Week of January 22nd
Monday, January 22nd is a B Day.
January 24th, the Principal for the Day winner, Mia Rose, will claim her prize. She has already proclaimed the 24th to be pajama day for all students and staff! In addition, she has stated that all classes should have an extra period of recess/free time. We are looking forward to see what else Principal Mia Rose has in store for NPS!
This week, students (K-5) will be continue to take the i-Ready diagnostic assessment (additional information below).
MPAC Cultural Arts Residency
Thanks to support from the HSA and the MEF, we are proud to present a cultural arts residency program from the Mayo Performing Arts Center, in which our students will learn about and perform musical theater!
Over the past 2 weeks, students have begun practice and met their instructors. Students enthusiastically engaged in acting exercises. In addition, they were introduced to a song that all classes will perform.
Throughout residency sessions, instructors will focus on will focus on:
- Musical theater background and analysis – Students will be given material from Broadway musicals. They will learn about the composer/lyricist, artistic team, cast, and the performance history of the musical. They will also get a broad overview of general musical theater history.
- Basic acting skills – Through the use of improvisation and theatre games, the students will be introduced to basic acting technique, stage presence and character development.
- Movement – Through the use of basic theater dance combinations and warm-up routines, the students will gain basic movement vocabulary and a better control of body movement.
- Vocal technique – Students will work on breath control, diction, and placement while performing class song selections and warm-up exercises.
- Song performance and analysis – Students will learn to interpret and express the lyrics of a song.
Residency will conclude the first week of March with a grade/unit level performance for parents. Invitation to come shortly with specific times for child(ren).
Dates:
Grade Units 2/3: FINAL PERFORMANCE Tuesday March 5th
Grade Units K/1: FINAL PERFORMANCE Wednesday March 6th
Grade Units 4/5: FINAL PERFORMANCE Thursday March 7th
Morris Museum MSD Family Night
The event has been rescheduled from January 16th (due to weather) and now will be held on January 23rd.
Date: January 23, 2024
Time: 5:30 to 7pm (latest arrival @ 6:30pm)
Please RSVP as soon as possible by completing the linked Google Form:
https://forms.gle/9z8Nf67DKjVA93ia9
*RSVP will close once capacity for the event has been reached.
iReady Diagnostic- This Week!
We will begin administering the i-Ready® Diagnostic assessment during the week of January 16th. i-Ready Diagnostic helps teachers to effectively assess their students and then provide individualized instruction based on each student’s unique needs. i-Ready Diagnostic assesses the following skill areas:
Reading
• Phonological Awareness
• Phonics
• High-Frequency Words
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
Math
• Number and Operations
• Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
• Measurement and Data
• Geometry
i-Ready Diagnostic begins by giving students an adaptive assessment in reading and math. An adaptive assessment is a test that automatically adjusts the difficulty of the questions according to each student’s performance in order to determine his or her abilities in reading or math. i-Ready is a very different kind of test that presents students with questions that can be both too easy and too hard. It is designed to do this until the assessment finds exactly the level at which the student is performing. Therefore, your child will certainly see some items above his or her level. Your child will be encouraged to independently complete the test to the best of his or her ability, and know that it is okay to get questions wrong.
Each time a student gets an item incorrect, he or she will be presented with a simpler question until the diagnostic finds the grade level at which the student is performing. The assessment efficiently assesses students across multiple grade levels, allowing for identification of root causes of students’ struggles or for identification of areas where a student is ready for further challenge. This information will then provide the teacher with a “road map” to instructional remediation.
Once your child completes the test, he or she will be assigned online instruction to support his or her progress in mastering each skill. i-Ready Diagnostic supports the teachers and administrators at your child’s school. The program provides a series of comprehensive reports designed to make classroom instruction more effective. These reports include data about student performance as well as detailed teaching suggestions. They help educators make informed decisions about the instruction that is right for your child.
Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or your child’s teacher. For more information on i-Ready Diagnostic, please visit the Morris School District website: www.morrisschooldistrict.org
Spelling Bee Students
Three NPS 5th Graders (Leo E., Jason B., and Libby J.) competed in the NJCGTP Spelling Bee. They were accompanied by other 3-5 MSD schools (each MSD school had 3 representatives). There were over 82 participants.
A huge shout out to Leo, Jason, and Libby for their courage, perseverance, and hard work!
HSA Toolkit
Welcome to the New Year! I hope everyone is feeling restful and recharged!
