Normandy Park School

Week of April 28th

April 28th is a D Day

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 and bring it to school.

Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions at christopher.miller@msdk12.net. Have a great week!

Christopher Miller

Principal, Normandy Park School

*To access the NPS Parent Handbook, please click here.

NPS Yearbook

The yearbook will be available to all grades for purchase this year.

As in the past, the HSA will purchase each 5th grader their own yearbook. A flyer to purchase will go out soon. All books must be purchased by May 14th.

In the next few weeks, we will be asking for photos from families to share. Any school or school-related event would be great! For 5th grade families, we will also be collecting baby pictures!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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 and activities:

Barclays Arbor Day Celebration

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

On Friday April 25th, 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!

Teddy Bear Clinic for 2/3 Students

Our second and third-grade students participated in a Teddy Bear Clinic led by MHS students. The MHS students, acting as pretend doctors and nurses, guided the elementary students through various stations. This hands-on experience not only provided a playful learning opportunity for our students but also fostered positive interactions with the older MHS students.

Nurse's Corner

Get in Touch!

Friendly Reminder for Families:

With allergy season in full swing, I wanted to share a few tips to help students stay comfortable at school:

If your child takes allergy medication or eye drops, giving it before school can help minimize symptoms throughout the day.
Encourage hand washing and face washing after outdoor activities to remove pollen.
A reusable water bottle can help keep them hydrated and soothe a scratchy throat.
Let me know if symptoms worsen or if you’d like to keep medication at school (with the proper forms).

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need support—we’re here to help!

Have a health-related question or concern?

Feel free to reach out to the nurse’s office

Nurse’s Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:40 AM - 3:20 PM
Phone: 973-889-7960 x 6152
Email: Francesca Ecker

We’re always happy to help keep your child safe, healthy, and ready to learn!

Stay healthy, Normandy Park!

Spring Concert

Save the Date- May 29th

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)

11:45pm for Senior Unit (4/5)

Re-residency process for current grade 2, grade 5, grade 8, and preschool 4 students

MEMO from MSD Registrar's Office:

Dear MSD Families,

In recent years, the Morris School District has seen an increase in the enrollment of non-resident students. While we are committed to providing the best educational experience for all, this creates an undue burden on our district’s resources and programs, which ultimately impacts the services available to our resident students who are lawfully enrolled.

To help us maintain the quality of education for our residents and ensure compliance with district policies, we are requiring updated proof of residency for all students currently enrolled in the following grade levels: Preschool 4-Year-Old Program, Grade 2, Grade 5, and Grade 8. This is in accordance with Policy 5111.

Further details regarding the next steps will be shared with you in the coming weeks. Please click here for a list of documents that will be needed.

Please note that parents/guardians who do not complete the re-registration process will receive a notice informing them that their child(ren) will not be permitted to continue enrollment in the Morris School District. In addition, students will not be allowed to attend school in September 2025 unless the re-residency process is completed.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

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Estimadas familias del MSD,

En los últimos años, el Distrito Escolar de Morris ha visto un aumento en la inscripción de estudiantes que no viven dentro de los límites de nuestro Distrito. Si bien estamos comprometidos a proporcionar la mejor experiencia educativa para todos, esto crea una carga excesiva sobre los recursos y programas de nuestro distrito, que termina afectando los servicios disponibles para los estudiantes que viven en nuestro Distrito y que están legalmente inscritos.

Para ayudarnos a mantener la calidad de la educación para los estudiantes que viven en nuestro Distrito y asegurar el cumplimiento de las políticas del distrito, estamos requiriendo prueba actualizada de vivienda/dirección para todos los estudiantes actualmente matriculados en los siguientes niveles de grado: Programa Preescolar de 4 años, Grado, 2, Grado 5, y Grado 8. Esto es de acuerdo con la Política 5111 del Distrito Escolar de Morris.

Más detalles sobre los próximos pasos serán compartidos con ustedes en las próximas semanas. Por favor, haga clic aquí para obtener una lista de los documentos que serán necesarios.

Tenga en cuenta que los padres / tutores que no completen el proceso de re-inscripción recibirán un aviso informándoles que a su(s) hijo(s) no se le(s) permitirá continuar la inscripción en el Distrito Escolar de Morris. Además, a los estudiantes no se les permitirá asistir a la escuela en septiembre de 2025 a menos que se complete el proceso de re-inscripción.

Agradecemos su cooperación y comprensión.

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!

Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off May 5th, and we'll be planning something awesome. Please be on the lookout for more info! In the meantime, if you're interested in helping, please sign up here and we'll reach out!

The NPS HSA Color Run will be held on May 16th at 1:45pm. All are welcome!

More information to follow!

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

Dear NPS Families,

Emotional dysregulation

Counselors across the country have seen an uptick in anxiety and emotional dysregulation in children. Emotional WHAT?, you might ask. “Emotional dysregulation in children is when a child experiences difficulty with registering emotions, responding with emotions appropriate to context and regulating emotional responses in social situations (i.e., suppressing emotions or presenting with overly dramatic and excessive emotional responses) (source:aifs.gov.au). Children who have temper tantrums, act overly silly, struggle with transitions, have difficulty waiting or taking turns or completely shut down can be signs of emotional dysregulation. While there is no official research on why this is occurring, the pandemic has had a lot to do with it.

“Self-regulation is a skill that children need to be taught and practiced. The trick is not to avoid hard situations. Instead, parents can coach kids through tough situations. Breaking an activity into smaller, more doable parts can help. For instance, if your child has a hard time brushing their teeth, start with just putting toothpaste on the brush. Praise them a lot when they do it and slowly add steps. When kids act out, encourage them to slow down and reflect. With a parent’s help, kids can learn to ask themselves: What went wrong? Why? How can I fix that for next time?

Practicing mindfulness can help with self-regulation. Mindfulness teaches kids how to focus on the present instead of the past or the future.”(Source: Child mind institute).

The Zones of Regulation, developed by Leah Kuypers, an Occupational Therapist, is a great tool for helping children regulate. There are 4 color zones which can help children easily identify how they are feeling.

The idea is to help them identify what zone they are in and if it’s other than green, how to get them back to the green zone.

There is a flyer that will be attached about getting more training especially for parents about Helping your child manage their STRESS.

Have a question or concern you want to see featured in the Counselor Corner?

We encourage you to keep an eye on your child’s schoolwork and continue supporting their learning at home.

Thank you for all that you do to help make this school year a success!

Wishing you all an amazing rest of the month!

Your School Counselor,

Sincerely,

Gloria Hunt

gloria.hunt@msdk12.net

973-889-7960 x6115

And Social Work Interns,

Miss Paige

Miss Haley

Miss Sarah

Breakfast and Lunch

For interactive menus, as well as nutrition and allergen information, please click here.

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.

In addition to meals, students can purchase snacks with money on their card and/or cash. If you would not like your child to purchase snacks or have a limit on what days they can purchase snacks, please contact the Food Services director, Shannon Burton <shannon.burton@msdk12.net>, and they can indicate this information on your child's account.

APPLYING FOR FREE & REDUCED LUNCH

Applications are available through PaySchools. Once you create your account, the Free & Reduced Application will be available to complete online. Students who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, also qualify for free/reduced breakfast.

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.

Applications are available through PaySchools. Click the link to create your PaySchool account (ENG or ESP)

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 2024-2025***

Elementary Breakfast

$1.75

Elementary Lunch

$3.25

Reduced Price Breakfast

$0.00

Reduced Price Lunch

$0.00

Milk

$0.75

Find Out What’s Happening in The District Newsletter Fall 2024 Edition

As families and staff prepare for the new school year, the Morris Educational Foundation invites you to take a look back at all the amazing highlights from the 2023-2024 school year in The District Newsletter.

The joint publication from the Morris School District, Morris Educational Foundation and Colonial Nation features:

District athletic highlights
Extracurricular achievements across all schools
The MEF’s impact on academic, enrichment, and social-emotional wellness initiatives
Plus a save-the-date for Morristown ONSTAGE 2025

The Fall 2024 edition is hot off the press and Morristown, Morris Plains and Morris Township residents can expect to receive their copy in their mailbox this week. View the digital version here>>>

Help Make it a Great Year for All 5,700 Morris School District Students

The Morris Educational Foundation is proud to Support Every Student Every Day. While the Morris School District provides the essential tools for quality classroom learning, the MEF supports the extras that elevate learning. From cutting-edge instructional resources to enriching curricular activities, the MEF is committed to helping students not just succeed but excel.

Please help us make it the best year yet for each of the 5,700 students in the Morris School District! Let's Support Every Student Every Day and empower them to achieve their fullest potential.

Donate today by clicking here. Together, we can make a difference!

Dismissal Changes

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.

Daily Attendance

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