The Bogert Bulletin
October 2024
Dear Parents,
It was great to see so many of you at Back-To-School Night. I hope the evening left you with a strong feeling that your children are in great hands and have much to look forward to this year. Please don't hesitate to contact any staff member should you need additional information or have any questions about programs, philosophies, procedures, or curricula - we are all here to help!
Many students are bringing lunches from home that require forks/spoons, but not coming to school with utensils. As you get back into your lunch routine, please make sure to pack everything necessary so your child(ren) can eat their lunch.
There are several sign-ups in this newsletter. To make things easy, the due date for all of them is Friday, September 27. Please carefully read through the newsletter so you don't miss an opportunity for your child(ren). In this bulletin, you will find information about:
- Halloween
- Events to which parents will be invited over the course of the year
- Parent-teacher Conference sign-ups
- After school clubs information & sign-ups
- 3rd grade recorders - information about purchasing
- Enrichment opportunities & sign-ups
- Information about the School Counseling program
- Red Ribbon Week
- A video for all parent volunteers
- Picture Day schedule (order forms coming from the PTO)
- Wearing pink for cancer awareness
- The October calendar
Sincerely,
Mr. Kaplan
Save The Dates!
Below is a list of Bogert events to which parents will be invited over the course of the school year. There may, of course, be other events not yet organized or we may need to make adjustments, but in the interest of advanced planning and encouraging parent attendance, I would like to share the events known to us at this time.
- Halloween Parade: October 31 @ 1:20 pm
- Parent Conferences: November 14 (evening) & 15 (daytime) - more info below
- Read-A-Latte Cafe: March 3 & 4 - times vary by homeroom
- Winter Concert (Chorus, Orchestra, 5th Band): December 18 @ 7:00 pm
- Bingo (3rd grade): February 20 @ 6:30 pm
- 3rd Grade Show: March 20 @ 8:45 am
- Bogert Musical: May 2 & 3 @ 7:00 pm & 6:00 pm
- District Art Show: May 20 @ 4:00 - 6:00 pm
- Spring Orchestra & Chorus Concert: May 20 @ 7:00 pm
- Spring Concert (4 & 5 bands): June 5 @ 7:00 pm
- 5th Grade Recognition Ceremony: June 19 @ 10:45 am
Although not for parents to attend, it is important for you to be aware of the state testing dates for all children in grades 3-5. It is essential that students be in attendance on these days:
- NJSLA Science (5th grade) May 6 & 7
- NJSLA ELA & Math (grades 3-5) May 12-16
Halloween
Bogert students will be participating in Halloween festivities at school on Thursday, October 31. Beginning at 1:20, students will walk around the parade route, which will be in front of Bogert in the parking lot and the “kiss and drop” lanes. Afterwards, students will return to their classrooms and enjoy their class party for the rest of the afternoon.
- Children who wish to wear a costume should plan on changing into it at school. Costumes should be simple and low maintenance (i.e. no make-up). Children who arrive at school in costume will be required to change.
- The parade is intended for the students to assemble as a school community in order to see each other’s costumes. Those parents who wish to see their child in costume are invited to stand along the parade route, which will be clearly marked in the front of Bogert.
- Parents are asked to remain outside the building and may not wear costumes or masks.
- The traffic and parking situation will likely be difficult. You are asked to follow the directions of the school officials who are helping with parking.
Costumes (including accessories) of a violent or excessively frightening nature are not acceptable and are the antithesis of our commitment to provide a safe and comfortable school environment. Remember: some costumes are just not appropriate for school, even though they may be completely acceptable to wear while trick-or-treating around town. Students can certainly wear masks during the parade; spectators cannot.
Fourth graders will have the annual Halloween party on October 25 at Bogert. More information about this event will come from the PTO through a Friday mailing.
After School Clubs: sign-up information
As shared at Back-To-School Night and at the PTO meeting, sign-ups for all clubs are included in this newsletter. This will be the only opportunity to sign up for clubs for the year, so I encourage you to read through the options, discuss with your child his/her interests, and sign up by the firm deadline, which is September 27. Please understand that this new procedure is an attempt to be as equitable and inclusive as possible. While your child might not get his/her first choice, we will work to get him/her one of the three selections. Once every child has been placed, we can consider placing children in multiple clubs. Finally, if your child is interested in chorus and/or the musical, s/he can participate in these activities in addition to a club, provided you understand there will be occasional scheduling conflicts.
Our goal is to be allow every child who wants to be in a club to have at least one opportunity to do so. You can sign up your child for chorus, the musical, and/or a club here.
Click on the attachment below to learn about all of our after school club offerings.
3rd Grade Recorders
One of the most highly anticipated aspects of music class for third graders is the study of their first woodwind instrument: the recorder! This fun and easy instrument is an excellent tool for teaching children how to read music and begin developing the basic skills of musicianship. Before we can get started, all third graders must submit the sign-up form & check to their classroom teacher by Friday, September 27.
