Greenbrook Elementary School

Keep on Fundraising for the PTO with the Giving Market Fundraiser. Details below.

Save the Date for the PTO TRUNK or TREAT (Rain or Shine), October 28th.

Fall Conference Information was sent on Monday. Check your email.

Jodi Mahoney

Principal

Greenbrook PTO’s Annual Trunk or Treat is on 10/28/26! This is a FREE event and open to the whole GB community! Please bring your own bag for candy collection.

Sign up here to decorate your trunk or to help with setup and throughout the event. We only have 3 trunks as of now. We will sadly have to cancel the event if we don't have more trunks for the kids. Please consider signing up!

Our very own, Mr. Evan Berrios will be the DJ for this event!

We also request that all candy donations be dropped off to the Gator Bin in the school vestibule (no nuts please) Click this link to sign up to decorate your trunk OR help us set up and run the event!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D45ACA72EA2FEC43-66206797-greenbrook

*SPECIAL INCENTIVE* for the Giving Market Fundraiser (Oct 5-19)

THIS JUST IN: if we can get to either 50% student participation OR $5000 in sales by October 19th, the students will earn a special Hat and Hoodie Day at school!

The top 25 sellers overall will win a special golden duck prize following the close of the fundraiser.

Remember, you DON'T have to buy anything in order to participate - just register and share the link with friends and family.

Here's how to register:

1. Register your student at link. and enter the names of your friends or family with a valid phone number OR email address.
2. Already registered? Great -->sign back in at link to shop and share!
3. Shop on your student's store for gifts or household goods.

4. Your child will earn VIP duck prizes based on number of items sold.

Thank you for your generous support of Greenbrook Elementary School!

All spirit wear orders were delivered and dispersed to students by Friday, October 9th. If you have any questions or concerns about your order, please contact the PTO at PTO.GB@sbparents.org.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

October has been an important month in South Brunswick as we focused on building positive, safe, and caring school communities. In the state of New Jersey, schools are required to recognize both Week of Respect and School Violence Awareness Week during the month of October. These weeks provide an opportunity for students and staff to reflect on how our words, choices, and actions contribute to a welcoming school environment.

Week of Respect | October 5–9

During Week of Respect, our school focused on our CARES values. Students participated in morning meeting activities, classroom discussions, and activities designed to strengthen important social-emotional skills. Students practiced Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy and Self Control, while learning how these skills can help them successfully learn, play, solve problems, and build healthy relationships with others.

We continue to remind students that kindness is a choice we can make every day. Simple actions such as including others, using respectful words, listening to others, helping a classmate, and standing up when someone is being treated unkindly can make a meaningful difference in our school community.

School Violence Awareness Week | October 19–23

During School Violence Awareness Week, our focus shifted to creating a safe school environment and helping students develop strategies for managing their emotions, thoughts, and actions. Through morning meeting activities and classroom conversations, students explored the importance of self-management. The development of strong self management skills can help students control impulses, manage stress, and demonstrate perseverance.

Continuing the Conversation at Home

Families play an important role in helping children develop these skills. We encourage you to continue talking about CARES, kindness, respect, and self-management at home. Here are a few ideas for family conversations:

1. Talk about kindness and inclusion.
   Ask your child how they can make sure others feel included, welcomed, and respected at school and at home. Discuss what it means to be an upstander when they see someone being left out or treated unkindly.

2. Recognize self-management.
   Talk with your child about times when they successfully managed their thoughts, emotions, or actions. Celebrate their efforts and remind them that self-management is a skill that becomes stronger with practice.

3. Practice strategies for strong emotions.
   Ask your child what they can do when they are feeling angry, frustrated, or upset. Some strategies might include taking a break, taking deep breaths, counting slowly, talking to a trusted adult, using positive self-talk, or finding a safe way to calm their body.

