Connors School Scoop

Dear Connors Families,

We had such an exciting week with our 1st grade field trip to the Turtle Back Zoo, 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, and 4th Grade Law Fair Trip. In addition, our 5th Graders have been working so hard on their NSJLA Math and ELA Assessments. Also, so many of our Connors Koalas are in the SPONGE BOB MUSCIAL! Here is the link for tickets hhsnj.booktix.com if you would like to see the incredible show! Lastly, we have SO MANY upcoming events and field trips, so please be sure to read the Connors School Scoop below and review our flyers:

NJSLA and BRAIN FOOD BREAKFASTS!

NJSLA testing for our 5th graders in Science is May 22nd and 23rd. In order to set your child up for success, please make sure that your child arrives at school on time at 8:15 and gets a good night's sleep. In addition, our Connors PTO has graciously sponsored NJSLA Brain Food Breakfasts for all NJSLA testing students. Click here to view the daily breakfast menu. You are also more than welcome to send in breakfast from home for your child if they have special dietary restrictions or needs.

PTO CORNER

Please review the slides + minutes from our May 9th PTO Meeting. Lots of important information discussed! This is a great way to stay in the know even if you could not attend the meeting.
Save the date for our last PTO meeting of the year: June 6th at 8:30am at Connors (or virtual here).
Visit the PTO Website (always updated!) + join the PTO Facebook Group for real time reminders and updates.
Sync this Live PTO Calendar to have all Connors events automatically in your calendar.

YEARBOOK: Ordering Information!

The Connors yearbook is a wonderful way to remember the school year. It includes every student’s photo by class along with events and special activities throughout the year, messages from administration, and more!

Visit this link to order a yearbook by 5/27. They are $15 each.
Each 5th grader will receive a yearbook as a gift from the PTO! (Do not place any orders for 5th graders.)
Questions? Please reach out to connorspto@gmail.com.

INTERNATIONAL DINNER: May 23

JOIN US to celebrate the vibrant diversity of our Connors community at our International Dinner on Tuesday, May 23rd at 6pm in the Connors playground. Open to all Connors families; FREE and no RSVP required. It’s always a fun and memorable opportunity to connect with other families, taste new foods, and learn about each other . . . but WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS!

FOOD: Everyone attending should bring a dish (main dish, appetizer/side dish, or dessert (enough to feed 8-10 people) to add to our buffet table.

PERFORMANCES: Last call for any final additions to our already awesome lineup of performances. Sign up no later than Monday (5/22) if you plan to perform a song, dance, poem, or any talent related to your culture.

VOLUNTEERS: Still need help with set up and 1-2 people to help with buffet management.

SIGN UP HERE for all the above!

FIELD DAY: June 1

Connors 2023 Field Day will take place at Hoboken HS field on June 1 (rain date: June 2). As always, we need A LOT OF PARENT VOLUNTEERS to make this day a success, including morning set up; activity/station leaders; and parent helpers for each class. Thank you to all those who have already signed up. There are still more spots available, so please sign up asap!

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FIELD DAY SIGN UP GENIUS.

*Please note: Only those signed up here are allowed to attend Field Day. More info will be sent to all volunteers prior to Field Day. Any questions, please email ConnorsPTO@gmail.com.

5th GRADE NIGHT OUT

We are so excited for the 5TH GRADE NIGHT OUT on June 2nd from 6-7:30pm at Hoboken HS Gym hosted by the PTOs of Connors, Brandt and Wallace! Please RSVP here. If you’re interested in volunteering to setup/chaperone/clean up, please reach out to Aly at Alygrip@yahoo.com.

HOBOKEN MUSIC PROGRAM

The wait is over! Be a part of the soundtrack of our artful District!

As we round the culminating corner of our successful 2022-2023 school year, we reflect on the gleaming talent of all children involved in our award winning Hoboken Music Programs. We applaud you and invite you to make more memories with us and join us next year! We are now offering the gift of music to our rising 3rd through rising 12th grade families.

