The TES Times October

Happy November! As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, our school is buzzing with energy and excitement. The month of October brought wonderful opportunities for learning, celebration, and connection.

This month, students across all grades explored autumn themes through hands-on science experiments, seasonal art projects, and outdoor learning activities. Our staff and students enjoyed the delightful weather and moved their classrooms outdoors to explore and learn from our beautiful surroundings.

The annual Trunk or Treat was a huge success as usual. Many thanks to the PTA for organizing this great tradition and to the many families who decorated their cars and distributed treats to our students.

TES teachers are looking forward to meeting you at your child's conference to share insight into their educational journey at TES. Please see below for so much more!

Lisa Moore

Principal

Thank you to Neve in Second Grade and her parents, Margaux and Mark Lampariello. This prize winning pumpkin has made it an October to remember at Tewksbury Elementary School!

We are looking for volunteers for November and January. Email ecallahan@tewksburyschools.org.

It was a perfect day for a parade! Also, did you notice the staff had a Toy Story theme?

The New Jersey Department of Education has opened the application process for the 2026-2027 Governor's Educator of the Year Program. Please take some time to nominate a teacher and/or educational services professional that has made an impact on your family or the school.

A selection committee will select one teacher and one educational services professional from Tewksbury Elementary School and one teacher and one educational services professional from Old Turnpike School.

Please see the link below for the nomination form.

Nomination Form

To nominate a teacher and/or an educational services professional, please complete the nomination form and return it to the building Principal by November 13, 2026.

To simplify plan changes for parents, Pick Up Patrol developed apps that became available during October. Here they are:

• iPhone: Download PickUp Patrol on the App Store
• Android: Get PickUp Patrol on Google Play

Once it's installed, parents will sign in with the same login they use for PickUp Patrol on the web. If parents still prefer to use a browser, they can continue to access PickUp Patrol as normal via app.pickuppatrol.net/parents.

Preschoolers have been busy collecting acorns, observing the changing leaves and learning how pumpkins grow from seeds. For our letters of the week G & H we made Glue Ghosts and Haunted Houses. Most importantly though, the preschoolers are developing friendships and learning how to be engaged learners. Our stamina is increasing so that we can attend to longer read alouds and more complex tasks. In November we will transform the dramatic play area into a clothing shop and laundry mat. We would love a donation of any old baby clothes and reusable shopping bags please.

Pre-K Teacher, Amanda Kouzis, is pictured with a monarch butterfly that landed on her nose. The class raised the monarch larvae and released them to the outdoor learning center.

October has been filled with learning, exploring, and lots of fun! We kicked off our literacy journey by learning about letters and their sounds, practiced counting from 0–5, and continued building our skills during our illustration unit. One of the highlights of the month was our infamous Apple Day! We became apple taste testers, graphed our favorite varieties, explored the parts of an apple, investigated whether apples sink or float, and even made our very own homemade applesauce! We have loved welcoming fall and using the season to inspire hands-on learning and discovery.

October also brought some important lessons beyond our classroom walls. During our visit from the Fairmount Fire Department, we learned about fire safety and enjoyed an exciting tour of the fire truck. We also celebrated "Week of Respect" by learning about kindness, respect, and how to be thoughtful friends and classmates. From exploring, experimenting, and creating to practicing important life skills, our Kindergartners are growing every day! We are so proud of all they have accomplished and look forward to all the learning and adventures November will bring.

In First Grade, students created a rhyming Bat Book and a Witch Book filled with vivid adjectives! In Math, they are learning to compose and decompose numbers up to 10 while building fluency with addition facts. In Fundations, students are focusing on decoding and encoding three-sound, short-vowel words and memorizing trick words.

During Writing, students shared their opinions about their favorite seasons, supporting their thinking with reasons using the word because. They strengthened their writing by creating twin sentences, providing examples, and adding descriptive adjectives.

In Science, our exploration of bats and sound continued with a sound scavenger hunt! Students discovered that sound is produced by movement and investigated vibrations by experimenting with rubber bands. These hands-on activities helped deepen their understanding of how bats use sound waves to locate and hunt for food!

