Normandy Park School

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

Monday (12/13) is a B Day.

Last week was a busy week. We had parent-teacher conferences, the Scholastic Book Fair, and the Share the Magic Raffle!

Thank you to our parents and teachers for a successful parent teacher conferences. We truly appreciate and value the home and school partnership.

This week, students will record the virtual concert on Tuesday, December 14th. Students are invited to dress up in concert attire, winter/holiday gear, and/or school colors. The recording will be shared with NPS families on December 22nd.

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.

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.

La Esquina Latina Con Mrs. Esteves

Thank you to our HSA for running such a fun and successful event!

Updates on how to collect prizes will go out this week to all our winners. Thank you to all who participated and contributed.

Thank you to Katie Martinez for coordinating such a successful bookfair! Thank you to all our parent volunteers for helping out throughout the week. We couldn't of done it without you!

Recording on December 14th

In a year where everything is just a little different, our Winter Concert will be no exception! Students have been practicing two songs per unit level.

On Tuesday December 14th, we will be recording these songs to create a concert video that will be sent to Normandy Park families on December 22nd

On December 14th, students are invited to dress up in concert attire, winter/holiday gear, and/or school colors. The recording will be shared with NPS families.

En un año en el que todo es un poco diferente, ¡nuestro Concierto de Invierno no será una excepción! Los estudiantes han estado practicando dos canciones por nivel de unidad.

El martes 14 de diciembre, día "C", grabaremos estas canciones para crear un video de concierto que será enviado a las familias de Normandy Park el 22 de diciembre

El 14 de diciembre, los estudiantes están invitados a vestirse con ropa de concierto, ropa de invierno / vacaciones, y / o los colores de la escuela.

La grabación será compartida con las familias de NPS. Si desea que su hijo NO participe en la grabación, por favor envíeme un correo electrónico antes del 12 de diciembre.

christopher.miller@msdk12.net

As communicated in the beginning of the school year, the Morris School District (K-5) is moving to trimester reporting periods. The first trimester ends on Decebmer 14th.

The move to trimester reporting is intended to strengthen the home/school connection in the following ways:

• Feedback will be provided earlier than in past school years

• Formal reporting between school and home will be more frequent

• Clear information on the progression of NJ Student Learning Standards will be provided

For additional information please click here.

Report Cards for the first trimester will be sent home on December 23rd, 2021. I will be hosting a virtual information session for parents to learn about our Standards Based Report Card on December 16th at 6:30pm. If you would like to attend, please fill out the attached form.

Quarantined students may use their Chromebook to view the in-person classroom via Google Meet and will have access to assignments via Google Classroom (K-5) or Canvas (6-12). Additional support will be provided to elementary students and others who require it. PreK students will have periodic check-ins, but most of their learning will take place off-line. Virtual learning will be arranged within two school days (may be provided earlier if possible) of the onset of quarantine. This time frame is necessary for information to be distributed to all the necessary teachers and staff, and then for the teachers to set up Google Meet links and coordinate academic support. However, students can access their Google Classroom or Canvas accounts to check for assignments at any time.

Last week, Normandy Park School participated in the international event “The Hour of Code." We had computer science students from Farleigh Dickinson University join us to help facilitate coding activities for our students!

The Hour of Code is an one-hour introduction to computer science The Hour of Code began as a one-hour coding challenge to give students a fun first introduction to computer science and has become a global learning event, celebration, and awareness event. HourOfCode.com offers hundreds of one-hour activities in over 48 languages for kindergarten and up. Activities require no experience and can be run on browsers, tablets, and smartphones - some don’t require any computer at all.

Why computer science? Computer science is foundational Computer science is changing every industry on the planet. Every 21st-century student should have the opportunity to learn how to create technology. Computer science concepts also help nurture creativity and problem-solving skills to prepare students for any future career. Economic opportunity for all Computing occupations are the fastest-growing, best paying, and now the largest sector of all new wages in the US. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. Students also love it! Recent surveys show that among classes students “like a lot,” computer science and engineering rank near the top—only performing arts, art, and design are higher.

Code.org’s own activities feature Minecraft, Star Wars, Disney’s Frozen, Angry Birds, and Plants vs. Zombies. An annual global event The Hour of Code takes place every year during Computer Science Education Week, the first week in December.

Please email Mrs. Gilson at Wendy.Gilson@msdk12.net if you have any questions. Happy Coding!

Reminder:

While we welcome the opportunity to partner with volunteers, the requirements to ensure health and safety of students, staff and families must be followed throughout the school day. This means that volunteering may look differently this year.

We are so grateful for your partnership and are open to discussions about volunteering and creative ways to bring the value of volunteers into our school even during these challenging times. Please review the following volunteer guidelines and reach out to your HSA President and/or school principal if you have any questions.

For additional information, please click here.

ATTENTION FAMILIES! Have you completed the Superintendent Search Survey yet? Our Board of Education wants to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey ... your voice matters and will help guide the Board in finding a superintendent who meets the needs of all of our school community stakeholders. We appreciate your time and feedback!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY IN ENGLISH

¡ATENCIÓN FAMILIAS! ¿Ha completado ya la encuesta de búsqueda del superintendente? ¡Nuestra Junta de Educación quiere saber de usted! Por favor, complete esta breve encuesta ... su voz es importante y ayudará a guiar a la Junta a encontrar un superintendente que satisfaga las necesidades de todas las partes interesadas de nuestra comunidad escolar. ¡Apreciamos su tiempo y comentarios!

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA LA ENCUESTA EN ESPAÑOL

Thanks to the NPS community, the Share the Magic Raffle was a tremendous success! The prizes were announced via zoom on Friday night. To review the winners and details on how to pick up your prizes, please read the HSA newsletter that will be released on Monday, December 13. (If you don't get the newsletter, please reach into cromiej2@gmail.com to find out how to get access)

The HSA would like to extend their gratitude to the NPS families, staff and local businesses that provided their support in making our "Share the Magic" Raffle a great success. Through this fundraising effort, NPS earned over $7,000 to put towards cultural arts events and extracurricular activities. All students were provided an opportunity to participate, and the event concluded with a live stream of the drawing last Friday.

Additionally, the HSA would like to call out the following NPS staff who contributed priceless experiential opportunities including: Mrs. Echevarria, Mrs. Gilson, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Richardson, Mr. Russell, Mrs. Schochet, Mrs. Schwam, Mrs. Supple, Mrs. Tulli, Mrs. Vasquez and Officer Doug.

The following businesses graciously donated directly to our school: Behind the Plates Charcuterie, Behind the Scenes Home Services, Davis Baseball Training Academy, Ellie Lou Ceramics, The Godfather of Morristown, Good Bottle Refill Shop, J. Scott Wellness, Jo Clean, Kristin C. Photography, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Mangiano Pizza Restaurant, Mennen Arena, Morristown Cake Lady, Morristown Game Vault, NY Red Bulls, Pomodoro, SmartWorld Coffee, South Street Creamery, 23 South Boutique and Universal Music Group. Thank you!!

REGISTER FOR NPS VIRTUAL BINGO NIGHT

Join us for an online game of Bingo. We will play five rounds of bingo with special guest caller Mr Miller! FUN prizes to be won! Families will receive a Zoom link as well as a game card which can be printed or used online!

When: December 15, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Online

Register by completing the below Google Form by December 14, 2021. Limited spots available.

https://forms.gle/2nmSws4TuNQMntCJ9

Your kids had so much fun at the Book Fair last week and are hopefully enjoying some of their favorite new books. Our Online Book Fair can also be shopped until December 19th. ALL of the profits from our sales translate into Scholastic Dollars that can be used to buy birthday books, library books, math manipulatives, STEM kits and more!

Reach out to Katie Martinez (martinez.katie.l@gmail.com) with any questions! Thank you so much for supporting the Book Fair!

