HUBER STREET SCHOOL

Hello Bears,

As we close out 2024 and embrace the holiday season, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest wishes to your and your loved ones for a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year. From all of us at Huber Street School and the Millridge School to all of you, we wish you the very best.

See you in 2025!

Sincerely,

Mr. Valente

~PS- May the Force Be With You!

Congratulations to Mrs. Mary-Cate Binetti, the 2024-2025 New Jersey Governor's Educator of the Year for Huber Street School. Mrs. Binetti is a dedicated Special Education teacher with a passion for helping students succeed in Mathematics. Her commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment has made a significant impact on her students and the entire school community. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and grateful for her unwavering dedication to education. Congratulations, Mrs. Binetti!

December is an exciting month filled with holidays, celebrations, and winter weather. As we approach the winter break, I would like to share five exciting tips to encourage literacy and mathematics. These tips are simple, easy, and fun family activities that will engage your child in learning over the twelve day break. I hope you enjoy these activities. Happy Holidays!

1. Set aside dedicated reading time each day during winter break. Encourage your child to choose books that interest them and try to incorporate a mix of fiction and non-fiction reading material. This will help keep their literacy skills sharp during the break.

2. Use everyday activities as opportunities to practice math skills. Whether it's cooking together in the kitchen, measuring ingredients, or counting the number of ornaments on the Christmas tree, finding ways to incorporate math into daily activities will help reinforce math concepts in a fun and engaging way.

3. Visit the Secaucus Public Library or bookstore as a family during winter break. Allow your child to pick out books that interest them and make it a special outing. Encouraging a love of reading and providing access to a variety of books will help foster a lifelong love of literacy.

4. Play educational games that incorporate reading and math skills. There are many board games and online resources available that can help reinforce literacy and math concepts in a fun and interactive way. Take advantage of these resources to keep your child engaged in learning over winter break.

5. Create a daily schedule that includes time for reading, math practice, and other educational activities. By setting aside specific times for these activities each day, you can help maintain a consistent routine and prevent a loss of academic skills during the break. Make learning fun by incorporating games, hands-on activities, and incentives for completing tasks.

On Thursday, December 5th, Huber Street School and Clarendon School joined forces to host the annual Winter Concert. Students from both schools came together to perform in the Concert Band and in the Chorus.

Conducted by Mr. Oscar Gongora, the Concert Band performed The Hey Song, Ode To Joy, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Fesitval of Lights, Jingle Bells, and Let's Go Band. Under the direction of Mr. Dan Amato, the Chorus performed Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Man In The Mirror, and Jingle Bells.

5th Grade Concert Band: Ode To Joy

4th & 5th Grade Chorus: Man In The Mirror

All fifth-grade students attended an incredible presentation about Number the Stars. Huber Street's School Psychologist, Mrs. Zahava Pianko invited her mother, Etty Burger, came to our school to share experiences and traditions to enhance students' understanding of the story and deepen their appreciation for this powerful piece of literature. Thank you Mrs. Burger for sharing your insights with the fifth grade.

Each year in December, the faculty and staff from both Huber Street School and the Millridge School brighten our hallways with creative door decorations. Check out this year's doors in the video below!

Mrs. Kelly Ingenito and her talented Newspaper Club have worked hard to bring you the latest edition of the Huber News. Their dedication and creativity have truly shone through in this edition. We hope you enjoy reading the stories, highlights, and updates they've put together with so much care and enthusiasm!

Students in Mrs. Ally Puerari's ELA class recently wrapped up their unit on Early American Civilizations with a fun and engaging celebration. The students had a great time decorating Aztec, Inca, and Mayan masks, showcasing their creativity and knowledge of the cultures they had studied. They also enjoyed completing word searches, watching The Emperor's New Groove, and indulging in a tasty snack of Tostito Chips. It was a memorable way to celebrate their hard work and dive deeper into the fascinating history of these ancient civilizations.

Third-grade fun before the holidays! A festive mug exchange, hot cocoa party, and reindeer games to celebrate all our hard work this year. Wishing everyone a joyful winter break!

In Mrs. O'Donovan's class, the students learned about Hanukkah in a fun and interactive way. They began by reading a story that explained the origin of the holiday. Afterward, each student created their own menorah to celebrate the festival. To make the experience even more special, Mrs. Chetrit visited the class to share her family's Hanukkah traditions. She answered all of their questions and taught them about the deeper meaning of the holiday. Mrs. Chetrit also brought in a variety of dreidels and explained how to play the dreidel game, giving the students a hands-on experience of this beloved Hanukkah tradition.

The 3rd grade ELA students have been learning about the human body and its many systems. To conclude the unit, students created their own x-ray, respiratory & skeletal systems. The classes truly enjoyed the unit and completing these hands-on activities.

In Ms. Mandaglio's art classes, students of Huber Street School enjoyed many winter themed art projects.

Kindergarten students created snowmen on a plaid pattern background. We were focusing on line making skills, as well as proper scissor use. First graders enjoyed drawing their own penguins! They had the opportunity to customize their penguin's hats and scarves. In 2nd grade, we created gingerbread houses and villages by using photos for inspiration. We used oil pastels for the first time to create blends when coloring.

