Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Monday, January 9th is an E Day.

This week, students will continue working with MPAC instructors for their cultural arts' residency "Dance Through the Decades!"

Parent teacher conferences will be held on February 13th and 15th. Virtual conferences are available upon request. This week, teachers will be reaching out to schedule with you directly.

Reminder: In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there will be no school on January 16th.

Winter HSA clubs begin this week. For pick-up please refer to the following chart:

MPAC will teach a Dance Through the Decades Residency to each grade unit where students would learn about dance history, different dance styles throughout each decade, move their bodies by learning choreography from each decade, and work on a class dance.

Each class will be assigned a different decade!

MPAC will provide a total of 8 instructional sessions throughout January to March for each classroom. MPAC will conduct 1 introductory dance session per class prior to the winter break.

Introductory sessions will focus on an introduction to dance and occur within the classroom.

The residency will conclude with a cumulative schoolwide performance in March! More information to follow!

To learn more about MPAC and their residencies, please click here!

We will begin administering the i-Ready® Diagnostic assessment during the week of January 18th. i-Ready Diagnostic helps teachers to effectively assess their students and then provide individualized instruction based on each student’s unique needs. i-Ready Diagnostic assesses the following skill areas:

Reading

• Phonological Awareness

• Phonics

• High-Frequency Words

• Vocabulary

• Comprehension

Math

• Number and Operations

• Algebra and Algebraic Thinking

• Measurement and Data

• Geometry

i-Ready Diagnostic begins by giving students an adaptive assessment in reading and math. An adaptive assessment is a test that automatically adjusts the difficulty of the questions according to each student’s performance in order to determine his or her abilities in reading or math. i-Ready is a very different kind of test that presents students with questions that can be both too easy and too hard. It is designed to do this until the assessment finds exactly the level at which the student is performing. Therefore, your child will certainly see some items above his or her level. Your child will be encouraged to independently complete the test to the best of his or her ability, and know that it is okay to get questions wrong.

Each time a student gets an item incorrect, he or she will be presented with a simpler question until the diagnostic finds the grade level at which the student is performing. The assessment efficiently assesses students across multiple grade levels, allowing for identification of root causes of students’ struggles or for identification of areas where a student is ready for further challenge. This information will then provide the teacher with a “road map” to instructional remediation.

Once your child completes the test, he or she will be assigned online instruction to support his or her progress in mastering each skill. i-Ready Diagnostic supports the teachers and administrators at your child’s school. The program provides a series of comprehensive reports designed to make classroom instruction more effective. These reports include data about student performance as well as detailed teaching suggestions. They help educators make informed decisions about the instruction that is right for your child.

Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or your child’s teacher. For more information on i-Ready Diagnostic, please visit the Morris School District website: www.morrisschooldistrict.org

Report Cards for the first trimester were sent home on December 22nd, 2022. For new families, please note that we use a Standards Based Report Card. For additional information on understanding the Standard Based Report Card, please click here.

Report Cards are also available to view via the Parent Portal.

Welcome to 2023! This month’s Counselor Corner is all about taking care of ourselves as adults. With the start of the new year often come the pressure of New Year’s resolutions. Even if you don’t make formal resolutions, the new year often starts with statements like: “This year I will _________ (lose weight, get organized, save money, etc). What is the statement you have said to yourself? Be honest. While those can be good goals, I want you to take a moment and think about how much you do throughout the day: There are financial, emotional and social responsibilities. There are also the tasks of laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. Now try setting up a different goal for yourself like, “this year I’m going to be kinder to myself and take better care of myself”.

A simple way to do this is practicing Mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being aware of your surroundings without judgement; taking the time to really breathe and reflect on what is important in life.

Here are some of the many benefits of mindfulness as cited by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of Berkeley California:

• Mindfulness is good for our bodies: A seminal study found that, after just eight weeks of training, practicing mindfulness meditation boosts our immune system’s ability to fight off illness.

• Mindfulness is good for our minds: Several studies have found that mindfulness increases positive emotions while reducing negative emotions and stress. Indeed, at least one study suggests it may be as good as antidepressants in fighting depression and preventing relapse.

• Mindfulness changes our brains: Research has found that it increases density of gray matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.

• Mindfulness helps us focus: Studies suggest that mindfulness helps us tune out distractions and improves our memory and attention skills.

I often hear: " I have no time in my day to sit around and do any of this." Here’s the beauty about mindfulness. It can be done anytime and many of the activities can be done in just 10 minutes.

