Dr. Castro's Weekly Newsletter

Due to allergies, staying healthy, and keeping the blacktop/hallways free of wrappers, we ask that children DO NOT bring their Halloween candy into school. Thank you!

• October 31st - Happy Halloween. Have fun and be safe!
• November 3rd & 4th - Parent / Teacher Conferences. Early dismissal days - NO C2C
• November 5th & 6th - SCHOOL CLOSED - NJEA Conference

Congratulations to 8th grader Marilyn Salam, whose original artwork was selected as the winning design for the 26th Annual Salute to Military Veterans!

Organized by the Sussex County Department of Health and Human Services, the annual parade and celebration will take place at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Sunday, November 1st. In honor of her achievement, Marilyn earned a cash prize, and both she and her family will be recognized during the ceremony. Best of all, veterans attending the event will proudly wear a commemorative pin featuring Marilyn’s design.

Please join us in celebrating Marilyn’s artistic talent and her meaningful contribution to honoring our local veterans!

As part of our Multiple Disabilities Special Education program, our Best Buds meet every Friday to make food, crafts, or anything social for our scholars. Last week they decorated pumpkins. Way to go!

Project Self-Sufficiency will host the innovative 24:7 Dads’ parenting course for new and experienced fathers on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning November 3rd.

See the flyer below for details.

The Newton Board of Education approved our Parent Conferences for November 3rd and 4th, 2026.

November 3rd and 4th: Scholars will have an early dismissal at 11:55 am. Please note there will be no C2C program on those days, so plan for scholar pick-up accordingly.

November 3rd: 12 pm - 2:45 pm in-person or Google Meet conference

November 4th: 12 pm - 2:45 pm in-person or Google Meet conference

As we prepare for our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences, please keep the following guidelines in mind when booking your appointments:

• Prioritize & Book Early: Space is limited, so we encourage you to identify the subject and teacher you most want to meet with and sign up early to secure your preferred times.

• Meeting Format (In-Person or Virtual): Meetings can be held in person or virtually via Google Meet. (Security will be on site to support all in-person visits.) Once you have booked your appointment, please reach out directly to the teacher to let them know whether you will be attending in person or online so they can prepare accordingly.

• Single Slot Limit (Today – October 28): To ensure every family has an equal opportunity to meet with a teacher, bookings are strictly limited to one time slot per family during this initial window. This prevents schedules from filling up too quickly and ensures fair access for all.

• Open Registration (Beginning October 30): Starting October 30, any remaining open slots will become available if you would like to book secondary conferences with additional teachers.

You will sign up for your time slot through Genesis. When you log in to your parent portal, on the left, it will list categories. Click on CONFERENCES → click on the time available on the day (they are next to each other)

Sports physical paperwork for basketball (boys and girls) is due by Friday, November 13th.

With rainy weather and reduced visibility, safety is our top priority. We noticed several children running across the street after being dropped off.

We kindly ask all parents and guardians to stay in the standard drop-off line rather than letting scholars out across the street. While we do our best to keep traffic moving efficiently, maintaining a single, continuous line is crucial for keeping everyone safe. Especially on wet, low-visibility days.

Thank you so much for your cooperation and for keeping our students safe!

• Chaperone at all HMS & NHS Events
• Newton Public Schools require a chaperone at all HMS & NHS School-Sponsored Events. This was first introduced in August of 2023. This measure was put in place to preserve the safety and the spirit of school events. All scholars who attend a school event during the year must be accompanied by an adult (age 18 or older). This includes NHS football games.
• Arrival & Dismissal Procedures - Safety is critical to all of us so click on the link from our Security Team.
• Make sure to set up your Meal Time Account.
• Go to our Food Service link for more info.

• Newton Public Schools Chromebook Insurance - Spanish Flyer. pdf Click on this pdf

• Newton Public Schools Chromebook Insurance- English Flyer.pdf Click on this pdf

• Newton Public Schools SDC Quote Sheet - Parent v11.23.pdf Click on this pdf

Halsted Middle School

Asst. Principal: Mrs. Angela Dunbar

Main Office: Mrs. Rachel Tremain (Attendance) 973-383-7440 x2222 & Mrs. Sarah Kuhns

Website: https://www.newtonnj.org/o/hms
Location: 59 Halsted St. Newton, NJ 07860
Phone: (973) 383-7440