Ravine Drive Elementary School
March 2021
March Highlights
A Note from the Principal:
The staff of Ravine Drive is excited to be welcoming our Hybrid Students back to the building for five days of in-person instruction this month!
- All Hybrid students in Grades K and 1 will be attending on Monday, March 15th.
- All Hybrid students in Grades 2 and 3 will be attending on Monday, March 22nd.
- All Hybrid students will continue to attend school from 9:20 AM - 1:20 PM and then return home for lunch/recess. Students will then log-on virtually from home to continue with their afternoon instruction from 2:50 PM - 3:35 PM.
- All Full Remote Students and Special Student Population Cohorts will continue with their regular academic programs as scheduled.
For students attending in-person, please know that 6-foot spacing may not always be possible for certain classrooms. We will continue to distance to the greatest extent possible in these settings and will be installing plexiglass as an additional mitigation step. We will also continue to use masks, implement daily health screenings and conduct contact tracing.
For additional updates from the district, be sure to reference Dr. Majka's Community Letter from March 4, 2021. If you have any questions, please contact our main office at 732-705-5800.
Wishing you all good health!
Jessie Zitarosa
Interim Principal
Installing Plexiglass at Ravine Drive!
Below are photos of two classrooms as they are being set-up with Plexiglass. The plexiglass will serve as an additional mitigation step for our students who will be returning for in-person instruction. Students and Staff will still be required to wear masks while on school property.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Students will now sit at 4-foot wide trapezoid tables that have a piece of plexiglass dividing the two sides of the table. Two students will be seated at each table's angled-side so that the students are "facing" the front of the classroom. Plexiglass will separate each side of the table.
2nd and 3rd Grade Students will sit at individual student desks that have three-sided plexiglass shields secured to the desktop.
Reminder About Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Here are a few reminders for students who are coming to the building for in-person instruction:
- Parents/Guardians will need to complete the daily Crisisgo app each morning. In addition, a parent or guardian will need to escort the student(s) to the building or the bus stop and display the green Crisisgo QR code to a staff member so it can be scanned into our system.
- Parents/Guardians of "walkers" will need to park in the kiss and drop loop parking lot or along neighborhood streets and walk their child/children to the designated building entrances. Parents may not drop off or pick-up students within the loop itself. This is a safety hazard.
- At the designated dismissal times, parents/guardians who will be picking-up their child/children are reminded to stand at the designated areas for their child's/children's classrooms or bus stops and adhere to all social distancing guidelines while on school property or bus stops. This includes the wearing of masks.
- The doors open for student arrival at 9:10 AM and school begins promptly at 9:20 AM. If a child is tardy, the parent/guardian will need to escort the child to the main entrance at the front of the building by the flag pole and follow the school's sign-in procedures.
Important Dates to Remember!
- 03/01 - 03/05: Read Across America Week
- 03/08: BOE Meeting - Committee of the Whole - 6:30 PM
- 03/10: Early Dismissal/4 Hour Session for Parent Conferences - Evening - Fully Virtual
- 03/11: Early Dismissal/4 Hour Session for Parent Conferences - Afternoon - Fully Virtual
- 03/13: PTO Spring Clothing Drive - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- 03/17: Early Dismissal/4 Hour Session - All students dismiss @ 1:20 PM
- 03/18: PTO Virtual Family Yoga Night - 6:00 PM
- 03/25: PTO Zoom Meeting - 6:30 PM (Revised Date)
- 03/22: BOE Meeting - Regular Action Meeting - 6:30 PM
- 04/02-04/09: Spring Break - School Closed for All Students and Staff
For your reference:
March Health Tips from Nurse Lorenzo - National Nutrition Month
Nurse Lorenzo is the School Nurse at Ravine Drive Elementary School. Each month she provides our families with tips for good health.
March is National Nutrition Month
~Here are some healthy tips to share with your family~
Eat breakfast- Start every morning with a balanced breakfast. A lean protein, whole grain and a fruit or vegetable. An example would be yogurt with some berries and whole grain cereal.
Watch Portion Sizes- Use measuring cups. Make it fun for kids to help measure foods. Fill half your plate for fruits and vegetables and the other half for grains and lean protein foods.
Get Active- The warmer weather is coming. Take a brisk walk outside after dinner with mom or dad or another adult.
Drink More Water- Stay hydrated. Avoid soda or drinks with added sugars
Family Meal Time- Plan to eat as a family a few times a week when possible. Turn off the TV and electronics and encourage mealtime talk.
If you have any questions for Nurse Lorenzo, she can be reached by email at klorenzo@marsd.org or by calling 732-705-5890.
Questions About Travel or Illness
If you have recently travelled or have spent time with someone who is ill, please make sure to notify your child’s teacher, our school nurse, and the main office. This information is important for keeping all of our school’s occupants healthy and safe.
After you notify the school, our school nurse, Mrs. Karen Lorenzo, will contact you to discuss details, next steps, and when your child will be eligible for returning to in-person learning.
If you have questions, please contact Nurse Lorenzo at klorenzo@marsd.org or by calling 732-705-5830.
Ms. Feen's Counseling Corner - March Theme: Gratitude
If you have any questions for Ms. Feen, she can be reached by emailing her at kfeen@marsd.org.
Additional News and Information About Our School
Kindergarten Registration - 2021-2022
Information from Ravine Drive Elementary PTO
Please click on the links below to find out more information about our PTO as well as upcoming fundraisers and events!
Free Preschool for Matawan-Aberdeen Residents
The Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District is excited to announce its free preschool program which is now open! Please click here to learn more about the program and how you may register your child.