Normandy Park School

September 16th is a D Day.

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

Back to School Night will be this Thursday evening, September 19th. Back to School Night begins at 6:30pm. This event is for parents/caregivers. The evening will begin in the auditorium with a brief schoolwide address. Families will then have the opportunity to see classroom presentations from their child's teacher. For additional information, please click here.

Please know that I am here to help and support in any way that I can. Feel free to reach out to me directly at christopher.miller@msdk12.net.

Sincerely,

Christopher Miller

Principal of Normandy Park School

*To access the NPS Parent Handbook, please click here.

Last week, our school began administering the i-Ready® Diagnostic assessment for Grades 1st through 5th. Kindergarteners will begin iReady in October. The i-Ready Diagnostic helps teachers to effectively assess their students and then provide individualized instruction based on each student’s unique needs.

Please read below for additional information about our diagnostic assessment process:

What is a “diagnostic assessment”

A diagnostic assessment is a form of pre-assessment where teachers can evaluate students' strengths, weaknesses, knowledge and skills before their instruction. Teachers utilize the results of the diagnostic assessment to plan instruction for the whole class and for small groups and individual students. In MSD, we give the diagnostic assessment three times during the school year.

iReady Diagnostic

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your student’s needs. Each item a student sees is individualized based on their answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier questions. The purpose of this is not to give your student a score or grade, but instead to determine how best to support your student’s learning. Diagnostic reports are shared with parents at the completion of the administration window.

i-Ready Personalized Instruction

The personalized, online iReady lessons that all MSD students have access to are not the same as the diagnostic. These lessons are connected to the results of your child’s diagnostic assessment but are meant to provide students with skill and content practice based on their individual level and needs. These lessons are fun and interactive to keep your student engaged as they learn and allow for self-paced learning and practice to complement face-to-face instruction provided by your child’s teacher.

By using the diagnostic assessment to inform high-quality face-to-face teacher instruction and the individual student practice, we provide a multifaceted approach to accelerating student learning. Our teacher teams along with administrators carefully review results and data after each diagnostic assessment window to ensure that the needs of students who are showing strong progress and students who are showing slower progress are being met.

Please note, that iReady is one measure that teachers use along with multiple measures, such as oral reading assessments, day to day observations, exit tickets, and comprehension check-ins. All measures are used to help inform and drive instruction!

Please reach out to your child’s teacher or myself (christopher.miller@msdk12.net) if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Picture Day will be September 26th. Additional information will be shared shortly.

Make-up picture date will be October 10th.

Observed annually from September 15 to October 15: It is a time to appreciate and celebrate

the history, colorful cultures, diversity, and contributions of the ancestors of American

citizens who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South- and Central America.

September 15 is set as the starting date for the month for several reasons. It is the

independence anniversary for Latin American countries El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica,

Nicaragua, and Honduras. From here onwards, the independence days of Mexico and Chile fall on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

• Hispanic and Latino Americans amount to an estimated 17.8% of the total U.S. population, making up the largest ethnic minority. Around one-fifth of the U.S. population is Hispanic.
• The state with the largest Hispanic and Latino population overall is California with over 14 million.
• There are relevant Hispanic influences in American life: music, food, art, cinema, politics, literature, science & technology. Have you seen movies like “Coco” or Vivo”?
• Some inventions from Latin / Hispanics:

1. Color TV: Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena (México)
2. The electric brake: Victor Ochoa (México)
3. The artificial heart: Dr. Domingo Liotta (Argentina)
4. Bandage for administering drugs: Alejandro Zaffaroni (Uruguay)
5. The stent: Julio C. Palmaz (Argentina)

What heritage runs in your family?

Share some of your traditions with your classmates!

Notes for parents/teachers:

Observation of Hispanic Heritage Week started in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was later extended to a 30-day celebration by President Ronald Reagan, starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted via approval of Public Law 100-402 on August 17, 1988.

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!

Instagram: @nps_wizards

Facebook: Normandy Park School HSA

Please help make the Book Fair a success for our kids and school! Up to 50% of profits will come back to NPS to buy our birthday books, Reading Challenge rewards, and other reading material. The Book Fair will be held in the NPS Library. Click here to volunteer!

The Book Fair is almost here! Please consider donating a few dollars to Share the Fair so that every NPS child can take home a book. You can donate when you create an e-wallet or by returning the form and bag your child brought home in their Book Fair packet.

Dear School Community,

We are delighted to announce the arrival of Mrs. Hunt as our new school counselor. Mrs. Hunt brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our school, and we are confident that she will be a valuable asset to our students, families, and staff.

