CDW Weekly Wrap-Up

We are almost halfway through the 2024-2025 school year with Marking Period 2 ending on Wednesday, January 29th! At that time, teachers will begin to close out the grades, and the Marking Period 2 Report Card will be available via the Genesis Parent Portal on Tuesday, February 4th.

On Tuesday, January 21st, the 8th grade LEAP students presented their original innovations and inventions to a panel of judges in a Shark Tank-inspired event. Over the past several months, these future entrepreneurs identified a need for a product or service, engaged in idea generation, conducted market research, developed a business plan, and wrote and rehearsed persuasive pitches. Congratulations on your hard work, and a job well done!

The CDW Brain Busters team, represented by Galina Fajardo, Ryan Ham, Joseph Jin, Katie Jung, Lydia Kim, Ryo Malhotra, and Jungwoo Seo, participated in the fourth meet of the season at Demarest. Lydia's team made it to the finals and took second place overall! The next Bergen Brain Busters Meet is at Harrington Park in February.

On Thursday, January 23rd, we welcomed over 120 students from CDW and other Valley schools to compete in the AMC 8 Math Competition. As stated on the AMC 8 website, "The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple-choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills. Possible topics include, but are not limited to: counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, elementary geometry including the Pythagorean Theorem, spatial visualization, everyday applications, and reading and interpreting graphs and tables."

Thank you to Mr. Clark for preparing this important event and to Dr. Sullivan for helping administer the competition for the students in the Valley.

Thanks to the OTPTO, the CDW Media Center is able to hold an all-grades author visit through the library program on March 3, 2025. The author will be doing presentations for both grades 5/6 and 7/8 and then offering an optional workshop for students who are artists/aspiring graphic novelists/authors. More information on the optional workshop to come!

If students want to purchase a book, they must hand in their form and money to Mrs. Melillo by February 6, 2025. Forms were handed out during homeroom, but please print and return the attached form with your money if you need another copy. A portion of the proceeds from every book sold goes to the OTPTO!

Please check out Ms. Melillo's 2025 webpage for more information.

During the week of February 3rd, Grade 8 students will participate in the Child Assault Prevention TeenCAP Project. The National Assault Prevention Center developed TeenCAP as a response to violence and aims to prevent assault against teens by training them to recognize and deal with potentially dangerous situations. TeenCAP also prepares adults to recognize and care for youth who have been affected by abuse. For more information, please join the Virtual Parent Program on January 30th at 6:00 PM.

Adult Education

The adult program provides information on assault against teens, identification of assault victims, reporting of abuse, and crisis intervention skills. For additional information, please visit the following resource: www.NJCAP.org, specifically the Teen Adult Guide.

Virtual Parent Program: January 30, 2025

Use this LINK to sign in.

Meeting ID: 881 6875 1286

Passcode: dewolf

Student Workshops

The student workshop combines guided group discussion and a series of scenarios to focus on situations teens may encounter. Topics discussed include peer assault, sexual harassment, battering, dating violence, and sexual assault. Strategies emphasized to protect teens include self-assertion, seeking help from a trusted adult, and self-defense. Classroom workshops for students will be on February 4th, 5th, and 6th during Grade 8 Social Studies.

If you have any questions regarding your child(ren)'s participation, please reach out to Ms. Santa or Mr. Lauriello.

Mr. Gagliano, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Osbahr have been teaching the 7th Grade students about the Digestive System. What better way to learn hands-on than to dissect an owl pellet to observe and analyze what the owl feasted on?

The unit began with the introduction of the Barn Owl's features, adaptations, and food web. Then the students were prepped with information about Owl Pellets and dissection procedures. The owl usually swallows its prey whole, and during the process of digestion, the soft parts of the prey are dissolved and passed on to the intestine for absorption, and then the non-digestible parts remain!

The students began their dissections by carefully breaking off small pieces of the owl pellet. They then gently rubbed the piece to find any bones in the fur. They put the bones in the cup for a future lesson in which they will try to put the prey back together using their bone charts!

Tardy and attendance letters are updated to the Genesis Parent Portal on a regular basis. Please check the documents section for the letter. Please sign and return the letter at your earliest convenience. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

8th Grade Information

All Grades

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s academic, social or emotional needs, please contact me at adamoj@nvnet.org or 201-664-1475 ext. 2203.

On Tuesday, January 21st, the boys' basketball team finished up their regular season campaign with a 51-32 win against Harrington Park. AJ Badurina tallied 15 points, while Vincent Ciadella and Tomasso Scaduto scored 10 a piece. The defensive efforts for Old Tappan made the difference, as they held HP to 4 points in the entire second quarter. The team officially clinched the number one seed in the playoffs and will have a first-round bye. They have advanced to the semifinals, which will be held at CDW on Wednesday, January 29th at 4:00 PM. Come out and support the Knights!

On Tuesday, January 21st, the girls' basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 11 wins and only 1 loss.

The girls are playing at CDW today in the first round of the playoffs versus Haworth. If they win, they will play in the semi-finals game on January 28th at CDW at 4:00 PM. Good Luck to the Knights.

Click HERE for the Northern Valley schedules and game locations on the CDW Website.

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who are interested in playing softball this spring, there will be a mandatory interest meeting in Room 410 on Thursday, January 30th from 3:00 to 3:10 PM. All interested MUST attend.

You're invited to the Old Tappan's PTO Parents' Night Out on February 27, 2025 from 7-11 PM at the Florentine Gardens! See specific information below!

If you would like to purchase a 2024-2025 Discount Card and Dicks Sporting Goods Coupon Book, visit the OT PTO website.

The discount card is $20.

