Brandt's Quarterly Newsletter

Hello Brandt School Family -

As we close out the 2025–2026 school year, I want to take a moment to reflect and express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you. This journey we’ve taken together has once again reminded me just how special our school community truly is. We have so much to celebrate, and so much to be proud of. The determination, resilience, and compassion shown across our school has been inspiring—thank you for being part of it.

To the staff, your dedication to our students and your unwavering professionalism never go unnoticed. I couldn’t ask for a more committed team, and I’m honored to be your principal.

To our parents and caregivers, thank you for your trust, support, and collaboration throughout the year. This work is never easy, and we know it takes a village. Your willingness to partner with us, even when things felt uncertain or challenging, made all the difference. A strong school is always a reflection of a strong community—and ours is exceptional.

To our students, you are the heart of this school. Your energy, your curiosity, your laughter—these are the moments that make this work so fulfilling. I am incredibly proud of everything you’ve accomplished this year.

And to our amazing fifth graders, congratulations! As you move on to middle school, know that we will miss you deeply—but we are also cheering you on every step of the way.

I wish everyone a safe, restful, and joyful summer.

- Mr. Bartlett

Kindergarten

ELA: Our kindergarteners have grown so much as readers and writers this year! We have been working on long vowel patterns, building fluency, and mastering high-frequency sight words. In writing, students are independently writing multiple sentences, adding details, and using describing words to make their stories more interesting. We also explored different types of poetry and had fun creating our own poems. During reading lessons, we practiced important comprehension skills such as retelling stories in sequence, identifying characters and settings, and explaining cause and effect. It has been wonderful to watch each student gain confidence and become a stronger reader and writer!

Math: In math, students continued building strong addition and subtraction skills through hands-on activities, games, and problem solving. We also learned about coins and how money is used in everyday life. Students practiced creating and solving their own word problems, which helped strengthen their mathematical thinking and reasoning skills.

Social Studies: This quarter, students learned about and celebrated both Asian-Pacific American Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. We discussed the importance of different cultures, traditions, and contributions that make our communities special. Students also explored basic economics concepts by learning about money and the ways people use it in everyday life.

We also shared many exciting experiences outside the classroom! Students enjoyed a field trip to Hoboken Grace to watch Encanto and a visit to LifeTown, where they explored shops and practiced classroom lessons through real-world experiences. We had an amazing time during Field Day, filled with teamwork, games, and lots of school spirit. We are preparing for our Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony, where students will celebrate all of their accomplishments and hard work. We are incredibly proud of how much they have grown this year and know they are ready for a fantastic first grade year ahead!

First Grade

ELA: Students continued to strengthen their foundational reading, phonics, grammar, and vocabulary skills through engaging and hands-on literacy activities. They practiced spelling and reading words while reviewing high-frequency sight words. Through reading, writing, sentence-building, and interactive whiteboard practice, students learned about diphthongs and the variant vowel sounds /oi/ and /oy/, applying these phonics patterns to decode and spell new words with growing confidence.

Students were also introduced to inflectional endings and explored how adding endings to words can change their meaning and tense. In addition, they expanded their language and grammar skills by identifying and using suffixes, pronouns, and synonyms in both spoken and written activities. These lessons are helping students become more fluent readers, stronger writers, and more confident communicators.

Math: Students have been developing their math skills in different ways. First graders have been working on adding and subtracting 1- and 2-digit numbers with and without regrouping using place value strategies and hands-on models. Students also practiced skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s to build stronger number sense and improve their mental math fluency. Students are also practicing by counting forward and backward by tens using place value strategies, hundreds charts, cubes, and tens frames. They are building fluency with math facts up to 100 while practicing patterns in numbers and strengthening their understanding of place value. Through games, partner activities, and daily practice, students are continuing to develop their computation and problem-solving skills while building confidence in solving problems quickly and accurately.

Social Studies: In Social Studies, students explored culture, community, and government through engaging discussions and hands-on activities. They decorated maracas while learning about Cinco de Mayo and discussed the importance of the holiday after a class read-aloud. Students also read from What Makes Us American and shared ways they are alike, helping to build a strong sense of classroom community. Students learned about states and discovered facts about New Jersey after watching an informational video and participating in discussions. They also completed activities and learned to compare and contrast local and state government jobs, strengthening their understanding of how government works within communities. Students also enjoyed creating Mother’s Day Crafts and watching Zootopia 2!

Second Grade

ELA: In Reading, second grade students were able to identify non-fiction features such as bold words, timelines, headings, and captions. Students were able to use these features to help them determine main ideas in passages and paragraphs. We are now working hard on our book club series where we will write about our reading and our characters in our stories. We’ll be getting ready to write book reviews for future readers!

We also took a deep dive into Poetry! We learned all about different types of poems and created a few of our own. In Writing, students created their own poetry portfolio which included poems like free verse, shape, acrostic, haikus, color and sense poems, as well as diamante poems! Students worked hard on their opinion and persuasive writing skills, too! They continued to create writing pieces with strong openings, included reasons and examples, and had strong closings to continue to convince their reader about their favorite toy!

Math: In Math, students worked hard on their measurement skills by identifying different ways to measure various objects. Students continue to work on their calendar and money skills by going over different combinations of coins everyday! This marking period also has us getting ready for the Third Grade! We have been going over the foundations of multiplication by going over repeated addition, arrays, and groups and objects in each group! We continue to review skills that we have gone over this year to make sure we prepared for September!

Social Studies: In Social Studies, students reflected on their second grade year. They thought about different ways they have grown and determined if they have reached their beginning of the year goals in all of their subjects. Students discussed what they still need to work on as well as shared things they loved about their second grade experience! Students also engaged in discussions to celebrate differences in our society such as AAPI, Career Day, and Mental Health Awareness Month.. Students also engaged in Field Day! It was a great way to build a sense of community while also having a great time at our designated stations!

Third Grade

ELA: This quarter students in Third Grade took a deep dive into their third grade Reading Wonders curriculum. Through a variety of books and articles, students explored several different themes including: What ideas do we get from nature? How is each event in history unique? How do we get what we need?

Students also completed their very next novel study Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. Students learned how characters change over time for example, Wilbur grows from a helpless piglet into a more confident animal and Fern matures and shifts her attention from animals to people. Common themes include: friendship, loyalty, life and death.

Math: This quarter the unit focuses on developing their understanding of the operations of addition and subtraction and adding and subtracting fluently, as well as on solving multiplication and division problems (2-digit by 1-digit), learning the division facts, identifying arithmetic patterns, and solving multi-step problems.

Social Studies: Throughout this unit, students explored the fact that New Jersey has progressed into an industrial state. There are many industries strategically located in various parts of New Jersey based on the needs of that area. Students were able to dive deeper into the industrial world that their state has to offer and gain an understanding of the innovations required to keep our diverse industries thriving. Social justice topics covered in this unit included unfair working conditions.

Fourth Grade

ELA: This marking Period in ELA, we continued our exciting journey through the novel Who Let the Gods Out? by Maz Evans. The book introduces Elliot, a caring boy who meets Virgo, a Zodiac goddess, after she crash-lands in his backyard. Together, they navigate magical adventures and face challenges that test their resolve and friendship.

For reading strategies, students were honing their reading skills by asking questions, rereading for clarity, and using context clues to enhance their comprehension.They have been comparing and contrasting character traits, leading to rich class discussions about motivations and perspectives. In addition to reading, students are researching Greek gods and goddesses to write imaginative poems that reflect their personalities and stories. Many students are also crafting their own fantasy stories, using vivid details and descriptive language to bring their characters and worlds to life. To ensure readiness for the NJSLA, students were practicing with LATs, RSTs, and reading prompts. They had gained confidence in their abilities and were preparing for success! We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm and creativity our students are displaying through their work!

Math: In this marking period we dived into the Data and Measurement Unit, NJSLA Review and our Final math unit: Penny Jars and Towers. For data and measurement, students actively modeled with data. They formulated questions related to distance, time, or length and collected data from two distinct groups. Students organized their findings on a line or graph. After creating these data representations, they compared and analyzed measurement data, focusing on important concepts such as mode and outlier values.

As we prepared for the NJSLA, our students thoroughly reviewed all the math skills learned throughout the year. Each day, we revisit various concepts, from multiplication and division to fractions and geometry. To make our review engaging, we utilize task cards, practice tests, and even play NJSLA Jeopardy. The effort everyone had put in is commendable, and we are confident that they will shine on the state assessment!

