Bear sighting at Roxbury High School

ROXBURY – A recent black bear sighting at Roxbury High School prompted a security guard to instruct students to stay in their cars prior to the start of the school day.

At about 7:15 a.m. April 29, security guard Susan Crater spotted a black bear weighing at least 350 pounds walking on the fields on Bryant Drive near Hillside Avenue, the main roadway to the high school.

Students were just starting to arrive at school and Crater instructed them to park and remain in their vehicles until the bear was under control. The bear did not appear to be injured, Crater said.

“It looked very agitated because it could not get across the street because of the traffic,” Crater said. “We just stood, watched, and waited. It was pacing back and forth. Then it spotted me and started running.”

The encounter took about 10 to 15 minutes, ending with the bear moving into the nearby woods in the direction of Righter Road, at which point student were given the “all clear” and allowed to exit their vehicles and head into the school, Crater said.

The next day, Crater said she saw a similarly sized black bear in her own backyard, less than two miles from the high school.

Roxbury spokesperson Ameerah Palacios said it was the first bear sighting of the year at the high school.

“The important thing is this was before school,” Palacios said. “We have protocols to ensure safety and security in these situations but were lucky to get the bear away from campus before school started.”

A bear sighting near the school or in Roxbury is not uncommon at this time of the year.

“That’s how you know it’s spring,” Palacios said. “The grass is green, flowers are blooming, and there’s a bear near campus.”

Roxbury Police spokesperson Jennifer Dillard said the department has received 13 calls about reported bear sightings in the township since the beginning of April, including the bear on Bryant Drive earlier this month.

Other sightings have occurred throughout Roxbury, including three on Arlington Avenue, two on Ferro Monte Avenue, and on Route 46 near the Clay Oven restaurant.

Other areas in town police received a bear call for were in the areas of Roxbury Drive, Picardy Road, Eyland Avenue, Berkshire valley, George Street, and Mildred Terrace.

Students from Roxbury and Kinnelon High Schools contributed to this report as part of the annual Media Conference held in Roxbury Thursday.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com