CGSD Newsletter
Virtual Learning Edition
Dear Members of the CGSD Community,
Today we find ourselves living a new normal. Now several weeks into our virtual learning plan necessitated by the novel coronavirus, established routines look very dissimilar to those we've long taken for granted, even complained about. 5:30 AM wakeups, getting the kids ready for school, taking care of the dog and commuting to work all missing from the new normal. Well, not exactly.
It's hard to believe that the month of March started much like any other. Students, along with their peers and our staff, were going about the business of learning, growing, exploring and socializing - in school! Let's take some time to reflect on those memories and expand on the new experiences that continue today through our new normal - virtual learning from home.
As you will see, while much has changed (thank you, Captain Obvious), each day our students and staff are still learning, growing and exploring together. Virtual "Spirit Days" find students dressed in their favorite sports jerseys, wearing CG colors, crazy hats and, everyone's favorite, pajama days! Ms Dyer is still engaging her students with her Daily Dose of Dyer - just the other day I think I saw a unicorn! Mrs. DiMatteo is still communicating with eloquent words of encouragement, Mr. DeCorte remains as positive as ever (and getting pretty good at poetry) and our high school principal, Mr. Mangili, is still talking with his students and staff, only now through video conferences and phone calls.
And our teachers, counselors and support staff? Wow! They are the real rock stars! They are finding new ways of keeping us connected and helping our community sustain itself through this difficult time. Are we in an ideal learning environment? Certainly not, but our staff gets high marks for their creativity, compassion and concern for their students' wellbeing. Our educators want to keep educating and our students want to keep learning. We must stay the course - learning can happen anywhere and everywhere!
Please enjoy this "Virtual Learning Edition" of our CGSD Newsletter and best wishes for continued good health.
#WeAreCedarGrove
Sincerely,
Michael J. Fetherman
Superintendent
While the pandemic keeps us home, school construction, as per Governor Murphy, has been allowed to continue. As such, project work across the district has resumed and we're in the home stretch! I don't have a completion date to report, but we are making progress at all locations.
Please check back with us here for the most recent construction updates. Thanks!
First grade students are anxiously awaiting Spring, so we designed multi-media bird houses, complete with oil crayon birds! Spring is in the air!
Second grade students greatly enjoyed making connections between math and art through the creation of repurposed materials. After practicing a variety of cuts in order to create geometric shapes, students were then expected to demonstrate "movement" within an art composition. The colorful results were amazing!
Third grade students explored the use of pastel chalk in the creation of a still life with fruit. Each composition involved the use of shadows and highlights, along with background and foreground color.
Third graders practiced recorder this month and earned their green and purple belts for our Recorder Karate Unit playing "Old MacDonald" and "It's Raining". They also reviewed their note names on an online site that spells words with notes. Super fun way to assess their skills!
South End Preschoolers are so happy that Spring is here! They have been getting outside and learning all about plants and bugs while they are learning at home!
Music Matters is a family-school organization supporting the music program at Cedar Grove High School. We work with the students and teachers to partner with and support community events and organizations in our wonderful town.
Please visit CGHS Music Matters online at: https://www.cgschools.org/cghs-music-matters/
On Facebook: CGHS Music Matters
On Instagram: cghsmusic
On Twitter: @cghs_Music
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.
See details below for the CGEF Fundraiser - Bingo at CGHS, Dec. 8 at 1PM. Hope to see you there!
Follow us on Facebook: Cedar Grove Education Foundation
CGSD Social Media: GET CONNECTED!
Email: fetherman.michael@cgschools.org
Website: www.cgschools.org
Location: 520 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ, USA
Phone: (973) 239-1550
Facebook: facebook.com/CedarGroveSuperintendent
Twitter: @Cgssuper