RS Weekly Update

February 2025 💘

February 16th & 17th - NO SCHOOL❌

February 18-20, 2026 - 💙Kindness Week💛

• Wednesday: Workout problems with kindness, wear workout clothes
• Thursday: Wear green for gratitude
• Friday: Be kind, wear black and yellow

February 20th - 3rd Grade Culture Showcase @ 2:30PM

February 23rd-27th - ACCESS Testing for MLs/ESL

February 25th - PreK-4 Science Fair @ Weston

It’s time to send some smiles! Our Pencil Gram Fundraiser is officially underway, and it’s the perfect way to let someone know you’re thinking of them. All proceeds go directly toward funding our upcoming school events.

Who are they for?

Everyone! You can purchase a gram for your own child, or your child can choose to send them to their friends and classmates. It’s a great way to spread kindness around the hallways!

The Details:

• Cost: Only $1.00 per pencil gram.
• Delivery: Grams will be delivered weekly and sent home in yellow Friday folders.
• Deadline: The sale runs through February 26th.

Act Fast!

We have a limited supply of these special pencils. To make sure you don't miss out, please turn in your forms as soon as possible.

Need Extra Forms?

If you need more forms for friends or family, please email Ms. Landau at landau@manvillesd.org.
Thank you for helping us make our school events extra special!

We are excited to invite you to a special event celebrating the diverse cultures and heritages that our 3rd-grade students have chosen to research and present! Over the past few weeks, the students have been learning about the history and traditions of different cultures and regions, and they are eager to share what they have learned through presentations.

Event Details:

Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM
Location: Roosevelt School - Multipurpose Room

*Please park in the gravel lot between North 3rd and 4th Ave

This is a wonderful opportunity to see the amazing work that our classes have done while exploring different cultures. We hope you will join us to celebrate the diversity and richness of the world.

ACCESS testing for students in the ESL program will begin the week of February 23. This test measures students' English proficiency in Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. A detailed letter with more information will be sent home.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Catelli at ecatelli@manvillesd.org OR Mrs. Bachrach at abachrach@manvillesd.org.

If your child is missing a coat, sweatshirt, hat, gloves, or other items, remind them to check the Lost and Found bin in the Multipurpose Room (MPR). Please take a look at the pictures below - Does anything look familiar?!

Mondays & Wednesdays - Math Tutoring: 7:40 AM - 8:25 AM

• 3rd Grade Math Tutoring - Ms. Landau & Mrs. De la Cruz
• 4th Grade Math Tutoring - Ms. Miller & Ms. K. Gallagher

Tuesdays & Thursdays - ELA/ESL Tutoring: 7:40 AM - 8:25 AM

• 3rd Grade ELA Tutoring - Mrs. Nolan & Mrs. Jaconski
• 4th Grade ELA Tutoring - Ms. K. Gallagher & Mrs. De La Cruz
• 3rd & 4th Grade ESL Tutoring - Ms. Bachrach

Before school tutoring sessions can be found on the Roosevelt School website calendar AND on Parent Square!

On Tuesday, February 10th, our school was filled with excitement (and a few more "wrinkles" than usual!) as we celebrated the 100th Day of School.

Our students marked this major milestone in creative ways:

• Many students wore 100-day t-shirts OR custom-made shirts featuring 100 items they collected or designed themselves.

• Some students had us doing a double-take by dressing up as if they were 100 years old, complete with grey hair and spectacles!

It was a wonderful day to reflect on how much our students have grown and learned since the first day of school. Congratulations to all our students on being 100 days smarter!

On Wednesday, February 11th, the 2024-2025 Youth In Action students (Roosevelt Grade 4/ABIS Grade 5) were invited to present their research project to teachers at Rutgers University!

The Project: The students identified that a lack of recess equipment was leading to boredom and an increase in playground conflicts. Using a research-based approach, they conducted surveys and interviews with students, teachers, lunch aides, the school nurse, and the principal to gather data on how behavior and play are linked.

The Findings: The team discovered that over 60% of students had been involved in a recess argument, often due to limited activities. Their research showed that providing more diverse equipment—like jump ropes, hula hoops, and board games—could significantly reduce behavioral issues and help students navigate social situations more effectively.

The Result: The students took their findings straight to the top! After presenting their research last year at Rutgers University AND to the Manville Board of Education, the Youth In Action team was awarded $5,000 to purchase new recess equipment.

We are so proud of these young leaders for using their voices to create a more positive, active, and fun environment for everyone at Roosevelt School!

