HUBER STREET SCHOOL

Hello Bears,

As we turn the final pages of this school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come—and to look ahead with excitement at all that’s still to come in these final weeks.

June is always a special time at Huber Street School, filled with events that celebrate the hard work, growth, and joyful spirit of our students. We’re especially excited for our annual Kindergarten Play, which never fails to bring smiles to the faces of parents and teachers alike. It’s always amazing to see how much our youngest learners have grown in confidence and creativity.

We’re also looking forward to the Huber Street School/Clarendon School Track Meet, where students will show off their athleticism, teamwork, and school spirit at the Secaucus High School track. And for the families of incoming students, our Kindergarten Orientation is just around the corner—an exciting first step on the journey through elementary school.

Speaking of Kidnergarten, next year's class will have their Millridge School Pre-K Promotion Ceremony on Tuesday, June 17th.

One of our favorite traditions, the 4th Grade Kickball Game, is coming up as well. This lighthearted competition always brings our 4th graders and their families together and is a great way for them to bond before they begin their final year at Huber.

For our 5th graders, the days ahead are especially meaningful. As they prepare to take their next steps to middle school, they have several memorable events to look forward to: Author’s Day, Game Day, the 5th Grade Social with Clarendon School, Pool Day, and LEAD Graduation, all of which give them a chance to reflect on their journey and celebrate their accomplishments. We'll end the year with the 5th Grade Clap-Out, a heartfelt sendoff, and finally the Promotion Ceremony on June 23rd—a milestone moment for students and families alike.

This time of year always brings a mix of emotions—pride, nostalgia, and excitement for what’s next. Thank you, as always, for your support, your partnership, and the trust you place in us every day. Let’s finish strong and enjoy the many moments of celebration ahead.

Sincerely,

Mr. Valente

~PS- May the Force Be With You!

Congratulations to Ms. Mary-Cate Binetti on being named the 2024-2025 Huber Street School Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Binetti works with our incredible special education students, and she does so with a level of care, patience, and creativity that is nothing short of inspiring. Her classroom is a space where every student feels seen, heard, and deeply valued. Mary-Cate brings fun to learning in a way that touches the hearts of her students and brings out their very best.

The Secaucus Public Schools participated in the Lincoln Tunnel 5K to support Special Olympics New Jersey. Running beneath the Hudson River through one of the region's most iconic landmarks was an unforgettable experience. This fundraiser supported our Unified Champion Schools program that aims to build a society of acceptance and inclusion for all people. Thank you to everyone who ran, cheered, and gave support!

On Tuesday, June 10th, Secaucus High School will host an Information Breakfast in the lobby of the Arthur F. Couch Performing Arts Center.

El martes 10 de junio, Secaucus High School organizará un desayuno informativo en el vestíbulo del Centro de Artes Escénicas Arthur F. Couch.

Learning math facts is fundamental in developing a strong foundation in mathematics, improving problem-solving skills, boosting confidence, and facilitating effective communication and application of mathematical concepts in everyday life. Math facts act as building blocks for higher-level math topics. Without a solid grasp of basic facts, understanding and progressing in more advanced math concepts such as algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics can become challenging. Mastering math facts will boost students confidence in dealing with numbers. It gives students a sense of empowerment, making students feel more capable and prepared to take on mathematical challenges.

1. Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt where each item found corresponds to a multiplication problem. For example, “Find three flowers; what is 3 times 2?” This allows children to physically engage with their environment while practicing their multiplication.
2. Spring-Themed Flashcards: Make colorful flashcards with spring images (like flowers, butterflies, or bunnies) on one side and multiplication problems on the other. Use these cards for quick practice sessions.
3. Outdoor Math Relay: Organize an outdoor relay race with stations. At each station, children must solve a multiplication problem before they can move to the next station. This combines physical activity and mental math!
4. Multiplication Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch grid with multiplication facts in each square. As kids hop to each number, they must say the answer to the multiplication fact. This can be played with a group for more fun!
5. Cooking Together: Engage kids in cooking or baking activities that require measuring and doubling recipes. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 eggs and you’re doubling it, have them calculate that it requires 4 eggs (2 x 2).

On Wednesday, May 7th, the Huber Street School and Clarendon School choruses joined forces to perform at the Elementary School Spring Concert. Under the direction of Mr. Dan Amato, the students brought the house down.

1) Unwritten

2) Drift Away

3) Eye Of The Tiger

4) Die With A Smile

On Friday, May 30th, under the direction of Mr. Oscar Gongora, the 4th Grade Training Band and the 5th Grade Concert Band performed at the Arthur F. Couch Performing Arts Center. Students from both Clarendon School and Huber Street School came together to entertain their family and friends. The concert was amazing!