Our fourth graders were diligently working through the final unit of the Math Investigations curriculum, titled "Penny Jars and Towers." This unit emphasized analyzing patterns and understanding arithmetic rules. Students were exploring how two quantities can change together and represent these relationships using equations. Through this exploration, they were strengthening their understanding of mathematical models and honing their algebraic thinking. Simultaneously, we continued to build confidence and fluency in long division and multi-digit multiplication.

Social Studies: As we wrap up the school year, our Social Studies journey has taken us through significant topics and celebrations. We explored the conflicts faced by the U.S. following its westward expansion, particularly those related to slavery and equal rights. Students engaged in composing persuasive essays about deforestation in honor of Earth Day, emphasizing the importance of environmental awareness.

In addition to these discussions, we celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, focusing on the rich cultures of places like Hawaii and various Pacific Island communities. This exploration provided students with a deeper understanding of the diverse traditions and histories that shape our society.

To honor Mindful Mondays, our students created vision boards that reflect their hopes and dreams for the future. They expressed their aspirations through words, pictures, and drawings, highlighting goals related to school, friendships, family, and future careers. This activity sparked thoughtful conversations among classmates, fostering a sense of community and inspiration.

As we moved forward, we continued to honor various cultural and community celebrations throughout May, including Mental Health Awareness Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. We were engaging in mindful activities, learning about influential Jewish American figures and traditions.

In addition to all of this, we had our annual Field Day where students began with Rooftop Yoga and so many fun activities on the field! Thanks so much to all of the parents who volunteered for each event. Thank you for a fantastic year and enjoy your well deserved summer vacation.

Fifth Grade

ELA: It was a fun filled and productive final marking period in 5th grade language arts. Throughout this fourth marking period, students visited the genre of nonfiction and historical fiction in order to deepen their comprehension skills through a deep study of the story plot structure.

Students started off the marking period by reading the novel, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. In this historical fiction novel, a young Danish girl has to show bravery and maturity as she helps her family, friends, and members of the Resistance smuggle their Jewish neighbors out of Denmark and into the safety of Sweden. Through this novel, students learned about direct and indirect characterization, reading informational texts, and making connections between fiction and real life.

Our final novel was Hoot by Carl Hiassen. This action-packed mystery follows the path to justice for Roy Eberhardt after his discovery of burrowing owls. Students worked hard to make connections between the important plot elements, themes, and characters and then got inquisitive by researching and writing a text-based analytical essay related to their reading!

Throughout both novels, fifth grade scholars analyzed the motivation, diverse perspectives, and development of multiple characters in the text. Students also mastered identifying and analyzing literary elements to evaluate setting and plot development within literature.

Math: Fifth graders were hard at work this marking period, refining previously learned skills and taking on new challenges in mathematics. During their investigation of Unit 7, Races, Arrays, and Grids, students focused on multiplying and dividing rational numbers, which included extending students’ understanding of the meaning of those operations and of place value. Students used contexts and representations (fraction bars, arrays, and grids) to solve problems involving multiplication and division of fractions and decimals. Lastly, they applied their understanding of multiplication and division to solve measurement conversion problems.

For the final unit of the year, Unit 8, Properties of Polygons, students focused on classifying triangles and quadrilaterals based on their properties. Additionally, they used patterns to describe how the perimeters and areas of rectangles change when the dimensions of the rectangle change.

To wrap up the year, students completed spiral review activities, where they reviewed and refined all previously learned mathematical concepts from 5th grade. As the review unit closed, our mathematicians were eager to demonstrate mastery of these concepts through their final cumulative assessment. Congratulations fifth graders!

Social Studies: In 5th grade Social Studies, students spent a majority of the quarter engaged in lessons surrounding the American Civil War. They explored the events and disunion that led up to the Battle of Fort Sumter, ultimately marking the start of the war through the events that led the Confederates to surrender in 1865. By engaging with various multimedia stimuli, students made connections between significant people, places, and events of the time.

Students took part in lessons that focused on important historical figures and events from the time period during and following the American Civil War. They learned what happened to the Confederate generals and how the country struggled to get back together after the great war. Upon completion of the unit, fifth graders learned what life was like for varying groups of people after the war, such as soldiers, women, and people of color. Lessons focused on the amendments that were made to the US Constitution and how African Americans obtained citizenship.

In addition to our Social Studies curriculum, 5th grade scholars took part in activities to recognize Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Projects focused on exploring, highlighting, and honoring the history, arts, and culture of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Through choice boards, 5th grade historians worked together to research and deliver presentations that include individual accomplishments, contributions, inspiration and impacts on the world.