October 9, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 31 Saddle River Valley Notes Book group to discuss ‘The Dinner’ On Oct. 10, Coffee Talk will discuss Herman Koch’s “The Dinner.” The group meets at10 a.m. at the Upper Saddle River Library at 245 Lake Street. Coffee Talks meets on the second Thursday of the month. Copies of the book are available at the library’s circula- tion desk. Call (201) 327-2583 for details. Walkathon to benefit Arya’s Kids Arya’s Kids invites the community to fight pediatric cancer by taking part in the Third Annual iWalk for Arya on Sunday, Oct. 13. The walk will take place from 9 a.m. until noon at Lions Park in Upper Saddle River. This event is a tribute to the memory of Arya Majum- Specialist (continued from page 8) administer the new program. Ho-Ho-Kus Superintendent Deborah Ferrara explained that the Marshall’s evaluation system is based on a rating system that includes scores of one through four, with four being the highest rating. The rubric, she added, allows school officials to have clear language on what is expected of the district’s teachers. Brad Siegel, director of curriculum for the Quad Dis- tricts, added that Marshall had worked closely with the local administrators as they worked toward implementing the new evaluation system. Siegel explained that there are many rubrics available, and each district was able to select from among 14 models. However, he added that only about four or five of those options are widely used. According to Siegel, all of the teachers will be rated on the four-point scale, and there will be 60 indicators for teacher performance, which are divided into major areas, der, a resident of Upper Saddle River and Cavallini Middle School student who lost his battle with cancer in 2010, and to all the kids who have fallen victim to childhood cancer. Participants walk in the park, listen to the music, and take part in a host of activities. This year’s special attraction will be a Balloon Festival in honor of the departed souls. Bal- loons emblazoned with the names of loved ones will be sent heavenward. Anyone who cannot attend the walkathon is welcome to make a donation to Arya’s Kids online at www.aryaskids. org. All of the funds raised are used toward fulfilling the missions of the charity. The iWalk event is Arya’s Kids primary fundraiser and is designed to bring together those in the community who were positively influenced by Arya and his indomitable joy for living. Arya’s Kids Foundation to Fight Childhood Cancer was created by his parents, Swati and Kumud, as a tribute to their son. Through this philanthropic effort, Arya’s friends and families are working together not only at finding a cure for childhood cancer but also at initiatives that are designed to make the lives of children living with such as classroom preparation and classroom manage- ment. Siegel added that the Quad Districts wanted to focus on opportunities for professional growth and Marshall’s rubric includes pathways for growth options. He said Marshall’s system is pro-growth and positive. In addition to reviewing teachers’ accountability, the rubric also pro- vides a purpose for the teachers. In addition, the teachers will be up for ongoing evaluations: more frequent evalua- tions that will be conducted for shorter periods of time. Siegel noted that Marshall is an educator who is not affiliated with any corporate entity. Marshall began his career teaching sixth graders in Boston in 1969. He was known for using learning stations, writing curriculum for his students, providing workshops for other area teachers, and writing about innovation in education. He later became a school administrator, and wrote the teacher evaluation rubric that will be used in the Quad Districts. Siegel added that local educators would track how the evaluation system is working and will review the success of the system over time. J. CRUSCO cancer easier. Since its formation, the foundation raised over $200,000 toward these initiatives. To learn more, visit www.aryaskids.org. “Like” Arya’s Kids on www.facebook.com/AryasKids. Club hosts Blood Drive The Saddle River Valley Junior Woman’s Club will hold an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, Oct. 12. The drive will be held on the second floor of the Upper Saddle River Fire Department, 375 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appoint- ments must be made in advance. Visit www.redcrossblood. org and click on the blue box “enter sponsor code.” The code to register is SRVJWC. For more information, call Traci Altman at (917) 226-0985.