Our rising 3rd graders, current 2nd graders, are now eligible to sign up for our Chorus programs. Come sing with the awe inspiring voices that sell out our Winter and Spring concerts each year.

Our rising 4th graders, current 3rd graders, are now eligible to sign up for next year's Band and String programs!

Our current 5th graders, please use the Hoboken Middle School form as you will be rising 6th graders next year.

Please choose your rising grade below to fill out the registration form related to Band / Strings as well as Chorus. Once this form closes, your music educators will be in contact with you to provide you with additional program information as well as the rental link, if applicable.

Please complete your forms by Friday, May 19th.

2023-2024 Music Department (Rising Grades 3 - Rising Grade 12): Chorus Interest Form

CONNORS: Music Department (Rising Grades 4 and Rising Grade 5): Band/Strings Interest Form

HOBOKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL 2023-2024 Music Department (Rising Grades 6, 7, and 8): Band/Strings Interest Form

CLOTHING DONATIONS

Still Looking for Clothing Donations!

Thanks to all who have donated clothes, they have come in handy for our students who have needed a change during the school day! We're still in need of clothing in a few sizes (below). If you'd like to donate, please bring items that are in good condition, clean, and folded in a bag. You can either give to Lee Ann Townes at drop-off or you can bring to Ms. Maritza or Ms. Aishah at the front entrance of the school.

Girls: 8, 9, 10
Boys: 6, 7
NEW, unused packs of underwear and socks in all sizes
If you have any questions, please reach out to Lee Ann Townes (leeanntownes@gmail.com) who is also happy to collect donation items, sort and bring to school on your behalf!

BOOK DONATIONS

BOOKS: Donate your gently used elementary-age-appropriate books for teachers to refresh their classroom libraries, and the rest will be used to continuously stock the Connors Little Free Library. Drop off at PTO Meetings, at morning drop off, or with office / teacher. Too much to carry? Email Michelle at MichelleAprilMaz@gmail.com for pickup.

LUNCH

Please ensure that you check with your child regarding what they would like to eat when you place your child's lunch order on the lunch order form. Oftentimes, children may want to choose different items than what their parents order for them which causes many students to feel upset. Here is the link to the school lunch form 5/22-5/26 Lunch Order Form. Here is the detailed lunch and breakfast menu from Chartwells, which has all of the nutritional information. https://hoboken.nutrislice.com/menus-eula.

ATTENDANCE

If your child will be absent from school, please email connorsattendance@hoboken.k12.nj.us along w/ your child’s homeroom teacher with the following information:

Child’s Name
Reason for absence
Date of expected return
Any documentation for your child’s absence (i.e. doctor’s note, court note, etc.)

School begins at 8:15 am. Please ensure that your child arrives on time to school and enters the building with their homeroom class.

EARLY PICK-UP

If you are picking up your child early from school, please Email connorsattendance@hoboken.k12.nj.us along w/ your child’s homeroom teacher with the following information by 10:00 am.

Time that you will be picking up your child
Who will be picking up your child. Make sure that whoever is picking up your child is listed on your child’s approved pick-up list. Connors Parent/Student Information Form 2022-2023
Parents will not be able to sign children out between 2:30 and 3:00 PM. After 2:30 PM, you must wait until regular dismissal time.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

May -Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May-Jewish American Heritage Month
May 19th-21st District Musical-SpongeBob hhsnj.booktix.com!
May 22nd-23rd Grade 5 NJSLA Testing Science
May 22nd-Grades 3-5 Pop Up Library
May 23rd-Grades K-2 Pop Up Library
May 23rd Grade 4 Field Trip-Ellis Island
May 23rd-International Dinner 6:00 pm
May 25th-HMS for a Day
May 25th-Interim Report Cards Available on OnCourse
May 26th-1:00 pm dismissal; no PTL
May 29th-Memorial Day/School Closed
May 30th-Spring Concert Rehersals Grades 3-5 @HHS
May 30th-G4-G5 CTY Meadowlands Env. Center Field Trip
May 31st-HMS Parent Information Sessions for the 5th Grade (Session 1@ 5:00 pm; Session 2 @ 6:30 pm)
June 1st-Field Day
June 2nd-5th Grade Night Out
June 9th-District Elementary School Concert @7:00 pm at HHS

ADDITIONAL HELPFUL SITES

Hoboken Public School District Calendar 2022-2023

Connors Calendar of Events 2022-2023

T.G Connors School Directory 2022-2023

Connors Team 2022-2023

Who should I contact for assistance?

