The SRES Family Newsletter

Dear South River Elementary Families,

It is hard to believe that we have already reached the 100th day of school! The year has been filled with many accomplishments at SRES. We have celebrated academic growth, highlighted the diversity of our school community, and made strong progress with student attendance. Our three-year attendance trends show continued improvement, with students at or above 10% absenteeism reduced to 18%, and the number of students with 18 or more absences remaining low and stable.

Academically, our recent LinkIt Benchmark Assessment results, which help prepare students for the NJSLA state assessment, show positive trends in both Reading and Mathematics. A major focus this year has been small-group instruction, where our dedicated teachers use assessment data to tailor instruction and meet students’ individual learning needs.

There is so much to celebrate, and I remain very optimistic about the continued success of our students and school community.

Upcoming Events

March

• Mar 9–20: COGAT Testing

• Mar 13: Early Dismissal for Students

• Mar 19: Spring Picture Day

• Mar 19: Trimester 2 Concert (6:00 PM)

• Mar 27: Women’s History Month Exhibit (10:00 AM)

April

• Apr 2: Early Dismissal for All

• Apr 3–10: Spring Break

• Apr 17: Early Dismissal for Students / Staff PD

• Apr 20–24: DLM Testing

• Apr 21–22: Camp Mason Trip (Grade 5)

May

• May 1: Drama Production (6:00 PM)

• May 2: Drama Production (1:00 PM)

• May 4–8: Teacher Appreciation Week

• May 7: NJSLA Pep Rally (11:00 AM)

• May 11–15: NJSLA Adaptive Testing (ELA, Math, Science)

• May 15: Early Dismissal for Students / Staff PD

• May 22: Curriculum Fair / Art Show (5:00 PM)

• May 25: Memorial Day – No School

• May 27: Civics Walking Trip (Grade 3)

June

• Jun 2: Day of Service

• Jun 2: Trimester 3 Concert (6:00 PM)

• Jun 3: Young Voices Concert at Prudential Center (6:00 PM)

• Jun 5: Fun Day

• Jun 9: Gifted & Talented Honors Ceremony (6:00 PM)

• Jun 12: 5th Grade Fun Night (PTA)

• Jun 17–18: Early Dismissal for Students

• Jun 18: 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony (1:30 PM)

• Jun 19: Juneteenth – No School

• Jun 22–23: Early Dismissal for Students

• Jun 23: Last Day of School

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we will continue to ensure a successful and meaningful school year for all of our students.

In Service,
Mr. Christian J. Valentin-Gladden
Principal

Reading every day is one of the most powerful ways to help children grow as readers! 📚 Just 15–20 minutes of reading daily can strengthen vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and background knowledge. Whether your child is reading independently, reading with a family member, or listening to a story, time spent with books helps build confident and capable readers. Talking about books is just as important as reading them—ask questions, discuss favorite parts, notice new words, and make connections to real life. Reading and discussing books in any language is incredibly valuable because strong literacy skills transfer across languages! 🌎✨

At school, we are continuing to strengthen our literacy program through small-group instruction, targeted supports, and the use of data to meet each student’s individual needs. Our guided reading resources have expanded, and teachers are engaging students in meaningful conversations about texts, vocabulary, and writing. 📝

In the coming weeks, families can also look forward to additional opportunities to support reading at home, including a Family Literacy Night! 📖🎉 We are excited to continue partnering with our families to help our students grow into strong readers and writers. Together, we can build a lifelong love of reading! ❤️📚

🔢 Family Math Fun at Home!

Did you know that math can be fun, creative, and part of everyday family activities? PBS SoCal offers a wonderful collection of simple hands-on math activities that families can do together at home using everyday materials. These activities help children practice important math skills like counting, measuring, patterns, shapes, and sorting while having fun.

Some activities include:

🍕 Making a paper plate pizza to practice counting

🐙 Creating a colorful counting octopus craft

🌺 Measuring while making paper flower bouquets

🐦 Building a bird feeder using fruit and cereal

These playful activities help children build confidence with math and see how math connects to the real world through crafts, cooking, and creative projects.

We encourage families to explore these activities together and enjoy learning through play!

👉 Explore the activities here: https://www.pbssocal.org/education/pbs-socal-family-math/activities

Math is everywhere—and when families learn together, children develop confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning! 📚✨

Report Card & Progress Report Information

As we continue through the school year, please keep these important dates in mind:

• Trimester 2 Ends: March 19, 2026

• Trimester 2 Report Cards Available: March 27, 2026 on the Genesis Parent Portal

Looking ahead to the final trimester:

• Trimester 3 Interim Progress Reports Available: May 9, 2026 on the Genesis Parent Portal

• Trimester 3 Report Cards Available: June 24, 2026 on the Genesis Parent Portal

Families are encouraged to regularly check the Genesis Parent Portal to stay informed about your child’s progress. If you have any questions about grades or your child’s progress, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Principal: Mr. Christian Valentin-Gladden

Phone: (732) 613-4073

Email: cvalentin@srivernj.org
Website: https://es.srivernj.org/
Address: 81 Johnson Pl | South River, NJ 08882
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SRivernj/