SWS Newsletter
September 19, 2025
Dear Families,
Wed like to share some exciting changes to our whole school character education initiatives this year! Based on valuable feedback from our family and staff surveys, we've redesigned our approach to better recognize and celebrate the amazing character our students show every day.
Our program now operates on multiple levels to ensure we're catching and celebrating positive behaviors throughout our school community:
Morning Announcements Recognition: These nominations result in announcements over the loudspeaker and photos displayed on our main character education bulletin board. Students also get an email home.
Classroom Recognition: These nominations occur within individual classrooms and small group settings. These celebrations happen more frequently and allow us to highlight the daily acts of kindness, helpfulness, and good citizenship that might otherwise go unnoticed. Students get a certificate to take home.
Students can submit nominations using our student nomination box, while teachers and staff use our online or nomination box forms. We encourage students to look for the positive character traits their friends are showing!
We are hopeful students will enjoy the more frequent recognition and additional ways we can celebrate the smaller, everyday moments of character development. With this new system, we can recognize many more students throughout the year while still maintaining those special school-wide celebrations. We're excited about this enhanced approach and can't wait to see all the wonderful character traits our students will demonstrate this year!
NOTES FROM THE NURSE!
PK-2 Vision Screening
The Lions Club of West Milford is coming to our school on Friday, October 3rd, 2025, to provide free vision screenings for our youngest learners in grades PK-2. They'll be using the innovative Spot Vision Screener, with assistance from our school nurse, Mrs. Misyak. This advanced screening is incredibly quick and easy for the children. It works just like taking a photo and can detect eye conditions that traditional screenings might miss. Best of all, there's no physical contact with your child during the process.
To participate in this valuable screening, we need your signed permission slip. If you haven't already returned yours to Mrs. Misyak and you have a child in grades PK-2, please do so as soon as possible. This is truly a fantastic opportunity to ensure your child's vision health at no cost to your family. We're excited to offer this important service to our school community.
Please be sure to review the many resources available to families in need in our community:
The Weekend Bag program provides individual bags for students stocked with non-perishable meal items, snacks, drinks and a hygiene item each week. If you would like to participate in this program, please let Mrs Misyak know by Oct 1st. It will be starting up by the end of Oct.
Thanksgiving Meals- The Love in Action Thanksgiving Meal Program of Sparta, will be supplying individual plated Thanksgiving meals which will get delivered to our school on the morning of Wed Nov 26th. The meals are prepared by the Sparta Diner, Cafe Pierrot, The Barnyard Caterers, Fossil Farms, Yetters Diner, the Betsy Ross Diner, Arbor Restaurant, etc. Please let Mrs Misyak know if you want to participate in this and how many in your family by Oct 1st.
Brooke Phillips
Principal
Permission for SWS to Share Email Address for School/Class Photos
Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School District requests permission to share your email address with our district's photographer, School Craft. This year, Schoolcraft Studios offers a convenient new online ordering system for school/class photos. You will receive a direct link to view and purchase your child's photos online by sharing your email address.
Click here for the permission form.
Please be assured that your email address will only be used for this purpose and will not be shared with any other parties. If you do not wish to share your email address, Schoolcraft will provide you with a QR code, at a later date, so you may order your child's photos online. If you have questions please contact Mrs. Timerly Hill in the main office.
Navigating the world of emotions can be a complex journey for children of all ages, from our youngest preschoolers to our maturing 6th graders. In our recent classroom sessions, we've explored the rich landscape of feelings, learning to identify and name different emotions, understand how they show up in various situations, and recognize how our emotions impact others. We've also delved into the powerful concept of empathy—the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Through engaging activities and discussions, we've practiced putting ourselves in someone else's shoes, helping us build a more compassionate and connected school community. By fostering this emotional intelligence, we are equipping our students with essential life skills that will help them build strong relationships and navigate challenges with kindness and resilience.
Emotional intelligence is a foundational skill that can be strengthened both in school and at home. You can continue these important conversations with your child by creating a safe space for them to express their feelings without judgment. Try asking open-ended questions so your child can't just give a one-word answer when you ask about their day. Listening actively and validating their feelings, even if they seem small, teaches them that all emotions are valid and manageable.
A Tip for Parents: Instead of asking, "How was your day?" which often gets a simple "good" or "fine," try an open-ended question that encourages more detailed responses. For example, you could ask, "What was something that made you laugh today?" or "Tell me about a time you felt frustrated with a friend." These questions invite your child to share specific experiences and emotions, making it easier to have a real conversation and understand what's on their mind.
