CDW Weekly Wrap-Up

We are so lucky to be a neighborhood school where many students are able to walk to and from every day; however, it also means there are many intersections where students must cross the street without the assistance of a crossing guard. Drivers must be vigilant to ensure the safety of all pedestrians. Please be mindful that if a vehicle in front of you stops, they may be stopped to allow individuals to cross the street. Refrain from pulling around the vehicle, as this may be dangerous.

Arrival

• There will be adult supervision starting at 8:00 AM, and the doors will open at 8:20 AM. If there is inclement weather, students will be ushered into the school gymnasiums at 8:00 AM.

• The students in Grades 5 & 6 will line up on the blacktop in the back of the school near the basketball courts.

• The students in Grades 7 & 8 will line up on the blacktop by the 7th and 8th Grade Wing Exterior Door.

• If your child walks to school:

• Please utilize crosswalks to cross the streets.

• All students should go to their grade level’s designated area for entrance into the building.

• If your child rides a bike to school:

• Please walk the bike on the sidewalk.

• After securing the bike on a bike rake behind the building, students should go to their grade level’s designated area for entrance into the building.

• If your child rides in a vehicle to school:

• Drop-off is a continuously moving line on Interschool Drive.

• For the safety of all students, we ask that you stay in your vehicle at drop-off and dismissal.

• Please do not use the upper faculty parking lot for drop-off/pick-up/or exiting of school grounds during school hours. CDW faculty and BOE-approved bus companies are the only vehicles permitted in the upper lot.

• Please do not park in any staff parking spots when dropping off or picking up students.

• Please do not exit your vehicle and leave your vehicle unattended on Interschool Drive.

• Once you pull up to the cones on Interschool Drive, please have your child(ren) exit the vehicle. This allows many students to be dropped off at the same time and allows the line to move quickly.

Dismissal

• Please arrange a meeting area with your child(ren) so that you can locate him/her efficiently.

• Please do not park and/or exit your vehicle regardless of your child(ren) being at TBD or CDW.

• Please do not block designated emergency lanes that connect TBD and CDW.

• Please use BOTH LANES on Interschool Drive for Pick-Up. A staff member will be available to cross your child(ren).

General Traffic Rules Regarding Parking

• Never park in a "No Parking, Fire Lane." These lanes are designated with yellow paint in diagonal lines on the pavement along with the words, "No Parking Fire Lane."

• Never park along a curb that is painted yellow and leave your vehicle unattended.

• Do not double park (park your vehicle beside another vehicle that is in a designated parking space).

It's time for CDW Students to choose their Curriculum Extension (CE) choices for Marking Period 4. The forms will be open to students on Dr. Sullivan's Google Classroom on Monday, March 18, 2024 and will close on Friday, March 22, 2024. In addition, students will be able to sign up for Art Lunch.

Please see the descriptions of the possible CE choices below. We will do our best to get students into their first choice, but it is not guaranteed.

On Monday, March 11th, Ms. Jesse Janowitz, author of The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King, had a second visit with each Grade 5 class to share the process of using the secret formula for writing a good story. Last week, the students used a process, called "Character Generator," to create characters for their stories. This week they started putting those characters to life by creating a plot. To end the lesson, Ms. Janowitz played the game, "Show, Don't Tell" with the students. The students even got a sneak peek of the advanced reader's copy of her new book, which will be published soon!

Thank you to the PTO for providing this special opportunity for our CDW Grade 5 students, and thank you to Ms. Melillo for arranging the visit.

Mrs. Franco’s class had a great time on their community outing to the Bergen Equestrian Center in Leonia. The students participated in a tour of the facilities and assisted in the grooming and feeding of the horses. They also had the opportunity to ride the horses in an outdoor pasture. Everyone enjoyed learning about the hard work and care needed to maintain the stables and had a fun time interacting with the horses.

Students in Mr. Johnson's sixth grade science class competed a bracket for March Mammal Madness. There are 64 organisms competing head to head in simulated interactions. Whichever animal "wins" the interaction, moves ahead. The student with the bracket with the most correct animals will win an IXL homework pass for Mr. Johnson's class. The top 3 winners will be announced on OTBN!

Matchups continue all throughout March. Over 7,000 teachers, and 680,000+ students participate across the country, but this is the first time CDW is taking part. Which organism will win? Which sixth grade student will win? Find out by the end of the month!

As the Grade 8 students review for their upcoming test, Mr. Ferrara prepares them with a game of JeopBirdie.

On April 8th, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow over parts of the Earth. This is a solar eclipse and is not expected to occur again until 2045! As we prepare for the eclipse, teachers are planning lessons and/or discussions to help them understand this once-in-a-generation event.

During the solar eclipse, the Sun will appear partially covered from here in New Jersey. The time the sun will be the most dim will be about 3:25 pm. Even though the Sun will get darker, it is really important NOT to stare at the Sun. This can cause serious damage to your eyes, even if you look at it through a camera!

