Clinton Township Newsletter

1 4 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 www.ClintonTwpNewsletter.com 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 check out our new website: www.ctsdnj.org I N O U R S C H O O L S : M a n y p e o p l e s t a r t t h e N e w Y e a r w i t h a resolution to do or change something in their lives. Quite often by February, and sometimes much earlier, the resolution has long been forgotten. I have never been one to set a resolution for January 1st as I believe that we can choose any day to make a change in our lives. I do often, though, use the calm after the holidays and during the long months of winter to organize my surroundings. Whether my calendar, the closet, or that stack of books and magazines which never seem to get read, organizing my space helps bring a sense of calm. I also then feel better when spring and summer are upon us because I can spend time outside without worrying about what needs to be done inside. February marks the halfway point in the school year. Hopefully, within a few weeks, spring will be here and we will take advantage of the longer, warmer days. At the same time, we will find that the school year will quickly come to an end. In an effort to help you organize your calendar and plans while you have time during the doldrums of winter, you will find the following information that may be useful to you as we move through the remainder of the winter and into the spring. Inclement Weather Procedures: As we are in the heart of the winter season, I wanted to share general procedures for determining delayed openings and school closures. Upon notification of impending weather, our staff prepares equipment the day before. We follow the weather reports and speak with a variety of people throughout the weather event, often throughout the night and into the early morning hours. We work directly with the routing experts at the bus company, as well as local authorities. I am in contact with the superintendents of the high school district and other nearby K-8 districts. Once a decision is made, the technology staff sends out a message to our families. The safety of our students and staff is at the forefront of each decision. Communication: Dissemination of information to our community is important to our work as a district. There are a number of ways families and community members can obtain information about our school district. As you are aware, each month, a district article as well as school-based articles are printed in the Clinton Township Newsletter. Our district website includes timely information about meetings and events. The website also contains a virtual backpack which posts information relevant to student activities. Examples of posts may include PTA and recreation functions. Our staff members often send home or post on their webpages information specific to their school or classroom. Families and community members are also welcome to call the main office of any school or the department director or supervisor should they have questions not answered through district communication. Professional Development: Throughout the school year, staff members participate in professional development opportunities. These days are built into the school calendar and are communicated through the website and information sent home by school staff. For the remainder of the school year, two professional development days will impact the student calendar. These days were built into the original 2016-2017 school calendar which was originally Board approved in spring 2016. While this information is not new, it is a reminder to help plan for child care as needed. On Friday, February 17, 2017, school is closed for students. Staff members will participate in a full day of professional development including opportunities for horizontal and vertical articulation and the review and analysis of data. On Wednesday, March 8, 2017, students will have an early dismissal. The afternoon will be utilized for professional development sessions for staff. Additional professional development sessions are scheduled after the conclusion of the school year. Calendar: The Board of Education and I work collaboratively to develop the calendar for each school year. A number of factors, including holidays, contract requirements and other local school district calendars, are taken into consideration when developing the district calendar. Four inclement weather days are built into the calendar. Unused inclement weather days are returned to students and staff at the end of the school year. The draft calendar is reviewed by each Board committee before being presented to the full Board for approval. Once Board approved, the school calendar is posted on the district website under the Resources tab. It is our goal to have the 2017-2018 school calendar posted on the district website no later than the end of February. *Please note that should the 2016/17 school calendar need to be updated and approved by the Board in order to return inclement weather days, information will be disseminated no later than the end of May. It is my hope that this information will help our families plan and prepare for the second half of the school year. Should you need additional information, please check our website. You may also call our school staff at any time. Thank you, Gina M. Villani, Ed.D Superintendent of Schools A L e t t e r f r o m Gina M. Villani, Ed.D, Superintendent of Schools Dear Clinton Township Community Members: Su R Scho Educators of the Year at SRS: We are happy to announce that Mrs. Joanne Filus and Mrs. Lisa Miller have been recognized as the Spruce Run School 2016/17 Outstanding Educators of the Year, and we are so proud to have them represent our phenomenal staff at Spruce Run School! Mrs. Joanne Filus is being recognized as our Teacher of the Year at Spruce Run School. Mrs Filus is an integral member of our school community as our Technology teacher. Mrs. Filus goes above and beyond the requirements and demonstrates a depth of understanding for teaching students from a variety of backgrounds, and works tirelessly to do research and design engaging instruction for students of all abilities to learn. Mrs. Filus regularly collaborates with colleagues, sharing inspiring learning experiences with our youngest students. Mrs. Filus always has a big smile on her face and multiple missions to accomplish on any given day. She is admired by students, staff and parents. We are very fortunate to have Mrs. Filus as part of our faculty at Spruce Run School – she is a wonderful representative of all of the very special teachers we have here! Mrs. Lisa Miller is being recognized as the Educational Services Professional at Spruce Run School. Mrs. Miller is a Teacher Assistant in our Pre-School program. Mrs. Miller helps each student to feel successful and recognizes that all students need support at different times. She makes herself available whenever students need assistance. She brings her positive attitude to each classroom in which she works, and advocates for students needs in tactful and positive ways. She is calm and quietly supportive, and takes a personal interest in the students and staff with whom she works. Mrs. Miller's positive outlook and kindness are such a wonderful part of our school, and we are so pleased to have her represent of all of the excellent Educational Services Professionals in our school. Kindergarten Round-Up REMINDER! Kindergarten Round-Up is now occurring at Spruce Run School. A child must be 5 years of age on or before October 1, 2017 to be eligible for Kindergarten during the 2017/18 school year. If you have a child who will be eligible for Kindergarten next year, please notify our school as soon as possible by visiting our SRS website at: https://goo.gl/92yOFX to download and return the Kindergarten Round-Up Survey or completing the survey online at goo.gl/G8NTpK. Paick McGah Scho P a t r i c k M c G a h e r a n S c h o o l A n n o u n c e s G o v e r n o r ' s E d u c a t o r s o f t h e Y e a r a n d designates Mrs. Kristin McRae as Teacher of the Year! The Patrick McGaheran School community is very fortunate to include Mrs. Kristin McRae, a Special Education teacher, who is this year's Teacher of the Year! Mrs. McRae learned she had been selected for this honor during an all-school sing-a-long. Students and teachers erupted in applause when they heard that Mrs. McRae was this year's recipient of the title. Mrs. McRae has taught in Clinton Township for over a decade. She gets to know each of her students individually and works diligently to highlight and enhance their areas of strength while supporting areas of need. Mrs. McRae has been described as patient, positive, caring, and warm. One of the nomination

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