The Lightning Rod
The Newsletter of Ben Franklin Elementary School
October 2014
Note from the Principal:
Thank you for all of your support and enthusiasm throughout our first month of school. Every day is an adventure and a new chance to grow and improve at Ben Franklin and we appreciate the opportunity to work with you in order to create great experiences for our students.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or feedback!
Sincerely,
Chris Turnbull
Keeping Up with the Counselor, with School Counselor, Mrs. Umbach
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new families to the Ben Franklin community and welcome back our returning families. As the school counselor I will be aiding all students as they progress through the developmental stages of early childhood.
Our character education program consists of large, school-wide initiatives and classroom lessons, which all fall under the umbrella of our school theme, “Take Care.” Students who are “Caught Taking Care” throughout the month are highlighted at our monthly spirit day and we practice the Social Skill of the Month at each assembly. Monthly classroom lessons focus on character development and social/emotional skills, such as bullying, social skills, and the six character traits (fairness, trustworthiness, caring, respect, responsibility and citizenship). The primary goal of this program is to assist children in achieving success socially, emotionally, and academically.
I will also be seeing children individually and in small groups. The groups will cover a variety of topics, to include; anger management, friendship, and social skills. These groups are developed as needed, and usually will run from six to eight weeks. Referrals can be made by teachers and/or parents/guardians. Parental permission will always be obtained before entering a student in a counseling “group” or for individual sessions that will continue more than several weeks.
When I am not teaching in the classroom or working with children, I enjoy having “lunch bunch” with students or consulting with teachers and staff members. Also, I serve as Ben Franklin’s Anti-Bullying Specialist, as a result of the Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying law in NJ. You can find more information about this law and my role in our school on the district website.
Resources for parents and teachers to borrow are available in my counseling office if needed. Please feel free to reach out to me at (609) 671-5540 ext. 4005 or mumbach@ltps.org. I hope your school year is off to a great start and I welcome the opportunity to work with you and your children throughout the year.
If there is anything you or your family needs, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Take Care,
Mrs. Umbach
IMPORTANT DATES:
October:
6th - 10th - Week of Respect
6th & 7th - Mad Science Begins
8th - Board of Education Meeting 7 pm LHS Library
13th - School Closed (Professional Development)
17th - School Spirit Day (Sports Day)
18th - PTO Fall Fest & Fun Run - 8 am - 2 pm
22nd (NEW DATE!) - Math Carnival - 6 pm
24th - School Spirit Day (blue and white)
31st - Halloween Parade - 1:50 pm
November:
4th - November PTO Meeting
6th & 7th - No School - NJEA Convention
11th - Veteran's Day Assembly - 10 am
12th - Board of Education Meeting - LHS Library - 7 pm
20th - Early Dismissal / Parent Teacher Conferences day 1 / Book Fair
21st - Early Dismissal / Parent Teacher Conferences day 2 / Book Fair
24th - Early Dismissal / Parent Teacher Conferences day 3 / Book Fair
25th- Early Dismissal / Parent Teacher Conferences day 4 / Book Fair
26th - Early Dismissal (Thanksgiving) & School Spirit Day (Blue and White)
27th & 28th - SCHOOL CLOSED THANKSGIVING
SAVE THE DATE - Wednesday, October 22, 2014
5th Annual Ben Franklin Family Math Night
Join us from 6:00 – 8:00pm for a fun-filled evening of Math!
“Math With Me” – Join us in the All-Purpose Room where your family will learn and play some exciting Math games. We will send you home with instructions and the materials to play again and again!
“Math Carnival” – The Ben Franklin Gym will be filled with hands-on Math stations – geometry, graphs, estimation station, money, time, Math and Art, Math and Music, measurement, puzzles, games and more!
Count on having a great time!