The Koala Quarterly
2nd Marking Period Newsletter, Winter 2026 Edition
Dear Connors Families,
We had such a wonderful 2nd marking period of school! We are delighted to share our Koala Quarterly with you which highlights all of our 2nd marking period accomplishments, celebrations, PTO events and learning activities.
Today, Marking Period 2 Report Cards are available in OnCourse in the Parent Portal. LinkIt Form B data is also available in the LinkIt Parent Portal. Please check your child's folder for a letter detailing how to access this information. Additionally, families in grades K-2 should keep their eye out for a DRA 3 Letter with your child's current DRA level. Grade 3 DRA levels will be available after the assessment window closes on February 18th. If you have questions about report cards, Linkit or DRA3, please contact your child's teacher.
In addition, here are links to our:
- 2nd Marking Period Parent letter
- DRA Parent Letter.
- K-2 Developmentally-Appropriate Report Cards: The Indicators Defined
All the best,
Principal Addi
Marking Period 2 Theatre Showcase
This marking period, each class had a different song and dance to work on in order to create a cohesive performance. This was all put together for the showcase on January 30th.` We are so happy that you were able to join us for our marking period showcase. These students have worked on their public speaking, confidence and self-awareness alongside singing, dancing and a bit of acting! We are so proud of our young thespians. Next marking period signifies a change in the theatre schedule. Look out for more details coming soon!
Koala-ty Career Day
Connors Career Day was amazing. Please click on the link to watch the video montage of Career Day 2026. Thank you so much to Susie Zuckerman, Courtney Guyer and to all of our parent volunteers who shared their careers with our students.
Bingo Night
Our fourth annual Connors PTO Family Bingo Night was a huge success! Fun, friendly competition, and an incredible lineup of prizes added up to lots of smiles among our Connors families. Thank you for bringing such positive energy and excitement to the gym – you made it a night to remember!
A HUGE thank you to the planning committee, attendees, parent volunteers, Hoboken Middle School volunteers, emcee Brian McMullan, and our amazing faculty and staff. And to all who attended and those who donated prizes, concessions, and monetary donations – your generosity made this our most successful Bingo Night fundraiser yet! The funds raised allow the PTO to continue supporting our students, staff and school in countless ways. We're so grateful!
Kindergarten
ELA
During Marking Period 2, our kindergarteners made wonderful progress in reading, writing, and phonics! Students explored essential questions such as where we go during the week, how people help their communities, who our neighbors are, and what living things need to grow?
They learned and practiced many letters and sounds, including Cc, Oo, Dd, Hh, Ee, and built confidence using sight words like go, you, do, my, and are. Students enjoyed a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts and worked hard identifying story elements, important facts, and key details.
Through learning centers, students strengthened skills in guided reading, phonics, handwriting, sight words, sentence writing, and comprehension. We are so proud of their reading growth, effort, and excitement for learning!
Math
In Math, students worked through Unit 4, building strong number sense and problem-solving skills. They practiced identifying numbers 1–10, completing number sequences, filling in parts of the 100s chart, and comparing numbers using terms like larger and smaller.
Students also began skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, explored addition story problems, and learned games such as one more, one less and double compare. They practiced building numbers (especially teen numbers), making combinations for numbers up to 6, and continued strengthening number formation and counting to 100.
Math fact fluency assessments helped show how much progress our students are making!
Social Studies
In Social Studies, we focused on learning about families, communities, culture, traditions, and history. Students learned that families can look different but are all special, and practiced telling stories using beginning, middle, and end.
They explored the Golden Rule, ways to solve problems kindly, and how to get along with others. Students learned about community helpers, neighbors, and different cultures and traditions, including those that make New Jersey special.
We also learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his message of fairness and kindness, and shared our own dreams for making the world a better place. Students did a beautiful job listening, sharing, and respecting one another.
Dual Language
In Dual Language, students made great progress in both Spanish and English. They worked through multiple units, learning letters such as Vv, Bb, Ff, Rr, Jj, and practiced blending syllables to read words. Sight words included voy, tiene, este, qué, por, and more.
