Schools
New Social Studies, Business Courses at Hanover Park
AP Psychology is a popular option for students.
Hanover Park High School Principal Thomas Callanan can't wait for Sept. 6.
"I'm looking forward to another great school year," Callanan said. "We have a nice group coming in again that academically are taking this school to another level, and it's really exciting to sit back and watch."
AP Psychology, a new course at both Hanover Park and Whippany Park, is the most popular addition to the curriculum this year, Callanan said.
"It's huge. There's actually three sections of it here next year, and it's three full sections. ... We had to cut students off," he said.
An addition to the science curriculum is a forensic science class, a semester-long course for students interested in law enforcement or in simply understanding what happens on the next episode of "CSI."
"It's something we've been talking about for a couple of years, and we finally made it happen," Callanan said.
Students in the forensic science class may expect to have a Callanan as a guest speaker: Thomas' cousin is an FBI agent, and Callanan said he hopes to bring her in to speak to the students.
The school also added new business courses to the curriculum, including a marketing class. An autism program is also a new addition to Hanover Park this year, which will enable students to stay in town for instruction instead of traveling to other districts, and Callanan said other staples of the Hanover Park educational experience, "
Hanover Park will add 10 new teachers to the staff this year, including two instructional aides. Their names and departments are:
- Brian McCarthy, Business Education Teacher
- Alexis Anderson-Urriola, English Teacher
- Matthew Meyerkopf, Math Teacher
- Tyler Branham, Physical Education Teacher
- Christine Mulligan, Physical Education Teacher (Maternity Leave)
- Kathryn Margerison, Science Teacher
- Robert Lenox, Social Studies Teacher
- Tara Kelly, Social Studies Teacher
- Cathleen Dennehy, Special Education Teacher
- Marisa Sgori, Special Education Teacher
- Loredana D’Urso, World Language Teacher
- Douglas Dudek, Instructional Aide
- Margie Fonseca, Instructional Aide
Some of those teachers replace retired staff members, one is a maternity-leave replacement and the others, Callanan said, are due to enrollment growth and scheduling changes.
"Seniors are staying a full day, which is a big change from the past. Going back seniors were able to get out after taking six classes, which could work out to 12:20 p.m.," Callanan said.
However, the district recently increased the number of credits required to graduate from 130 to 140, and the class of 2014 is the first class to have to meet that requirement. "So this group of seniors will be here a full day. They're taking more classes, which equals more teachers, which in my opinion equals a better situation for the kids," Callanan said.
Effects of this change on the student parking situation should be minimal, Callanan said. While fewer parking permits will be distributed to students, only about seven spaces were lost.
Looking for more information? Check back next week as we continue our talk with Callanan about what to expect from the 2013-14 school year.
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