4. Encourage responsibility.
   Create consistent routines and responsibilities at home for homework, chores, and household tasks. Helping children follow routines and complete responsibilities builds independence and reinforces the importance of being responsible for their choices.

5. Ask about their day.
   Instead of simply asking, “How was school today?” try questions such as, “Did you see someone being kind today?” “Did you help someone today?” or “What did you do today that made someone feel included?”

When students, families, and staff work together, we can create a school community where every child feels safe, valued, included, and supported. Thank you for partnering with us and for helping us reinforce these important messages.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. South Brunswick is committed to being a “dyslexia friendly district” with the ability to embrace and support the strengths and talents of our students with dyslexia.

Did you know that 1 in 5 people may have indicators of dyslexia? Or that 40% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic? On October 15th, you may see educators wearing red shirts to bring attention to the 1 in 5 statistic. Did you know that Dyslexia runs in families? Often it is undiagnosed because “dyslexia masks intelligence and intelligence masks dyslexia.” However, it is much more common than you may think!

Some history:

In September of 2014, NJ passed three laws related to dyslexia. The law requires two hours of mandated training related to dyslexia for appropriate school personnel; screening for any child who shows indicators of dyslexia or other reading disabilities early - by the end of the first semester of second grade with further comprehensive assessment and interventions to follow; and finally, dyslexia is now identified in the New Jersey Special Education Code of Law under the classification category of Specific Learning Disability.

Those who are dyslexic may experience difficulty with: learning letters and their sounds, decoding words, reading comprehension, written expression, grammar/mechanics, spelling, and rapid word retrieval. Early intervention can greatly increase success for these students.

Strengths for these students may include: verbal communication, visual arts, computer science, design, drama, electronics, mathematics, mechanics, music and/or sports.

If dyslexia runs in your family or you have concerns about dyslexia and your child, reach out to your child’s teacher or administrator.

If you are looking for some resources about Dyslexia for yourself or your child, here are some good places to start:

Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz (Book)

The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald Davis

On Social Media follow:

• Decoding Dyslexia NJ @DDNJ

• Dyslexia Advantage (FB)

• International Dyslexia Association (FB)

• Made By Dyslexia (FB)

• Bright Solutions for Dyslexia (FB)

Helpful Websites:

• https://dyslexiaida.org/ (NJ Branch of the International Dyslexia Association)

• Learning Ally https://learningally.org/

• Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity: https://www.dyslexia.yale.edu/

South Brunswick is fortunate to have exceptional staff members who make a difference in the lives of our students each day. We invite students, parents/guardians, staff, administrators, and community members to help us recognize these outstanding individuals by submitting a nomination for the NJDOE Governor’s Educator of the Year Program, which honors both educators and educational services professionals, or the SBSD Educational Support Staff Member of the Year. Please take a few moments to nominate a deserving staff member whose dedication, contributions, and commitment to our students and school community exemplify the very best of South Brunswick!

NJDOE Governor's Educator of the Year/SBSD Educational Support Staff Member of the Year

Greenbrook Parents & Guardians,

Your Photography Company is happy to announce that your Picture Day is coming up! We're sending this email as a Picture Day reminder and to provide you with the YPC Online ordering link. The school will be handing out a paper copy of the order forms to your children shortly.

Greenbrook Fall Picture Day: Monday, October 12th

YPC offers a pre-paid system for your children's pictures. Parents must prepay for the pictures prior to having your children's picture order processed. We will be taking every child's picture for the School Administration.

YPC offers a secure online prepayment system. We are excited to unveil four (4) new background options and two (2) exciting new photo products! Click on the link below for online ordering:

http://werypc.hhimagehost.com/GreenbrookFall2026

If you have any questions, please email us at service@werypc.com or call customer service at 267-800-7972.

We're excited about your Fall 2026 Picture Day!

