9/3/2026 Edition

Dear Stephen J. Gerace Elementary School faculty, staff, and community,

My name is Katelyn Schreck, and I am the new Reading Specialist at SJG. I am so excited to be here and to be working with such an excellent staff and group of students.

My educational background is in both literature and literacy, and I come to you with twelve years of experience as an English/Language Arts teacher at Pequannock Township High School. Over the past twelve years, this district has become my home away from home. I have enjoyed nothing more than watching my students challenge themselves, grow, and thrive.

At the heart of my literacy instruction is the knowledge that while reading is not an inherently natural skill, all children can become proficient readers through systematic, cumulative, and targeted instruction. In my goal to aid students in refining their literacy skills, I aim to help them to become lifelong learners and readers who are curious about the world.

While there are many famous quotes about the joys and benefits of reading, I will synthesize my knowledge and beliefs into one of my own: “Reading is an essential skill for effective communication and enables the creation of global citizens. Reading also teaches us about humanity and breeds empathy while giving us a place to go when we have to stay where we are.”
When I am not at work, I can be found with my husband and two children, ages six and three, as well as our two Labrador Retrievers. I most often will have a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.

I cannot wait to start this new adventure, and to trade in college essays for conversations of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and phonics. Thank you for receiving me with warmth, and I look forward to building great relationships on our shared journey to help children become skilled readers.

Sincerely,

Katelyn Schreck

Please mark your calendars for Back-to-School-Night on Thursday, September 10th. The attached letter contains more information.

Please see the letter below about our Elementary G&T Program.

September 2, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We are excited to begin another year of learning and growth in English Language Arts. As we begin the school year, I wanted to share a few exciting updates about our ELA programming for students in grades 3–5, as well as the ways we will continue to monitor and support student growth.

A New Focus on Cursive Handwriting

One exciting addition this year is cursive handwriting instruction for students in grades 3–5. Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, the State of New Jersey requires public schools to provide cursive instruction in grades 3–5. The goal is for students to develop proficiency in both reading and legibly writing cursive by the end of fifth grade.

To support this requirement, we will be adopting Zaner-Bloser Handwriting, a well-established, research-based handwriting program. Zaner-Bloser provides explicit and systematic instruction in handwriting, with lessons designed to build students’ efficiency, legibility, and automaticity. The program uses a consistent instructional approach, guided practice, and opportunities for students to apply their skills in meaningful writing.

While cursive is a new required component of our ELA program, handwriting itself remains an important part of developing strong writers. Research has connected fluent handwriting with students’ ability to focus on composition and communicate their ideas effectively. Our goal is for students to develop cursive skills while also strengthening their overall confidence and fluency as writers.

A Comprehensive ELA Program

Students in grades 3–5 will also be using Magnetic Literacy, a comprehensive English Language Arts curriculum designed to bring the different components of literacy together. Rather than teaching reading, writing, vocabulary, and language skills as separate subjects, Magnetic Literacy integrates these areas around rich, knowledge-building texts and topics.

Students will engage in instruction and practice in:

• Reading comprehension and fluency

• Vocabulary and language development

• Writing and written expression

• Grammar and syntax

• Foundational reading skills

• Speaking and listening

• Knowledge building and critical thinking

The program is grounded in the Science of Reading and uses explicit, systematic instruction while giving students opportunities to read, discuss, think, and write about meaningful content.

Continuing to Monitor Student Growth

While we are introducing new instructional resources, we will continue using our established assessment practices to monitor student learning and growth throughout the year. These assessments provide teachers with valuable information about each student's strengths and areas for continued growth and help us make informed instructional decisions.

Students will participate in several benchmark assessments throughout the year, generally two to three times annually, including:

• DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment): Used to monitor reading fluency and reading performance.

• i-Ready Inform (formerly i-Ready Diagnostic): Provides information about student achievement and instructional needs in reading.

• DIBELS 8: Used in Grade 3 to monitor foundational reading skills, including phonics.

Assessment results will be shared with families, so that you can remain informed about your child's progress throughout the year. Our goal is not simply to collect data, but to use that information to better understand student needs and provide targeted support and instruction. i-Ready Inform, formerly known as i-Ready Diagnostic, is designed to provide teachers with actionable information about student strengths and areas for growth.

Partnering with Families

As always, we believe that strong communication and collaboration between school and home are essential to student success. I am excited to partner with our teachers and families as we implement these programs and continue strengthening our ELA instruction.

I will also be scheduling a Parent ELA Information Night in the coming weeks. During this evening, we will have an opportunity to review our new and continuing programming, discuss our assessment practices, explain how we use student data to support instruction, and answer any questions you may have.

We are excited about the year ahead and the opportunities these programs will provide for our students. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to help every student become a confident reader, writer, thinker, and communicator.

Warmly,

Alyssa Competiello

Alyssa Competiello
Prek-12 Supervisor of English Language Arts & Media

The Pequannock Profile of a Graduate outlines the skills and qualities that our community expects students to develop in order to succeed in their future endeavors, whether in higher education, the workforce, military service, or other career paths. In this section of the newsletter, I will weekly highlight how these competencies and dispositions are being integrated and promoted at the elementary school level.

