Chief of Bridgewater-Raritan Schools Resigns

Below is the text of an internal e-mail obtained this evening that was sent to faculty and staff by Victor Hayek, recently appointed Superintendent of Schools for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District:

Dear Bridgewater-Raritan Faculty and Staff,

It is with a heavy heart that I have tendered my resignation as Superintendent of Schools effective January 3, 2016.  After much thought and consideration, my family and I have decided to relocate to sunny California.

Though I will be here for a few more months, I want to thank each and every one of you for giving me the opportunity to lead our great school system.  I wish all of you continued success in your professional careers.
    
Respectfully,
Victor 

Victor P. Hayek, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District

836 Newmans Lane

Bridgewater, NJ 08807

p:908-685-2777 ext 3201

f:732-563-9673

www.brrsd.k12.nj.us

Fracas in the Dugout

When I read the sports section of the Washington Post this morning, I was taken aback to see how 34-year-old Jon Papelbon, a recently acquired star relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals, unceremoniously tried to discipline his teammate 22-year-old outfielder Bryce Harper, a top contender for National League MVP.

It seems that Papelbon didn't like the way Harper simply jogged to first base after hitting a long-ball out.

The Post reported that "Papelbon said 'run that out' to Harper as the outfielder walked toward the dugout after the flyball out, and he followed Harper to the dugout steps, still jawing to him.

Fiorina, Rubio, Christie

Last night, after the second GOP debate at the Reagan Library in Simi California, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer expressed his opinion that Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie were the three best debaters, in that order.

That was no surprise to me, especially concerning Fiorina.  In my post of August 18, 2015, I suggested in closing, to Keep your eyes on Carly Fiorina.  She has a role to play in the upcoming elections.

  

Poll results from Wednesday evening’s debate were not wholly consistent, but it is clear that Rubio and Christie both have gained momentum.

 

It is also just as clear that Carly Fiorina was more than a match for Donald Trump.  This woman has spent her entire career rising against the tide up the ranks of what was often a largely male-dominated work environment.

Labor Day Musings

Jogging on Long Beach Island, NJ in Late September.

One of the characteristics that I like about Labor Day in Bridgewater and, I suspect in other Central Jersey towns, is that for those of us who have not gone away for the weekend, it’s pleasantly quiet – a welcome break from the hustle and bustle that will begin anew in a few days.

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of a Nat King Cole summer song have been good this year, especially for Jersey Shore communities and their tourists who sought well-deserved pleasure in the waves of the Atlantic, the beckoning aromas of boardwalk food emporiums, and the warmth of sunshine captured by golden sands stretching over one hundred miles along coastal beaches and barrier islands of the Garden State.

“Tending to Grace”

A teen overcomes a bad start. (Bergeron Image)

If it had not been for a writing class that I attended – the only male in a sea of patient ladies – I never would have purchased the book, Tending to Grace.  But within its crisply written pages, I unearthed the gem of a story:  

A small paperback only 175 pages long, easy to read, with some chapters so small, that they consist of no more than a large paragraph.

I read it in one sitting.  You could do the same, maybe in two, but you won’t want to put the book down.  Although its theme seems aimed at young people, it pierces the artificial boundaries of age.

The main character, Cornelia, is an avid, quality reader, well beyond that of her teen years.  She stutters badly, and suffers from the neglect of her mother Lenore, a person who has fallen off the ship of life.