School first, then Labor Day in many towns

A cyclical quirk of the calendar means many Morris County students and teachers will be back in class for the 2015-16 school year before the Labor Day weekend that traditionally closes summer vacation.

Most public and private schools are opening this week, while many districts have already conducted orientation for incoming high school freshman and middle school students in Morris County.

Randolph

Randolph High School freshman were invited to informal orientation events on Aug. 20, 21 and 24, meeting at their new school for games, team-building activities, tours and lunch. The 389 members of the Randolph Class of 2019, and their parents, also were invited to a second orientation and activities fair beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Freshman Paul Ward said he enjoyed all of the activities during the August orientation.

“We have learned that we can always go to upperclassmen for help if we need it,” he said. “Attending the orientation program will make me more comfortable of the first day of school.”

Students made new friends, worked together to solve problems and participated in many team-building activities during the 10th-annual orientation program, organized by Tomorrow’s Leaders, a special group of seniors trained by faculty advisers.

Randolph High School Principal Debbie Iosso welcomed the freshmen to and encouraged students to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them.

“I can’t encourage you enough to get everything you can out of Randolph High School,” Iosso said. “We want you to put your heart and soul into academics when you are here and get involved in your school community including the many sports and clubs and activities. These four years will fly by.”

Classes for all Randolph students begin on Thursday.

Parsippany

Students in the Parsippany-Troy Hills District begin classes on Thursday, with incoming high school freshman and 6th-grade middle school students reporting for morning orientation sessions on Wednesday.

The biggest news in Parsippany — Morris County’s largest school district — was the long-awaited installation over the summer of artificial turf athletic fields.

Hanover Park Regional, Hanover, E. Hanover, Florham Park

Hanover Park and Whippany Park regional high schools begin classes on Thursday, but K-8 students in the Hanover and East Hanover township districts get a bit of a summer reprieve as classes do not begin there until Sept. 8, the day after late-arriving Labor Day. Teachers, though, will report this week for two days of prep work.

Robert Mooney is taking on new responsibilities as interim superintendent of the Hanover Township district.

Florham Park students also get the extra week of summer before returning Sept. 8.

West Morris Regional, Mendhams, Chesters, Washington

Both high schools in the West Morris Regional High School District, serving the Mendhams, Chesters and Washington, begin classes on Thursday. Michael Ben-David, formerly assistant superintendent of the Wayne School District, took over on Aug. 10 as superintendent, replacing Mackey Pendergrast, who left for the Morris School district.

The Washington and Chester school districts open on Wednesday. The Mendham Township and Borough districts open Thursday.

Morris-Morris Plains districts

The Morris School District, which serves Morristown, Morris Township and includes Morris Plains students attending Morristown High School, also begins classes on Thursday. New superintendent Mackey Pendergrast posted on the district website that Woodland School and Frelinghuysen Middle School both have new principals, while construction began this summer on a new addition to the high school.

Morris Plains elementary and middle school students also report back to class on Thursday.

Morris Hills Regional, Denville, Rockaways

High school students attending both Morris Hills and Morris Knolls beat most of their Morris County peers to the opening bell, which rings there on Wednesday. K-8 students in the Denville, Rockaway and Rockaway Township districts report on Thursday.

Boonton-Lincoln Park

Boonton students also get a late start to the school year, which begins on Sept. 8. Incoming high school freshman, however, are expected for orientation on Thursday.

The district also welcomes a new interim superintendent, Joseph Luongo, who takes over for Christine Johnson, who left to take the same position in Hoboken. Luongo, who spent two years as interim superintendent in Woodbridge and eight more in Hasbrouck Heights before retiring in 2010, said he will stay on until the current search for a new permanent super is completed.

“Dr. Johnson left the district in excellent shape,” Luongo said. “My job is to keep programs intact going forward and tweak anything that needs tweaking.”

In Lincoln Park, Tuesday and Wednesday are staff development days in the borough. District students in K-8 begin classes on Sept. 8, as do high school students attending Boonton High School

Dover-Mine Hill-Victory Gardens

Dover teachers report for work Tuesday. Students return on Wednesday.

Superintendent Robert Becker posted on the district website that the high school has undergone a renovation of restrooms in the 200 wing, completing a multi-year project to renovate all student facilities.

“The athletic wing has been completely remodeled from the ceiling to floor and is now a polished and professional site welcoming guests to our athletic venue,” Becker wrote. “The final phase of our HVAC system replacement is underway, and the final stage of roof renovations is now near completion. New restroom partitions have been installed throughout the district, and a variety of smaller projects will contribute toward a healthy, safe, and welcoming environment for our students.”

Mine Hill students in K-6 return to Canfield Avenue School on Thursday. The older kids head to Dover for classes beginning on Wednesday.

All Victory Gardens students attend Dover schools.

Mountain Lakes-Boonton Township

Mountain Lakes students report back to school on Wednesday. So do Boonton Township students attending Mountain Lakes High School.

For the rest of Boonton Township, K-8 students in the township school district also report back to Rockaway Valley School on Wednesday.

Chathams

Students throughout the district report back to school on Thursday with a delayed opening at 9:40 a.m. High school freshman, however, will have to get up a little earlier for orientation at 7:40 a.m.

Madison-Harding

Students in the Rose City report back to their desks on Thursday.

Following a newly developed Strategic Plan, which relies heavily on leveraging new technology, all students in grades 6 to 8 will be issued a district-owned Chromebook for classroom and at-home use. Delivery of Chromebooks will expand to high school students in the winter. Classrooms for grades 3 to 5 also will have access to Chromebooks during the week.

In Harding, classes begin Sept. 8 at the K-8 Harding Township School. High school students attend Madison High School.

Roxbury-Mt. Arlington

Incoming freshman at Roxbury High School report for orientation on Wednesday. All other district students, including K-8, report for class on Thursday.

Roxbury High School students will find four new elective subjects — Creative Writing 2, Meteorology, Forensic Science and Astronomy.

Roxbury Superintendent of Schools Patrick Tierney said the district is focusing on supporting existing initiatives this year so that programs “can flourish and be totally embraced” at the classroom level.

Mount Arlington high school students travel to Roxbury High School. Students in K-8 stay within borough borders and start classes on Thursday.

Montville

Students in all grades return to class on Wednesday.

Former district Superintendent Paul R. Fried resigned effective June 30. The new super, Dr. René T. Rovtar, comes from long Hill, where she held the same post from 2008 to 2015.

Mount Olive

Teachers report Tuesday and students arrive the next day.

Jefferson

Students begin class on Thursday. New staff reports for orientation on Tuesday, with the remainder of the staff coming in on Wednesday.

Butler

Butler students, along with those in Pequannock, will be the last in Morris County to report back to school, on Sept. 9. Incoming high school freshman have an orientation session scheduled for Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Kinnelon

Classes for all grades begin on Sept. 8. Teacher orientation is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Long Hill

Students in K-8 return to class on Thursday. High school students in the township cross into somerset County to attended Watchung Hills Regional, where classes begin on Thursday. Freshmen, however, are scheduled for orientation from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Netcong

Staff reports for in-service duties Tuesday. The students arrive on Wednesday.

Pequannock

Teachers report on Sept. 8, students on Sept. 9.

Riverdale

K-8 students report back to Riverdale Public School on Sept. 8. Students in grades 9 to 12 cross into Passaic County and attend Pompton Lakes High School, where classes also begin Sept. 8.

Wharton

Wharton high-school students report to Morris Hills Regional High School on Wednesday. Grades K-8 report to borough schools on Thursday.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.