December 2023

I am so excited for the upcoming weeks! The holiday season is such a wonderful time of year. In our schools, we get to share so many wonderful activities: the BHS Drama, concerts that highlight our students' talents, the pep rally to welcome in the winter season, class parties, and so much more. While the colder weather might keep us inside more, the warmth of the season makes up for missing the summer sun. I hope that you get to spend time at one or more of our events this month - I am certain that you are going to be impressed with our students and staff!

I, once again, am asking for assistance when it comes to Memorial Field. In this newsletter, and on my social media this week, you will see that we are proud to have installed the new scoreboard. However, the installation was delayed due to acts of vandalism and theft. We arrived to the district one morning prior to the installation to find that the new electric and fiber cables were snapped off the fencing and ruined. Additionally, the trench which carried those lines to the area for the scoreboard had been covered with plywood and held down with weighted anchors - these items were stolen from our property. In addition, we have had to hire a company to remove chewing gum and sunflower seeds from the new turf. It took us many years to be able to give our town this area - to provide our students with a complex that they could be proud of and help our District shine. I have had to write prior due to incidents at this complex. As I have shared prior, if we find that these behaviors continue, we will have to make the decision to limit access. There is signage clearly posted that indicates that food, gum, and drinks are not permitted on the turf; we have cameras that record the acts of individuals to help us monitor the area - but, unfortunately, we are still experiencing negative acts. You can assist - if you see someone doing something that you know they should not, please remind them that they need to stop. If you do not feel comfortable doing this - email the District to inform them of what is happening and by whom so that we may address it. The last thing we would want to do is to limit access to this, as we take pride in it being a central part of our town.

As we approach the holidays, I wish each of you joy and happiness. I hope that you all get many opportunities to connect with loved ones and friends. I hope that you all get to celebrate the true meaning of this time of year and remember that the greatest gifts we have are the ones we love and get to spend time with.

Be Well

Dr. J.

We are excited to welcome Mrs. Jackie Molina to the Butler School District. Mrs. Molina joins the Bulldog Family as the new Assistant Principal at Richard Butler Middle School. In addition, Mrs. Molina will be working as the Supervisor of Counseling, Intervention, and Assessment for the District.

Mrs. Molina holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Ramapo College, Master’s of School Counseling from William Paterson University, and a Bachelor’s in Spanish Education from Montclair State University. Previously, she served as a Teacher of Spanish in West Milford and is joining us from her most recent position as a School Counselor in Wayne Township Schools. Mrs. Molina has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in her previous roles in education, and she has a proven track record of fostering student success, creating a collaborative and inclusive school culture, and working closely with students, staff, and families to ensure positive learning experiences. Mrs. Molina will play a key role in supporting our educational mission, ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for our students, and collaborating with our dedicated team of educators.

I am certain that she and Mrs. Papa will be a dynamic team, working to continue to enhance Richard Butler Middle School in so many ways!

We are proud to share that one of the final touches has been completed at Memorial Field. This week, we completed the installation of the new scoreboard, which will allow each sport to have a scoreboard that is designed specifically for their sport, will allow us to showcase items on the screen during graduation and ceremonies, and much, much more! Only one more step to complete - an upgrade to the soundsystem.

We continue to work through the process of planning for our successful referendum project. We have done a number of things, including:

• We have begun to interview construction management companies to assist us with the bid process and construction of the high school addition, as well as the vestibules at the elementary and middle schools. We will be working to accept one of the proposals in the coming weeks, and, once accepted, that company will help us as we work through the planning of those construction projects.
• We had a successful bond sale this past week, allowing us to ensure that the bonding is complete so that we may progress forward with the planning that was aforementioned. Through the process, we had to do presentations to demonstrate the financial and leadership stability of our District - as a result, we received a AA credit rating showing potential investors that our bonds are a good investment. Due to this, the bond sale, in combination with our firm stability, has resulted in a lower tax increase per household. The average tax impact was anticipated at $106 per year for the average assessed home; with our ratings and successful sale, this will be approximately $70 per year for the average assessed home. We are proud of how we have been able to stabilize the budget and the leadership team, and that work has proven beneficial for our learning community in many ways.
• We have had walkthroughs with our architect and engineer to finalize the plans for the high school addition. It is our hope that those plans will be done by February, as our goal is to start construction this summer.

November was a very exciting month for the Aaron Decker students and staff:

• Thank you to the Butler Police Department for coming to our monthly meeting and reading a story to the whole school!

ADS students and families participated in a food drive for Thanksgiving. Donations were made to a local food pantry.

Island of Thanks - We would like to thank everyone who participated in Aaron Decker School's "Island of Thanks" in honor of our Veterans. With the contributions that we received, we will be able to make a donation to Wreaths Across America, the Butler VFW, and other charitable drives. Please click on the link to see many of our Veterans connected to the Aaron Decker School Community. 2023 ADS Veterans Day

ADS Governor’s Educator of the Year and Educational Service Professional of the Year Recipients

Each year the New Jersey Department of Education celebrates educators and educational specialists throughout the state with the Governor’s Educator of the Year Awards and Educational Service Professional of the Year Awards.

This year we are proud to announce that the following teachers are the recipients of this prestigious award:

The Governor’s Educator of the Year recipient is: Mr. Dan Clark

The Educational Service Professional of the Year recipient is: Mrs. Kaitlyn Snyder.

Congratulations to both teachers!! Mr. Clark and Mrs. Snyder will be honored at the January Board of Education meeting at Butler High School.

ADS Bulldog of the Month

Congratulations to Mrs. Rachel Guarino for being named ADS Bulldog of the Month! Mrs. Guarino has made a significant and positive impact on her second grade students through her dedication to fostering a nurturing and inclusive classroom environment. Her ability to adapt to diverse learning styles and needs, as well as finding engaging ways to connect with students, speaks to her commitment to providing her students with a positive classroom experience. Mrs. Guarino is also recognized for her collaboration with colleagues and contributions to the school community which have helped play a role in creating a positive school culture at ADS. Once again, congratulations to Mrs. Guarino!

Some events to look forward to in December:

• Hour of Code with BHS students - December 7

• Grade 1 Winter Concert - December 8

• PTA Cookies with Santa - December 8

• Parent/ Teacher Conferences - December 13, 14, 15

• ADS Holiday Class Parties - December 22, 2023

• Early Dismissal - Friday, December 22, 2023

• Winter Break - December 25, 2023 - January 1, 2024

We have several ways for you to stay connected to ADS. Follow us on Twitter at @ADS_Bulldogs and Instagram at @ads_bulldogs for news, announcements, and celebrations. A weekly update will be sent out for upcoming events and important information through Blackboard Communications. As always, thank you for your continued support!

As we approach the end of another exciting year at Richard Butler Middle School, we are delighted to share the latest news and happenings in our building. We look forward to a month filled with festive spirit, academic achievements, and community engagement. This year, there is an early dismissal at 12:30pm on Friday, December 22, Winter Break is December 26-30, and we return to school on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. We wish all of our RBS families a safe and healthy holiday season!

The first trimester is coming to an end on December 6, and Parent-Teacher Conferences are December 13-15. Please consider scheduling a conference with your child’s teachers as these are extremely beneficial meetings for our families; the deadline to schedule a conference is December 9, and more information can be found here. Trimester 1 report cards will be available in the Genesis Parent Portal on December 13, 2023. If you have any questions regarding your child’s progress, please reach out to the grade level team or related arts teachers.

We will continue with our highly competitive Winter Door Decorating contest during homeroom and academic assistance. The homeroom with the best door wins a special prize! Additionally, our holiday “Caught Being Kind” Challenge is underway. Students are working toward earning a classwide holiday-themed reward as staff notice and recognize acts of kindness. Also, if you’d like to have your own December Kindness Challenge from home, please see the calendar below for more information.

Please join us in congratulating Teacher of Social Studies Mr. Nicholas Branch on being named the Bulldog of the Month for November here at Richard Butler Middle School! Mr. Branch is in his third year at RBS. Mr. Branch takes his role teaching civics very seriously as he facilitates rich discussions and innovative activities that empower our students to become critical thinkers. Mr. Branch is extremely dedicated to his students as he is the Assistant Marching Band Director, Gaming Club Advisor, "Voice of Butler" Announcer, and even helps students build gaming computers. Congratulations, Mr. Branch!

Students in grades 5-8 will participate in the upcoming “The Hour of Code,” which is a national event specifically designed as an introduction to computer science and coding skills. During the month of December, we will also be conducting class spelling bees and a school-wide contest in preparation for the Scripps County Spelling Bee this spring. We will continue to offer wellness programs through the NJ Department of Health and Morris County Prevention is Key throughout the beginning of the new year during health classes.

We are so proud of our music program at Richard Butler Middle School! The RBS Winter Music Concert is Tuesday, December 5, and we are very excited to experience our student performances. Special thanks to Ms. Lowndes, Ms. Bocchino, Dr. Nishimura, RBS staff chaperones, & our families for all of the support. We are always accepting students in our Band and Grade 8 Choir, so if your child is interested, be sure to contact us.

Please continue to stay connected with us through social media. Follow us on Twitter at @RBS_Bulldogs, Facebook at Richard Butler Middle School, and Instagram at @RBS_Bulldogs for news, announcements, and celebrations. The community newsletter, The RBS Review, is updated frequently as well. Please feel free to reach out to me at (973) 492-2079 or mpapa@butlerboe.org.

