WEST ORANGE, NJ — Former astronaut and U.S. Navy pilot Mark Kelly announced Feb. 12 that he will be running in the 2020 United States Senate race in Arizona. He will run as a Democrat, challenging Republican incumbent Martha McSally, who was appointed to the Senate by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey after the death of […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — It’s not every day that a teacher has a library named after her, and it certainly isn’t every day that an astronaut and a congresswoman are there to help cut the ribbon. But on Nov. 15, that is just what happened when Kelly Elementary School, formerly called Pleasantdale Elementary School, dedicated […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — It was back to the classroom for West Orange public school students on Sept. 6 and, despite the sweltering temperatures, there was excitement and smiles. Superintendent of Schools Jeff Rutzky spent the day visiting the district’s 12 schools, beginning his morning at Gregory Elementary School, where he welcomed students, staff and […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kelly Elementary School held its first-ever “Full STEAM Ahead Day” on May 25, dedicating it to the school’s namesake astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly, who are West Orange natives. Students in grades K through five teamed up to explore different types of science, technology, engineering, arts and math hands-on activities and […]
ASBURY PARK — Astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on May 6 at Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park. The brothers grew up in West Orange and their alma mater, formerly Pleasantdale Elementary School, was renamed Kelly Elementary School in their honor a few years ago. Photos by […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Administrators of Kelly Elementary School and Soyka Smith Design Studios presented a design plan for renovations to the school’s library media center at the April 16 meeting of the West Orange Board of Education. The renovations will transform the current library into a space-themed learning center during the course of the […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kelly Elementary School had some very special surprise visitors on Nov. 2 when astronaut Mark Kelly and his wife, U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, stopped by to say hello. Students were enjoying their “NED” assembly promoting kindness to others when Principal Joanne Pollara was called into the office for an ill student. […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kelly Elementary School received a very special back to school message from former West Orange residents astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly on Sept. 6. Pleasantdale Elementary School was renamed Kelly Elementary School to honor the school’s most famous graduates in May 2016. Principal Joanne Pollara was enthusiastic about the note from […]
School district renames Pleasantdale as Kelly Elementary School, mayor honors astronaut twins
WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange’s internationally famous astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly returned to their hometown May 19 for Kelly Family Day, an out-of-this-world recognition of their NASA accomplishments that included the renaming of Pleasantdale Elementary School in their honor. Hundreds of students and teachers joined residents, government officials and Kelly relatives in counting […]
UNION, NJ — Astronaut Mark Kelly, a West Orange native, told the Kean University Nathan Weiss Graduate College Class of 2016 to “go serve your community in whatever way you can.” Capt. Kelly gave the commencement address at the 20th Nathan Weiss Graduate College commencement on May 17. With bagpipers leading the procession, the faculty, […]