WELCOME

Dear HAS Community,

October is in full swing at HAS with so many wonderful things happening with our Cougars. Our 4th-grade students learned about bicycle safety as our super Cranford Police Officers ran their annual Bike Rodeo. The excitement is building for our 2026 HAS Color Run happening tomorrow! The third year of this event promises to be bigger and better than ever, and we'll be cheering on all of our students who will be running to support HAS!

A few reminders regarding before and after school for our parents: Please do not park and block in cars in the parking lot when picking up your child. Also, we all love our pets, but dogs are not allowed on school grounds. Some of our Cougars are not only allergic, but some are also quite afraid of dogs. We appreciate your partnership. Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Nicole Vaccaro, HAS Principal

Jamie Geltzeiler, HAS Assistant Principal

What a gorgeous day to learn about bicycle safety! Thank you so much to our Cranford Police Officers for running a very successful 2026 Bike Rodeo. With a record number of participants, our 4th graders did a fantastic job navigating the course and had a ton of fun while doing it. Great work, 4th grade!

Several lucky elementary and middle school students got the opportunity to "Powder" Ms. Vaccaro and Ms. Geltzeiler as a reward for the money raised toward the 2026 HAS Color Run. Even Ms. G's poncho didn't stand a chance against the students who were on a mission for maximum coloring! Lots of fun was had by all as the elementary students looked on and cheered. Good luck to all of our students participating in the event tomorrow!

Use this link to order a Boo Gram for your elementary school student. Orders close 10/14 and grams will be delivered on Friday the 30th of October.

https://forms.gle/zQhkwiQng9KfMAon7

As a follow up to the message shared by the Office of the Superintendent earlier this week:

******************************************************

Dear Cranford Public Schools Community,

The New Jersey Department of Education strives to recognize educators who have gone above and beyond in their service to New Jersey’s students. Every school in our district participates in the Governor's Educator of the Year program to honor the hardworking teachers and educational services professionals for their dedication to their students and the profession. This program promotes a culture that recognizes excellence, creates a sense of pride, and brings public attention to the work of outstanding educators.

We would love for you to nominate one or more teachers or educational professionals (Child Study Team (CST) member, counselor, paraprofessional, nurse, library media specialist, student assistance counselor) that fits the following criteria:

• Is an expert in the field who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn;

• Actively collaborates with colleagues, students, and families to create a strong culture of

respect and success:

• Demonstrates leadership and innovation in educational activities at the school, district

and/or state and national levels that take place both within and outside the school setting;

• Has the respect and admiration of students, parents/guardians and colleagues.

Submissions can be made by current/former students, parents/guardians, Cranford residents or district employees.

Staff members that have worked in the district for less than 4 years or have won in the past 5 years are ineligible for this award.

2025-2026: Ms. Rendine and Ms. Goldberg

2024-2025: Ms. Lengner and Ms. Siciliano

2023-2024: Ms. Compton and Ms. Andriola

2022-2023: Ms. Johnson

2021-2022: Ms. Sandoukas and Ms. Brito

Please submit this form prior to Monday, October 19, 2026.

Today’s Hispanic Heritage Month spotlight is on Pura Belpré, the very first Latina librarian in New York. When she worked in the library, she noticed there were no books written in Spanish or with stories from her home of Puerto Rico. So, she wrote her own books and used puppets to tell fun stories to all the kids! Pura Belpré reminds us that your unique story is important, and when you share your own experiences, you help make our community a happier place for everyone.

Cranford Public Schools is honored to commemorate Veterans Day again this year by welcoming local veterans to participate in our planned activities across the district on Tuesday, November 11th. If you or another family member are interested in participating in this year's events, please click here to register before 10/31.

October Family Academy - Imagine's Grief Informed Parent and Caregiver Program This program is intended to provide tools and knowledge to families in order to better support children who experience any type of loss. No one grieves alone. Together we can ensure we are better equipped to be supportive of one another with any loss that we experience through life. RSVP HERE. (Wednesday, October 14th)

Pomptonian Allergy Statement Letter

PaySchools Link for Prepayment

Welcome to a new and exciting school year!

I would like to outline some important Health Office guidelines. Please be sure to keep this letter for future reference, questions and/or concerns.

To report an absence, please call 908.709.6983 or email has-attendance@cranfordschools.org.

If your child is experiencing a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, they must stay home. Students must be symptom-free for 24 hours (without the use of medication) before returning to school.

New Students:

If your child is new to the district and you have received an email regarding missing health documents, please submit the requested documents as soon as possible. Health documents for new students must be submitted within 14 days of starting school. Timely submission helps ensure that your child's health records are complete and up to date.

Medications:

If your child needs to take medication during the school day either on a daily basis or as-needed:
- An Authorization for Medication Administration Form must be completed by your doctor and submitted to the health office.
- Medication must be in its original prescription container with the child’s name clearly labeled.
- All medications must be delivered by a parent or guardian only.

Inhalers and Nebulizers:
- Inhalers are kept in the school nurse's office unless your child has doctor’s orders allowing them to self-carry.
- A nebulizer machine is available at school, but parents/guardians must supply tubing, mask, and medication, as prescribed.
- An Asthma Action Plan must be submitted with the medication including for self-carry.

Allergies & EpiPens:
If your child has any allergies including life-threatening allergies (food, medication, insect, etc.), please inform the school nurse:
- An Allergy Action Plan must be completed by your doctor if an EpiPen is required.
- Submit both the plan and the EpiPen to the Health Office—delivered by a parent or guardian.

All medication forms can be found on the Nurse’s Corner on HAS's webpage.

Health Screenings:
The following screenings will be conducted throughout the year as required by state law:
- Height, Weight, Blood Pressure: All grades
- Hearing: K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 11th grades
- Vision: K, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th grades
- Scoliosis: 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th grades

If any concerns arise, a referral letter will be sent home. To opt out of any screenings, please notify the school nurse in writing by October 3, 2026.

Gym Excuses:
If your child is unable to participate in gym, a doctor's note is required. Please send all gym notes to the nurse first.

Immunizations:
If your child received any immunizations over the summer, please send documentation so I can update their health record accordingly.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Wishing your child a safe, happy and healthy school year!

Visitor Entry - The District continues to use a digital visitor management entry system (Raptor) at each of the school building entrances. Please review the Visitor Entry Protocols. Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our schools safe!

• Visitor Entry Protocols

• Permitted Items at Board-Sponsored Public Events Policy #9160.1

• 2026-2027 School District Calendar

• Emergency/Crisis Protocol information

• HIB Specialist information ---- District HIB Policy #5512

• Internet Safety and Technology Policy #2361

• Student Records - FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) Policy/Regulation #8330

• Student Use of Vehicles on School Grounds Policy #5514

Email: vaccaro.nicole@cranfordschools.org

Website: https://has.cranfordschools.org/

Location: 125 Hillside Avenue, Cranford, NJ 07016

Phone: (908)709-6229