District News

A weekend back-to-school celebration was open to families throughout the Somerset Hills community on September 14th, 2024. Outside Sacred Heart Chapel in Bernardsville, 50 families gathered to enjoy food, fun, and fellowship on a cool but sunny Saturday. At the event, parents and students met with members of the Somerset Hills School District, as well as with representatives from a variety of local non-profits. 

Michael Catelli, SHSD Director of Academic Support, Enrichment, and Multilingual Education, has been organizing the event for a decade. What began as a potluck lunch and presentation back in 2016, has morphed year after year. He has enjoyed seeing it change and improve, while maintaining focus on specific needs of the Spanish language community. “Prior to Covid it was held indoors with a more set structure. As it has evolved and grown significantly over the years, I have seen that the community has gravitated towards the relaxed, outdoor atmosphere where they can connect and interact while also receiving resources and supplies,” said Catelli. Additionally, Pastor Daniel Fenco (Camino De Fe & Somerset Hills Lutheran Church) and Reverend Beth Sciaino (St. Bernards Episcopal Church) eagerly coordinated logistics that included reserving space and donating food.  

Numerous organizations were on hand this September. Community in Crisis talked about a wide range of mental health resources. PreSchool Advantage volunteers discussed the application process, funding, and other resources related to local preschools. The clinic ZuFall provided medical outreach and appointment assistance. Grupo Cajola, an organization focused on the indigenous Guatemalan culture called Mam, met with families to raise cultural awareness. Sweet Reads gifted books in Spanish and English to many children, to spark and nurture a love of reading. And the Bernardsville Police Department gave out school supplies, as well as let youngsters check out their police vehicle; a rite of childhood passage for many was getting to hit the lights and sirens! 

Somerset Hills School District administrators, staff, and bilingual educators were accessible, explaining and elaborating on topics such as transportation, technology, athletics, Genesis, ESL student programming, and so much more! Supporting the families at the community event were Dr. Brian Brotschul (Superintendent), Dr. Coleen Butler (Assistant Superintendent), Jasmine Akauola (BES Assistant Principal), Janet Garay, Pilar Medina, David Venezia, Manuel Delapaz, Rickey Saez, Derek Boudreau, Sarah Roth, Salome Escobar-Chaffee, Denise Rivers, Crystal Vilagra, Stephan Mirando, Steven Cannon, and Clare Maqueda. The shared sentiment was that it was another great day in Somerset Hills … good food, good music, and a good time had by all!