Dr. Koop's Newsletter
February 9. 2024
Dear KRS families,
Congratulations to our learners, educators, and families on 100 school days! Valentine's Day is right around the corner on Wednesday of next week. Did you know that teachers receive more Valentine's Day cards than anyone else? For those of you watching the Super Bowl, I hope your team wins! Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kathy Koop
The Madison SEPAG will be holding a virtual parent meeting on Wednesday, February 14th at 7:30pm.
The Madison SEPAG will be holding a virtual parent meeting on Wednesday, February 14th at 7:30pm. The Madison Special Education Parent Advisory Group represents parents of children with disabilities who are eligible for or receiving services under an IEP or 504 plan. To join and receive meeting information, please register via our directory at www.madisonsepag.com (http://www.madisonsepag.com/)
Star and CBM Reports
Families with children in grades 1-5, will receive their child's Star reading and math reports via their child's backpack on Friday, February 16, 2024. Families of kindergarten students, will receive their child's CBM math and reading reports via their child's backpack on the same day.
Valentine's Day 2024
Valentine's Day is coming soon and we are super excited to begin planning for such a fun day for your children. Valentine’s Day will be celebrated in all three elementary schools on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. There will be classroom parties and Valentine’s Day cards.
Valentine’s Day Cards - We request that you adhere to the following guidelines:
No candy of any kind may be distributed with the cards.
The cards must be brought to school no later than Monday, February 12, 2024. This will allow for the cards to be distributed before the special day.
If you elect to participate in the Valentine’s Day Card exchange, it is expected that your child gives a card to every classmate.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it is necessary to remind parents of the potentially life threatening danger of food allergies to certain students in our school.
The issue of food allergies can be incredibly serious for many students. Peanut and tree nut products are particularly problematic, but other foods such as dairy, eggs and wheat can also cause students health problems. The extreme end of the spectrum in terms of a health risk is anaphylaxis, when the bodily systems experience a shut down due to exposure to the substance in question.
This danger is particularly acute during holiday celebrations, when consuming goodies is the order of the day. If you are a child whose safety depends upon never consuming the wrong food, a party is a true obstacle course. With certain children, even bodily contact with the wrong substance can be disastrous.
As we approach Valentine’s Day and the holiday parties, please keep the following in mind:
Please refer to the elementary food allergy guidelines for additional information.
Nut products are forbidden in “nut-free classrooms”. Please carefully adhere to classroom guidelines.
Students must consume all goodies within the class during the party. Goody bags and other treats designed to leave the class with the students are forbidden.
Crafts and activities involving nut products are forbidden.
All products should be packaged with the ingredients listed.
If you have any questions pertaining to holiday celebrations, please consult your child’s teacher or the school nurse.
Dr. King and Black History Month
As part of our celebration of Martin Luther King Jr, students and teachers will engage in classroom discussions about inclusivity, tolerance, peace, and how we may make the world a better place. Media specialist Mr. Locke is providing books in the library for students and teachers to read during the classroom discussions. Students will write their ideas about peacefulness and how to make the world a better place on peace signs. The peace signs will be displayed in our school as a large mural in honor of Dr. King.
Morning Announcements - Fifth graders will read about Dr. King during the morning announcements beginning today and all next week.
Classes - Students and teachers will engage in additional activities in their classes, which will include:
Kindergarten: Kindergarten will read LET'S FIND OUT (Scholastic News) as an introduction to MLK and what JUSTICE means. Students will also explore other african american historical figures: Ruby Bridges, George Washington Carver, and Jackie Robinson
First Grade: First graders will learn about influential people both in the past and present. They will explore PebbleGo and Epic to pick a famous person to learn about. Students will write why this person was/is famous and create a poster to present teaching their class about this person. Posters will be displayed in the hallway during the month of February.
Second Grade: Person of the Day- Students will be learning about a person each day for the month of February. People that are not only historical figures but also who are relevant to the current day. Like the person who created the Super Soaker!!
Traditional Literature Reading Unit - Within our reading unit on traditional literature, second graders are reading stories from around the globe. One such story is an African folk tale called, “A Story, A Story”
Third Grade: Third graders will read the book “I Am Martin”. Each student will get a quote from the book, and will have to illustrate that quote based on their understanding of the concept. With that, students will learn about various influential African American heroes.
Fourth Grade: Fourth graders will read the book “Martin’s Big Words” and discuss important vocabulary. Fourth graders will research influential African American heroes and present important details about the person they chose.
Fifth Grade: Fifth Graders will be introduced to the achievements of historical African Americans through Scholastic News, Readworks, etc. Students will participate in class discussions and reflection activities. Students will watch “Our Friend Martin” and discuss achievements made by Dr. King. Students will also interpret and illustrate quotes by MLK.
Special Area Subjects - Related activities will also be conducted in the areas of art, music, library, and STEAM.
KRS Kindness Challenge Week
The Kings Road School Great Kindness Challenge Week will be held beginning with a kick-off on March 22nd and will continue until March 28th. Mr. Levine and the KRS School Safety committee are planning meaningful and fun kindness activities for the special week. More details will be provided in future newsletters.
Science-Sational Day
Saturday, March 30, 2024 (10-3pm), at CCM
Registration due by March 17
Grades K-6
Morris County youth in grades K-6 are invited to explore new ideas, put their designs to the test, and discover a new love for science.
Fizz Bang BOOM! Get ready to kick-off the day with BIG science experiments. This wiz-bang show will explore several large-scale experiments and get you thinking critically like a scientist.
Hands-on Workshops - Learn about animals, engineering, physics, and so much more. All workshops are led by 4-H volunteers and community members excited to share their love of science with others.
The cost per child is $30.00. Lunch may be brought from home or pre-ordered for $8.00.
Register here now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/809387869907?aff=oddtdtcreator
Open to all Morris County youth in grades K-6. You don't have to be a 4-H member to attend.
Details to this and other 4-H events can be found on our Upcoming Events Page: https://www.morris4h.org/upcoming-events
