Governor Christie Joins Students in Ribbon Cutting Celebration for New School in Long Branch

On Thursday, September 25, Governor Chris Christie, Senator Jennifer Beck, and Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande joined Long Branch Public School administrators, teachers, students, school employees, and Long Branch town council members to celebrate in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly constructed George L. Catrambone Elementary School in Long Branch for the 2014-2015 school year.

The building, located at 240 Park Avenue, is named after the district’s own George L. Catrambone who rose from the ranks of Special Education teacher to Assistant Superintendent of Schools, before retiring in 2010.

The new 109,000 square-foot school is located on the site of the former Elberon Elementary School, and is designed to educate approximately 790 students in kindergarten through fifth grades. The facility includes 41 classrooms, four special education classrooms, a ”cafetorium” with a stage, a computer room, gymnasium, media center/library, art room and music room.

Students staged three performances for attendees of the ceremony. The first performance was put on by 2nd and 4th graders, who sang and danced to “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical, and the act ended with a confetti blaster, thrilling students and audience members alike.

The second performance was a presentation of a video, created by students with the help of school employees, in which students expressed their love for the new school by sharing the top ten things they love most about the school, including the “natural light” in the new library that comes from large windows in the ceiling, as well as a new science lab, in which students said in the video that they believe the “cure for cancer starts in that room”. See the video below.

The third presentation was for the Governor himself, in which one student took to the stage and recited a poem for the Governor, followed by two other students presenting Christie with a giant card, thanking him for his support of the school, with signatures from the school’s students.

Governor Christie spoke after he was presented with the card, telling the students that the presentations were “one of the best welcomes he had ever received”. He also told audience members in his speech that he wished all of the tax payers of New Jersey could come to the new school to see for themselves “how well their tax dollars were being spent”.

Governor Christie was also present two years ago for the ground breaking ceremony for the school.

The Long Branch Public School District expressed gratitude to the Governor and the Schools Development Authority for helping to “foster a lifelong love of learning in its students”, by developing a state-of-the-art school in which all students, ”regardless of background or circumstance”, are provided with opportunities which will create and inspire “forward-thinkers for generations to come”. School officials spoke on how “that day, and always, the new school represents the district’s unwavering belief and understanding that in Long Branch, Children Matter Most!”- the district’s motto.

Dr. Salvatore, Superintendent of School sa “I am always amazed with our students and today was no exception: their eloquence in the ceremony, their creativity on screen, and their presence in the room,” Dr. Michael Salvatore, Superintendent of Schools for Long Branch, said. “The design of this school is futuristic with capabilities which will be relevant for decades.”

“This new school will be a great addition to the community,” said Beck. “Students in Long Branch will receive cutting edge education that will better prepare them for high school and beyond.”

“The Long Branch Community has waited a long time for the completion of this new school” says Assemblywoman Casagrande. “It is my hope that the cutting edge classrooms, cafetorium, gymnasium and media center/library will all be used to help our students achieve to the utmost of their ability.”

Assemblywoman Angelini said, “This school will benefit many Long Branch children for generations to come.”