Below are some safe ways to view the solar eclipse without hurting your eyes:

Solar Eclipse Glasses: These special glasses are equipped with solar filters that block harmful rays. They allow you to look directly at the Sun without damaging your eyes.

Pinhole Projector: Create a simple projector by poking a small hole in a piece of cardboard and holding it up to the Sun. A projection of the eclipse will be visible on another surface, such as a piece of paper, placed a short distance away. (See page 2 or page 4 for directions.)

Telescopes with Solar Filters: If you have access to a telescope, make sure it's fitted with a solar filter specifically designed for viewing the Sun. Never look through an unfiltered telescope directly at the Sun.

View via Livestream/Live Blog: Visit timeanddate.com or NASA to view the total solar eclipse from start to finish with their livestream and live blog.

If your family is interested, here are related science activities to do at home with your child(ren):

• NASA

• Exploratorium

• Scholastic

• NASA Scope

Remember, never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection, because even if you don’t feel pain, the damage can be serious to your eyes. Please, remember to be safe!

The New Jersey Clean Communities Council and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced the launch of the 2024 video PSA contest. The contest theme is “Reduce Single Use” and is meant to highlight the importance of NJ’s single use plastics law and encourage the creativity of NJ’s students.

This contest challenges middle and high school students throughout NJ to create an original 60-second public service announcement (PSA) video, in English or in Spanish, to promote awareness of how single-use plastics contribute to litter and marine debris, harm the environment/wildlife, or provide alternatives to single use plastics.

The contest is open to students in 7th through 12th grades, and students may enter on their own or as a group. A maximum of five students can collaborate and students may only participate in one entry. There will be two (2) categories broken down by age group. Category I will consist of 7th-9th graders, and Category II will consist of 10th-12 graders. The top three videos in each category will be awarded cash prizes (gift cards). First prize gets $1,000, second place receives $750, and third place earns $500.

Read more at Reduce Single Use Video Contest (litterfreenj.com). Learn more here.

Questions? Send E-mail the NJCCC at njccc@njclean.org.

Deadline: Monday, April 22, 2024

8th Grade Information:

Just a few reminders:

1. If your child(ren) will NOT be attending NVOT in the fall, please send me an email letting me know where he/she will be attending so I can make the high school aware.

2. Please ask your child(ren) to notify me if he/she receive an acceptance letter and/or an interview at any school they’ve applied to.

3. As discussed in our high school scheduling conference in February, all students will receive their official high school schedule during Freshman Orientation, which takes place at the end of August. NVOT will be sending you information regarding the date and time once the date has been finalized. The courses that you and your child(ren) chose during our February meeting were the creation of their schedule; however, it isn’t until over the summer that their official schedule is generated with all of their classes, including the electives that they chose.

5th Grade Information:

On Tuesday, March 5th, Ms. Adamo taught another Character Education lesson to the fifth graders. This month’s lesson was on Sportsmanship: fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest. Students learned what actions and behaviors are needed to have good sportsmanship and that having good sportsmanship also applies to Physical Education, recess, and group activities. They also learned what it means to be a sore winner and a sore loser and how those negative behaviors often cause conflict with their peers.

On Monday, March 18th, Ms. Adamo will be teaching another Ignite Your Shine lesson to the fifth graders. This month's lesson is goal setting and learning how to navigate situations to achieve your goals.

Reminders for All Grades:

Wellness Wednesday lunches:

Grades 5 and 6 lunch with Ms. Adamo is in room 414.

Grades 7 and 8 lunch with Dr. Polizotto is in room 308.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s academic, social, or emotional needs, please contact me at adamoj@nvnet.org or 201-664-1475 ext. 2203.

BASEBALL

If you are interested in playing baseball, but you have not signed up yet, please see Ms. Mueller in Room 206 since Coach Brancatelli is at TBD during the school day.

SOFTBALL

If you are interested in playing softball, but you were unable to attend the scheduled interest meetings, please see Mr. Gianetti in Room 410. Practices will begin on Monday, April 1st.

TRACK

If you are interested in track, but you were unable to attend the interest meeting, please see Mr. Westervelt in Room 205.

The necessary paperwork, listed below, must be turned into Mrs. McCarthy, the school nurse, before the start of practices.

• Physical Examination Form to be filled out by your Physician
• Health History Forms -to be filled out by Parents

The Preparticipation Physical Evaluation (PPE) may ONLY be completed by a licensed physician, advanced practice nurse (APN) or physician assistant (PA), who has completed the Student-Athlete Cardiac Assessment professional development module.

Concussion Management Guidelines

Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes

Mrs. Henriquez will continue to run Intramurals on Fridays at 3:00 PM. The next sport, starting March 22nd, is basketball! If your child(ren) is interested, he/she can see Mrs. Henriquez with any questions. Inter-Scholastic Sports and Intramurals Information can be found HERE. If your child(ren) plans on doing intramurals at all throughout the year, please make sure that his/her paperwork has been handed in to Mrs. McCarthy, the school nurse.

