Board Approves Florida Baseball Trip and District Goals

The Cedar Grove boys varisty baseball team will be heading to Orlando, Florida this March to train, scrimmage, and of course enjoy a few days at the Disney parks.

The Cedar Grove Board of Education approved the trip during its Tuesday night meeting.

“The trip alows us to strengthen our relationship as a team and its a trip that the boys will never forget,” said Mike Valenzano, head coach for the team.

The 19 boys attending the trip will have a mix of double headers, days with one game, a lot of opportunities to practice and three days in the Disney parks with chaperones, he said.

“I believe in these trips and I think its a great experience for the students to have,” said Board of Education President Frank Mandala.

This is the team's fourth trip the team has traveled to Orlando in Valenzano's five years as head coach. In previous years the team has scrimmaged against teams from New York, Oregon, Georgia and all other areas of the country.

“Its a great opportunity to meet teams from other states, see what they are like and how they play,” said Valenzano. “Its a great chance to grow as a team, get away from the distractions of home, the weather of home and dive into baseball 24/7.”

In other news, the Board also approved the district goals for the 2012-2013 school year. One of the main areas of focus was construction projects throughout the schools.

These include finishing the summer construction at Cedar Grove High School, a turf field and new track, bleachers, and concessions at the High School, security cameras in the interior and exterior of the schools, lighting for front and rear parking lots and a plethora of renovations and installations.

The four district goals for the school year focused on District Scores and Curriculum Assessment, Educator Evaluation Rubric and Professional Development, Construction and Communication.