If you would like to purchase a new recorder, please send in a check (no cash please) for $7.50 made out to Bogert School Student Activities along with the signed form. If you already own a Peripole Baroque Soprano Halo Recorder with a neck strap in good working condition, you are not required to purchase a new one, but please fill out and submit the form so we know that each child has a recorder. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Continental Math League
As part of Bogert School’s commitment to provide various enrichment activities for all students, third, fourth, and fifth graders are invited to participate in the Continental Math League (CML). Continental Math League is a reputable, nationwide mathematics competition that challenges students to apply reasoning and problem-solving skills to complex mathematical problems.
Students attending these meets will participate in “quizzes” with six open-ended problems. These questions are designed to encourage students to use a variety of strategies in the areas of mathematical and visual problem-solving. Meets will take place after school in the Bogert Gym, from 2:30–3:00. Please use the attachments below, which correspond to grade-level, to sign up your child if s/he is interested in this math enrichment opportunity. Please contact Mrs. Caravela with questions.
Lunchtime Enrichment Opportunities
At Bogert School, we provide numerous school-wide enrichment opportunities in which students can self-select based on interest. Below you will find a link to the Bogert Enrichment website where you will find information about Lunchtime Enrichment opportunities. Students can sign up for Lunchtime Logic in 3rd grade and The Amazing Race in 4th and 5th grades. I have been visiting classrooms to discuss these opportunities.
Students who choose to participate in Lunchtime Enrichment will eat lunch in the Enrichment Room and stay during recess for the activity. Students will meet once per cycle for a designated Fall or Winter session based on schedule availability. Students will be notified about when their session will begin. More information about Lunchtime Enrichment and other opportunities as well as permission slips can all be found on my website . Students are expected to complete the full session. Please discuss with your child the expectations and return forms to Mrs. Caravela by September 27.
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Bogert Enrichment
From the School Counselor, Ms. Senger
It has been wonderful to meet new faces, as well as see returning students this year! In September, I met with all new students both individually and by grade level to help them build connections with both myself and the rest of the community. It is always my goal to connect with each student at Bogert, and I am hopeful to meet with every student individually at least twice throughout the year.
October is a busy month, with various important initiatives coming our way! From October 7-11, all public schools in New Jersey will be celebrating the "Week of Respect." During this time, I will visit classrooms to do a lesson about the importance of this week. We will also continue the tradition of ending the week with a Mix-It-Up Lunch on October 11; students are invited to wear something that represents a piece of them to start a new conversation. From October 21-25, we will celebrate "Red Ribbon Week." This is the oldest drug prevention program in the country, and focuses on the importance of making healthy choices. Spirit Days can be found on the school calendar and immediately below this article. This month, we will also kick off our sixth year of No Place for Hate! We are looking forward to all of the activities that our student and staff committee will create to promote inclusion within our community. If you are interested in participating as a parent representative for either No Place for Hate or our School Safety and Climate Team this school year, please fill out this survey!
Lastly, we are excited to celebrate another year of Thank You For Being You, our monthly student recognition program which highlights the ways in which students show The Six Pillars of Character throughout the school day. We collected over 85 paws in September, which is the most we have ever received in one month! We are thrilled to see how many students we can recognize for showing positive character. We are finding new ways to celebrate the great character that our students have and are excited to share them with you throughout the school year. The first school-wide recognition for students who exemplified great character will be on October 1 at the end of the day. Look for highlights of the event on Bogert's Facebook page!
As always, if you have any concerns about your child at school, please never hesitate to contact me.
Warmly,
School Counselor
Red Ribbon Week
From October 21-25, students and teachers will celebrate National Red Ribbon Week. While it is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the country, we use this week as an opportunity to celebrate respect and healthy decision-making. Ms. Senger will visit classrooms to teach a lesson surrounding these topics, as well as introduce our No Place For Hate initiative.
Please find the school-wide spirit days for this special week listed below!
Monday, October 21
"Being Healthy and Safe is NO SWEAT"
(Wear workout clothes and sneakers for Kids Heart Challenge)
Tuesday, October 22
"Your Choices are the Key to your Dreams"
(Wear pajamas)
Wednesday, October 23
Respect Yourself and SUCCEED!
(Dress as your role model or what you want to be when you grow up)
Thursday, October 24
"We PINK We Can!"
(Wear Pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month)
Friday, October 25
"Team Up Against Harmful Choices"
(Wear a team jersey/uniform)
Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying training video for volunteers
We would like to express our gratitude to all parent volunteers at Bogert School. Your efforts in supporting our students, classrooms and teachers are greatly appreciated. We kindly ask all parent volunteers for the 2024-2025 school year to watch this brief training video about H.I.B. reporting and providing a safe learning environment for all students. Thank you for your cooperation and dedication to our school community.
Sincerely,
Dave Kaplan, District Anti-bullying Coordinator
Rosemarie Malloy, School Anti-bullying Specialist
