Monica Gundrum’s Second Grade Class at Tamaques Elementary School in Westfield sent a letter and donation to New Jersey First Lady, Mary Pat Christie, to announce their successful fundraising toward the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, a private independent charitable organization chaired by Mrs. Christie.  The “Give a Hand, Wear a Band” bracelet sale has raised $545, and according to the second graders, “we are not finished. . . we thought you should have what we have collected up till now.” Since the Hurricane, the second grade class organized the selling of the Jersey Shore …

Westfield High School's auditorium will be transformed into a rock-n-roll venue on Friday, Jan. 25 as local musicians, spanning multiple generations, come together for a concert starting at 7 p.m. to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy.  Four bands, Hammond, The Flying Dogs of Jupiter, The Static Jacks, and Transit Radio, all with ties to Westfield, are donating their time and talent to benefit Westfield High School's Helping Hands Fund and Hurricane Sandy relief efforts at the Jersey Shore. Specifically, proceeds will go toward assisting St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Bay Head, NJ, which …

The following examples of the Westfield School District's effort to help those adversely impacted by Sandy were announced at Thursday evening's meeting of the Westfield Board of Education: On Dec. 18, Roosevelt Intermediate School's Student Council presented the United Fund of Westfield's Sandy Relief Program with $856 raised for local victims of the hurricane. Westfield High School's Key Club raised $1,100 through their Stop the Clock fundraiser held at the high school. All the money is targeted for the Westfield United Fund's Sandy Relief efforts. The club also held its annual craft fair …

A generous Tamaques community has contributed over $2500 in supplies and gifts for the affected communities of Highlands and Union Beach! In support of the National Guard unit stationed at the Westfield Armory, Tamaques donated hazard suits and face masks to aid in the clean up. They were able to supply an 8th grade classroom at Union Beach Memorial School with classroom supplies and funds to replace curriculum materials lost in the storm. Led by 4th grader Madeline Silva, Tamaques families also donated dozens of holiday gifts and several hundred dollars in gift cards for families who have …

This piece is one in a multi-part series about the Westfield School District coming to the aid of Superstorm Sandy victims.  Unbeknownst to McKinley Elementary School Principal Marc Biunno and fourth grade teacher Joseph Paradise, their parents live just a block from each in Pt. Pleasant.  It wasn’t until Hurricane Sandy devastated the beach community that the two made the connection while trying to help their families recover in the aftermath of the storm. “Here I am cleaning out the garage and my principal shows up to help,” Paradise laughed, recalling how Biunno offered assistance to …

Student Council Advisors at Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, Lori Simpson (far left) and Marisa Conneely, present a check in the amount of $856 to Westfield United Fund Executive Director, Deirdre Gelinne.  The funds were donated by Roosevelt families and staff to support local efforts in helping victims of Hurricane Sandy through the United Fund’s Sandy Relief Program. Roosevelt Principal, Stewart Carey, acknowledged, “It is the appropriate thing to do; every little bit helps.”

The Westfield High School Choral Department invites the community to its free winter concert, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 20, at the Westfield High School Auditorium. The concert will feature both traditional and contemporary holiday pieces; many will be accompanied by the Westfield High School Orchestra. Monetary donations will be appreciated (cash or check made payable to Westfield High School Music) at this concert to benefit A Jersey Shore Christmas, an organization helping Hurricane Sandy victims by distributing toys and gift cards to displaced families, including those who are …

This is the third piece in a multi-part series about the Westfield School District coming to the aid of Superstorm Sandy victims. Check back with Patch throughout the week to learn more about how students and staff are making a difference in Westfield and beyond. To read Monday's story, click here, and click here for Tuesday's feature. Edison Intermediate School French teacher Shannon Stone said she has always felt that her number one job was to teach and encourage students first and foremost "how to be kind, compassionate people who believe that they can make a difference in this world with …

This is the second piece in a multi-part series about the Westfield School District coming to the aid of Superstorm Sandy victims. Check back with Patch throughout the week to learn more about how students and staff are making a difference in Westfield and beyond. To read yesterday's story, click here. On behalf of all the elementary schools in Westfield, Wilson Elementary School Principal Joseph Malanga presented a $4,000 donation to the Westfield United Hurricane Sandy Westfield Relief Fund.  This donation was a result of the “Twelve Days of Giving” established in the six elementary schools…

This is the first in a multi-part series about the Westfield School District coming to the aid of Superstorm Sandy victims. Check back with Patch throughout the week to learn more about how students and staff are making a difference in Westfield and beyond.  The following letter, written Thursday, Dec. 6, comes from Westfield High School Earth Science teacher Sara Soriente: "On the day before Thanksgiving, I spoke to my students about Hurricane Sandy.  I had been down to my family's shore house the weekend before and was shocked to see first-hand the devastation that tore apart the shore. I …