As we embrace the festive spirit of December, I am delighted to extend warm greetings to each of you in this month's newsletter. As winter blankets our surroundings and the year draws to a close, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the achievements, growth, and memorable moments that our students have experienced throughout the semester. The halls of our school are filled with the energy of anticipation as we approach the holiday season, and we are excited to share the latest updates, highlights, and upcoming events with you. In the spirit of unity and celebration, let us come together to appreciate the achievements of our students and the collaborative efforts that make our school community truly special. We look forward to our annual concert, drama and pep rally later this month.

Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season!

A big shoutout to BHS English teacher and National Honors Society Advisor Beth Nash and her students for their efforts in the annual food drive. Over 60 families were able to receive a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. NHS was able to raise over 1200 dollars to help support our community. The additional food was donated to the food pantry at United Methodist Church. Thank you, NHS!

Congratulations to our BHS November Bulldog of the Month recipient, Mrs, Lori Hunt. Mrs. Hunt teaches science at Butler High School and cares deeply about all of her students and wants each of them to feel comfortable, welcomed and cared about in her classroom. She encourages students to do their best work and grow as individuals regardless of their fears, needs, or the hurdles they may face in life. She always puts her students' needs first! She works very hard putting in 110% into everything she does. She wants it to be perfect for her students. She inspires others to give their best as well. She directly supports other teachers in the classroom in a positive way. She is a team player who certainly takes on her role as "in class support teacher." She puts in all the extra hours to help her students and runs a club as well. She inspires staff and students to be the best they can be. Thank you and congratulations Mrs. Hunt for all you do for our students!

Congratulations to our BHS First Marking Period Top Dawgs. (Students of the marking period) Math - Sabrina Chen, Science - Sebastian Rataj, Social Studies - Kacie Paduch, World Languages - Samantha Santiago, Language Arts Genesis Ramirez- ELL- Jose Carbajal, Art - Madeline Durren, Music - Julia Fuzy, Foods - Sophia Ferreira, Physical Education - Andrew Kaynak, Business - Naomi Espinoza, Shared Time - Ava Fletcher

Congratulations to our Leaders of the Pack for Resilience for the 1st Marking Period. Our Leaders of the Pack was developed by our Culture and Climate Committee which wanted to identify our students who model our district's Portrait of a Graduate.

• Senior- Alexis Nogrady
• Junior- Andrew Benenato
• Sophomore- Stacey Rengifo
• Freshman- Gary Umul Lopez

Mr. Honig and Computer Science students will travel down to ADS on Thursday, December 7th, for an “Hour of Code” with the Third and Fourth-grade students. High School students will work with the elementary students in coding exercises. It’s a great chance for students to engage in learning across the grade levels; and the little kids LOVE having the High School students visit them!

The BHS Winter Concert is on December 6, 2023, at 7:00 pm in the auditorium. Please feel free to join us for some great music and celebrate the talents of our students and staff.

Congratulations to Paige Caputo and Madeline Durren for being selected as Butler High School’s 2023 - 24 HOBY Leadership Award recipients.

Butler’s DECA program took a trip to Metlife Stadium for Sports Business day.

• The BHS Interact Club is once again supporting the Morris County Toys for Tots Campaign. The Interact club with the help of the entire Butler community has set a goal to collect 100 toys!

They can be dropped off at Ms. McNear’s classroom #338 in the Arts Building anytime until December 8th! These donated gifts will be hand-delivered Saturday, December 9th directly to "Operation Toy Train", right here in downtown Butler at around 2 pm for anyone who would like to join the club for this community service activity!

Check out last year’s photo below, it was a really nice event!

BHS DRAMA DEPT. ANNOUNCEMENT: The FALL PLAY The Outsiders is coming up December 15th and 16th 2023 at 7pm in the auditorium. Tickets are sold online at showtix4u.com and at the door. $15 for adults and $10 for students. Actors have been rehearsing since September and have done a wonderful job with Miss Daniels, bringing this classic story to the stage!

• Please consider donating to our BHS Hall of Honor fund. Every two years we honor 6-8 Butler High School outstanding alumni, faculty, administrators and community members who meet the selection criteria established by the committee. Please use the link below so help support this amazing ceremony.

2024BHSHallofHonorFundraiser

DECEMBER EVENTS:

• December 2 - SAT @ BHS @7:30AM

• December 5 - 16 NHS Candy Gram Fundraiser

• December 6 - BHS Winter Concert @ 7:00 PM

• December 7 - BHS Winter Concert Snow Date 7:00 PM

• December 7 - ADS Hour of Code with BHS students? **(its a day 2)

• December 11 - SEPAG 6 pm

• December 15 & 16 - BHS Fall Drama Play: The Outsiders

• December 18 & 19 - BHS Spring Musical Auditions

• December 18 - 22 - BHS Spirit Week

• December 22 - BHS Winter Pep Rally

• December 22 - ½ Day

• December 25 - December 31 Winter Break

• December 27 and 28 BHS Holiday Basketball Tournament