The Cub Hub April 2026
Pitman Elementary School, Est. 2023
April 2: Early Dismissal
April 3-6: Spring Recess
April 20: Home & School Meeting- 7:00 p.m.
April 22: Spring Photos
April 27- May 5: NJSLA-A Testing (Grades 3,4,5,6)
April 29: District BOE meeting
Small Town, Big HEART!
Our District Character Council has voted and decided on an acronym that represents our school district and our mission! We used information from the character survey to help guide our decision.
H - Honesty
E- Empathy
A- Accountability
R- Respect
T- Tenacity
District Character Education Program:
We will continue our character education program and focus this month on RESPECT:
"Making an effort to understand how others think and feel, and then treating them with kindness."
- Daily announcements will highlight our monthly virtue to all staff and students
- "Goodness for All" messages and quotes will deliver a daily message to help shape our goal
- Tickets will be drawn each Wednesday and prizes will be given for students exemplifying this trait.
- At the end of the month, teachers will nominate two students per grade to be "Character Champions of the Month"
We are continually PROUD of the efforts of our students to be Character Champions here at PES! Small town, big H.E.A.R.T.!
Resources for Families-Teaching RESPECT
Teaching respect to kids requires modeling respectful behavior, setting clear, consistent boundaries, and teaching empathy. Key strategies include using polite language ("please"/"thank you"), active listening, and implementing logical consequences for disrespect. It's crucial to remain calm, avoid fear-based discipline, and teach kids to respect themselves, others, and property.
Here is a breakdown of effective, actionable techniques to teach respect to children:
1. Model Respectful Behavior
- Be a Role Model: Children emulate what they observe. Treat them, your partner, and strangers with the same respect you expect from them.
- Watch Your Tone:
How you communicate matters as much as what you say. Use a calm tone even when frustrated
- Respect Their Boundaries: Don't take items from a child without asking or invade their personal space, as this shows them how to respect others' property and space.
2. Set Clear Expectations and Consequences
- Define Respect: Explain what respect looks like in daily life—listening when someone is talking, using good manners, and caring for belongings.
- Implement Logical Consequences: If a child is disrespectful, apply a consequence that fits the action (e.g., losing a toy they were fighting over).
- Address Disrespect Early: Do not ignore disrespectful behavior. Address it immediately and consistently.
3. Teach Empathy and Social Skills
- Identify Emotions: Help kids understand how their actions affect others' feelings, using tools like a "feelings thermometer" to manage emotions.
- Practice Active Listening: Teach children to wait their turn to speak, which encourages them to listen to others.
- Encourage Politeness: Reinforce saying "please" and "thank you" to build habits of acknowledging others.
Empowering Parents +5
4. Foster a Respectful Environment
- Use "We" Language: Encourage a sense of team in the family to foster mutual respect.
- Hold Family Meetings: Include children in creating rules to give them ownership over the behavioral expectations.
- Avoid Fear-Based Discipline: Yelling or using physical punishment teaches fear, not respect.
Focus on the Family Canada +3
By focusing on these areas, you can help children understand and practice respect in their daily interactions.
Pitman Elementary School Counselors,
Mrs. Alicia Walsh awalsh@pitman.k12.nj.us (Grades 2, 3, 4)
Dr. Erica Davidson edavidson@pitman.k12.nj.us (Grades 5, 6)
25/26 HSA Board
President: Ashley Mason
Vice President: Melissa Fives
Treasurers: Kari Blackmore, Sabrina Pogue
Secretary: Beth Russo
Any questions, email: pitmanelementaryhsa@gmail.com
Next meeting is Monday, April 20th in the PES Library** All are welcome!
After School Activities; Make a Family Plan
If you have any questions about a club or extra curricular activity, please reach out to the club advisor directly. (Most clubs are run through the Home and School Association) They can be reached by email:
pitmanelementaryhsa@gmail.com
April is a wonderful time to focus on movement, heart health, and emotional well-being as spring arrives!
According to the American Heart Association, April is recognized as National Minority Health Month, Stress Awareness Month, Move More Month featuring National Walking Day, National Pet Month, and National Garden Month.
Move More
Regular physical activity helps children stay healthy, improves focus at school, and boosts mood. Families can encourage movement by taking walks together, playing outside, biking, participating in extracurricular activities, or dancing at home.
Mental Health Matters
Mental health is an important part of overall health. School and daily routines can sometimes feel stressful for children. Helpful ways to support emotional well-being include deep breathing, talking about feelings, getting enough sleep, and spending time outdoors.
Click the link below to learn more about April health awareness topics and simple ways to help children stay active, healthy, and happy.
American Heart Association - April
Thank you for working with us to support the health, happiness, and success of our students. Please reach out to the health office with any questions or concerns.
Reminder: Please notify me if your child has seasonal allergies and provide any doctor’s orders or medications as needed. If you have questions, feel free to contact me!
Thank You,
Gianna Morganti BSN,RN
PES School Nurse
Email: gmorganti@pitman.k12.nj.us
Office Number: 856-589-0636 ext.2550
PES Fax Number: 856-589-2289
A Message from Mrs. Brown:
Hello Pitman Families!