4th Grade Training Band

1) Beginning Band's Greatest Hits

2) Beethoven's Ninth

3) Let's Go Band!

5th Grade Concert Band

1) The Star Spangled Banner

2) The Hey Song

3) Star Wars

4) 25 Or 6 To 4

On Thursday, May 8th, the Huber Street School 3rd Graders performed in their Recorder Concert. Under the Direction of Mr. Dan Amato, the students were fantastic! You can check out their performances here.

1) Hot Cross Buns

2) Au Claire De Lune

3) Mary Had A Little Lamb

The Pre-K students at Millridge School had so much fun planting flowers this month! A special thank you to the Secaucus DPW for providing us with the flowers, shovels, and gloves so our little gardeners could get to work!!

The faculty and students at the Millridge School want to send a special thank you to the PTA for providing us with “The Magic of Manners” by Tommy Knucklehead. The students at Millridge loved it!!!

Huber Street School proudly hosted the Hudson County Academic Bowl on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The spirited competition brought together bright young minds from six districts within the county: Bayonne, Harrison, Jersey City Community Charter School, North Bergen, Secaucus, and Union City. Each district was represented by a team of six competitors who demonstrated their academic excellence as they clenched the buzzer’s hand grips.

The preliminary stages of the event consisted of six rigorous rounds, each featuring 15 middle school-level questions spanning a wide range of academic disciplines. In the opening round, host team Secaucus faced off against Bayonne in an exciting and closely contested matchup. Students displayed impressive teamwork and quick thinking as they tackled challenging questions, setting a high bar for the rest of the competition. Secaucus takes the lead in round one!

In the next round Jersey City Community Charter School took the floor against Harrison. Harrison delivered with precise answers and dominated the round.

Union City's depth in subjects allowed them to build a strong lead early in round three and maintain control throughout the match. Union City wins over North Bergen.

In round four, Bayonne took on Jersey City Community Charter and led by a standout performance! Bayonne pulled off a solid win, handing Jersey City its second loss of the competition.

The next showdown featured Secaucus against North Bergen. Secaucus edged ahead in the battle with a series of correct responses. Secaucus became a rising contender in round five.

Both coming off victories, Union City and Harrison take their seats. Union City quickly takes the lead over Harrison in round six.

Top Four Teams Advance to Finals

After a series of preliminary matches featuring towns from across the county, total points were tallied to determine the top four advancing teams. Based on results the following schools secured their place in the finals:

1. 🥇 Union City

2. 🥈 Bayonne

3. 🥉 Secaucus

4. 🏅 Harrison

Finals Format

All scores were reset to zero at the start of the finals. The bracket was structured to ensure balance:

• 1st place (Union City) faced 3rd place (Secaucus)
  2nd place (Bayonne) faced 4th place (Harrison)

Winners of these initial matchups competed for the championship, while the losing teams battled for third place.

Semifinal Results

• Union City vs. Secaucus
  Union City takes the lead over Secaucus in a tight match!
  
  

• Bayonne vs. Harrison
  Bayonne delivered a commanding performance, winning over the Harrison team.

Championship Match:

Third Place Match: Secaucus vs. Harrison

In the battle for third place, Secaucus rebounded from their earlier loss with a focused and well-rounded performance against Harrison. Dominating in the round, Secaucus clinched a solid win to finish in 3rd place.

The final round featured a showdown between Union City and Bayonne. Though Union City entered the tournament strong, Bayonne displayed poise, depth, and exceptional teamwork in the decisive match. Their accuracy in the final round landed them the top spot.

With the win, Bayonne was crowned Hudson County Academic Bowl Champions for 2025.

Final Standings – 2025 Hudson County Academic Bowl

1. 🥇 Bayonne High School – Champion First Place

2. 🥈 Union City High School – Second Place

3. 🥉 Secaucus High School – Third Place

4. 🏅 Harrison High School – Fourth Place

A Celebration of Academic Excellence

This year’s Academic Bowl not only showcased competition but also celebrated the intellectual strength and spirit of Hudson County’s students. Each team demonstrated impressive knowledge across disciplines, quick critical thinking, and a strong sense of school pride. This competition continues to inspire academic achievement and healthy competition among our students. Each academic competitor who participated this year showed what makes Hudson County exceptional!

Thank you all for making this year’s Academic Bowl a great success!

A special thank you to Jason for beautifully setting up the gymnasium with Allan’s help. Thank you to Chris for handling the microphones and providing music, and to Felicia for coordinating transportation and reading questions during the event. Much thanks to Tonya and Tara of Bayonne for reading and judging.

Vidhan Dangol, Aarav Gadekar (team captain), Kavi Shivani, Aashna Sah, Nila Qadhimi and Mason Stamm

The Huber Street SGO held a fundraiser to purchase recess equipment for our students. Special thanks to Ms. Alexis Leppin and Ms. Kerri Stamm for organizing this for our students.

