March Wrap-Up
As highlighted in the principals' weekly newsletters, the 2022-2023 school year calendar has been updated to reflect the return of unused snow days.
SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023
for both students and staff.
The other two unused snow days will be returned to the calendar on the below dates:
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS
FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2023
and
THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023
Tonight at 5:30 - See you there!!
By Mrs. Skibinski
Spring Break: Time to Create Memories
In Chip & Dan Heath's book, The Power of Moments, the authors suggest that experiences can jolt us, elevate us and change us, and that we shouldn't leave these moments to chance. Instead, we should intentionally create them! So, with warmer weather on the horizon and Spring break just days away, what are your favorite ways to create memories with your family?
When the West Long Branch staff was asked how they make family time special, here is what they shared. There are some GREAT suggestions which we hope inspire you to try something new this Spring Break.
☺️"We make it a point to take each kid on an individual "yes" day once every month or so. A day where they get to choose whatever we do...from food to activities. We tell them a week in advance that their day is coming up, and they have to come up with an agenda so we can make any tweaks necessary. A few places we love to go explore as a family are Big Brook Nature Preserve to go fossil hunting and walk through a creek barefoot, The Singing Ice Cream Shoppe in Lavallette, and Bell Labs to walk around to the shops, get ice cream and try an escape room."
☺️"We really love escape rooms and have found this to be a great way to spend time with family while also solving a puzzle. There are so many around us with numerous different themes. The Trap Door Escape Room in Red Bank, The Amazing Escape Room in Freehold, and Escapology in Holmdel (inside Bell Works) are some of my favorites. The escape rooms allow you to learn how to solve problems by thinking outside the box. Many of the puzzles also require more than one person to complete, so teamwork is very necessary."
☺️"My family loves to go for hikes in the woods. Some places to see are: Hartshorne Woods (Middletown), Cattus Island (Toms River), and Shark River Park (Neptune). Up for a drive? Pack up your bikes and go to D & R Canal in Hamilton Twp. Take a look online at: https://dandrcanal.org "
☺️"In the spring and summer we walk the boards together - usually Asbury Park, occasionally Long Branch. My kids love amusement parks - Great Adventure, Hershey Park, they also love zoos/aquariums - Jenkinsons , Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo, Turtleback Zoo. We are also a sports family - we try to support local high school games. We often go to athletic events at Monmouth, and Blue Claws games in the spring/summer. We take advantage of the Monmouth County Park System to hike, bring lunch, go to playgrounds/spray grounds. Sandy Hook is fun to explore for nature and history and to view NYC. Family Fun Nights at home consist of grilling and eating outside. My kids like to try new things and mimic some of the food challenges they see on YouTube, make smores on the fire pit, watch outside movies at the next door neighbors’ houses, and swimming at friends' houses. My teenage daughter often attends DJ Skate at Jersey Shore Arena. Yestercades in Red Bank and Silverball Museum are another family-friendly way to spend a few hours together and are indoors so weather isn't a factor."
☺️"Hiking! Hiking provides you with so many benefits. My favorite thing about hiking is that it teaches you to slow down from our busy schedules and makes you observe the world around you. Here is a list of some of our favorite hiking spots: Sourland Mountain, Long Pond Ironworks State Park, Allaire State Park, Cheesequake State Park, Cape May Point State Park, Deep Cut Gardens, Turkey Swamp Park, Double Trouble State Park, Hartshorne Woods Park, Manasquan Reservoir."
☺️"Read a nature book, fiction or nonfiction, and visit a Monmouth County park to see if you can identify any of what you read in nature. Book Recs: "The Keeper of Wild Words" by Brooke Smith, "Nature Anatomy" by Julia Rothman, "A New Green Day" by Antoinette Portis, "Outside, You Notice" by Erin Alladin."
☺️"My kids have always been a fan of The Dorbrook Activity Center in Colts Neck. From the trails, to the spray ground, swimming lessons in the summer, and now for the fields and bike paths there is something to do at every age. It is a great facility where many memories can be made!"
☺️"Mystery Trip" is a fun favorite pastime of my family that I cherish and has given me special lifelong memories. Growing up, my parents would spontaneously tell us that we were going on a mystery trip without any knowledge of what it was. The mystery trip could be as simple as hopping on our bikes to go down to Sundae Times for ice cream. Or, being being woken up at 6:00 AM to go crabbing in a row boat in Bay Head with all my cousins. A mystery trip was once lawn seats to see Sha Na Na at the Arts Center (I am totally dating myself). Another mystery trip was being told to get in the car and arriving at Great Adventure for the day. Another was bringing beach chairs to the Manasquan Inlet to watch the boats come in while eating an ice pop. Our trips were not elaborate costly events, but time spent with my sister, parents, cousins, aunts and uncles. These special moments brought so much joy to me as a child....would highly recommend it!"
☺️"There are so many great family friendly activities to do in our area that will help create memorable moments and can help foster great learning opportunities. My family loves going to outdoor places on nice days like the Manasquan Reservoir, Allaire State Park, Sandy Hook (visiting the lighthouse) the Turtle Back Zoo and Grounds for Sculpture. If you are looking for indoor activities, Jenkinsons Aquarium is always a lot of fun. My kids love being active, so they enjoy Climb Zone, bowling, Sky Zone, Monster Golf and Slime Factory. If you are looking for something more low key you can have a picnic lunch at your favorite park or even in your own backyard. Strolling the boardwalk and playing in the sand on a nice spring day are favorites of ours as well. You can pick a family movie to enjoy together with some popcorn or have a family game night. On a warm night you can set up a tent in your backyard. My children love to camp out in our backyard. We make smores and bring out snacks and even a book to read together as a family. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the special time together."
Do you have a favorite family activity, experience or destination that you would like to share with the West Long Branch staff? If so, we would LOVE to hear from you.
Click on the form below to add your response.
Have a MEMORABLE SPRING BREAK!
The Spring athletics season is underway, and it kicks into high gear right after Spring Break! Please click the link below to access the Athletics Calendar, and use the tabs on the bottom to navigate to April. Come out and support the teams, we'll see you there!
Who better to report upon a busy month in the West Long Branch School District than the students themselves??
Check out the newest edition of the Spartan Press, our student newspaper, by clicking below. Thank you to the contributors and staff of the Spartan Press, and also their advisor Mrs. Hess!
Next Week - Mini Spirit Week!
Plastic Film Recycling Challenge
FAS Career Day - Call for Presenters!
April 6-14: SCHOOL CLOSED for Spring Break
April 17: SCHOOL REOPENS
April 25: PTA Sponsored FIT Day
April 25: Regular Action Meeting of the Board of Education
April 28: PTA Sponsored FIT Day (Rain Date)
May 8: SCHOOL CLOSED for Staff Professional Development
May 17: National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony
May 18: Drama Club Variety Show
May 23: Regular Action Meeting of the Board of Education
May 26-29: SCHOOL CLOSED for Memorial Day Weekend