Connors Family Manual, FAQ's Connors Elementary School 2022-2023.

Connors PTO Google Site

2022-2023 District Assessment Calendar and Information to Parents

HPS Technology Google Site

DRA3 Correlation Chart

DRA3 Level Descriptors

I wish all of our Connors families a wonderful weekend! "Break a Leg" to all of our Connors Koala Sponge Bob Stars! You are going to do AMAZING!

All the best,

Juliana Addi, Connors School Principal

Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh MY! First Graders had an amazing adventure at the zoo. We were able to visit so many interesting animals such as black bears, penguins, giraffes, cheetahs, and flamingos. We enjoyed observing how each of these animals move, eat and sleep. Many of us enjoyed reading all the fun facts about the animals too! First graders took a relaxing carousel ride while we waved to our friends and teachers during this fun adventure. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the zoo while students shared what they were most eager to do and see on their memorable trip to the zoo! We had the best time on our class trip and didn't want it to end!

4th Grade students had a great trip to the New Jersey Law Fair Center where they got to serve as a jury. They were involved in the following tasks: listening to the criminal case about perjury and civil case about a skydiving accident, making a verdict by voting on the decision, having a Foreperson come up to the stage to announce the final decision of the jury from each class and asking the judge questions at the end of the event. It was a great opportunity for students to see the Mock Trial in real action and draw connections between the classroom experience and an experience at the Law Fair!

Throughout the month of May, students are learning about Asian American Hawaiin Native Pacific Islander Month and Jewish American Heritage Month! For example, Ms. Garcia's social studies class researched an Asian country, designed and decorated a poster and presented it to the class. Students researched the geography, climate, major resources, food, shelter, and technology of that country. In ELA, they learned about Iwao Takamoto's life, who was a Japanese-American illustrator, who made Scooby Doo. They did a guided drawing of Scooby Doo and then wrote a fictional story about it! In honor of the Jewish American Heritage month, Ms. Jia's grade 4 students made a collage of a famous Jewish figure of their choice, who made outstanding contributions to our society.

Visit this link to order a yearbook by 5/27. They are $15 each.
Each 5th grader will receive a yearbook as a gift from the PTO! (Do not place any orders for 5th graders.)
Questions? Please reach out to connorspto@gmail.com.

INTERNATIONAL DINNER: May 23 at 6pm in Connors playground

FOOD: Everyone attending should bring a dish (main dish, appetizer/side dish, or dessert (enough to feed 8-10 people) to add to our buffet table.

VOLUNTEERS: Still need help with set up and 1-2 people to help with buffet management.

SIGN UP HERE for all the above!

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FIELD DAY SIGN UP GENIUS.

*Please note: Only those signed up here are allowed to attend Field Day. More info will be sent to all volunteers prior to Field Day. Any questions, please email ConnorsPTO@gmail.com.

2022-2023 Elementary Spring Concert: The wait is over!

We proudly announce our 2023 Spring Elementary Concert featuring the Band, Strings, and Chorus of grades 3-5. Our spectacular showcase will take place on Friday, June 9 in the Hoboken High School Auditorium. Doors open at 6:15 PM and we have a 7:00 PM showtime. We cannot wait to sing and dance with you!

