Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Spring Break!

Classes will resume on Monday, April 5th.

As of Monday, April 5th, 2021, we will be adjusting our instructional schedule by 15 minutes for in-person instruction. As we introduce live specials, this will help maintain instructional time for reading, writing, and math. This will slightly impact our dismissal times. In-person pickup dismissal will begin at 12:45 (not 12:30). Our buses will be dismissed 5 to 10 minutes later than usual. They will arrive 5 to 10 minutes later than your regularly scheduled time at the bus stop. For additional information dismissal changes, please click here.

MSD will continue to share important information on the Coronavirus Update Center and on our MSD Forward pages. Please know that I am here to help and support in any way that I can. Feel free to reach out to me directly at christopher.miller@msdk12.net.

This part of the newsletter will have a question or a topic for you to discuss with your child(ren). This can be done on the way to school, on the way to sports practice, before dinner, at bedtime, etc.

Each week there will be a “something to think about” question and a “something to talk about” question. The “something to think about question” is for you as a parent to reflect on for yourself. The “something to talk about” question is for you to discuss with your child. These exercises are meant to stimulate a conversation on race, equity and inclusion in America.

Week Twenty Eight

Parent Question: Parent Question: What is the difference between equality and equity? Look at the image below with your child.

Further discussions with your child: What do you notice in the pictures ? The wooden fence is a barrier. Equality means that everyone gets the same box, but does that help everyone see over the fence? Equity means that everyone gets the number of boxes they need to see over the fence. Justice means fixing the problem so that nobody needs a box.

Last week, Mimi Topping (Zentangle), constructed a collage from our students' residency artwork. Thank you to Mimi and all of our student artists!

Mimi Topping is a certified art teacher for the past 23 years. She has been certified to teach Zentangle since 2012. Zentangle is a form of art by drawing structured patterns called tangles. The tangles are created with a combination of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and obs. The simple shapes are called “Elemental Strokes” and are drawn on small pieces of paper called tiles which can then be assembled into mosaics. During our February residency, each student created their own tile!

Special thanks to our HSA for providing this experience for our kids!

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held virtually over a three week period.

All parent/teacher conferences will be held between April 19th and May 7th.

Your child's teacher will be reaching out to schedule a conference time with you. All conferences will be 20 minutes in length and be conducted virtually. Teachers will provide each family with a completed conference sheet either prior to the meeting or immediately after that will reflect an academic snapshot in the areas of strengths, goals for growth, and ways can provide support at home.

We are excited to announce our 4th Annual Reading Challenge. We hope that all students will participate in this fun activity designed to make everyone an enthusiastic reader and learn about the “magic of reading.”

How to Participate! No Magic Tricks Needed

• READ!! Children’s eligible reading will begin on Monday, April 5th and end on Monday, April 26th. Your child’s reading should be appropriate for reading ability, grade level and length. Books may be fiction or non-fiction but should be books that your child reads within the program dates and has not read before. Books being read for a class assignment count! Your child may read independently or be read to. Books from home, school or public libraries or any other source are fine for the program.

• LOG! Children will receive tally sheets to keep track of their reading. They will need to complete 2 logs to successfully complete the challenge. Return the tally sheets to the library or you can submit forms online here. IF YOU SUBMIT ONLINE – YOU DO NOT NEED SEND IN THE PAPER COPY! Students can pick up new log sheets at the library or at the front office (or by clicking here). The number of books to complete a log sheet will vary by Unit/grade:

• K/1: 8 books per log (total 16 books)
• 2/3: 3 books per log (total 6 books)
• 4/5: 2 books per log (total 4 books)

• ENJOY THE JOURNEY! Each participating student will have a “magic hat” on our big hallway display near the front office.
• EVERYBODY WINS! Any student that successfully completes the challenge will receive a certificate and will be entered into a drawing to order a new book through Scholastic! Multiple winners will be selected at each grade level.
• QUESTIONS? Any questions, please reach out to Angela Finlay at akfinlay13@gmail.com or Maria Horton mbaptisthorton@gmail.com
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Girls on the Run returns to Normandy Park this Spring!!

