Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

MSD will continue to share important information on the Coronavirus Update Center and on our MSD Forward pages. 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.

This part of the newsletter will have a question or a topic for you to discuss with your child(ren). This can be done on the way to school, on the way to sports practice, before dinner, at bedtime, etc.

Each week there will be a “something to think about” question and a “something to talk about” question. The “something to think about question” is for you as a parent to reflect on for yourself. The “something to talk about” question is for you to discuss with your child. These exercises are meant to stimulate a conversation on race, equity and inclusion in America.

Week Twenty Four

Parent Reflection: March is National Women's History Month. This month was established to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of American women. Accordingly, we study and celebrate these accomplishments throughout the year. While in school, did you read as many female authors as male authors? What were some ways that your teachers highlighted the accomplishments of women?

Child Question/Activity: Highlight the accomplishments of American women. Visit the following websites for kid-friendly information to help foster discussions:

• PBS Kids: Why We Celebrate Women's History Month
• American Women Heroes (National Geographic)
• Women's History Month Activities for Kids
  
  

Retired MSD teacher, Michelle Dupree Harris, and FMS social studies teacher & Normandy Park School Sunset Site Leader, Warren Kersey, are working on a team to create a documentary on the history and contributions of the black community in Morristown.

To read more, please click here for an article from the MorristownGreen.com

March 2nd is Read Across America Day. This week, we will celebrate reading with a schoolwide Drop, Everything and Read Time, as well providing all students with a new bookmark. In addition, we will share recorded read alouds from members of the NPS staff!

To learn more about Read Across America, please click here.

Thanks to the MEF and the Festival of Books, we have new library books to increase diversity in our library collection. We will be receiving 57 new books!

Our last tally for the I Heart NPS campaign totaled $12,081.12.

Our top raising student will hit Mr. Miller in the face with a pie! In addition, our raffle winner will get to paint Mr. Russell's head. Stay tuned for videos! Winners will be announced on Monday.

The Normandy Park HSA provides cultural arts programming, teacher appreciation, and other enrichment to the benefit of our community.

In the 2020-2021 school year we have funded:

• Assembly with Composer & Producer Brent Daniels
• Zentangle Artist Residency with Mimi Topping
• Upcoming Assembly with Ugandan Musician & Educator Kinobe
• Upcoming Number Drummer Assembly
• Fall Pumpkin Patch
• Birthday Books for All Students
• Easy View Masks for Teachers
• Back to School Teacher Appreciation

Message from Ms. Cohen:

During the month of March I will be continuing the lessons of Accepting Me, Accepting You, Accepting All with the focus on Inclusion. Students will learn about many different types of disabilities (people who are differently abled) including physical, intellectual, and learning disabilities. Some disabilities can be clearly seen (a cane, leg braces, limb differences), while others (such as ADHD, Dyslexia, or Autism, might not be as noticeable). Inclusion means that all people, regardless of their ability, disability, or health care needs, have the right to be respected and appreciated as valuable members of their community (CommunityInclusion.org). We want students to think about including others not just at school, but also in their day to day lives. At the end of the lesson students will be asked to draw a picture of what inclusion means to them and how they can include others. The drawings will be displayed throughout the school. Virtual students can take a picture of their drawing (or ask for their parents help to do so) and email it to me. I will print them so they can also be displayed in the school!

I will continue to host the optional lunch groups for all virtual K-2 students from 12-12:30. It’s a way to check in, play some games and have some social time with friends from other classes. For those curious about the games we have been playing Simon Says, Melting Snowman, the Sleep Game, I Spy, Tomato, and Statues to name a few. Riddles and Scavenger Hunts have also been popular, especially amongst 2nd graders.

Tuesdays: Kindergarten

Wednesdays: 1st grade

Thursdays: 2nd grade

As always if I can be of any help to you or your child(ren) please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Cohen

cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

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During the weeks of January 25th and February 1st, NPS hosted artist, Mimi Topping, to conduct a virtual cultural arts residency program for all classes.

Mimi Topping is a certified art teacher for the past 23 years. She has been certified to teach Zentangle since 2012. Zentangle is a form of art by drawing structured patterns called tangles. The tangles are created with a combination of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and obs. The simple shapes are called “Elemental Strokes” and are drawn on small pieces of paper called tiles which can then be assembled into mosaics.

*LAST CALL, virtual families, if you did not return your child's Zentangle tile, please do by Tuesday March 2nd, or the tile may not be included in our schoolwide mosaic.

*When NPS is open for in-person instruction:

My child has to quarantine. Can they stream into class?

For students attending in person classes, access to virtual instruction is for absences over an extended period of time due to quarantining or an extenuating circumstance. In this case, access to virtual instruction will consist of a combination of streaming, completion of Google Classroom activities, and teacher check-in(s).

My child is sick. Can they stream into the class?

No, if your child is home sick for a few days they will be considered to have an excused absence due to illness. Students are encouraged to rest.

*Please note, access to virtual instruction for in-person students needs to be approved by the principal and/or nurse. Please reach out to me with any additional questions at christopher.miller@msdk12.net

Please note revised requirements following travel outside our immediate region (that is, to anywhere other than NY, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Delaware):

• For students: Contact the school nurse and quarantine for 14 days; no test is required.

Thank you for your cooperation and diligence in reporting symptoms, exposure, and travel to our school nurses. Your transparency and honesty help our entire community stay safe. If you are contacted by local health department officials, please respond to their inquiry so that they can properly conduct contact tracing.

Grab & Go meals will be available for all students, who wish to receive them. The Federal Department of Agriculture has extended waivers that will allow MSD to serve ALL students meals for FREE through June 2021.

REMINDER: Students who are not attending school in person can pick up free breakfast and lunch at Morristown High School (at the rear circle by the flagpole off of Atno Avenue) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There will be two service times, from 8:00 am to 9:00 am and again from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

More information about School Breakfast & Lunch is available on the MSD Forward homepage under "Back to School Resources for Families."

Given that Morris County is currently in the “orange” (high risk) category according to NJ Department of Health metrics, to ensure everyone’s safety, school pictures district-wide will be postponed until later in the year if conditions allow. I apologize for the inconvenience.

If you have already purchased pictures through Lifetouch, your order will be applied to the rescheduled pictures later in the year. In the event that pictures cannot be taken this school year, Lifetouch will fully refund your orders.

• 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).

• March 29th to April 2nd (Spring Break)