Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

Monday (11/1) is an A Day.

There will no school on 11/2 for Election Day. There will be no school on 11/4 and 11/5 for NJEA Teacher's Convention.

Last Wednesday, NPS HSA hosted the Normandy Park School Pumpkin Patch. All NPS students had an opportunity to pick a pumpkin! On Friday, October 29th, students celebrated Halloween and/or fun fall activities!

If there are changes in your child's dismissal plans (e.g. you are going to pick them up that day, instead of taking the bus), please use the attached form or call the main office.

Please know that I am here to help and support in any way that I can. Feel free to reach out to me directly at christopher.miller@msdk12.net.

Haga clic aquí para ver el boletín quincenal de nuestra Coordinadora de Alcance Latino, Cecilia Esteves.

NPS HSA & Mr. Miller sponsored the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch at NPS on Wednesday, 10/27. Each student was able to spend time with their class outside and select a pumpkin to bring home for Halloween.

A big thank you to our volunteers who made it happen early on Wednesday morning - Antonietta Alberto, Maureen Fineran, Stephanie Heusel, Mark Kontny, Suzanne Kosonocky, Li Ruefenacht, Jessica Van Horn, Angela Finlay (NPS HSA) and Mr. Miller (along with his wife who made the Pumpkin Patch sign!)

On Friday, October 29th, students were able to wear their costumes or school spirit colors to school.

Classrooms hosted fun autumn or Halloween activities. In the morning, NPS had a school-wide parade for students and staff. During the parade, students not participating, were able to work on autumn activities in the cafeteria with Mrs. Krickus, Mrs. Gilson, and Ms. Dupree.

The HSA is excited to announce a new school-wide fundraiser that promises to be a hit with students and provide opportunities for our community to participate in new ways. We are looking to create a slate of both prizes and experiences students can win through a school-wide raffle in November. From throwing a pie in Mr. Miller’s face to guest starring on the morning announcements to toys, books, or visits to local venues and businesses, all children will get to choose where to place their tickets for a chance to win.

More information will be available as the fundraiser gets closer. Right now, we are building the list of potential prizes. Teachers will share experiences they can offer and we are looking to the NPS families to provide prizes or experiences to include in the raffle. Do you have a small business, service or special talent you could share? Do you have unopened toys or duplicate gifts you want to get out of your house? The possibilities are endless in this dynamic and interactive way to raise funds for NPS and provide an exciting experience for students.

Click here to access a Google form where you can share the details of a potential raffle item. Contact npshsafundraising@gmail.com with any questions or for more information.

SCHOOL WALK AROUND LOANTAKA PARK ON NOV. 5 AT 10AM

We hope you'll join us to get outdoors, exercise, and spend time with our community!

The primary goals of the walk are:

• To gain physical and mental health benefits from exercising and being outdoors.

• To safely, with appropriate distance, connect with, wave to, or chat with other members of our school community.

NPS students & parents will meet at Loantaka parking lot off Kitchell road next to Kitchell Pond at 10am. From there we will walk (or scooter) on Trail B for approximately a mile and then turn back for a total of about 2 miles. You don't have to walk the entire length of the trail and you can stop and talk with friends along the way. It is about 1 hour back and forth.

Feel free to bring a blanket and snacks after as there are picnic benches as well as a field in front of Kitchell Pond.

Any questions please feel free to contact Sara at npshsavolunteering@gmail.com.

Haga clic aquí para ver la traducción al español

Registration opens Monday 10/25 and closes Tuesday 11/2.

Haga clic aquí para ver la traducción al español

To register, visit https://normandyhsa.membershiptoolkit.com

If you have difficulty registering, please contact NPSHSAPresident@gmail.com

UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT

If you haven't already updated your Membership Toolkit account, please do so now so you don't miss any HSA updates. Please make your account current by updating your children's grade and teacher.

You can access your account by clicking here: Membership Toolkit

The Membership Toolkit is the school directory for parents and signs you up for the HSA newsletter that announces HSA sponsored school-wide activities and fundraisers.

Are you having issues? Don't hesitate to reach out to Jenn Cromie at cromiej2@gmail.com.

A lot of parents have been reaching out to me concerned that their child(ren) have been quick to anger and are even showing signs of aggression. This week’s counselor newsletter will begin to take a look at that.

We first need to look at what could be causing the anger. Start by paying close attention: What happened in the moments before your child became angry? Notice the time of day and who was around. Notice if your child is hungry, tired, overactive, overstimulated, jealous…. Keep a log of these things and see if there is a pattern. One thing I have noticed this year is that most children are very tired. Even though we have been in school for over a couple of months, children have been used to very different schedules for the last year and a half. They have made a lot of adjustments coming back to school full days (and for those who are in a before and/or aftercare program, even longer days), they are socializing with others more but may not have developed or remembered the skills to being social. More on that in another newsletter.

When your child has an angry episode here are a couple of things you can do:

1. Help them label their feelings: “wow, you seem really angry”.

2. Keep it simple. “I can see you’re upset that your sibling/friend/cousin took your toy without asking.”

It is important to note that when they are in their angry moment children can not hear the very important and lengthy lessons we feel we are giving them. Keep it simple, don't have a conversation about why they shouldn’t behave the way they are. They can’t hear any of it when they are worked up.

