CDW Weekly Wrap-Up

The CDW band students will once again perform together during the Old Tappan Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 27th. The parade starts around 9:30 AM at NVOT and concludes at approximately 10:15 AM at Oakes Park. If it rains, the event will take place in the CDW Rossi Gym at 9:30 AM.

If band students have any questions, they should contact Mr. Rosolanko at rosolanko@nvnet.org.

On Monday, May 20th, Mayor Gallagher, Councilman Yhu, Nancy Labov, Officer Weaver, and a young person in recovery came to speak to the Grade 8 students to kick off, "Good Choices for a Safe Summer." The stakeholders in the Old Tappan Community continually seek to prepare our middle schoolers for the decisions that they face each day. Thank you to the OT Police Department and the Municipal Alliance for caring for the CDW students!

On Wednesday, May 22nd, Timothy Shoemaker visited CDW to share his words of wisdom with the Grade 5 and Grade 6 students. He reminded the students about making good choices and how to succeed by believing in yourself and never giving up. Specifically with the Grade 6 students, he discussed aspects of Cyber Awareness and how to use technology safely.

As the weather is getting warmer, the students have been reminded to follow the CDW Student Dress Code (p.6) We will continue to remind the students about the CDW Dress Code and would appreciate your support as well.

HOMEROOM CHALLENGES ARE BACK! Grade 5 through Grade 7 students will participate in different field day activities against other homerooms next week (see schedule below). Mrs. Henriquez will explain the details in each PE class leading up to the events. Please see below the schedule and colors for each homeroom.

5th grade on Wednesday, May 29th
Mrs. Melillo- WEAR BLACK
Ms. Watters- WEAR BLUE
Ms. Osbahr- WEAR RED
Mrs. Vetrero & Mrs. Hwang- WEAR WHITE
*The Grade 5 homeroom is the homeroom teacher that you have during Marking Period 4!

6th grade on Wednesday, May 29th
Mr. Ferrara- WEAR BLACK
Mr. Johnson- WEAR BLUE
Ms. Huster- WEAR RED
Mrs. Suriano & Ms. Franco- WEAR GREEN
Mrs. Zuckerman- WEAR WHITE

7th grade on Thursday, May 30th
Mr. Dohn- WEAR BLACK
Mrs. Rodriguez- WEAR BLUE
Ms. Fischer- WEAR RED
Mr. Westervelt- WEAR WHITE

What year was the very first ever live broadcast of OTBN? …….. the answer is ……. 2017!

Each day, the OTBN Club goes live with the morning announcements. At the end of the broadcast, the students end with one of the following: Tuesday Trivia, Word of the Day, Joke of the Day, Word-ly Wednesday, or On This Day in History. This trivia question was shared on Tuesday, May 21st.

If your 7th grader is interested in being a part of OTBN for the 2024-2025 school year and missed the interest meetings, please have him/her go see Mr. Johnson in Room 401 for information.

Mrs. Franco’s class had a great time on their community outing to the Palisades Center Mall. The students navigated their way to different businesses throughout the mall using the directory kiosks and practiced comparison shopping at Target to purchase items needed to make a special recipe. They enjoyed ordering lunch at Saladworks, and had a fun time at the end of their trip finding their way through the mirror maze obstacle course.

Thank you to Mrs. Chesner, Mrs. Franco, Mrs. Herdling, and students from Mr. Johnson's Science class for beautifying the front of the building with colorful flowers. The process has just begun, and the students will continue to garden as needed.

Please see the article below, which features the 5th Grade Picture Book Project, in the June 2024 "Northern Valley Living" magazine. Thank you to Mrs. Melillo, Mrs. Park, and Ms. Fischer for putting together this opportunity for the CDW students.

As the PTO Denim and Diamonds winner, Declan Murphy won a game with the CDW Staff. He picked a game of choice and invited friends to play against the CDW teachers! The Wiffle Ball game was played on Friday, May 17th, and fun was had by all participants.

There will be an interest meeting for next year's Debate Team in Room 308 from 3:00-3:30PM on Tuesday, May 28th. Students should see Ms. Fischer with any questions.

Please see the information below.

Grades 5-8

Please see the attached flier regarding groups that address coping skills, mindfulness, stress management, self-esteem and friendship. These groups are run by the Closter School Counselors. Here is the link to learn more about these groups.

Grade 8 Only

Please see below if 8th graders are interested in participating in sports and/or performing arts:

Athletics: NVOT Sports Interest Survey

Performing Arts: NVOT Performing Arts Interest Survey

Past Due

Please remember to notify Ms. Adamo if your child is NOT attending NVOT in the fall. Here is the link to the form that needs to be filled out and returned to her by ASAP. If she does not receive this form, then your child(ren)’s records will be sent to NVOT. If your child is attending the IIDT or Sports Medicine programs at NVOT, you need to fill out this form, as they are Bergen Tech Students. Their records will be sent to Bergen Tech.

Reminders for All Grades

Wellness Wednesday lunches:

Grades 5 and 6 lunch with Ms. Adamo is in room 414.