Students practiced Spanish syllabication, dictation, sentence writing, and expanding vocabulary through picture walks and conversations. In Math, students counted to 100 in both languages, practiced skip counting, number formation, addition, sequencing, and explored 2D and 3D shapes.
In Social Studies, students built Spanish vocabulary by naming places in the neighborhood, community workers, colors, cultures, traditions, and careers. Their confidence and language skills continue to grow each week!
We are incredibly proud of our kindergarteners’ hard work, kindness, and enthusiasm during Marking Period 2. Thank you for your continued support — we look forward to an exciting next marking period of learning and growth! 🌟
First Grade
ELA
During the second marking period, first graders grew tremendously as readers and writers. Students explored many genres including fantasy, folktales, drama, and nonfiction texts. They practiced important comprehension skills such as making predictions, identifying story elements, finding the moral, understanding cause and effect, and comparing and contrasting life long ago and today.
In phonics, students learned consonant digraphs, soft c and g, and long vowel patterns (a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e, e_e). They practiced reading decodable texts and mastering weekly red words to build fluency and confidence.
In writing, students worked through the writing process to create fantasy stories and began expository “All About” books. They brainstormed ideas, wrote introductions, edited with checklists, and organized facts into subtopics. Students are becoming thoughtful readers and creative, confident writers.
Math
In math, students strengthened problem-solving skills through addition and subtraction story problems, including equations with unknown addends and three addends. They learned how to determine whether equations are true or false and explain their thinking using math talk.
Students explored measurement and time by comparing lengths, using nonstandard tools, and telling time to the hour and half hour on both analog and digital clocks. They learned about fractions by creating models of halves and fourths and understanding parts of a whole.
Through hands-on activities, fluency practice, iXL, and Investigations units, students showed excellent growth in skip counting, missing numbers, and mathematical reasoning.
Social Studies
This marking period focused on building strong citizens and understanding our world. Students learned how good choices help create a safe, respectful classroom and practiced inclusivity by making sure everyone feels welcome.
They explored holidays around the world, learning about traditions, cultures, and global communities through interactive experiences. Students also studied wants and needs, goods and services, and the roles of consumers and sellers in a community.
First graders learned about maps, cardinal directions, and created a 3D map of Hoboken. They learned about important leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., participated in Career Day, and took part in The Great Kindness Challenge, spreading positivity throughout the school.
Dual Language
In Dual Language, students continued developing bilingual skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. They practiced phonics such as the sounds of b, the silent h, and how c, q, and k make the /k/ sound in Spanish. Students learned and used high-frequency vocabulary and built sentences using strong verbs like correr, saltar, and escribir.
They read fantasy and nonfiction texts in Spanish, identified clues to answer comprehension questions, and learned about una obra (a play), including dialogue and characters. Students also compared life antes y ahora (then and now). Dual language learners continue to show strong enthusiasm and confidence using Spanish each day.
Second Grade
ELA
During Marking Period 2, second graders grew as readers and writers through a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and fable texts. Students explored poetry and learned how poets share thoughts and feelings using rhyme and rhythm. They read fables and narrative nonfiction, practicing important skills such as sequencing, making predictions, asking and answering questions, and identifying an author’s purpose (P.I.E.). Students also learned about point of view and how a character’s perspective shapes a story.
In phonics, students worked on blends, digraphs, short and long vowel patterns, compound words, and three-letter blends to strengthen decoding and fluency. In Writer’s Workshop, students created animal research reports and added details and illustrations to support their ideas. Overall, students made wonderful progress in comprehension, vocabulary, and written expression.
Math
In math, students completed Unit 2 and began Unit 3. During Unit 2, second graders learned about attributes of shapes, rectangles and squares, and how to create rectangular arrays. They also explored fractions by partitioning shapes into equal parts and identifying halves using correct fraction vocabulary and notation. Students worked hard to prepare for and complete the Unit 2 assessment.
In Unit 3, students focused on place value, representing two-digit numbers as tens and ones using models such as strips, stickers, dimes, and pennies. They practiced solving story problems and using standard notation for addition and subtraction. Students are becoming confident problem solvers by using strategies like the I.C.E. method to show their thinking and write complete answers.
Social Studies
Throughout Marking Period 2, students learned what it means to be part of a community, especially their school community. They explored school rules, responsibilities, and what makes a good role model. Students discussed why rules are important and who helps enforce them to keep everyone safe.
Students also learned about holidays celebrated around the world, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas, and created fun winter crafts. They studied the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and shared their dreams for their school and community. Second graders also participated in the Great Kindness Challenge, reflecting on gratitude and ways to spread kindness each day.
Dual Language
In Dual Language, students continued developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in Spanish. They read poetry, fables, fiction, and narrative nonfiction texts such as Biblioburro and practiced making predictions, sequencing, and identifying key details. Students strengthened vocabulary with compound words and practiced phonics skills including diptongos, blends, ll, güe/güi, and verb conjugations.
Students also practiced conversation skills through partner work and meaningful discussions in Spanish. They reviewed Units 1 and 2 and began preparing for Unit 3. Throughout the marking period, students showed growth in confidence, comprehension, and communication as bilingual learners.
Third Grade
ELA
During Marking Period 2, third graders grew tremendously as readers and writers. Students completed the novel Real Stories from My Time: The Underground Railroad, where they practiced finding the main idea and supporting details using text features, illustrations, and evidence from the text. Students then began a new core novel, Who Was Coretta Scott King? by Gail Herman. They explored biographies and learned how to use context clues, make inferences, identify character traits and feelings, and recognize cause-and-effect relationships. Students also practiced sequencing events and creating timelines to better understand the story. In writing, students focused on Literary Analysis Tasks (LATs). They learned how to respond using the RACE strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain), write strong introductions and conclusions, and revise body paragraphs using a rubric. Students proudly shared their final essays during Writer’s Café, showing how much their writing has grown.
Math
In math, students worked hard on multiplication, division, measurement, geometry, and problem solving. They demonstrated their understanding on unit assessments and applied their skills to real-world situations. Students explored area and perimeter, learning that shapes can have the same perimeter but different areas, or the same area with different perimeters. They used formulas and models to find unknown side lengths and decomposed shapes into smaller rectangles to find total area. Third graders also studied polygons, focusing on the attributes of triangles and quadrilaterals such as squares, rectangles, trapezoids, and rhombuses. Throughout the marking period, students practiced solving word problems, adding and subtracting three-digit numbers, telling time, and using multiplication and division strategies. We are so proud of their perseverance and growth mindset!
Social Studies
In social studies, students explored New Jersey and how geography, climate, and natural resources impact where people live. They created postcards highlighting one of New Jersey’s four regions and researched its physical features and attractions. Students then began a new unit on New Jersey’s government and compared it to the federal government. They learned about the three branches, the role of citizens, and the importance of democracy, voting, rights, and responsibilities. Throughout the marking period, students also learned about holidays around the world and reflected on how they can be active, respectful members of their community. They are becoming thoughtful citizens who understand how their actions make a difference.
Fourth Grade
ELA
During Marking Period 2, our phenomenal fourth graders grew as readers, writers, and thinkers. Students worked with both expository and literary texts, learning how to identify text features, determine the central idea, summarize, and support answers with evidence using the R.A.C.E. strategy. Students continued their novel study of Ancestors Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, focusing on character analysis, theme, perspective, and summarizing important events. They explored how animal characters change familiar stories, studied drama and poetry, and learned about figurative language such as similes and metaphors. In writing, students created narrative stories, retelling events from different points of view, and followed the writing process: analyze, plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish. They also began working on Literary Analysis essays, strengthening their ability to organize ideas, write strong paragraphs, and use text evidence. It has been wonderful watching students blossom into confident readers and writers.
