Dear Desmares Families,
May flowers have blossomed and so have our students! The fourth graders are growing daily, looking and behaving more like Intermediate School students with each new day. In addition to the 150th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4th, there are several events to be mindful of in May. With the NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessment) starting up on Monday, May 6th for third and fourth graders, we will kick off the testing season with a Pep Rally, organized by our Literacy Coach, Ms. Rowe. The Pep Rally is for all Grade 3-4 students on Friday, May 3 at 2:45 pm. Please be sure to ask your child about the Pep Rally! We are excited for the students to demonstrate the skills and strategies they have learned this year during the NJSLA testing cycle. Please make sure your children are well rested, nourished, and arriving to school on time, Monday, May 6th through Friday, May 10.
The Francis A. Desmares PTO Instagram just posted the Spirit events for the week of testing:
May 6 - You are #1! - Wear gear representing your favorite team and remind yourself you are #1!
May 7 - You are so bright! - Wear bright colors and/or bring sunglasses to wear after testing.
May 8 - Put on your thinking cap! - Bring a hat to wear after testing.
May 9 - You know your stuff! - Bring a stuffed animal to keep in your backpack until after testing.
May 10 - You are a winner! - Get ready to have some game time after testing to relax. Feel free to bring a game from home.
As a reminder to all parents, students may not wear Smart Watches of any kind at school, especially during testing. Classroom teachers will remind the students and store all electronic devices in a secure location if they bring them to school. Your support and understanding is appreciated.
Please remember that Friday, May 24th is a full school day to make up for one of our snow days.
Lastly, Monday, May 27th is Memorial Day and Friday, May 31st is Camp Mason for our 4th grade classes! What a great way to end the month.
Enjoy the beautiful weather that comes with spring!
~ Mr. Masessa and Mrs. Custy
Have you been doing some spring cleaning? We need your help! We are partnering with the Desmares PTO to collect gently used children's books for students in Pre-K through fourth grade for a book swap event on June 17th. All of our Desmares Dolphins will visit the book swap to do some "shopping" and select some books to read over the summer. Donations of children's books in good condition can be dropped of at Desmares School or sent in with your child in a bag labeled "Book Swap Donations." More information can be found by clicking here: English flyer or Spanish flyer
The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month that is dedicated to addressing the various challenges that Americans with mental health conditions face each day. This month and every month we want to provide support to those who may need it. Here are some resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s School Counselor if additional information and resources are needed.
This month’s character trait is Loyalty/Citizenship. Loyalty means being devoted and committed to someone or something. Citizenship means recognizing one's place in the communities (family, school, local, country) and positively contributing to that community.
Here are some books to help children understand and practice loyalty and citizenship.
Stick and Stone (English)
Palo y piedra (en español)
What Can A Citizen Do? (English)
Ser Un Buen Ciudadano (en español)
~ Mrs. Moncada & Mrs. Monks
On Friday, April 26th, Mrs. Ariej Dawood, our Desmares PTO President was recognized by the Hunterdon County Education Association as a Friend of Education at their annual gala. This honor is bestowed on an individual, organization, or group whose leadership, acts, or support have significantly benefited public education, education employees, and/or students in a Hunterdon County school community. Mrs. Dawood received a record-setting 14 nominations for her tireless efforts to support out Desmares Dolphin community and the Flemington-Raritan School District. Mrs. Dawood's boundless school spirit and willingness to go the extra mile, even taking on the role of Flips, our school mascot, exemplify her dedication to creating memorable and meaningful experiences for our students. Thank you, Mrs. Dawood, for your years of service to Desmares, and remember that you are a Dolphin for life!
Do you know any children that will be turning five by October 1, 2024? Please let their parents know it is time to register for Kindergarten! Click here for more information about registration. We are looking forward to meeting our newest Desmares Dolphins!
Francis A. Desmares Elementary School
Nurse's Office - Mrs. Sellers: 908-284-7545
School Counselor - Mrs. Monks: 908-284-7542
Bilingual School Counselor - Mrs. Moncada: 908-284-7553
Email: firstname.lastname@frsd.us
Website: https://www.frsd.k12.nj.us/Domain/284
Location: 16 Old Clinton Road, Flemington, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-284-7540
Twitter: @desmaresschool