 Before the 2022-23 school year, Mr. Dan Ruvolo and Mr. Toby Jefferis were recommended to co-teach the high school Academy program. During a meeting with the admin team, Mr. Ruvolo and Mr. Jefferis shared their interest in starting an official school store — a project they believed would not only enhance the instruction and learning in their Academy Program, but also benefit the entire school community.
Years ago, the space now used for "The Eagle's Perch" was once occupied and run by the graduating class to sell snacks and drinks as part of their fundraising efforts. Back then, the room was sparsely furnished with limited appliances, but it worked for them. The new vision, however, was more ambitious. To bring their vision to life, Mr. Ruvolo and Mr. Jefferis needed financial backing from various stakeholders — support they were fortunate enough to receive.
Not only did the South Hunterdon administration provide some necessary financial support, they also encouraged Mr. Ruvolo and Mr. Jefferis to explore their creativity. To further supplement the support, the teachers reached out to the community.
Niece Lumber and Flemington Granite generously provided beautiful cabinetry with granite countertops. The LAEF, through a grant, funded a range of appliances and the store's soon-to-launch POS system. Finally, through Donors Choose, generous community members and staff contributed to the purchase of additional appliances and a storage cabinet.
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"The collaboration, support, and generosity from all corners of our community are what have always made South Hunterdon special, and we are truly grateful for that." - Mr. Dan Ruvolo, Special Education 7-12 Teacher
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Who came up with the clever name, "The Eagle's Perch?" How did that come about?
Dan Ruvolo: The name "Eagle's Perch" came about when Mr. Jefferis, Ms. Lui, and I gathered in the classroom to brainstorm ideas. We wanted the name to reflect our school mascot, and since "The Nest" is already the name of our gymnasium, we considered "perch," where an eagle rests. And so, The Eagle's Perch was born, with the goal of offering students a place to relax after working hard, and enjoy a snack with friends. As for which one of us came up with the name—let's just say it was a team effort.
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What merchandise can people expect to purchase at the Perch?
As our motto says, The Eagle's Perch will be your hub for snacks, swag, and school supplies. On the food side, we offer grab-and-go options like microwave popcorn (our biggest seller), chips, cereal bars, yogurts, and drinks such as water, juice, coffee and sodas...all at a student-friendly price. For school spirit, you can expect branded apparel like T-shirts, hoodies, shorts, jackets, stadium seats, and other items featuring our school logo or mascot. We’ll also keep things exciting with seasonal or limited-edition products, ensuring there's always something new to check out.
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How does the school store help bring a further sense of community to South?
Dan Ruvolo: "The Perch" enhances the sense of community at South by providing a welcoming gathering space for students and staff, and on occasion, the community. It promotes school spirit through branded merchandise and involves students in its operation, giving them a sense of ownership. The store also plans to offer rewards for student excellence and accomplishments, making "The Perch" a vital hub for connection and school pride.
What are the store hours?
Dan Ruvolo: Currently, the store is open during the FLEX block at the end of the day, exclusively for high school students. In the future, we may introduce designated times for apparel sales during the school day.
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Students in grades 9-12 attended a bullying prevention assembly on Wednesday, October 2nd.
Tom Thelen’s High School Program includes a clear explanation of National Bullying Definition from StopBullying.gov, including the four Types of Bullying, the difference between bullying and teasing, the difference between bullying and peer conflict, and an introduction to cyberbullying and online safety. There is also an added focus on Mental Health and Emotional Intelligence.
Tom tells his own life story of overcoming bullying by getting help from a trusted adult. He discovered how to break out of the bullying cycle by making positive choices and building strong character. The challenge is for each student to “Be The Change” by being kind and speaking up against bullying.
"Preventing bullying in school isn't just about addressing the problem—it's about creating an environment where every student feels safe, valued, and empowered to thrive. A proactive approach fosters a culture of respect and compassion, making our schools a better place for all."