Communication

Graduates communicate clearly and purposefully.

• Listen Actively - Asking clarifying questions, paraphrasing, and giving nonverbal signals to demonstrate understanding.
• Express Ideas Effectively - Using domain appropriate vocabulary to articulate a clear claim or vision in a concise, direct manner.
• Adapt Messages Across Audiences, Media, and Contexts - Understanding the needs of an audience, as well as identifying various communication methods. and their strengths and weaknesses.

What does this look like at SJG?

Students will develop active listening skills through collaborative activities and explicit instruction on effective listening strategies across all classes. They will articulate their ideas using grade-level and subject-specific vocabulary, while also learning to distinguish between facts and opinions. A variety of communication methods will be utilized, including verbal strategies such as discussions, group work, and projects, as well as written formats like essays and Google Slides presentations. Additionally, students will receive instruction on different media platforms and best practices for safe and responsible communication online.

Jason did an amazing job this week reciting The Pledge of Allegiance, as well as our kindness quote for the day. Thank you for being so awesome Jason!

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Arrival and dismissal are busy times and we must all be aware of our surroundings to ensure everyone’s safety. Traffic procedures will work the same as the 2025-2026 school year. Student arrival begins at 8:20 A.M. and school begins at 8:30 A.M. During the 10 minute arrival time, please adhere to the following:

• We have designated doors for student entrance. School Entrance and Exit locations for the 26-27 school year are as follows:

• Kindergarten - Enter and Exit- Door by the new gym in front of school (Breezeway)

• Grade 1- Enter- Door by the new gym in front of school (Breezeway) / Exit-Front Door under overhang.

• Grade 2- Enter- Front door (Under the overhang) / Exit- Back Door onto the Blacktop from APR

• Grade 3- Enter- Front door (Under the overhang) / Exit- Side Door by the pavilion.

• Grade 4- Enter- Front door (Under the overhang) / Exit- Back Door onto the black top by the library.

• Grade 5- Enter- Door by the new gym in front of school (Breezeway) / Exit- Back Door onto black top by library.

• B & G Club - Use the doors by the gym (for drop off and pick up- before and after school)

• Parents who want to walk their children to the grade level door in the morning are to park in the small parking lot to the right of the SJG parking lot entrance (in front of the gym). Please plan to bring your child to their line. We will then bring students into the hallway. If you are walking your child to the door, please wait in line to get into the parking lot along with the other cars on the Boulevard. Do not cut the line. We also ask that no one parks on the Boulevard prior to the entrance of the parking lot during drop off. This makes that car line jut out into the street and causes a traffic hazard.

• The car line for drop off will still be the same. We ask that everyone still proceeds in line as far up as possible until the line stops. Students should exit vehicles on the curbside. Students will be directed to their entry points. We ask that no driver side doors get opened while in the drop off line as it is very dangerous.

• For pick up, parents can park in the parking lot, in a parking space. No one should park along the curb line, even for a short time. These are designated fire lanes and they will be enforced. This also poses an issue with sight lines for drivers and we will have students and parents entering the parking lot to get to their vehicles. For pick up, if you have multiple children, we ask that younger children get picked up first. We will still be closing the parking lot once it is full.

Many of you have multiple children that will enter/exit through different doors. I am asking you to adhere to the entry/exit point for your child. For example, if you are dropping off a kindergarten student and fourth grade student, you should pull up in line, your children can exit the car together and your kindergarten age child can enter the building through the gym breezeway doors while your fourth grade student will walk to their entrance under the overhang. We ask that you do not stop multiple times in line.

We look forward to a smooth drop off and pick up each day. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Sincerely,

Matthew Reiner

Principal

• September 7th and 8th- School Closed
• September 10th- Back to School Night 7:00pm
• September 15th- SJG HSA Meeting 7pm in SJG Media Center
• September 17th- Picture Day (during the day)
• September 18th- SJG HSA Back To School Picnic- 5:30-7pm on the SJG Blacktop and Field
• September 29th- Blue and Gold Assembly 2pm in APR

Information regarding free and reduced lunch can be found by following this link.

Pomptonian is our lunch service provider. You can view menus and obtain allergy information by following this link. All elementary students must pre-order lunch. Lunches are made at the high school and transported to the elementary schools.

As you know, each month, our schools perform a minimum of one fire drill and one security drill for fire emergencies and other crisis situations as per state regulations. School security drills include the following mandatory practices:

· Lockdown

· Active Shooter

· Non-fire evacuation

· Bomb Threat

Other examples of school security drills may include:

· Shelter in place

· Reverse Evacuation

· Off-site evacuation

· Testing of the school notification system

· Testing the school’s communication system and procedures

· Table-top exercise (Staff/faculty review of procedures)

· Full-scale exercise (involves community services, such as police, fire, and/or bomb squad)

The students in all Pequannock Township Schools will review the school security procedures in order to be prepared for both scheduled drills and true emergency situations. The Pequannock Township School District asks for your support and cooperation in understanding the need for these drills, as they are required by the state of New Jersey and are to protect your children. Our Apptegy System will be used to inform you should an actual emergency occur. It will provide you with instructions for you to follow regarding your child. We ask that you follow the directions provided in such an event so that we can get everyone to safety. The Pequannock Township Police Department and other township emergency services are aware of these security drills and the plans our schools have in place. The safety of our students is of utmost importance.

