The Race for the Holidays 

A look into the battle for club fundraising during the holidays. 

The February concert took place in the NHS auditorium on February 15 and exhibited both the orchestra and the band ensemble. There were about fifty students in the band ensemble and about forty kids in the orchestra. Drums were incorporated into all of the songs for the band. Percussion instruments were also used in many of the songs played in the show.

A swarm of students wait, some at the school counseling office’s three tables, others hovering by closed doors. Every ten-or-so minutes is punctuated by the new ID scanner’s beeps. It’s scheduling season, and brand-new to the lineup is NHS’ newest counselor, Erin Theodorou.

Community colleges are a great and affordable alternative to a four-year college. Essex County College (ECC) and Bergen Community College (BCC) are two colleges that some Nutley High School (NHS) students may choose to attend after graduation. 

The drastic increase in college tuition has become a prominent factor in determining where graduating seniors attend college following graduation. These financial concerns are impacting families around the country and it is a topic that many people feel very strongly about. Anna Quinn, mother of NHS senior Adriana Quinn, said, “The increase in tuition is unsettling, especially with the current cost of living with inflation on the rise.

Every morning at Nutley High School, an estimated 120 teachers find themselves cutting their lessons short. The reason? A system of crackly speakers all buzzing to life at the same time. 

“Good morning, Nutley High School! Time for the announcements: we’ve got a few today!”

NHS students will soon have new food options for lunch and weekend meals that have their roots deeply planted in Nutley history.  Adam "Spanky" Jernick, a 2001 NHS graduate, is opening a restaurant across the street from the high school that will offer award-winning burgers, cheesesteaks, sandwiches, sides, and beverages. 

The onset of a new year gives people time to reflect about what transpired during the prior year, and also how they might make the upcoming year even better. New Year's resolutions have become a tradition among many people looking to make improvements in their lives, whether small or large. The most popular resolutions are to exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight, save more money, do better in school, or spend more time with friends and family. 

The Nutley High School RIISE Program has started a new business called the SunRIISE SweetShoppe And More! This new addition is a hospitality business and participants are hoping to bring joy both in and outside of the school atmosphere. 

Vice Principal Craig Jandoli started a new holiday tradition, a "Deck The Halls" fundraiser,  where the teachers participate in a door decorating contest, and the winner gets to choose a charity to donate the prize money to. Vice Principal Jandoli said, “Initially it wasn’t going to be a fundraiser, but just an opportunity to bring life into the school, give students a different scenery, and get into the spirit of the season.

Key Club members spent five hours helping the employees at Nanina’s In The Park put together baskets of food for Thanksgiving for the less fortunate and load them into trucks on Tuesday, November 22. Key Club Vice President Elizabeth DeSantis said, “It’s nice that Key Club always makes an effort to get the student body involved in events like these.

A 5k run/walk (three mile walk/run and a one mile fun run for children) was held on November 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at De Muro Park, in honor of the former Nutley cheerleader, Gianna Signorile. The event raised $10,000 for medical research.

The Key Club held their annual Blood Drive in the small gym on Tuesday, October 18. The event started once the morning announcements were over around 8:15 and didn’t end until approximately 2:45 pm.

Fourteen Key Club members participated in this event along with Ms. Mazza, Mrs. D'Urso, Mrs. Zarillo and Mr. Alberti. 

         Nutley High School has welcomed Craig Jandoli as its new vice principal. He fills the vacancy left by Jackie Devore, who accepted the position of coordinator of physical education. Jandoli began his first year this past September and has a lot to bring this year. “I’m looking to bring in a fresh energy of pride, I want NHS students to be proud to be Raiders,” he says. 

The Key Club represented Nutley High School at the Annual Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade on Sunday, October 9, hosted by the Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade and Italian Heritage Month Committee. Some of the other activities that Key Club hosts are the annual Blood Drive which takes place at the high school and pumpkin painting at the Nutley Museum.

Earlier this month, Nutley High School did something special that has never been done before: “Pie an Adminsitartor!” During last block of lunch, students who spent between $2–$7 had the opportunity to toss a pie at an administrator of their choice, choosing among Mr. Williams, Mr. Materia or Mr. Jandoli. The greater amount that the student paid, the closer they could get to their target. The event took place in the Senior Courtyard. 

June 3, 2022 marked Nutley High School’s (NHS) first ever Raiderfest: a series of different events taking place on the Oval, where all the grades competed against one another. Because of the lack of school activities in the last few years due to the Coronavirus, the NHS Student Council is working hard to bring back many events that were once enjoyed by all, and to even start new traditions in the future. 

As of June 2022, it is the 23rd celebration of Pride Month. During this time, individuals, whose sexual or romantic attraction and gender identity fall outside the mainstream, commemorate the freedom to be themselves. Pride parades and gatherings are traced back to the history of minority groups who have endlessly fought the decades of prejudice to be accepted for who they are.

For many years, the Egg Drop Challenge was popular with Lincoln School’s 6th graders, who were under the direction of retired teacher, Mr. Comune. It’s an opportunity for the students to bond, practice their engineering skills, and exercise friendly competition.  “Our curriculum was up for review and we wanted to include additional units of study such as Engineering and Coding,” says Spring Garden Media Specialist Mrs. Janine Sarno. 

Phillip Siculietano is no stranger to Nutley or the Nutley Public School system. Siculietano graduated from Nutley High School in 1982 and began his teaching career in 1992. He is a certified special education teacher specifically in a self-contained LLD program.