BHS aims to become more 'user-friendly'

By Roman J. Uschak, Staff Writer

The 2011-12 school year that began Sept. 7 got off to a good start in Belleville, with significant initiatives at the high school.“The weather didn’t cooperate, but our staff and students did,” said Belleville Superintendent Joseph Picardo last week at a Board of Education meeting.

“Things went very well, and we’re very happy.”Picardo, who also toured Belleville’s schools last week with district curriculum director Michael Meyers, said that he was now looking at class size numbers, and was “waiting for the dust to settle” before remedying the situation. Belleville High School has a new but familiar leader this year,  former vice principal and interim Principal Russell Pagano

.“We needed some things to change,” said Pagano last week.

“We want to make Belleville High School welcome to everyone.”He added that there exists an image that people are not wanted at the high school, and he said this has to change with an effort from the administration, school board, teachers, students, and community.

“The high school is like the hub of a wagon wheel,” he said.Pagano added that high school  personnel are now required to make at least three positive phone calls per week, and that department meetings have also been reinstituted. The high school teachers lounge has been revamped; two new flat screen TVs have been installed in the student cafeteria; new computers have been obtained for students; and a new electronic marquee and message board for the main entrance is on the way.“Everybody is going to be on the same page,” he said.Pagano has been joined at Belleville High this year by two new vice principals, Joseph Rotonda and Aida Cardona.“

I was absolutely impressed in meeting the students,” said Cardona last week after a meet-and-greet in the Connie Francis Auditorium. “They’re some of the nicest I’ve ever met, and I’m really happy with the students and the warm welcome I got from the staff.”Rotonda, who came to the high school from Belleville Middle School, said that he bleeds Belleville Blue and Gold like fellow Belleville native Pagano.“I believe in this school system,” said Rotonda. “If you want to learn and do the right thing, you’ll be fine.”Belleville Middle School Principal Carmine Guinta called the start of the new year in his building “absolutely phenomenal.”

“The schedule worked perfectly, and students for the most part knew where to go,” said Guinta late last week.He said that the new policy on Harassment-Intimidation-Bullying, or HIB, was in place, and that everything else was ready to go. He added that the new seventh-graders had been wonderful and well-behaved, and he also praised new middle school vice principal Ricardo Acosta.“School is off to a wonderful start,” said Guinta.

“It’s all very good, and we’re very happy.”Belleville School No. 5 Principal Nanette Rotonda experienced a new beginning herself this fall, having spent the past several years as the principal at School No. 9. She served as a guidance counselor at School No. 5 in the past, and has quickly adapted to her new and old surroundings with the help of her new staff.“It’s been quite an undertaking, but it’s going beautifully,” she said late last week. “We’re all working like family, and we look forward to coming to work. It’s early on, but we’re really very happy to start the year together.”Roman J. Uschak can be reached at 908-686-7700,             ext. 125., or bellevillepost@thelocalsource.com.