This past December we had a community meeting and presented “community links”. Every staff member and students were invited to write what they were grateful for on a piece of construction paper. The gratitude papers were linked together and are now being displayed in the library. In addition to being grateful for family and friends, some wrote “ the earth”, “my cat/dog”, “kindness”.
Some of you might remember this message from last year but often messages are worth repeating and this is no exception. This month’s Counselor Corner is all about taking care of ourselves as adults. With the start of the new year often comes the pressure of New Year’s resolutions. Even if you don’t make formal resolutions, the new year often starts with statements like: “This year I will _________ (lose weight, get organized, save money, etc). What is the statement you have said to yourself? Be honest. While those can be good goals, I want you to take a moment and think about how much you do throughout the day: There are financial, emotional and social responsibilities. There are also the tasks of laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. Now try setting up a different goal for yourself like, “this year I’m going to be kinder to myself and take better care of myself”.
A simple way to do this is practicing Mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being aware of your surroundings without judgment; taking the time to really breathe and reflect on what is important in life.
Here are some of the many benefits of mindfulness as cited by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of Berkeley California:
Mindfulness is good for our bodies: A seminal study found that, after just eight weeks of training, practicing mindfulness meditation boosts our immune system’s ability to fight off illness.
Mindfulness is good for our minds: Several studies have found that mindfulness increases positive emotions while reducing negative emotions and stress. Indeed, at least one study suggests it may be as good as antidepressants in fighting depression and preventing relapse.
Mindfulness changes our brains: Research has found that it increases density of gray matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.
Mindfulness helps us focus: Studies suggest that mindfulness helps us tune out distractions and improves our memory and attention skills.
I often hear: " I have no time in my day to sit around and do any of this." Here’s the beauty about mindfulness. It can be done anytime and many of the activities can be done in just 10 minutes.
There are plenty of free apps available for iOS or android. Here is a list of some of them, including: Headspace, Smiling Mind,insight timer, calm, and Healthyminds. Many have free versions or a trial period. You’ll need to try them to see which one’s right for you. Your children have also been learning a variety of breathing techniques in class, such as belly breathing, rainbow breath and box breathing. Ask them to show you and make it a family event. Who knows, you might find yourself a happier, healthier, and more relaxed you!
If you do want to set some goals for yourself and your child(ren), here is a great idea from The Big Life Journal!
If you need some additional information or support, please reach out to me and I'll be happy to assist. Wishing you and the rest of our Normandy Park Families, a happy and healthy 2024!
973-889-7960
Stay Awesome!
Cheryl
Normandy Park’s “Souper Bowl” Food Drive!
Please join the Normandy Park Community once again in supporting the Interfaith Food pantry with our annual SOUPER Bowl food raiser. Although the Superbowl is not until February 11th we wanted to give you time to collect your donations. The food drive will start on Monday February 5th and end on Friday,February 9th. During that week, bins will be placed in the school for items to be donated. Students can place the food in a bin that has the logo of the team they hope will win. We tally the amount of food on each team and announce the winner. The real winner is our community who greatly benefits from Normandy Park’s generosity! Look for more information in the coming weeks.
Click here for more information and a list of some of the many items our community needs.
Breakfast and Lunch
Click here for Breakfast and Lunch Menus.
For additional information on MSD Breakfast and Lunch, please click here to visit the district's website.
Students can bring and/or purchase lunch. Free and reduced meals are provided to families who qualify for support.
Students who qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch qualify for free/reduced breakfast as well. Applications are available through PaySchools. Click the link to create your PaySchool account (ENG or ESP) Once you create your account, the Free & Reduced Application will be available complete online. Please note that you do not have to print out the application if you complete it online; it will be electronically sent to the Board Office once completed. You may also complete an application using a computer in the main office of your child's school or request a paper application.
If you do not qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, please follow these procedures for purchasing school breakfast or lunch:
- Backpack an envelope with your child's name on it, marked "Food Services.
- Include your child's name in the memo line of your check.
- You may prepay for multiple breakfasts or lunches with one check or lump sum of money, which will then be deposited onto your child's food services account.
- Payment may also be made online ( (ENG or ESP); a small fee will be charged with each transaction. This is a secure and convenient way to make payments and keep your account up to date.
- Payment may be made in cash or check (payable to "Morris School District"
MEAL PRICING:
***Meal Prices for School Year 2023-2024***
Elementary Breakfast
$1.50
Elementary Lunch
$3.00
Reduced Price Breakfast
$0.00
Reduced Price Lunch
$0.00
Milk
$0.75
Checks are made payable to "Morris School District".
Dismissal Changes
