Citizen-soldiers of the New Jersey National Guard spend two weeks at Fort Indian Town Gap, Pa., in preperation for going overseas to three bases in Iraq. There's a lot of shooting and excercising, and a little bit of fun. 

SOMERDALE -- When 11-year-old Matthew Dieterle played trumpet in the Somerdale Park School holiday concert, his father held a cell phone in the air so his mother, who was home, could hear him play.

When it was time for parent-teacher conferences, Laura Dieterle told her husband, David, what to ask their children's teachers. And for Matthew's first basketball game, David Dieterle had to cheer loud enough for both parents.

"It wasn't the same when my mom wasn't there rooting for me," Matthew said. "She always used to be there all the time, and now she can't come on school property. So yeah, it's tough."

In a move that some education law experts say may be the first of its kind, the Somerdale school board unanimously voted in September to ban Laura Dieterle, 37, from school grounds.

CAMDEN  --  The scaffolding, teachers say, tells the story.

This temporary frame has surrounded the entrance of Camden High School all school year, holding up the school's facade as the inside crumbles: Graffiti is not just on the walls, but also on some ceilings, windows and floors. Drop ceilings have panels missing, allegedly because students kick them out for fun, and some bathrooms are missing paper towels and soap.

Beyond the deteriorating physical state of the 1,500-student high school, there are fewer teachers and security guards this year than last -- a fact that some staff members believe contributes to the recent violence.

A melee Dec. 14 ended in six arrests, arson forced an early dismissal Thursday and, so far this year, at least three teachers have been injured in altercations involving students, the district said.

Now, unusual steps are being taken to address the troubled school. During a 2 1/2-hour closed-door meeting Monday at the Camden High auditorium, more than 100 staff members told Superintendent Bessie LeFra Young and other district officials of their grievances.

Dr. George Cross uses his patented "Cool Posing" curriculum to reach students in the coolest way possible at the Camden City Academic Laboratory Program, an alternative high school in Camden, NJ.

NOTE: Over the course of three weeks, I reported from outside this pre-school in one of the most dangerous sections of the city during both morning and afternoon dismissals. The article prompted a series of changes, as is detailed in the follow-up story.

CAMDEN -- Just like the 3-year-old boys with their Spider-Man backpacks and the 4-year-old girls with their perfectly placed hair braids, the "drug boys" and prostitutes wake up early for school.

They mill around Red Circle Liquors down the block, which isn't even open yet. They drop enough blue heroin baggies to get caught on teachers' shoes, and they leave enough broken beer bottles in the makeshift employee parking lot to bring a crunch to every step.

Each day, they are among the first adults seen by Camden's most vulnerable residents -- 3- and 4-year-olds, most with special needs, who attend the Early Childhood Development Center at the old Dudley School in one of East Camden's roughest neighborhoods.

Note: Covering the April school budget elections is a staple of New Jersey newspaper reporting. But what do these votes mean? For this article I surveyed more than 100 school districts in South Jersey to get a look at the effect of budget cuts on schools and students.

 

When Waterford's elementary students leave home to begin the new school year, they will board buses with drivers they've never seen. At school, they will learn Spanish from audiotapes. And forget field trips -- if they take any, the Home and School Association will have to foot the bill.

About a third of school districts in the tri-county region saw their spending plans defeated by tax-weary voters in April, prompting cuts that will be felt by students when most return this week: fewer teachers, bus routes, janitors, construction projects, special education aides and extracurricular activities.

Roof repair was delayed in Winslow. Assemblies were cut in Southampton. And the 860-student Harrison Township Elementary School was left without an assistant principal.

Every day, street performers of all types entertain and befuddle the masses that walk the Atlantic City boardwalk. Take a walk with us down the boardwalk for some riff, raff and rock 'n roll. 

NOTE: This article became national news in hours. After learning of a peace rally through a press release, I researched the rapper who was performing. His lyrics were riddled with violent messages, so I contacted the sponsors of the concert, including the police. After the article ran, a protest was held against the rally, and the police withdrew sponsorship.

CAMDEN -- Despite objections from the police, a city and school district-sponsored "Peace On The Streets" rally Thursday night will feature a hip-hop artist whose lyrics appear to promote violence and silencing snitches.

The mayor's office said it has been assured that the artist, Swizz Beatz, no longer raps about hard-core violence and will bring a positive message to teens expected to attend.

But Swizz Beatz's current single, "It's Me Snitches," includes two lines that say: "Freeze, you know who it is / It's me, snitches!" and "I ain't gonna shoot ya / I could just choke ya."