HUBER STREET SCHOOL

Hello Bears!

It is hard to believe how quickly time is flying by. We have had a fantastic start and settled into the rhythm of a new school year. We have had a fantastic start, and the energy across our building has been truly inspiring. A special highlight was kicking off the year with our First Annual Kindergarten Meet and Greet, and I want to extend a thank you to our PTA for providing a cool treat to all in attendance; it was a sweet way to welcome the newest Bears and their families into our community!

As we move through autumn, we have several exciting traditions just around the corner. October will be a busy month filled with the Scholastic Book Fair, Picture Retake Day, and our PTA Pumpkin Patch.

We will cap off the month's festivities with our famous Halloween Parade/Flash Mob on Friday, October 30th (see below for details.) Please keep in mind that school will be closed for Fall Break from Monday, November 2nd through Friday, November 6th.

Thank you for your continued support in making our school such a special place for our students to learn and grow.

Happy Fall and May the Force be with You!

As we gear up for another fantastic month, I want to invite you to two upcoming virtual information sessions hosted by our Acting Chief Academic Officer, Mrs. Dawn Auerbach, on Tuesday, October 27th.

First, at 6:00 PM, Mrs. Auerbach will host a Multilingual Information Session to share valuable updates and resources for our multilingual families. Immediately following, at 7:00 PM, she will lead a Basic Skills Support session to discuss how we support student learning and academic growth. Both sessions will take place online, and you can join either meeting by clicking the link provided below. We hope to see you there!

Multilingual Information Session

Title I Information Session (Basic Skills Support)

En primer lugar, a las 6:00 p. m., la Sra. Auerbach ofrecerá una sesión informativa sobre programas multilingües para compartir actualizaciones y recursos valiosos destinados a nuestras familias multilingües. Inmediatamente después, a las 7:00 p. m., dirigirá una sesión de apoyo en habilidades básicas para explicar cómo fomentamos el aprendizaje y el crecimiento académico de los estudiantes. Ambas sesiones se llevarán a cabo en línea; pueden unirse a cualquiera de ellas haciendo clic en el enlace que aparece a continuación. ¡Esperamos contar con su presencia!

Welcome to a brand new school year! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is ready for a year filled with learning, growing, making new friends and creating wonderful memories.

As your school counselor, I am excited to work with you and your children throughout the year. Together, we will focus on building important skills that help us become the very best versions of ourselves.

Starting on Monday, October 5, 2026 we will begin some dress down theme days for the Week of Respect and at the end of the month for Red Ribbon Week. All students are invited to participate, but if they do not wish to they can wear their regular school uniform. We look forward to a week of fun activities and lessons to support your child.

As we settle into the new school year, I would like to take a moment to thank our families for your continued partnership and support. The beginning of the school year is an important time for students to establish routines, build relationships, and become comfortable with their learning environments.

As we do every year, the PTA kicked off the school year by decorating the school and welcoming our new and returning Bears!

We hope all of our students have an extraordinary school year filled with learning, growth, friendship, and fun. We’re already off to an amazing start and look forward to working together to make this the best year yet!

On September 25, Mr. Softee visited Huber Street School to provide a special welcome-back treat for our students and staff! It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying their ice cream and spending time together. The smiles and excitement made the day extra special and helped us celebrate the beginning of another amazing school year at Huber Street!

Get ready for something sweet! Our World’s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser will run from October 5 through October 26, with chocolate boxes coming home at the end of next week. We truly appreciate everyone who has already registered to receive one or two boxes. This fundraiser provides tremendous support for our students and school, and every box sold makes a difference! This is your last chance to register. If you would like to receive a box and help support our Bears, be sure to sign up!

Here’s the link to the permission slip for our World’s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser:

https://forms.gle/oHFjLGitaDUAFpt99

We are so excited to host our annual Huber Street Pumpkin Patch on October 16! More details will be shared soon, so keep an eye out for additional information. As always, we extend a heartfelt thank you to Mayor Mike Gonnelli and the Town Council for their generous donation. Our students look forward to the Pumpkin Patch every year and this special tradition would not be possible without their continued generosity and support!

We’re off to a fantastic start and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year holds! This year will certainly be one to remember and we are so excited about everything we have planned for our Huber Street Bears.

