Important Dates
Week of October 21, 2024 - Safety Week/School Violence Awareness Week
October 31, 2024 - KRS Halloween Parade 1:10 PM
November 1, 2024 - Diwali - Early Dismissal 12:45 PM
November 4-6, 2024 - Parent/Teacher Conferences K-8 Only
November 7 & 8, 2024 - NJEA Convention - Schools Closed
November 27, 2024 - Thanksgiving Recess - Early 12:45 PM Dismissal
November 28 & 29, 2024 - Thanksgiving Recess - Schools Closed
KRS Parent Book Club
Join us for engaging conversation about the book The Anxious Generation by, Jonathan Haidt. The KRS Parent Book Club will meet 3 times throughout the school year to share thoughts and ideas about the book. To participate, all you need to do is complete this form no later than November 1, 2024 and obtain a copy of the book. If you need any assistance acquiring the book, please contact Dr. Koop. Any participants, will receive additional information during the week of November 4, 2024.
Pumpkins and Poems
Please see the following links for Pumpkins and Poems information:
Outside or Inside Recess?
Our daily goal is to provide the students with at least one time to play outside. Unfortunately, the weather may have other plans. In the case of inclement weather, the 3 elementary schools communicate with one another to decide about recess. The decision is focused on the safety and comfort of the students. Factors considered are the temperature, precipitation, and if the black-top and playground equipment are slippery. Please make sure that your child is prepared to play outside with clothing (coats, gloves, etc...) as we head into the colder weather months.
Safety Week (Violence Awareness Week)
KRS Safety Week is next week! Please see this document for the safety themes for the week and resources.
The KRS Halloween parade is scheduled for Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 1:10 PM.
Below are very important guidelines for our school celebrations.
Students will be able to wear their costumes to school or change at school on Thursday, October 31, 2024. Costumes should follow our past guidelines:
● Students may wear a costume of their choosing for the class party.
● Toy weapons of any kind are not allowed.
● Avoid excessively scary costumes as they might frighten our younger students.
● Please check your child’s costume for safety. Make sure it is not too long and does not create a tripping hazard.
● Finally, we would also prefer that children not wear costume masks that block vision.
We will be having class parties. Our goal is for the class parties to be inclusive of all students. Class parents will be coordinating with classroom teachers on an appropriate craft for their grade level of students.
As Halloween approaches, it is necessary to remind parents of the potentially life threatening danger of food allergies to certain students in our school.
The issue of food allergies can be incredibly serious for many students. Peanut and tree nut products are particularly problematic, but other foods such as dairy, eggs and wheat can also cause students health problems. The extreme end of the spectrum in terms of a health risk is
anaphylaxis, when the bodily systems experience a shut down due to exposure to the substance in question.
This danger is particularly acute during holiday celebrations, when consuming goodies is the order of the day. If you are a child whose safety depends upon never consuming the wrong food, a party is a true obstacle course. With certain children, even bodily contact with the wrong substance can be disastrous.
As we approach Halloween and the holiday parties, please keep the following in mind:
● Please refer to the elementary food allergy guidelines for additional information. ● Nut products are forbidden in “nut-free classrooms”. Please carefully adhere to classroom guidelines.
● Students must consume all goodies within the class during the party. Goody bags and other treats designed to leave the class with the students are forbidden.
● Crafts and activities involving nut products are forbidden.
● All products should be packaged with ingredients listed.
*If you have any questions pertaining to holiday celebrations, please consult your child’s teacher or the school nurse.*
By working together, we can try to ensure the safety of all our children during this exciting time. Thank you!
Math Fluency - Math Facts Knowledge
At the elementary level, we utilize the Math in Focus program for mathematics instruction. Information about the Math in Focus program can be found on the Madison Public Schools website at this link. The math curriculum as well as other elementary curricula can be accessed within individual grade level documents at this link.
Math fluency (math facts knowledge) is a critical piece of mathematics instruction for student learning. Within the Math and Focus information on the Madison website, are resources to assist your children with math fluency. Improving math fluency at school and at home, will provide your child with a strong fluency baseline to build upon as their math learning becomes more complex throughout the years.
Madison Reads!
Please make sure that your child is reading or is exposed to reading every day! Children reading and being read to are critical pieces in the development of lifelong readers. While a bit dated, this article How to Raise a Reader! is an excellent article that was featured in the New York Times. Please contact your child's teacher if you need assistance in selecting appropriate books for your child.
Professional Development for Administrators
With over 800 other New Jersey administrators, Dr. Koop attended the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association conference. Dr. Koop attended professional development sessions focused on equity practices and student mental health. In addition, Dr. Koop and TJS principal Ms. Garcia presented about leader balance and resiliency to an audience of educational professionals.