Please see the following communication regarding ticket sales and ticket purchase limits. Tickets will be sold exclusively at the door, not through BookTix, and we must limit sales to 3 tickets per family. However, any child 5 and under may sit on your lap and be charged admission, but not made to use a ticket. 2023 Elementary Spring Concert: Ticket Sale Update

If there are any questions, please contact:

Supervisor Jessica Fasolino

Jfasolino@hoboken.k12.nj.us

Ms. Fleischer, Ms. Watson, Mrs. Schain, Ms. Bartolotti, Mrs. White, Ms. Romanowski and Mr. Donovan

ELA: This week in ELA, Kindergarteners focused on the long i magic e. Students could identify, compare, and sort short /i/and long /i/ words. Kindergarteners did a fantastic job. The sight word focus this week was has and play. Kindergarteners are becoming sight word wizards, writing impressive sight word sentences and stories! We also read the stories Hen Hears Gossip and The Little Red Hen, and we were able to use details from the story to identify the cause and effect. We also read We Can Play independently and answered questions! We are excited to learn about the long o magic e next week!

Math: This week our Connors Koalas began Unit 8 Investigation 2. Students were introduced to place value, teen numbers and groups of ten. Kindergartners learned that place value involves tens and ones. They created place value paper chains and learned new games such as Toss 10 Chips, how many to 10, addition Jenga, and build it teen numbers.

Ms. Sheridan, Ms. Klag, Ms. Vayda, Ms. White and Ms. Stinson

ELA: This week our essential question was, "Who helps you?" We read non-fiction texts to find out more about people who help us and how they help. Our comprehension strategy was on Author's Purpose. Students found clues from the text to support the author's purpose. Students were able to determine the reasons why the authors wrote their stories, which were either to persuade, inform, or entertain. Our phonics focus was learning about variant vowel /o/: aw, augh. Our high frequency words for the week were: brother, love, father, mother, friend, and picture. In grammar, we focused on possessive pronouns and practiced using them in sentences. In writing, students wrote paragraphs about someone who has helped them.

Math: This week, first graders continued to learn how to count tens and ones by adding 2 digit numbers together using their knowledge of place value and tens and ones manipulatives if needed. Students also represented 2 digit numbers by writing the correct number after counting tens and ones. We are also continuing to practice how to tell time to the half hour by working with our partners to show various times on an analog clock and having our partners practice writing the times digitally. We are really working hard to practice our math skills together during math workshop and independent practice. Great Job First Graders!

Social Studies: For Social Studies, In our Young Citizens text we are finishing up with Chapter 7. We are learning about important Americans. We learned that those important Americans can help us understand our country and why our families live the way they do. We discussed influential Americans like Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. Also, the month of May is AANHPI Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. We are discussing the contributions Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have had on our culture and society. We recently read the book, “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners” by Joanna Ho. We discussed acceptance and confidence of who we are as people and how everyone is unique and different. For Jewish American History month we discussed the history of important contributions to American culture. We talked about Ruth Bader Ginsburg and all her accomplishments. We can’t wait to learn more next week!

Science: In Ms. Stinson's 1st grade PLTW Class we had a blast working on creating our programs in Scratch Jr ! We love working on our Coding unit and learning so much about computers and their functions! Stay tuned for our Culminating Project! You wont want to miss them!

Ms. Garcia, Ms. Rinaldi, Ms. Pokorny, Ms. Criqui and Ms. Romanowski

ELA: This week our fabulous second graders worked on Unit 5 week 5 of our Wonders curriculum. In this text set, the essential question was "Why are rules important?" The class read persuasive, opinion pieces and articles and were able to identify and understand both sides of an argument. They were able to identify and understand the author's purpose while reading, "The Problem with Plastic Bags" and "A Call for Compost". Students used charts to help them understand both sides of a discussion. The phonics focus this week was short vowel digraphs: ea, ou, and y. The vocabulary skill was multiple meaning words. For AAPI month, students learned a little bit about Japanese-American illustrator, Iwao Takamoto, who drew Scooby-Doo! Students learned about his life and participated in a guide drawing of Scooby-Doo. After they finished drawing, they created a fictional story about Scooby and other characters. Everyone's stories were so creative!!

Social Studies: This week in social studies we were able to give examples of how to research local history. We used given sources to help us answer historical questions. We were also able to discover local art and literature in order to locate places where local art and literature may be displayed. We now know different examples of art, based on our text.