Check yourself. How are you showing your anger/frustration in front of your child(ren). If you get angry: “Apologize and discuss what you should have done instead. Say, “I am sorry that you had to see me yelling today when I was mad. I should have gone for a walk to cool off when I was angry instead of raising my voice” (Source: Verywell.com)

The American Psychological Association has a few recommendations for helping your child deal with anger:

1. Use the Wheel of Feelings* to help your child learn about the different feelings and situations that cause them.

2. Help your children find out what changes in their bodies when they are angry.

3. Tell your children to always use words to show what they are feeling about people or a situation.

4. Invent a situation where there is a fight or a conflict. Use dolls or stuffed animals to talk to your children about the situation and their feelings.

(*)Source: PBS Kids

We have been going through some very stressful times so take a deep breath, ask for help when needed and give yourself kudos for trying to be the best parent you can be.

Stay awesome!

Cheryl Cohen

School Counselor

973-889-7960 x6115

cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

Your student’s teacher uses an instructional routine called Try–Discuss–Connect.

This routine helps students focus on important concepts, take ownership of their learning, and become fluent in the language of math. Check out these guidelines for using the Try–Discuss– Connect routine with your student.

To learn more about the Try-Discuss-Connect routine and how to support at home, please click here.

For additional activities to support math concepts at home, please click here.

Please pass on information to friends and family interested in enrolling in Normandy Park School for the 2022-2021 school year. I will be hosting an information session in December and February for prospective NPS families. The session will allow families to learn more about our program and community.

For additional information, please see below:

Date: December 9th, 2021

Time: 6:30pm to 7:30pm

*The session will be conducted virtually.

To register to attend please fill out the following Google Form by clicking here: https://forms.gle/5xE7LFjxfyq2MBcw5

REMINDER:

Students will be having snack time during the school day, with all necessary safety measures in place. Please send your child in with a healthy snack.

Breakfast and lunch will be served daily at school. All students will have access to school provided breakfast and lunch (if they choose to receive it).

As students enter the building, they will be able to grab-and-go breakfast if they choose to.

Click here for the MSD November breakfast menu.

For lunch, students will be asked at the beginning of the day if they would like to order (providing their choice of either the hot/cold option). Teachers will present the menu choices for the day.

Click here for the MSD November lunch menu.

Where will students eat lunch?

Students will eat lunch at 6 ft apart (seats facing the same direction). We will utilize classrooms, cafeteria, and lab to accommodate all students at 6ft apart.

Update from MSD Food Services:

You may be aware, Nationwide shortages and delays have affected availability of certain food items, leading to substitutions of menu items we’ve been able to offer regularly in the past. These supply issues are occurring throughout the country and are especially challenging for school systems, due to the quantity of meals we serve and the nutrition standards we follow. The entire food service industry is currently faced with unprecedented shortages and massive delays or cancellations of
deliveries, and in addition to food service department labor shortages. All of this means that we may need to make quick substitutions to our menu(s) based upon what we are able to acquire. We want to help limit the effects this has on our students, and we are doing our best to provide updates about menu changes when possible as soon as we identify an issue.

Arrival Procedures: Students are permitted into the building at 8:40 a.m. Students bussed to school will be dropped off in the front of the building.

Drop Offs: Students being dropped off in the morning may enter through the back doors. Please use the drop-off/pick-up line in the back of the building. There is no supervision before 8:40, and children who arrive before that time, will not be permitted to enter the building. A staff member will be at the door between 8:40 and 8:55 a.m. to welcome students. Any student arriving after 8:55 must enter the front of the building and report to the nurse’s office with a parent or guardian to obtain a late pass.

Dismissal Procedures: Dismissal begins at the conclusion of our last period, 3:05 p.m.

All students are encouraged to ride the bus to and from school.

At dismissal, students will be dismissed from the back of the building. When picking up your child, please use the pick-up line. Stay in your vehicle. Teachers will accompany your child to your car.

Pick-Up During the Day:

If a situation arises that requires you to pick your child up during the school day, please use the attached form or call the main office. Students being picked up early are asked to be picked up before 3 p.m. Before leaving, you must sign your child out in the notebook provided in the office. Unless an emergency arises, please refrain from calling the office after 1:30 to make changes to your child’s dismissal.

• If there are changes in your child's dismissal plans (e.g. you are going to pick them up that day, instead of taking the bus), please use the attached form or call the main office.
• For written communication between you and your child's teacher, please utilize Class Dojo and/or e-mail, rather than hand-written letters (when possible).

• November 8th-12th: Primary Cultural Arts Residency (Freespace Dance)
• November 11th: Veteran's Day
• November 24th: Early Dismissal
• November 25th-26th: School Closed (Thanksgiving)
• December 6th-7th: Early Dismissal (Parent-Teacher Conferences)

• Parent Handbook
  
• Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
• School Breakfast and Lunch Information
• Sunset and Sunrise