5/3/21 Parent "Patriot Post"
Cedar Grove Elementary School
Home of the "Proud Patriots"
The mission of Cedar Grove Elementary is to grow our students into respectful, curious and productive citizens.
Community of Readers - 4,654 Books Read So Far!
The Importance of Reading Fiction
Did you know that reading fiction can improve a person's emotional and cognitive perspective taking? Children and adults' empathy and Theory of Mind can be increased through exposure to narrative fiction.
For children, reading fiction allows them to widen their perspective by exploring the world through unique characters. "People who read fiction tend to better understand and share in the feelings of others -- even those who are different from themselves."
The Harvard Business Review argues that "some of the most valuable skills that managers look for in employees are often difficult to define, let alone evaluate or quantify: self-discipline, self-awareness, creative problem-solving, empathy, learning agility, adaptiveness, flexibility, positivity, rational judgment, generosity, and kindness, among others...Recent research in neuroscience suggests that you might look to the library for solutions; reading literary fiction helps people develop empathy, theory of mind, and critical thinking.."
Help support healthy reading habits and let's grow our emotional and cognitive perspective taking together by participating in our "Community of Readers" Initiative!
Our goal is to read 15,000 books between March 1st and May 21st. Forward this newsletter link to friends and family to help us reach out goal -- One book at a time!!
Need support in helping your child find the "right" books? CLICK HERE.
To participate in our reading initiative, click on the applicable google link to share your book titles:
- Reading Log -- Google Form for Students
- Reading Log -- Google Form for Cedar Grove Families and Staff
- Reading Log -- Google Form for our "Extended Cedar Grove Family Members" (Community members as well as relatives of our Cedar Grove Families).
Click on our "Community of Readers" flyer for more information!
Join the PTO in Celebrating our Amazing Teachers!
Important Tidbits
In Case You Missed It Last Week...
- COVID Forms -- While we clearly are making progress towards getting closer to "normal," we need to continue our daily efforts in maintaining the health and safety of our students and staff. Recently, there has been an increased number of parents not completing their child's daily COVID health screening form prior to the start of school. Please set a reminder to complete this form daily. Our school nurses thank you!
- Arrival -- This year, our doors open at 8:55 am to welcome students. Officer Moore has noticed that the majority of students are arriving closer to 9:25, and we have seen an increase in late students. The doors off Brookside Drive are locked at 9:25 am. Please take advantage of the longer drop-off window to ensure your child is not marked late.
- Water Bottles -- As the weather continues to get warmer, I kindly ask that you ensure your child has a water bottle. Students who drink all their water prior to the end of the day will be allowed to refill their bottle under the supervision of the classroom teacher. We will continue to avoid the traditional use of water fountains to ensure the health and safety of students.
- Teacher Requests for 21-22 -- Consistent with the procedure put into place last year, I will not be accepting teacher requests for next year. Teachers will complete a "Student Information Form" for each student prior to the end of the year. This form contains important information about your child's academic and social skills, work habits and friends. My goal is to build equitable and balanced classes. Each student and family is equally important to me, and I hold every teacher to the same high standards. Building classes is necessarily time consuming and thoughtful, and I am committed to ensuring this process is done with fairness and integrity. Thank you for your support.
Ready 2 Rock Kindergarten
Upcoming Parent Workshop (May 3rd or May 4th)
Ready 2 Rock Kindergarten is a workshop targeting parents of incoming kindergarten students for the 2021-2022 school year.
During this virtual presentation, parents will learn ways to incorporate math into their everyday lives, learn about the phonics program, discuss and learn some multi-sensory strategies in order to strengthen and develop reading skills, and learn ways to ease a child's anxiety about starting school.
Parents will be given notes to the presentation, takeaways will be distributed and parents will be asked to complete a survey at the end of the presentation. During each session, the families who are able to attend the workshop will be entered into a drawing to win a special prize!
(You can attend any of the sessions offered.)
Click on the live link to access the flyer for the virtual Ready 2 Rock Kindergarten event.
NEW! May Enrichment Activities Calendar
Quick Link to April Calendar
Here is the quick link to our NEW May Enrichment Calendar. If students choose to attend an enrichment class, be sure to attend only at a time that is not previously scheduled with a classroom teacher, ESL teacher, basic skills teacher, G/T teacher or resource room teacher.
Community Based Resources
Family Promise of Southern Ocean County
No Longer Need your Borrowed Chromebook?
Unused District Chromebooks
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Our Amazing PTO
Available to "Sub" In Our Schools?
20-21 Proud Patriot Calendar
Cedar Grove Elementary
Location: 173 Cedar Grove Road, Toms River, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-505-5830
Twitter: @TRProudPatriots