Here we are one month down and nine to go with so much to learn and so much to do. Nine months does not seem to be enough time to do all that we have planned!
With the NJ ASK results from the spring assessment finally arriving, we can congratulate our students, teachers and you the parents because we made AYP and the children did amazing! What a great gift to see that all the hard work of everyone involved in our children’s education was recognized. As I tell the children and teachers, our journey has only just begun. We have new material to learn and a full year of investigating to look forward to and we need everyone’s help. Continue to support and prioritize education and our children will be the best that they can be!
September was a busy month with the teachers also learning many new things. They worked very hard this summer to thoroughly prepare themselves to be ready for your children, especially this year where they learned how to use the Promethean Boards and the new reading program, Journeys. The best part is that the Journeys program and the tech savvy faculty correlate well with the Promethean Boards and the technology component of the entire curriculum. This truly brings the curriculum full circle and makes for a well rounded education for your children. We hope that you were impressed at Back to School night to see the many new
learning tools available for your children this year.
learning tools available for your children this year.
As for your children, they have been actively engaged in assessments to properly align them with the instruction needed for them to be successful students. Kindergarten through grade 2 students have been assessed by their classroom teachers with support from the reading specialist and grades 3-5 have been assessed using the NWEA assessment in Language Arts and Math. Results from all the assessments will be shared with you, the parents, at conferences.
Our Summer Reading Challenge brought many minutes of quality time with books. Our winners were: Carolyn Genzano, Pranav Chundi, Haseeb Ahsan, Ajman Ahad, Gnaneswar Chundi, and our overall winner, Kendra Candido. Congratulations to all the readers! You are all winners for taking time to read this summer.
With the award of the PBSIS grant, Positive Behavior Supports in Schools, we continue to reward proper behavior which comes at a perfect time with the new State Bullying Policy. This week has been dedicated by the state as Respect Week in schools and we have many activities planned for your children that support the Character Pillars which we have been enforcing every school year.
Another week in October has also been designated to support the new policy. As mentioned before, this week is the Week of Respect and later in the month we have a dedicated week for School Violence Awareness. Our guidance counselor, Ms. Bobko has been preparing age appropriate lessons for your children to recognize the need for respect for all and to avoid a need for violence.
Many of our after school clubs will be beginning this month. Along with our in-school Student Council, Safety Patrol, and Community Helpers, we have 4th and 5th grade Peer Tutors who work with the younger students during their recess, Leadership Club, Social Stars lunch group, and our G.I.R.L.S. and Boys Clubs. After school activities include Sports Club, Computer Club, Science/Garden Club, Homework Club, and Newspaper/Yearbook Club.
October 24th is School Picture Day. We are now using an Edison photography studio, PM Studios. I hope you are pleased with the results. Information on the photo sessions will be distributed soon.
Our first PTO Book Fair will take place on October 12 and 13 with a Family Bingo Night on the 13th Thanks to the PTO and Mrs. Karvaski, for the many years she has spearheaded the book fairs. We have purchased, just last year alone, over $3000 worth of books for the library and for the classroom libraries. There is no better gift then to crack open a new book. I hope for continued success with this fair and the others this school year.
Our library is just about ready to open for the school year. Many people have been an integral part of making our library automated. Without their help and dedication it would not have been possible. Thank you to Alexa Yabra, one of our former students who spent a good portion of her summer helping to enter books on the computer, Marissa Kentos, Julia Hyde and Heather Caffiero, all former students, the Edison High School Student volunteers, also former Lindeneau students and to five members of our strong parent support system, Mrs. Oranchak, Mrs. McCann, Mr. and Mrs. Yabra, and Mrs. Anderer. With additional support this summer by Mrs. Tsirikos, Mrs. Konar and my husband, Mike Schutz, our library is only the 2nd elementary library in Edison to be fully automated. Thanks to the PTO for funding this project.
If you would like to volunteer to help in the library, please contact me. We have many of our previous volunteers back with us this year. Mrs. McCann, and our grandmother team of Mrs.Grillo, Mrs, Stryker and Mrs. Szebenyi. With these ladies we can run the library on most days, but more help is needed, please consider giving an hour or two each week.
Thanks to the fundraising of the PTO, lead this year by the Executive Board consisting of Mr. Jeffreys, Mrs. Yabra, Mrs. Heller, Mr. Stryker and Mr. Anderer, so many additional activities and initiatives have been added to your children’s school experience. Just in the last two months, the PTO sponsored the Popsicle Night at the Park, the BooHoo, Yahoo Breakfast which was a yummy treat donated by the Skylark Diner and the Ice Cream Social. None of these family gatherings can take place without your help with time and participation. Please consider joining the PTO. It is the most you can get out of a $5.00 donation anywhere. Remember that trips, assemblies and many initiatives are paid for out of PTO funds so please try to help where you can. Check out the PTO website for more details.
Thanks to the perseverance of the PTO and especially Mr. Stryker, we have sidewalks for our children’s safety. After a five year request, it has been completed and we all can rest more peacefully knowing the children are safe arriving to and leaving school each day. Thank you for your unending support of my goals and visions for Lindeneau School.
With hope for the future success of our children,
Rosemary Schutz
Rosemary Schutz
