Family Knightline

At Russell Knight, our vision is simple but powerful:
For everyone in our community to wake up inspired and go home fulfilled.

What does that mean? It means we want our students and staff to run into school faster than they run out — because they’re genuinely excited to be here. And when they head home at the end of the day, we want them to be able to say, “I made a difference today…I did something that matters.”

If we can make that vision a reality — one filled with inspiration and fulfillment — we’ll create something truly special: a school experience that people remember.

A big part of bringing that vision to life is fostering a sense of belonging. When students feel seen, heard, and valued, their experience transforms. To support that, we’ve intentionally designed our staff schedules to create more opportunities for connection — moments that go beyond academics.

For example, our media specialist, Mr. Feely, has dedicated time built into his schedule for connecting with students. Whether it’s inviting a student to help in the library or checking in on the playground, he provides meaningful interactions that give students purpose and belonging. There are students who look forward to school because they get to spend time helping and learning alongside him. In fact, a parent stated that her son asked if she could write him a note to spend the day in the library with Mr. Feeley.

We’ve also reimagined how our Encore teachers — in Art, Music, PE, Computer Science and World Language — engage with students. This year, they’re out at recess with our kindergarteners and fourth graders, not just supervising but playing and connecting. You might see our art teacher, Mrs. Davis, leading a rousing game of Duck, Duck, Goose, or our PE team, Mr. Dominguez and Mr. Barker, organizing flag football or kickball. These small moments build big relationships.

And we’re expanding opportunities for students to explore their passions through new lunchtime and recess clubs. Thanks to some members of our Encore team: Ms. Doyle, Ms. Davis, and Mrs. Pilla-Grippi, students can now join:

🎨 Art Club
🌿 Green Team
🥁 Bucket Drumming Club
🎶 Chorus Club

The response has been overwhelming — with 40 to 50 students signing up for each session! These clubs give students choice and connection, whether through creativity, sustainability, or music.

Every new relationship, every club, and every shared laugh at recess helps bring our vision to life. At Russell Knight, we’re not just building skills — we’re building a community where everyone belongs, feels inspired, and goes home fulfilled.

A big thank you to our PTA for hosting another successful Science Fair and Family Book Fair Night! It was wonderful to see so many families out enjoying these events together. There’s something truly special about seeing children with books in their arms, excited to read and explore new stories.

We were also incredibly impressed by the creativity, effort, and dedication of all our science fair participants. Each project showcased not only hard work but also curiosity, learning, and the excitement of discovery. Watching students share what they learned and explain their projects was a true highlight!

Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and helped make these events memorable for our students.

Each day counts—every absence adds up.
When students attend school consistently and arrive on time, they start the day feeling confident, connected, and ready to learn. Good attendance builds strong routines and lifelong habits for success.

Why showing up matters:

• Learning happens every day—when students miss school, they miss key lessons that build on each other.

• Consistent attendance helps students stay engaged and confident with their classmates and teachers.

• Good habits now create dependable, responsible learners for the future.

We know that mornings and schedules can be challenging. If your family is facing barriers to consistent attendance, please reach out—we’re here to help.

Thank you for making every day of learning a priority. Together, we can help every student make the most of each school day!

I wanted to take a moment to make you aware of our district’s attendance policy. Attendance letters are sent home when a student reaches certain absence milestones: after four, seven, and ten days of missed school.

No need to panic if you do receive a letter. If I have questions regarding your child's attendance or I feel a conversation would be helpful, I will reach out to schedule a time to meet and discuss things further.

Please know that I understand extenuating circumstances do arise—students get sick, families take vacations, and medical issues can occur. We absolutely take those situations into consideration. However, the letters are a required part of our district’s communication process and are sent to help families stay informed about their child’s attendance record.

Did you know? Our Amplify CKLA program offers families some terrific resources to support your child at home.

Online Boost Reading Program for Students:

Go to google.com

log in using student ID & password (studentIDnumber@chclc.org and then student password)

Go to Clever Bookmark

Click on Boost

ST MATH AT HOME

Are you looking for ways to support your child's mathematical understanding at home? Jiji the penguin is here to help. ST Math engages students in activities which strengthen their spatial-temporal reasoning skills. All students can access their ST Math journey at home by logging into their Clever Account using their school username and password. Please let your child's teacher know if you need assistance logging in.

Mrs. Pilla-Grippi and Mrs. Davis will be hosting 2 clubs in the art room during 4th and 5th grade recess:

Day 1: Art Club

12:00-12:20 - 4th grade (52 students)

12:30-12:50 - 5th grade (36 students)

Day 2: Green Team

12:00-12:20 - 4th grade (43 students)

12:30-12:50 - 5th grade (40 students)

The clubs will start running Monday, October 6. We are asking for parent volunteers to assist during club meetings. Please reach out to Mrs. Pilla-Grippi and/or Mrs. Davis if you are available on any of the following days to assist:

Day 2 (Green Team)

Oct 6, 13, 21, 28 and Nov 4

Day 1 (Art Club)

Oct 10, 17, 27, Nov 1, 12, 19

Dana Pilla-Grippi

pillagrippi@chclc.org

Teal Davis

Tdavis@chclc.org

October:

Hispanic Heritage Month

Italian-American Heritage Month

• 10/20: School Closed for Students - Diwali / Teacher In-Service Day
• 10/24: 5th Grade Hayride (8 - 10 pm)
• 10/29: PTA Meeting (7 - 8 pm)
• 10/30: ARK Trunk or Treat (5:30 - 7 pm)
• 10/31: Halloween Parade and Party (2:00 - 3:15 pm)

The district's calendar can be found here.

I would encourage all of you to join our PTA. We need all hands on deck to support our wonderful ARK community.

Anything PTA related can be found with a click of the button below.

Email: epark@chclc.org
Website: www.knight.chclc.org
Location: 140 Old Carriage Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Phone: 856-428-0830
ARK PTA Facebook and Instagram

Knight's vision is to create a community where every member wakes up inspired and goes home fulfilled.

ARK Knights strive to live out the following core values: respect, responsibility, empathy, service, perseverance, effort, citizenship, and teamwork.