The Chronicles of Kiel School

Welcome to The Chronicles of Kiel School, the official newsletter of Kiel School in Kinnelon, NJ. It will be published periodically and feature our amazing students, teachers, staff, and school community as we experience the magic and joy of learning TOGETHER.

It goes without saying, but Kiel School is an exceptionally special place where everyone is family. We take great pride in our school and want our students to have the very best that we can provide. We believe in the importance and power of hands-on-learning and connectivity with students. We want our students to LOVE coming to school and for Kiel to always be their home away from home.

As you venture into this newsletter, I hope that you are able to take some time to not only read each article but also take a few minutes to focus on each picture. As the saying goes: "A picture is worth a thousand words." In our case, these pictures each tell a story in their own right of the adventures that our students experience every single day when they enter through Kiel's doors. I hope that you can see and appreciate the sparkle, magic, and light that our students represent in every aspect of this newsletter.

Without further ado, I present to you: The Chronicles of Kiel School....!

Best,

Jennifer Oluwole (Mrs. O)

Principal

Did you know that when Kiel School was first built in 1995, students at the time voted on a mascot for their new school? They chose the Kiel School KOALAS (which is still on our staff ID swipe cards today)! As we near the 30th anniversary of Kiel School, I hope that you enjoy a few pictures of Kiel's construction, as well as Mrs. Santagato teaching current second graders how to draw a koala in Art class!

Note: Our school mascot is officially the Kinnelon Colts, district-wide. However, I thought it was super cool that we were once the Kiel School Koalas! I guess we can still be both.. once a koala, always a koala, right?!?!

Practicing routines and procedures has been a key focus in 2nd grade. Building a classroom community is essential, and we started right out of the gate with 'getting to know you' games and activities. We have been throwing kindness around like confetti, making sure to be mindful of others thoughts and feelings. Additionally, the children are learning organizational skills as they begin to receive their curricular materials.

Children’s literature about kindness is one of the best tools to cultivate compassion in kids. In the Kiel School Library/Media Center, stories can do more for children than entertain them. Values inherent in sharing literature with children include personal qualities, such as kindness, that may inspire children to understand who they are and what they are feeling.

To celebrate the contributions of Hispanic Americans, we are reading a Caldecott Honor book, Alma and How She Got Her Name, by author Juana Martinez-Neal.

When Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candel complains that her name is too long, her father tells five stories about the different family members for whom she is named. Each one connects to her in a special way. Her sixth name, Alma, is just for her. “You are the one and only Alma,” her father tells her. “You will make your own story.” The author’s note tells the story of her own full name and how it reminds her of her roots in Peru!

This is a lovely “invitation” for you to share the inspiration for the naming of your child…if you haven’t already!

Mrs. Susan Gersten

Kiel Library/Media Specialist

In Phys. Ed., students are learning about respecting personal space and moving safely. We are also making it a goal to care for ourselves and others. We are a team. Each team player has a job that they have to do when we work together as a team!

Reading and Writing Workshop is underway in kindergarten! Students are partner reading and practicing retelling Mrs. Wishy Washy. They are also drawing pictures to write their true stories.

Email: oluwolej@kinnelon.org
Website: https://www.kinnelonpublicschools.org
Location: 115 Kiel Avenue, Kinnelon, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-838-0611
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kiel-School/100063597041950/