As a parent/ guardian, be prepared by ensuring your child’s school has the proper emergency contacts that would be authorized and capable of picking up your child in such an emergency. This includes updating your emergency contact information in the Genesis Parent Portal via our website. Thank you for your cooperation in handling these situations in a safe and orderly fashion. The safety of our students is of the utmost importance.

I am pleased to inform you that all teaching staff at Stephen J. Gerace Elementary School meet the Highly qualified, “HQT” requirement under NCLB standards. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Please make sure that your child is wearing a helmet if they are using a bike or scooter, both to keep them safe and to comply with the law. Once students are on school grounds, they should walk their bikes or scooters so that they don't ride into students walking into school. Please note that the new law will not allow elementary school students to ride e-bikes.

We would like to welcome the following staff members to positions (or new positions) at SJG!

Mr. Tyler Brown- Music

Mrs. Delucia Wharton- Grade 3

Miss Dania Mustafa- Grade 4 Maternity Leave

Mrs. Emma Sloane- Part Time Special Education

Mrs. Katelyn Schreck- Reading Specialist

Miss Meghan Luterzo- MLSP

We continue to ask for your partnership in bringing students to school each day when they are well, and scheduling vacations around school days. Please note that the state still counts all absences, even those with doctor's notes or a parent phone call (even ones that we mark as "excused"). To help keep you aware of your child's totals, at the beginning of each month, we notify parents of students who have been tardy or absent 5, 10, or more days thus far. At 10 or more days absent, we will often request a conference or a phone call where we can help develop personalized strategies to improve your child's attendance. Please reach out if you notice any signs of school avoidance, or if you have questions about whether to keep your child home. As always, thank you for your support!

Click on the link below for our 2026-2027 Handbook.

If you are looking for future events, we update the SJG Calendar of Events as we solidify dates. You can find the calendar on our website but below is the link that we will keep in our newsletter going forward.

Welcome back to the SJG Health Office!!!

I hope you all had a healthy and relaxing summer break. I am excited to start the new school year. The last few weeks have found the staff busy preparing for your return.

Please take the time to review the new school website and the health office pages.. You can find required health forms, information on health issues, and a variety of health office policies.

One of the first things to happen in the health office is the beginning of health screenings. I will be screening your children’s vision, hearing, blood pressure and height and weight. This will begin in October and run through March. Referrals are sent home only if there is suspected deviation from normal. Please remember these are only screenings and are meant to find possible issues early and are referred for follow-up with your own doctor.

Please feel free to contact me or just stop by the office if you have any questions.

Jacki Griffith RN, CSN-NJ

973-305-5615 Ext 4008

The HSA Board is excited to welcome all of our families to the 2026-2027 school year. We have a lot of fun activities planned. Follow our Instagram and Facebook for upcoming news and events!

Sincerely,

Kelley Acker, President

Dana Arrigo, Vice President

Alexa Lynch, Treasurer

Steph Naser, Corresponding Secretary

Cara Colombo, Recording Secretary

Follow our calendar to stay updated on upcoming events!

Our first HSA meeting of the year will be Tuesday, September 15th in the SJG Library Media Center. Hear updates from the HSA Board and Mr. Reiner, and get a sneak peek at all we have planned for the year!

Our 2026-2027 HSA Membership is officially open! Brand new this year, if you want to be a class parents, you have to be a member of the HSA. Use this link to complete our membership form: Join the HSA here!

Join us on Friday, September 18th from 5:30-7:00p.m. on the SJG Back Field. Bring a blanket, chairs, lawn games, and dinner or snacks for a fun evening with other SJG families. If you'd like to order a pizza for the picnic, click here: Family Picnic Pizza Order Form

Sale is open until Friday 9/18

Plants will be available for pick up Friday 9/25 between 2-4pm at SJG

Click Here: Mum and Fall Plants Order Form

Sale is open until Tuesday 10/6

Bags will be available for pick up late November/early December

Click Here: Pequannock Panthers Tote Bags

Sale is open until 9/16 at midnight

Orders will be ready 4 weeks later for pick up at SJG

Get your gear here: Fall Spirit Wear

Our committee for the inclusive playground worked hard over the summer to secure donations and organize with vendors and contractors on an optimistic timeline that would ideally have an operational playground in place before the end of the year. While the playground will be at NB, it really is intended as a community play space that will be open to all families not only in our town, but also surrounding towns as well. Our website has more information about the project and how to donate to this great effort.

We have a new Pequannock Township School District Promotional Video that was created by PTHS students as part of a passion project. This is amazing! Give it a view!

Email: Matthew.Reiner@pequannock.org
Website: sjg.pequannock.org
Location: 59 Boulevard, Pequannock Township, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 3055615
Twitter: @SJGPride

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjgpride/