Potter News
January 2019
A Message from Ms. Cimino
We are very excited to kick off the new year with the One Book, One School initiative. Our PTA has generously provided each family with a copy of Winter According to Humphrey. The books and reading schedule will be sent home on Friday January 5 with the oldest child in the family. This book should be read together as a family, and the students will be able to participate by answering trivia questions in school. Please send any photos that you would like to be posted to social media to readhmp@btboe.org. Thank you so much for your participation in this great activity!
As the possibility of inclement weather approaches it is important to make sure that your contact information in the Parent Portal is updated. All School Closings will be sent out via automated phone call (and text message if selected) using the number(s) provided in the Parent Portal. All closings and/or delays will also be posted on our district website at www.btboe.org and our Facebook page.
Additionally, please make sure that your child is sent to school with the appropriate cold weather gear such as a jacket, hat, gloves, etc. Students will go outside for recess/gym if temperatures permit. If you are in need of any of these items, please contact Mrs. Melanson or Mrs. Olsen.
Beyond Band Aids with Mrs. Olsen
When students miss too many days of school, they fall behind and struggle to keep up with their classmates. Whether the days missed are due to illness,or for other reasons the end result for the student is the same — learning time is lost.
Children will get sick at times and may need to stay at home, but we want to work with you to help minimize the number of days your student misses school.
Missed Days Add Up Quickly!
• Just a few missed days a month adds up to several school weeks missed in a year.
• Both excused and unexcused absences can make it more difficult for your child to keep up with other students, especially in math and reading.
• Kindergarten and first grade are critical for your child. Missing school during these early years makes it more difficult for children to learn in later years and they often have trouble reading by the end of third grade.
Work with Your Child and Your School
• As the parent, be strong with your child and don’t let your child stay home when it is not necessary. This will help your child succeed.
• If your child has a chronic disease, make sure that the school staff is aware of the disease so the staff can assist your child if he or she becomes ill.
. • if your child has asthma, the school needs an Asthma Action Plan completed by his or her doctor that includes permission to carry an inhaler at school. Make sure that all supplies (inhaler, spacer, etc.) needed to manage your child’s asthma are at the school.
. • Keep an open line of communication with school staff and teachers. The more the school knows about your child’s health, the better prepared everyone will be to work together for your child.
Helpful Ideas: • Make appointments with the doctor or dentist in the late afternoon so your child misses as little school as possible. • If your child must miss school, make sure you get his or her home work assignments and follow up to see if the work is completed and turned in. • Call the school as soon as you know your child will be absent and tell school staff why your child will be out and for how long. • Be prepared to get a doctor’s note when requested by school personnel. • If you need medical advice after business hours, most doctors’ offices have answering services 24 hours a day to assist you. • If your child has an emergency, call 911.
Schoolhouse Homework Help
Schoolhouse is a homework and academic skills program that is funded by the Berkeley Township School District.
Schoolhouse runs Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 PM at 235 Magnolia Ave. South Toms River.
PTA Fundraiser- Got Sneakers?
Shoe Collections Drive
Please remember this is an ongoing event throughout the school year, and the collection bin is located in the vestibule. Thank you to those who have participated so far!
H&M Potter PTA is proud to present our first annual sneaker drive fundraiser. In the spirit of environmental and economic sustainability, we have partnered with GotSneakers, a sneaker recycling organization, which will compensate H&M Potter $1.00 for every pair of wearable sneakers and cleats, and $0.10 per pair for all other styles and conditions of footwear that we collect. There is no limit to the amount of money we can raise. The more we collect the more we earn!
After the sneakers are collected, GotSneakers will process and distribute these sneakers around the world, specifically within impoverished nations.
It is estimated that over 300 million pairs of sneakers are thrown away each year in America’s landfills and that over 600 million adults and children worldwide live barefoot. We can touch the lives of thousands by simply cleaning out our closets and collecting our unwanted sneakers.
The request is simple: Clean out yours and your family’s closets of all unwanted paired sneakers. Please bring them tied together in a bag and drop them off in the main entrance area in the GotSneakers box.
We look forward to everyone’s cooperation and we will report the results after the fundraiser at the end of the year. Let’s make a difference together.
“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”
January Calendar
January 3: Board of Education Reorganization Meeting, 6:00pm at BTES
January 8: Principal's Pawsome Lunch
January 9: Make Up Pictures
January 11: Spirit Day, Wear Potter Spirit Wear!
January 12: Progress Reports Posted to Parent Portal
January 17: 3rd and 4th Grade Book Club, 6:30pm Berkeley Library
January 18: PTA Escape Room (Sign up required, see time on form)
January 21: School Closed, Teacher Inservice
January 25: Spirit Day, Crazy Sock Day
January 28: Second Marking Period Ends
January 29: Third Marking Period Begins
H & M Potter School
Melissa Gallagher, Assistant Principal
Email: acimino@btboe.org
Website: www.btboe.org
Location: 60 Veeder Lane Bayville, NJ 08721
Phone: (732) 269-5700
Twitter: @berkeleypotter