Our Roosevelt Colts had a busy Friday morning celebrating Valentine's Day! Many classes and students created Valentine's Day boxes by following a rubric and trying to win a prize in different categories! Our classes also participated in some fun Valentine's Day themed challenges and activities!

Our Roosevelt School staff participated in an I LOVE SOUP - SOUPER BOWL competition on Friday! Our faculty room was full of at least 9 different soups & chilies, as well as all the fixing and dessert! Congratulations to our winners:

• 🏅🏆 1st Place - Ms. K. Gallagher's Chipotle Chicken Chili
• 🏆 2nd Place - Mrs. D. Gallagher's Pineapple Chili
• 🏆 3rd Place - Ms. Pillarella's Tomato Bisque & Mrs. Ohlson's Butternut Squash Soup

Our Winter Social on Friday was a wonderful success! Students enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon participating in a variety of seasonal activities, from hitting the dance floor to competing in "Snowball" Bowling/Curling, and Cup Stacking. Creative spirits shined at the snowflake and Valentine’s Day card craft stations, while others enjoyed face painting, temporary tattoos, and capturing memories with friends in the photo booth. A huge thank you to all the staff members and our wonderful MHS NHS volunteers who helped manage the activity stations, snack tables, and dismissal to make this event such a fantastic celebration for our students!

In February our lessons will be focused on fairness and calming. Students will learn about the important differences between fair and equal. Student will also have the opportunity to practice calming techniques such as taking deep breaths, practicing mindfulness, and talking it out.

Breakfast: Students purchasing breakfast should arrive to school at 8:25 AM.

Lunch and Snacks can be purchased through Aramark.

MySchoolBucks - Please log into MySchoolBucks to track spending and manage meal accounts.

Dietary Restrictions: If your child has dietary restrictions or should not be purchasing snacks, please reach out to Aramark Food Services directly to make the necessary arrangements. We’re here to ensure that every student has access to nutritious meals that meet their needs.

Caryn Savitsky - Aramark Food Services

Food Service Director K-12 Education - Manville School District

(908) 231-8500, ext. 8519

csavitsky@manvillesd.org

We’d like to remind our families that the Manville School District provides free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch options for students who qualify.

We are excited to share this month’s update from the Manville Public Library!

You’ll notice that the newsletter has a fresh new look: it is now formatted as a monthly calendar. These changes make it easier for families to see, at a glance, not only the library’s special events but also the full range of consistent programs MPL offers our community every day.

Check it out to see what’s happening at the library this month!

🏐 Girls' Winter Volleyball 🏐

Format: Girls / Ages 10-17

Dates: Feb 9th - Mar 19th

Days/Times: Mondays & Thursdays, 5-7pm

Cost: FREE for qualified families

Location: Franklin Youth Center

Address: 429 Lewis Street, Somerset

Registration: www.atreach.org

Contact: Alexis Gonzalez

Phone: 908-333-4141

To ensure we can support every student and family effectively, please keep the following information in mind regarding our office hours and communication:

• Office Hours: Our main office is open and ready to assist you from 8:15 AM to 4:15 PM.

• Planning Your Visit: To ensure the right staff member is available to give you their full attention, we kindly ask that you schedule an appointment before coming to the school. This helps us keep our building secure and our schedules organized.

• Ways to Connect: We welcome communication via phone, voicemail, email, and/or ParentSquare.

• Response Time: We value your outreach! Please keep in mind that our staff follows a response window of 24 hours of the next business day for all messages and inquiries. We appreciate your patience as we work to get back to everyone.

Getting Help: Our Chain of Command

When you have a question or concern, the fastest way to get a resolution is to follow the district's "Chain of Command." This ensures you are speaking directly with the staff member who has firsthand knowledge of the situation.

We love seeing our students' personalities shine, but please remind your child that school-issued Chromebooks should remain free of stickers, decals, and tape. Stickers often leave behind a sticky residue that can be difficult to remove and could cause damage. If you child currently has any stickers or decals, please remove them as soon as possible! Thank you for helping us keep our equipment in great shape!

Just a friendly reminder on how to keep the school updated regarding your child's schedule! You can easily report changes via the Attendance module or the link on the Student Data-Summary screen:

• Reporting an Absence? Use the Notify Attendance screen.

• Picking up Early? Use the Daily Pickup Release screen.

Note: To ensure our staff has enough time to coordinate, please submit or change any early release requests no later than 12:00 PM.