Math
In math, students worked through Investigations units focused on Large Numbers and Landmarks, operations, and problem solving. They reviewed place value and rounding, and used this understanding to add and subtract large numbers using different strategies. Students practiced solving word problems and explaining their thinking clearly. Fourth graders also explored arrays and strategies for multiplication and division, learning multiple ways to solve problems. They strengthened mental math skills through games like Yahtzee and Close to 1,000, and applied place value to operations. Toward the end of the marking period, students began preparing for fractions and decimals by reviewing fraction concepts with hands-on activities and word problems. Students showed great teamwork, perseverance, and confidence as mathematicians.
Social Studies
In Social Studies, students explored traditions, community, and citizenship. They wrote narrative essays about their family holiday traditions using the full writing process and proudly shared their work with families. Students also learned about how different cultures celebrate the New Year and created personal goals and resolutions. Students participated in Move This World lessons, buddy activities with younger grades, and community-building projects. They also took part in Career Day, learning about community helpers and different career paths from parent presenters. These experiences helped students understand their role in the community and how their actions make a positive impact on others.
Fifth Grade
ELA
During Marking Period 2, fifth graders worked hard to grow as thoughtful readers and writers. Students completed the core novel Coraline, exploring poetry alongside the text and learning about narrative and free verse poetry, including elements such as repetition, alliteration, and tone. After finishing the novel, students compared the book to the movie and wrote a Literary Analysis essay using a class Venn diagram to organize their ideas. Students then began Unit 3 of Reading Wonders and read the nonfiction text Abraham Lincoln: 10 Days. They focused on identifying central idea, key details, theme, problem and solution, and the author’s point of view. Students also completed Literary Analysis and Research Simulation tasks, strengthening their ability to use text evidence and organize responses clearly. Throughout the marking period, students showed great growth in comprehension, writing, and critical thinking.
Math
In math, students focused heavily on fractions, operations, and problem solving. Fifth graders learned to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers using models such as clocks, rectangles, number lines, and fraction tracks. They explored equivalent fractions and patterns to better understand relationships between fractions. Students also strengthened their skills in multiplication and division with large numbers, practicing estimation, standard algorithms, and strategy-based solutions. They worked through multi-step, real-world word problems, learning to highlight, underline, and circle key information to solve accurately. Students refined their division strategies and learned how clear notation helps communicate their thinking. Throughout the marking period, students completed unit assessments, district tasks, and LinkIt practice, showing perseverance and growth as mathematicians.
Social Studies
In Social Studies, students explored Native American culture and important moments in American history. They learned about dream catchers and totem poles, using symbolism to write personal essays about the dreams and traits that represent them. Students also read about Native Americans of the Southwest and their traditions. Later in the marking period, students studied historical events that changed America, including the Townshend Act, the Alaska Purchase, and the Civil Rights Movement. These lessons helped students understand how decisions and movements shape our country. Students showed creativity, reflection, and curiosity as they connected history to their own lives.
Science 🔬
Kindergarten
Our youngest scientists became meteorologists as they explored weather and seasons. Students learned to describe sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, and severe weather such as thunderstorms, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes. They discovered how weather affects daily life and that seasons can look different around the world. Students also used real weather tools like thermometers and created their own anemometers to measure wind speed. They practiced reading forecasts and reviewing vocabulary through fun activities and songs like the Weather Song. Kindergarteners showed great curiosity as they learned how scientists observe and measure weather.
First Grade
First graders explored patterns in the sky, learning about the sun, moon, stars, and especially the phases of the moon. Students drew and shaded all eight moon phases and discussed what we see in the daytime and nighttime skies. They also became young computer scientists through Animated Storytelling. Using Rosie’s Runtime and ScratchJr, students learned about order, sequence, algorithms, and how to give clear instructions to a character. These activities helped students build early coding and problem-solving skills in a fun, creative way.