In October we’ve continued our exploration of Communities by looking not only at people's needs and wants and how they meet them, but also how people create a budget to prioritize those needs and wants. In Math, we have moved beyond our initial studies of the base ten number system and are working on mastering our addition facts to 20. We’ve also begun learning more about the concept of addition and the standard algorithm for adding numbers up to 1000. Soon we'll be learning the steps for adding, with and without regrouping. Classes have also been exposed to some poetry and have written their first poems of the year. All the while, the leaves have been falling and we’ve been lucky to have many beautiful Autumn days to enjoy our outdoor recesses.

Click-click-click! That is the sound of third graders typing up their narratives. Students have happily engaged in the writing process to craft richly detailed narratives. They have written catchy hooks to grab their readers’ attention. Students have exploded the moment by describing the sensory details. Our writers have also shared the internal story by sharing their thoughts and feelings related to the events. Lastly, these young authors have learned to thoughtfully close their narrative by sharing a feeling, hope or something they learned. Students joyfully discovered that they love to share their writing with their peers and celebrate one another through Author’s Chair. They also reflected on their experiences with narrative writing. They identified their strengths as a writer, as well as a goal they would like to work on as we consider our next piece of writing. These budding authors are feeling proud and we can’t wait to see what they write next!

October was a busy month for fourth graders! After a month of pratice, students can now multiply three digit by two digit numbers using the standard, box or lattice method. Fact fluency remains a critical priority for student success, so students are encouraged to practice their multiplication facts every night. In writing, students have learned the elements of realistic fiction and are writing their first story with characters, a setting and a problem/solution that could be real. In reading students are reading a self chosen just right book which is a book they can read independently with success. Students have focused on reading responses that require them to summarize the most important part of their reading each day. In Social Studies, students became region experts exploring one of the five regions within the USA. Students worked with group members researching and taking notes on what they felt was most important. Students used their notes to build a Google Slide Presentation to present to their classmates. The month will end with the Halloween parade and in class celebrations. We welcome the month of November that is peeking around the corner.

This October has been full of colorful fall themed artworks. Student learned about color, texture, and types of shapes. Kindergarteners created star collages and polka dot pumpkins inspired by the artist Yayoi Kusama. First and Second Graders worked hard to create flying leave artwork using cool and warm color as well as polka dot pumpkins inspired by the artist Yayoi Kusama. Third and Fourth Graders practiced their observational drawing skill by creating fall themed still lives. There has been lots of creative work from each and every student!

- Ms. Holston

Featured (large) Kindergartener Star Collages and Pop Art Pumpkins and (small) Third and Fourth Grade fall themed still life drawings

In PE Kindergarten through second-grade classes are finishing up on developing foundational soccer skills, including dribbling, passing, and basic ball control. Meanwhile, third and fourth graders are completing their flag football unit, refining their throwing, catching, and field-positioning strategies. Age-appropriate instruction was provided for Red Ribbon Week. This underscores the importance of drug abuse prevention. Students also enjoyed a variety of festive, Halloween-themed movement activities and games and were given tips on staying safe on Halloween.

Ms. Sconda & Mr. Nuehs

Ms. Sconda (below) providing safety tips for Halloween

It is spooky season in the TES Library Media Center! When some kids think about “SCARY” stories, they think it must be gruesome or gory. However, we move far away from that. There is a lot of joy in sharing books together that find the perfect blend of excitement and teachable moments. Our First and Second Graders are using “spooky” themed books with lots of humor to get creative, connect to the stories, and generate excitement about reading independently! Our Kindergarten students are enjoying books in which characters are facing their fears with courage, such as a story about a child who is afraid of dogs. These books are fostering meaningful conversations that the students are able to connect to themselves. We are also using this as an opportunity to tie in nonfiction texts and information about nocturnal animals. You might get asked to go on an evening walk, as the students have been eager to learn more about the fascinating nocturnal animals that live around them in Hunterdon County!

For our Third and Fourth Grade students, we have been exploring “scary” stories through a look at traditional literature. We discuss the history of storytelling and the evolution of folktales. The students have been particularly engaged in reading and comparing a spooky Austrian folktale, The Skull. We compare multiple versions of this story. This lesson ties into our larger unit about traditional literature that we explore throughout the year.

