The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

Maria’s Restaurant

381 Park Avenue Scotch Plains (908) 3222322

BestFoodIn Town

Hours: MonFri 1110pm

Sat 1210pm Sun 49pm

Bring Dad For A Soda &

A Slice

• PASTA

Scotch Plains Best Kept Secret

Pizza Days SunWed

$ 6. 95

TakeOut Only

• ITALIAN ENTREES • DADS • GRADS • DADS • GRADS • DADS • GRADS

We Cater Graduation

Parties!

• • DADS • GRADS • DADS • GRADS • DADS

CONTACT ® We Care, Inc.

We’ll listen and help you with that problem you thought you had no answer to at all.

9082322880

A member of The United Way. CONTACT USA and Life Line International

Lisa Chrystal’s Judicial Post Represents Lifelong Dream

SPF BOE Explains Elimination Of Study Time in Middle Schools By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

SCOTCH PLAINS — At the agenda meeting of the Scotch PlainsFanwood Board of Education on June 8, the administration offered a more indepth explanation of its rationale for eliminating Guided Study Time (GST) in both district middle schools come September 2000.

“Whether you call it Guided Study Time or Independent Study Time, it’s a study hall,” stated Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol B. Choye. “What we’re talking about is instructional time, time on task.”

As explained by Interim Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. John R. Crews, elimination of GST enabled school officials to add nine minutes to each class period per day. This translates into more than 1,600 additional minutes — approximately 26.5 hours — of instruction annually.

Because some middle school students used GST to participate in band and/ or chorus, administrators had to find other times for these activities:

· Band will be offered for interested students on Tuesdays and Thursdays during Health and Physical Education (PE).

· Chorus will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays during Health and PE.

Students who choose to participate in both band and chorus will be scheduled into chorus on Fridays by being pulled out of the following classes Reading (sixth grade), World Languages (seventh grade) and Electives (eighth grade).

Students who do not participate in band or chorus will participate in projectbased health or PE activities.

To meet the needs of special education students who use GST to receive the Study Skills support dictated by their Individualized Education Plans, the Office of Pupil Services has offered families the following options:

· Pullout support during a zero period from 7: 50 a. m.8: 38 a. m. before the regular start of school.

· Pullout support during exploratory periods of the school day.

· Provide Study Skills during PE. Students would still have three periods of Health/ PE during the week as do band/ chorus students.

These options are only available to students who have been classified as having special needs and requiring special education services.

When asked why Study Skills would be taught in the morning rather than after school, Dr. Choye explained that the zero period is a negotiated issue between the board and Scotch PlainsFanwood Education Association.

Administrators stressed that teachers will work to incorporate study skills into all curriculum content areas to the benefit of all students.

They have also indicated that teachers are available before and after school for extra help.

Board President Theresa Larkin pointed out that the schedule change at the middle schools will “go well beyond” addressing the 100 minutes of instructional time each student loses under the current schedule when making the move from elementary to middle school.

Dr. Choye added there are no provisions for study hall in either the high school or elementary schools.

Nevertheless, parent Bernadette Lopez said she was presenting a student petition with 212 signatures asking the board not to eliminate GST.

Parent Wendy Hertzberg’s concern was that children’s extracurricular activities would be shortchanged if GST was not available to them as time to do their homework. She also asked if the curriculum was being modified to fill the extra instructional time, a point Board member Richard M. Meade agreed was worth looking into.

Another parent, Chalet Sheppard, whose child is not classified, said her

son used GST to type a report in the Park library when their home computer was not working. She questioned the impact on grades of pulling a child out of an exploratory class for Study Skills.

Parent Deborah Asher criticized the schedule change as a “decision not being driven by what’s best for children, but by highstakes testing.”

“I do not regret the elimination of GST,” declared parent Diane Cameron.

“( Though) there are many issues that have to be worked out, for the bulk of general education students, GST was down time.” Mrs. Cameron, however, is concerned about the absence of a formal home room period for students under the new schedule.

