Normandy Park School

Monday, April 29th is D day.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the spring weather!

This week, we will begin NJSLA testing for our 4th and 5th grade students. The New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) are statewide assessments that assess students' progress toward the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science for all students across NJ. For our 4th and 5th grade students, testing will take place for ELA on Tuesday and Wednesday. Testing begins first thing in the morning! Please make sure students charge their Chromebook the evening before.

On Monday, in partnership with the Morris Township Fire Department, Saint Barnabas Medical Center will will be teaching burn prevention and fire escape techniques to our 2/3 classrooms! Permission slips have been sent home to all families.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me!

Sincerely,

Chris Miller (christopher.miller@msdk12.net)

The Morris School District partnered with the Barclays Bank to celebrate Arbor Day.

On Friday April 26th, volunteers from the Barclays organization visited NPS, handing out tree saplings to all 2nd and 3rd grade students, and celebrating a ceremonial planting of a tree on school grounds. Check out the newly planted tree in front of the main office doors!

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter passed a bill to make the first 10 days of May to be Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Week. In 1992, a bill signed earlier by President George H.W. Bush extended the week to the span the month of May. During May, we celebrate the contributions, influence, and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Island Americans. We will begin each morning by highlighting the accomplishments and impact of influential Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Highlight the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout our country's history. Visit the following websites for kid-friendly information to help foster discussions:

• How to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Kids
• 5 Ways to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Children Books and Activities

Registration for MSD Summer Music Academy is now OPEN!

We invite you to join us this summer for what promises to be yet another fun and comprehensive 4-week musical experience, offering daily small group lessons with world-class specialists, large and small ensemble rehearsals, and additional classes like guitar, piano, music tech, and jazz lab!

This exciting opportunity is open to students grades 4-12, from any school, in any school district! No prior experience needed!

Camp dates: June 24 - July 19th, 8am - 12pm

Take your skills to the next level! Join the MSD Summer Music Academy today!

Click here to get started!

Please email ariel.ocasio@msdk12.net if you have any further questions

On Friday, information was shared with 5th grade families on course selection. Please see the video below for additional information.

Save the Date- May 30th

Please join us as we celebrate our young musicians. Each grade level will perform at the assigned time (listed below).

• 9:30am for Primary Unit (K/1)
• 10:30am for Intermediate Unit (2/3)

• 12:45pm for Senior Unit (4/5)

Click here to visit our Home and School Association website!

Create a profile on our NPS HSA Membership Toolkit to enable your participation in the school directory (grade/teacher), sign up to receive the Home and School Association's weekly newsletter, submit club forms, volunteer and more!

We are looking parent volunteers to help out with the Color Run. To sign up, please click here!

We wanted to congratulate all of the students that successfully completed the reading challenge for the 23'-24' school year! Over half of the school read over 450 minutes over the month of March and earned a book from the HSA! Three classes had 100% class participation and are eligible for an ice cream party raffle.

Details will be issued shortly on how Reading Challenge participants can claim their books.

Thanks to all that made it a wild success!

Afterschool clubs are back. See below for pick-up schedule:

Click HERE to purchase tickets!

The HSA's Membership Toolkit is the key to staying informed! If you have not done so already, we encourage you to create a profile which will enable participation in the school directory and the ability to sign up to receive our weekly newsletter, submit club forms, volunteer and more!

Show your NPS pride! Purchase NPS school gear directly from Redbubble. A small percentage of profits will be returned to NPS with your purchase!

Follow the NPS HSA on Social Media:

Instagram: @nps_wizards

Facebook: Normandy Park School HSA

May 2024

Standardized testing begins this month so what better way to kick it off this month’s Counselor Corner than with some tips on dealing with Test Anxiety

Prior to testing:

• Reassure your child that you know they will do the best they can. Remember children will feed into your anxiety and vice versa. So if you’re anxious about how they will do on their tests, they will be too.

• Remind them that if they get stuck on a problem to move on to the next one and come back to the one they were stuck on later. It’s better to keep moving forward and feel like you have successfully answered questions than to stay stuck and get frustrated.

• Take a brief walk together as often as you can and be mindful of the world around you. Talk about the trees and flowers that are blooming. Try spotting all the birds and bugs. Try to identify some of the spring smells in the air.

Sleep and testing:

• On the nights of testing make sure your child has plenty of rest. A good night’s rest is crucial to good cognitive function.

• Establish a calming night time routine.

• Avoid drinks with sugar in them prior to bedtime.

• Play relaxing music.

• If your child watches a movie in the afternoon or evening make sure it is funny or silly, nothing sad, scary or violent, as this might keep them up at night. This applies to computer games as well.

• Turn off all electronics an hour before bed and remove all electronic devices from the bedroom so there are no temptations to turn them on.

The morning of the test:

• Try to wake your child up gently and calmly.

• Encourage your child to eat a healthy breakfast. Pack a healthy snack as well.

• Put a positive sticky note in their lunch box or on one of their notebooks. Older children might find this corny but those notes are always appreciated.

