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Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

A Showing of Fine Arts at Forrestdale

Students, staff, and volunteers at Forrestdale School in Rumson celebrated the annual Evening of Fine Arts on May 26.

The Gagnon family enjoys the original creations of Forrestdale students at the recent Evening of Fine Arts. Photo/Rumson School District
The Gagnon family enjoys the original creations of Forrestdale students at the recent Evening of Fine Arts.
Photo/Rumson School District

“The Evening of Fine Arts allows our students to showcase their many talents,” Forrestdale School Principal Jennifer Gibbons said. “The energy in the building is so high as a result of the excitement the parents and esteemed guests get from each and every student’s artistic contributions.”

The event featured student artwork and music. A roster of student pianists — Norah Anderson, Gray Barnum, Louisa Barnum, Sydney Carroll, Hannah Duprey, Madeleine Ganun, Grace Harvey, Tyler Izzo, Tristan Izzo, George Kressler, and Hayden Marciszewski — provided a musical greeting as visitors entered the school’s lobby.

Tristan Izzo plays the piano for the crowd at the 2016 Forrestdale Evening of Fine Arts. Photo/Rumson School District
Tristan Izzo plays the piano for the crowd at the 2016 Forrestdale Evening of Fine Arts.
Photo/Rumson School District

 

 

 

Artwork by fourth through eighth graders was featured in the hallways, cafeteria, and lobby. Visitors enjoyed art dubbed Aboriginal Animal Art, Fish Bowls with Melted Glass, Snow Globes, Chuck Close Self-Portraits, Kimmy Cantrell-Inspired Clay, Zentangles, Hokusai Waves, Durer Rhinos and more.

Performances by the Junior Choir and Beginning Band were featured in the school’s all-purpose room. The Junior Choir, directed by Barbara Leutz, sang “Peace in Twelve Lanuages,” “Reflections of a Lad at Sea” (The Captain’s Mate, Thoughts of Home, The Ghost Ship) and “Two Sea Chanteys” (Cape Cod Girls, Sleepy Sailor). John Lebitsch led the Beginning Band through “Popcorn Prelude,” “Slideways,” and “Hard Rock Blues.”

Parent volunteers helped prepare and hang the artwork for the PTO-sponsored event.

— Edited press release from the Rumson School District

Local Life

Focus: Summery Sunning Down by the River

Gallery

It may be an unofficial start of summer that’s taken hold, but the sun was scorching like it was pretty official down by the Navesink River on Monday in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

The National Weather Service says “patchy fog” is going to hit tonight until early tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. After that, it’s supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees.

Take a look at the above photos for a glimpse into the sunny day in both Rumson and Fair Haven. 

Local Life

UPDATE: Memorial Day in Rumson, Fair Haven

UPDATE: Due to the forecast of inclement weather, the Fair Haven Memorial Day Parade has been canceled. There will, instead, be a ceremony at Knollwood School at 9 a.m.. So far, the Rumson parade is still on with the ceremony to follow at Victory Park.  From the Rumson website: “Due to weather concerns, announcement will be posted 7.30am Monday re: the status of the Memorial Day Parade and location of the ceremony.”  Click here to access the Rumson website. 

Memorial Day parades and ceremonies start the day on Monday, an hour apart, in Rumson and Fair Haven.

Continue reading UPDATE: Memorial Day in Rumson, Fair Haven →

Local Life, News

A Fair Haven Sign-On

It’s a sign of the times — Fair Haven’s new LED digital sign at Borough Hall, that is.

After decades of dealing with updating an old fashioned marquee sign outside of official borough headquarters on River Road letter-by-letter, event-by-event coupled with a combination of not being able to keep up and just plain age-induced wear, a new sign was commissioned.

And, “it’s just about ready to go,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said. “This is a much better option for us. The old sign was just falling apart and this one is just much more cost-effective. We couldn’t see hiring someone, or taking time away from a borough employee to keep up with changing the sign consistently and on a timely basis. This LED digital sign can be updated right from the computer and holds several alternating messages. It just makes so much more sense and it’s going to be very sturdy and nice looking.”

There was an advisory committee charged with choosing a sign that would fit in with the character of the borough and get the job done of efficiently notifying residents of events and important messages as they drive by Borough Hall. After doing some research and mulling design ideas, this is what the committee came up with.

The price for the sign, including installation, was roughly $30,000, which at least one official balked at in a past meeting, but Lucarelli and other officials said was worth the product in the long run and is a one-shot payment.

The sign, officials have said, will not be as flashy as Red Bank Regional’s when lit and will get the messages out.

— Elaine Van Develde

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

A Showing of Student Art at Deane Porter

The annual Deane Porter School Art Show is highly anticipated by the Rumson community. This year was no exception.

Original work by students in kindergarten through third grade was showcased on the evening of May 19.

“The annual Art Show is a fantastic event that showcases the creative, imaginative, and beautiful work of the Deane Porter students,” Deane Porter Art Teacher Robin Yaeger said. “My students work hard in the art room week to week; and having the opportunity to show the community their masterpieces is a very rewarding experience for them and for me.”

Featured projects by grade level:

• kindergarten — paper sculptures, Chinese lanterns, stuffed fish, Monet landscapes, and self-portraits in which students imagined themselves as kings and queens;
• first grade — turtle sculptures, Chinese dragons, self-portraits in Starry Night by Van Gogh, and weavings;
• second grade — ancient Egyptian portrait masks with digital cartouches, African-inspired masks, coil pottery, and Picasso portraits;
• third grade — Dia de los Muertes sugar skulls, Kimmy Cantrell faces, slab pottery, and Matisse-inspired collages.

Digital art was featured once again, as Deane Porter has received additional iPads for use by art students in all grades. The iPads were purchased through a PTO grant.

