Dear Allenwood Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with joy, relaxation, and special moments with your family and friends. As we transition into this festive season, I am excited to share some important updates and reminders about upcoming events and activities at our school.

Mark your calendars! The PTG Holiday Gift Shop will be open from December 4th through December 6th. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to purchase gifts for their loved ones while learning the joy of giving. Please see below, in this newsletter, for the shopping schedule of your child's class.

We would also like to invite you to Allenwood’s Winter Concert, which will take place on December 12th at 7:00 pm at Wall Intermediate School. Our students have been working hard to prepare for this special event, and we cannot wait to share their talents with you.

Important Reminders:

• When sending correspondence to the main office, please include both Donna Taub (dtaub@wallpublicschools.org) and Lyndsay Caruso (lcaruso@wallpublicschools.org). Susan Goss, former administrative assistant, continues to work at Allenwood, but not in the main office. Please do not include Susan Goss on emails to the main office.
• For safety, parents/guardians dropping off their child in the private transportation line are encouraged to remain in their vehicles, and students should exit the vehicle on the side closest to the school building.
• If economic support is needed for the holidays, please reach out to our guidance counselor, Amanda Smyth, (asmyth@wallpublicschools.org) for available resources. Any inquiry will be kept confidential.

Lastly, consistent attendance is essential for a successful school experience. Regular and punctual attendance helps students develop routines, stay on track academically, and build social connections. We kindly ask for your support in making daily school attendance a priority for your child. Together, we can help set them up for success!

Sincerely,

James Sterenczak
Principal

At the November 19th BOE meeting, Harper R. was recognized for her heartfelt essay about Ms. Stephanie Gordon, written for WTEA's 'An Educational Support Professional to Remember' contest!

Students are embracing the 7 Mindsets with "We Are Connected" in a lesson with Ms. Hawley, learning to support, accept, and build bonds with others. Icebreaker activities help students strengthen connections and promote an inclusive atmosphere.

Thank you Mrs. Cimino and the tireless PTG Board for a year full of enriching and

fun experiences. Please consider being an active member of the Allenwood PTG.

The WE ARE CONNECTED mindset teaches that everyone who comes into our lives can help us to achieve and live our dreams. Working with, for, and through others is crucial to realizing our dreams. When you understand this and constantly seek the positives from relationships with others, performance in every area of life improves.

The 4 critical components of WE ARE CONNECTED

• Embrace Everyone
• Maximize Positive Relationships
• Build Your Dream Team
• Lead with Value

If your family is experiencing economic challenges or homelessness, visit the McKinney Vento webpage for essential information and guidance on available resources.

District Homeless Education Liaison

Tiffany Steiner
tsteiner@wallpublicschools.org
732.556.2647

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Children need healthy meals to learn. The Wall Township Board of Education offers healthy meals every school day at the prices listed on the WTPS website. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals and Summer EBT benefits.

The printable packet includes an application for free or reduced price meal benefits/ and a set of detailed instructions. For a convenient way to fill out the meal application go to https://www.payschoolscentral.com. WTPS utilizes PaySchools as an online lunch account for children to use to purchase lunch on a daily basis.

If your child received federal free or reduced price school meals during the 23-24 school year, please remember you need to complete a new application for the 24-25 school year prior to October 15, 2024.

If you choose to opt out from completing the meal application, you may fill out the linked Google Form.

If your children receive federal free or reduced price school meals, they may also be able to receive free or low-cost health insurance through Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare. Children with health insurance are more likely to get regular health care and are less likely to miss school because of sickness.

Because health insurance is so important to children's well-being, the law allows us to tell Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare that your children are eligible for free or reduced price meals, unless you tell us not to. Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare only use the information to identify children who may be eligible for their programs. Program officials may contact you to offer to enroll your children. Filling out the School Meals and Summer EBT Application does not automatically enroll your children in health insurance.

If you do not want us to share your information with Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare, you will have the option if submitting the meal application online via PaySchools or you may fill out the printable form and send in (Sending in this form will not change whether your children get free or reduced price meals).

Thank you for your cooperation.

-WTPS Food Services Department

Questions? Please contact Joe Piddington at jpiddington@wallpublicschools.org or 732.556.2602