Innovation Lab named for board member
STANHOPE. Gilbert Moscatello, vice president of the Board of Education, has been a board member for 15 years.
Stanhope /
| 25 Dec 2024 | 08:01
Gilbert ‘Gil’ Moscatello, vice president of the Board of Education, holds the sign that will be posted just outside the newly renamed Moscatello Center for Innovation at Valley Road School in Stanhope. (Photos by Kathy Shwiff)
The Innovation Lab at Valley Road School in Stanhope replaced the school’s library, which was underutilized, school officials said.
Gil Moscatello, vice president of the Board of Education, with a cake in his honor.
Gil Moscatello with his family.
Gil Moscatello speaks during the school board meeting Dec. 18.
The Innovation Lab opened in fall 2023.
The Innovation Lab at Valley Road School in Stanhope was renamed in honor of Gilbert “Gil” Moscatello, vice president of the Board of Education, at the board’s meeting Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Moscatello has been a board member for 15 years. His term expires at the end of the year.
The lab, which replaced the school’s library, will be called the Moscatello Center for Innovation. It opened in fall 2023 after being renovated as part of a 2022 district bond referendum.
Moscatello, who was board president for 10 years, said serving on the board was one of his most enjoyable volunteer experiences.
”We accomplished an incredible amount of things over the last 15 years.
“When I first came on the board, ... the district was in turmoil. ... We made some hard decisions as a board.”
Once the district had the right administrators in place, “you could see the changes happening automatically.”
Moscatello also praised his fellow board members.
“I cannot say there was one board member we had here who wasn’t interested in kids first, education and community support around our school. Every single one without fail came with that ... .”
He retired in 2012 after a 41-year career in education. All but one year was at West Morris Central High School in Chester Township. He served as assistant principal and acting principal there after teaching industrial education. He also was an assistant football coach.
His wife taught at Valley Road School and his children attended the school.
”He epitomizes what it is to be from this town and part of this school,” said Superintendent Steven Hagemann. “He is the definition of service. We hope that our kids and our families can see this and strive to give back like he has.”
Moscatello also is a member of the board of directors of the Sussex County Educational Services Commission, which oversees Northern Hills Academy, a school for special-needs students, and provides other services.
The Innovation Lab at Valley Road School, which serves grades preK-8, includes a broadcast studio, computers used for computer-aided design and a makers space.
Principal Alicia Finklea-DiCataldo said STEM classes meet in the lab and other classes have used it for special projects.
The broadcast studio has been used for morning announcements by students and speeches by Student Council candidates.
“We have visions down the road of a Broadcasting Club. We’re hoping to expand our electives for our middle school kids and offer a broadcasting course next year,” Hagemann said.
Finklea-DiCataldo said students plan to record an anti-bias podcast in the studio.