The HOWELL Times
Vol. 20 - No. 39
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Protesters Ask For Answers To Whale Deaths
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Pages 7-9
–Photos by Austin Downs The Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk was the home of the protest calling for wind turbine construction to halt.
Inside The Law Page 12
By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY – “Save the Whales” has been a slogan since at least the 1970s, and now in 2023 it’s still being used by people concerned that offshore wind projects are leading to the deaths of these animals.
Dear Pharmacist Page 13
Classifieds Page 15
T here have been several dead whales that have washed up on the shore in recent weeks, which makes animal lovers wonder if the number of whale deaths is actually higher. Could there be other dead whales that didn’t (Whale - See Page 4)
Officials Highlight Health Initiatives
By Stephanie Faughnan HOWELL – Local government officials appear to be on a very important mission – to protect the wellbeing of residents and potentially save lives. One initiative seems to directly correlate to a national sporting event that potential-
ly grabbed even more attention than the recent Super Bowl. Fans watched in horror as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into full cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The horrific event came with a happy ending as quick actions resulted in saving
Hamlin’s life. One of the team’s trainers immediately began CPR and used an AED (automatic external defibrillator) device to restore Hamlin’s heart to normal rhythm. Howell Tow nship Mayor Theresa Berger said at the January 17th town council meeting that she would like to
see AEDs available in more public places throughout the municipality. She pointed out that Freehold Township has them accessible in their parks and would like them available locally as well. Township Manager Joseph Clark reported at the most recent council meeting that he has al-
ready received quotes for the devices and their purchase is imminent. “We will probably put them in our more active parks,” said Clark. “Soldier Memorial, Oak Glen and Deerwood.” One of the challenges will be determining how to keep the AEDs safe, which may mean (Health - See Page 3)
March 4, 2023
Superintendent: New Assessment Is “Educational Malpractice”
By Alyssa Riccardi HOWELL – Howell Township School District Superintendent Joseph Isola has stated his opinion on the new statewide assessment, claiming it to be unnecessary and an extreme overreach. At the recent Howell Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent/Curriculum and Personnel Bruce Preston gave a presentation on the relatively new state-run Start Strong testing. According to Preston, the Start Strong assessment provides information to be used as a standards-based complement. The data is used in understanding where students are in terms of their readiness for the courses that they’re currently sitting in. The Start Strong tests were originally introduced in fall 2020 and was optional for districts. However, Governor Phil Murphy’s administration made the tests a requirement in 2021 and 2022. “Last spring, we gave the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment in the spring of 2022. In the fall of 2022, as per regulation, we reported those scores to you. At that nearly same time as we were reporting those scores to you, our students were sitting in the classes taking the Start Strong Assessment. We get the score reports back, now here we are in the winter reporting the Start Strong scores to you which were taken in the fall,” Preston said. “It’s a look back, but I think it’s really important that we understand that this is work that is already out with teachers, used to help students in terms of what their needs are for the classes they are sitting in.” Preston explained that the Start Strong Assessment does not replace local standard-based benchmark assessment districts that may already in place. It also does not replace the spring 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) statewide summative assessment or are predictive of their results. “It’s just an additional component. It’s one more data point in a dashboard or a windshield (Superintendent - See Page 6)
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