Please read through this Newsletter as it will address many of the questions you may have. If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out to me at acimino@btboe.org. We will present additional information at Back to School Night on Tuesday September 17. Please see the information below for times for that event.

We will be sending out important information via Remind in our H & M Potter group. Please join by texting @hmpparents to the number 81010.

Please remember that students in grades K-4 have Gym once per week and should be wearing sneakers and proper attire to participate in the activities. Students in preschool have Gross Motor activities daily so proper footwear and attire should be worn.

We again thank you for your cooperation, and wish everyone a wonderful school year.

Andrea Cimino, Principal

Hi Potter family! I am Mr. Pedana. I am the new Second-grade teacher and am beyond excited to be a part of Potter School. This is my first year in Berkeley Township, but my third year teaching. I graduated from Kean University with a bachelor’s in elementary education K-6 with a content area of psychology. Teaching has been and will always be a primary passion of mine!

I am a resident of Bayville and love the town for all it is. When I’m not teaching, I’m at the beach, cooking, shopping, or caring for my family!

I am looking forward to a great school year with the Potter family and making a positive impression on all of our students!

Hello Potter Family! My name is Jaquanna Jacobs, and I am ecstatic to be Potter’s newest first grade teacher. For the past five years, I have worked for Berkeley School District as a substitute teacher and a 1:1 educational support professional. It has been a joy getting to know the students and seeing them grow and thrive over the years. I attended Delaware State University and received my bachelor's degree in English. I then went on to pursue and receive my certification in P-3 early education.

I am the eldest of five brothers and one sister, who were, of course, my first ever students as children! I was born in Pennsylvania but raised in Delaware. I now reside in New Jersey and am celebrating seven years of marriage this year. My husband and I enjoy bowling, roller skating, and recently, I have discovered a love for painting.

I am so excited to embark on this new journey ahead and looking forward to an amazing school year with my Potter Panthers!

Hey there Potter families! I’m Olivia Tilton and I will be one of your preschool teachers here at H & M Potter ! I am thrilled to be joining the district as a first year teacher. In 2022, I received a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. While attending, I minored in Communication Studies and Sociology. Before coming to Potter, I was a librarian and long term leave replacement teacher for enrichment and first grade at the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District. I am overjoyed to begin this new chapter!

In my free time, I love to sing, go on runs, and spend time on the beach or down by the bay with my dog Piper! I also love all things Disney, going fishing, watching movies, and mini golfing with my family.

I am looking forward to a great school year and getting to know everyone! Go Potter Panthers!

Please review the bus rules, as listed in the Parent Portal, with your child before the first day of school.

Review the location of your bus stop and the approximate time in the Parent Portal. Please be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the designated time both in the AM and PM until the schedule gets more consistent. Times will vary during the first few days of school, please be patient.

Arrival:

Due to parking restrictions we are unable to allow student drop off in the front parking lot during arrival. All cars will be redirected to Deal Ave. This is the best way to ensure a safe arrival for all of our students. For those of you who are not new to the school, the procedures outlined below are the same procedures that were in place last school year. Drop off cannot take place before 9:10am as there will be no staff members available to supervise the children prior to that time.

Students in grades K-4:

We strive to have a steady flow of traffic during arrival. Please remain in your vehicle and pull up to the unloading zone (near Door 8). Students should be seated on the passenger side of the vehicle for quick exit. Students should not exit the vehicle prior to being in the unloading zone.

Students in Preschool:

Please pull up past the unloading zone for K-4. Park on the right side of the street and escort your child to Door 5 where they will be met by their classroom aide. Please be patient, and do not park on the left side of the street.

If you receive a bus but plan on driving your child to the school each day, please make sure that you complete the transportation waiver and opt out of busing.

Dismissal:

All students in grades PS-4 will be dismissed near Door 8.

When picking up your child from Deal Avenue at dismissal please stay to the right, pull as far forward as possible in the loading zone, and remain in your vehicle. Your child will be escorted out by a staff member. During the first week of school you will receive a placard to display in your car window with your child's name. Please make sure that whoever will be picking your child up has a placard to expedite the dismissal process. Please remain in your vehicle and refrain from parking in the back parking lot or on the left side of the street.

If your child needs assistance buckling or getting into a car seat we ask that you pull forward past the loading zone and park on the right side of the street temporarily.

Please note that even parents only picking students up occasionally at dismissal time must use Deal Ave. Please call the Main Office or notify the teacher prior to 2:30 on the day of pick up so that your child will be directed to the Walker Door where you will follow the procedures outlined above.

As always, when crossing the street you must utilize the designated crosswalk at all times.

School breakfast and lunch will be available for purchase daily. Breakfast will be $2.00 and lunch will be $3.40. Please fill out the Free and Reduced Lunch form on the Parent Portal to determine if you qualify. The school lunch menu can be found monthly here, please remember that due to supply issues the menu may need to change occasionally.

If your child does not plan to purchase lunch, please send a packed lunch daily along with a classroom snack.

We are asking that parents provide headphones or earbuds for each child in grades K-4. Please provide whatever your child is comfortable with. They must be wired (not wireless) and include a microphone. Any headphones that meet that criteria will be acceptable, we have included some links below for examples.

This year we will have a new language arts program for students in grades K-4. We will discuss more information about the program at Back to School Night, but here are some resources for parents as we get started.

Back to school night will be held on Tuesday September 17, 2024. Please remember that Back to School Night is intended for parents, and not designed for children to attend. Please click the photo for the full schedule.

We are so fortunate to have an amazing PTA here at H & M Potter! Please visit their website by clicking here. On the site you will find important information, and be able to become a member.

This year our meetings will take place on Mondays. Our first PTA Meeting will be held in the APR on September 23, 2024 at 7pm, all are welcome!

To reach the PTA please follow their Facebook page by searching H & M Potter PTA, or email them at hmppta@gmail.com.

We are thrilled to once again be participating in the Recycle Rally Program! This program allows us to compete against other schools in the country to see how much our school can help the planet through recycling! We are able to collect your home recycling, and trade it for points to earn rewards for our school. Although the contest has changed and we are not competing for a monetary prize, we are able to compete for other incentives and rewards. Please see the graphic below to see what we are able to collect. Bagged recyclables that meet the criteria below can be dropped off at the front of our school in the fenced in bin. Thank you in advance for your support!

Please join us on September 3 from 4-6pm to "Chalk the Walk" with positive back to school messages for our students! Chalk will be provided, or you can bring your own.

Each year the National Parks Service provides a free National Parks Pass for 4th grade students. You can complete your application by following the link below.

September 3: Chalk the Walk, 4-6pm

September 4: First Day of School!

September 11: Spirit Day, Wear Red, White, and Blue for Patriot's Day

September 11: PTA Dine to Donate at Miss Mindy's

September 17: Back to School Night, See Times Above

September 20: Spirit Day, Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness

September 23-27: PTA Fall Book Fair (see graphic above)

September 23: PTA Book Fair Family Night, 5:30-7pm Library

September 23: PTA Meeting, 7pm APR

September 24: Board of Education Meeting, 7pm at BTES