Dana Keck, Guidance Counselor and SHRHS Anti-Bullying Specialist |
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An Important Cause
South Hunterdon 7-12th grade students joined faculty and staff to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by participating in the Alex's Lemonade Million Mile. Over the month of September, South raised money and logged miles, all with the goal of helping to support the incredible efforts being made to find cures and treatments for childhood cancer. The SHR teams moved a collective 4,650 miles!
All in all, the South Hunterdon team raised $13, 021.00!
That number equates to approximately 250 hours of funded research. The South Hunterdon students, faculty, and staff would like to extend a sincere thank you to the community for their support, donations, and encouragement. Great job, Eagles!
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| Student Representative for the Board of Education |
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Lucas Gravier Appointed as Student Representative to the Board of Education
South Hunterdon senior Lucas Gravier was recently appointed student representative to the Board of Education. Lucas is actively involved in many clubs and activities at South, including the Bowling team, Art club, Drama club, Environmental club, Gaming, GSA, Key Club, Yarn Club, Literary Magazine, Yearbook, Connect Club, Latin Student Union, Peer Leadership, Spanish Honor Society, and National Honor Society.
He has been a member of the marching band where he has played the flute since the 7th grade. He has also participated in the concert band and the All School Musical. His first lead in the Musical was during his 8th grade year in FAME. Most recently, he head the lead as "Adolfo" in "The Drowsy Chaperone." Lucas will be applying early decision to the University of Pennsylvania where he plans to major in Art History and Architecture.
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What are you looking forward to in your experience as the student representative this year?
Lucas Gravier: This year, I am so excited to represent my fellow peers and the student body to our Board of Education. I plan on reporting all aspects of student life, including the positives of clubs and sports but also, sharing complaints I have received from the students themselves.
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What made you want to get involved with the Board of Ed? Do you have any particular goals or expectations?
Lucas Gravier: As a matter of fact, I was nominated for the role of Student Representative by the high school principal and I accepted the nomination. I plan to inform the Board of any student-related activities and bring up any issues that the students have informed me about, in order to have their voices heard.
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You are involved in a variety of activities! How have all of these experiences shaped your life as a South student?
Lucas Gravier: I feel that I was nominated because I am fit to do so, I participate in various school-related activities and other community activities. I have attended South Hunterdon for 6 years and I have participated in many activities because I want to know what goes on with everyone, from the social people to the more reserved people. I have been apart of almost every club so I know what’s going on and how to interact with each person. Everyone at South matters to me and I want to let all the students know that they can inform me of any issues occurring in our school community or anything that they think is going smoothly.
The cross country team celebrated senior day at their home meet last Wednesday, October 9th. Their sole senior, Alejandro Ramirez, is a three-year Varsity letter winner and captain of the team. His personal best 5K time of 19:28 was achieved this year at the Wild Safari Invitational at Great Adventure.
For senior day, Alejandro was celebrated with many fun surprises. Mr. Stephens brought the band to play a few songs, the cheer team rooted for the runners at the start line and the Varsity and JV field hockey team showed up to cheer for them as well!
The Eagles hosted Pennington School and Bound Brook High School for the home meet. Alejandro started out strong as one of the front runners and maintained a top position to finish 4th place overall (in a field of 16 boys) with a time of 19:44 on South's very tough home course.
After the race, all the teams enjoyed pizza, cupcakes and other treats. Well earned rewards for a successful 5k race!
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Hearts Displayed for Respect
In honor of the Week of Respect (October 7-11), social worker Ashley Williams wanted to do something that allowed students to express themselves, let others know what they need and discuss what respect means to them. She placed paper hearts outside her door for students to fill out. On these hearts, students wrote their meaning of respect, described how to show respect, explained how they would like to be respected, or just shared positive messages. The hearts were placed on Ms. Williams' door.
As a school, South was able to fill more than half of her door with respect, kindness and encouraging words. As the school year carries on, Ms. Williams hopes students and staff can continue to foster a community which promotes unity, instills resilience and strives for excellence for all students.
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October 25 Senior Night Football/Homecoming
October 26 Homecoming Dance
November 5 Music with a Mission
November 15 MS Formal |
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