On Thursday, May 1st, the Huber Street School Drama Club held their performance of Seussical The Musical, and they were amazing! Special thanks to co-directors, Ms. Emily Gasser and Ms. Stephanie Ramos.

Ms. Michelle Mandaglio hosted the annual Huber Street School Art Show on Wednesday, May 21st. Every student in our school had artwork displayed. Check out some of the work below.

Vristi Bhat, Ishika Pradeep, Nicolas Sanchez, Ran Ikeya Fujii, Tamaki Ikeya Fujii, Genner Castillo, Emily Zhang, Esabella Meicke, Nicole Ugbegua, and Pakmo Choedon

The third grade classes recently read Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. As they journeyed through the story, students participated in a variety of engaging activities focused on themes, character traits, and identifying the main idea. To celebrate the completion of the book, the third graders enjoyed a special snack while watching the beloved characters come to life on screen. Special thanks to Ms. Celebrano, Ms. Gasser, Ms. Leppin, Ms. Viera, and Ms. Yeo for making this happen.

Congratulations to the 2025 Huber Street School Fire Prevention Poster Contest winners! Photographed, from left to right: Erick Amaya, Weston Miller, Daniel Bujnowski, and Alina Berasategui.

On Friday, May 9th, the 4th grade in Huber Street School hosted their annual Mother's Day Tea Party. The students celebrated with their moms, aunts, and grandmothers by reading poems written about them.

On Friday, May 9th, our 3rd graders spent the day reviewing for the upcoming NJSLA test. The students played some super fun games while reviewing concepts from ELA & math! #glowwhatyouknow #thirdgradeRULES

On Friday, May 2nd, the Secaucus Rotary Club donated Tree Kits for every student in Huber Street School. The kit comes with everything you need to grow a Sourwood tree. For every tree given to one of our students, a tree will be planted around the world to help the environment. Thank you Rotary Club!

As we welcome the month of June and the final stretch of the school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible growth your children have shown over the past months. It has been a joy to watch our students learn, build friendships, and develop important life skills along the way.

This time of year often brings a mix of excitement and reflection. While we look forward to summer adventures, we also celebrate the hard work, resilience, and kindness our students have demonstrated. Whether it's learning how to solve problems peacefully, showing empathy toward others, or building confidence in themselves, every step counts—and they’ve made great strides.

As summer approaches, I encourage you to keep the learning and growing going at home. Simple things like reading together, having conversations about feelings, or setting small goals for the day can make a big difference in supporting your child’s social and emotional development.

Thank you for your partnership and support throughout the year. It truly takes a village, and I am grateful to be part of yours.

A heartfelt thank you to Mayor Mike Gonnelli, the Town Council, William Heaney, the Secaucus School District Custodial Staff, the Department of Public Works, the Secaucus Recreation Department, and all the incredible teachers who generously volunteered their time. Your support helped make our 5th Grade Dinner a truly memorable and successful event!

In May, we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week showing our gratitude for the incredible work, our educators, and staff do every day.

To help make the week special, we treated our teachers and staff to delicious lunches and snacks as a small token of appreciation for their dedication and positive impact on our school community.

Our students at Millridge School and Huber Street School enjoyed a sweet treat this week!
To celebrate the success of our Boosterthon fundraiser, the Mr. Softee ice cream truck stopped by to thank our students for their amazing participation and support!

Our 5th Grade Students Will Receive a Special Gift from the PTA!
To celebrate their final year as Huber Street Bears, each 5th grade student will be gifted a custom 2025 t-shirt from the PTA! We’re so proud of our 5th graders and can’t wait to see them shine in the next chapter of their story.

June 03: 5th Grade Author's Day

June 05: Kindergarten Play

June 06: Torch Run

June 06: 4th & 5th Grade Track Meet

June 09: 5th Grade Pool Day

June 09: Field Day (Kindergarten through 4th Grade)

June 10: Kindergarten Orientation

June 11: 5th Grade Social (at Clarendon School)

June 12: LEAD Graduation

June 12: 5th Grade Game Time

June 13: 4th Grade Father's Day Kickball

June 17: Pre-K Promotion Ceremony

June 18-19: Chromebook Collection

June 20: School Closed

June 23: One-Session Day

June 23: 5th Grade Clap-Out

June 23: 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony

June 24: One-Session Day

June 25: One-Session Day (Last Day of School!)

Here is a look at the lunch menu for the upcoming month.

