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Dear KDM Community,

As we completed another exciting week of learning and growth, I want to to shine a light on the incredible individuals who make our school a thriving, vibrant place. Our dedicated staff—teachers, staff assistants, support personnel, and everyone in between—work tirelessly to create an environment where every student feels valued and inspired.

Our students had another productive week. Everyone did a great job working through their iReady Math Assessment. Next week, we will begin the iReady ELA Diagnostic Assessment. I again ask that you have your students come to school well-rested, well-fed, and energized to take on the day.

Our PTA parents have been working hard on multiple fronts. While they are fundraising to support the needs of our students in school, they are also creating enriching experiences that create lasting memories. We are grateful for everything they do to create a warm and welcoming community.

Next Friday is the KDM PTA Candy Bar Bingo event at 7 pm. This is such a great family-friendly, community-building event. Many of our teachers plan to join in the fun. I encourage everyone to come out and watch me attempt to win ALL the Candy Bars.

We're all looking forward to Back to School Night on September 25th! Save the date for a great evening.

I wish you all a joyful and relaxing weekend!

Brian Rawlins

Principal

"Success is not about being better than the other person. Success is about being a better person than I was the day before." --Anonymous

Mrs. Cortese and Mrs. Imhof, KDM's reading specialists and Academic Interventionists, created a slideshow to demonstrate the benefits of reading. Check out the Benefits of Reading slideshow and share it with your children.

• Dr. Corbett: September is Attendance Awareness Month

  I would like to acknowledge that the State of New Jersey has designated September as

  Attendance Awareness Month. As we embark on another exciting school year, I want to take a

  moment to emphasize an essential factor in your child's success: regular school attendance. In

  Rockaway Township, we firmly believe that consistent attendance is fundamental to your child's academic and personal growth. Please take a moment to read attached Chronic Absenteeism .pdf

• NJSLA Scores were released on Genesis today. Please see the NJSLA Parent Letter 2024 to learn how to access your student's data.
• After School Clubs and Enrichment Programs: After School club descriptions will be available starting September 20th for anyone interested in joining. Some clubs have a limit to the number of students and it is first come first serve.
• Genesis Parent Portal: HERE you will find vital information regarding your child’s schedule, teacher’s name, and bus assignments.

• Parent Pick-Up Procedures: On the days that parents pick their child up from school, we ask that they email their child's teacher and our attendance secretary, Christina Markowitch (cmarkowitch@rocktwp.net) or Jude Wallin (jwallin@rocktwp.net) by 12pm . This ensures that your child is in the appropriate place for dismissal and eliminates confusion. Please use the visitor's spots in the front lot or the parking lot across the street.

• Communication Framework: Click HERE. In order to ensure that all communications are directed to the right person, please use this framework with regard to all school-related inquiries

• Calling all KDM students interested in Cub Scouts!
  Reach out to nmc.wmlpack160@gmail.com.

"5th graders recently took on a STEM challenge in science to show off their engineering skills. Students were asked to create a 'Puff Mobile' with paper, lifesavers, paper, and straws. Then we "raced" them for distance. It was a fun time learning to work cooperatively in groups." --Mrs. Beck

In art class with Mrs. Reilly this week, students in kindergarteners & first graders celebrated "International Dot Day" (Sept. 15th) by reading "the Dot", by Peter H. Reynolds, which is a wonderful book that encourages children to try new & challenging things, to explore their creativity & to have confidence in their abilities. The students then had a great time creating their own original "dot" artwork- complete with a "swirly gold frame"!

Congratulations to Preston S., winner of the 5th Grade T-Shirt contest. Preston's artwork was voted as the t-shirt image by 5th grade students! KDM PTA Member and 5th Grade Committee Co-Chair, Mrs. Patel, is pictured below with Preston and Mr. Rawlins. We're grateful for her coordination of the class voting and t-shirt contest announcements.

KDM Teachers have H.E.A.R.T.! Ms. Lasnick, Ms. Stites, and Ms. Diffin showed their KDM Pride by wearing Red for" KDM has H.E.A.R.T." Spirit Day!

Ms. Smith, Ms. Desa Stalter, and Mr. Koenig wore Red, White, and Blue as a symbol of our patriotism for 9/11.

Ms. Ciottariello worked hard to get The KDM PTA School Store up and running. From unpacking, to pricing, and selling, Ms. C handles it all with ease!.

The School Store is open next week! Check it out every Wednesday!

Join us for a fun, family-friendly game of Candy Bar Bingo!

WOW, KDM! We’ve already crushed our $5,000 goal, and now we’re aiming even higher—$7,500! The excitement and energy around this event are off the charts, and it’s all for an incredible cause—our kids! Every donation, no matter the size, helps us get closer to a supercharged recess experience. And don’t forget, there are fantastic prizes for everyone!

The kids are loving their neon-themed Walk-a-Thon bracelets, thanks to Principal Rawlins, and the buzz around school is contagious!

Let’s keep the good vibes rolling and hit that $7,500 goal together. Thank you all for your amazing support—this Walk-a-Thon is going to be EPIC for the KDM crew!

Ms. Fraysier and Ms. Ferrucci shared our top winners for the first week of the Walk-a-thon! Congratulations to the first grade who earned an extra recess next week!

This calendar reflects PTA events and activities. Please refer to the "Upcoming Dates" section below for the full listing of school events.

• September 16th (Monday) - 20th (Friday): iReady ELA Diagnostic (Grades 1-5)
• September 20th (Friday): Candy Bar Bingo at 6:30 pm
• September 25th (Wednesday): Back to School Night at 6:00 pm
• September 27th (Friday): PTA Walk-a-Thon
• October 3rd (Thursday) - October 4th (Friday): School Closed for Rosh Hashanah
• October 9th (Wednesday): Rockaway Township Fire Truck Visit for Kindergarten and 2nd Grade
• October 9th (Wednesday): PTA Meeting at 7 pm
• October 16th (Wednesday): BMX Bike Safety Assembly
• October 24th (Thursday) - October 29th (Tuesday): Parent/Teacher Conferences
• October 30th (Wednesday): School Picture Day