Directions for parents for how to create a MY SCHOOL BUCKS account:

• Spanish - Creating a MY SCHOOL BUCKS Account

• Creating a MY SCHOOL BUCKS Account

10/26 Gator Gazette

Watch this video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N0g_OmY21lr1c4Jh3FpldZ8nFZ09DF0F/view?usp=drive_link

Visit our new website:

https://sites.google.com/view/greenbrookpto

Access fundraisers, the PTO newsletter and more via the website. Check it out, it's GREAT!

• 
  

  • Watch video here

  • Giving Market flyer in English

  • Giving Market flyer en Espanol

  • Check the fundraising page for more details

We’re back to school and so are the germs! 🐊💗

As we settle into the new school year, please help us keep our students and staff healthy. Use the Greenbrook Gator Wellness Guide below to help determine whether your child is well enough to come to school or would benefit from staying home to rest and recover.

Please remember: Medication should not be used to mask symptoms in order for a sick child to attend school.

If you’re ever unsure whether your child should come to school, please contact Nurse Bethany for guidance.

📌 Check your child’s folder for a copy of the Greenbrook Gator Wellness Guide to put on the fridge!

Thank you for helping us keep our Greenbrook community healthy! 💚🐊

EASY TO ORDER BREAKFAST (Delivered to Classrooms)

Dear South Brunswick Parents and Families,

We are excited to announce that beginning October 1st, we will be offering hot breakfast in the classroom, delivered daily to participating classrooms.

This is another way we are working to make nutritious breakfast options more accessible and convenient for our students.

Be sure to stop by the Maschio’s table at your school’s scheduled Back-to-School Night for more information and to learn how to sign up for this new breakfast option.

Please keep an eye out for additional information and flyers with more details.

We look forward to serving our South Brunswick students!

Breakfast and Lunch Costs:

Breakfast $2.80

Lunch $4.00

Free and Reduced Breakfast and Lunch Forms:

Families need to apply every year to receive Free or Reduced Breakfast and Lunch Benefits. If you need to apply for FREE or REDUCED BREAKFAST/LUNCH, you can find the forms in GENESIS.

Click Here for the full details

If you need assistance, please reach out to Mrs. Flint (pushpalatha.flint@sbschools.org) or Mrs. Beck (aileen.beck@sbschools.org)

Please write your child's name in sweatshirts and jackets and on all water bottles.

Encourage your child to check the LOST and FOUND weekly.

Thank you in advance.

Ensure that in GENESIS that your number is listed as MOBILE.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We invite you to join the next SEPAG (Special Education Parent Advisory Group) meeting. SEPAG is a state-mandated, district-level, parent-driven group that provides input to the local school district on system-level challenges in special education and related services.
Our first meeting will be on: 10/14/26 6:30 PM at SBSD BOE 2nd Floor

Meeting Flyer

Join the South Brunswick Community in supporting the Education Foundation of South Brunswick for the Taste for Education Event. Last year, the Ed Foundation gifted all elementary schools $500 to spend on teacher appreciation efforts. The foundation gives back to all South Brunswick Schools in many generous ways. This is a great way to support this organization and a fun night out.

Ticket Prices are $45, $35 for early purchase

Buy Tickets here:

https://edfoundationsb.org/taste4ed/

Here are some ways to stay connected to our school:

1) District web page: www.sbschools.org and school webpage www.sbschools.org/gb (this will have a link to our school supplies, school hours, phone information, calendar and more!)

2) You are reading Principal's Newsletter via S'more. This contains valuable information to help you prepare your child for this school year and plan for upcoming important events. This newsletter is sent every 2 weeks or so via School Messenger.

3) Follow us at facebook.com/sbsdgb

4) Follow us on Twitter @sbsdgb

5) Also, often your child’s teacher will have a website, weebly or twitter page that they use to communicate and share with you.

Instagram: Greenbrook Elementary School

Email: jodi.mahoney@sbschools.org
Website: https://gb.sbschools.org/
Location: 23 Roberts Street, Kendall Park, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-297-2480
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SBSDGB/