Girls on the Run returns to Normandy Park this Spring!! This 8 week positive youth development program for girls 3rd-5th grade will run for 16 sessions beginning on April 21st. A maximum of 15 girls will meet on Wednesdays at Normandy Park from 1:15pm-2:30pm and Sundays at the Morristown High School Track from 11am-12:15pm. This is an outdoor girls empowerment and confidence building running program led by trained volunteer coaches who are Normandy Park Moms. The program will culminate with the girls running a 5K! To learn more or to register go to girlsontherunnj.org. Girls will bring a bagged lunch to eat outside prior to the start of the Wednesday practice. Covid protocols will be followed. See the attached flyer for more information.

Kinobe is a Ugandan musician, creative arts producer, educator, and philanthropist. He will be presenting a virtual concert/assembly for our students on April 16th.

Thank you to our HSA for providing this experience!

To learn more about Kinobe, please visit his website by clicking here.

• “Live” in-class specials. Beginning April 5, some special area subjects will be delivered in the classroom during the in-person school day. Certain asynchronous learning opportunities will remain.
• Social and school community development and milestones. Throughout the fourth marking period, we want to ensure that our students have as many opportunities as possible to reinforce relationships, a sense of community, and their own social-emotional wellbeing. We are hopeful that part of this effort will include traditional end-of-year milestones, such as moving up ceremonies and class picnics. These will require some adjustments from previous years, which will be determined and communicated as we approach the end of the year (for instance, outdoor moving-up ceremonies with a limited number of guests; socially distant class picnics), and will follow State and local health department guidelines and restrictions.

*When NPS is open for in-person instruction:

My child has to quarantine. Can they stream into class?

For students attending in person classes, access to virtual instruction is for absences over an extended period of time due to quarantining or an extenuating circumstance. In this case, access to virtual instruction will consist of a combination of streaming, completion of Google Classroom activities, and teacher check-in(s).

My child is sick. Can they stream into the class?

No, if your child is home sick for a few days they will be considered to have an excused absence due to illness. Students are encouraged to rest.

*Please note, access to virtual instruction for in-person students needs to be approved by the principal and/or nurse. Please reach out to me with any additional questions at christopher.miller@msdk12.net

Please continue to follow the precise stipulations of the Daily Student Screening or COVID/Attendance Screener for staff. Above all, individuals should not report to school if they exhibit symptoms (which include fever of 100 degrees F or higher WITHOUT fever-reducing medicine), or if any member of the household is awaiting test results or has been instructed to get a COVID-19 test. Thank you for your ongoing vigilance and partnership.

Anyone who returns to NJ from travel outside our immediate region (CT, DE, NY, PA) must quarantine. Families are reminded to contact the school nurse (marybeth.supple@msdk12.net) upon return from travel for instructions and quarantine dates. We appreciate your cooperation and open communication regarding travel and quarantine so that we can ensure a safe environment for our students and staff.

Grab & Go meals will be available for all students, who wish to receive them. The Federal Department of Agriculture has extended waivers that will allow MSD to serve ALL students meals for FREE through June 2021.

REMINDER: Students who are not attending school in person can pick up free breakfast and lunch at Morristown High School (at the rear circle by the flagpole off of Atno Avenue) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There will be two service times, from 8:00 am to 9:00 am and again from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

More information about School Breakfast & Lunch is available on the MSD Forward homepage under "Back to School Resources for Families."

• If there are changes in your child's dismissal plans (e.g. you are going to pick them up that day, instead of taking the bus), please use the attached form or call the main office.
• For written communication between you and your child's teacher, please utilize Class Dojo and/or e-mail, rather than hand-written letters (when possible).

• April 16th: Kinobe Virtual Concert
• April 19th to May 7th: Parent Teacher Conferences
• April 19th: 4th Marking Period Begins
• May 14th: Number Drummer Virtual Assembly