In other business, Business Administrator and Board Secretary Anthony DelSordi fielded the board’s questions about the tentative list of construction and renovation projects that would be built into the proposed bond referendum.

In response to board member Linda Nelson’s question about costs associated with asbestos removal in the Scotch PlainsFanwood High School auditorium ceiling and in other school buildings, Mr. DelSordi said estimates would be available in July or August.

Board member Jessica Simpson asked about the costs associated with construction of permanent walls in the areas surrounding the library/ media centers at School One and Brunner, Coles and McGinn Elementary Schools.

As the business administrator explained it, the costs would include permanent partitions, floor coverings, ceilings, lighting and wiring, “a total renovation of that space to meet educational needs,” he said.

Board member Jean McAllister

By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

WESTFIELD — Her appointment as a judge to the Superior Court of New Jersey is a dream come true for Lisa F. Chrystal.

On May 31, the 43yearold Westfield resident took her oath of office in the same Union County Courthouse she visited as a child with her father, who argued his own cases there as a real estate businessman.

“I’ve always been impressed by the fact that the courts are open to

from State Senators Donald DiFrancesco and Raymond Lesniak.

Ms. Chrystal’s career as an attorney was launched in 1982 when she was admitted to the bar following her graduation, cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law.

She then joined the Essex County law firm of Braff Harris Sukoken, for whom she handled civil litigation cases. She later joined the Westfield firm of Woehling & Freedman, where she practiced general litigation that included consumer

the new judge to become acclimated to her new responsibilities on the bench. For the time being, she is hearing cases in the company of other judges. She spends her evenings pouring over the abundance of resource materials provided to her as a new jurist by the administrative court officer in Trenton.

What part of her new job poses the greatest challenge? “To be sure that each litigant, each case, each witness, and each matter that comes before me, no matter how large or how small, is the most important matter at that time,” she explained.

The judge wants litigants who come before her to feel they have been treated fairly. She wants to ensure they understand how the legal system operates “so they respect the system and the ruling that the judiciary puts into effect.”

A product of the Union Township public school system, Ms. Chrystal said, “I am looking forward to serving the county where I grew up.”

Ms. Chrystal and her husband, Peter Herzberg, an attorney with the Morristown firm of Pitney, Hardin, Kipp & Szuch, have three children: a son Benjamin, and twin daughters, Ilana and Arielle.

Backed by a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, Ms. Chrystal served as an adjunct assistant legal writing instructor for four years at Seton Hall Law School.

She is a Trustee of the Union County Bar Association, Chair of the Elder Law Committee as well as a member of Union County Women Lawyers. She is an associate member of the New Jersey Association of Health Care Facilities and Chair of the Northern New Jersey Hadassah Lawyer’s Council. all, not just those represented by

counsel,” Judge Chrystal stated in a telephone interview from her new courtroom.

The new jurist believes a judgeship is the place in the judicial system where she can really help people. “A judge has the ability to touch the lives of those who appear in the courtroom every day,” she said.

Her nomination to Superior Court by Governor Christine Todd Whitman was confirmed in March 2000. The governor’s nomination was based on a recommendation

and employment cases. At the same time, she worked as a parttime Assistant Union County Counsel (19881991).

Ms. Chrystal launched her own practice in 1996, opening an office in Cranford and later, one in Scotch Plains.

The new judge has been assigned to Family Part within the county court system. While matters heard by Judge Chrystal will focus primarily on domestic violence matters, Family Part also includes custody and support concerns.

An orientation period will allow

Ingrid McKinley for The Westfield Leader and The Times

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

1063 Route 1

7326348000 AVENEL

615 Central Ave.

9089280800 WESTFIELD

Imagine New Central Air For As Little As $ 39 Per Mo.

 NO PAYMENTS OR INTEREST FOR 12 MOS.  REDUCE ELECTRIC BILLS BY

50% OVER A 1520 YEAR OLD UNIT

PRESEASON TUNEUP SPECIALNow Taking Appointments:

NowJune 30, 2000 UP TO

Since 1947 CALL TODAY OR VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS OVER 100,000 INSTALLATIONS