Grades 7 and 8 lunch with Dr. Polizotto is in room 308.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s academic, social or emotional needs, please contact me at adamoj@nvnet.org or 201-664-1475 ext. 2203.

Baseball

The CDW baseball team is in 1st place going into the playoffs so they were awarded with a bye. They are waiting for the first round of the playoffs to be completed to find out who they will play next. Stay tuned for the CDW baseball playoff schedule.

Softball

The softball team won the first round of the playoffs on Monday, May 20th defeating Harrington Park in a 12-11 finish. The girls combined over ten hits and clutch bunting. Olivia Richards hit the game winning double sending the girls into the semifinals against Closter.

The softball team beat undefeated Closter on Wednesday, May 22nd in the semifinal game 15-8. The team combined for over ten hits and put down perfect bunts. The defense came up big with huge pitching performances by Olivia Richards and Sophia DeMarco. Captain Lea Savino made huge plays throwing two runners out in big moments. The softball team will be moving to the championship game, which will be played at Norwood (Kennedy's Field) on Tuesday, June 4th at 4:00 PM. Good luck to the softball team as they defend their 2023 Champion title!

Track

On Wednesday, May 22nd, the track team had another strong showing as the boys defeated Northvale and Norwood, and the girls defeated Norwood and tied with Northvale. The girls were led once again by Lexie Caunedo, who won the shot and disc. Mia Ellerson won the 60, placed third in the 100, and was a close second in the 200. Adriana D'Andrea won the 1600 while Marie Tenebruso won the long jump. Other outstanding athletes were Mila Klein, Tina D'Andrea, Regan McNamara, and Talia Cuomo. On the boys' side, Matt Kosmark continued his dominance with wins in the 1600, 400, and 2nd in the long jump. Paul Alzapiedi won the 800 with a strong kick to the finish. Other team members who stepped up for the win were Xavier Okeke, Cole Houston, Charlie Bennett, Zack Kim, Alex Ebrahimi, Seam Kim, Brandon Fung, and Nathaniel Fung. Special thanks go out to Hannah John, Mrs. Henriquez, and Ms. Fischer.

Please click HERE for the baseball, softball, and track schedules.

Wednesday, May 29th PUNT, PASS, KICK CONTEST

Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: NVOT Turf 100 Central Ave, Old Tappan, NJ

Grades: Boys & Girls entering PreK - 8th in September 2024

(Must be residents of Old Tappan, Northvale & Rockleigh)

Register in advance (FREE event)

Registration for 2024 season (PreK - 8th Grade) is open on the website.

Prices for 3rd - 8th grade will increase after May 31st

Register for the 2024 season now on our website https://nveaglesfootball.com/

Here is the perfect chance for the 4th graders to meet the CDW students before September! The PTO will be hosting a High Exposure Fun Day of Rock Climbing on June 11th at 3:30 PM. Please sign up on OTPTO.org.

Parents/Guardians who can volunteer for the Grade 8 Pool Party and/or the Grade 8 Dance, please sign up HERE.

The Northern Valley Criterion-Referenced Tests are developed by committees of teachers from schools in the Valley. The tests, which provide useful program planning information, are a viable measure of inter-district commitment and cooperation in order to achieve a sequential and articulated curriculum among the elementary and secondary schools in the region. The testing program is supported by the Northern Valley Schools Consortium and local boards of education in the region.

CDW students in Grades 5-7 will take the Criterion-Referenced Test on Friday, June 7th, which will provide specific information about a student's understanding of math content according to their grade levels.

For Current Grade 5 Students:
All Grade 5 students will take the Grade 5 Criterion-Referenced Test, as explained above. This test offers us a gauge of student performance. For students who perform extraordinarily well on this test, earning a score of 95% or higher, they will be asked to sit for a secondary assessment. Families of these identified students will be notified. The purpose of a secondary assessment would be to ascertain the selected students' potential success in skipping Grade 6 Math and moving directly into accelerated Pre-Algebra as a sixth grader. You will be notified by July 1st if your child is eligible to make this Grade 6 Math skip.

To be eligible for this Grade 6 course skip, the students would have to:

• Earn a score of 95% or higher on the Grade 5 Criterion-Referenced Test, as stated directly above
• Earn a score of 90% or higher on the secondary math placement test, as explained above
• Earn a minimum average of 95% or higher for each marking period in Grade 5 Math
• Earn teacher recommendation, based on class performance, work ethic, motivation, ability to work independently, and participation

• Earn a 796 or higher on the NJSLA-Math Grade 4 Assessment

For Current Grade 6 Students:
In Grade 7, we offer two courses of study: Pre-Algebra, which is an accelerated course, and Grade 7 Math, which is an average-level course. Prior to placing students into either Pre-Algebra or Grade 7 Math, the following criteria are considered:

• Teacher recommendation, based on class performance, work ethic, motivation, ability to work independently, and participation
• Criterion-Referenced Test Score (math placement test) of 85% or higher - see test explanation above
• Year-end math average of 93% or higher
• Earn a 775 or higher on the NJSLA-Math Grade 5 Assessment

*Notification of course placement will be communicated to all families by July 1st.

