• April 7th- Jump Rope for Heart

• April 11th- SJG HSA Color Run at 1:45pm

• April 14th through 18th- Spring Break (School Closed)

• April 23rd- 2nd Grade Field Trip

• April 29th- 1st grade concert, 9am and 7pm (SJG All Purpose Room)

• April 30th- Mr. Reiner Making Sandwiches at Jersey Mike's in Lincoln Park

• May 12th- 5th Grade Field Trip

• May 16th- SJG Field Day (Rain date of May 19th)

• May 20th- Kindergarten and 4th Grade Field Trips

• May 26th- Memorial Day (School Closed)

• May 29th- 5th Grade Battle of the Books

• June 5th- New Kindergarten Student Orientation

• June 9th- SJG Kindergarten Concert 9am (Parents Welcome); Kinderfest at 1:00pm

• June 11th- 5th Grade PV Park Day (Rain Date of June 12th)

• June 13th- Grade 4 New Jersey Day

• June 16th- 5th Grade Recognition Day 9:00am

• June 17th- 12:40 Dismissal

• June 18th- 12:40 Dismissal LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Jump Rope for Heart will be this Monday, April 7th and due to the weather we will be holding it inside. PARENTS ARE STILL INVITED! The schedule for jumping is below:

8:35-9:18- 2nd Grade

9:18-10:06- 1st Grade

10:06-10:55- Kindergarten

10:55-11:40- No Classes- Lunches

11:40-12:35- No Classes- Lunches

12:35- 1:25- 3rd Grade

1:25- 2:12- 5th Grade

2:12-3:00- 4th Grade

As we approach the nice weather, spring break, holidays, and the eventual end of the school year, I want to remind everyone of the importance of attendance. The State of New Jersey Law which informs our district attendance policy states that a student who is absent more than 10% of the school year (18 days) is considered chronically absent and that the student can be retained in the same grade level due to the excessive absences. The total number of absences does include sick days as all days out are counted in the total except for Bring Your Child To Work Day and Certain Religious Holidays. This year the flu has been very bad along with other viruses which has lead to a lot of absences from school which is understandable as we do not want anyone to send their child to school sick. However, the issues arise when students get sick and the days are added to other days that the students have been out for vacations, a fun day off here and there, and other reasons that students are out that are not due to sickness.

I implore everyone to please not take any vacations or other days off between now and the end of the year. We have Spring Break, Memorial Day, snow give back days and then the summer that will keep students home from school. There is too much learning to miss.

Attendance is important for elementary school students for several reasons:

1. Academic Progress: Regular attendance ensures that students don’t miss out on crucial lessons, assignments, and hands-on learning activities that build foundational skills. Missing school can lead to gaps in knowledge that are hard to catch up on.

2. Social Development: School is not just about academics—it's also a place where children learn to interact with peers, make friends, and develop social skills. Consistent attendance helps students become part of the classroom community.

3. Establishing Good Habits: When children attend school regularly, it helps them develop a sense of responsibility, discipline, and routine. These habits can translate into lifelong skills, like punctuality and consistency, that benefit them in the future.

4. Emotional Well-being: Regular attendance helps students feel more confident and engaged in their learning. Missing school can lead to feelings of isolation or stress about falling behind, which can affect their emotional well-being.

5. Teacher-Student Connection: Teachers can better support students' learning when they see them regularly. When students miss school, teachers may not have the opportunity to fully understand their needs and provide tailored help.

6. Building a Strong Foundation: Elementary school is where many basic academic skills, like reading, writing, and math, are first introduced. Consistent attendance ensures that students get the full exposure they need to these critical subjects.

Ultimately, regular attendance helps elementary students succeed academically and develop the skills they need to thrive in both school and life.

The SJG Night Out was a huge success! It took the work of a lot of volunteers to make it such. We had volunteers work the night of the event, the day of the event, getting donations prior to the event, and setting everything up prior to the event. Without these dedication individuals, the wonderful night we all had would not have been possible! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Event & Tricky Tray Chairs

Erica Moscato

Suzanne Elmini

Lori Pastena

Volunteers

Caitlyn Adamo

Tom Adamo

Dana Arrigo

Ryan Arrigo

Cara Colombo

Erica Cote

Corey Crossfield-Ortiz

Justin Elmini

Rich Huffstutler

Jaci Kaslow

Zak Kaslow

Becky Lax

Alexa Lynch

Jim Morando

Sara Morando

Billy Moscato

Stephanie Naser

Kristy Wallis

Steve Wallis

Andy Watson

Kristin Watson

PTHS Students from Interact Club & National Honor Society

Come and meet Pequannock's Director of Curriculum, Mrs. VanSickle on April 10th at 6:45pm prior to the HSA meeting.

Mrs. Mangarelli is in need of volunteers to mount and hang all of our student's art. Click HERE to volunteer.

This is a reminder that students are not to use smart watches during school hours. When in the classroom smart watches or other devices are to be in the backpack. When at recess students can wear them however they are not allowed to contact anyone from them. We allow them to wear them as a tracking device since we are outside but that is all they should be used for. Thank you for reviewing these guidelines with your children.

