Tiger Paw Prints

3rd Edition - October 12, 2026

Tiger Paw Prints: News and Notes from School 8 is your go-to source for all things School 8! This biweekly newsletter will celebrate our students, spotlight the great things happening in our classrooms, share important updates and upcoming events, and keep our families connected to our school community. Follow along as our Tigers learn, grow, and leave their paw prints along the way!

Tiger Attendance Update: Our Progress Matters!

Every Day Counts. Every Hour Matters.

School #8 Families,

We are excited to share some encouraging attendance news! Over the past two weeks, since our last Smore newsletter (September 28), we have seen a 28.7% reduction in average daily student absences compared to the previous two weeks. Our average daily absences decreased from 33.4 students to 21.6 students, bringing our estimated daily attendance rate up from 92.9% to 95.4%!

This is wonderful progress, and we want to thank our families for making consistent school attendance a priority. Every day our Tigers are in school, they have opportunities to learn, build relationships, develop routines, and stay connected to our School #8 community.

A Friendly Reminder: Half Days Count, Too!

While we are celebrating our overall improvement, we also want to remind families that half days are important school days! Today, we had 85 students absent, significantly more than our recent daily average.

Even when the school day is shorter, attendance is still recorded, and students benefit from being present. We encourage families to prioritize attendance on all scheduled school days, including early dismissal days, whenever students are healthy and able to attend.

Let's Keep the Momentum Going!

Our progress over the past two weeks shows what we can accomplish when our school and families work together. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our Tigers develop strong attendance habits from the very beginning of the school year!

TIGERS SHOW UP. TIGERS LEARN. TIGERS GROW.

Every Day Counts. Every Hour Matters.

School 8 Paw Points

This year, School 8 has implemented a Paw Points reward system for our students who are seen meeting expectations in the hallways, bathrooms, multi-purpose room, and our classrooms. The expectations for behavior in those spaces have been discussed in collaboration with staff and students, and have been posted all over the school. Students caught meeting expectations receive a Paw Point and they can then apply what they have earned to their class total. The picture above shows our PreK-3 grade level assembly for Paw Points, and Student of the Month awards. Our students are really doing a great job this year!

Every Day Counts at School 8!!

At School 8, we love having our Tigers here! Each day brings new opportunities to learn, laugh, build friendships, and be part of our school community. Simply put, when our students are here, they have the best opportunity to grow and succeed.

You may have heard the term “chronic absenteeism.” In New Jersey, a student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school days they are enrolled, including both excused and unexcused absences. In a typical 180-day school year, that’s about 18 days—or just 2 days each month. Those days can add up faster than we realize.

We certainly understand that children get sick and that there are times when an absence is necessary. Our message to families is simply to make every school day count whenever possible. Being in school consistently helps children stay connected to their learning, their teachers, their friends, and the routines that help them feel successful.

And remember, we’re a team! If something is making it difficult for your child to attend school regularly, please reach out to us. We’re here to listen, support your family, and work together to help your child get to school and thrive.

Every day matters. Every Tiger matters. We can’t wait to see you at School 8!

Update from Ms. Pereira's class

During our math center today, two students worked together to practice addition through a fun, hands-on game. Students solved addition problems and used connecting cubes to help them add and find the sum. Once they found the correct answer, they used counters to cover the corresponding number on the game board. This activity gave students an engaging way to practice addition while also taking turns and working cooperatively with a partner.

Update from Ms. Weglarz's classes

Students worked on strengthening their persuasive writing by adding meaningful details to convince others to “buy” their handmade squishies. It was a fun and engaging way for students to practice using details with a purpose!

A Friendly Cold Weather Reminder from School 8!

As the temperatures begin to drop, we want to remind everyone that students will continue to enjoy outdoor recess and physical education activities when weather permits.

Please help your child stay warm and comfortable by sending them to school with a jacket, coat, or warm sweatshirt on chilly days. Dressing in layers is a great way to help students stay comfortable throughout the school day.

We understand that every family's circumstances are different, and we are here to support one another. If your family needs assistance obtaining warm clothing for your child, please don't hesitate to reach out privately to our school staff. We are happy to help connect families with available resources.

Thank you for helping us keep our School 8 students warm, healthy, and ready to learn and play!

Update from Ms. D'Amico's/Ms. Murphy's class

Here are some pictures of students in Mrs. D’Amico/Mrs. Murphy’s students doing centers.

First PTA Meeting Tonight (October 12)!

School 8's first PTA meeting is scheduled for this evening beginning at 7 PM. Google Meet information will be shared with members prior to the meeting. Please make sure to click the link below (on the flyer) to join our amazing PTA and be an even more involved member of our school community!