THS Student Center has been dedicated in honor of former Health and Physical Education teacher, Cheryl
Miller-Porter. Ms. Miller-Porter was the founder of the Teaneck Terpsichoreans and directed the group for over
40 years. Ms. Miller-Porter also coached the Flag Twirlers and a number of championship Girls’ Track Teams.
March 2012, Teaneck High School celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated, state of the art
Culinary Lab. Teaneck Public School district in partnership with Bergen Community College, received grant funding
from the US Dept of Labor-Employment & Training Administration.
The grant combined with district funding enabled the renovations of the existing classroom. These renovations
included the new freezer, work station, cabinetry, appliances and walk-in refrigerator. The upgraded kitchen will
allow students to engage in instructional opportunities using industry standard tools and equipment. The culinary
electives and upper level culinary courses are aligned to the cooking, hospitality and restaurant management courses
offered at Bergen Community College, providing students with dual credit opportunities.
August 2012 marked the return of newly hired Assistant Principal, Mr. Pedro H. Valdes III. Mr. Valdes is an alumnus of
Teaneck High School Class of 1992, a 1996 graduate from Morehouse College, received a Master of Arts in Educational
Leadership in 2007 from New Jersey City University and was awarded the New Jersey Governor’s Teacher of the Year
for PS#4 in 2000. He returns to Teaneck after 15 years in Paterson, NJ where he served as a Social Studies teacher,
Testing Coordinator, Whole School Reform Facilitator, High School Vice Principal and Director.
The Life Skills Program began four years ago in 2012 at Teaneck High School in a small classroom with just three students
who graduated from Benjamin Franklin Middle School. With a microwave and sink, the program did its best to teach life
skills to its students. Jobs were obtained around the building and students also focused on individual academic programs. As
the years went on, the student population grew as well as the curriculum. Adding a table top oven, blender and toaster oven,
more skills were perfected. Additional jobs in the building were added, such as library customer service help, envelope
stuffing and filing for the College and Career Center and deliveries for both the Forum and the Nurse’s office. A couple of
students began working outside the building at a local drug store and daycare. Although space was getting small with the
growing population and skill requirements, we were able to address the needs of our students and move them in the right
direction.
At the start of the 2015 school year, the class size grew to thirteen students and we were struggling in our current space.
A new space was needed and a state of the art new space is what we received in February 2016. The Life Skills Center was
constructed in the space that previously housed the auto shop. It is a large space that is able to accommodate a large
number of staff and students. In this space we are able to teach and practice a large number of life skills including washing
and drying clothes, cooking meals, vacuuming and washing dishes. We have a full kitchen, bedroom and living room. We have a
large space for academic skills with a brand new projector where students work in small groups to complete their academic
curriculum. We also have a transition center that allows us to practice job skills and prepares us for work in and out of the
school. The transition center has laptops and a printer for student use. Currently many students are working in local stores
and hospitals. The goal of the Life Skills Program is to prepare our students for life after high school and make them as
independent as possible. With our newly acquired space this goal is being achieved and the students are proud of what they
have accomplished. We look forward to continued success.
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