Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our staff just finished reading 10 Mindful Minutes  and 10 Mindful Minutes Journal by Goldie Hawn! The books explore mindfulness techniques, which can be utilized by parents as they support their children’s healthy socio-emotional development. Chapters focus on identifying strategies, which can help students better understand and cope with common emotions ranging from optimism to fear. We found the information could be applied both in and outside the classroom. Our teachers highly recommend this book to all parents!

A special thank you to all parents and students who have made a concerted effort to arrive on time each morning! Please take note of our start time, which is 8:05. If you utilize the drop-off line, please plan on reaching the parking lot no later than 7:50. If you arrive anytime between 7:35-7:50 you will be on your way in less than a few minutes and this will guarantee that your child will definitely be in class and ready to learn on time! Please be reminded that district policy states that three lates/tardies will be counted as one absence.

Our students in third, fourth and fifth grade will be taking the PARCC test over the next few weeks. The children are well prepared and we approach these testing weeks with a calm and positive attitude. We will infuse student-centered, activity-based lessons into PARCC afternoons, and the children will not have homework! Please make sure they get a good night’s rest and have a healthy breakfast as always.

Our second grade students just completed a cross-curricular study of the Iditarod! This work was integrated into their recent literacy research focused on the polar lands and also supported the children's interest in service animals. The unit was highly engaging and integrated all subject areas. Basic research was utilized to learn the history of the Iditarod and examine the role of specific mushers as well as their teams. Students chose a musher to research and wrote short biographies.  The children utilized map skills and calculated distances traveled by using a specialized GPS tracking system. Through the use of a webcam they were able to see the teams arrive at their various destinations! The classes compared the weather and temperature in Livingston to that in Nome, Alaska and the children utilized Google Forms to create graphs to depict this information. Each child examined his/her data to draw conclusions about the events. The majority of literacy objectives focused on nonfiction reading and writing. Children selected polar animals to research as part of their non-fiction writing unit and compared nonfictional and fictionalized versions of the story of Balto. They also pretended to be dogs and wrote persuasive essays as to why they should be chosen to lead the team utilizing specific information gleaned from their research. Lastly, the children learned of the Red Lantern award, which is awarded to the last team which finishes the race. This award is highly valued as it honors the grit, determination and perseverance demonstrated by the team –which fits in beautifully with our last Hero Group lesson!

Our second grades were also thrilled to welcome Harrison parent Rebecca Konstandt late in March.  Mrs. Konstandt's son, fourth grader Scott, was also present.  But all eyes were on Flicka, a puppy that is a temporary yet significant member of the Konstandt family. In a truly selfless act, the Konstandts, after training Flicka, will say goodbye to her within the next year, as she "graduates" into the formal program at the Seeing Eye.  From there, she will be assigned a person to assist.  It was love at first sight for the students as they watched Flicka demonstrate all that she has learned so far.  A special thank you is extended to Mrs. Konstandt for modeling community outreach and kindness through her family's commitment to this important program and sharing it. Click here to view photos. 

Our fifth  grade students participated in the Mars Colonization project as part of their study of the solar system. Working in groups, the children designed structures that would support life on the red planet, and be able to overcome the challenges of the environment, including the lack of oxygen, energy, water and food. After researching and posing a variety of solutions for these problems, groups created digital blueprints of their structures using the Sketch Up program, and then constructed 3-D models. The children presented their models and research to the fourth grade students as well as to their own parents during a Mars-themed Science Fair. Attendees were impressed with the children’s knowledge and problem solving skills as they explained their designs. Please click here for photos.

A dynamic presenter, audience participation, attentive listening, laughter and learning -- all were part of Harrison's annual Science Night held on March 22!  Over 200 students thoroughly enjoyed being surprised by the magic of science! Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring this annual event! Please click here for photos.

Enjoy the upcoming warm weather! 

Mrs. Healy 

 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

March has been quite a month! I join all of you in hoping that spring will return with its sunny skies and gentle breezes! Livingston Public Schools will be open on Monday and Tuesday of next week due to the recent storms. Aramark will serve lunch on both of these days. If your child will not be in school on either of these days please make sure to let us know through our Call for Safety at 973-535-8000 ext. 7103.

Here is the revised lunch menu for March 26^th and March 27^th:

Monday – Hot entrée - All beef meatball parmesan sandwich served with salad
               Cold – Turkey sandwich

Tuesday – Hot entrée – Grilled American cheese sandwich on white bread served  with French fries
               Cold – Bagels, string cheese & yogurt cup

Mitch and Martha returned last week to work with our third grade students! This was the 15^th Anniversary of their yearly residency! This is a school wide event and a long awaited privilege for the students! Teachers across the grade levels were thrilled to listen to the children practice and as always amazed with their ability to memorize and tell their stories with such animation.  This week long PTA sponsored activity meets many academic standards and supports the children’s reading, speaking as well as listening development. The stories reflect a variety of cultures and expose the children to complex vocabulary. Despite the snow, the children were able to learn their stories and performed at the highest level. We are so proud of their accomplishments! I would like to thank Mrs. Caulfield, the third grade teachers as well as our entire staff for their consistent support of this fabulous program. Click here for photographs of our young storytellers.

Have a great week!

Warmly,

Mrs. Healy

March Dates:

Mar 23 – Kidz Klub
Mar 26-27 – School open (snow day make ups)
Mar 28-30 – Spring Break!

April Dates:
Apr  2 – 2^nd Grade Trip – 2P/2Z
Apr  3 – 2^nd Grade Trip – 2F/2W
Apr  4 – Spring Pictures
Apr  4 – 1^st Grade Leaders
Apr  6 – Kidz Klub
Apr  9 – 2^nd Grade Leaders
Apr 10 – PTA Meeting
Apr 11 – 3^rd Grade Trip
Apr 13 – Kidz Klub
Apr 16 – Apr 24 PARCC, Grades 4 & 5 (make ups – Apr 25 and 27-May 2)
Apr 18 – 3^rd Grade Leaders
Apr 19 – 4^th Grade Leaders
Apr 20 – Kidz Klub
Apr 25 – Hero Groups
Apr 26 – 5^th Grade Leaders
Apr 27 – May 4 PARCC, Grade 3 (make ups – May 7-15)
Apr 27 – 1^st Grade Play
Apr 27 – Kidz Klub

 

Dear Parents and  Guardians,

March certainly came in like a lion! We hope you were safe and able to enjoy at least part of this unexpected break. If you were without power or internet please let us know-we can certainly provide support and also adjust homework as needed.

Parent /Teacher Conferences
Our elementary conferences have been rescheduled to the end of this week. We will have partial days on  March 14^th , 15^th , and 16^th .  This means that the children will be dismissed at 12:15 on those three days. Your conference appointment (day and time) remain the same.  Please contact your teacher if you need to reschedule. 

 Read Across America
We celebrated Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on Friday, March 2^nd  as a school community. Classrooms joined together to Read Across Harrison!  Two classrooms came together to listen to  Dr. Seuss’ I Can Read with My Eyes Shut before pairing up.  Kindergarten children read with their buddies, first grade students listened to the third grade children read their folktales while our second and fourth grade students shared their favorite picture books. A great time was had by all! Please click here for our photographs.

Our PTA
Thank you to the PTA for a wonderful Game Night! The children had a fabulous time playing and laughing together. It was such a pleasure to see the children enjoying this simple time with their families and friends. Click here for photographs.

The PTA also brought  a wonderful cultural arts assembly entitled Soul Steps  to Harrison!  “Soul Steps uses the body as a percussive instrument in this interactive performance that celebrated the history of African-American step dance while inviting students to participate in a rhythmic jam! Infusing step choreography with today’s hottest beats, steppers perform complex bodywork and engage students in interactive breakdowns of step moves that allow them to be a part of the action on stage. Bringing history to life, Soul Steps also demonstrates South African gumboot dancing which is thought to be the early roots of step dancing.” The children were amazed by the performers and loved creating and moving to the different beats! Click here for photographs.  

Jump Rope for Heart
Mrs. Adams and Mr. Brennan continue to focus on building healthy fitness habits during our PE classes.  Additionally, our fourth grade students participate in Jump Rope for Heart each year. The program aims to promote healthy heart education and  jump rope skills while also raising money for The American Heart Association. To celebrate the children’s efforts we will be purchasing additional jump ropes and balls for recess. We will continue to support positive physical activity on the playground and as part of our academic program. Click here for photographs.

We look forward to seeing you later this week during conferences!

Warmly,

Mrs. Healy

Dates

Mar 12 – 16 – 3^rd Grade Storytellers

Mar 14, 15, 16  12:15 Dismissal  for Conferences

Mar 14 – 2^nd Grade Leaders-CANCELLED

Mar 15 – 4^th Grade Leaders-CANCELLED

Mar 15 – Basket Bonanza, Hanover Manor, 6:00 PM

Mar 16 – Kidz Klub

Mar 19 – 3^rd Grade Leaders

Mar 21 – 5^th Grade Leaders

Mar 22 – Science Night

Mar 23 – Hero Groups

Mar 26-30 – Spring Break!

 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome Back! We hope you had a wonderful vacation with your children.

District Information

Spring Parent -Teacher Conferences are scheduled for March 7^th, 8^th and 9^th. Your child’s teacher will send home the conference appointment slip tomorrow. Please return the slips by Thursday March 1^st.

We want to remind parents that upon dismissal, students are expected to leave school grounds unless they are involved in an after-school program, attend the YMCA aftercare program or they are supervised by a parent. The district does not provide after school supervision for students who wish to remain on school grounds to play.  Please remind your children that when they are dismissed they must leave school grounds via the arrangements you have set up within Genesis. We understand that children would like to stay and play; however, that is not permitted without clear parent supervision. Please help us keep all of our children safe.

Registration is now open for the school district’s Summer Academy, which includes science, enrichment, remedial, and bridge courses. Find a list of courses being offered and dates, as well as registration information at https://www.livingston.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=34090.

Valentine’s Day

Our pajama day for JDRF was quite successful! We raised $800.00 and the children had a wonderful time celebrating Valentine’s Day during our yoga sessions! I would like to recognize our fifth grade buddies who teamed up with their kindergarten partners. They were phenomenal and enthusiastic role models for their young friends as the group participated in a yoga adventure based on the movie Frozen! Their understanding that this event was special for the little ones was quite evident and it was a pleasure to see how they are transitioning into thoughtful preteens! Fifth grade parents should be very proud - we certainly were! Click here for our Yoga photo gallery.

February Hero Group- Ms. O’Brien

We also held our fifth Hero Group session last week. The topic was self-compassion. We read the book, Listening With My Heart, by Gabi Garcia and discussed the importance of being kind to ourselves (& others) - especially when we make mistakes. We encouraged using positive self-talk and avoiding negative or dramatic statements to describe the mistakes we make.  Our book discussion and follow-up activities helped students to:

• Identify ways in which they can “listen with their heart” by showing compassion to themselves & others.
• Recognize that everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and grow!
• Understand the importance of “growth thoughts” such as “I may not understand this math problem yet but I’ll keep trying!” instead of “I’m the worst math student in the whole world!”

As author Gabi Garcia writes, “Self-compassion can support our well-being by helping to build emotional resiliency. You can help your child cultivate self-compassion by reminding them that disappointments, setbacks etc. are a part of growing up. It’s important for children to understand that making mistakes is normal. This doesn’t mean they aren’t responsible for their actions, but they can take responsibility compassionately.” It is important that we admit our mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.

Remember, “If I wouldn’t say this to my friend, I shouldn’t say it to myself”. Please click here for the Hero photo gallery.

Warmly,

Mrs. Healy

Upcoming March Dates:

Mar  1 – 1^st Grade Leaders

Mar  1 – 4^th Grade Jump for Heart

Mar  1 – Bingo Night

Mar  2 – Kidz Klub – Session II begins

Mar  5 – Club pictures/5^th Grade group picture by Lifetouch

Mar 7-9 – Teacher Conferences – 12:15 PM Dismissal

Mar 12 – 16 – 3^rd Grade Storytellers

Mar 13 – PTA Meeting

Mar 14 – 2^nd Grade Leaders

Mar 15 – 4^th Grade Leaders

Mar 15 – Basket Bonanza, Hanover Manor, 6:00 PM

Mar 16 – Kidz Klub

Mar 19 – 3^rd Grade Leaders

Mar 21 – 5^th Grade Leaders

Mar 22 – Science Night

Mar 23 – Hero Groups

Mar 26-30 – Spring Break!

Hello,

February is filled with many opportunities for our students to learn about the world around them! Here is a quick review of what we will be discussing!

Black History Month - All classrooms are studying the contributions of African Americans throughout the years. Additionally, our students will hear about individuals, during afternoon announcements, whose work in the STEAM areas have helped improve life around the world!

The Winter Olympics - We have five fourth grade students who will be adding Olympic facts as well as the medal count to our morning announcements. The Olympics continue to be fan favorites here at Harrison as our students have roots in so many different countries!

