New Staff at WHRHS for 2020-2021
Fourteen new staff, including administrators, teachers, leave replacement teachers, instructional aides and/or office staff, have been added to the lineup of employees at Watchung Hills Regional High School (WHRHS) for the beginning of the 2020-2021 School Year.
WHRHS Director of Human Resources and Professional Development Beth Scheiderman introduced the new employees to returning staff professional development meetings before the start of the school year. The following is how she introduced them:
Robert Balcerski joins the science department this fall as a leave replacement teacher of physics. Having retired from Roxbury School District, Roxbury Township, in 2012, he has remained active in education as a chemistry and physics leave replacement teacher.
Arden Dean is a leave replacement school counselor. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Rider University, Lawrence Township, where she received several accolades for her honors-level work.
Michele Deremer joined the WHRHS staff on Wednesday, July 1, as Director of Special Services. Deremer began her career as a recreation therapist before becoming a special education teacher. She has been a special services administrator since 2012, both in Union and Lawrence Townships.
Samuel Deutsch is an accomplished writer and editor. He takes on his first teaching position with the English Department as a leave replacement teacher. He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Christina Dwyer joined the English department as a leave replacement teacher. She just completed a year-long Fulbright Scholarship where she taught in Seoul, South Korea, after earning her bachelor’s degree from Ramapo College, Mahwah.
Reid Groder is a graduate of Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA. She taught math at Long Branch and Freehold Regional high schools. She joins WHRHS as a leave replacement teacher of math.
Jim Hurley has worked in various capacities at WHRHS after his retirement from the Warren Township Police Department. Including coaching, substitute security, and extended school year aide. This fall, Hurley will be a leave replacement instructional aide in special services.
Cheryl Killeen joined the staff as a part-time 10-month secretary in the attendance office. Many at WHRHS already know Cheryl Killeen from her work at WHRHS as a substitute teacher.
Cheryl Palumbo will be co-teaching at WHRHS after many years of experience as an instructional aide, and two years of experience as a special education teacher. She previously taught in South Plainfield Township and South River Township public schools.
Jonathan Rose worked at the Jewish Heritage Museum in Battery Park, New York City after graduating from Montclair University, Montclair. He now begins his first teaching position as a leave replacement teacher in the WHRHS Social Studies Department.
A teacher of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) with a strong background in special services, Ruth Slovik will be teaching both foods and child development at WHRHS this year. She had previously taught at The Center School on the upper West Side, New York City, and in Dunellen and Piscataway Public Schools
Sarah Teklinski, graduate of Rutgers University, has joined the Math Department this Fall. She is a tenure track teacher of math and has previously taught in Franklin Township and at Hanover Park Regional high schools.
Morgan Wilinsky, a 2013 graduate of WHRHS, graduated from Towson University, Towson, Md., and the graduate school program at Kean University, Union, to become a certified school psychologist. Wilinsky will be at WHRHS for the full school year as a leave replacement school psychologist and member of the child study team.
Tiffany Zappulla joined the WHRHS district this summer as the Student Data Manager. She is a graduate of Lycoming College. Prior to working at WHRHS, she worked at Berkeley College as Director of Reporting and Technology and Senior Director of Business Success.