AANHPI Heritage Month: This week we learned about AANHPI Heritage Month. In social studies, we were placed into groups to research Asian countries in order to learn about the geography & climate, major resources, food, shelter, and technology. With our partners, we created and designed a written and visual representation of our findings. We had so much fun collaborating with our peers and presenting our posters of Asian countries!

In ELA, we learned about Japanese-American illustrator, Iwao Takamoto. He created and illustrated many characters, including Scooby-Doo! We then completed our own directed drawing of Scooby-Doo and wrote a fan-fiction story.

Ms. Januse, Ms. Hall, Ms. Schmidt, Ms.Criqui, Ms. Layson, Ms. Goodwin, Ms. White

and Ms. Stinson

ELA: This week, the third graders were excited to finish up our core novel, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. The students loved the book, and enjoyed reflecting on the text, making connections, and creating their own "untold chapter" of Edward's journey. After the field trip on Tuesday, the third graders began the final core novel of the year, The BFG by Roald Dahl. Students researched the author, and began using their literary skills to analyze and explore the first few chapters.

Science: In Ms. Stinson's 3rd grade PLTW class we are working in our Coding Unit. We have learned so much about computers and their functions! Here we are working on our task in Activity 2 of creating a sprit and commanding it to dance! As you can see, we completed our task and created some fantastic programs! Stay tuned for our culminating project!

Ms. Rodriguez, Ms. Schulz, Ms. Goodwin, Ms. Layson and Mr. Donovan

ELA: Phenomenal 4th Graders began reading the last core novel of the school year, "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio. Students were introduced to the main character, August Pullman, who has a rare genetic disorder called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Auggie has been homeschooled due to his condition, but now he will be entering 5th grade at Beecher Prep. In Writer's Workshop, students chose an athlete from the past and began their research in preparation for writing their own time travel / historical fiction narratives. 4th Graders enjoyed the field trip to the New Jersey Law Center to participate as a jury on two mock trial cases - this was a great opportunity to apply what they learned during the miniPGP Mock Trial lessons.

Math: Phenomenal 4th graders have been very busy this week! Students continued hands-on review of geometry skills as they sorted, classified, and identified attributes of quadrilaterals. Students have been studying Immigration in Social Studies in preparation for our trip to Ellis Island.

*We are so proud of our 4th grade friends who participated in the SpongeBob musical - Kiran Cross & Noah Renoni. Staff had the chance to attend the special performance on Thursday night & were so impressed! Great job all!

On Mondays - Wednesdays during the Individualized Learning Pathway (ILP) period, students who have qualified to participate in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) programming engage in a wide array of math course offerings that address their specific strengths and interests. Johns Hopkins CTY believes in researching and advancing ways to identify and nurture academically talented learners. CTY furthers research, guides educators and families and inspires students from diverse communities and backgrounds to pursue their intellectual passions and create the world of tomorrow. This week, we would like to highlight one of the CTY courses offered to our Hoboken students this winter:

Johns Hopkins CTY Accelerated Grade 3 Mathematics

Our students are taking CTY Honors Grade 3 Mathematics to a higher level with this accelerated online course! They begin the course by reviewing foundational grade 2 lessons and then gain early exposure to grade 4 concepts through enrichment topics. Each chapter of this CTY course is paired with videos, interactive web pages, and projects to develop the students’ reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills for investigating and exploring grade 3 math skills.

Lei Day - Hawaii

To continue the celebration of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Kindergarteners explored and learned about the Lei Day that is celebrated in Hawaii. Before making the lei, which is a flower necklace, students learned about a brief history of Hawaii, Lei Day, and Hawaiian islands. They watched a tutorial on how to put together a lei necklace and then they got to pick to either make a necklace or a headband. Students had fun learning about the Hawaiian holiday and making their own colorful and flowery lei!

Poetry - Haiku

Students are celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by exploring and learning about how to write a Haiku Poem that originated back in Japan. After gaining the knowledge about the poem’s structure and seeing examples of how the poem is made and what rules to follow to successfully write Haiku, students began writing their own. This is a great practice for identifying the syllables and brushing up on the math skills. Students used 3 different strategies to identify and separate the syllables in the words which they were putting on the paper: clapping, hand under the chin, and tapping with the fingers. Students did an amazing job!

