Sussex Avenue:News That You Can Use
Principal's Corner
Welcome Back!
Dear Sussex Students, Parents and Guardians:
I hope everyone had an enjoyable Spring Break and feel rejuvenated to be back for the last ten weeks of school. Testing will begin next week. Have a great week.
Mrs. Vaccaro
April 22nd - April 26th
- April 23rd is a F day.
- 4/25 Bring Your Child to Work Day
- 4/26 Spirit Day 2:00 pm
- 4/29-5/31 State Testing Window
- 4/29-5/3 Wellness Week
- 5/2 Project ACES
- 5/3 Last School Store of the Year
- 5/6-5/10 Teacher Appreciation Week
- 5/10 4th Grade Jockey Hollow Trip
- 5/10 Color Run
- 5/15 Grade 4 and Grade 5 Band & Orchestra Concert @1:45-2:45 pm.
- 5/16 Family Softball Game @6:30-8:00
- 5/21 Parent Feedback Forum with Mackey Pendergrast @ 7 pm Sussex
- 5/27 MEMORIAL DAY- SCHOOL CLOSED
- 5/28 Latino Literacy Night @ 5:30
- 5/28-5/29 State Testing SCIENCE- Grade 5
- 5/30 Grade 4 and Grade 5 Chorus Concert @10:00-11:00
- 5/30 Incoming 3rd Grade Parent Orientation @6:30
Looking Ahead
This week's quote is "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."~ Wayne Dyer
Test Taking Tips & Strategies
Standardized testing will be a significant part of your child's education beginning in 3rd grade. Terra Nova, GEPA, IOWA were the standardized tests I took in elementary school. Your child will take the New Jersey State Learning Assessment or NJSLA. If you or your child have any questions or concerns about testing, please do not hesitate to contact me.
As a parent/guardian, what do I need to know about the NJSLA state exam?
- The English & Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics exams are administered to students in grades 3-8.
- The Science exam is administered to 5th grade.
- Although schools take the test scores seriously, (it provides important feedback on the programs we use) we are focused on individual growth in our students from year to year. We do recognize this is only one measurement of student growth.
How do I help my child prepare for the exam?
- Establish an appropriate bedtime with your child.
- Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast each morning. A breakfast that includes protein is recommended as opposed to a sugary breakfast.
- Make sure your child is at school, prepared, and on time for each day of testing.
- Reiterate with your child to relax during the exam and put forth their best effort.
What are some test taking strategies that I can go over with my child?
- Read and follow all directions and questions carefully.
- Before responding, be sure to look at all of the answer choices.
- Eliminate answers that don't make sense.
- For questions you're not sure about skip it and move on to ones you feel comfortable about. reread the question and try to find the best answer.
- Go back to questions skipped at the end and reread the question and try to find the best answer.
- Make sure you've answered all of the questions.
- For ELA questions, remember to go back into the text to verify your answers.
- Use your scratch paper to your advantage. Work out math problems on your scrap paper first. Create organizers before responding to open-ended questions.
How can my child stay calm during testing? Have them follow the tips listed below.
- Listen to all directions given by the teacher and ask questions about anything that is unclear.
- Give yourself mental breaks when you need them. Put your pencil down, take a few deep breaths, roll your neck, give yourself some positive self-talk.
- Think of the tests like several small jobs instead of one large one.
- You've been preparing all year for these exams, be confident and positive!
Sussex Avenue Spring Testing Schedule
Project ACES
This is a fun day and a great addition to our Wellness Week festivities. Stay tuned for pictures.
To learn more about Project ACES please click here and watch the video below.
The Morris Educational Foundation, in partnership with the Morris School district Presents:
Parent Session on Vaping
Donations are needed!
If you would like to donate, please send them in with your child to the office and we will equitably distribute. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
11th Hour Fundraiser
The students are also collecting spare change during lunch time. Change will be placed in a jar labeled with a teachers name. The jar (teacher) with the most change will determine the song the Questers will perform Karaoke to on April 26th. All funds raised in the jars will also be sent to 11th Hour.
All contributions are appreciated.
Wellness Corner
Sleep and Screen Time for Kids
More and more students are sent to the health office because they are falling asleep in class. When asked why they didn’t sleep well, they often have the same reason-they were up late on some kind of screen/device. So how much screen time is too much? Are children getting too much screen time and not enough sleep?
Sleep is an essential part of development and wellbeing. Yet the total amount of sleep children are getting continues to decrease. Why? Most kids, if left to their own devices (literally), will use them. Screen time can cut into the time children should be getting ready for bed and into the time they should be sleeping. The content of the screen time, as well as the light that these devices emit, may be responsible for poorer sleep. Exciting video games, dramatic television shows, or even stimulating phone conversations can engage the brain and lead to the release of hormones that make it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Many of the devices used by our kids emit bright light. Exposure to this light before sleep can increase alertness and disrupt the body’s naturally occurring rhythms.
Bottom line, sleep needs to be made a priority for children and screen time needs to be limited. What can we do? Removing (all) electronic devices from the bedroom provides a better sleep environment and promotes good sleep practices. Screen time limitations should include all screens (television, computers, tablets, phones). Don’t allow screens to take the place of sleep (or physical activity). Manage your child’s screen time wisely, and take those screens out of the bedroom at night.
Here is a link to a “Family Media Plan” from the American Academy of Pediatrics that you might find useful:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx
Attendance
Appointments!
Reach for the Stars!
Email: lorri.vaccaro@msdk12.net
Location: 125 Sussex Avenue, Morristown, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-292-2250