We are running the NPS Spirit Store a little differently this year. This year the School Store is on RedBubble.com and you'll be able to order whenever you want! Head on over to NPS School Store to check out all of our new designs and get your hands on the coolest of NPS Fashion!

Check out the HSA school store. Now open!

Thank you all for your generous contributions! We truly appreciate the support of the NPS community!

One child accuses the other of pushing them. Let’s call the adult, Cheryl and the children Stephanie and Fern (after me and my now adult children). The conversation often goes something like this:

Cheryl: Did you push Fern?

Stephanie: No, Fern pushed me first.

Fern: I did not.

Stephanie: You did too.

Fern: Did not.

Stephanie: Did too.

Sound familiar? I can count on one hand the number of times children have admitted right away to making a mistake when it comes to hurting others. Why is it so hard to admit. Think about it from an adult point of view. When you make a mistake at work or at home, what is your first reaction? Does your answer change if you found the mistake or if someone points it out to you? Admitting to the truth can be hard. Often we are embarrassed or afraid of the consequences of admitting our mistake. We often want to “save face”. Sometimes we deny, lie, or deflect. So, if we have trouble as adults, how do we help our children. One thing I have found helpful is to ask the simple question “Is it possible…..”? This allows the child to think about their actions in a non-accusatory manner.

Cheryl: Stephanie, is it possible you pushed Fern? (and then pause to give time to think). Most of the time children will say “yes” and then the learning can begin.

Cheryl: Since you said it was possible, how do you think Fern might have felt being pushed.

Stephanie: Bad, mad, sad

Cheryl: (confirm the feeling): Fern: how did you feel?

Fern: Mad

Cheryl: Stephanie, now that you heard Fern was mad what do you think needs to happen next?

And then you can talk about consequences and teach the apology. More on that next time.

Do you have a topic you would like to see addressed here in the Counselor Corner? If so please email me at cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

Cheryl L. Cohen, MSW

School Counselor

973-889-7960 x6115

cheryl.cohen@msdk12.net

REMINDER:

Students will be having snack time during the school day, with all necessary safety measures in place. Please send your child in with a healthy snack.

Breakfast and lunch will be served daily at school. All students will have access to school provided breakfast and lunch (if they choose to receive it).

As students enter the building, they will be able to grab-and-go breakfast if they choose to.

Click here for the MSD December breakfast menu.

For lunch, students will be asked at the beginning of the day if they would like to order (providing their choice of either the hot/cold option). Teachers will present the menu choices for the day.

Click here for the MSD December lunch menu.

Where will students eat lunch?

Students will eat lunch at 6 ft apart (seats facing the same direction). We will utilize classrooms, cafeteria, and lab to accommodate all students at 6ft apart.

Arrival Procedures: Students are permitted into the building at 8:40 a.m. Students bussed to school will be dropped off in the front of the building.

Drop Offs: Students being dropped off in the morning may enter through the back doors. Please use the drop-off/pick-up line in the back of the building. There is no supervision before 8:40, and children who arrive before that time, will not be permitted to enter the building. A staff member will be at the door between 8:40 and 8:55 a.m. to welcome students. Any student arriving after 8:55 must enter the front of the building and report to the nurse’s office with a parent or guardian to obtain a late pass.

Dismissal Procedures: Dismissal begins at the conclusion of our last period, 3:05 p.m.

All students are encouraged to ride the bus to and from school.

At dismissal, students will be dismissed from the back of the building. When picking up your child, please use the pick-up line. Stay in your vehicle. Teachers will accompany your child to your car.

Pick-Up During the Day:

If a situation arises that requires you to pick your child up during the school day, please use the attached form or call the main office. Students being picked up early are asked to be picked up before 3 p.m. Before leaving, you must sign your child out in the notebook provided in the office. Unless an emergency arises, please refrain from calling the office after 1:30 to make changes to your child’s dismissal.

• 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).

• December 23rd: Report Cards sent home

• Parent Handbook
  
• Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
• School Breakfast and Lunch Information
• Sunset and Sunrise