Passport To The World - Asia

The Geographers in Second Grade are taking a flight to visit the continent of Asia. It is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Geographers are exploring and gaining knowledge about Asian culture. Students are wrapping up conducting research about three countries of their choice from a list of 17 countries. To successfully complete the activity, students use books on Get Epic! to find necessary information to fill out the Research Page about the countries. They began working on the Mini Country Report where they use one country and do a deeper research about it. Students are enthusiastic to learn about the new countries while celebrating the Asian Pacific Islander Month!

STEAM Tank Finals

Big Congratulations to the two groups that have advanced into the finals!!! They are working on further improving their presentations as well as an idea by applying the comments made by the judges from the previous round in a form of a checklist. Future Engineers are working enthusiastically to prepare for the final round of presentations!

Marketing

Future Marketers in Third Grade are starting a marketing unit. They will be using their STEAM Tank presentations and prototypes to create an advertising video for their product/invention. They will gain understanding about the marketing process, then brainstorm ideas for the video and lastly create a script which will feature as well as advertise their product/invention for people to want to buy it. This is a great opportunity for students to experience the importance of the marketing process.

Global Pen Pals

The Global Pals in Fourth Grade continue working on their projects and holding communications with the Global Pen Plans! Global Pen Pals is an online program where they get to connect with students from around the world and learn about different cultures, life styles, traditions and more. This week, they will start a new topic and pick a project to work on while using digital citizenship skills and gaining knowledge about a new topic. The fun edventure continues!

Hello Connors families,

The week of May 15th was the week of student empowerment!

In Ms. Garcia’s class we did our daily rhythm with a twist. Each week I lead the rhythm by playing the claves to keep the quarter note beat as the students say the rhythm. Some are more difficult than others and it is very important to keep a consistent beat while the students say the notes written on the Ricoh board. This week we had a special guest keep the beat. Here is Sienna Page using the claves to keep that rocking beat!

In Ms. Januse’s class the students continued learning how to play the recorder. This activity is one of their favorites and every lesson is more exciting than the last. This week we had a guest teacher. This is not an easy job. Saying GW, attention position, band horns up and keeping the beat on the Cajon are all part of the job. Here is Audrey Bishop doing an amazing job as our guest teacher of the day! I hope she doesn’t take my job (hahaha!).

Reading Academy: This week in Reading Academy students continued to work on Fast Forword and are almost finished with reading their Dogman book! They're so excited to see what happens at the end of the story! Have a great weekend!

Little Yogis: This week in Little Yogis, we took turns being the teacher! The person who was the teacher got to say what moves we were doing on a microphone. They also drew their favorite yoga poses! They had a great time! Have a great weekend!

Art Explorations: Check out this awesome rainbow sloth, made in Art Explorations this week!

Brick Bonanza: During Brick Bonanza, students designed and constructed zip lines.

Comic Creations: In Comic Book Creations, students created ad campaigns.

Accessibility

Juliana Addi

Connors School Scoop

May 19, 2023

Connors School Scoop

May 19, 2023

STEAM Tank FINALS.....Here Come our KOALAS!

1st GRADE TRIP TO TURTLE BACK ZOO

4th GRADE LAW FAIR TRIP

3rd Grade Field Trip-Flat Rock Brook Nature Center

Asian American Hawaiin Native Pacific Islander Month and Jewish American Heritage Month Celebrations

NJSLA BREAKFAST

Yearbook Ordering Information

INTERNATIONAL DINNER

FIELD DAY

POP UP LIBRARY

DISTRICT MUSICAL - THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

SPONGEBOB MOVIE NIGHT

SPRING CONCERT

5th GRADE DANCE

Connors Class Learning Activities

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

Individualized Learning Pathway - Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

Mini PGP

Music with Mr. Azzarto

Mandarin with Ms. Jia

Girls on the Run 5K

Passport to Learning

Thomas G. Connors Elementary School

Connect with Juliana Addi

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