There are plenty of free apps available for an iphone or an android. Here is a list of some of them, including: Headspace, Smiling Mind,insight timer,and calm.Many have free versions or a trial period. You’ll need to try them to see which one’s right for you. Your children have also been learning a variety of breathing techniques in class, such as belly breathing, rainbow breath and box breathing. Ask them to show you and make it a family event. Who knows, you might find yourself a happier, healthier, and more relaxed you!

If none of these work or you need some additional information, please reach out to me and I'll be happy to assist. Wishing you and the rest of our Normandy Park Families, a happy and healthy 2023!

cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

973-889-7960

Stay Awesome!

Cheryl

Save The Date- RSVP HERE

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

7-8pm

Location: Morristown High School, Learning Commons

Topic: Coping with Adversity: Adaptive Skills to Build Resilience

Reserva

Miércoles, 18 de Enero de 2023

7-8pm

LA UBICACIÓN: Morristown High School, Learning Commons

SESIÓN 2: Cómo sobrellevar la Adversidad: Habilidades Adaptativas para Desarrollar la Resiliencia

Parent teacher conferences will be held on February 13th and 15th. Virtual conferences are available upon request. This week, homeroom teachers will be reaching out to schedule with you directly. If you'd like to schedule a conference with specialists, please e-mail them (information provided below).

Parent Teacher conferences are a great opportunity to meet with your child's teacher to discuss his/her progress.

During the conference:

• Teacher will share strengths and areas of growth of your child

• Offer your perspective

• Don't be afraid to ask questions (if there is an educational term used that you do not know what it means, feel free to ask)

• Feel free to share additional information about your child (e.g. learning styles, interests outside of school)

• 
  

If you would like to meet with a specialist teacher (e.g. Art, Music, PE, Science, or Computers/Library), please feel free to reach out to them directly prior to coming into the school. You can also request a virtual conference with a specialist during conference times. Their contact information is listed below:

Art and Enrichment:

maryann.summa@msdk12.net

Science:

robert.russell@msdk12.net

PE:

suzanne.echevarria@msdk12.net

Music:

ariella.schwam@msdk12.net

Library/Computers:

wendy.gilson@msdk12.net

In January, we will be hosting Normandy Park School’s Kindergarten Information Session for prospective 2023-2024 families. Feel free to invite friends (Morristown or Morris Township residents) to learn more about our multiage program and community.

January 19th

6:30pm

To register, click here.

Click here to visit our Home and School Association website!

Show your NPS pride! Purchase NPS school gear directly from Redbubble with shipment right to your doorstep! A small percentage of profits will be returned to NPS with your purchase!

Create a profile on our NPS HSA Membership Toolkit to enable your participation in the school directory (grade/teacher), sign up to receive the Home and School Association's weekly newsletter, submit club forms, volunteer and more!

• If you know that you child will be tardy or absent from school, it is requested that you notify the nurse in advance. This can be done by phone at 973-889-7960 x 6152. Voicemail is operational 24 hours daily.

• You may also contact her office by email at: marybeth.supple@msdk12.net

• Students who arrive tardy (after 8:55am) must report immediately to the Health Office upon arrival to school for a late pass

Please use the digital blue note form for any dismissal changes. The main office will notify the homeroom teachers of the dismissal change. For absences, continue to contact the school nurse.

If a situation arises that requires you to pick your child up during the school day, a note must be sent to the office specifying the pick-up time. Students being picked up early are asked to be picked up before 2:30 p.m.

Click here for January Breakfast and Lunch Menus.

For additional information on MSD Breakfast and Lunch, please click here to visit the district's website.

Students can bring and/or purchase lunch. Free and reduced meals are provided to families who qualify for support. To fill out the Free and Reduced Meals application, please click here.

• January 16th- No School in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr Day
• January 19th- iReady Assessment Window Opens for K-5 students
• January 30th- Early Dismissal for Students (Staff Professional Development Day)
• February 13th and 15th- Early Dismissal for Students; Parent Teacher Conferences
• February 20th- No School in recognition of President's Day
• February 21st- No School for Students (Staff Professional Development Day)

2022-2023 District Calendar

· Parent Handbook

· District Calendar

· Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

· Free and Reduced Meal Application

· Adding Money to Breakfast/Lunch Account

· Sunset and Sunrise

The Morris Educational Foundation (MEF) is proud to continue its mission of generating and distributing resources to enhance the education of the 5,700 students and 1,000 educators in the Morris School District’s 10 schools. For 30 years, the MEF has and will continue to support our District through vibrant grants, supportive tutoring, enlightening parent education and life-changing scholarship programs. Learn more about how the MEF works to enrich and inspire the academic pursuits of all our students by clicking here. With you, our community, we make exceptional education extraordinary.

Click on this link to view a video about what the MEF does for you!

Any questions, email info@morrisedfoundation.org.