Student schedules, health screening, report card access, etc. can be found on the Realtime Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please contact our main office. You can access the Parent Portal via the following link. (All parent portal log-in information has been sent to you via email.)

https://www.fridayparentportal.com/Secaucus

Huber Street School Schedule

Full Session: 8:20am-3:00pm

• (Kindergarten is dismissed at 2:45pm)

One-Session: 8:20am-12:30pm

Delayed Opening: 10:20am-3:00pm

Millridge School Schedule

Full Session:

Pre-K AM: 8:20am-10:50am

Pre-K PM: 11:50am-2:20pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 8:20am-2:20pm

One-Session:

Pre-K AM: 8:20am-10:00am

Pre-K PM: 10:30am-12:10pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 8:20am-12:00pm

Delayed Opening:

Pre-K AM: Class Cancelled

Pre-K PM: 11:50am-2:20pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 10:20am-2:20pm

The end of the day is a very hectic time when teachers are ensuring that each student is connected with a caregiver. We respectfully ask that you do not change your student’s pick up routine on a day-to-day basis. Understandably, emergencies and last minute changes do arise, but for safety reasons we ask that you help us to keep our dismissal procedures consistent for both our staff and students.

If you need to pick up your student early for an appointment, or special reason, they must be picked up before 9th period which begins at 2:15 pm (12:00pm on one-session days.) Last period often includes special area classes and time set aside for wrapping up activities and packing up for the day which makes it difficult for our security staff to continue to monitor the building if they are also being asked to locate and get students early from their classes.

If you wish your student to be picked up by a person not on your pick-up list, you must send a note in with them in the morning, or an email to your child's homeroom teachers, in addition to Kim Pascarello (kpascarello@sboe.org) and Coleen Mason (cmason@sboe.org) in the main office.

Please make sure to state the person’s name, relationship to your student and a contact phone number for the person.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

The federal government's universal free lunch program expired and our schools will return to offering free and reduced school lunch to only students who qualify based on family income. Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application if they believe they qualify.

As in previous years, if you would like to purchase lunch, please replenish your child's lunch account by logging into the Payforit.net (https://www.payforit.net/Login.aspx) website.

Huber Street School and Clarendon School will be serving a more traditional and expanded lunch menu. Please be reminded that students will need to input their Student ID number when purchasing items from the cafeteria (as no cash will be accepted.)

We will make every effort to have our students go outside for recess. Please make sure to provide your children with appropriate clothing for cold weather. Students will remain indoors during the following weather conditions.

• Snow, Rain, Hail, Sleet

• Thunder/Lightning

• Temperature and/or Windchill Temperature 32 degrees or colder

The Secaucus Board of Education requires students to wear school uniforms on a daily basis, including field trips. Students are to arrive at school wearing the appropriate clothing as defined in the dress code. The following is a list of clothing items in compliance with the uniform policy and information regarding this can also be found in the Elementary Handbook.

Please Note the Changes to the "Shoes" Section of the Dress Code

Approved Uniform Attire for Clarendon/Huber Street Schools

**ALL SHIRTS, SWEATERS, SWEATSHIRTS AND FLEECE MUST HAVE THE PROPER “SECAUCUS SCHOOL DISTRICT” EMBROIDERED LOGO

STUDENT DRESS CODE ATTIRE OPTIONS:

Tops:

• Polo Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Short Sleeve/Long Sleeve

• Turtle Neck - Red/White/Navy (NO EMBLEMS OR LOGO)

• Sweater - Red/White/Navy: V-neck, Crew neck, Cardigan or Vest

• Sweat Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Crew Neck (NO HOOD)

• Fleece - Red/Navy: Zippered Front or Pullover (NO HOOD)

• Jumper - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Peter Pan Blouse - White (NO LOGO)

Bottoms:

• Pants - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester (NO CARGO PANTS OR LEGGINGS)

• Shorts - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skirt - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skort - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Capris - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Socks & Tights - Navy/Khaki/White/Red, Solid Color

Shoes:

ALL shoes must be securely fastened with a backing to the feet. Sneakers are strongly recommended for everyday use.

• Flip-flops, open toed shoes, slippers, and slide shoes are NOT permitted.

• Crocs are permitted ONLY in “sport mode”, meaning the pivoting heel strap must be utilized when worn.

• Uggs boots or shoes are permitted, but NOT slippers or slides (all shoes must have a back).

**Please note:

All students are permitted to wear knee length shorts until October 31st and again in the spring beginning April 15th, in a docker style in navy or khaki. Athletic shorts should reach the end of the finger tip in length.

Huber Street School is an elementary school in Secaucus, NJ that educates students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. The Millridge School (Early Learning Center) is a satellite school that houses our pre-kindergarten students. Huber Street School has been educating Secaucus students since 1910.

Huber Street School

1520 Paterson Plank Road

Secaucus, NJ 07094

201-974-2053

The Millridge School

40 Millridge Road

Secaucus, NJ 07094

201-974-2053

Email: kpascarello@sboe.org, cmason@sboe.org,

Email: rvalente@sboe.org.