This week Ms. Norcross and Mr. DeMarco held grade level assemblies related to school and class expectations. As always, assemblies are held after the New Year to re-establish our expectations for being kind, safe, and respectful citizens. Topics that were covered included our overall expectations for the lunchroom, playground, bus, and being here every day ready to learn (attendance).

Speaking of citizenship, we continued our classroom lessons based upon this very important topic. We are reviewing what it means to be a good citizen through following rules, using our voices to make a positive impact on our school and greater community, and understanding how we can make a positive difference. Volunteerism, being considerate, and being a lifelong positive contributor to our worlds are major themes of this month. Our citizenship quote of the week: 'Your voice matters, use it to make a positive difference.'

Our annual Family Bingo Night is Thursday, January 23rd from 6:30 pm - 8 pm. Please register in advance so that we can ensure each child receives a prize. The flier can be viewed below. The cost is $5 per student. https://2025-walnut-street-elementary-bingo-night.cheddarup.com

A reminder that PTO Calendar Auction entries are due by Friday, January 24th. A $50 gift card winner will be drawn each day for twelve weeks and you can win more than once! The student who sells the greatest number of entries will also win a $50 Visa Gift Card!

Please see the pictures below of our latest PBSIS winners...recognized for being safe respectful and responsible.

This week's Employees of the Week are Mrs. Kibel and Mrs. Reynolds...congratulations!

Please note schools will be closed on Monday, January 20 to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Also, schools will be closed on February 14 and February 17 for President's Weekend.

On January 6th, the Toms River High School East Hispanic Heritage Club came to visit our Walnut Street Hispanic Heritage Club. Under the direction of Mrs. Liz Rodriguez (Toms River High School East) and assisted by Mrs. Robin Marra and Mrs. Kristine DeNardo (Walnut Street Elementary School) students participated in fun, cultural, and educational experiences for Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings). The students shared in a trivia game, songs, crafts, and much knowledge on the holiday. It was a wonderful learning experience for all! Thank you to Mrs. Rodriguez, Mrs. Marra, Mrs. DeNardo, and all of the students for making this such an incredible event!

Attendance Works is an outstanding website that has information and research on the importance of high attendance rates and tips for parents, educators, and students in boosting attendance.

Congratulations to Ms. Branco, who received items for her "Sensory Tools" project from Donors Choose.

Thank you to Ms. Branco and Bloomingdale's

Congratulations to Mrs. Tomitz, who received items for her "Fun with Phonics" project from Donors Choose. Thank you to Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh (Atlanta, GA).

- January 20: No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

- January 23: PTO Bingo Night, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria

- Week of February 3rd: Penny Wars Fundraiser

- February 4: PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM

- February 14 and 17: No school, President's Day Weekend

- February 19 and 20: PTO School Store during school day

- March 4: PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM

As you know, district and school communication are vitally important. Here at Walnut Street Elementary School, we use various means of communication. ParentSquare is a communication app that we use to get information out quickly to our school community. It is a great idea to download the ParentSquare app to your Smartphone and make sure you use banners, sounds, badges, and push notifications so you know a message was sent. ParentSquare also sends an email to you when something is posted and can also translate into any language. Please download the app today!

Finally, the school has an active Instagram Account that we post the many happenings at Walnut Street. This account has over 360 followers. On this handle, we post amazing pictures and video of the goings on during the school year. Please follow us on Instagram: @wsewildcats

Our next PTO meeting is on January 7 in Cafeteria C starting at 6:30 PM. We will be giving you important information and we will be recognizing our Students of the Month! Follow our Instagram account: @walnutstreetelempto

Please volunteer for these upcoming events!:

School Store - February and May 2025

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4FABAE2AA6FD0-51112959-school

Bingo Night 1/23

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4FABAE2AA6FD0-51113557-bingo

Someone Special Dance 2/27

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4FABAE2AA6FD0-51113595-2025

Outdoor Movie Night 5/16

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4FABAE2AA6FD0-51113499-outdoor

Calling All Bakers

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4FABAE2AA6FD0-51116214-calling

Our cafeteria offers our students nutritious and tasty food items every day. The link to the food services website is below. There (along the right side), you will see menus for the month. For information on eligibility for free or reduced meals, please access the website below.

Free and Reduced Lunch information links are below in English and Spanish:

• Links in English:
  School Cafe Website - https://www.schoolcafe.com/
  Instructions for Filling Out Free and Reduced Lunch Forms - https://www.trschools.com/parents/docs/2022/08/22_23-SchoolCafe_Eligibility_Quick_Card.pdf
  Letter from District - https://www.trschools.com/parents/docs/2024/08/2024_2025-CEP-School-Meals-and-Summer-EBT-Application-_-English.pdf
  En Espanol:
  School Cafe Website: https://www.schoolcafe.com/
  Instructions for Filling Out Free and Reduced Lunch Forms: https://www.trschools.com/parents/docs/2022/08/SchoolCafe_Eligibility_Quick_Card___Spanish.pdf