Welcome to Montrose!!🦒

Hello Montrose Early Childhood Center families!! Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year!! I am looking forward to the new school year that will be here in just a few weeks. Everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot is included in this special edition of my monthly newsletter. Please make sure to read everything, and if after reading this newsletter you have any questions about its' content, please reach out to me at ksantos2@somsd.k12.nj.us.

On Friday, August 21, 2026 from 6:00-7:00pm on the playground behind the school, I will be hosting our annual "Pop-By" event for all of the Montrose students and families. This is an opportunity for our new and veteran families to meet and greet one another and let their little ones have a quick "hangout" before school starts. The first day of school is Tuesday, September 1, 2026 and the school day begins at 8:15am. I look forward to seeing you then AND to an amazing school year!

In partnership,

Dr. Kimberly R. Santos

Assistant Director, Early Childhood Education South Orange & Maplewood School District

Principal, Montrose Early Childhood Center

ksantos2@somsd.k12.nj.us

On Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 9:00am, your little one's classroom assignment will be posted in PowerSchool. Please feel free to access the platform to see the name of their classroom teacher. For all new members of the Montrose ECC family who do not have a PowerSchool account - please reach out to the Parent Portal Help Desk at parentportalhelp@somsd.k12.nj.us to get your account set up instructions. You will receive a welcome letter via email from your little one's assigned classroom teacher before the first day of school. Be on the lookout!

For the first day of school, each student should come to school with the following items:

• Two(2) boxes of tissues
• Two(2) packages of unscented baby wipes
• One(1) roll of paper towels
• One(1) package of ten thick dry erase markers (black)
• One(1) box of gallon-sized Ziplock bags
• One(1) plastic storage bin with lid (approximately 7.5" wide x 4" tall)
• One(1) light cover for rest time
• One(1) small, soft, comfort object for rest time (only if needed)
• One(1) full change of clothes including socks
• Pull-ups & wipes if your child needs support with toileting
• One(1) personal lunch container (daily if bringing lunch from home)
• One(1) backpack (big enough to hold an 8x11 folder)

• One(1) package of plastic forks and spoons
• One(1) package of paper plates

• One(1) package of napkins
• One(1) package of small Dixie cups

*If you are in need of support with acquiring any of the items listed above, please reach out to me at ksantos2@somsd.k12.nj.us and I will ensure that your little one has everything that is needed.

We would like for your little one to be as comfortable as possible during the school day. Please dress them in clothes that allow them to learn and play without confinement and are appropriate for the weather. It is preferred that students wear sneakers. However, if they don't, please make sure their footwear has a rubber sole and a closed toe. Flip-flops, "slides", or any shoes without a back are highly discouraged for safety reasons.

When you arrive at Montrose, please be mindful of the safety of our school community and be sure to obey parking ordinances at all times, including not parking in front of the driveways of our neighbors. School driveways and parking spaces are for staff and those with handicapped placards ONLY. Even for "quick drop-offs and pick-ups, please do NOT park in the parking lot. In addition, dogs are not permitted on school grounds at any time. We kindly ask that you walk along sidewalks and not across the lawn or main parking lot when arriving and departing the campus. This helps us to reinforce good safety habits and encourage each child's awareness of their surroundings.

The student school day begins at 8:15am and the teachers will meet their students at the designated location. Please refer to the "Arrival and Dismissal List" below to find your assigned door. There is a different number posted on each door to provide a visual cue for our students and families to find their door quickly. Please arrive no earlier than 8:05 AM so that students may line-up and enter quickly into the building to prevent them from standing idol for long periods of time. We ask those who arrive earlier to please wait in their cars or away from the line up areas and then bring the children at the appointed time.

Student Arrival and Dismissal List

Teachers and school staff will meet families at these designated locations for arrival and dismissal:

• Room 205, Room 105, and Bus Students

• Front of Montrose at Clark Street door

• Door 4

• Room 206

• Left side of Montrose (when facing the front of the school)

• Door 5

• Room 106 and Room 107

• Rear of Montrose, Gym door

• Door 6

• Room 101 and Room 104

• Rear of Montrose, Main door

• Door 1

• Room 201 and Room B3

• Right side of Montrose (when facing the front of the school)

• Door 2

where they picked them up from caregivers in the morning. We ask families to please be on time

for dismissal. Our before-care and after-care programs are run by the South Mountain YMCA.

For families interested in using these services please email Tom Donaldson at TDonaldson@metroymcas.org. Students will NOT be dismissed until school staff is able to hand them off to their designated pick-up adult. If you need to make a change to your pick-up adult or will be picking up your little one early, you MUST contact the school administrative assistant, Ms. China, at 973.378.2086. Please do NOT email teachers this information, they are unable to check their email during instructional time.

Lunch service will begin on the first day of school. If you choose to send lunch please send it in a labeled lunch bag or container. You may also send in a reusable (labeled) water bottle daily, which we will refill with bottled water as needed. In order to better support students during the first few days, we ask that you send lunch if you are able. These meals from home help students to feel comfortable with what they are eating. It's important to note that when sending food for lunch during the first few days, we kindly ask that you include only those items that do not include nuts. Once you have heard from your child’s teacher and the school nurse, you will know what foods are unsafe in your child’s classroom and environment.

For the 2026-27 school year SOMSD will offer students healthy meals for purchase on a daily basis at a reasonable price of $3.25. Families must prepay for student meals through the Meal Pay Plus online payment system. Please be advised, we do NOT accept cash payments for lunch. To receive Free & Reduced Meal Benefits for the 2026-27 SY, eligible families must complete a new free and reduced lunch application online (Please select and complete one of the following applications in your home language): ENGLISH Free & Reduced Lunch Application, SPANISH Free & Reduced Lunch Application, CREOLE Free & Reduced Lunch Application. Applications must be completed annually.

if you change your mind, decide later to purchase lunch, or drop off a lunch instead, please call

the main office at 973.378.2086 and inform the administrative assistant. Please do NOT send an email with this information to your little one's teacher. Teachers are unable to check their email during instructional time.

We will have snack time daily, beginning Wednesday, September 2nd. Please send a healthy snack with your child every day. The best options are those your child can open/eat with as little assistance as possible. Again, during the first few days of school, please do not send food items containing nuts. Once you have heard from your little one's teacher and the school nurse, you will know what foods are unsafe in your child’s classroom and environment.

We welcome caregiver and family involvement at Montrose Early Childhood Center. We encourage caregivers and family members to volunteer in their little one's classroom whenever you can. Always speak to their teacher first to arrange a time that works best for everyone.

The Montrose ECC PTA is extremely active and always looking for additional members. Currently, the office of Vice President (helps the President and sits on President Council), Secretary (helps take notes during meetings and keeps the group accountable), Communication Chair (helps to make the monthly communications to families and works to send correspondence relevant to the district),and Diversity Chair (helps to promote diversity awareness) are vacant. If you are interested in any of these positions or are interested in just becoming a member, please reach out to the Montrose Early Childhood Center PTA via email at meccpta@gmail.com. Monthly meetings will be announced and all caregivers are encouraged to attend.

• Do - label everything with their name (first and at least last initial)
• Do - check your little one's backpack everyday
• Do - become involved in the Montrose ECC school community
• Do - communicate with your little one's teacher
• Do - read with your little one every day for at least fifteen(15) minutes
• Do - limit screen time to fifteen(15) minutes a day
• Do - begin to work with your little one on following directions and being a good listener
• Do - support your little one's independence by allowing them to put on their own shoes (or even tie them!), help set the table, wash their hands, clean up after themselves, etc.
• Do - get them excited about learning and school