The Monroe Messenger

Dear Monroe Families,

We have some exciting events for the month of December as well as updates and reminders. Enjoy reading through our November highlights and information regarding our upcoming Winter Stroll and Holiday Boutique!

We are wishing all of our families a Happy New Year and wonderful holiday season.

Kind Regards,

Mrs. Cynthia Tufaro, principal

Mr. Argiris Hristofis, assistant principal

Please make sure your child arrives between 8:45 - 8:55 am to be marked present and to arrive on time. Stay with your child until teachers open the doors and there is adult supervision in the building. No children should be left unsupervised on the grounds prior to 8:45 am.

As the weather is getting colder, please be sure your children are dressed appropriately. Remember to check the weather for the need of WARM coats, gloves, scarves and hats. We will go outside for recess as long as the "real feel" is above 32 degrees for healthy fresh air and exercise! Please make sure your child's coats and belongings are labeled with initials.

Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year, Mr. Ned Rossi, 5th grade teacher and Educator Support Professional of the year, Ms. Dawn Chessere, paraprofessional. We are grateful for their contributions to our school community and proud to honor them!

Wear your pajamas and bring a $1 for CHOP. If you feel inspired to donate more, it would be warmly welcomed!

Donations can be made by using the QR code attached or by bringing in cash to school on December 6th.

Join us for our annual winter stroll on Friday, December 6th (rain date Dec. 13th) at 6:00pm! View children's crafts and holiday lights in our garden, ride the holiday train and enjoy some delicious treats.

Our school chorus and dance club will perform! Teachers will read stories in the garden.

Meet some surprise guests!

Free entry for all!

*$3.00 to ride the train at the event.

Please bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots.

Please consider donating nut free cookies for the event.

We hope to see you at this wonderful annual tradition.

Congratulations on a job well done to all of our students! Stay tuned for results! The James Monroe PTO would like to thank each and every one of our students, especially the Student Council, and staff for their support in helping make this a successful (and FUN) event! Stay tuned for photos and highlights from a pizza party with the winning class and their principals!

Our media club reporters have been busy collecting news, images and videos to create our first episode of the Whoos News! Check it out!

More information will be sent home including the form to send back in with your child.

Holiday Boutique will be held on December 2nd, 3rd & 4th; students can bring their money in to shop on their designated shopping day. We will accept cash or check (payable to James Monroe PTO). "Personal shoppers" will be available to help your child pick gifts based on the budget/money you provide! Please email Monroeowlspto@gmail.com with any questions or to volunteer during the event!

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our beloved former teacher, Mrs. Rochelle Schwarz. Mrs. Rochelle Schwarz dedicated her teaching career at Monroe. She loved her James Monroe family, her students and coming to work every day.

Mrs. Schwarz retired this past June after 20 years of service to James Monroe School. She had most recently served as a dedicated 5th grade teacher and could always be seen behind the scenes at our school plays. Our James Monroe family mourns her loss and we are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Our counselors are always available.

This year students in grades K-4 will be graded using a standards based report card. They will be in the portal on December 19th. Students in 5th grade will continue to receive letter grades on their report cards. See below for additional information.

What are Standards Based Report Cards?

Standards based report cards provide parents with more precise information about how your child is progressing in school. The report cards identify progress within each standard, offering parents useful information on where additional work may be needed. They facilitate collaboration between parents and educators in their efforts to help students improve their performance and identifies specific learning goals within the curriculum so that appropriate rigor can be ensured. Standards based report cards are proven to bring about higher levels of success due to their specificity and consistency within grading.

The standards addressed in the district report cards measure student’s progress towards the mastery of the state’s grade level goals of teaching and learning. They explain precisely what we want our students to know and be able to do as a result of their experiences in school. To learn more about the New Jersey Student Learning standards, click here.

Please join us in the cafeteria at or next PTO meeting on December 3rd at 6:00 pm. This is a working PTO meeting in the cafeteria in preparation for the Winter Stroll.

These are the words of encouragement from Annie to her fellow orphans.

We are so excited to share the story of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity with all of you as the Drama Club proudly presents this year's school musical ~ Annie!

Mrs. Sanchez and Mrs. Romeo are hard at work creating schedules and discussing ideas for our production. Our mission is to provide a nurturing and challenging educational environment through the completion of a musical production. We strive to provide a high-quality and diverse experience in all areas of the performing arts. In this light, it is our goal to foster an appreciation, understanding, and love of the performing arts with a clear intent to touch the heart, engage the mind, and transform lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences for the young people in our program.

The 2024-2025 Club interest letters were returned with great enthusiasm!We look forward to our callbacks for those students interested in speaking roles and solos in grades 3-5.

We also look forward to welcoming our young thespians in grades kindergarten through fifth grade to the world of theater!! Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Ms. Buzy and Ms. Speckin are very excited to start working with our students in the Production Club to help bring the musical, Annie, to life. Members of the Production Club either help with set and prop design, work as members of our Public Relations Committee, or for some 5th grade members, an opportunity to be a part of our backstage crew!

Additional information will be coming home this month for those students interested in working with the Production Club!

On Friday, November 19th, the entire school enjoyed an interactive assembly presented by the LEAD U team. Students had a great time engaging, singing and dancing while learning valuable social emotional skills to help them face daily challenges, conflicts and problem solving skills. It was a fun day planned by our Counselor, Ms. Nicole Davis and sponsored by the Monroe PTO! Thank you!

For those Edison residents with no insurance, there will be an immunization and healthcare examination clinic on January 8th, 2025 from 3:30pm-6pm. You must call ahead and make an appointment. Please call soon if interested as spots are limited. The clinic is located at the Edison Senior Center on Woodbridge Avenue. Please call 732-248-7285 if interested.

Please remember especially with cold and flu season, if your child has a temperature of 100.0 F or higher, they must stay home and be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school. Your child will be sent home if they arrive at school and have a fever, or if they develop one over the course of the day you will kindly be asked to pick them up and keep them home the following day. This is to not only help your child rest and recover, but to also protect the other students and staff members from getting ill. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Please view the attached flyer with information regarding reporting absences.

Children can purchase snacks after they eat lunch on Tuesday and Thursdays!