Secaucus Middle School

Welcome back to another exciting school year at Secaucus Middle School! I hope this letter finds you rested, rejuvenated, and ready for a fantastic year of learning, growth, and success.

As your principal, I am excited to embark on this journey with you and eager to see what we will achieve together. The start of a new school year is always a special time, filled with the promise of fresh beginnings, new friendships, and exciting opportunities.

Throughout the summer, our dedicated staff has been diligently preparing for your return. We have enhanced our curriculum, revitalized our classrooms, and organized engaging activities to ensure every student feels welcomed, supported, and challenged. Our goal is to create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

I am also thrilled to introduce our new Assistant Principal, Mr. Christopher Innis. With a wealth of experience and a passion for education, Mr. Innis will be a tremendous asset to our school community. He is eager to meet our students and parents and collaborate with our exceptional staff to make this year outstanding.

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is essential for our students' success. We encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s education, as your support and collaboration are invaluable in fostering a positive and productive learning environment. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our teachers, counselors, and administrative staff with any questions or concerns. We are here to work with you to ensure the best possible experience for your child.

This year, we have several exciting events planned, including an Activity Fair, concerts, Field Day, field trips, dances, and much more. We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that not only focuses on academic excellence but also fosters creativity, critical thinking, and character development.

To our returning students, welcome back! We are so happy to see you again and can’t wait to hear about your summer adventures. To our new students, welcome to the Patriot family! We are excited to have you join us and are here to support you as you settle in. It is going to be a fantastic year of learning together. If you are near the school this summer, please stop by and say hello!

Secaucus Middle School is happy to welcome our newest Patriots.

• Left to right (top row): Social Studies LTR Teacher, Shawn Khan, and Science Teacher, Javier Pablos.
• Left to right (bottom row): Speech Teacher, Samantha Cohn, English Language Arts Teacher, Talia DiClaudio, English Language Arts Teacher, Anne Doyle and Social Studies Teacher, Amanda Reynolds.

The building opens each morning at 7:00 a.m. Homeroom starts promptly at 7:40 a.m. Please drop off SMS students on the Middle School side of the building. For the safety of our students, drop-off and pick-up must take place behind the cones to avoid passing cars. Dismissal is at 2:19 p.m., with pick-up for SMS students also on the Middle School side of the building. Please note: Bus passes for students eligible for busing will be mailed home prior to the start of the school year.

Students and parents can view schedules by logging into the Realtime Parent Portal.

Please remember to read and acknowledge all important documents including the Student Handbook before accessing your child’s schedule. We expect all students to be prepared on the first day of school so please encourage your child to access their schedule and review it before the first day of school.

Parents/Guardian sign-up for access on the Realtime Portal and then download the free App from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play and customize it for their use. The App provides parents with district notifications and student information that are available to them on the Realtime Portal.

As in previous years, anyone who would like to purchase lunch in the cafeteria should replenish their child's lunch account by logging into the Payforit.net website. Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application if they believe they qualify. Please be reminded that students will need to scan their ID badges when purchasing items from the cafeteria as no cash transactions will be accepted.

School uniform and dress code information can be found in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. Uniform items can be purchased in traditionally approved stores as well as our school store and on the Patriot Pop Up Shop website. Please be reminded that our school store is student run and overseen by our business teacher, Ms. Chisari, who has done a wonderful job making the purchasing of uniform items convenient for parents and students. Please remember that we are a small operation and patience is appreciated.

The Secaucus Public Schools 1-to-1 Program provides all students in grades 3-12 with Chromebooks to use in class and at home. More details about this program can be found on the SBOE website. Select from the links on the left side of the window to answer specific questions.

By now you should have received an email regarding Chromebook registration, insurance payment and collection times and locations. If you missed it, the full details can be found at http://www.sboe.org by clicking the Chromebook Registration button just below the homepage picture.

You can register and pay online, or register in person and pay with cash when you pick up the Chromebook. See additional information at https://www.sboe.org/apps/pages/CB_support.

Mark your calendar as we are looking forward to seeing our parent community at our annual back to school night.This is an important night for parents/guardians to meet their students’ teachers and learn about the opportunities Secaucus Middle School has to offer.

We look forward to meeting all of you and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Garzon

Secaucus Middle School Principal

Mr. Christopher Innis

Secaucus Middle School Assistant Principal