Second Grade
Second graders explored both technology and life science. In Grids and Games, students learned how computer programs work step-by-step. Using Rosie’s Runtime, a life-size board game, students became programmers by using directional cards and repeat loops to guide a robotic dog through mazes. They also learned how characters send messages to each other and modified games using a Use-Modify-Create framework. In life science, students investigated environments for living things. They learned how plants depend on animals to move seeds and pollen and compared plants and animals in different water habitats. These lessons helped students understand how living things survive and interact with their environments.
Third Grade
Third grade scientists explored engineering and life science. Students used the design process to build simple machines such as pulleys and levers using VEX kits. They learned how simple machines make work easier by reducing effort. Students also began a unit on life cycles and inherited traits. They created plant life cycle flip books and studied the six stages of a flowering plant. Projects are displayed proudly, showing their understanding of growth and development. We also celebrated students who advanced in the STEAM Tank Challenge, highlighting creativity and innovation.
Fourth Grade
Fourth graders explored waves and information transfer, learning that waves are all around us in sound, light, and motion. Students learned that waves transfer energy without permanently moving matter, helping them understand how information travels in our world. Students also investigated pixels and images, discovering how more pixels create clearer pictures, like on HD televisions. In life science, students studied animal structure and function, learning how internal and external parts help animals grow, survive, behave, and reproduce.
Fifth Grade
Fifth graders wrapped up their studies of matter and energy with hands-on investigations. Students used chromatography to separate colors from markers, tested how many drops of water fit on a penny, and observed chemical changes using steel wool and water. They also learned how energy moves through organisms, starting with the sun and its role in photosynthesis. Students explored how energy transfers from the sun to plants and then to animals and humans. By the end of the marking period, students demonstrated strong scientific thinking through experiments, presentations, and unit assessments.
During the Individualized Learning Pathway (ILP) period, students who have qualified to participate in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) verbal programming engage in a wide array of verbal course offerings that address their specific strengths and interests. Johns Hopkins CTY believes in researching and advancing ways to identify and nurture academically talented learners. CTY furthers research, guides educators and families and inspires students from diverse communities and backgrounds to pursue their intellectual passions and create the world of tomorrow.
During Marking Period 2, students participating in Individualized Learning Pathways through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) engaged in enriching, high-level learning experiences designed to challenge their thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. CTY programming supports academically talented students by nurturing their strengths and encouraging them to explore their interests through meaningful, hands-on projects.
Throughout the marking period, Verbal CTY students focused on celebrating their growth as readers, writers, and thinkers. Students prepared presentations they proudly shared with parents, showcasing digital portfolios, creative writing pieces, imagined dialogues between characters from different books, and reflection slideshows highlighting favorite assignments and instructor feedback. Students edited scripts, slides, and designs while practicing collaboration, presentation skills, and self-reflection. Their excitement and confidence were evident as they prepared to share months of hard work.
Students also enjoyed an End of the Course Celebration to recognize their effort and dedication. Classes shared treats and watched films connected to their CTY novels, creating a fun and meaningful way to close out the semester. Thank you to families who helped make the celebration special.
A highlight of the marking period was a virtual author and illustrator visit with Meredith Newman and Ka Huen Kwong, creators of Bakery Babies. CTY scholars in grades 2–5 learned about the full process of creating a book—from brainstorming ideas to writing, illustrating, designing, and publishing. Hearing directly from professionals gave students a deeper appreciation for storytelling and inspired them to strengthen their own creative writing skills.
Beyond verbal enrichment, students also participated in exciting mission-based projects. Second graders explored outer space in their Mission Space Colony unit, comparing human needs on Earth and in space, collecting planetary facts in “Space Passports,” and preparing to design their own space colonies.
Third graders became engineers as they designed Rube Goldberg machines. Using simple machines like pulleys and levers, students planned creative chain reactions to complete simple tasks, strengthening their understanding of cause and effect while encouraging teamwork and innovation.
Fourth graders stepped into the role of toy designers, sketching original toy ideas from multiple angles and creating posters to showcase their designs. Students practiced labeling, explaining, and pitching their ideas as they prepared to present them like real inventors.
Marking Period 2 in CTY was filled with creativity, curiosity, collaboration, and challenge. We are proud of our students’ growth and enthusiasm as they continue to think deeply, create boldly, and explore their passions.
Music 🎶
Marking Period 2 was filled with energy, creativity, and music-making across all grade levels. Students explored instruments, rhythm, singing, and performance while building confidence and a love for music.
In December, ukulele took center stage. The morning ukulele band, The Four Strings, prepared for their January performance, while fourth graders learned new chords and worked together to play as an ensemble. Holiday-themed lessons blended music with academics as students matched note values, decoded musical messages using the treble clef, and proudly shared their work.
In January, students began the new year with fresh activities, including music projects honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Fifth grade band members prepared challenging performance pieces, while third graders began their recorder journey, learning proper technique and tone. Second graders enjoyed learning a fun song that combined rap and melody.
Later in the marking period, fourth and fifth grade ukulele students rehearsed on a high school stage, gaining valuable performance experience. Students strengthened singing skills through solfège and hand signs, explored winter-themed music activities, and kept steady beats with classroom instruments. Fifth grade wind players expanded their skills through sight-reading and learning new notes. The marking period concluded with an introduction to the blues, as students explored how music can express different moods and stories.
Mandarin 🌏
During the second marking period, students continued building their Mandarin skills through engaging units and hands-on activities. We wrapped up Unit 2, School Days, by learning to talk about favorite subjects, completing a class survey, and reviewing key characters such as 冬 (winter). Students explored winter themes by making gingerbread counting cards, learning the names of winter holidays, discussing winter break activities like skiing 滑雪 (huáxuě), reviewing colors, and practicing festive phrases such as 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè).
We then began Unit 3, Home Sweet Home, where students learned vocabulary for rooms in the house, including 卧室 (bedroom), 客厅 (living room), and 厨房 (kitchen). They expanded this unit by talking about favorite places around Hoboken—such as the library 图书馆 and park 公园—and created their own maps of the city. The marking period concluded with a review of Units 1–3 and an introduction to Unit 4, Celebrations, where students learned about the Chinese Zodiac in preparation for the Spring Festival 春节. We also learned that 2026 will be the Year of the Horse (马年).
Art 🎨
During the second marking period, the Art Room was full of creativity and exploration. Students learned about warm and cool colors by using markers to create repetitive patterns on coffee filters. By adding drops of water, they observed how colors fused and blended together. Once dry, students practiced folding and cutting techniques to transform the filters into diffused color snowflakes.
Students also celebrated the New Year through art. They created New Year wreaths using tissue paper and chose a word to describe their hopes or wishes for 2026. Kindergarten students combined storytelling and art by creating gingerbread men, while fifth grade students learned about the Chinese Zodiac and the 2026 Year of the Horse, focusing on its characteristics of strength, power, and movement. They created horse prints using cut straws as stamps to represent New Year fireworks.
Later in the marking period, students were introduced to artist Laurel Burch and learned about her life, including her brittle bone disease, and her signature bold, colorful cats. Inspired by her work, students created their own Laurel Burch–style cats using contrasting colors, unique shapes, and collage techniques.
Physical Education 🥅
During the second marking period, students stayed active and engaged through a variety of fun and skill-building Physical Education activities. The marking period began with Thanksgiving-themed games that challenged students’ hand-eye coordination, including Pen the Turkey and a Turkey Search, helping students stay active while celebrating the season.
Students then began our volleyball unit, where they worked on fundamental skills such as serving, bumping, and setting. A variety of volleyballs were used to support skill development at all levels. Students reinforced these skills through modified games like bucketball and battleship, allowing them to practice in a fun, game-based setting.
As the unit continued, students in grades K–2 focused on developing core volleyball skills, including the overhand serve and bumping and setting, while students in grades 3–5 transitioned into standard volleyball games with an emphasis on teamwork, game structure, and sportsmanship. The energy in the gym was high throughout the unit, making volleyball one of the students’ favorite activities of the marking period.
