Clinton Township Newsletter

1 4 n o v e m b e r 2 0 2 0 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Spruce Run School The Spruce Run School wishes you and your loved ones a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! C L I N T O N T O W N S H I P S C H O O L N E W S www.ctsdnj.org We are well into the fall now, as we see our days are getting shorter and colder. We are about midway through our first marking period and beginning to look ahead to the second marking period and beyond. We are making an adjustment to our school website with the addition of a "quick link" button for contacting our nursing staff and other COVID and healthcare related information. This will appear on the site within weeks. The nurses contact information can also be found on each school page, under the principal's information and email contact. Should you have a question or need to reach out for any COVID related information or reporting, please directly contact your building nurse. Technology - Through the use of survey data, conversations with other school districts, and the analysis of tech ticket support requests, the district continues to review the use of the Zoom App. We will be running a pilot program of the use of the app this month. Because the app will allow for independent usage, there will be additional information coming out regarding Acceptable Use. The app will also require greater diligence from all of us, to monitor the activities of students. The GoGuardian system will not be able to monitor usage of the app. More information will be provided. Stay Strong Assessment update - We will begin using the Stay Strong assessment snapshots with the CTMS students in grades 6 through 8 by the end of October. This will allow us to see how the assessments perform in all enrollment groups. These assessments are based upon the prior academic year standards. At this time, we will not administer these to our 4th and 5th grade students as the OS requirements for the Chromebooks are not optimal. Should our ordered devices arrive, we will reconsider this administration, but will rely upon our three benchmark assessments to provide instructional data. Surveys - an enrollment survey was sent home recently, to allow us to begin planning for any changes in cohort enrollment. We are still waiting on about 200 responses. Please complete this survey if you have not already done so. We will confirm all enrollments in the weeks prior to the second marking period. This survey does not constitute an enrollment, it is simply to get an idea of the numbers - you are not committing to anything in this survey. We'd like to also acknowledge that October was National Principals Month! What is National Principals Month? "Through visionary leadership and tireless pursuit of success for each student, principals guide and support their schools in ways large and small every day. And as we faced new challenges presented by COVID-19, our principals came through when it mattered most. National Principals Month is our way of honoring their dedication and thanking them for all they've done." Our District Response Team will be asked to reconvene in the coming weeks as we approach the end of the first marking period. This group has been instrumental in providing feedback from a variety of stakeholders on the ongoing response to the pandemic as well as providing feedback on any scheduling adjustments. G o v e r n o r ' s E d u c a t o r o f t h e Y e a r Program: The New Jersey Department of E d u c a t i o n h a s a n n o u n c e d t h e G o v e r n o r ' s Educator of the Year Program for the 2020- 2021 school year. This updated celebratory program highlights educational innovation, student achievement, the rewards of teaching, and important services outside the classroom environment that lead to student success. Further, it seeks to attract public attention to the positive aspects of our educational system. Do you know a classroom teacher or educational services professional who is dedicated, inspiring, and making a difference in the lives of students? If so, please take the time to recommend this person by completing the attached nomination form and returning it to your building principal on or before Monday, November 16, 2020. Please email your nomination form directly to the building principal. Administrators, staff members, parents, and community members are encouraged to participate. Please nominate our amazing staff! Each school will recognize BOTH classroom teacher AND an educational services professional, so you may submit one nomination for each. N o m i n a t i o n f o r m s a n d a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n c a n b e f o u n d o n o u r website at: www.ctsdnj.org/news/what_s_ n e w / g o v e r n o r s _ e d u c a t o r _ o f _ t h e _ y e a r _ program_2020_2021 E a r l y O c t o b e r b r o u g h t o u r f i r s t unexpected closure. First and foremost, our concern is with the health and safety of our students and staff. All protocols were immediately followed and the buildings are being sanitized today. An update will be offered. This is a reminder to us all, that COVID is still out there and active; it stresses the importance of practicing all safety measures. We can take this opportunity to reflect on our own role in preventing the spread of this, and any illness. We also send our wishes for a speedy recovery as we always want the best for our children and families. As we participate in sports and social events, it is our responsibility to consider others and to have our actions model the best possible behaviors for our children and others in our community. We are so proud of our children and how they have been wearing their masks and practicing social distancing at school; all of our students and staff should be commended for their diligence. November Parent-Teacher Conferences: All conferences will go on as scheduled on November 2-4. Scheduling for Parent Teacher conferences and any Early Dismissals will be made available on our website. We will continue to update everyone on these and other events as they unfold. Have a great Thanksgiving and be well. Sincerely, Johanna S. Ruberto, Ed.D., Interim Superintendent Dear Clinton Township Community Members: A L e t t e r f r o m Johanna S. Ruberto, Ed.D., Interim Superintendent of Schools I N O U R S C H O O L S : The Clinton Township Education Foundation has funded hundreds of innovative educational programs since 1998. Please feel free to contact us for more ways you can help! Visit the Foundation's website: www.ClintonTownshipFoundation.org and select DONATE. Thank you in advance!

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