Dear Byram Parents/Guardians,

The newest piece to the Byram Intermediate School administrative team has recently been put into place.   Ms. Jennifer Morris has been selected as Byram Intermediate School’s new Assistant Principal.   Ms. Morris has been an educator for over ten years, working in the Hanover Township and Paramus Public School Systems. As a teacher, Ms. Morris has worked with both elementary and intermediate aged learners.  She has also served as a Coordinated Services Instructor.  While in this position, Mrs. Morris provided Basic Skills Instruction, in both Language Arts and Math, and was an Accelerated Math and Gifted and Talented teacher.

As an instructional leader, Ms. Morris has experience offering her colleagues valuable collaborative professional development opportunities geared toward not only increasing student achievement, but also enhancing teachers’ current instructional methods, especially in the area of mathematics education and technology. Being an instructional leader and successful classroom teacher has motivated Ms. Morris to become a lifelong learner. She is currently attending Rutgers University and working to attain a doctorate in the area of Teacher Leadership. Her studies, at Rutgers, focus on the creation and implementation of quality professional development programs, adult education, student and teacher learning through Web 2.0 tools, and the development of curriculum to increase student achievement.  Ms. Morris is a graduate of the College of Saint Elizabeth, with an M.A. in Educational Leadership and is also a graduate of the College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and History.

We welcome Ms. Morris’ enthusiasm for learning and believe that her leadership ability and successful teaching experience will enable her to become a successful addition to Byram’s learning community. Welcome aboard Ms. Morris!

Sincerely,

Bryan Hensz

A Message from Mr. Barnard

“Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom.”

                                                -Captain Jack Sparrow

                                                Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

While the administration and staff scurry to assure that preparations are completed for the pending school year, without our students and teachers there is a strange quiet that fills the halls of Byram Intermediate School.  It is a stillness that brings to mind the words of Jack Sparrow and reminds me of what a school really is.  Throughout my years as an educator I have come to understand that a school is not classrooms, curriculum, lockers and whiteboards, that is what a school needs.  What a school is, what Byram Intermediate School really is…is freedom.  It is a freedom to discover, to grow, to explore and to develop the knowledge and talents that will allow our students to go wherever they want to go.  It is a place where life-long friendships are honed and children mature into young adults.

As the new intermediate school principal, I consider it a true privilege to join an educational community that is filled with talented students and educators, supportive parents and a caring staff.  I have already observed a palpable commitment to excellence and a desire to provide Byram students with the resources necessary to foster success.  As we embark on a new school year, I look forward to collaborating with each of you to assure that our school continues to be a safe learning community where every student is respected, valued and challenged to excel. 

Should you ever have a question, or if I may be of assistance regarding any matter concerning the intermediate school, please do not hesitate to contact me; my direct extension is 2102.  I hope you have a safe and fun-filled summer, and I look forward to September when the school corridors will once again be filled with the sounds of learning.

Thomas Barnard, M.A., Ed.M

Principal