Purnell School Welcomes Six New Faculty and Staff

Purnell School, the only college preparatory boarding and day school for motivated girls in grades 9-12 who learn differently, announced six appointments to its faculty and staff. The additions officially joined Purnell at the start of its in-person fall 2020 semester.

“We are ready and excited for a healthy and safe start to the new school year,” said Anne M. Glass, Ed.M., head of school, Purnell School. “Joining our returning faculty, our newest team of dedicated professional educators will help us take Purnell’s proprietary Learning and Wellness approach to the next level, ensuring each student has access to rigorous academics and support with social emotional wellness.” more

Princeton Adult School Presents “Innovation: Making the Culture Thrive”

An Eight Part Lecture Series with Noted Princeton Scholars

Beginning on Tuesday, October 20 at 8 p.m., Princeton Adult School will be offerings an eight-part lecture series centered around the experiences and opinions of eight noted Princeton scholars on the subject of “Innovation: Making Culture Thrive.” more

PU Public Lectures Welcomes Anthony Jack, Sept. 30

Join Princeton University for a free Zoom lecture with Anthony Jack, assistant professor of education at Harvard University and author of The Privileged Poor. Jack will be joined in conversation by Cecilia Rouse, dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the Katzman-Ernst Professor in Economics and Education. Their conversation will consider the campus lives of lower-income students, the “unwritten rules” or “hidden curriculum” of elite colleges, and the difference between “access” and “inclusion” at elite institutions. Jack will describe how class divides on campus create barriers to academic success – and share what schools can do to level the playing field. more

Community Options Appoints Ashlee DiPisa as Director of Recruitment

Community Options, Inc. has announced the promotion of Ashlee DiPisa to director of recruitment.

Community Options is a national nonprofit that provides housing and employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Community Options employs over 5,000 people across ten states to provide services to over 3,400 people with disabilities. more

Spotlight Q&A with Dr. Patty L. Fagin, Head of School at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart

Interview by Laurie Pellichero

Tell us about Stuart’s response this past spring to the COVID-19 pandemic. How did it adapt to distance learning?

I want to start out by expressing immense gratitude to my faculty and staff for their nimble and swift response to distance learning. Since our spring break started just as COVID forced area school to close, our teachers used their break to prepare a new method of instruction that would deliver on our Sacred Heart mission and the promise of academic excellence. And with over 10 years of investments in technology, including the use of Google Education tools in the Middle and Upper School, Stuart was able to pivot to virtual learning with impressive ease.

To maintain a sense of structure and normalcy, we ran a regular daily schedule in all three divisions with teachers providing synchronous instruction for the majority of the day. The Lower School used a combination of SeeSaw and Google Classroom with modifications to the length of time each class was held, and our youngest students — ages 2-4 — met with their teachers every day online. As the weeks turned into months, our teachers adapted their schedules and instruction style to meet students’ needs, and we introduced weekly programming to support the wellness goals of the community. The way our teachers were able to support our girls’ learning and convert major in-person events like a musical and a senior class capstone project into virtual experiences truly demonstrated a dedication to their students and the Stuart community.

How has Stuart kept its community of students, parents, and teachers engaged while at home?

Stuart is a tight-knit community, and we wanted to make sure our girls had social interaction after closing down. Over spring break, the Head of Middle School held virtual gatherings with dance-offs, trivia, Pictionary, and more. The Head of Lower School read books to her students and dropped in virtually for nightly prayer. Since March, we have engaged our families in the reopening process with a focus on regular communications through email, video messages, virtual town hall gatherings, and social media. We invited some families to serve on our Reopening Task Force, which includes nine working groups in areas like health and safety, facilities, and technology. Others participated in town hall and virtual presentations regarding our work to safely reopen school.  more

Get Your Pod Together for a Private Art Class

Classes available daily from 2 to 4 p.m. for up to eight peas. 

It’s a summer like no other and many people are forming pods or extended bubbles with friends and neighbors to help keep their elementary and middle schoolers busy. In connection with this new trend, the Arts Council is now offering Private Pod Classes.  more

BrainStorm Tutoring & Arts Provides Expert Academic Help

Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of the coming school year? You’re not alone.