This month in the library, students traveled across our country through books during Read Across America Week. Books and book topics we discovered included The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt, The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller, Ranger in Time Rescue on the Oregon Trail by Kate Messner, and books related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Our national park book collection was also highlighted. Students looked at books from our mystery genre inventory including the series King and Kayla, A to Z Mysteries, Encyclopedia Brown, The Haunted Library, and other selections. Our fifth graders continued their exploration of the popular I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis. Irish folktales were enjoyed by our younger grades, while our older students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by viewing books in our collection related to Ireland and famous Irish Americans John F. Kennedy and Commodore John Barry.
The support of the Pitman Education Foundation continues to make a profound impact on our library. I am delighted to announce that we have received a spring grant for the purchase of books in one of the most popular and heavily circulated book series in our library, the Who/Was Is and What/Was Is series. Additionally, this generous grant will be used to purchase the most recently published book in another popular series, as well as add to our collection of local sports team books. Thank you for all that you do!
Our safety students continue to label library books as they are entered into the library database. Students again processed over 200 books in March. Our safety students assist library operations every day. Thank you for your help!
Thank you for your ongoing support in library book care and lost book replacement. Together, we are keeping our library books in circulation.
As always, it is a pleasure to work with your students. I look forward to sharing more library news in our next newsletter.
Sincerely,
Kathy Brown
kbrown@pitman.k12.nj.us
Are you picking your child up early for an appointment?
If you are picking your child up early for an appointment or dropping them back at the school, please try and avoid our lunch/recess blocks. It is challenging to dismiss children during these times, especially if the student is across the street at the playground. If possible, it would be ideal to pick up your child:
- Between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
- Between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Cell Phone and Smartwatch Etiquette (all personal devices)
We recognize that parents provide their children with cell phones/smartwatches for safety reasons. Therefore, we understand that students will bring their cell phones/smartwatches to school. Cell phones must remain turned off and stowed away during the school day. Smartwatches may be worn during the school day for the purpose of telling time, but all notifications must be turned off.
Cell phones and smartwatches that are being used to make calls, texts (parents or peers) or play games during the day will be confiscated and returned to students at the end of the day.
Students are not to call, text, or message their family members during the school day. If students need to reach a member of their family, they can use one of the phones in the main office.
You can help us enforce this policy by not texting or calling your child during the school day. Please call (856) 589-0636 for the main office, if you need to reach your student during school hours. The main office will notify the classroom teacher of any updates as needed.
Thank you for assistance in keeping the learning environment distraction free.
**This includes Meta Glasses
***If your child has multiple cell phone/smartwatch infractions, a parent may be asked to pick up the device after school.
School Breakfast Program...Get to School at 8:15 a.m.!
Please review the links below to access the LunchTime Free & Reduced Lunch Online Portal and to review additional information & step-by-step instructions regarding the application process.
https://mealapp.lunchtimesoftware.net/
- Online Free and Reduced Online Lunch Application - Parent's Getting Started Guide
For more information regarding federal meal waivers, visit this link.
HIB or Conflict?
Conflicts at schools will occur. However, conflict and bullying are very different. Conflict is considered mutual, meaning that all participants play some part in initiating, continuing, or engaging in the disagreement. Conflict, which occurs in everyday life, can range from simple disagreement over an idea to a verbal argument or a physical altercation. During a conflict, name calling, threats and other behaviors that may look like HIB can occur.
Bullying, on the other hand, is one-sided. There is no mutual participation in the actions. It may or may not involve several people. The individual or individuals intentionally commit a mean or violent act against another person or persons who have a hard time defending themselves. Although not all incidents will fall under the definition of HIB, this does not mean that the situation will not be dealt with appropriately. All conduct infractions are subject to the Code of Student Conduct.
Please review behavior expectations with your child. Thank you!
For more information about Code of Conduct or HIB, visit the school website: https://pes.pitman.k12.nj.us/our-school
Please review the dress code policy with your children. Thank you in advance for your support!
The Administration and teaching staff maintain that grooming and dress habits are important to a student’s academic success and wellbeing. However, since it is also recognized that the regulation of student dress is essentially a parental responsibility, the following code represents a minimum standard both in the classroom and in the hallway (per BOE approval, Policy & Regulation #5511)
Clothing should be sufficient to conceal midriffs and private areas at all times. Fabric covering all such areas must not be see-through or sheer.
All tops must have two (2) straps attached to the garment, one going over each shoulder.
Tops must not pass the length of shorts/skirts when worn.
Hats, hoods, and bandannas are not permitted to be worn when inside of the building
Spiked accessories and chains falling below the knee are not permitted.
Clothing, accessories, or jewelry which suggest or depict any of the following content are never to be worn:
bias symbols
hateful or discriminatory language/imagery
obscene, profane, vulgar or lewd language/imagery
sexual or pornographic material
drugs, alcohol, or violence.
Appropriateness of student attire is subject to the discretion of school administration. Students cannot wear anything that would be considered disruptive to classroom routine or school procedure.
District Policy
5511 - DRESS AND GROOMING
Pitman Elementary School
Email: kmason@pitman.k12.nj.us
Website: www.pitman.k12.nj.us
Location: 138 East Holly Avenue, Pitman, NJ, USA
Phone: 856-589 0636
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pitman-Public-Schools-359325234161853/
Twitter: @pitmanschools