Our AV Club students have continued our students newsletter. Check out all the information they have to share!

https://sites.google.com/pequannock.org/final-sjg-news-2025?usp=sharing

Ariana did an amazing job this week reciting The Pledge of Allegiance, as well as our kindness quote for the day. Thank you for being so awesome Ariana!

If you are looking for future events, we update the SJG Calendar of Events as we solidify dates. You can find the calendar on our website but below is the link that we will keep in our newsletter going forward.

In the event that your child arrives at school late, please park your vehicle and come into the building to sign them in. It is essential for us to maintain accurate records of student attendance. Therefore, parents are no longer permitted to have students ring the bell and enter the building unaccompanied when they are late. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please see the handbook below for the school year.

As Spring approaches and warmer weather is on the horizon, spring sports at PTHS are starting on Monday, March 10th. For the safety of our students, athletes and spectators, bikes, scooters and/or e-bikes are not permitted on the track or in the athletic complex at any time. Bikes, scooters and/or e-bikes should be parked in the designated racks outside the facility. This includes weekends. Thank you for your cooperation.

From our Social Studies supervisor, Dr. O’Keefe: “In 2026, the US will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As we look forward to this occasion, students in Grades 3-12 from across the nation are invited to participate in the America's Field Trip Contest. Entrants will submit writing or artwork that answers, ‘What does America mean to you?’ The link contains all contest rules and submissions are due by April 16, 5pm EST. As there are multiple slots for first- and second-pace winners, we encourage all eligible students to participate!”

For all HSA information and events, visit our website- www.sjghsa.com

Students wear their Color Run Shirts (which will be delivered next week) or any plain white shirt on Friday, April 11th.

Parents can come watch, but we also need volunteers. Click the link to sign up! https://forms.gle/TSXS5hL9S587QsQi6

Click the link below to register. All participants must fill out the form-

https://forms.gle/8CtLkmyUuKNjLHCK6

Thank you so much to our event & Tricky Tray chairs- Erica Moscato, Suzanne Elmini, Lori Pastena and all of our volunteers- Caitlyn Adamo, Tom Adamo, Dana Arrigo, Ryan Arrigo, Cara Colombo, Erica Cote, Corey Crossfield-Ortiz. Justin Elmini, Rich Huffstutler, Jaci Kaslow, Zak Kaslow, Becky Lax, Alexa Lynch, Jim Morando, Sara Morando, Billy Moscato, Stephanie Naser, Kristy Wallis, Steve Wallis, Andy Watson, Kristin Watson, PTHS Students from Interact Club & National Honor Society, Mr. Reiner, SJG Staff, Class Parents, Event Sponsors and everyone from the SJG family who contributed to this event!

Mrs. Griffith, SJG School Nurse, will be keeping us up to date on ways to be more healthy all year.

We are at the beginning of cold and flu season. We can also see other childhood ailments.

These can include Covid, Strep throat, Coxsackie viruses and stomach viruses. There are

common things we can all do to lessen the spread of such illnesses. These include:

1. Proper hand washing. Reinforce to your children how and when to wash hands. Hand

washing is the number one way to protect yourself and others against all of

these childhood illnesses.

2. Remind children to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue or sleeve

when sneezing or coughing. Throw tissues away after each use. This is always

reinforced here at school.

3. The flu and covid vaccines are recommended and available.

4. Keep sick children home. If your child is ill, PLEASE keep them home for 24hrs -

symptom free. This means symptom free without medication like Tylenol or Advil.

Symptoms include temperature 100.4 or above, vomiting, diarrhea, consistent

coughing, runny nose, sore throat, new skin outbreaks or rashes etc. I will only have

to send them home if the symptoms continue at school. Most illnesses, if

contagious, are spread right before and right after the illness appears. Staying

home while symptoms persist can lessen the spread to others. It also protects your

child from picking up secondary illnesses while their immune system is already

working hard.

5. Have children get plenty of rest and eat a nutritious diet. While these are

important every day, it is even more important when children are not feeling well.

6. When your child is ill, please call or email the main office by 8:15am to report

an absence. The attendance line is available 24/7. I also ask that you let the

school know why your child is absent and be as specific as possible. If you

take your child to the doctor it is helpful to bring documentation of the illness

from the doctor. Let us know if your child has a specific illness.

HEALTH RESOURCES ALL YEAR ROUND

1. Below you can find some resources on these childhood illnesses.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/treatment/flu-guide-for-parents.pdf

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/flu-vs-cold.html

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/hfm.html?WT.ac=p-ra

2. Below is additional information on head lice, a childhood concern that can occur any time of year.

https://www.cdc.gov/lice/about/head-lice.html

Please read the PDF below about Meningococcal Vaccine.

Below is the district calendar that was amended to show that we now have off on April 21st.

Email: Matthew.Reiner@pequannock.org
Website: sjg.pequannock.org
Location: 59 Boulevard, Pequannock Township, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 3055615
Twitter: @SJGPride

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjgpride/