Under sunny, balmy skies that seemed to mirror the warm spirit of the day, Linden Public Schools hosted its 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩-𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 9 — a groundbreaking community event designed to welcome multilingual families and connect all Linden Public Schools families with valuable resources for the new school year.
From 9 a.m. to noon, Tiger Stadium was filled with energy and excitement as bright orange tents ringed the football field, each hosting a community partner ready to assist parents and guardians.
𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣-𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙.
Children enjoyed the bouncy houses, face painting, and balloons that brought bursts of color and fun to the day. When it came time to refuel, attendees sampled a variety of foods, refreshing drinks, and sweet treats — including hot slices of Papa John’s pizza, icy smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Café, and frozen delights from So Delicious Ice Cream of Clark. The district also thanked C&C Cola of Linden for keeping everyone cool with ice-cold beverages.
“We realized year after year that the start of school was being interrupted because some students didn’t have the right immunizations or basic paperwork completed,” explained Danie Orelien, Director of the Multilingual Learners Department. “This orientation was created to lift that burden for families — to get everything done in one place, ahead of time.”
𝘼 𝙊𝙣𝙚-𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨
The event’s layout reflected its mission: efficiency and accessibility. Families could complete required vaccinations for both incoming and current students — including sixth-grade immunization requirements — while connecting with service providers from the district, county, and state.
Among the partners present were Union County, New Jersey FamilyCare, Prevention Links, and organizations offering mental health resources and behavioral support for children.
“This wasn’t just for multilingual learners,” Orelien emphasized. “It was for all Linden Public Schools families. Whether you’re a newcomer or have lived here your whole life, these needs touch everyone.”
𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨
While the day focused on back-to-school readiness, it also fostered a joyful community atmosphere. Parents received step-by-step help with systems like Genesis and school lunch applications, while children left with painted faces, balloon creations, and stories to tell.
Local businesses and community vendors played a major role in creating that welcoming environment. The district extended its gratitude to Papa John’s, Tropical Smoothie Café, So Delicious Ice Cream of Clark, and C&C Cola of Linden for their generous donations, as well as all community resource vendors who provided critical support and information.
𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙
With more than 100 families attending, Orelien considers the day a resounding success — especially given it was planned in less than a month. Still, she already has bigger plans for 2026.
“Next year, we’re going to be bold,” she said with a smile. “Now that we’ve proven it works, we want every family to benefit.”
𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩
The inaugural Multilingual Department Orientation Day did more than prepare students for school — it strengthened the connection between families and Linden Public Schools. By blending critical resources with a festive, family-friendly atmosphere, the event set a positive tone for the year ahead.
As Orelien summed it up:
“Our goal is to make sure every student walks into school on the first day ready to learn — with nothing standing in their way.”