valley’s second entry, Inipiruq Piqaluyak, an Arctic city, received the Best Organized City award. Their city featured algae bridges, floating hotels and hospitals, and wildlife preserves.

Superintendent's Welcome Message

smiraldi — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Superintendent's Welcome Message 2010.

Superintendent's December Message to Parents

smiraldi — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Read the Superintendent's December Message to Parents

Brendan Dente Wins First Place in History Channel Video Competition

smiraldi — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Brendan Dente was an eighth grader at Valley Middle School when he submitted his video in late May. His video, “Satellites: Life Changers of America,” traced the history of satellites from Sputnik in the 1960s through the launching of current communication satellites. He described the impact of telecommunications satellites from Echo and Telstar to the current consumer satellites, which have affected global communication and foreign policy.. He included interviews with Terry Hart, former astronaut and former president of Loral Skynet, the Telstar satellite network; Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary; and Bill Hemmer, CNN and FOX News anchor.

Final 2010/2011 School Calendar (note revisions)

smiraldi — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

View the updated 2010/2011 School Calendar. Please note all revisions.

Subscription Busing for the 2010/2011 School Year

smiraldi — Mon, 24 May 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Download Subscription Busing information for the 2010/2011 School Year.

Superintendent's November Message to Parents

smiraldi — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Read the Superintendent's November Message to Parents.

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