Principal Garcia's Newsletter
Friday, February 2, 2024
Torey J. Sabatini School
Important Upcoming Dates
- February 2 - February 9, 2024 - TJS Souper Bowl Food Drive continues...more information below!
- February 1, 2024 - March 1, 2024 - Black History Month
- February 8, 2024 - District Chorus Concert at MJS at 7:00 PM
- February 9, 2024 - Grade 3 Breakfast with the Principal
- February 12, 2024 - Send your child's Valentine's Day cards to school!
- February 14, 2024 - Valentine's Day Celebrations
- February 14, 2024 - SEPAG Meeting
- February 15, 2024 - Madison ESL Department Bingo Night 6:30-8:30..see below
- February 19, 2024 - School Closed - President's Day
- February 20, 2024 - School Closed - Staff In-Service Day
- February 23, 2024 - Grade 3 Awesome Art
January Jaguar of the Month - Student Recognition Program
As a school learning community, we are recognizing TJS jaguars who consistently demonstrate exemplary character traits, behavior, kindness, and compassion for others. Nominations are submitted throughout the entire month and at the end of the month, one jaguar from each grade level is selected and recognized. This week, Ms. Garcia announced the January Jaguars of the Month!
Congratulations to...
- Kindergartener - Walker Vitarelli
- First Grader - Layla Haoues
- Second Grader - Stella Siano
- Third Grader - Victoria Weissbard
- Fourth Grader - Liam Burns
- Fifth Grader - James Busanic
We are hopeful that as a community, students will be eager to serve as positive role models for their peers to always be upstanding members of our school.
February Monthly Activity Calendar
News from Mrs. Bletcher in the Counseling Corner
Attention, Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 4th grade Parent/Guardian!
Mrs. Bletcher and Ms. Passeri would like to offer your child (grades K, 2, 4) the opportunity to join a social skills lunch group. Ms. Passeri, counseling intern, is working closely with Mrs. Bletcher to facilitate these groups. The purpose of the group is to learn and practice various social skills. Groups will run weekly for five consecutive weeks and will begin the week of February 12th. If your child signs up, they will receive a reminder invitation each week to join the group. Students may either bring or purchase lunch on meeting days. If you pack a lunch for your child, please make sure it is NUT FREE. I will meet your child in the lunchroom on the day their group meets and drop off at the conclusion of each session. These social skills groups are available to ALL students. The sign-up deadline is Wednesday, February 7th. Below are the themes for each week:
Week 1: Positive communication
Week 2: Friendship
Week 3: Problem solving/conflict resolution
Week 4: Self esteem/confidence
Week 5: Keeping a positive mindset
Please complete this form to sign your child up. If you are signing-up more than one child, please complete an individual form for each child. Thank you!
Valentine's Day is right around the corner!
Valentine's Day is fast approaching and we are super excited to begin planning for such a fun day for your children. Valentine’s Day will be celebrated in all three elementary schools on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. There will be classroom parties and Valentine’s Day cards.
Valentine’s Day Cards - We request that you adhere to the following guidelines:
No candy of any kind may be distributed with the cards.
The cards must be brought to school no later than Monday, February 12, 2024. This will allow for the cards to be distributed before the special day.
If you elect to participate in the Valentine’s Day Card exchange, it is expected that your child gives a card to every classmate.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it is necessary to remind parents of the potentially life threatening danger of food allergies to certain students in our school.
The issue of food allergies can be incredibly serious for many students. Peanut and tree nut products are particularly problematic, but other foods such as dairy, eggs and wheat can also cause students health problems. The extreme end of the spectrum in terms of a health risk is anaphylaxis, when the bodily systems experience a shut down due to exposure to the substance in question.
This danger is particularly acute during holiday celebrations, when consuming goodies is the order of the day. If you are a child whose safety depends upon never consuming the wrong food, a party is a true obstacle course. With certain children, even bodily contact with the wrong substance can be disastrous.
As we approach Valentine’s Day and the holiday parties, please keep the following in mind:
Please refer to the elementary food allergy guidelines for additional information.
Nut products are forbidden in “nut-free classrooms”. Please carefully adhere to classroom guidelines.
Students must consume all goodies within the class during the party. Goody bags and other treats designed to leave the class with the students are forbidden.
Crafts and activities involving nut products are forbidden.
All products should be packaged with the ingredients listed.
If you have any questions pertaining to holiday celebrations, please consult your child’s teacher or the school nurse.
