Crossroads Monthly Newsletter

June 2024

Message from the Administration

As we conclude another fantastic school year, we are excited to share our Social Emotional Learning themes for the month: Diversity and Celebrating Different Perspectives. These themes are close to our hearts, as they underscore the importance of embracing and valuing the unique backgrounds and viewpoints each member of our community brings. Throughout the month, we have engaged in meaningful activities and discussions that highlight our commitment to inclusivity and respect for all.

June has been a month full of wonderful celebrations. We began with our Preschool Stepping Up ceremony, where our youngest learners marked an important milestone in their educational journey. It was a joy to see their smiles and enthusiasm. Our 8th Grade Commencement was another highlight, celebrating the achievements and growth of our students as they prepare to transition to high school. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and perseverance, and we look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in their High School placements. Additionally, our Field Day was a tremendous success! Complete with inflatables, delicious food, and an abundance of fun, it was a day filled with laughter and joy. These events would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our dedicated staff and wonderful families. Your commitment and involvement are what make our school community so special.

As we head into summer, I want to wish everyone a relaxing and enjoyable break. For those not attending the Extended School Year program, have a fantastic summer, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the fall. For our ESY students, we are excited to see you on July 1 for more learning and fun. Thank you again for an incredible school year.

Warm regards,

Matt, Danielle, and Stacey

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Upcoming Dates

July 1, 2024 - First Day of ESY Program

July 4, 2024 - School Closed

July 5, 2024 - School Closed

August 9, 2024 - Last Day of ESY

Crossroads Staff Spotlight

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Staff of the Month - Crismely Tapia de Macario - TA

1. How long have you been working at the commission?

I have been working at Crossroads school for a wonderful six months

2. What would we be surprised to find out about you?

When I first started my early child education at the Universidad Nacional Evangelica, I knew that that was what I would love to do. When I did my internship at the catholic school ( Sagrado Corazon de Jesus ) this experience taught me a lot about the profession and how busy some family's schedules can be". Moreover, after my graduation I came to this country and got my certification from Union County College in English as a second language. Here I am working for Crossroads School.

3. What is your dream vacation?

My vacation dream is Dubai. I've always wanted to sleep in a seven-star hotel and see the best the Arab Emirates has to offer.

4. What is your favorite meal?

My favorite meals revolve around seafood, specifically buttered lobster tails or any variation of them.

5. What is your greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment was to buy my house in 2020 right at the time when the housing market boomed in price and interest rates. In my most recent job, I was responsible for managing the orientation and training programs for our new employees. The content needed improvement. While it was necessary information for new employees to have, we found that only 55% of new

employees completed the training. I decided to rework the training program to make it relevant and interesting based on the industry's best practices and made sure to pay attention to as much feedback as possible. Today, 93% of participants complete the training and provide positive feedback about their experiences. My manager was so pleased with the improvements that she asked me to lead a training seminar in our main office.

Honors and Accolades

Congratulations Diana on your retirement

Congratulations on your retirement, Diana! Your dedication and hard work at Crossroads School have made a lasting impact on countless students and staff members. Your commitment to creating a positive and supportive learning environment has not gone unnoticed. As you embark on this new chapter, know that your contributions will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. Best wishes for a fulfilling and joyful retirement!

Classroom Spotlights

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Ms. Jennifer's Classroom

It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is here! We had many fun activities this month. On our final CBI trip to Clark Commons, we shopped for some decorations for the 8th grade commencement ceremony and then practiced our pedestrian safety skills as we walked to Panera. At Panera, we worked on ordering food and paying for our meals. We also worked very hard preparing and practicing for commencement. For our end of the year Middle School trip we were able to go to the Cranford Movie Theater to see Garfield and then to McDonalds for lunch.

On June 12th, we were honored to come together to celebrate seven of our students at the 8th grade commencement ceremony. Teachers and therapists spoke for each of the students, sharing fond memories, many accomplishments, and our well wishes as they move on to High School.

Lastly, we had a field day with lots of good food and fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Our students especially loved all of the bubbles and the slides. From everyone in 220A, we wish you a restful and fun summer vacation and are looking forward to a great ESY and new school year in the fall!

Specials Spotlight - GYM

Mr. Rich

As another school year comes to a close, students have continued working efficiently on their health and physical education activities. At times, due to commencement, the gym wasn’t available but the students adjusted well. Students are continuing to make progress from week to week socially, emotionally and physically. Stressing things such as structure, routine, and reviewing classroom expectations have remained a constant which has made things much more efficient for everyone.

Students have been practicing a multitude of skills and have participated in various activities during class such as: (walking, running, stretching, relay races on foot and scooters, obstacle courses, agility courses, letter, number, picture and color matching activities, striking a beach ball with both 1 and 2 hands, striking a balloon with a tennis racquet, striking a tennis ball with a racquet, catching, bean bag balancing, scavenger hunts, throwing (underhand, overhand, one and two handed to staff as well as targets) and following single and multi step directions) Moving forward into ESY, we will continue to build off the above mentioned activities and slowly add new and more challenging ones that match student ability levels.

In health class, students have continued to work in groups as well as individually to practice following directions and turn taking while playing various games as well as answering questions on flash cards and a touch screen monitor that include topics such as healthy habits, different foods and things around the house. We have also continued our fitness portion of class by walking/running laps around the building and performing exercises. This helps students improve their cardiovascular endurance as well as learn a valuable skill for life long health.

Fitness groups/individual sessions continue to go well and are giving students a chance to participate in some things that they might not necessarily get to in a typical physical education setting. Students have been engaged and are enjoying the extra time in the gym. Students have also had the chance to be more independent and practice making choices on what activities they participate in. This has helped to keep them on task and take more of an interest in the activities they do.