Last week was a lot of fun on Burlington Road with the PTO Scholastic Book Fair and Family STEAM Night. It was wonderful to have parent volunteers here in the building and families engaged in fun STEAM activities. Thank you for sharing smiles with us!

We are excited for Halloween tomorrow at Catena! Families are reminded to review the letter sent home with all details regarding our parade and festivities. See links from Understood.org about how to approach Halloween for kids with sensory processing and ADHD challenges. These tips and strategies can help families plan for fun and friendly Halloween activities.

As we move into November, we want to thank each of you for the continued support and enthusiasm you’ve shown for our school community. Our focus remains on building a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for every student, family, and staff member and we couldn’t do it without you.

We are excited to share a Family Survey focused on inclusivity and the experiences of our students and families within our school community. This survey will provide you with an opportunity to share your insights on our school community’s efforts to foster an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and included.

Our goal is to ensure that all students feel valued, safe, respected, and connected. We know that every family’s perspective is unique, and by gathering feedback, we can better understand our strengths and areas for growth. We are committed to fostering an environment that honors the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives in our community.

Once we collect the responses, we’ll analyze the feedback and identify ways to improve.

Each voice is important in this process. By participating, parents help us continue to grow as a community that celebrates each person’s unique contributions. We are individually unique, together complete!

Next week we welcome families to the building for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents are encouraged to schedule a conference through the Genesis Parent Portal. If we haven't had the opportunity to be formally introduced we hope to connect with you when you arrive on November 4th, 5th, and/or 6th for your conference. Don't miss your chance! The portal closes tomorrow. Communication is linked below.

We are grateful for the involvement and partnership of all our families. Together, let’s make this school year one of learning, growth, inclusivity, and kindness for all.

Warmly,

Ms. Shaw & Mrs. Fern

In alignment with our goal for fostering a warm, inviting, and inclusive environment, we’re thrilled to begin the planning process for a school mural at Catena! This creative endeavor is designed to bring our entire school community together and celebrate the uniqueness of our Catena family.

Every student will have the chance to contribute a unique voice and vision to the mural through some lessons here in school. Our resident muralist, Caren Olmsted, will take all of our ideas, create the mural, and then guide us in making our vision come alive on the walls of Catena. From sharing ideas of what it looks like to be respectful, responsible, safe, and kind in the school community to painting sections of the mural, each child’s involvement will be visible. By incorporating everyone’s talents and ideas, our mural will stand as a collective representation of our Catena community. This inclusive project is an opportunity for each student and staff member to take pride in something they’ve created as a part of the larger whole. This project will allow our students to see firsthand how their individuality contributes to a shared vision—reminding them that when we come together, we create something extraordinary.

We’re individually unique, together complete!

Your family can get involved! See below for an opportunity to have your name on the mural–either a student name or family name! We hope you’ll join us as a volunteer during the project, as well, with a paintbrush in hand (more details will be forthcoming).

Thank you in advance for supporting our students’ ideas and our school community.

We believe we are all connected and together we will foster our PBS core values. Catena Colts will learn what it means to be respectful, responsible, safe, and kind in all areas of the building, playground, and on the bus. As a Positive Behavior Support (PBS) school we focus on establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. Students meeting learned expectations will be recognized and rewarded throughout the school year in a myriad of ways. At home, families can help to remind students by reviewing our PBS Expectation Matrix and support them throughout the year by using our common language when talking about the school day.

Another way parents might support our PBS program is by helping us to stock our PBS school store. Students have the opportunity to visit the PBS School Store to “cash” in their Colts Cash for both tangible items and for experiences with staff.

Please review the items below in preparation for the beginning of the year:

• Genesis Parent Portal

• Support for Genesis Parent Portal is found under the log-in dialog box.

• Arrival & Dismissal procedures for 2024-25 school year are linked here. All families should review these procedures and adhere to them to help us ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families.

• School hours for JJCS students: 8:55 am-3:30 pm. Doors open at 8:45am. Students arriving in their classrooms after 8:55 am are considered tardy.

• School hours for LDS students: 9:10am-3:45pm. Doors open at 9am. Students arriving in their classrooms after 9:10am are considered tardy.

• Students late due to transportation delays are not marked tardy.

• Fridays will always be School Spirit Days. Students are encouraged to wear their Catena or Donovan spirit wear and/or PBS shirts on Fridays to show their school pride!

• Free & Reduced Lunch Applications for the 2024-2025 School Year will be available on the district website.

Families are encouraged to review the updated policy. Click here to review the FTS Attendance Policy.

October 31st: Halloween Schoolwide Parade

November 4th, 5th, & 6th: Early Dismissal & Parent Teacher Conferences

November 7th, 8th, 11th: School Closed NJEA Convention & Veteran's Day

November 12th: Picture Re-takes

November 15th: Catena's Annual Turkey Trot (rain date 11/22)

November 27: Early Dismissal

November 28th, 29th: School Closed

**November is National Picture Book Month**

Follow this link for information on how to support PACE and send Kindness Grams this year on World Kindness Day.

