

Wildcat News
McKenzie Elementary School
June 2025 Volume 4
Happy Summer! 😀
A Note from Mr. Barrow
Dear McKenzie School Parents and Guardians,
As we approach the conclusion of another incredible school year, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful students, families, faculty, and staff. McKenzie School continues to thrive because of the strong partnerships, dedication, and kindness that define our school community. This year has been filled with learning, growth, and many moments that remind us of how special our McKenzie family truly is.
Throughout May and June, we’ve had the pleasure of celebrating many exciting events that brought our community together:
Field Days at McKenzie Field: Our students enjoyed outdoor activities, team-building, and friendly competition during two fun-filled days of physical activity and school spirit.
Multicultural Day Assembly and Presentation: We celebrated the beautiful diversity of our school community through student performances, presentations, and cultural displays.
Memorial Day Parade and Veterans Assembly: Students participated in meaningful tributes that helped them learn about the importance of honoring those who served our country.
Spirit Days: Our themed spirit days fostered unity, school pride, and lots of smiles.
Pre-K Moving Up Ceremony: We honored our youngest learners as they prepared to continue their educational journey.
Spring Concerts (Grades 1 & 3): Congratulations to our talented students and their teachers for two outstanding performances! Special thanks to Mrs. Ana Hernandez for her leadership and dedication.
3rd Grade Moving Up Ceremony & Annual Clap-Out: We celebrated the accomplishments of our third-grade students as they prepare to take the next step in their academic careers at Lincoln School.
Final ROAR Assembly: Our final assembly will recognize character, achievement, and school spirit through our Golden Ticket Program, Student of the Month recognition, and more. We are also excited to welcome Ms. Maria Russo from the East Rutherford Library to introduce the Summer Reading Program and its exciting incentives.
These events would not be possible without the commitment and generosity of the East Rutherford School District, our dedicated faculty and staff, our supportive families, and our outstanding PTA. Thank you for making this year such a positive and rewarding experience for all.
As we look ahead, please be sure to:
✅ Download the ParentSquare App
ParentSquare will be our primary communication tool for the 2025–2026 school year. It’s an essential platform for staying informed about school updates, teacher messages, event reminders, and more. We encourage all families to download the app and stay connected over the summer and into next year.
📌 Visit Our New District Website
Explore our updated East Rutherford School District website to access summer learning resources, announcements, and more helpful information throughout the break.
📝 Log in to the Genesis Parent Portal
Final report cards for the school year are available online. Please log in to your Genesis Parent Portal account to view your child’s grades and progress.
Please continue to visit our school website to access learning resources, school news, and summer learning packets for all grade levels.
Wishing you and your family a safe, relaxing, and joyful summer. Thank you for being a part of what makes McKenzie School such a special place to learn and grow.
Warm regards,
Brian Barrow
Principal, McKenzie School
McKenzie School Happenings
Third Grade Moving Up
Third graders
Third grade at the Liberty Science Center
Gifted & Talented/Enrichment
Ms. Bleich
As the school year comes to a close, we celebrate the achievements of our Gifted and Talented students! This year, they’ve engaged in exciting projects, creative problem-solving, and advanced learning opportunities that challenged and inspired them. We’re proud of their hard work, curiosity, and growth, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to shine in the years ahead. Thank you to our dedicated teachers and supportive families for making this a successful and enriching year!
Physical Education
Mrs. Petrone & Mrs. Schneider
End of the Year Excitement!
Students have been performing a variety of activities that focus on combining locomotor movements and fitness skills to complete tasks. Students have completed varying running patterns with differing speeds and agility, performed jump roping individually and in game-play, and practiced various
tossing and catching techniques.
Our field day was held on May 20, 2025 and the students were confident and excited to show everyone all of the skills they have accomplished throughout the year! Thank you for continuing to have your children prepared and ready for their physical education classes.
Technology
Mrs. Hernandez
🎶 Music Notes from Ms. Hernandez’s Classroom 🎶
Celebrating a Joyful and Musical Year from Pre-K to 3rd Grade
It has been a wonderful year filled with music, creativity, and memorable performances. From our youngest Pre-K students to our soon-to-be middle schoolers in 3rd grade, everyone has worked hard and made beautiful progress. Here's a glimpse of the musical journey we’ve taken this year:
Pre-Kindergarten
Our little ones have been learning songs, using scarves to move with the music, dancing, and following a steady beat. They’ve also practiced hand motions that match their songs. This month, they will perform a short concert during their Moving Up Ceremony as they get ready to start Kindergarten. What a joyful beginning to their musical path!
Kindergarten
In April, Kindergarten students presented "Hats for Sale," a delightful musical based on the story Caps for Sale. With speaking parts, singing, dancing, and acting, they brought the story to life with confidence and enthusiasm. Their independent performances were impressive—Bravo, Kindergarten!
First Grade
Our First Graders gave an extraordinary performance of the musical Go Fish! They wowed us with speaking roles, solos, energetic dancing, and drumming during the rap “We Are Sharks.” Their teamwork and creativity made the show unforgettable!
Second Grade
Following their outstanding Winter Concert The Nutcracker, Second Grade students have been diving into music theory. They’ve been learning to read and write music notes, understand note values, and prepare for next year’s exciting start on the recorder. Their focus and dedication have been fantastic!
Third Grade
Third Grade gave a Spring Concert to remember with their performance of The Granny Awards. They played recorders beautifully in every song, while also acting, singing, dancing, and playing percussion instruments. It was a truly excellent and well-rounded show. I will miss them dearly as they move on to Middle School, but I know they will carry their love for music with them.
This has been a beautiful year for me personally and professionally—one I will always remember as a music teacher. Thank you to all the students, families, and staff for your support and encouragement. Let the music continue!
Kindergarten
Miss Maize, Mrs. Barone, Mrs. Foote, Mrs. Iavarone, Miss Hagel, Mrs. Gonzalez
Soaring into Summer!
As our school year came to an end we participated in many fun activities. Our Field Day was a lot of fun. We learned to exercise our minds and bodies. In Science, we watched the metamorphosis process. First, we had Very Hungry Caterpillars. Then, we watched the fascinating process as they changed into chrysalises. Finally, our butterflies arrived and we released them! Like our caterpillars, we have also morphed this year. Now, we are ready to soar into first grade!
Take a trip to the public library to pick up some books to read. If you go on vacation or just take a walk to the park; work on a Think, Sketch, Write paper which will help keep students' writing skills fresh. Number concepts are also important to review, especially simple addition and subtraction. Don’t forget the fun and family time! The children will be refreshed, ready to take on the challenges of First Grade. Have a wonderful summer. Be Safe and Stay Healthy!!!
Second Grade
Mrs. Narkiewicz, Mrs. Vecchione, Mrs. Schlesinger, Mrs. Rigoliosi, Mrs. DeCamp
As summer begins, we encourage McKenzie School’s second grade students to keep their minds active and ready for the upcoming school year! A great way to do this is by practicing addition and subtraction facts within 20 until they are mastered. This builds a strong foundation for future math skills. We also recommend reading every day for a minimum of 30 minutes to strengthen comprehension and vocabulary. Visiting the library, keeping a summer journal, playing educational games, and exploring topics of interest through hands-on activities are all fun ways to keep learning going. Staying engaged over the summer helps prevent the “summer slide” And set students up for the success in third grade!
More Fun Happenings
First Grade Concert
Third Grade Concert
Mental Health Awareness Week
Teacher of the Year recipients
Mrs. TenKate, Mrs. Speer, Mrs. Lahullier pictured with Mr. Giancaspro