Please use these links to sign up to serve pizza at TBD and CDW from now to June 2024:

TBD Pizza

CDW Pizza

The PTO is pleased to offer Gertrude Hawk chocolates fundraising.

Every first Friday of the month, the Class of 2024 will be selling candy and ice pops at dismissal for an afternoon treat. Students in Grades 5-8 can go to the Lynch Gym to purchase their treat of choice! Treats will be between $1-3 and will include, but will not be limited to: lollipops, M&M's, Twizzlers, Gummy Bears, Sour Patch Kids, etc. See the flyer below for more information.

Dates of Sales: April 5th, May 3rd, June 7th

ATTENTION: 8th grade parents, please sign up HERE to volunteer for future Candy and Ice Pop Sales!

The CDW Spirit Wear store is available on OTPTO.org! The Long Term Store is open year round and orders are shipped directly to the purchaser. The Short Term Store will reopen in the spring.

Both stores offer different merchandise. Links are on OTPTO.org or see below:

LONG TERM: Charles DeWolf Middle School

The PTO is always looking for volunteers for the events during the school year!

Volunteers play a huge part in the PTO and what we are able to offer our students and teachers. Without volunteers, many of the programs that students, teachers, and families enjoy will not be able to happen. Volunteer descriptions can be found at: OTPTO.org under "More Info" and then "Flyers."

If you have interest in joining the PTO Board, joining or running a committee, or just want to learn more- please reach out to the PTO by visiting OTPTO.org and selecting "Contact Old Tappan PTO" under the Help tab.

This year, the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) will be administered to all Grade 5 students on Tuesday, March 19th.

The OLSAT assessment is designed to measure a student's cognitive ability, as it relates to abstract thinking and reasoning ability; however, it does not produce an IQ score. Although the data from the OLSAT will not be used for grading purposes, the results help to identify students who qualify for LEAP, our gifted and talented program, while also providing teachers with additional data points regarding student ability and performance.

If your child becomes eligible for the LEAP Program, the school will contact you at the end of August. Your child's OLSAT scores will be mailed home in early June.

No special preparation is necessary for this assessment. We just encourage our middle schoolers to do their best!

The CDW Musical, Into the Woods, will be here before we know it, and the cast and crew have been working hard preparing for four great performances. You can purchase your tickets now using THIS LINK.

Performance Dates/Times:

Friday, March 22nd: 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 23rd: 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Sunday, March 24th: 1:00 PM

*All performances are in the CDW Lynch Gym.

Peace Islands Institute has released the theme for the 14th Annual Art and Essay Contest! The theme is The Sound of Peace! You can visit artandessay.org for more information. The deadline for submissions is May 15th! There are 5 honorable mentions for each category, as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! Below are the details for those interested. Please see Ms. Santa for more information.

On Wednesday, March 20th, Dr. Da Giau will be hosting a Parent Workshop to offer an overview of the State's standardized tests at 1:00 PM or 7:00 PM.

The National Junior Honor Society students have been starting their Changemaker Projects. One of the groups is doing a Sports Equipment Drive, and they are asking for your help! See the flyer below for more information.

The link to the online newspaper can be found HERE. If any writers want to join the club, please see Mr. Johnson for more information!

The CDW Homework Club is offered to all students in Grades 5-8 and is FREE! Please sign your child up each week that you are interested!

If you would like to purchase insurance for your child(ren)'s school issued Chromebook, please refer to the information below, or you may purchase directly from smarttechinsurance.com/old-tappan.

New to our insurance policy this year is that all Chromebooks must be in cases or the insurance will not cover any claims.

If your child is not going to attend school, please contact Mrs. McCarthy at 201-664-1475 ext. 2103 or McCarthy@nvnet.org.

In an effort to minimize the potential spread of illness at school, please keep your child home if he/she:

• has a fever. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication prior to returning to school.
• is nauseous or is vomiting.
• has diarrhea.

March

Tuesday, March 19th~ Grade 5 OLSAT Testing

Tuesday, March 19th~ PTO Meeting at 7:30 PM in the CDW Media Center

Thursday, March 21st~ Grade 5 OLSAT Testing Make Ups

Friday, March 22nd~ The CDW Musical at 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 23rd~ The CDW Musical at 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Sunday, March 24th~ The CDW Musical at 1:00 PM

Monday, March 25th-Wednesday, March 27th~ Grade 8 CAP Program

Friday, March 29th~ No School for Staff and Students for Good Friday

​​​​​​​OT 2023-2024 Approved School Year Calendar

Instagram: cdw_middle

Email: santaj@nvnet.org
Website: https://cdw.oldtappanschools.org/
Location: 275 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, NJ, USA
Phone: 201-664-1475
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldTappanSchoolDistrict/