Tenakill Times

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Dear Families,

This month brings many exciting opportunities for our students, staff, and families to connect and engage. From our fall festivals, sports games, and upcoming winter conferences, there will be plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved and support our students' growth both academically and socially.

October also marks a time of transition as the weather cools and we settle into routines. I encourage all families to continue to support their children in developing positive habits, whether it’s through consistent reading, ensuring they are prepared for school each day, or fostering open communication about their school experiences. We are looking forward to our PTO Book Fair on October 9th and 10th.

In the coming weeks, you’ll hear more about our upcoming events. We value your participation and know that these moments help build a stronger, more united school community.

As always, please feel free to reach out to the school if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to support every student and family as we strive to make this year one of growth, success, and collaboration.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Sincerely,

Christi Cipollini

Principal

The after school academic assistance program will begin on October 22. It will run each week, Tuesday through Thursday, from 3:10-4:10pm. This year the program will primarily focus on math. Throughout the school year our teachers will recommend students to the program who they believe could benefit from reviewing the math lesson from that day or week. You will be notified if your child is recommended to this program. Please feel free to contact Mr. McElroy (mcelroyk@nvnet.org) with any questions.

Tenakill Middle School Picture Day will take place on October 15, 2024. Please see the linked flier with information about how to order photos.

Should you have any questions about how to order photos, the photography company can be contacted using this link.

For eighth graders, picture day photos will be used as graduation photos. It is strongly recommended that students wear a shirt and tie, or a nice blouse.

For any questions regarding pictures or yearbooks, please reach out to Ms. Kim and kimmj@nvnet.org. Picture retakes will be on November 21, 2024.

We are excited to announce our upcoming Week of Respect, taking place from October 7th to 11th. This year's theme is "Together We Thrive," emphasizing the importance of kindness, empathy, and collaboration in our school community.

Throughout the week, students will engage in various activities designed to promote respect and inclusivity. Students will also have the opportunity to dress in line with our theme of the day (see the attached Spirit Week Flyer).

We encourage you to discuss the importance of respect and belonging at home. Ask your child about their experiences during the week and how they can continue to foster a respectful and inclusive environment within our school.

We believe that every student has a unique contribution to make, and when we come together, we create a stronger, more supportive environment for everyone. Thank you for your support as we work together to create a nurturing atmosphere where every student can thrive.

During the third week in October, public schools in NJ observe School Violence Awareness (VAW) week. The purpose of this week is to bring staff, students, parents, and law enforcement together to be active participants in the important work of violence prevention and school safety. This year, during the week of October 21st, TMS will be highlighting something each day that the school community can work on in connection to maintaining safety and building strong connections at TMS. This will be done through daily announcements, Schoology posts, discussions, and lunchroom activities. Additionally, on Tuesday October 22nd, a member of the Bergen County Cyber Crimes task force will join us to discuss internet safety including information control, common social networking mistakes, navigating texting and cyberbullying through grade level assemblies. You are invited to follow the posts on Schoology during VAW to see the daily focus and relevant resources throughout the week.

This week we launched One School, One Book at TMS. This year’s theme is community, as students dive into reading Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds. During our launch assembly on September 30th, students had an opportunity to learn about several locations in the Closter Community, and both students and staff shared what community means to them. Linked here is a reminder of the optional reading schedule and the updated list of school activities that will be taking place this month at TMS.

We are excited to announce the launch of the Lions International Peace Poster Contest for TMS students ages 11, 12 and 13. Any student wishing to participate should submit their poster to Ms. Lee-Ein by Monday, November 11th. Submissions after this date will not be entered into the contest.

This year’s theme is “Peace Without Limits.” All poster submissions must be no smaller than 12 inches by 20 inches and no larger than 20 inches by 24 inches. Participating students can utilize their creativity and create posters using any art media of their choosing, but all poster entries must be 2-dimensional. As a component of the contest, no lettering or numbering of the front of the posters is allowed, but student artists can add their signature or initials to the back of the poster. Any students interested in participating in the contest can join an interest meeting in Ms. Lee-Ein’s classroom, October 4th, during recess.

The goal of the contest is for students to express “Peace without Limits” in their own way.

We look forward to students participating!

Winter sports physicals are due to our health office by Friday, November 1st. A current physical must be on file in order for students to try out for basketball. Please contact Ms. McHale at TMSNurse@nvnet.org if you have any questions about the sports physical.

Basketball interest sign-ups for grades 6-8 will take place Monday September 30th thru October 2nd during lunch time. Please contact Coach Wowkun at wowkun@nvnet.org if you have any questions about signups.