Clinton Township Newsletter

1 6 M a 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 www.ctsdnj.org I N O U R S C H O O L S : Each year, the month of May seems to bring a newfound appreciation for the world around us. By May, we are confident that the days of cold and snow are behind us. We are able to be outside, participating in spring events. And we know that summer is just around the corner. May is also a time for us to honor two special groups of people. In some ways, the groups are similar as they both have the same main focus – children. The first group of people I would like to recognize is our faculty and staff. National Teacher Appreciation Week is traditionally celebrated during the first full week in May each year. This is a time for us to thank our teachers and all members of the educational support staff for the work they do for students each day. First, I would like thank our teaching staff for their work with students. Every day they provide opportunities in their classrooms to make our students' lives better and more fulfilled. While some days may be a challenge, in the end the students appreciate the teachers' time, attention and support, and they are better because of our faculty. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the support staff members who are necessary to allow the teachers to perform in the classrooms. Thank you to our related area teachers, special services staff, teacher's assistants, secretaries, nurses, custodial and maintenance staff, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and administrators. Without the support and assistance from these individuals, our schools would not run smoothly and efficiently. It really does take a village to raise a child. It is evident in the role our staff members take each day. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all of our staff members. The second group of people who deserve recognition this month are our Mothers. Mothers play an important role in our lives. They take care of us, provide for us, and keep us moving in the right direction. Mothers may feel underappreciated at times, but they should know that their devotion to us is noticed. Mothers play the important role of caregiver. Caregiver can mean so many things, and it may have a different definition for some of us. For that reason, I would like to take the opportunity to recognize all of the Mothers in our community as well as all of the individuals in our community who may take on that "Motherly" role from time-to-time. Whether as a father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, close family member or friend, coach, or any one of the many roles that are needed to support our children, thank you to all of you who help support the children of our community each day. Thank you for all you do to support your family and loved ones. You may not hear it every day but know that those you care for appreciate and love you for it. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in our community and to all those who fulfill that important role. Take the opportunity to get outside with your children this spring and have some fun. Happy Spring to all. 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: Starlab at SRS: We are so excited to have had the Starlab return to Spruce Run School last month! The Starlab is a portable planetarium that was brought to SRS to provide our students with the opportunity to view the constellations. The Starlab dome is inflated and constellations are projected onto the ceiling using a special projector. A special thank you to SRS teachers, Mrs. Jaw and Mrs. Sidbury, who coordinated and presented this opportunity to our students. It was so exciting to learn more about the stars from the comfort of our own school! All SRS classes had the opportunity to visit the Starlab in April. Thank you, PTA! Throughout the school year, the Clinton Township PTA has funded and brought additional learning opportunities in a fun and exciting way through assemblies. The Clinton Township PTA sponsors enrichment programs to enhance the educational experience for the students of all Clinton Township schools each year. The programs are funded by the proceeds of PTA membership dollars and fundraising efforts done throughout the year. We are grateful for the their support, and hope our families will consider being involved with our PTA! During the 2016/17 school year the students of Spruce Run School have enjoyed the following PTA-sponsored enrichment programs, and are looking forward to the upcoming assemblies, as well: • Caryn Lin, Electric Violinist - In February, students were provided a basic history of Johann Sebastian Bach, the acoustic violin and electric violin, learned about new developments in music using electronics and modern technology, and were inspired to always search for new and better ways to satisfy their own creative needs and to realize their own dreams without rejecting the wisdom of history. They also had lots of fun making cool music with Caryn! • Franklin Institute Traveling Science Show – Weather – In March, students in Kindergarten and First grade learned about weather. Lightning, twisters and hail—oh my! This dynamic show revealed the science of weather—to the extreme. Where does our weather come from, and what factors make it a sunny day or a blustery one? Students made a cloud, explored thunder and lightning, and even created snow. A stormy ending to this show was enjoyed as the presenter demonstrated the power of a tornado! • Author Visit – In April, author Suzanne Bloom shared with our children her creative process for writing and illustrating books. She also shared sloppy copies and rough sketches, while discussing the value of do-overs. She even drew a picture with the children. • Eyes of the Wild – In the beginning of May, our Pre-K students will meet, learn about and touch exotic animals in the comfort of their own classroom. • Child's Play Touring Theatre – In June, students will see the stories written by classmates come to life in this exciting and interactive program. Clinton Township School District Mission Statement: The Clinton Township School District, in partnership with the community, achieves excellence for each child by ensuring a meaningful and challenging educational experience in a supportive environment, developing life-long learners who are responsible and productive citizens. Su R Scho

• Cover