Potter News
November 2018
Principal's Message
In an ongoing effort to streamline our arrival and dismissal process, we will be making changes starting on November 1. Buses will be utilizing the front of the school, and walker drop off/pick up will take place on Deal Ave. Please remember that Deal Ave. is a one way street toward Veeder Lane during school hours. You will need to access Deal Ave. from Red Bank Ave. Do not park and exit your car on Deal Ave. , please remain in the carline. In the morning, staff members will be located at the Gym Door to assist your child out of the car. Students and parents who are walking must utilize the crosswalk where the crossing guard is located.
We strongly discourage you from dropping off your child utilizing the front entrance. All drop offs, preschool through grade four, should take place on Deal Ave. when possible as it is the fastest and safest way for students to enter the building.
At dismissal, walker students will be dismissed from Door 5. Please bring your placard with your child's name to expedite the dismissal process. Arrival will begin at 9:10am and dismissal will begin at 3:35.
If you need to pick your child up at dismissal using the Main Office, please utilize the cross walk located on the APR side of the building near the kindergarten courtyard and exit on Moorage Ave. near the Administrative Annex as to not interfere with the buses.
Please remember that school will be closed for our Fall Break from November 5-9. We will resume class on Monday November 12. If you have not yet signed up for a Parent Teacher Conference time, please log in to the Parent Portal to do so. Conferences will be on November 19 and 20.
As always, we are thankful for our amazing Potter Family, and we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.
Ms. Cimino and Mrs. Gallagher
Four Hour Sessions
Terror in the Halls
The Giving Tree
The annual H & M Potter Giving Tree will be in place and available starting the week of November 19. This community project has been a successful and thoughtful part of the school culture for many years, providing holiday gifts to Potter children.
During parent teacher conferences feel free to take an ornament off of the giving tree. The ornament will have the child’s age and gender. All gifts purchased should be returned to Potter’s Main Office unwrapped with the tag clearly visible by December 7. Donations of wrapping paper would also be appreciated.
Should you wish to identify any child in need (children who attend H & M Potter School and younger siblings), or have questions, please contact Mrs. Melanson at (732) 269-5700 ext. 5006 prior to November 16.
Report Cards
Report cards can be viewed on the Parent Portal on November 17. Please review the report card carefully.
Both grades three and four can achieve the Honor Roll. High honors are achieved by obtaining a 90 or better in all academic areas, and at least a 3 in all special subjects. Honors are achieved by obtaining a 90 or better in Language Arts and Math, and an 85 or better in all other academic subject areas. Students must also have at least a 3 in all special subjects. For both High Honor Roll and Honor Roll students must not receive a Needs Improvement in in any sub skills or behaviors that support learning.
Pumpkin Patch
Read for the Record
JDRF Walk
Congressman MacArthur Reading Challenge
Students in grades 3 and 4, if you complete the Reading Challenge and would like your certificate presented at Awards Day in June, please send it in to the Main Office when you receive it in the mail.
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
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”
Beyond Band Aids with Mrs. Olsen
Preschool Flu Shots
All preschool children ages 6 months through 4 years 11 months must receive a flu shot between September 1st and December 31st each year. This is a New Jersey state law. Please send in documentation as soon as possible to the nurse so we may update our records.
If your child does not receive the state required vaccine prior to December 31st he/she will not be able to attend school in January 2019 until sufficient documentation is received.
Vision Screenings
Vision screenings have been performed for all 2nd and 4th grade students. If you have received a referral notice, please follow up with an eye care professional. If you cannot find a provider, follow up with the nurse at Ext. 5005. Community resources and grants are available.
Mobile Dentist
Our TenderSmiles mobile dentist saw 25 students on Septeber 27th. Half of those students seen needed follow up care with a dentist for cavities and other issues. Our next mobile dentist visit is scheduled for March 2019.
Reminders
A nebulizer machine is available in the nurses office. If your child needs occasional breathing treatments during the school day, please supply the school with doctor's orders, the medicine and tubing.
Make sure your child has a change of clothes for school. Accidents, spills, etc. occur on a daily basis!!
This Month at Potter
November 1: Pawsome Lunch
November 5-9: School Closed
November 12: 1st Marking Period Ends
November 12: PTA Meeting, 7pm APR
November 13: 2nd Marking Period Begins
November 14: Kindergarten Parent University, 6pm @ CBW (Sign up required)
November 15: 3rd and 4th Grade Book Club, 6:30pm Berkeley Library
November 16: Spirit Day, Wear Potter Spirit Wear
November 17: Report Cards posted to Parent Portal
November 19-21: 4 Hour Sessions, Dismissal at 1:15
November 19-20: Parent Teacher Conferences
November 22-23: School Closed, Happy Thanksgiving!
November 27: Board of Education Meeting, 6:30pm @ BTES
November 29: PTA Movie Night (Sign up to follow)
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