Knitting class at library
Knitting and crocheting casses for beginners will be offered at the Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center beginning on Wednesday, June 1. A series of eight classes will be held on consecutive Wednesdays from 6:30 pm to 8:30 p.m. Mary Ellen Aluotto, who previously taught these classes at Secaucus High School’s Adult School, will be the instructor.
According to Aluotto, the course of eight classes is for beginners.
Each person attending the classes must bring a pair of size 9 knitting needles and six ounces of worsted weight yarn.
Class size is limited to 10 people so that each person will receive individualized attention. Those interested in attending must register by calling (201) 330-2083. Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center, 1379 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus.
Circus to benefit animal shelter
On Sunday, June 12 the Kelly Miller Circus will perform two shows in town to benefit the Secaucus Animal Shelter.
This popular circus will set up a big tent in Harmon Meadow that can accommodate up to 1,500 audience members.
Residents are invited to see the North Starlets, clowns, trapeze artists, a juggling act, and a “fire manipulator,” in addition to many animals, including camels, tigers, and elephants.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children.
The Secaucus Animal Shelter will get 20 percent of the proceeds from the first 200 adult ticket sales, and 40 percent of adult ticket sales after that. In addition, the shelter will receive 25 percent of the proceeds from all children’s tickets sold.
Show times will be at 2 and 5 p.m.
For more information, call Susan Pirro at (201) 362-4435.
Honeywell teachers’ institute accepting applications
For the fourth consecutive year in a row, scholarships are available for the annual Honeywell Institute for Ecosystems Education for middle and high school science and social studies teachers. This year the program is being expanded to include teachers from Hudson County.
The summer institute will take place from Aug. 15 through 19 and brings together classroom instruction with diverse outdoor experiences at sites throughout the Hackensack watershed to better engage and inspire students in the classroom.
The goal of the program is to provide teachers with up-to-date strategies and inspiring lesson plans that take the curriculum from the textbook to a unique, “hands-on” approach to geology, watershed dynamics, and human-ecosystems dependencies. Activities during the program led by environmental educators and naturalists include an exploration through forested and field habitats, an eco-cruise on the Hackensack River and investigation of both freshwater streams and tidal salt marshes.
This year, 28 teachers will receive free tuition for the summer institute, classroom resource materials, a monetary stipend for program completion and 30 hours of professional development credit. The program is aligned with New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Science and Social Studies.
Applications are due by June 10, 2011. Teachers who are interested in applying can visit http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionEducation/HoneywellInstituteforEcosystemsEducation.aspx or call (609) 861-1608, ext. 13.
Help for homeowners facing foreclosure
The state’s Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency has announced the New Jersey HomeKeeper program, a federally-funded effort to help homeowners who are in danger of foreclosure due to a layoff or underemployment. Through the program homeowners can receive two-year loans in the amount of $48,000 or less. Loans are in the form of second mortgage loans. Proceeds from the loans may be used to cover overdue mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, or mortgage insurance.
The HomeKeeper initiative is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund.
For more information, visit www.njhomekeeper.gov. Residents can also call the mayor’s office at (201) 330-2005.