Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone is doing well. Thank you for your continued support, enthusiasm, and effort. Together, our students will continue to grow academically and social emotionally.

The Week of Respect is here! October 5th to October 9th is the Week of Respect at Normandy Park School. The week of respect is celebrated throughout New Jersey. We recognize the importance of character education and provide age-appropriate instruction focusing on the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (additional information listed below).

On Monday, we will begin temperature checks for students attending school in-person (additional information listed below). As flu season starts, temperature checks will add another measure to support health/safety and keep our buildings open. This is not in place of the daily home screenings conducted by parents, but in addition to.

This week, on October 8th, we will host our all virtual Back to School Night. I will share a recorded presentation that you can view at any time. On October 8th, you can attend live sessions (via Zoom or Google Meet) with your child’s teacher starting at 6:30pm. Multiple sessions are offered to support families with multiple children in the school. If you have any questions that you would like me to address in my presentation, please feel free to reach out in advance.

Please note, that MSD will continue to share important information on the Coronavirus Update Center and on our MSD Forward pages.

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.

This part of the newsletter will have a question or a topic for you to discuss with your child(ren). This can be done on the way to school, on the way to sports practice, before dinner, at bedtime, etc.

Each week there will be a “something to think about” question and a “something to talk about” question. The “something to think about question” is for you as a parent to reflect on for yourself. The “something to talk about” question is for you to discuss with your child. These exercises are meant to stimulate a conversation on race, equity and inclusion in America.

Week Four

Parent Reflection Question:

• What has your experience been with prejudice/bias? Has anyone ever expressed prejudice or bias against you? Have you ever expressed bias or prejudice towards someone else? If you feel comfortable, you can always share your experience with your child. Remember to keep it kid friendly!

Fourth Question For Child:

• Do you know what it means to be prejudiced? (Prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. Any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable, is prejudice. Prejudice also consists of unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group).
• Have you ever seen anyone be prejudiced towards a friend or classmate? Has anyone ever been prejudiced against you? Encourage your child to share their experiences and their feelings.

On Monday (10/5), we will begin temperature checks for students attending school in-person, using a digital forehead thermometer . As flu season starts, temperature checks will add another measure to support health/safety and keep our buildings open.

Students temperature will be taken upon arrival. Any student who registers a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will be sent home. Please continue to conduct the Daily Student Screening at home each morning before your child leaves for school--including taking your child’s temperature with a thermometer. This extra layer of redundancy is important given the complications posed by concurrent flu and coronavirus transmission. Fever is a strong predictor of flu, and in anticipation of the upcoming flu season, we want to ensure that students with fever do not enter our school buildings or buses.

Procedures for drop-offs and buses are as follows:

Drop-offs

• Students should be sitting on the passenger side of the car.
• As cars arrive in the pick-up line, a staff member will approach the vehicle. Please roll down the window, so the staff member can take your child's temperature. If the child has a temperature, he/she will not be allowed into school. The nurse will follow-up with you accordingly. If the child does not have a temperature, he/she will enter as usual.

Bus

• Upon entrance to the building, staff members will take each child's temperature. Temperatures will be taken as students are applying hand-sanitizer. If a student has a temperature, he will report to the nurse. The nurse will provide care and contact you to pick-up your child.

Please reach out to me directly with any questions at christopher.miller@msdk12.net

Date: Thursday, October 8th, 2020

Where: Virtual

Time:

Session 1: 6:30pm to 6:55pm

Session 2: 7pm to 7:25pm

You are invited to Normandy Park School’s Back to School Night.

On October 8th, I will share a recorded presentation that you can view at any time. You can attend live sessions with your child’s teacher starting at 6:30pm. Multiple sessions are offered to support families with multiple children in the school.

By October 8th, your child’s classroom teacher will share a Zoom and/or Google Meet link for the session directly with you.

For information the MSD's Special Education Parent Advisory Group, please click here.

The Week of Respect is here!

October 5th to October 9th is the Week of Respect at Normandy Park School. The week of respect is celebrated throughout New Jersey. We recognize the importance of character education and provide age-appropriate instruction focusing on the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

During the Week of Respect, students will participate in theme days and classroom activities to celebrate our united stand against bullying. See below for the schedule of events this year!