Thank you to all of our families, teachers, staff, volunteers, and community supporters for helping us make these special moments possible.

Here’s to an incredible year, Huber Street Bears!

Mrs. O'Connor's Kindergarten had a wonderful time celebrating apples! We explored the life cycle of an apple, learning how an apple grows from a seed into a beautiful fruit.

We also had so much fun with an apple tasting! Students sampled different varieties of apples and used their senses to describe their color, texture, smell, and taste. We compared the apples and discovered that each variety can look and taste a little different!

It was a fun, hands-on learning experience that brought science, math, and sensory exploration together. Our little learners had a crunch-tastic time!

Friday, October 9, 2026

On Friday, October 9th, Huber Street School students are invited to join members of the Secaucus Police Department for a fun morning stroll. Interested students should meet at Trolley Park at 8:00 AM, where officers will accompany everyone as they walk together to school. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some morning air, connect with our local officers, and kick off the day as a community!

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - Thursday, October 15, 2026

Get ready to discover your next great adventure at the annual Huber Street School Scholastic Book Fair! Hosted by our Reading Specialist, Mrs. Lisa Castronovo, this year’s fair will take place in the Huber Street School Gymnasium from Tuesday, October 13, 2026, through Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Students and families will have the opportunity to explore a fantastic selection of books and find inspiring stories for all reading levels. Mark your calendars, bring your reading wish lists, and join us for three days dedicated to celebrating a lifelong love of reading!

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

The PTA will be hosting their annual Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday, October 20th. The event will include some Fall treats, an opportunity for all students to take home their very own pumpkin. Special thanks to Mayor Mike Gonnelli and the Secaucus Town Council for their generosity in donating the pumpkins for our Bears.

October 30, 2026

We are excited to announce that our annual Huber Street School Halloween Parade will take place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at approximately 1:15 PM.

Directly following the parade, all guests are warmly invited to join us in the courtyard for a special treat: our students performing in our annual Halloween Flash-mob! It promises to be a fantastic show, and we can’t wait to see our community come together to celebrate.

To ensure a safe, fun, and comfortable environment for everyone, please keep the following costume guidelines in mind:

• Appropriate Attire: Costumes must be tasteful, modest, appropriate for an elementary school environment, and align with our standard school dress code guidelines.

• Mask Policy: Full-face masks are only permitted during the parade itself, provided they do not obstruct the student's vision.

• No Replica Weapons: For safety reasons, no items resembling weapons of any kind are allowed on school grounds.

Thank you for your cooperation in making this a wonderful and safe event for all of our students. We look forward to seeing you in the courtyard!

Monday, November 2, 2026 - Friday, November 6, 2026

Fall Break is right around the corner! Please note that Huber Street School will be closed during the week of Monday, November 2, 2026, through Friday, November 6, 2026, for our annual autumn recess. Classes will resume as normal on Monday, November 9th. We hope all of our students, staff, and families enjoy this well-deserved week off to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones. Have a wonderful and restful Fall Break!

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:36-40b, New Jersey Law now requires policy that prohibits students from using internet-enabled devices on school grounds during the school day. The purpose of these requirements is to support a focused, safe, and productive learning environment for all students. We recognize that internet-enabled devices are an important part of daily life, but limiting their use during the school day allows students to remain engaged in instruction, interact with their peers and teachers, and fully participate in the school community.

The following expectations and procedures will apply for students attending Huber Street School:

During the School Day

Students are prohibited from using internet-enabled devices on school grounds during the school day. An internet-enabled device includes a smartphone, a smart watch, or other device capable of connecting to the internet. Students who bring an internet-enabled device to school are expected to:

• Turn off their device for the duration of the school day.

• Store the device in their backpack or other bag throughout the entire school day.

• Keep the device stored and turned off from the beginning of the school day until the end of the regular school day.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their internet-enabled device is turned off and securely stored. Students should not access, use, or otherwise operate their devices during the school day.

School Buses

Students are permitted to use their internet-enabled devices on a school bus while traveling to school at the start of the school day or traveling home at the end of the school day. However, the following is strictly prohibited:

• Record audio or video;

• Take photographs;

• Livestream; or

• Post to social media

Before and After the Regular School Day

Students are permitted to use their internet-enabled devices on school grounds before the start of the regular school day and after the regular school day has ended. Once the regular school day begins, students must follow the requirements outlined above and keep their devices turned off and stored away.