In 3rd grade, students created an ornament on a tree branch by using watercolor paint. Our focus was on brush control and how to make an object look 3-dimensional. Students in 4th grade enjoyed creating a Landscape of the Northern Lights. We first looked at photos of the Northern Lights and emulated their beauty in our artwork. We used chalk and oil pastels while focusing on blending colors together. Lastly, in 5th grade, students created Polar Express One-Point Perspective Drawings to go along with my Polar Express Hallway Door! Fifth graders did an excellent job using perspective in their drawings to make it appear the train was coming towards the viewer. We used oil & chalk pastels here too! Wishing everyone a very art-filled, peaceful, healthy holiday!

Under the dedicated guidance of Mrs. Gillian Byrne, the students in the Huber Street School Peacekeepers Club put in a lot of effort over the past month, creating beautiful, handmade ornaments for Mayor Mike’s office tree. The students worked with great care and enthusiasm, pouring their creativity into each ornament, knowing they were contributing to something special. Their hard work and commitment paid off when the Peacekeepers Club had the unique opportunity to meet with Mayor Mike in person and decorate the tree at City Hall. It was a memorable experience for the students, as they not only added their personal touch to the tree but also had the chance to engage with the Mayor and learn about the importance of community involvement. Below are some snapshots from the decorating day, capturing the joy and pride of this wonderful occasion.

On Tuesday, December 3rd, all third-grade students participated in a reptile show to celebrate the completion of the Animal Classification Unit in our Amplify CKLA program. During this experience, students had the opportunity to see the reptiles they learned about in the unit. This hands-on learning experience allowed students to deepen their understanding of reptiles and their characteristics.

As part of their community service project, Mrs. Kerri Stamm and Mrs. Kelly Ingenito’s classes created and presented "Survival Bags" to the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department and the Secaucus Police Department as a way to show their appreciation for the dedication and hard work these departments put in to keep our community safe.

In a special visit to Huber Street School, members of both the Secaucus Police Department and the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department met with the students to accept the Survival Bags and share a moment of gratitude for the students’ thoughtful gesture. It was a meaningful experience for all involved and a great reminder of the importance of community and service.

On Friday, December 13th, the Huber Street School 4th grade time traveled to Medieval Times as a topper to their lesson on Empires in the Middle Ages from the Aplify CKLA Reading Program. The students had a BLAST!

Under the guidance of Mrs. Alexis Leppin and Mrs. Kerri Stamm, the Huber Street School Student Government Organization held the First Annual Holiday Wreath Contest. Each homeroom teacher was given a blank (paper) wreath. The wreaths were decorated with input from students. Check out the finished products in the video below!

The Huber Street SGO sponsored multiple dress-down days in the month of December. See below for some snapshots from this past month.

Empathy is like having a special power that helps you understand and share the feelings of others. It's the ability to imagine how someone else might be feeling and to care about their emotions. For kids and parents, empathy is a way to connect with others, be kind, and create a supportive and understanding world where everyone's feelings matter.

This past Sunday, December 8th, the Special Education Advisory Group (SEPAG) hosted a Sensory Santa event. It was a festive holiday event, including Santa, friends, and delicious holiday treats. Much thanks to the SEPAG for hosting such a lovely event.

The Special Services department would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday and a Happy New Year!

The students had such a joyful time shopping for their families and friends at the PTA's annual holiday bazaar. It was truly heartwarming to see their excitement as they carefully selected the perfect gifts. The sense of thoughtfulness and pride they displayed as they picked out presents for their loved ones was a beautiful reminder of the genuine spirit of giving that defines this time of year. Watching them reflect on what their family and friends would appreciate most was a truly special experience, one that showed how much they care for the people in their lives.

It’s moments like these that reinforce the importance of community and the values we strive to instill in our students every day—kindness, generosity, and the joy of making others happy. The bazaar isn’t just about finding the perfect gift; it’s about creating memories, building connections, and fostering a sense of togetherness that will last long after the holiday season.

Throughout the year, the PTA works diligently to find the best deals and unique items, all with the goal of making this event a special experience for everyone involved. The care and effort they put into organizing this bazaar is a reflection of their deep commitment to supporting our school community.

As a token of appreciation, each student received a beautiful ornament featuring our school logo. It’s a small gift to help them remember this season of giving and the warmth of our school family.

The PTA would like to take this opportunity to wish all our families a joyful and peaceful holiday season. We are incredibly grateful for your unwavering support and dedication. Your generosity and involvement make it possible for us to create these wonderful opportunities for our students, and for that, we are truly thankful. Happy Holidays from the PTA!

Jan 02: Spelling Bee: Preliminary Round (Grades 3-5)

Jan 03: Spelling Bee: Preliminary Round (Grades 1-2)

Jan 10: Spelling Be: Finals

Jan 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (School Closed)

Jan 21: One-Session Day

Jan 28: Family Literacy Night (at Clarendon School)

Here is a look at the breakfast and lunch menus for the upcoming month.