The Dicks Sporting Goods Coupon Book is $15.

The schools truly value the partnership we have with the Old Tappan PTO! Please join the PTO and support their organization. Visit OTPTO.org, click "For Sale," and then "Membership."

The PTO Meetings for the 2024-2025 school year are listed below. Babysitting is offered at the night meetings.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM in the CDW Media Center

Thursday, April 24, 2024 at 9:00 AM in the BOE Conference Room

Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM in the CDW Media Center

The CDW Musical needs donations of all suits of all sizes! They will take any 2-piece or 3-piece suits that resemble the style of 1950's time period! Thank you in advance for your support.

Mrs. Melillo is requesting all students return their library books before marking period 3 begins on January 30th. Students who do not return their book(s) before the end of the week will get an overdue slip. If students are still reading the book, they may fill out the new renewal form on their Language Arts teacher's Google Classroom.

As we quickly approach the middle of the 2024-2025 school year, the teachers are preparing students for Mid-Year Benchmarks in all academic classes. Mid-Year Benchmarks have a variety of purposes for both the teachers and the students.

• Mid-Year Benchmarks assess students on their progress toward end-year goals.

• Mid-Year Benchmarks allow teachers to collect data on student progress and growth to use to prepare for future lessons.
• Mid-Year Benchmarks allow the students a chance to self-reflect on areas of improvement and create personal goals.
• Mid-Year Benchmarks will offer the teachers an opportunity to see what students have mastered and what will need to be re-taught.

How can your child(ren) prepare for Mid-Year Benchmarks?

• Ask questions in class.
• Review notes and previous assessment content.
• Stay positive!

Your child(ren)'s teachers will provide specific information about the benchmarks given in each class.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 production:

PETER PAN

nvot.booktix.com

Friday, February 28th at 7 pm

Saturday, March 1st at 2 pm

Saturday, March 1st at 7 pm

Sunday, March 2nd at 2 pm

Join NVOT for a Magical Adventure to Neverland!

Peter Pan is based on the beloved play by Sir James M. Barrie! Fly with Peter, Wendy, and the Lost Boys as they take on Captain Hook on a journey filled with adventure, laughter, and a little bit of pixie dust. With dazzling performances, stunning visuals, and toe-tapping music, this production is perfect for audiences of all ages.

The CDW Knights Chorus is starting a new season! New members are welcome to join through February 27th. The group is open to students in Grades 5-8. Students should see Ms. Osbahr with any questions.

Membership in the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at Charles DeWolf Middle School is open to any seventh grade student who meets all the membership requirements at the end of the third marking period in 2025.

During the final days of April, eligible students will be identified and invited to apply for admission to the NJHS by email. An email will also be sent to parents of eligible students. The induction ceremony will be held on May 20, 2025 (subject to change).

The forecast is calling for a possibility snow soon. Since that means that there is a possibility of a delayed opening within the next month or so, here are some important reminders to prepare for a possible delayed opening in the future.

• Staff will be available for drop off beginning at 9:40 AM.

• Homeroom begins at 10:00 AM.

• After 10:00 AM, students need to enter through the front door. Please drive around to the front to drop them off since the other doors will be closed.
  

• Students will attend each class but for a shorter period of time.

• Students will still have their lunch period. The 5th and 6th grade lunch will start at 11:47 AM, and the 7th and 8th grade lunch will start at 12:18 PM.

If you or your child(ren) needs a refresher on how to use Google Classroom, he/she can access a variety of videos on Dr. Sullivan's Google Classroom under, "Tools for Organizing Assignments."

Here is a video on How to Use Google Classroom for you to review.

Have you purchased Chromebook Insurance for your child(ren)'s school-issued device yet?

We highly suggest that you purchase insurance! We have already had to submit many claims! Please refer to the information below, or you may purchase directly from smartechins.com/oldtappan.

Homework Club began on Wednesday, October 2nd. Please see the flyer below to sign up!

If your child is not going to attend school, please contact Mrs. McCarthy at 201-664-1475 ext. 2103 or McCarthy@nvnet.org.

In an effort to minimize the potential spread of illness at school, please keep your child home if he/she:

• has a fever. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication prior to returning to school.
• is nauseous or is vomiting.
• has diarrhea.

Students should either bring their lunch from home each day, or parents may order through one of the approved vendors for delivery to CDW. If you order lunch from an approved vendor for delivery, please make sure the vendor knows your child's first and last name and grade level. This will help to ensure your child receives his/her lunch on time. At times, we understand that a parent/guardian may need to drop off lunch at school. All lunches need to be placed on the table with the green tablecloth in the vestibule.

5th/6th Grade Lunch ~ 11:27 AM-12:01 PM

7th/8th Grade Lunch ~ 12:10 PM-12:44 PM

You can find the Lunch Vendors on the Old Tappan School District Website.

January

Wednesday, January 29th~ CDW Marking Period 2 Ends

February

February 3rd~ The BOE Meeting will be in the BOE Conference Room at 8:00 PM.

Tuesday, February 4th-Thursday, February 6th~ Grade 8 CAP Program in Social Studies classes

Tuesday, February 4th~ Marking Period 2 Report Cards released at 12:00 PM.

February 17th-February 21st~ February Recess: School is closed for teachers and students.

February 24th~ The BOE Meeting will be in the Lynch Gym at 8:00 PM.

Thursday, February 27th~ PTO Fundraiser at The Estate at Florentine Gardens

2024-2025 Approved School Year Calendar

Email: santaj@nvnet.org
Website: https://cdw.oldtappanschools.org/
Location: 275 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, NJ, USA
Phone: 201-664-1475
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldTappanSchoolDistrict