Clinton Township Newsletter

1 2 j u l y 2 0 2 5 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 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 www.ctsdnj.org As we enjoy the summer and plan for the 2025-2026 school year, you may be wondering how you can support your child and the district. If you are new to the area, you can take your child to the playground, come to our back to school events, and look at summer recreation opportunities. If you have a student going to a new building, aside from the visits your child made at the end of the year, you can come to our walk the Schedule Event prior to school starting (dates will be on the ctsdnj.org website). However, if you really want to prepare your child, and support the district we ask you to commit to reading. Margaret Fuller once said, "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader." This is true. One of the best ways to help your child succeed is by modeling reading at home, having your child read if they are independent readers, and of course reading to your child. A 2012 study showed that children who read regularly have increased job opportunities and earnings throughout their lives. High school and college students who read at least ten books a year outside of those assigned for school, earnings were 21% higher than those who did not read regularly (Weber). Also, students who were regular readers outside of class scored higher in Biology class than their peers who did not read (Önel 2021). Those are just some of the concrete impacts of reading. It is also shown that regular readers are more empathetic, open to new ideas, and have a larger vocabulary! Reading is also both relaxing and fun. Parents, please check out the Hunterdon County Library System for great events and check out great books. Community members, our students are always watching. Feel free to pull out a book when enjoying a coffee at a local establishment, or while sitting outside on a nice day. Becoming a community of readers is a great way to connect and grow, and it allows us to put down our cellular phones and influence the future. If I see you out and about please feel free to share with me what you are currently reading. Together we can set our CTSD students up for success. – Sincerely, Dr. Melissa Stager, Ed.D Superintendent, CTSD A MESSAGE FROM DR. STAGER, CTSD SUPERINTENDENT: I N O U R S C H O O L S : Spruce Run School Summer School Readiness: Preparing Your Child for Spruce Run Preschool Summer offers wonderful opportunities for Spruce Run preschoolers to develop foundational skills that will ease their transition into the school year. Reading together daily builds language skills and fosters a love of books, while simple activities like identifying letters in signs, counting objects during walks, or sorting toys by color and size naturally introduce academic concepts. Fine motor skills can be strengthened through fun activities like playing with playdough, using child-safe scissors to cut paper, drawing with crayons, and practicing writing their name with thick markers. These hands-on experiences help develop the dexterity needed for writing and other classroom tasks while keeping learning playful and engaging. Social and emotional readiness is equally important for school success. Summer playdates and group activities help preschoolers practice sharing, taking turns, and following simple rules - all crucial classroom skills. Establishing consistent routines at home, such as regular meal times and a structured bedtime, helps children adapt to the predictable schedule they'll encounter in school. Independence skills like putting on their own shoes, using the bathroom without assistance, cleaning up after activities, and following two-step instructions build confidence and self-reliance. Even simple cooking activities, like washing vegetables or stirring ingredients, teach following directions and patience while making learning feel like play rather than preparation. As your children prepare to enter Spruce Run Preschool, our school visitation day and our meet-and-greet, aim to help young children transition smoothly into the school year. Students will be able to explore their new classroom, meet teachers, and experience daily routines before the official start date. These preview visits reduce anxiety and first-day jitters while helping children develop positive associations with their learning environment. More information will be coming – we hope to see you there! Patrick McGaheran School Congratulations to one of our rising second-grade students, Trent Kelson, who was selected a s t h e f i r s t g r a d e w i n n e r of the Enthusiastic Reader A w a r d b y t h e H u n t e r d o n County Librarians Association! Trent is pictured here with Ms. Spann, our PMG Library Media Specialist and his first grade teacher, Ms. Fratesi. The HCLA recognizes students who show enthusiasm for reading and sharing books. Keep reading, and congratulations to all readers!! July brings a well-deserved break for our students and staff, but summer remains an active time at PMG! While many school hallways are quieter in the summer, our school is still bustling with activity, as PMG hosts our district's Extended School Year (ESY) program this summer. Meanwhile, our maintenance teams are busy preparing our building for the new school year. We're looking forward to welcoming back our first and second graders, as well as welcoming our new kindergartners at our Visitation Days in August for another exciting year of learning and growth. Enjoy the rest of the summer! Round Valley School RVS Focusing on a Successful New School Year! As summer continues and we look ahead to the new school year, Round Valley School is focused on helping our 3rd through 5th grade students make smooth transitions - whether they're joining our school community for the first time or moving up to the next grade level. For families welcoming a new third grader to Round Valley, simple steps can make a big difference. Visiting the school in August (days and times will be sent to families) helps students become more familiar with the building and comfortable finding their classrooms. Practicing morning routines at home, like packing backpacks independently, builds confidence and reduces first-day jitters. Most importantly, continuing to read together throughout the summer keeps academic skills sharp while creating positive associations with learning. Students moving from third to fourth grade, or fourth to fifth grade, benefit from gradually building independence. This summer is an ideal time for children to take more ownership of their responsibilities - organizing their own materials, managing simple time schedules, and developing stronger reading habits. These skills will serve them well as academic expectations grow in the upper elementary grades. This year, Round Valley School will place special emphasis on literacy development across all subjects. Research shows that strong reading and writing skills form the foundation for success in every area of learning. Families can support this focus by establishing consistent reading routines at home, engaging children in conversations about their books, and encouraging writing through journals or creative projects. Our broader community plays a vital role in student success, too. Whether through volunteering, donating books to school libraries, or simply showing interest in what our young learners are accomplishing, community support helps create an environment where every child can thrive. The transition to a new grade or new school is an exciting milestone. With preparation, support, and continued focus on literacy skills, our third through fifth-grade students will be ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that await them in the coming school year. Trent Kelson, first-grade winner of the Enthusiastic Reader Award with Ms. Spann, PMG Library Media Specialist and his first grade teacher, Ms. Fratesi

• Cover