James Monroe April Update
Return to Full-Day Instruction: April 19th
Dear Families,
Can you believe it, the fourth marking period is already upon us! This year has been challenging in many ways, but we continue to be incredibly proud of what our students have accomplished and are extremely grateful to all of our families for the support you have provided.
For the group that is staying remote please review the reminders below.
As always, we are here for you with any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Cyndi Tufaro, Principal
Maggie Callahan, Assistant Principal
Read Below for information regarding IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION
Classroom setup
Around the building
Healthy Reminders
Review our Hybrid Model Return Plan below!
Schedules
The day begins promptly at 8:55 am with a daily morning meeting for all students, in-person and remote. Throughout the day teachers will provide remote students with guidance regarding asynchronous learning, brain breaks and lunch.
In-person students will follow their daily schedule, including lunch & recess and will be provided with snack breaks, outdoor masks breaks and periodic brain breaks.
Here is the link with the daily operating hours for school.
LUNCH & RECESS
Lunch Procedures
We will have three lunches built into our schedule in order to accommodate a socially distanced lunch.
- Students will have approximately 20 minutes to eat lunch.
- All students will be spaced 6ft apart at tables facing the same direction so that they may safely remove their masks to eat.
- Tables will be sanitized between the lunch rotations by lunch aides.
- Students will sanitize their hands before and after eating
Students can bring their own lunch from home. All students will be provided a FREE individually packaged lunch during their lunch period. Please complete the survey below indicating if you would like your child to receive the free lunch and if they need a vegetarian meal. Please opt out if you do not want your child to receive a free lunch.
Students will also be given a packaged breakfast for the following day at dismissal. On Fridays students will receive 3 packaged breakfast and 2 lunches for the weekend. We recommend students bringing a tote bag to carry the lunches home in on Fridays.
Recess Procedures
- Each class will remain with their cohorts during recess, no cohorts will mix during this time.
- Every class will have a designated outdoor play area
- Students will participate in low-impact activity rotations supervised by lunch aides
- Upon re-entering the building, students will be required to sanitize their hands.
Indoor recess will occur either inside student classrooms or the gymnasium in the event of inclement weather. Students will be required to wear their masks for the duration of recess, indoor or outdoor.
Send a towel to school with your child for outdoor breaks!
Arrival & Dismissal
Arrival begins at 8:45am. Student will not be permitted to enter the building before 8:45am. P.M. Kindergarten starts at 1:00 p.m.
Grades 1, 2, 3 will enter through the Main Doors
Grades K, SCA, 4 & 5 will enter through door #12, the Kindergarten Doors
Teachers will bring your children to the same area for dismissal.
Dismissal will begin at 3:30pm.
Safety Reminders and Protocols for Families
1. Everyone must wear a mask walking to and from the school property. Please remain socially distant. Parents must wait behind the cones on either side of the building.
2. There is no parking on Sharp Road. Cars are not permitted to enter Sharp Road during arrival and dismissal due to traffic congestion and the buses cannot get through. Do not try to pass the police officer, bypass the cones or pull into Sharp Road early for safety reasons. You must park on Halo St. or Montview Ave. and walk your child to the school.
Arrival Map
Dismissal Map
What to pack for Specials for Hybrid Learning!
Meet our Music Teacher, Ms. Maurath
Read below for information regarding REMOTE LEARNING
Schedules
The day begins promptly at 8:55 am with a daily morning meeting for all students, in-person and remote. Throughout the day teachers will provide remote students with guidance regarding asynchronous learning and computer breaks.
In-person students will follow their daily schedule, including lunch & recess and will be provided with snack breaks, outdoor masks breaks and periodic brain breaks.
Remote Learning contract
In order for this to be successful, we need your help! Here's what you can do to help:
❏ Monitor my child’s attendance by ensuring their participation within in-person and virtual instruction to the greatest extent possible.
❏ Ensure that my child engages in learning activities daily.
❏ Communicate needs to school staff that inhibit participation in daily learning.
❏ Respect the privacy and confidentiality necessary to create a thriving classroom learning environment.
❏ Actively support the privacy and confidentiality of all students by:
Never recording video conferencing engagements, meetings, discussions, lessons, small groups, etc.
Never posting images to social media of students other than your own child(ren) nor staff.
❏ Ensure to every extent possible my child understands and follows the previous statements.
Lunch for Remote Students
Bagged breakfast and lunches will be available for pick up at the schools listed on the order form (pick one) every day of the week. Orders for pickup must be submitted each Thursday by 2:00PM for the following week. Please place your order for all days whether your child is learning remotely. On FRIDAY, meals can be picked up at the school you select on the order form below and students will receive (3) breakfasts and (3) lunches for the weekend.