Student schedules, health screening, report card access, etc. can be found on the Realtime Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please contact our main office. You can access the Parent Portal via the following link. (All parent portal log-in information has been sent to you via email.)

https://www.fridayparentportal.com/Secaucus

Huber Street School Schedule

Full Session: 8:20am-3:00pm

• (Kindergarten is dismissed at 2:45pm)

One-Session: 8:20am-12:30pm

Delayed Opening: 10:20am-3:00pm

Millridge School Schedule

Full Session:

Pre-K AM: 8:20am-10:50am

Pre-K PM: 11:50am-2:20pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 8:20am-2:20pm

One-Session:

Pre-K AM: 8:20am-10:00am

Pre-K PM: 10:30am-12:10pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 8:20am-12:00pm

Delayed Opening:

Pre-K AM: Class Cancelled

Pre-K PM: 11:50am-2:20pm

Pre-K Full Day Classes: 10:20am-2:20pm

The end of the day is a very hectic time when teachers are ensuring that each student is connected with a caregiver. We respectfully ask that you do not change your student’s pick up routine on a day-to-day basis. Understandably, emergencies and last minute changes do arise, but for safety reasons we ask that you help us to keep our dismissal procedures consistent for both our staff and students.

If you need to pick up your student early for an appointment, or special reason, they must be picked up before 9th period which begins at 2:15 pm (12:00pm on one-session days.) Last period often includes special area classes and time set aside for wrapping up activities and packing up for the day which makes it difficult for our security staff to continue to monitor the building if they are also being asked to locate and get students early from their classes.

If you wish your student to be picked up by a person not on your pick-up list, you must send a note in with them in the morning, or an email to your child's homeroom teachers, in addition to Kim Pascarello (kpascarello@sboe.org) and Coleen Mason (cmason@sboe.org) in the main office.

Please make sure to state the person’s name, relationship to your student and a contact phone number for the person.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

The federal government's universal free lunch program expired and our schools will return to offering free and reduced school lunch to only students who qualify based on family income. Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application if they believe they qualify.

As in previous years, if you would like to purchase lunch, please replenish your child's lunch account by logging into the Payforit.net (https://www.payforit.net/Login.aspx) website.

Huber Street School and Clarendon School will be serving a more traditional and expanded lunch menu. Please be reminded that students will need to input their Student ID number when purchasing items from the cafeteria (as no cash will be accepted.)

We will make every effort to have our students go outside for recess. Please make sure to provide your children with appropriate clothing for cold weather. Students will remain indoors during the following weather conditions.

• Snow, Rain, Hail, Sleet

• Thunder/Lightning

• Temperature and/or Windchill Temperature 32 degrees or colder

The Secaucus Board of Education requires students to wear school uniforms on a daily basis, including field trips. Students are to arrive at school wearing the appropriate clothing as defined in the dress code. The following is a list of clothing items in compliance with the uniform policy and information regarding this can also be found in the Elementary Handbook.

Please Note the Changes to the "Shoes" Section of the Dress Code

Approved Uniform Attire for Clarendon/Huber Street Schools

**ALL SHIRTS, SWEATERS, SWEATSHIRTS AND FLEECE MUST HAVE THE PROPER “SECAUCUS SCHOOL DISTRICT” EMBROIDERED LOGO

STUDENT DRESS CODE ATTIRE OPTIONS:

Tops:

• Polo Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Short Sleeve/Long Sleeve

• Turtle Neck - Red/White/Navy (NO EMBLEMS OR LOGO)

• Sweater - Red/White/Navy: V-neck, Crew neck, Cardigan or Vest

• Sweat Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Crew Neck (NO HOOD)

• Fleece - Red/Navy: Zippered Front or Pullover (NO HOOD)

• Jumper - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Peter Pan Blouse - White (NO LOGO)

Bottoms:

• Pants - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester (NO CARGO PANTS OR LEGGINGS)

• Shorts - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skirt - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skort - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Capris - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Socks & Tights - Navy/Khaki/White/Red, Solid Color

Shoes:

ALL shoes must be securely fastened with a backing to the feet. Sneakers are strongly recommended for everyday use.

• Flip-flops, open toed shoes, slippers, and slide shoes are NOT permitted.

• Crocs are permitted ONLY in “sport mode”, meaning the pivoting heel strap must be utilized when worn.

• Uggs boots or shoes are permitted, but NOT slippers or slides (all shoes must have a back).

**Please note:

All students are permitted to wear knee length shorts until October 31st and again in the spring beginning April 15th, in a docker style in navy or khaki. Athletic shorts should reach the end of the finger tip in length.

Huber Street School is an elementary school in Secaucus, NJ that educates students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. The Millridge School (Early Learning Center) is a satellite school that houses our pre-kindergarten students. Huber Street School has been educating Secaucus students since 1910.

Huber Street School

1520 Paterson Plank Road

Secaucus, NJ 07094

201-974-2053

The Millridge School

40 Millridge Road

Secaucus, NJ 07094

201-974-2053

Email: kpascarello@sboe.org, cmason@sboe.org,

Email: rvalente@sboe.org.