Anthony Elia-Fair Lawn Board of Education

One of my favorite things to do in my role is connect with our students and staff in the district! I was super excited to be invited to join some classrooms today in two different schools as a guest reader for Read Across America Week! (Preschool, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade)

As a Board member and a Language Arts teacher with a true love for literacy, there’s nothing better than reading with students in my town and engaging in fun discussion! We talked about what it means to have an impact in the community and then read a story “I Like Myself” and talked about ways we are all unique! They were left with a challenge to find me for a high-five around town! 😉 Truly a wonderful staff we have here in Fair Lawn and I am grateful to be part of a community that celebrates reading and learning together.

We shared this in last week’s Corner Column but knew we had to get the word out across our social pages: Fair Lawn Public Schools is proud to announce that Fair Lawn High School was named to the 2025 Advanced Placement (AP) Program School Honor Roll, earning Bronze distinction as well as the AP Access Award!!!
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The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs deliver results for students while broadening participation. Last year, a total of 325 unique AP students were enrolled across FLHS’ 29 courses and 851 exams were administered. A whopping 96% of AP-enrolled students earned a 3 or higher on exams with an average score of 3.9 out of 5.
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The AP Access Award is an additional honor, recognizing schools that encourage underrepresented students to take AP classes, ensuring this coursework is equally available to all students no matter their background.
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“We are so proud of the accomplishments of our Advanced Placement students,” says Principal Mr. Paul Gorski. “Our teachers have worked tirelessly to prepare our students for success on these rigorous assessments, and as we expand this opportunity to include more of our students, they are rising to the occasion!”
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I spent the past three days attending my first New Jersey School Boards Conference. The experience offered great dialogue, insightful workshops, and meaningful conversations with colleagues and leaders from across the state. It was an extremely valuable professional learning opportunity, and I’m grateful to have been part of it.

In addition to the legislative forum and State BOE meeting, the great workshops and discussions I got to be a part of the last few days, all which hope help me lead effectively not only as a board member but as an educator too.

⭐️ Exploring The Art of Being An Effective Board Member
⭐️ Bringing Out The Best In Your Team
⭐️ Reimagining School Safety, Health, and Wellness Together
⭐️ Board Governance: From Reactive To Strategic
⭐️ Future Ready Districts: AI, Learning Management Systems and the Path Ahead

🔵A fun plus was listening to Super Bowl Champion/NFL Hall of Famer, Joe Theismann talk.