With an elite network of academic mentors and performance coaches, BrainStorm Tutoring helps to equip students to perform at their best when the stakes are high – and to thrive emotionally during the process. more

Princeton University President’s Update: Undergraduate Education to be Fully Remote in Fall 2020

Friday, Aug 7, 2020
Dear Princetonians,

With deep regret and sadness, I write to update you about our plans for the fall, and, in particular, to explain why Princeton has decided that its undergraduate program must be fully remote in the coming semester.  In brief, the pandemic’s impact in New Jersey has led us to conclude that we cannot provide a genuinely meaningful on-campus experience for our undergraduate students this fall in a manner that is respectful of public health concerns and consistent with state regulations and guidance.

 more

New Jersey African American Museum Receives COVID-19 Grant Award

The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), central New Jersey’s first African American Museum, is one of 82 organizations to receive a new COVID-19 Response Grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the federal CARES Act.  more

PSRC Premier Fall Fundraiser Event with Senator Al Franken

The Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC), a community nonprofit whose mission is to help older adults thrive, offers programs for enrichment and lifelong learning, no-cost social services, resource referrals, and much more. Its 2020 fall fundraiser on Saturday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. includes VIP Virtual Cocktails, humor, and discussion with Senator Al Franken. more

Purnell School Announces Appointment of Tracy Haswell as Dean of Academics

Purnell School in Pottersville, N.J., the only college and preparatory boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12 who learn differently, announced the appointment of Tracy Haswell as dean of academics, a position that serves on the school’s executive leadership team. more

Cost of Attending TCNJ Drops for Undergraduates

In an effort to limit the financial burden on The College of New Jersey’s campus community during the COVID pandemic, TCNJ’s Board of Trustees approved a budget at its June 30 meeting that will result in a lower overall cost of attendance for undergraduate students for the coming academic year.  more

Rutgers University’s Virtual Alumni Career Fair, July 22

Rutgers University’s Alumni Association will present a Virtual Alumni Career Fair on Wednesday, July 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The HireNew York-Metro Virtual Alumni Career Fair will include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, well-branded franchises and retail stores, state and local governments, federal agencies, and nonprofits looking to hire full-time, salaried employees.  more

WheatonArts Family Art Workshops

Have fun creating and learning from home with a collection of WheatonArts Family Art Workshop video tutorials (https://www.wheatonarts.org/learn/family-activities/family-art-workshops/). Great for all skill levels and ages, each tutorial is paired with engaging discussion questions and links for further learning. A new video is added each week. more

“Pay What You Want” Yard Work, Housework, Grocery Shopping, and More: How Creative College Students Serve a Community in Need

Twelve New Jersey students have joined forces this summer to operate Hopewell Helpers LLC, which matches area college students with at-risk populations in need of services like yard work, housework, child care, technology assistance, grocery shopping and delivery, trips to the pharmacy, and more. more

Drew University Announces New Major in Finance for Fall

Drew University will add a new finance major to its list of undergraduate offerings within the school’s department of Business, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. The program will launch in the fall of 2020.  more

Cornell Hawks Are Nesting – Watch Now!

The Cornell Lab Bird Cams website is a free resource that connects viewers worldwide to the diverse and intimate world of birds. Offering a virtual window into the natural world, Cornell’s faculty, students, and staff aim to make birdwatching an active and engaging experience.  more

Historical Society of Princeton Presents Open Archive: Healthcare in Princeton

During 1918’s flu epidemic, a telephone operator takes protective measures.
(Photo Credit: Bettmann/Contributer/Getty Images)

The Historical Society’s popular Open Archive is going virtual! more

Learn How to Grow Fruit in Your Home Garden

On May 15, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educational system will lead a Zoom online learning course entitled Grow Fruit in Your Home Garden.  more

The Historical Society of Princeton’s Annual Baseball Game

Calling all baseball lovers! more