• October 5th - Monday - No Drama Pajama Monday - Wear your favorite and comfortable PJ’s

• October 6th– Tuesday – Team Tuesday - Wear your favorite professional team or college team clothing to show team support

• October 7th - Wednesday - School Spirit - Wear your school colors

• October 8th– Thursday –SuperHero Day! - Wear your favorite comic book and/or Superhero shirt

• October 9th– Friday – Sweat Out Bullying Friday - Wear your most comfortable sweats

The week of October 19th, we will be building on the Week Respect with a school-wide focus on race, equity, and inclusion. The theme for the week will be Accepting Me, Accepting You, Accepting All of Us. This is a part of our continued effort as a community to have conversations around race, equity, and inclusion. The activities for the week were designed by a committee of NPS teachers and the school counselor. Each day teachers will facilitate a lesson and/or discussion within the classroom.

Throughout the year, our teachers will continue to foster acceptance and inclusion for all within their instruction. In addition, Ms. Cohen will be following up with monthly lessons to continue and build upon these conversations and topics.

Please reach out to me with any questions at christopher.miller@msdk12.net

Are you ready to request a library book? Please follow the instructions below:

Log onto the Normandy Park Library catalog:

https://nps-msd.narvi.opalsinfo.net/bin/home

1. Login on the top right hand corner where it says Login

2. Your user name is your six digit code

3. The password is blank

4. Search using title, author or anywhere.

5. Look for the orange request button and then click on it.

6. Put in your email address

Remember if a book is marked as lost, checked out or damaged it is not available! I will bring and pick up books from your classrooms.

In-person students will have books delivered to their classroom. They will return to their teacher upon completion. Virtual learners will pick up their books on the table by the front door. For our remote learners, there will be a table by the front door. Families will have 5 days to pick up their books. There will be a bin for them to put returned books in.

Upon return, books will sit in a bin for 5 days before being shelved or circulated.

Parents are welcome to email me at wendy.gilson@msdk12.net if they have any questions or concerns.

Happy Reading! Mrs. Gilson

As a way to stay connected with Normandy Park, our school counselor, Ms. Cohen will be hosting drop in virtual lunches. This is a time for students to chat and connect with other virtual friends online. Ms. Cohen will play some games with the students online such as a version of “Simon says” and “statues”.

These sessions are voluntary and they are not counseling sessions. If you DO NOT want your child to participate, please send an email to cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

The links for the virtual lunches for all virtual students will be posted on your child's Google Classroom.

Drop in sessions will be held between 12-12:30 as follows:

Mondays: 4th and 5th Grade

Tuesdays: Kindergarten

Wednesday: 1st Grade

Thursday: 2nd Grade

Friday: 3rd Grade

Please feel free to reach out to Ms. Cohen about any concerns you may have regarding your child or children. She can be reached at 973-889-7960 x6115 or at cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net.

The HSA is looking into the feasibility of running some virtual after school clubs this fall. In order to make a plan we need your feedback!

Please fill out this interest survey to let us know what you would like to see!

https://forms.gle/UbQDqrRH95zyRcdJ6

Grab & Go meals will be available for all students, who wish to receive them. The Federal Department of Agriculture has extended waivers that will allow MSD to serve ALL students meals for FREE through December 31, 2020.

PreK-5 homeroom teachers will take an account each day of who would like to order a meal; meals will be delivered to classrooms and distributed to students just prior to dismissal.

“Grab & Go” meals are also available on Monday and Wednesday for any students attending virtual instruction; multiple meals will be distributed on each day to cover the week: Morristown High School (50 Early Street) will distribute meals from 12:30 PM -1:00 PM in the back of the building near the flagpole; Lafayette Learning Center (31 Hazel Street) will distribute meals from 12:45 PM-1:15 PM from the auditorium doors. More information about School Breakfast & Lunch is available on the MSD Forward homepage under "Back to School Resources for Families."

Please see the menu below for meals offered each day:

• If there are changes in your child's dismissal plans (e.g. you are going to pick them up that day, instead of taking the bus), please use the attached form or call the main office.
• For written communication between you and your child's teacher, please utilize Class Dojo and/or e-mail, rather than hand-written letters (when possible).

• October 15th: HSA Virtual Meeting at 6pm