-Ms. Rose-Mason

Our enrichment program has kicked off! Participating students in grades First through Fourth Graders have been diving into spooky stories and crafts. It has been a great way to spark creativity and share a love of stories!

We've been very busy in Spanish class! Kindergarteners are practicing talking about their feelings, counting and associating quantities with that number from 1-10, and learning colors with a beautiful song. First Graders have been practicing writing simple sentences in Spanish and reviewing numbers. Second Graders have been practicing simple phrases about themselves in Spanish and played NOMBRE BINGO. Third Graders learned to state some preferences and are currently investigating El Dia de los Muertos. Fourth Graders are starting a unit about their favorite things and created word art to practice their new vocabulary. Check out Rockalingua or Duolingo for a fun way to practice Spanish at home!

- Senora Obercian

In all our technology classes this month, we used Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum to help students develop essential digital citizenship skills. This curriculum empowers students to navigate the online world responsibly, safely, and respectfully. We cover topics such as online safety, understanding privacy, responsible online sharing, promoting online kindness, and learning about our digital footprint. Our goal is to equip students with the tools they need to make positive choices online and build respectful digital citizens. Check out Common Sense Media for some good information. Thank you for supporting your child’s growth in the digital world!

For our Kindergarten parents, please continue to practice their login password with them. They are excited to use the Chromebooks soon, but are still unsure of their passwords. This password will be used weekly. Thank you for your help.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out: krinehart@tewksburyschools.org

- Ms. Rinehart Havens

Music class was full of spooky fun this month! Students dove into the Halloween spirit by learning and singing creepy songs like Spooky Scary Skeletons and Skin and Bones. We explored the sounds, rhythms, and moods of these spooky tunes while having fun making music together!

Meanwhile, our fourth graders began an exciting new adventure by experiencing their first band instruments! Students had the opportunity to experiment with classroom flutes and trumpets, learning how to hold them, make sounds, and discover the differences between the instruments. Who knows? We may have some future band stars in the making!

It has been a fun-filled month of musical exploration, creativity, and spooky sounds. We can't wait to see what our musicians learn next!

Winter Concerts Friday December 18th

- Mr. Shaffer

Here at TES, our classrooms are more than just places to learn math and reading—they are also social laboratories! Students are faced with many different interactions and choices on how to respond. These are new skills, and teachers see their roles as helping students manage these moments. It is expected for children to experience friendship "ups and downs" as they learn to navigate compromises, hurt feelings, and changing social groups.

Here is how you can support your child's social growth at home:

• Be a sounding board: When friendship drama happens, listen without rushing to fix the problem. Ask open-ended questions like, "How did that make you feel?" or "What do you think you could do next time?"
• Practice conflict resolution: Role-play tricky situations at home. Teach simple "I-statements," such as, "I felt sad when you didn't sit next to me at lunch."
• Encourage inclusivity: Remind your child that while they don't have to be best friends with everyone, treating every classmate with kindness and respect is the TES way !

Learning to be a good friend takes time, patience, and plenty of practice. Thank you for partnering with us to build a kind, inclusive school community!

- Sheila Donovan

Nancy Auld-Morogiello RN, BSN, CSN-NJ

Tewksbury Elementary School Nurse

908-832-2594 x2011

The TEF is a volunteer organization dedicated to enhancing and expanding educational opportunities at TES and our middle school, OTS. The TEF is governed by a board of dedicated volunteers and includes representation from Tewksbury schools. The TEF is a 100% volunteer-run organization. They have several opportunities for you to get involved...click here for more information.

Upcoming: End of November/Beginning of December

Program: Our Changing Earth

Second graders will experience a five-day residency with scientist, John Miller, of the Pearl Observatory in Gillette, NJ. They will focus on how landforms have changed over time. They will made models of Earth representing different time periods. Additionally, students will act as archeologists and sift through material to find fossils and bones from each period. This brings to life some of the science and social studies content areas in the curriculum.

Maschio's Food Services, Inc. is the contracted lunch provider at TES. See the following links for more information about the lunch service provided by Maschio's as well as PaySchools, our point of sale service system. You can find their menu on our school website at the following link:

https://tewksburyschools.nutrislice.com/menu/tewksbury-elementary/lunch