Sra.Peake's Newsletter
April Newsletter
April Newsletter
Dear Kuser Families,
We're excited to welcome students back from Spring Break on Monday, April 8th! We hope you all had a fantastic time together. We missed our Kats dearly!
As we prepare to return, there's an important event to note: a PARTIAL ECLIPSE will occur on Monday, April 8th. Please take a few moments over the weekend to talk with your children about what an eclipse is and the safety measures they should follow during this event. You can find information on the timing of the eclipse by clicking on this link: PARTIAL ECLIPSE.
Below, you'll find some resources to educate yourselves and your children about the eclipse:
Safety is our top priority, and it's crucial that students do not look directly at the sun during the eclipse, especially without proper eye protection. Regular sunglasses are insufficient. Fortunately, Ms. Cathy Wolnski has generously donated solar sunglasses and slap bracelets for all our students. She'll also be joining us to share her passion for astronomy, providing safety tips and fascinating facts about solar and lunar eclipses.
The eclipse will be near its maximum during dismissal, so we urge families to drive carefully near the school. Students who walk home should head straight home.
If you plan to pick up your child early on any day, please notify their teacher and the office. This allows us to make the necessary arrangements. You can leave a message on our main number (609)631-4155, including your child’s name, teacher, and the name of the person picking them up. Anyone collecting a child early must be listed as an emergency contact.
When visiting Kuser for any reason, please press the buzzer and have your photo ID ready.
Feel free to email or voicemail me if you have any questions. Here's to a fantastic remainder of the school year!
Sincerely,
Sra. Peake
Security & Visitor Protocols
Kuser Elementary School is a unique and beautiful building. However, due to the age of the building, we face certain safety and logistical challenges. Hence, we must adjust and revise our security and visitor protocols to ensure the safety of students and staff. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Please be prepared to provide your license/identification upon arrival to school every time you enter the building.
All Visitors must ring the bell at the main door.
All visitors gaining entry into the building must sign in and provide license/identification.
Only visitors with an appointment or who have been requested to pick up their child will be allowed entry into the building.
All visitors walking throughout the building must wear a visitor’s badge at all times or be escorted by a staff member.
At no time should any visitors attempt to enter the building via any other door!
Dropping off items for a student:
Procedure:
Parents dropping off items for students will place items in the drop-off bin.
Fill out the form with the student's name, class, and item being dropped off.
Ring the bell to inform office staff.
Staff will retrieve the item and ensure the student receives it.
No entry is necessary.
Late Arrival: Children who arrive after the 8:55 a.m. bell will be marked late.
Procedure:
The parent/guardian will ring the bell at the main door.
The parent/guardian will be met at the door.
The parent/guardian will fill out the “Late Arrival Form.”
The student will report to the office to check in and select lunch.
The student will receive a late pass and report to class.
No entry is necessary.
Early Dismissal:
All requested early dismissals from school (doctor’s appointment, personal situation, etc.) must be submitted in writing. This note should include the student’s name, teacher’s name, date, time, and reason for the request. The child must be picked up and signed out by the parent or guardian in the office. No student will be dismissed during school hours without an adult escort, who must be listed on the child’s emergency card. Please be prepared to provide your license/identification upon arrival to school every time you enter the building.
Procedure:
The parent/guardian will ring the bell at the main door.
The parent/guardian will be met at the door.
The parent/guardian will fill out the “Early Dismissal Form.”
The parent/guardian may be required to provide a license/identification.
The student will be brought to the parent at the front door.
No entry is necessary.
Stay tuned for future additional adjustments!
Parking Lot Safety
Ensuring the safety of our students and families during arrival and dismissal in the parking lot area is of utmost importance. We kindly request that you refrain from walking through the parking lot and instead use the sidewalk to maintain a secure environment for everyone.
To enhance safety, please adhere to the following suggestions:
- Keep students close to you when walking on the sidewalk.
- If you are on a bicycle, kindly walk your bicycle.
- In the event that you need to traverse the parking lot, ensure that students are kept close or hold their hands.
Your cooperation in following these guidelines is greatly appreciated for the well-being of all. Thank you for your commitment to our collective safety.
Lunch & Snacks
Dear Kuser Families,
Recognizing the importance of providing our students with well-balanced, healthy meals, we've observed a pattern where many students tend to consume their snacks first, often neglecting the main portion of their meals. This can contribute to unhealthy eating habits, fatigue, and early-day hunger.
To address this, we've decided to offer ice cream exclusively on Fridays. While other snacks remain available throughout the week, students are now required to finish their lunch before indulging in snacks. For those sending meals from home, we kindly ask you to minimize the inclusion of sugary snacks. Additionally, we urge you to discuss with your students the potential dangers of sharing food, as unawareness of peers' allergies may pose risks.
Below, you'll find the menus for the month of December. Your cooperation and support are greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Sra. Peake
Every Day Counts!
Dear Kuser Families,
As we embark on the eighth month of the school year, there is much for us to take pride in. Our Chronic Absenteeism rate has shown a significant improvement, dropping from 17.50% in September to 10.90% in February! This reduction in chronic absenteeism has positively impacted our students' academic performance, as reflected in our ongoing progress on the Winter iReady Data.
However, our journey is far from over; it's a marathon with a five-year commitment. We are confronted with the challenge of addressing historical performance gaps in both NJSLA and Chronic Absenteeism data. There is still much ground to cover before we can declare victory and success. Yet, our positive trajectory is a result of our collective teamwork. I extend my gratitude to each of you for your commitment and support.
Attendance will be crucial during the month of May when we begin our NJSLA testing. Testing will begin May 1st. Due to the nature of the NJSLA attendance is crucial for all students. The assessments measure cumulative knowledge gained from Kindergarten on. Hence, attendance matters for all of our students throughout their academic careers.
I have personally engaged with numerous families to discuss attendance matters and academic performance. We will continue to work with families and students to support healthy attendance habits.
By working together, we can ensure the success of our students. Our commitment remains steadfast in doing whatever it takes to secure a brighter future for our Kuser Kats!
Sincerely,
Sra. Peake & Kuser Staff
Showing up matters for R.E.A.L!
Showing up matters for R.E.A.L. It is an opportunity to:
Build Routines
Increase Engagement
Provide Access to resources
Support Learning
Routines: Daily attendance routines, created at home or in school, can reduce stress for students and families and create a sense of safety and security, especially after chaotic transitions.
Engagement: Being in school helps students to get to know peers, teachers and school staff, and to create trusting relationships that motivate students to participate in learning.
Access to Resources: Schools help students and families gain access to basic resources such as meals, physical and mental health services, and fun enrichment activities including sports, clubs, music, afterschool and summer programs.
Learning: Learning is most meaningful when it is active, social, and allows students to apply concepts to real life situations. Showing up to school regularly helps students engage in learning that builds proficiency in reading and math that will help them to graduate from high school.
Presentarse es importante para una R.E.A.L. oportunidad para:
Crear Rutinas
Fortalecer los Enlace y Compromisos
Proporcionar Acceso a recursos
Apoyar La Enseñanza
Rutinas: Las rutinas diarias de asistencia, creadas en casa o en la escuela, pueden reducir el estrés para los estudiantes y las familias y crear una sensación de seguridad, especialmente después de transiciones caóticas.
Compromiso: Estar en la escuela ayuda a los estudiantes a conocer a sus compañeros, maestros y personal escolar, y a crear relaciones de confianza que motivan a los estudiantes a participar en el aprendizaje.
Acceso a recursos: Las escuelas ayudan a los estudiantes y las familias a obtener acceso a recursos básicos como comidas, servicios de salud física y mental, y actividades divertidas de enriquecimiento que incluyen deportes, clubes, música, programas extracurriculares y de verano.
Aprendizaje: El aprendizaje es más significativo cuando es activo, social y permite a los estudiantes aplicar conceptos a situaciones de la vida real. Presentarse a la escuela regularmente ayuda a los estudiantes a participar en el aprendizaje que desarrolla la competencia en lectura y matemáticas que los ayudará a graduarse de la escuela secundaria.
Important Dates
March Important Dates
Be sure to review the February Important Dates
4/8/24 ~ Students return ~ Solar Eclipse
4/8/24- 4/29/24 ~ First & Second Grade Art Club Mondays 3:45- 4:45
4/16/24 ~ Third Grade Hamilton Tour
4/17/24 ~ First Grade Trip to the Planetarium
4/18/24 ~ Fourth Grade Trip to the Zoo
4/23/24 & 4/25/24 ~ Talent Show Tryouts
4/24/24 ~ Fifth Grade Middle School Visit
4/29/24 ~ NJSLA Testing WIndow Opens