Mrs. Hunt has a proven track record of building strong relationships with children and families. Her ability to connect with students on a personal level and provide them with the support they need is truly exceptional. We are excited to see the positive impact she will have on our school community.

Additionally, we are thrilled to share that Mrs. Hunt is bilingual in Spanish. This will be a significant benefit to our Spanish-speaking students and families, as it will allow for better communication and understanding.

Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Hunt to our school community. We look forward to working with her to provide our students with the best possible education and support.

If you are interested in reaching out to Mrs. Hunt, feel free to by phone (973)-889-7960 X6115 or email gloria.hunt@msdk12.net.

Now, let’s take a moment to talk about returning to school. Some children will be very excited to return while others will be anxious. Our staff is well prepared to help your child(ren) navigate the first days of school.

If your child(ren) are anxious about returning to school here are some tips for you:

1. Be patient and understanding. Recognize that separation anxiety is a natural part of growing up. Allow them to express their feelings and let them know you understand.

2. Make positive statements part of your daily routine. Have your children stand in front of the mirror when brushing their hair and say things like “I am strong” “I am smart” “I can do hard things”. Say it with them.

3. Create a predictable routine. Children do better when there is an established routine. Whether they are taking the bus or you (or someone else) is driving them, talk to them about what drop off and pick up will look like.

4. Avoid lengthy farewells. This one can be tough for a lot of parents but a quick and positive goodbye will do the trick.

5. Stay calm. Children pick up on adult emotions. (Don’t worry, we have plenty of tissues for adults who need them).

Find Out What’s Happening in The District Newsletter Fall 2024 Edition

As families and staff prepare for the new school year, the Morris Educational Foundation invites you to take a look back at all the amazing highlights from the 2023-2024 school year in The District Newsletter.

The joint publication from the Morris School District, Morris Educational Foundation and Colonial Nation features:

• District athletic highlights
• Extracurricular achievements across all schools
• The MEF’s impact on academic, enrichment, and social-emotional wellness initiatives
• Plus a save-the-date for Morristown ONSTAGE 2025

The Fall 2024 edition is hot off the press and Morristown, Morris Plains and Morris Township residents can expect to receive their copy in their mailbox this week. View the digital version here>>>

Help Make it a Great Year for All 5,700 Morris School District Students

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! The Morris Educational Foundation is proud to Support Every Student Every Day. While the Morris School District provides the essential tools for quality classroom learning, the MEF supports the extras that elevate learning. From cutting-edge instructional resources to enriching curricular activities, the MEF is committed to helping students not just succeed but excel.

We invite you, our community, to kick off the 2024-25 school year with a gift to launch our students’ education above and beyond the standard curriculum. $1 a day for 180 days adds up to a year of exceptional learning for one student.

Please help us make it the best year yet for each of the 5,700 students in the Morris School District! Let's Support Every Student Every Day and empower them to achieve their fullest potential.

Donate today by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference!

For interactive menus, as well as nutrition and allergen information, please click here.

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.

APPLYING FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

Applications are available through PaySchools. Once you create your account, the Free & Reduced Application will be available to complete online. Students who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, also qualify for free/reduced breakfast.

Please note that you do not have to print out the application if you complete it online; it will be electronically sent to the Board Office once completed. You may also complete an application using a computer in the main office of your child's school or request a paper application.

Applications are available through PaySchools. Click the link to create your PaySchool account (ENG or ESP)

If you do not qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, please follow these procedures for purchasing school breakfast or lunch:

• Backpack an envelope with your child's name on it, marked "Food Services.
• Include your child's name in the memo line of your check.
• You may prepay for multiple breakfasts or lunches with one check or lump sum of money, which will then be deposited onto your child's food services account.
• Payment may also be made online ( (ENG or ESP); a small fee will be charged with each transaction. This is a secure and convenient way to make payments and keep your account up to date.
• Payment may be made in cash or check (payable to "Morris School District"

MEAL PRICING:

***Meal Prices for School Year 2024-2025***

Elementary Lunch

$3.25

Reduced Price Lunch

$0.00

Milk

$0.75

We are excited to introduce our new food service provider, Pomptonian, please stop by and visit the MSD Pomptonian page to learn more:

http://www.mypomptonianmenus.com/morris

Please contact Morris School District Food Services if you have any questions:

Shannon Burton
973-292-2000, Ext. 2126
shannon.burton@msdk12.net

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 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: francesca.ecker@msdk12.net

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

• September 19th at 6:30pm: Back to School Night
• September 22nd- HSA Game Day @ Gotham FC
• September 26th- Picture Day

Click here to view Morris School District (MSD) 2024-2025 School calendar.

· Parent Handbook

· Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

· Sunset and Sunrise