September Wrap-Up

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Dear West Long Branch School District Families,

It is hard to believe the first month of school is already in the books! September was action-packed, with a plethora of events to welcome our students, staff, and families back for the 2022-2023 school year! Not to mention, preparing ourselves for the exciting October 3rd opening of our full-day preschool classrooms. Now, the weather has certainly taken a turn toward the chilly and rainy, and we look forward to a brisk, fun, and learning-filled autumn season in the West Long Branch School District.

In this newsletter you will find some highlights from September, along with updates on district happenings and upcoming events. As previously shared, I will continue to provide updates on a monthly basis, and in future newsletters, will share updates from our Curriculum and Special Services departments as well.

Everyone here in West Long Branch is grateful for your continued support and partnership, and we are looking forward to a fantastic month ahead.

Warm regards,

Christina Egan

A little rain (okay, maybe more than a little rain) couldn't dampen our spirits on Monday, when we were excited to welcome all our currently seated preschool students to their first full day of school!

With the support of the Preschool Education Aid Grant, the West Long Branch School District has been able to pivot quickly to a full-day program in each of our two classrooms. Moving forward, the grant will support us in growing both the quality and capacity of our preschool program, to provide the highest-caliber early childhood educational experience for the families of our community.

Launching this program has required the effort and dedication of many members of our staff, and I wish to extend my sincere gratitude and admiration to:

• Our dedicated administrative team, especially Ms. Yacona, Mr. Erhardt, and Ms. Lowell;
• Our incredible and talented preschool teachers, Mrs. Myles and Mrs. Ricker;
• Our caring and dedicated preschool aides, Mrs. Bronner and Mrs. Rosamilia;
• Our support staff members who communicated and coordinated every last detail - Mrs. Gardner, Mrs. Aschettino, Ms. Campanella, and Mrs. Grimm;
• The many core and special area teachers who worked closely with the team to rearrange the schedule and accommodate two full-day classes;
• The families of our preschool children, for your patience and for entrusting us with the care and education of your little ones;
• Our partners in education at Aramark, Sodexo, and in the Transportation Department at Shore Regional;
• The West Long Branch Board of Education, for always supporting and promoting excellence in education and our mission to put our students FIRST.

We are thrilled to celebrate this expansion of our preschool program, and we look forward to a bright future of expanding access for the families of our district over the next several years.

As you may know from Mr. Erhardt's or Mrs. Winters' newsletters, this week marks the official Week of Respect in New Jersey schools! It has been great to see so many of our students participating in the Spirit Week themed days in recognition of this week. From the variety of hats worn on Monday to demonstrate "Hats Off to Respect," to today's neon colored outfits from those "Letting Respect Shine," our students and staff are demonstrating that we're all committed to sharing a happy, friendly, positive school climate.

Don't forget to "Team up for Respect" on Thursday, and to "Choose Kindness" and wear school colors on Friday!

Each year, any school receiving Title I funds (which West Long Branch schools do receive) are required to notify families of their right to ask about the professional qualifications of their children's teachers. We are happy to share this information with you upon request - please see the below letter from our Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, Mrs. Skibinski for more information.

Also, please know that the assessments in which your child participates are some of the many ways we ensure that each one of our students are learning and growing throughout the school year. If at any point your child is identified as someone who would benefit from a little extra academic support, our Title I after-school programs will provide an excellent supplement to the strong core classroom and academic intervention programs we offer during the day.

Invitations to participate in this after-school support are extended at several points during the school year, as we continuously evaluate the data and information we have about how our students are doing. If you have any questions about our Title I programs, you are encouraged to reach out to Mrs. Skibinski or your child's principal.

On September 13th, there was a presentation to the public celebrating the newly created West Long Branch School District Strategic Plan, spanning the years 2022-2027.

To all the members of the Board of Education, administration, staff, and community who gave generously of their time to participate in the process, please accept our sincere gratitude. Together, we learned about our greatest areas of strength and need, and created a five-year plan that will serve as our North Star in charting the path forward for our school district.

Please click the button below to access a copy of the presentation. I am happy to share all the great action steps that are already under way, as well as those yet to come.

October 5 - SCHOOLS CLOSED (Yom Kippur)

October 10 - SCHOOLS CLOSED (Columbus Day)

October 13 - BME Walk to School Day

October 16 - WLB Fall Festival

October 18 - Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00 PM

October 19 - BME Picture Day

October 20 - FAS Picture Day

October 22 - PTA Trunk or Treat

October 24 - Early Dismissal for Students

October 24 - PTA Book Fair Begins

October 26 - PTA Book Fair - Evening Shopping Hours, 5-7 PM

October 28 - PTA Book Fair - Final Day

October 31 - BME Halloween Parade

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