Presidents’ Day - While all classes discuss American History as part of our curriculum, our younger students also compare and contrast the lives of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln during this time of year. They explore how these men had very different childhoods but grew into courageous leaders.

Chinese New Year - We recognize the cultural importance of many holidays at Harrison. This month many of our families celebrate Chinese New Year. We will infuse books and parent visits associated with The Lunar New Year into our ongoing study of family traditions. If you wish to visit and discuss your family traditions, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher.

Valentine’s Day - We use this traditional school celebration on February 14^th as an opportunity to highlight friendship throughout the school and community. Our Pajama Day Yoga event will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Several of our children, over the years, have benefitted from the research done in this area and we are happy to give back! Please donate to this worthwhile cause.

Heart Health Month - Staff at Harrison wore wear red on Friday February 2^nd as part of the American Heart Association “Wear Red” campaign, focusing specifically on women’s heart health. “The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. We can use this month to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it - both at home and in the community. Using the link below, you can access lots of heart health facts, ideas, information and tips that will inspire you to make some changes – even a few small changes can make a huge impact on your family’s health. Be sure to involve the kids in any of the changes you make. Pick out vegetables as a family, exercise together at home. Read food labels together….It is never too early to instill healthy habits. Consider it a gift to your children.” Mrs. Milano

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/Healthy-Kids_UCM_304156_SubHomePage.jsp

100^th Day of School - Our K-3 classrooms celebrate mathematical thinking and number sense by recognizing our hundredth day of school! Zero the Hero was a welcomed visitor on Friday and the children loved all the associated activities. It is important to recognize that understanding the number system is a critical skill upon which most mathematical concepts are based. If your child is in the primary grades continue to practice counting by twos, fives and tens to one hundred and beyond. This will help them with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as well support a better understanding of place-value, time and money. Please click here for our photo gallery.

Talent Show - This was the 19^th Talent Show sponsored by the Harrison School PTA. A great time was had by all as our children sang, played, acted, and danced their way into our hearts. There were over fifty acts and the finale was The Harrison School Song! A special thank you to Mrs. Eagen, Mrs. Leigh and Mrs. Thomas who have organized this event for many years! This performance was their swan song! Please click here for our photo gallery.

Have a wonderful week!

Warmly,

Mrs. Healy

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope you are keeping warm since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter!

Clarification

We have had a few questions about cellphones at school. Students are not permitted to take their cellphones out of their backpacks.  Children are permitted to have their backpacks since some utilize the phones for safety reasons afterschool. The phones must be turned off during the school day. This has been both our building and district policy for the last several years. If you have any concerns please reach out. Thank you!

Special Education Advisory Committee

We had a wonderful SEPAC presentation on Thursday Night Carryover, It’s easier than you think! Miss Sajecki and Mrs. Flanigan, our speech therapists, gave helpful hints to help parents facilitate receptive and expressive language at home. We felt all parents would benefit from the information thus we will post the PowerPoint. Thank you to all members of our CST for their continued work to support our students!

“Souper” Bowl

Thank you to all of the families who participated in our drive! The children placed their cans into either the Patriots or Eagles box based on who they hoped would win! The children predicted the Eagles would win and they did! The second grade students will use the can collection for their data analysis unit this week. Once the data is collected, the soup will be donated to CHOW.

Fifth Grade

Our fifth grade students had their first special event this week. The group came back to school after hours for their special night! The students also received their fifth grade sweatshirts! A great time was had by all! Thank you Fifth Grade Committee. 

World Read Aloud Day

A note from Mrs. Corrado our Reading Interventionist: “Reading aloud is one of the most mindful, meaningful, and memorable activities two people can share. Cuddling close, listening to our very favorite person’s voice tell a magical story from long ago or far away….well, it’s truly where happy reading memories are planted and where they grow. Our world has become a very visual one. We all are connected to screens, whether a work laptop, a large-screen television or an iPad or a video game device -- or even an e-reader.  The opportunity to listen and fall in love with language is today rarer and more special than it ever has been. Share the beauty of your voice reading a wonderful book. Share it with your child, share it with your partner, or simply enjoy hearing yourself read a treasured book from your childhood. I promise you will fall in love with reading all over again!” 

We hope you enjoyed reading with your children as much as we do! The students wrote about the experience and all seemed to love the time spent together. The classrooms also chose special books for this special event! You may want to try one from this list for your next home based read aloud! Thank you for your enthusiasm and support for our home/school initiatives!  Please click here for the Read Aloud Photo Gallery as well as some sample responses about how much this event meant to your children!

Our Favorite Read Alouds

Mrs. Caulfield The Firekeeper’s Son by Linda Sue Park.

Mrs. Matten  Animal Orchestra, A Band of Coyotes by Mabel-Canton Elem. School, The Music Inside Me by Marvin Elementary School 

Mrs. Connell How To Raise A Mom by Jean Reagan

Mrs. Gullo You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? By Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt

Miss Nassaney Swimmy by Leo Lionni

Mrs. Schulke  A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker

Miss Falchetta Snow by Uri Shulevitz

Miss Sturm Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld

Mrs. Faber Courage by Bernard Waber

Mrs. Petruziello The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Mrs. Weisman  A Bad Case of STRIPES by David Shannon

Mrs. Zavaglia Granite by Susan Butcher and David Monson

Mrs. Bennachio Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather by Bruce Koscielniak.

Mrs. Corrado Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

Mrs. Matienzo Smelly Socks by Robert Munsch 

Mrs. Fischer 32 Dandelion Court by Lisa Funari Willever

Mrs. Horwitz Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

Mrs. Sachs Helen Keller by David Adler

Mrs. Frohnapfel Groundhog Gets a Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow

Mrs. Mullen Samuel's Choice by Richard J Berleth, One Winter's Day by Christina Butler

Mrs. Raiola Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

Mrs. West Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki 

Mrs. DeMarscio Peanut Butter and Homework Sandwiches by Lisa Brodie Cook

Mrs. Kohn Tea with Milk by Allen Say, Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

Mrs. Sledgeski  The Trouble with Mister by Debra Keller

Miss Craig The North Star by Peter Reynolds 

Mrs. Herrera There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar. 

Mrs. Latino There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar. 

Mrs. Szelingowski No Talking by Andrew Clements 

Harrison Hero Class of the Month

Mrs. Mullen’s class enjoyed the reward time we spent together in the Curiosity Corner! The children worked in groups of four to build structures inspired by the Winter Olympics. We spoke about the luge and bobsled events. The children experimented with building possible structures which would resemble the “runs or shoots” used for these events. They were fascinated with our brand new Quadrilla and Q-B-MAZE blocks. The children utilized marbles to represent the athletes. The children enjoyed their successes and failures and certainly developed an appreciation for a stable structure. We debriefed their highs and lows. Their words certainly underlined the importance of these types of open ended activities where students plan and revise as they create!  We will announce our next Hero Class at our assembly on the 14^th ! Please click here for photos from Mrs. Mullen’s class. 

February is Dental Health Month

Dr. Harte, a local dentist, visited our K-2 students to remind them of healthy dental habits. Dr. Harte is a long-time favorite here at Harrison and the children love listening to his brushing tips! Please click here for photographs.  

Have a wonderful week!

Warmly,

Mrs. Healy

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

I am so pleased to announce our Harrison School Teacher of the Year-Mrs. Karen Zavaglia! Mrs. Zavaglia has been a member of our faculty for over twenty years and during that time has taught second, third and fourth grade. She currently teachers second grade and is our grade level point person. Her gentle approach and deep knowledge of child development as well as our curriculum has made her a valued member of our school community. Congratulations Mrs. Zavaglia! Click here for more. 

We had several curriculum based class trips this month! Each grade level plans trips which will support curriculum and immerse the children in the content. While it is always fun to learn outside the classroom, it’s the work the teachers do before and after the trips which helps to make science and social studies content come alive for our students! The focus of these trips is to expand our students’ understanding of unit vocabulary and the application of content in real-life. Here is a brief glimpse into our latest excursions!

Click here for our Class Trips photo gallery. 

First Grade

Essex County Environmental Center - Science: Lifecycle/The Changing Seasons 

“The first grade went on a nature walk outside in the snow and observed the birds, bare trees, and saw a frozen pond.  We used binoculars to watch the birds perched in the trees. We made tracks with our boots on the snowy trail and later we made our own animal tracks with clay. We discussed how animals like bears, birds, frogs, and bees hibernate, migrate, or adapt to survive in the winter.”   

Staff from the Center provided follow-up classroom activities in our first grade classrooms the next day. “We discussed the importance of recycling and the positive impact we can have on the environment. The children were excited to use recycled paper to make new paper and make the connection between recycling and a healthy environment for all living things.”

Fourth Grade

Jockey Hollow - Social Studies: The American Revolution 

 “In the visitors center, the students are tasked with deciding- will they join the army or is the cost too high? To make this decision they hear the promises of a recruiting sergeant and decide why or why not they would join the Continental Army”

 “In small groups, students examined traditional soldiers personal equipment, discovering each object's function, deciding which of the 
objects would be most important to a soldier, and then reporting their findings to the entire class. Students then entered a reproduction hut and envisioned themselves spending the winter there. They examined the 18th century version of our modern items.”

 “The students later toured The Wick House.  Small groups examined the rooms where the officers stayed, where the family stayed and the area they shared to prepare their meals. Each student was asked to locate a certain object. The entire class participated in a discussion focused on the function of the objects they discovered and how these objects tell us about the people that used them. At the conclusion of the trip the students participated in a soldier's drill (a training exercise with the students utilizing wooden muskets ).” 

Fifth Grade

The Liberty Science Center- Science: Space Exploration

“ Harrison Fifth Graders enjoyed a day of learning and fun at Liberty Science Center. Students were actively engaged in many activities, including finding pH levels, creating biofuel by operating bicycle-powered appliances, and through a very hands-on demonstration of the conductivity of electricity! The focus and highlight of the visit was the newly-opened Chalsty Planetarium, where students were able to gaze into the current night sky, as well as view the show, “To Worlds Beyond”, about our solar system”  

“The trip was planned to support the “Space and Space Exploration” unit in the 5^th grade science curriculum.  Students were able to view a gallery of photos taken from the Hubble Telescope, and view in vivid detail the planets of our solar system.  Harrison’s 5^th graders will culminate this unit with a “Colonizing Mars Exhibit” in March, where students will apply concepts learned about Mars and the challenges of supporting life on Mars.” 

The Ways of the Lenape Assembly –Grades Two and Three -Integrated Social Studies/Science

Our third and fourth grade students were treated to a cultural arts assembly- The Ways of the Lenape which was brought to us through our PTA! Both grade levels study how the land affects the people who live upon it. The younger children learn about the past and present as well as land formations. The older children build upon this learning and delve deeper into how the climate as well as location influences the types of structures, food and tools people use to survive and thrive. “The assembly focused on our region's native people, the Lenape Native Americans, in a presentation by Rob Aptaker. He showed the children native clothes, tools, toys and talked about family life, cooking, hunting, and respect for nature. Many of the students were excited to recognize things they had learned in class.” The children certainly enjoyed learning about the Native People of New Jersey-The Lenni Lenape!

Please click here for our Lenape photo gallery.

OUR WINTER CONCERT

We had a fabulous Winter Concert on Thursday! The MPMS auditorium was packed with proud parents and very excited children. The orchestra, band and chorus were fantastic!  A Hot Cup of Cocoa was, as always, the highlight. It was so wonderful to see our alumni join their younger siblings! A big thank you to our Music Performance Team-Mr. Hedegus, Mrs. Matten, Mr. Palatucci and Mrs. Vatoci! Please click here for our Concert photo gallery.

SOUPER BOWL DRIVE

Please remember to send in one can of soup for our drive. We ask the children who they think will win the Super Bowl by asking them to put their can in the correct box. We have overheard several conversation in the hall regarding how the children pick their favorites! Many of the kids are football fans; however we have a large group of students who base their choice on the team logo! I think some of our young friends pick the Eagles box because they think it’s a Harrison Hawk. Both groups are enjoying the activity! We will later use the cans to graph the various types of soups! All donations will be sent to Livingston CHOW.

Warmly, 

Mrs. Healy

January Dates: 

Jan 31 – SEPAC Meeting

February Dates:

Feb  1 – 2^nd Grade Leaders
Feb  1 – Dr. Hart Visit, K-2
Feb  1 – 5^th Grade Movie Night
Feb  2 – Kindergarten Report Cards
Feb  7 – 1^st Grade Leaders
Feb  8 – 3^rd Grade Leaders
Feb  9 – Talent Show Rehearsal at MPMS
Feb 11 – Talent Show at MPMS
Feb 13 – PTA Meeting
Feb 14 – Valentine’s Party – YOGA
Feb 14 – 4^th Grade Leaders
Feb 15 - Hero Groups
Feb 16 – No School for Students – Profession Development Day for Staff
Feb 19-23 Winter Break
Feb 26 – School Reopens
Feb 28 – Soul Steps Assembly
Feb 28 – 5^th Grade Leaders