For Current Grade 7 Students:

We use the Criterion-Referenced Test to assess students' current placement and to determine if movement into Algebra I is appropriate in Grade 8. Families of these identified students would be notified within 10 days of the last student taking the Grade 7 Criterion-Referenced Test. The purpose of a secondary assessment would be to ascertain the selected students' potential success in skipping accelerated Grade 7 Pre-Algebra and moving directly into Algebra as an eighth grader. You will be notified by July 1st if your child is eligible to sit for this secondary assessment during the summer to determine if an accelerated Grade 7 Pre-Algebra skip is appropriate.

To be eligible for this accelerated Pre-algebra course skip, the students would have to:

• Earn a score of 95% or higher on the Grade 7 Criterion-Referenced Test
• Earn a score of 90% or higher on the secondary math placement test
• Earn a minimum average of 95% or higher for each marking period in Grade 7 Math
• Earn teacher recommendation, based on class performance, work ethic, motivation, ability to work independently, and participation
• Earn a 775 or higher on the NJSLA-Math Grade 6 Assessment

Students need to make sure that they are completing the form for the grade level that they will be entering. The forms will be open to students on Dr. Sullivan's Google Classroom on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Students will also have the opportunity to sign up for Art Lunch.

Please see the descriptions below.

If your child(ren) still has a CDW library book in his/her possession, please have him/her return it to Mrs. Melillo in the CDW Media Center no later than June 1st. If your child(ren) does not return the book or reimburse Mrs. Melillo for a lost book, he/she will not receive his/her report card on June 19th.

Each year, CDW offers transition meetings for parents to learn about their child(ren)'s next grade level. Topics that will be presented include academics, extracurricular activities, and other highlights for the upcoming grade level. Although we foster an environment of independence at the middle school level, home and school partnership is always a necessity. This year, the remaining dates of the transition meetings are as follows:

• Grade 6 to Grade 7 Transition Meeting- Thursday, May 30th, 7:00-8:00 PM
• Grade 7 to Grade 8 Transition Meeting- Wednesday, June 5th, 7:00-8:00 PM

The meeting presentations will be posted to the school's website following the last meeting date.

Students in Grades 5-8 are invited to participate in the annual Old Tappan Environmental Commission (OTEC) digital photo contest. Please see the information below if your child(ren) is interested. Monetary gift cards will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.

The link to the online newspaper can be found HERE. If any writers want to join the club, please see Mr. Johnson for more information!

The CDW Homework Club is offered to all students in Grades 5-8 and is FREE! Please sign your child up each week that you are interested!

If you would like to purchase insurance for your child(ren)'s school issued Chromebook, please refer to the information below, or you may purchase directly from smarttechinsurance.com/old-tappan.

New to our insurance policy this year is that all Chromebooks must be in cases or the insurance will not cover any claims.

If your child is not going to attend school, please contact Mrs. McCarthy at 201-664-1475 ext. 2103 or McCarthy@nvnet.org.

In an effort to minimize the potential spread of illness at school, please keep your child home if he/she:

• has a fever. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication prior to returning to school.
• is nauseous or is vomiting.
• has diarrhea.

May

Monday, May 27th~ Memorial Day; School is closed.

Wednesday, May 29th-Friday, May 31st~ Grade 8 Trip

Thursday, May 30th~ Grade 6 to 7 Transition Meeting in the CDW Media Center at 7:00 PM

June

Monday, June 3rd~ NVOT Grade 8 Social

Tuesday, June 4th~ Knights' Fest and Coffee House 6-8 PM

Wednesday, June 5th~ Grade 7 to 8 Transition Meeting in the CDW Media Center at 7:00 PM

Thursday, June 6th~ Grade 6 Field Trip

Friday, June 7th~ Grades 5-7 Math Criterion Reference Test

Monday, June 10th~ The BOE Meeting will be held in the BOE Conference Room at 8:00 PM.

Wednesday, June 12th~ Grade 5 LEAD Picnic; Grade 8 Pool Party

Thursday, June 13th~ Rain Date for Grade 5 LEAD Picnic and Grade 8 Pool Party

Friday, June 14th~ Grade 8 Ice Cream Social

Sunday, June 16th~ Father's Day

Monday, June 17th~ Grade 8 Graduation at NVOT

Tuesday, June 18th~ 12:30 PM Dismissal; Grade 8 Dance

Wednesday, June 19th~ Last Day of School 12:30 PM Dismissal; MP 4 Report Cards via the Genesis Parent Portal at 12:00 PM

2023-2024 Revised School Calendar

Instagram: cdw_middle

Email: santaj@nvnet.org
Website: https://cdw.oldtappanschools.org/
Location: 275 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, NJ, USA
Phone: 201-664-1475
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldTappanSchoolDistrict/