Highview Happenings
October 11, 2024
From the Principal's Desk...
Dear Highview Families,
Happy Friday! It was wonderful seeing all of our PreK-4 families at the Welcome Back Picnic last night. It was an energizing, fun event, and I loved seeing our students and families come together to kick-off what will be a wonderful school year. Many thanks to the Nanuet Elementary PTA and all volunteers for organizing this special event for our students and families!
On Friday, October 25, the Nanuet Elementary PTA will host its annual Highview Halloween Happenings. Your child should have brought home a flyer that includes a QR code to register and pay for the event. This event is for Highview students only, and they are permitted to wear their Halloween costumes. Please note that costumes must be appropriate for elementary-aged students and should not include masks or weapons (including fake weapons). Additionally, students are expected to follow all school rules while attending this exciting event. If there is an inappropriate costume or inappropriate behavior, the Principal or Assistant Principal will call the parent/guardian to pick up the child.
Third graders will participate in Halloween Happenings from 5:30-7:00 p.m., and fourth graders will participate from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Please note that drop off for each grade level begins 15 minutes prior to the start time. Once picked up by a parent/guardian at the end of the event, students can Trunk-or-Treat with a parent/guardian. Please read the flyer for more information. If you did not receive one, please let your child's classroom teacher know as soon as possible.
Be sure to visit the Nanuet Elementary PTA website to find details about membership and upcoming events. The PTA updates this site regularly with important information.
As a reminder, all Nanuet Schools will close on Monday, October 14 in observance of Columbus Day. We look forward to welcoming our Highview Knights back to school on Tuesday, October 15.
Sincerely,
Matthew Lutz
Principal
Charter Shout-Outs for the Week
On a rotating basis, classroom teachers nominate two students from their classes to receive a Charter Shout-Out. The class charter is a RULER tool used in all classrooms to help students develop expectations for success as learners and members of the community. The Charter Shout-Out gives teachers the opportunity to highlight students who are living up to their classroom charters.
This week, students from the following classes received shout-outs and were recognized over morning announcements: Mrs. Amann (3KA) and Mrs. Banks (4MB). Congratulations to Paloma (3KA), Collin (3KA), Allison (4MB), and Jaiden (4MB). See their proud picture below!
Principal's Pride
Being the Principal of Highview Elementary School brings me a tremendous amount of joy and pride. I am beyond lucky to be able to work with such incredible students, staff, and families.
This week, I'd like to give a shout out to the third graders in Mrs. Brooke's class - 3KB. They are currently reading How to Be Cool in the Third Grade by Betsy Duffey. While reading the book, the students focused on the main character, Robbie, and how his character changes/evolves throughout the story. Specifically, Class 3KB crafted a reading response to share the different ways Robbie feels throughout the book. They tied it directly to the work they do with the Mood Meter each day. Some of the vocabulary words that students used included, but were not limited to: optimistic, glum, happy, and joyful. This was a great way to tie our approach to Social-Emotional Learning into an academic area. Way to go, Class 3KB! Take a look at some photos below.
Eat-and-Play Challenge
In early September, our School Counselor, Ms. Lipson, and School Social Worker, Mrs. Weiss launched a monthly Eat-and-Play Challenge for our students. The goal is for classes to work together to follow the Eat-and-Play rules during the lunch/recess periods. They have the opportunity to add a sticker in a square on an incentive chart. The classes with the most stickers at the end of the month get to shop on our FABULOUS prize cart! There will be at least one winner each month in both grade levels.
For the month of September, Mrs. Amann and Mrs. Stead's classes won the third-grade challenge. Mrs. Banks and Ms. O'Riordan's classes won the fourth-grade challenge. Congratulations 3KA, 3KS, 4MB, and 4MO! We look forward to seeing which classes will win for the month of October!
Fall Field Trips
Our third graders will visit LEGO Land Discovery Center Westchester at the Ridge Hill Mall in Yonkers, NY. They will be extending their Science 21 lessons on force and motion. Students will explore push and pull forces and the effects of friction while testing LEGO push cars. Our third graders will make predictions and recognize patterns of the change in speed of an object and how far it will go in push car races led by a S.T.E.A.M. professional at LEGO Land.
- Wednesday, November 13 - 3MR, 3PD, and BOCES
- Wednesday, November 20 - 3AK, 3KB, and 3KA
- Thursday, November 21 - 3JM, 3KS, and 3AM
Our fourth graders will visit Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ on Wednesday, December 4. Students will find many exhibits that offer hands-on experiences aligned with classroom learning. These experiences foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world application of science concepts. For example, students can explore ecosystems, physics, and engineering through interactive exhibits that mirror the standards' emphasis on inquiry-based learning and cross-cutting concepts like energy, forces, and environmental systems.
Halloween at Highview
On Thursday, October 31, Highview students are allowed to wear Halloween costumes to school. When selecting a costume for your child, please be sure to follow the guidelines below:
Costumes must be appropriate for elementary-aged students.
Costumes should not include words or images that are vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrating to others.
No masks, face paint or weapons (including fake weapons) will be allowed.
Students should wear their costumes to school and be able to manage them with minimal assistance from an adult.
Highview Library Book Character Contest
The Highview Library is welcoming back third and fourth graders with a contest! Show us your favorite book character by creating a paper roll book character. Students may create only one and must create it on their own (no partners). The contest is optional.
MATERIALS:
Please use a small paper roll (toilet paper) size. Decorations can be paper, fabric, or any other fun medium. The characters must be from a children’s book. You must also fill out the provided label for your submission. Labels can be picked up in the library as needed.
JUDGING:
A panel of teachers and staff will judge the figures the week of October 28.
PRIZES:
There will be five winning submissions for the school. The winning submissions will be announced over the loudspeaker and will be on display in the front hall case. Students will also get a brand-new book as a prize. Students who do not win will still get their book character on proud display in the library and a small participation prize.
DUE DATE:
All figures are due on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Please -- no early or late submissions. Only one (1) entry per student.
RULER/SEL Spotlight
This week, Ms. Lipson, School Counselor, and Mrs. Weiss, School Social Worker, held a social-emotional learning (SEL) assembly for all students, focusing on the RULER concept/tool known as Meta Moment. This process encourages students to pause between being triggered and responding, fostering self-reflection and emotional regulation. By assessing their thoughts and feelings—like feeling glum, joyful, concerned, easygoing, or apprehensive—students can better manage challenges and improve problem-solving skills.
During the assembly, students learned calming techniques such as taking belly breaths, cupcake breathing, muscle relaxation, 5-finger breathing, visualization, and counting to handle strong emotions. Through a role-play experience, students practiced choosing appropriate strategies for different scenarios and feelings so that their Best Self shows up in any given situation.
How can I support my child at home?
To support your child at home, you can model self-regulation. For instance, if you are stuck in traffic and feel impatient, express your frustration and share how you plan to stay calm. This teaches valuable self-management skills, helping your child navigate challenges like losing a game or taking a test while enhancing their academic focus.
🔶🔶🔶🔶 REPEATED REMINDERS🔶🔶🔶🔶
Affirmations
Take a look at our daily Morning Affirmations that we recite together as a school community. The purpose of this practice is to encourage our students to use positive self-talk to get themselves excited and ready to conquer the day. We want our students to feel empowered and productive at Highview. You are more than welcome to use these at home as well.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
During arrival and dismissal, the safety of our students is our top priority. Please review this document, which outlines our arrival and dismissal procedures for the 2024-2025 school year. We must all work together to ensure the safety of both students and staff during these important blocks of time. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and partnership in following these procedures each day.
Bus Information
As always, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. When riding the bus, students are expected to follow three bus rules:
- Be a good listener.
- Use a quiet voice.
- Stay in your seat at all times.
Please note that beginning in 2024-2025, no student in Grades K-4 will be released from the bus without an adult present at the bus stop. This is to ensure the safety of all students.
We appreciate your partnership in reiterating these expectations for a safe bus ride. Please note that unsafe behavior on the bus will result in a loss of bus privileges at the discretion of Principal Lutz, Assistant Principal Mehu, or their designee(s).