Click Here To Submit Order Form
Click Here To View Menus (Subject to change)
Seven Day Meal Kit Option
**Please consider using this option.
Seven (7) day meal kits which include (7) breakfasts and (7) lunches are available for pick up on Wednesday at both John P. Stevens High School and Edison High School during the times indicated below. Please note that the order form linked below must be completed and submitted by 2 pm each Thursday of the week preceding the pick up date.
What's happening in April!
April PTO Fundraiser - Dine Out Night (Dine in or Take Out) - 732-662-9168
April Student Council School-Wide Challenge
Counselor's Newsletter - Resilience
APRIL IS WORLD AUTISM MONTH
The first National Autism Awareness Month was declared by the Autism Society in April 1970 beginning with United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2.
The aim of this month is to educate the public about autism. Autism is a complex mental condition and developmental disability, characterized by difficulties in the way a person communicates and interacts with other people. Autism can be present from birth or form during early childhood (typically within the first three years). Autism is a lifelong developmental disability with no single known cause.
People with autism are classified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the terms autism and ASD are often used interchangeably. A wide spectrum disorder, people with autism have a set of symptoms unique to themselves; no two people are the same.
AUTISM IS WIDESPREAD, AWARENESS ABOUT THIS CONDITION IS NOT
In the United States, autism affects 1 in every 54 children (Marissa Walsh, Pharm.D., BCPS-AQ ID, 2021). Today, autism diagnoses usually happen in early childhood, which may be why autism rates in children are higher than those in adults. However, because the definition of autism spectrum disorder has drastically evolved, many teens and adults could be living with undiagnosed ASD. Prevalence estimates of autism in adults born between 1980 and 2012 are predicted to affect 3 out of every 100 adults in the U.S. and in the future could carry a diagnosis based on this new criteria. (Open Minds, 2018)
World Autism Awareness Month aims to make the public more aware about
this widespread disability and the issues which arise in the autism community. The
chances are high that you know someone with this disability. A better informed
public will be more empathetic and supportive towards people with autism.
If you have a concern about your child’s development, always discuss these
concerns with your child’s doctor. Parent-teacher conferences are an ideal time to
ask questions about your child’s progress and challenges. Your child’s pediatrician
may ask you to obtain information regarding his/her performance in education and
social emotional development which is recognized through teachers who share
experiences with your child on a regular basis.
Autism Advocacy for Individuals & Their Families - Autism Family Services of New Jersey is a state-wide, non-profit charitable agency dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for people affected by autism and their loved ones. Check out their website for information on events like the 2021 Beach Bash in Belmar, NJ, resources for at home behavioral therapy, health, education, support services, lists of New Jersey Public and Private Agencies serving the needs of families affected by autism and more. https://autismfamilyservicesnj.org/family-resource-network/
For more information on National Autism Awareness Month visit the Autism Society Awareness page:
https://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/
This will also provide you with links to Autism e-newsletters, affiliate’s and more. Check out this site for upcoming events in New Jersey with the New Jersey Autism, Inc. https://www.autismnj.org/.
Click this link for Top Autism Websites Recommended by Parents:https://eden2.org/top-10-autism-websites-recommended-by-parents/Message to parents from Nurse Sclafani:
If your child will be learning in person during marking period 4 and will require any medications during school hours, please see the below links to treatment plans and medication forms.
ASTHMA- (2 PAGES)
SEVERE ALLERGY TREATMENT PLAN- (2 PAGES)
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1577381589/edisonk12njus/kfb6fgadkf2c3uuewmup/Form30A.pdf
MEDICATIONS NOT INCLUDED IN A TREATMENT PLAN (Including over-the-counter meds)
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1577381589/edisonk12njus/hroof0w8v7gv6cbl7llf/Form7.pdf
Medications are not permitted in school without a doctor’s order and medications
CANNOT BE DROPPED OFF OR PICKED UP by students.
Please send me an email when the form/s have been completed and signed by the doctor and a parent/guardian, letting me know when you are available to drop off the form/s and the medication/s to school.
Please note that medications must be in their original, pharmacy labeled container and can only be dropped off with the proper documentation.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter and enjoy your spring break!!
Kathleen Sclafani, RN BSN CSN-NJ
Certified School Nurse
James Monroe Elementary School
732-452-2970 x 62004
732-452-2975 (fax)
James Monroe School
Email: cynthia.tufaro@edison.k12.nj.us
Website: https://mon.edison.k12.nj.us/
Location: 7 Sharp Road, Edison, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-452-2970
Twitter: @monroeowls