Our Shared Responsibility

We ask parents and guardians to discuss these expectations with their children and to reinforce the importance of complying with the requirements. We also encourage families to make sure that students understand that the responsibility for turning off and properly storing their device rests with the student. Students who are in violation of this policy will be subject to consequences as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

You can access the school menu here.

Student schedules, health screening, report card access, etc. can be found on the Realtime Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please contact our main office. You can access the Parent Portal via the following link. Parent Portal information is sent home with your child during the first week of school.

https://www.fridayparentportal.com/Secaucus

Full Session: 8:20am-3:00pm

• (Kindergarten is dismissed at 2:45pm)

One-Session: 8:20am-12:30pm

Delayed Opening: 10:20am-3:00pm

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT PICK-UP

The end of the day is a very hectic time when teachers are ensuring that each student is connected with a caregiver. We respectfully ask that you do not change your student’s pick up routine on a day-to-day basis. Understandably, emergencies and last minute changes do arise, but for safety reasons we ask that you help us to keep our dismissal procedures consistent for both our staff and students.

If you need to pick up your student early for an appointment, or special reason, they must be picked up before 9th period which begins at 2:15 pm (12:00pm on one-session days.) Last period often includes special area classes and time set aside for wrapping up activities and packing up for the day which makes it difficult for our security staff to continue to monitor the building if they are also being asked to locate and get students early from their classes.

Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application if they believe they qualify.

As in previous years, if you would like to purchase lunch, please replenish your child's lunch account by logging into the Pay Schools Central website.

Huber Street School and Clarendon School will be serving a more traditional and expanded lunch menu. Please be reminded that students will need to input their Student ID number when purchasing items from the cafeteria (as no cash will be accepted.)

We will make every effort to have our students go outside for recess. Please make sure to provide your children with appropriate clothing for cold weather. Students will remain indoors during the following weather conditions.

• Snow, Rain, Hail, Sleet

• Thunder/Lightning

• Temperature and/or Windchill Temperature 32 degrees or colder

The Secaucus Board of Education requires students to wear school uniforms on a daily basis, including field trips. Students are to arrive at school wearing the appropriate clothing as defined in the dress code. The following is a list of clothing items in compliance with the uniform policy and information regarding this can also be found in the Elementary Handbook.

Please Note the Changes to the "Shoes" Section of the Dress Code

Approved Uniform Attire for Clarendon/Huber Street Schools

**ALL SHIRTS, SWEATERS, SWEATSHIRTS AND FLEECE MUST HAVE THE PROPER “SECAUCUS SCHOOL DISTRICT” EMBROIDERED LOGO

STUDENT DRESS CODE ATTIRE OPTIONS:

Tops:

• Polo Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Short Sleeve/Long Sleeve

• Turtle Neck - Red/White/Navy (NO EMBLEMS OR LOGO)

• Sweater - Red/White/Navy: V-neck, Crew neck, Cardigan or Vest

• Sweat Shirt - Red/White/Navy: Crew Neck (NO HOOD)

• Fleece - Red/Navy: Zippered Front or Pullover (NO HOOD)

• Jumper - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Peter Pan Blouse - White (NO LOGO)

Bottoms:

• Pants - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester (NO CARGO PANTS OR LEGGINGS)

• Shorts - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skirt - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Skort - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Capris - Navy/Khaki: Cotton/Cotton-Polyester

• Socks & Tights - Navy/Khaki/White/Red, Solid Color

Shoes:

ALL shoes must be securely fastened with a backing to the feet. Sneakers are strongly recommended for everyday use.

• Flip-flops, open toed shoes, slippers, and slide shoes are NOT permitted.

• Crocs are permitted ONLY in “sport mode”, meaning the pivoting heel strap must be utilized when worn.

• Uggs boots or shoes are permitted, but NOT slippers or slides (all shoes must have a back).

**Please note:

All students are permitted to wear knee length shorts until October 31st and again in the spring beginning April 15th, in a docker style in navy or khaki. Athletic shorts should reach the end of the finger tip in length.

Huber Street School is an elementary school in Secaucus, NJ that educates students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. Huber Street School has been educating Secaucus students since 1910.

Huber Street School

1520 Paterson Plank Road

Secaucus, NJ 07094

201-974-2053