• Practice some deep breathing techniques prior to leaving the house.

Here are a few of the many types of deep breathing techniques you can do with your child to help them relax.

1. Flower/candle: Pretend to be holding a flower and taking a deep breath in through your nose as if smelling the flower. Then imagine you are blowing out your birthday candles and blow them all out. Do this 4-5 times.

2. Crazy 8 breaths: draw a giant figure 8. Using your pointer finger, start at the middle and take a breathe in as you trace the top half of the 8. Breathe out slowly through your mouth as you trace the bottom half.

3. Tummy breaths: place your hand over your belly. As you inhale, feel your belly expand, keep lips slightly parted as you exhale through your mouth.

There are many relaxation apps available including Calm, and Headspace. As always, I encourage you to check them out first before sharing them with your child.

There are many wonderful books dealing with the topic of worry and anxiety. Here are a few of them:

The local libraries, including Normandy Park’s own library has some of these and others as well.

If you have any concerns about your child being anxious or any other concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, pediatrician or me.

Stay awesome!

Cheryl

Cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

Check out some SEL resources from our MSD counseling intern team!

UPDATED- 3.24.24

English SEL newsletter

Spanish SEL newsletter

*Please note that the counseling interns service will be ending in April and/or May. Counseling interns will finish their term of service on the following dates:

Ms. Sleight: Thursday April 18th

Mr. Beck: Friday April 19th

Ms. Andres: Friday May 10th

SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WITH A GIFT TO THE MORRIS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION!

The Morris Educational Foundation (MEF) works year-long in collaboration with the Morris School District community to bring resources to all students and all schools. Together, we help everyone Imagine the Possibilities - and make it a reality.

This includes funding for annual Cultural Arts programming, classroom grants as well as literacy programs and resources to name a few. We rely on our donors to make this all possible and during this season of giving, we ask for you to consider a gift at bit.ly/MEFgift to help us continue our impact for the ‘23-24 school year.

Click here to learn more about the MEF's impact. The Morris School District is an amazing place, and the MEF is proud to be its partner for over 30 years. We hope you will join us this school year to Imagine the Possibilities!

Click here for Breakfast and Lunch Menus.

For additional information on MSD Breakfast and Lunch, please click here to visit the district's website.

Students can bring and/or purchase lunch. Free and reduced meals are provided to families who qualify for support.

Students who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch qualify for free/reduced breakfast as well. Applications are available through PaySchools. Click the link to create your PaySchool account (ENG or ESP) Once you create your account, the Free & Reduced Application will be available complete online. Please note that you do not have to print out the application if you complete it online; it will be electronically sent to the Board Office once completed. You may also complete an application using a computer in the main office of your child's school or request a paper application.

If you do not qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, please follow these procedures for purchasing school breakfast or lunch:

• Backpack an envelope with your child's name on it, marked "Food Services.
• Include your child's name in the memo line of your check.
• You may prepay for multiple breakfasts or lunches with one check or lump sum of money, which will then be deposited onto your child's food services account.
• Payment may also be made online ( (ENG or ESP); a small fee will be charged with each transaction. This is a secure and convenient way to make payments and keep your account up to date.
• Payment may be made in cash or check (payable to "Morris School District"

MEAL PRICING:

***Meal Prices for School Year 2023-2024***

Elementary Breakfast

$1.50

Elementary Lunch

$3.00

Reduced Price Breakfast

$0.00

Reduced Price Lunch

$0.00

Milk

$0.75

Checks are made payable to "Morris School District".

Please use the digital blue note form for any dismissal changes. The main office will notify the homeroom teachers of the dismissal change. For absences, continue to contact the school nurse.

• If you know that you child will be tardy or absent from school, it is requested that you notify the nurse in advance. This can be done by phone at 973-889-7960 x 6152. Voicemail is operational 24 hours daily.

• You may also contact her office by email at: francesca.ecker@msdk12.net

• Students who arrive tardy (after 8:55am) must report immediately to the Health Office upon arrival to school for a late pass

Click here to view Morris School District (MSD) 2023-2024 School calendar.

• May 6th to 10th- Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 17th- Color Run
• May 30th- Concert for K-5 (during the school day)
• May 31st- Field Day (Rain Date- June 3rd)
• June 7th- 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
• June 10th- 5th Grade Fun Day
• June 12th to 14th- Early Dismissal
• June 14th- Last Day of School

NJSLA State Testing for Grades 3-5 will begin at the end of April. The tentative schedule is as follows (*if there are changes in the schedule, they will be communicated/posted as soon as they are made):

Dates for NJSLA State Testing:

ELA:

• April 30, May 1st: 4th and 5th Grade
• May 6th, May 7th: 3rd Grade

Math:

• May 14th to May 16th: 4th and 5th Grade
• May 8th to May 10th: 3rd Grade

Science (5th Grade Only)

• May 20th and 21st

· Parent Handbook

· Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

· Free and Reduced Meal Application

· Sunset and Sunrise