CGSD Newsletter
December 2018
Dear CGSD Community,
While the CGSD recognizes that the holidays are a perfect time for giving, we hope that by involving our children and young adults in service projects/volunteerism throughout the year, they will learn empathy and foster identities as citizens of their community. Each year we are overwhelmed by the compassion and kindness demonstrated by our students, their families and our staff. In this edition we say THANK YOU and recognize some of the many acts of charitable giving demonstrated throughout the CGSD.
Best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year!
#WeAreCedarGrove
Sincerely,
Michael J. Fetherman
Superintendent
SE Service Projects ...
Throughout the school year, students at SE are involved in a number of service projects to help them understand how they can be part of solving different problems in our society. We begin our year with our annual Table-to-Table initiative where this year we donated $1400, securing 14,000 meals for needy families!
Food Bank ...
SE recently held its traditional collection of food for a local food bank. During the month of December, we collected mittens, gloves, scarves and hats for local families in need.
More Charitable Giving!
NE "Kindness Countdown Chain"
Each week, Mrs. Terzo's and Mrs. Liberman's classes get together for Book Buddies. Students work together to make "Kindness Countdown Chains" with the help of buddies who read acts of kindness to them.
NE "Giving Tree"
NE held a new/gently used toy drive, a Giving Tree to collect hats, gloves and coats, and a non-perishable food drive for the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair. Students also wrote holiday cards for our troops and collected over $600 for Table to Table, an organization that provides meals for local families!
All students at the elementary level continue the time-honored tradition of sculpture in the classroom for the holidays! Each class creates a small, 3D sculpture using a wonderful medium - Model Magic. Knowledge of math concepts, most especially fractions, are essential to all sculptures. Each student is asked to divide the model magic into fractional parts (halves, quarters, thirds and eighths) to create their piece. Color, use of tools and materials are also incorporated. Let the tradition continue!
MMS Student Council's Charitable Work!
The MMS Student Council held a non-perishable food drive for a local food pantry. A big thank you to all of the staff members, students and families that participated!
Council Kindness!
The MMS Student Council created a Giving Tree for the collection of presents for children that are less fortunate.
Feed the Needy!
The MMS Student Council participated in Table to Table’s “Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch” campaign. With the help of all staff members, students and their families, MMS raised enough money for over 5,000 meals!
Preston and Jake Saraiva invited MMS families to donate a new, unwrapped toy. The toys collected are delivered to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in memory of their brother Sebastian who passed away. Unfortunately, Sebastian spent Christmas and other holidays in the hospital. These toys will be used to spread cheer to other children who will be doing the same.
MMS 5th Graders Make Math Merry!
Fifth grade math students are adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers by using physical and virtual manipulatives.
In 5th grade language arts class, students have been writing letters to send to Sgt. Allstaedt, the husband of South End fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Allstaedt, and the other troops in Afghanistan!
MMS Cycle Classes Give Back to Community!
All MMS cycle students and the Random Acts of Kindness Club made Thanksgiving placemats for local members of the community.
Miss Caravella dropped them off at different facilities to bring happiness and cheer to over 500 people.
Miss Caravella and some Random Acts of Kindness members visited a local nursing home on Giving Tuesday.
6th Graders wrote poems in the shape of a diamond (Poema en Diamante) using their Spanish adjective vocabulary to describe themselves.
MMS 7th Graders Look in the Mirror!
MMS 7th Graders Engage in Authentic Learning!
ELA students, as a culminating activity for the story "Three Skeleton Key," created either an alternate ending, a 3D diorama of a specific scene, or a newscast depicting an investigation into the incident that had occurred. After writing their stories, descriptions or scripts, the students presented to their classmates.
MMS 8th Graders Walk the Talk!
In social studies, students participated in a gallery walk in which they viewed the work of former students who had created posters recognizing a god or goddess from Egyptian mythology. Students identified powers associated with the deity, their role in Egyptian society, physical description and associated symbology, and temples constructed in their honor. This activity is part of an extended mini-unit that analyzes the pharaoh’s divine identity as a god king, which culminates in the mummification project.
The CGSD extends congratulations and best wishes to Julie Donahue on her retirement! Thank you for 16 great years, Mrs. Donahue! You will be missed!
The mission of the Cedar Grove Education (CGEF) is to enrich and enhance the educational experiences of Cedar Grove students above and beyond the scope of the curriculum and to provide lifelong learning opportunities for the entire community.
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Email: fetherman.michael@cgschools.org
Website: www.cgschools.org
Location: 520 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 239-1550
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Twitter: @Cgssuper