Code of Conduct
The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment where students may receive and district personnel may deliver quality educational experiences without disruption or interference. We ask that you read and review the Code of Conduct for Grades K-4 with your child. Our goal is to ensure students are engaged in learning while making positive contributions to our school community.
Digital Backpack
Each week, documents will be loaded to our Digital Backpack, which is linked to the bottom of the Highview homepage. We encourage you to check the Digital Backpack, which is updated every Friday, to ensure you have updated information on important dates, events, and opportunities being offered to students and families.
Electronic Devices and Valuable Items
Students in grades K-4 should not bring electronic devices, large amounts of money, or valuable items to school. This includes cell phones/smart phones, iPods, iPads/tablets, smart watches, personal computers/laptops, electronic games, expensive jewelry, card collections, and large amounts of money. Even if the student who brings in the item is not at fault, there are no funds to pay for its repair or replacement. The school carries no insurance that is applicable to these matters and there is no money budgeted for this purpose. Principal Lutz, Assistant Principal Mehu, and/or their designee(s) reserve the right to determine whether an item is an electronic device and/or valuable.
Parent Square Notification System
Over the next few months, the district and buildings are moving to a new communication system to send alerts out to parents, guardians and the community. Please check your email for an invitation from Parent Square or register on the website. Follow the video linked below to set notification and language settings in the app or website. The Parent Square app can be downloaded from your app store.
Registration Website:
https://www.parentsquare.com/signin
Video for how to change notification or language settings:
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)
We are fortunate to have a wonderful Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). We encourage our parents to get involved with the PTA. If you have questions, you can always reach out to our PTA via email at nanuetpta@gmail.com.
Here are the 2024-2025 Board Members for the Elementary PTA:
- Jennifer Falzon, President
- Debbie Harris, Vice President for G.W. Miller School
- Linda Metress, Vice President for Highview School
- Kelly Ann Trombley, Secretary
- Stephanie Gannon, Treasurer
Additionally, please check out the PTA's website for more information on how to join this amazing group! Thank you to our fabulous PTA for all you do to support the students, staff, and families in the Nanuet School District!
Safety and Security Protcols
As you know, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority in the Nanuet Union Free School District. The Safety/Security Protocols for 2024-2025 are outlined in the document below. We thank you in advance for your cooperation with and prompt attention to these protocols.
Snack and Water Bottles
Students do have a snack time daily and at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Your child's teacher will communicate this to you when they share their specific schedules. We encourage you to send a healthy snack to school with your child. If your child's classroom is designated as Nut Aware, you will receive a letter as well as a notification from the classroom teacher. Please do not send any products containing nuts.
Every student can have a water bottle in class. Water bottles must be capped (no straws or glass) and should be a personal size (16 oz. or less). There are opportunities to refill water bottles during the school day. Please be sure your child’s water bottle can fit in their backpack for transport purposes. Please label your child’s water bottle with their name and class code. Students cannot bring open containers, energy drinks, or coffee-related drinks to school.
Dates to Remember
Monday, October 7 - Friday, October 25
Fall Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) Administration
Monday, October 14
Columbus Day
All Nanuet Schools Closed
Monday, October 21
Elementary PTA Meeting
7:30 p.m. at Highview in the Library
Tuesday, October 22
Board of Education Meeting
7:30 p.m. at Nanuet High School
Friday, October 25
Highview's Halloween Happenings
For Highview Students Only
Grade 3 - 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Grade 4 - 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Friday, November 1
Spirit Day
Wear black & gold!
Go Nanuet Knights!
Monday, November 4
Board of Education Meeting
7:30 p.m. at Nanuet High School
Tuesday, November 5
Staff Development Day
No School for Students
Monday, November 11
Veterans Day
All Nanuet Schools Closed
Thank you, Veterans!
Highview Elementary School
Email: mlutz@nanuetsd.org
Website: highview.nanuetsd.org
Location: 24 Highview Avenue, Nanuet, NY 10954
Phone: (845) 627-3460
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NanuetPublicSchools
Instagram: @nanuetschools
X (Formerly Twitter): @nanuetschools