— Edited press release from the Rumson School District

Schools Scene

RFH French Students Create iBooks for Haitian Orphans

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) students have created iBooks ® that will soon be enjoyed by children in Haiti.

The imaginative original stories — written in French, the language of Haiti — were created by the second and sixth period classes of French II teacher Christine Berg.

The iBooks ® will be stored on two iPads ® and shipped to an orphanage in Haiti. The project, coordinated through the Haitian People’s Support Project, is being funded by a grant from Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey.

The adorable and colorfully illustrated story books are entitled Le Soleil d’Haiti (Haiti’s Sun), La Journee d’Emmanuel (Emmanuel’s Day), and Nadia et le Chat (Nadia and the Cat).

The participating students in Berg’s section two/French II class are: Joseph Afflitto, Olivia Benedetto, Matthew Caldwell, Colleen Fagan, Katherine Gagliardi, Alyssa Hull, Caroline Kane, Blake Lerner, Julia Marchese, Olivia McDermott, Jeremy Nives, Courtney Parton, Armani Rodriguez, Joseph Sestito III, Madison Taylor, and Michael Taylor.

Participating section six/French II students are: Lara Baez, Timothy Bull, Ella Campbell, Olivia DeBonte, Theresa Duffney, Madyson Fanning, Jeanne Gagliano, Kenneth Gilvary, Laura Higgins, Grace Karagjozi, Natalie Livingston, Thomas Montalbano, Annabel Morris, Caroline Peitler, Chloe Reynolds, and Kelli Tuttle.

— Edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School

Local Life

Focus: Rumson Bike Rodeo

Kids, police and parents took a successful ride with a message at the third annual Bike Rodeo in Rumson on Saturday.

By all accounts, the event, sponsored by the Rumson PBA and PTO, was a well-attended one in which youngsters ran obstacle courses and races for fun while learning some bicycle safety lessons.

As a bonus, bikes and helmets were inspected by Jonathan Erdelyi of Red Bicycle in Fair Haven, according to the Rumson PBA Facebook page.

Take a look at the slideshow and gallery above and below for a glimpse into the day via photos by Sarah Orsay, Rumson communications director and Detective Sgt. Chris Isherwood of Rumson Police Department.

 

Local Life

Focus: Sea Bright Fair Fun

Gallery

It’s that time of the year again — time for the Sea Bright Firemen’s Fair.

The fair opened on Thursday at 5 p.m. Featuring the usual host of rides, games of chance and good ol’ fair food, the fair continues tonight, Friday, from 5 p.m. to midnight, the same hours on Saturday, and Sunday from 2 to 9 p.m.

The Buster White Band will be playing tonight.

Take a look at the above photo gallery for a glimpse into the fair’s opening day. Click each to enlarge.

— Photos/Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Retro Fair Haven PD

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Fair Haven PD in 2001 Photo/FHPD
Fair Haven PD in 2001
Photo/FHPD

With the news that recently retired Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge was appointed director of the Monmouth County Police Academy, thoughts of past teaching moments by mentors came to mind.

First, the Retro Pic of the Day honored Breckenridge’s mentor, Chief Carl Jakubecy on National Police Week.

That ode is followed by a look back at Breckenridge before he became chief with fellow colleagues in 2001.

Several of the officers in this photo have since retired, including former Chief Rick Towler, Captain Paul McCue, Lt. Bill Heath and … who else?

Recognize anyone in this photo. Who was a former juvenile officer and president of the Monmouth County Juvenile Officers’ Association. Do you know what rank Breckenridge had in 2001?

Have you thanked a police officer today?

— Elaine Van Develde

News

Former Fair Haven Police Chief is New County Police Academy Director

On the first day of National Police Week and little more than six months after his retirement as Fair Haven’s police chief, Darryl Breckenridge has been appointed director of the Monmouth County Police Academy, Sheriff Shaun Golden announced in a press release today.

“There’s no one I’d rather have lead the Monmouth County Police Academy than Darryl Breckenridge,” Golden said of the 35-year police veteran in the release. “He brings with him a wealth of experience, exceptional leadership skills and shares the vision of maintaining and enhancing training at the academy, which as a result, will continue to produce the finest members of law enforcement who will serve the public.”

Breckenridge began his career in law enforcement as a special police officer in Fair Haven in 1976. In 1977 he left the department to serve in the U.S. Army where he was assigned to the 3rd ID Military Police Division in Germany.

When he returned home from duty, he worked as an investigator at the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and after graduating from the Monmouth County Police Academy in 1985, became a patrolman for the Fair Haven Police Department.

He rose through the ranks and was assigned to the position of detective in 1997. In 2000, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and then lieutenant in 2002.

Breckenridge achieved his lifelong goal and dream of becoming police chief in 2005 and remained in that position for 10 years before retiring in 2015.

“I’m deeply honored to have been appointed to this position and I thank Sheriff Golden for allowing me this great opportunity to run the Monmouth County Police Academy,” Breckenridge said in the release. “I intend to meet every challenge with enthusiasm and will take pride in providing the most challenging and effective training possible to our police recruits and veteran officers.”

In addition to training basic police and corrections recruits throughout the state, as well as special law enforcement officers and county park rangers, the Monmouth County Police Academy offers in-service trainingcourses to veteran members of law enforcement. Officers from many of the 50 states as well as other countries have trained at the academy. The academy currently has 290 part time instructors.

Breckenridge began as director the week of May 16 and takes over the duties of Undersheriff Ted Freeman, who was the interim acting director. In addition to his vast experience in law enforcement, Breckenridge received three honorable service awards, an exceptional duty award, and in 2008, attended the National F.B.I. Academy.

— Edited press release from Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office