Student Illness
Cold, flu and COVID-19 season has arrived. If your child has a fever and/or symptoms of congestion, sore throat, cough, fatigue, headache, nausea/vomiting or body aches, please keep them home and visit the pediatrician for an evaluation. Your doctor will determine if a test for Covid-19 or the flu is needed. The New Jersey Department of Health Communicable Disease Service mandates that all students stay home from school if they have a fever and remain home until they are fever-free (without the use of fever reducing medications) for a full 24 hours prior to returning to school. If your child is diagnosed with Covid-19 or the flu, please contact me directly (x3184) to discuss return to school procedures and timeline. For your convenience, Covid-19 district policies and helpful Covid-19 infographics can be found here: https://www.madisonpublicschools.org/article/1228204. I have also linked the NJDOH exclusion list which provides a detailed description of communicable diseases and the required school exclusion time period (not limited to Covid-19 and the flu): https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/outbreaks/School_Exclusion_List.pdf.
Strep Throat
Strep throat has been circulating in the community and through many TJS classrooms. Symptoms of strep throat include persistent sore throat, fever and stomach ache (may include nausea and vomiting). Oftentimes, children with strep throat may not always present with “typical” symptoms and may not even complain that their throat hurts them at all, or may only have GI symptoms that appear to be a stomach virus. It is recommended that you bring your child to the pediatrician for evaluation when they present with a fever, vomiting, or if they are just feeling unwell so that they may be tested and treated accordingly. Please note that strep throat is highly contagious. Should your child be diagnosed, please keep them home until they have been treated with antibiotics and are fever-free for a full 24 hours. It is also advised to wipe down surfaces and avoid shared items.
Please help prevent the spread of illness within the TJS community by reinforcing healthy daily habits, including frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes with the arm or a tissue, and limiting contact with others who are ill. If your child is home sick, please call or email the health office with their symptoms and any confirmed diagnosis. This information is very helpful to minimize outbreaks within the TJS community.
Mandatory 5th- Grade Immunizations:
As a reminder, when your child turns 11 years old they are required to have 2 additional vaccinations, Meningococcal and TDAP, in order to enter grade 6 in the fall. As you begin to schedule your child’s well visit around their birthday, please remember to follow up with the necessary immunizations and documentation that is required for entry into school. Please see the attached link for the necessary form and return it to the TJS health office upon completion. Should your child’s appointment be scheduled over the summer months, please send the form to the MJS nurse, Pauline Bliss, RN at blissp@madisonnjps.org.
Madison ESL Department Bingo Night
The Madison ESL Department is hosting a district-wide Bingo Night for ESL students and their families on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 6:30-8:30 PM.
Torey J. is now on INSTAGRAM! FOLLOW US!
Don't forget to follow Torey J. on Instagram @toreyjsabatini to see all of the wonderful things happening in our school community.
We’re so excited to share that our biggest fundraiser and adult social of the year will be March 22nd. More details to follow. Save the date!!
12TH ANNUAL TJS SCIENCE FAIR - REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
SCIENCE FAIR OVERVIEW
This is a voluntary activity sponsored by the PTO.
The Science Fair is open to Grades 1 – 5.
Students may participate individually or in a group. Groups are generally kept to 2 or 3 students and can be across grades.
Students decide on an experiment and work on it during off-school hours.
Students are provided with a trifold display board which is used to document and showcase their experiment.
Display boards are brought in during school drop-off the day of the event. They will remain up throughout the day for the classes to view.
The Science Fair will take place from 6:30 – 7:30pm where family, friends and the broader community can view the hard work of the participants!
The deadline to register is February 16th
Visit our Science Fair page for resources and event specifics. Reach out to Jen Standig and Laura Venuto at tjssciencefair@gmail.com with any questions.
A new month means new opportunities to help re-shelve books in the library! Times available every Tuesday and Thursday 12-1pm. If another day works better, please reach out to Madeline Smith madelineday08@gmail.com
News from the Madison Education Foundation (MEF)
ATTENTION PARENTS OF 5TH GRADERS... PREPARE TO BE AMAZED! Drop off your 5th graders for a fun Friday night of magic and munchkins at MJS for a great cause... our schools! "Magic and Munchkins at MJS" is made possible by the The Spelker Real Estate Team to benefit the Madison Education Foundation to help fund grants in Madison's public schools. This event for students in grades 5-8 includes a spectacular magic show followed by refreshments sponsored by Sugar Rush. Purchase tickets HERE before they magically disappear!