This past month we celebrated our 90th and 100th days of school. 3rd grade celebrated the 90th day of school with fun activities, while the 4th and 5th graders had 100th day of school celebrations within their grade level classrooms and teams. In collaboration with the Spirit Club & our school PBIS, we conducted a 100 days, 100 Eagles scavenger hunt. 100 pictures of eagles were hidden around the school to celebrate the 100th day of school. When an eagle was spotted, the students brought it to the board to be posted and they signed their name. It was a fun activity that had the ES school community working together as a TEAM.

At the end of February we welcomed John Marshall, meteorologist, for a school-wide weather assembly. The students learned about types of weather, weather patterns and forecasting. With 25 years of experience in television, Mr. Marshall used his mobile weather station to help students become weather casters for the day. Students were able to jump in front of the green screen and report on their own weather forecast. The students were engaged in this fun, engaging and educational assembly.

This month we have a lot to celebrate: Women's History Month, Read Across America, and World Down Syndrome Day. We started the month with our Read Across America activities. The theme this year was "Wild About Reading." Students participated in fun literacy activities that were based on the theme animals. We had fun spirit days and ended the week with our annual Buddy Class visit to the Primary School. During these visits students read with their Primary School assigned buddies. Thank you to Mrs. Henkin and her literacy team for planning some wonderful events. And a special thank you to all of our special guest readers who joined us during this reading celebration.

In looking ahead to April, our 3rd and 5th grade classes will be going on their class trips. We also have Spring Break, Bring Your Child to Work day, and at the end of the month we will begin NJSLA testing. Lots of things to look forward to!

Our students continue to exemplify our school motto each day, "Try your Best, Nothing Less at MTES!"

Digital Citizenship Information

• Each month we will share with you a new resource from Common Sense Education
• This month's resource is about helping kids interact safely with others online. The PDF is linked here: Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online

School Counseling News

• Counseling class lessons will continue.
• This month’s mindfulness practice with Mrs. Meyrick is focused on emotions. Being mindful of our emotions can help us to either appreciate the present emotion or decide how to respond to it. The students will practice that when they feel a big emotion, to stop and take three mindful breaths before they take action. This can help make safe and helpful decisions.
  
• Students have an opportunity to practice this mindful activity every Monday during morning announcements as part of Mrs. Meyrick's Monday Morning Mindful Minute.

If your child will be arriving late, or is staying home from school due to illness or personal reason, please call the absence line by 9:00 AM that day indicating reason for absence/tardiness.

The following is a list of common illnesses that exclude a student from school:

• Fever - Students are sent home with 99.5°F. Prior to returning to school, student must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of Tylenol/Advil.
• Diarrhea or vomiting - Students who vomit or have diarrhea in school are sent home. Students may return to school when symptom-free for 24 hours. If symptoms continue for more than a few days or if the child is listless/sluggish, contact your doctor.
• Common Cold - Students are sent home when symptoms are severe (i.e. severe cough, excessive nasal flow, tight congestion, etc.) Students may return when symptoms are minor.
• Strep throat - Antibiotics must begin 24 hours along with relief of symptoms prior to returning to school. A sore throat accompanying a stomach ache could indicate strep. Watch for fever, swollen neck glands, diarrhea and/or pain.
• Skin infections (Impetigo, Ringworm, etc.) - Students with suspicious skin rashes are sent home for doctor evaluation. Students may return to school with a doctor's note once evaluated and treated.

A RETURN-TO-SCHOOL CLEARANCE NOTE FROM YOUR DOCTOR IS REQUIRED FOR ANY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, INCLUDING PINK EYE AND RASHES

If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse

Wear Green & White

Families who pre-registered for the event will attend at the ES. The activities start at 5:00PM.

PTO School Store

Wear crazy socks and blue & yellow

Information regarding pictures will be sent home with your child

Bring in your coin donations

• 3/17 - Wear Green & White ☘️ 🤍
• 3/21 - Wear crazy socks and blue & yellow 💙💛

Doors open for student drop-off at 8:55 am each morning. Parents are asked to pull to the middle doors where students will exit curbside and be assisted into the building by our duty staff. We ask all families to remain in their vehicles so that we may keep traffic flowing. Additionally, we ask that families pull all the way forward as directed by staff.

Students should not be dropped off unless duty personnel is present. Doors close at 9:05 am. If you are running late, kindly park and escort your child to the main entrance where he or she will be buzzed into the building.

Afternoon dismissal begins at 3:35 pm. Students will be dismissed from the middle doors of the building. Families will be asked to gather outside of the middle doors to pick up their children. Families will park in our lower lot and use the adjacent staircase to make their way to the middle doors. Once our parent pick-up list has been verified inside by a staff member, students will be escorted outside and matched with their adult(s).

If you plan on using parent pick-up each day, you may send an email to Mrs. Piccinnini in the main office stating such. Your child will be added to our permanent parent pick-up list. If you plan on using parent pick-up occasionally, we ask that you email the main office no later than 3pm on the day you wish to use parent pick-up. It is important that you notify your child's teacher and the main office anytime there is a change in your child's typical dismissal plan.

• Students have the opportunity to join enrichment clubs during recess time. Each morning we will announce the clubs available to each grade level - art, computers, etc.

• Please communicate with your child's classroom teacher regarding birthday treats and celebrations in the classroom.
• Please note that there are students with severe food allegeries and/or food restrictions. Please communicate with the classroom teacher regarding such.
• Maschio's offers the option of purchasing birthday snacks through their company. The flyer is attached below.

Click on the title above to access this month's lunch menu