Westwood Students Singing in State Honor Choir

Two fifth-grade students from Brookside Elementary were picked for the 2013 New Jersey Elementary Honor Choir.

  Westwood Regional School District fifth graders Nivedita Rathore and Nate Ouellette, from Brookside Elementary School, were selected to be part of the 2013 New Jersey Elementary Honor Choir. Rathore and Ouellette will be performing on May 4, 2013 at J.P. Case Middle School in Flemington. The New Jersey Elementary Honor Choir is a state-wide ensemble for students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, organized by the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA). Only 70 students from across the state were chosen to perform after auditioning. District officials said they wished to congratulate Rathore, Ouellette, and their teacher, Jasmin Yoo, on their accomplishments. Editor's note: This info was provided by Erica Golle-Curioni on behalf …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Is There a Solution For School Traffic?

Residents of one Westwood street are tired of parents parking there.

Residents of Cottage Place in Westwood asked the borough's council to do something about parents of Brookside School students parking on their street last week. Parents and neighbors agreed that school traffic has become a problem, but parents parked on Cottage Place told Patch that they plan to continue using the street — despite the residents' complaints — because it is the closest spot they can find after coming from work or picking up children at other schools. Even if the borough did ban parking on Cottage Place, the parents would likely have to move to a nearby street, causing a similar problem. Do you think there is a solution to the problem of school traffic? What can be done? Share your ideas in the comments below.

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Water Heater Catches Fire in Brookside School

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Firefighters from Westwood, Woodcliff Lake and Hillsdale responded to a call at Brookside Elementary School Thursday morning after a custodian reported a fire in a boiler room. A large commercial water heater caught fire, according to Westwood Fire Marshal Darren Blankenbush. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but it did not appear suspicious, he said. The fire was contained to the room because school officials kept the fire door closed, Blankenbush said. A sprinkler system in the room extinguished the fire. There was no damage to any other part of the school. Principal Matt Wilson said the incident should not prevent the school from opening to students in September. Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim Leggate…

• Photos (1)

Westwood Gala Helps Student’s Interest in Flight Soar

Brookside student Michael Atkins was able to live his dream of riding in an airplane after his family won an auction benefiting the Westwood-Washington Township Education Foundation.

  Thanks to this year’s Westwood-Washington Township Education Foundation Gala and a teacher with a passion for flying, fourth-grader Michael Atkins fulfilled a dream of riding in a plane. Atkins, a student at Brookside Elementary School in Westwood, recently flew with Brookside fifth grade teacher Brian Adkins in his Cessna. The two took off, with the student’s mother Linda Atkins giving a “thumbs up” to going along for the ride, at Greenwood Lake Airport in West Milford. Adkins, also commercial pilot, donated the flight as part of the gala’s fifth annual fundraiser. This year’s gala, which included an online auction where the flight was offered, raised about $50,000 for the district’s social studies curriculum. After the flight, Michael …

• Photos (2)

Teachers, Parents Take To Court To Raise Money For Student's Brain Cancer Treatment

Families of students at Berkeley and Brookside elementary schools supported Elizabeth Fasciano with basketball fundraiser.

Westwood residents held a basketball game between parents and teachers from Berkeley and Brookside elementary schools Thursday to raise money for Elizabeth Fasciano, a first-grade student at Brookside who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Fasciano was first diagnosed with brain cancer when she was 13 months old. She is currently receiving a new orally-administered chemotherapy, which is expensive and not covered by insurance. More than $2,500 was raised for the Fasciano family at Thursday's event. Another $700 was raised at the Westwood Softball opening day and the Berkeley Spring Fling earlier this week raised more than $1,300.

•  4 Comments
• Photos (9)

Carey Grant

8:35 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012

Wrong forum to air your politics buddy. why don't you delete this comment and open your wallet?   more ›

Children's Author Visits Brookside School

Michael Buckley talked to third-, fourth- and fifth-graders about his work

Michael Buckley, author of such well-known children’s books as Nerds and The Sisters Grimm Series, recently visited and talked about writing with all the third, fourth, and fifth grade students at Brookside Elementary School, which is part of the Westwood Regional School District. After his discussion, students stopped by the school library to meet Buckley personally. The Brookside PTO, along with Books, Bytes and Beyond of Glen Rock, sponsored the event. Buckley is the author of 11 published books. Editor's note: This information was provided by the Brookside Elementary School PTO.

• Photos (1)

Two District Schools Receive Environmental Grants

Forty-six schools in Bergen County were awarded the Environmental Challenge Grant by the BCUA

Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School in Washington Township and Brookside Elementary School in Westwood were among the 46 Bergen County schools awarded a 2011 Environmental Challenge Grant by the Bergen County Utilities Authority. More than $43,000 in grants were awarded to Bergen County public and private schools. The program, now in its fifth year, offers grants of up to $1,000 to schools that plan and conduct activities related to environmental awareness.  Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School will use the $1,000 grant to expand their current recycling program. Brookside Elementary School will use the $950 grant to implement a recycling program. Editor's note: This information was provided by the Bergen County Utilities Authority. If …

• Photos (2)

Whiz Kids

Westwood Student Recognized for Poetry

Olivia Lionetti won a contest for her work about stopping racism

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Olivia Lionetti, 11, recent graduate of Brookside Elementary School Accomplishment: This Westwood student recently won a Bergen County YWCA poetry contest for her work about stopping racism. As part of the honor, she was able to read her winning poem, "Racism," aloud during a presentation at the Paramus Park Mall. The poem appears at right. Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: Olivia likes writing poetry about a variety of topics (you can see another example of her work with the poem "A Writing Kind of Day" at right). She is also involved in dance, including ballet and jazz, and loves to sing. She plays the piano and enjoys a variety of music from classical to hip-hop. She is also a big fan of her family dog, Coco, …

• Photos (2)
• Documents (2)

Whiz Kids

Kindergartner Rewarded for Anti-Bullying Poster

Melanie Robles was chosen as one of the winners by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Melanie Robles, 6, Brookside Elementary School Accomplishment: This Westwood kindergartner recently won first place for her grade level in the "Don't Stand By for Bullying" contest put together by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. She created a poster encouraging others to speak up if they see an incident of bullying. She was honored at the Venetian in Garfield along with other contest winners from throughout the county. Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: Melanie is an active kindergartner. She plays softball and is involved in dance, including tap and jazz. Her mother, Laura, says she is an expressive girl with a lot of friends who loves to play. She is also part of the YWCA after school program. Q&A with …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (4)

Whiz Kids

Young Gymnast Also Does Football Camp

Taryn Myack has won awards for both activities

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Taryn Myack, 8, Brookside Elementary School Accomplishment: This Westwood second-grader recently won first place, All Around as a Level 3 gymnast in the Twilight Knight Invitational gymnastics competition at Rutgers University. Taryn practices at ENA Gymnastics in Paramus three days a week for nearly 10 hours. She is on a team with 12 other girls and has won first place as a team as well. Her mother Tracy says Taryn "eats, breathes and sleeps gymnastics." Taryn first watched gymnastics on television and her parents enrolled their active daughter in classes in Waldwick. Tracy said the staff there recognized Taryn's talent and suggested she transfer to a more competitive facility. Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (3)