Kindness Gram Flyer (English & Spanish)

Visit Kid Lit to find books and activities and fall in love with reading this fall! Click below.

November is National Picture Book Month!

The Reading Team invites JJCS & LDS to connect with picture books & participate in our reading spirit days on Wednesdays. See spirit days below!

National Picture Book Month is celebrated every November to promote the importance of picture books and encourage families to read together. The initiative highlights how picture books can foster a love of reading, enhance literacy skills, and support early childhood development. Throughout the month, various activities, events, and social media campaigns encourage people to share their favorite picture books and engage with new titles. It's a great time for educators, parents, and caregivers to introduce children to the joy of reading through these vibrant and engaging stories!

Here’s a list of popular picture books that are great for elementary students in grades K-5:

1. "Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña - A thoughtful story about a boy and his grandmother taking a bus ride, exploring themes of community and appreciation for beauty in everyday life.

2. "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt - A humorous tale told through letters from crayons that feel overworked or neglected, sparking conversations about creativity and individuality.

3. "The Book with No Pictures" by B.J. Novak - A playful book that challenges the idea that picture books must have pictures, encouraging laughter and imagination through silly words.

4. "Ada Twist, Scientist" by Andrea Beaty - A story celebrating curiosity and the scientific method through the adventures of a young girl who loves to ask questions.

5. "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio (Illustrated Edition) - Though primarily a chapter book, the illustrated version includes beautiful visuals that enhance the message of kindness and acceptance.

6. "Wolfie the Bunny" by Ame Dyckman - A humorous story about a bunny family that adopts a wolf cub, exploring themes of family, acceptance, and friendship.

7. "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!" by Mo Willems - Another funny installment featuring the beloved pigeon, as he hilariously tries to convince readers why he should have a puppy.

8. "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff - A classic circular tale that follows a mouse's whimsical requests, showcasing the fun of cause and effect.

9. "Dragons Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin - A silly story about dragons and their love for tacos, with a funny twist on what happens when they accidentally eat spicy salsa.

10. "The Name Jar" by Yangsook Choi - A touching story about a girl from Korea who struggles with her name and finds the importance of cultural identity and friendship.

Free & Reduced Lunch Applications

Paper applications can be found on the district webpage. This folder contains all of the information regarding applying for Free/Reduced Lunch. If you can not print it, please contact your child's school and they will send a paper copy home for you. Please note, families will need the child's school ID Number to complete the application. School ID Numbers can be found in Genesis Parent Portal.

Please send any paper applications to:

Ali McKee

Freehold Township Schools

Benefits Coordinator

384 W. Main Street

Freehold, NJ 07728

You may also send by email or fax:

amckee@freeholdtwp.k12.nj.us

Fax: (732) 462-5939

Phone: (732) 462-8400 ext.8809

Paying for meals

Payments may be made with student's MealTime account. Any cash or checks brought to school for meals will be applied to your student's mealtime account. No change can be given in the cafeteria.

Nutrislice

Please check out the program we'll be using to share our menus and nutritional information with you. Nutrislice will be updated any time we have a menu change and will have menus prepared weeks in advance. You can even add the app to your phone for up to date information. Click here to learn how to filter your menus!

MealTime Information

To add funds to your student's MealTime account so they may purchase items in the school cafeteria, please click here (white box) or send cash or a check written out to Freehold Township Schools in with your student. All funds submitted in the cafeteria will be deposited into your student's Mealtime account. No change will be available in the cafeteria. For more information about Mealtime, please click here.

Breakfast is now available for Preschool & Elementary School Students

Breakfast is Served!

We'd like to remind everyone that breakfast is available for purchase in the cafeteria for all elementary school students. The menus are here. Students can go directly to the cafeteria when they come to school and grab a meal to bring to their classroom. All students who receive free lunch are also eligible to receive free breakfast. Regular price for breakfast is $2.05 and will be billed through the student's mealtime account. Menus will be posted on Nutrislice.

Doors will open at 8:30am for JJCS breakfast and 8:45am for LDS breakfast. Staff will monitor Door # 28 near the parent drop-off/pick-up to welcome students. Those students riding the bus to school will grab breakfast once buses unload and eat in their classroom.

For more information or to contact our Sodexo Food Services Department, visit our district webpage linked here.

Click here for Menus

Meet Mrs. Hazard

FTS District Webpage Health Information

Resources from NJ Department of Human Services

Resources for Financial Assistance

The Freehold Township School District will be administering both state and local standardized assessments throughout the 2024-2025 school year. All of these assessments, along with information and links to resources for families can be found on our website. You can also download this document, which lists the testing windows for all assessments. If you have any questions, please contact your building principal.

Click above for the FTS Attendance Newsletter. This picture was the message sent by Mr. Dickstein on 10/15 to clarify and answer questions regarding the district's attendance policy.

Visit the website. Make a membership toolkit account. Support our school community. Email for information: jjcpto@gmail.com

Our newsletter can be translated into another language!

1. Go to the top of the newsletter and click "translate".
2. Select the language you would like the newsletter translated into.