About Our School

The Wharton Borough Public Schools are comprised of the Marie V. Duffy Elementary School and the Alfred C. MacKinnon Middle School. Duffy accommodates kindergarten through fifth grades, while MacKinnon Middle School houses grades six, seven and eight. The district prides itself on a strong and nurturing relationship with the community of Wharton Borough.

The Marie V. Duffy Elementary School, a Governor's School of Excellence, is dedicated to building a strong community of learners within a nurturing community of parents. Together, we have created an environment in which potential is maximized, success is ensured, and happiness abounds. The Alfred C. MacKinnon Middle School is an enterprise driven by its partnership with the community; the partnership is founded on and sustained by a shared vision of, and common value for, a proactive, affective, well-defined educational environment for all middle school students in the district of the Borough of Wharton. This alliance, grounded in a complete commitment toward these ends, is the engine which drives every program and endeavor of the middle school.

Visit our district website @ www.wbps.org .

Our INCLUDE Staff:

In compliance with the NJDOE grant guidelines for INCLUDE the Wharton School District formed an Inclusive Practices Team, referred to as the IPT. The IPT meets two to four times monthly to discuss upcoming state requirements for the grant, district plans, technology needs and other relevant information impacting the technology enriched, differentiated mathematics programming planned for Phases II, III and IV of INCLUDE. Throughout Phase I the following teachers, administrators and parents represented the concerns of the INCLUDE Grant:

Richard Bitondo, Superintendent of Schools
Alan Bocchino, Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction and lead administrator for INCLUDE
Pamela Blalock, Principal, Duffy Elementary School
Chris Herdman, Principal, MacKinnon Middle School
Karen Elkins, Supervisor of Child Study Team
Debra Leary, Project Director for INCLUDE
Andrea Saks, Fifth Grade Math and Phase II UDL teacher
Diane Wallace, Fifth Grade Math and Phase II UDL teacher
Betsy Riordan, Sixth Grade Math and Phase III UDL teacher
Tim McGrail, Sixth Grade Math and Phase III UDL teacher
Karen Vaughan, ELL Representative
Melissa Maybe, Assistive Technology Representative
Darlene Darling, Parent Representative
Laura Scerbo, Parent Representative

As we move into Phase II of INCLUDE beginning in September of the 2008 - 2009 school year we welcome several new faces to our IPT:

Alice Steinheimer, Supervisor of the Child Study Team (replacing Karen Elkins who resigned earlier this year)
Jill Moran, ICS; co-teaching UDL Math with Diane Wallace
Karen Healy, ICS; co-teaching UDL Math with Andrea Saks
Satwant Banga, BSI Math, Duffy Elemantary School
Carol Pillsbury, Seventh/Eighth Grade Math and Phase III UDL teacher; MacKinnon Middle School BSI Math
Michelle Freeman, Seventh Grade Math and Phase III UDL teacher

As we move into Phase III of INCLUDE beginning in September of the 2009 - 2010 school year we welcome several new faces to our IPT:

Dr. Ernie Palestis, Interim Superintendent of Schools (replacing Richard Bitondo, who retired at the end of the 2008-2009 school year)
Amy Ryan, Supervisor of the Child Study Team (replacing Alice Steinheimer who resigned at the end of the 2008-2009 school year)
AnnMarie Cunha, Eighth Grade Math Phase IV UDL teacher
Joanne Nichol, In Class Support teacher; co-teaching sixth grade UDL with Mrs. Riordan
Colleen Silvestri, Sixth/Seventh Grade UDL teacher and co-teaching sixth grade UDL with Mr. McGrail
Joanne Wiggins, In Class Support teacher; co-teaching sixth grade UDL with Mrs. Silvestri

Wharton Borough Public Schools* 137 E. Central Avenue * Wharton * NJ* 07885