Welcome Back!

NB Families,

We ended the week with some exciting work done for our new inclusive playground. Keep crossing your fingers for good weather so hopefully it can be installed before the cold weather! See below for more information about the playground and donation opportunities if you're interested. There is also an updated date for the Halloween fundraiser, a list of spirit days next week for Red Ribbon Week, book fair information, Halloween parade information, a link to nominate an Educator of the Year, and a holiday photo fundraiser, among many more upcoming events and opportunities.

Also, remember next Wednesday, 10/28 is the retake day for pictures.

Have a great weekend!

Elissa Scillieri

Important Dates - Website Link

Today further progress was made on the inclusive playground with some groundbreaking. We are about $21,000 from our final goal. Please see the information below about the ShamRock Fundraising Concert that will benefit our playground.

Our committee for the inclusive playground has been working to secure donations and organize with vendors and contractors on an optimistic timeline that would ideally have an operational playground in place before the end of the year. While the playground will be at NB, it really is intended as a community play space that will be open to all families not only in our town, but also surrounding towns as well. Our website has more information about the project and how to donate to this great effort.

Please note that the courtyard that held the prior playground structure will be under construction while the playground installation is in progress. Currently, all structures have been removed and there is now a some dirt piles inside the fence. As this construction continues, please keep your children safe and out of that area.

See below for an opportunity during the late night of the Book Fair. Click below to sign up,

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! Monday, October 26th through Thursday, October 30th. Get ready for a reading adventure with the newest books, bestselling series, and kid-favorite characters. Plus, every purchase earns funds for our school. To load your child's e-wallet, click here. We can’t wait to have you join us for the Best. Fair. Ever! https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/northboulevardelemschool

Please consider signing up as a volunteer for the book fair here.

See the letter below about Halloween. Please note that there are some guidelines to keep in mind if you are shopping for Halloween costumes.

Each year we have the opportunity to recognize staff who are respected, dedicated, show leadership ,and contribute to the community. If you would like to nominate a staff member for the Governor’s Educator of the Year Award, either a teacher or an educational services professional, please fill out this form. The more specific your nomination form is, the better chances your nominee has to earn the distinction. Please submit all nominations to Dr. Scillieri by Friday, 11/13.

Click below to see your child's school pictures. You will need their student ID that you can get from the parent portal. Picture retakes will be on Wednesday 10/28. Let your child's teacher know if they are going to participate in picture retakes that day.

For more information about the Birthday Book Club in the Media Center, see the letter below.

The Pequannock Profile of a Graduate outlines the skills and qualities that our community expects students to develop in order to succeed in their future endeavors, whether in higher education, the workforce, military service, or other career paths. In this section of the newsletter, I will weekly highlight how these competencies and dispositions are being integrated and promoted at the elementary school level.

Empathy

Graduates understand and respect others, consider multiple perspectives, and act with compassion and awareness.

• Balances logic with understanding, compassion, and perspective

• Is perceptive of other people's feelings and emotional needs

• Uses their understanding of others to guide actions

What does this look like at NB?

Students demonstrate empathy by listening without interrupting, helping a struggling classmate, and respecting different opinions. Students invite others to play, noticing when someone is left out, and comforting a friend who gets hurt. They make room for others, including someone sitting alone, and being considerate of others' feelings. They help someone who drops belongings, offering assistance, and speaking kindly to peers and adults. Students share responsibilities, listening to everyone's ideas, and being patient when someone needs extra help. When conflict occurs, students Consider how another person feels, taking responsibility for hurtful actions, apologizing sincerely, and working to repair relationships.

See this link to sign up for holiday photo sessions to benefit NB HSA and the First Aid Squad.

Join the NB HSA and check out our upcoming activities on the NB HSA website: https://nbshsa.org/

The elementary handbook outlines general procedures for the three elementary schools. Information regarding specific policies and regulations can be found on the district website.

Please see the letter attached below from Mrs. VanSickle, our Director of Curriculum and Instruction, for changes to the G&T program this year.

Students are expected to maintain regular attendance at school. We ask for your partnership in bringing students to school each day when they are well, and scheduling vacations around school days. Please note that the state tracks all absences, and even those with doctor's notes or a parent phone call are considered unexcused. We understand that students will be absent occasionally for valid reasons. However, the only absences that can marked "excused" are the following: religious observances, Veterans Day activities, Take our Children to Work Day, and transportation related closures.

To help keep you aware of your child's totals, families will be notified at 5, 10, 13 and 16 absences. At 10 or more days absent, we may request a conference or a phone call where we can help develop personalized strategies to improve your child's attendance. Please reach out if you notice any signs of school avoidance, or if you have questions about whether to keep your child home. As always, thank you for your support!

Pomptonian is our lunch service provider. You can view menus and obtain allergy information by following this link. All elementary students must pre-order lunch. Lunches are made at the high school and transported to the elementary schools.

Any families that might benefit from free and reduced lunch are encouraged to check out the district’s website and consider applying. If you qualified last year, please be sure to apply again this year as the program requires annual updates. Students will receive lunches identical to those of their peers and their information remains confidential.

Photo credit goes to Maureen Brain for her beautiful pictures of North Boulevard School.