Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

There will be no school on Monday, February 15th (President's Day). Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 16th.

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 (additional information listed below).

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.

Recently, a Normandy Park School family was affected by a fire at their home. Thankfully, no one was injured. A GoFundMe page has been established to help support them during this time.

To contribute, click here.

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 Two

Parent Reflection: Have you ever had to talk with your child about racial bias and how to respond to prejudice? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPl3hZqFaLM

Child Question: Has anyone ever said you are smart, beautiful, athletic, artistic, articulate, and funny because of the color of your skin?

This Friday, February 12th, students received report cards for the 1st semester of the school year. Report Cards will be sent home via backpack for in-person students and mailed home for all virtual students. Accompanying the report card will be the iReady report from the most recent diagnostic assessment. In the Morris School District, a Standards Based Report Card is used.

To learn more about the Standards Based Report Card, please see our K-5 Report Card Parent Guide Book.

To learn about the iReady Family Report click the link below:

Understanding Your Student’s i-Ready Diagnostic Results (English)

Understanding Your Student’s i-Ready Diagnostic Results (Spanish)

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.

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

The Normandy Park HSA has continued providing our traditional enrichment programs and supporting our teachers in spite of the global pandemic. Your support right now is critical. We need to raise at least $7,500 to continue offering the experience our children deserve for the remainder of this year and into the future. Your tax deductible donation matters this year more than ever!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY!

If we meet our $7,500 goal, our top donor gets to hit Mr Miller in the face with a pie for the whole school to see on video!

Message from Ms. Cohen:

Week of February 15th

It’s been wonderful having the students who are learning virtually connect with each other over lunch! I will continue to host these optional daily lunch groups for all virtual students from 12-12:30. Lunch groups are as follows:

Tuesdays: Kindergarten

Wednesdays: 1st grade

Thursdays: 2nd grade

Celebrations come in all sizes. They can be big like the ones in the month of February Black History Month, Valentine's Day, President’s Day, or the Chinese New Years'. Other celebrations can include birthdays and anniversaries. But there are other reasons to celebrate too: your child losing a tooth, the flexibility they have shown during this challenging time, you being a superhero parent learning all the technology! Take a moment to reflect on the many reasons to celebrate and share them with your child. Give your child an extra hug or high five for all that they have accomplished. Tell them the things you have accomplished as well so they can hug and high five you back!

If you or your child (ren) are struggling during this difficult time, please feel free to reach out to me for support.

Cheryl

Cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

973-889-7960 x6115

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.

Virtual students please drop your tiles off at Normandy Park School by February 20th! I will share with you the mountain mosaic once it is completed!

*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."

Please see the menu below for meals offered each day:

• 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).