Folsom School News
April 2019
Dear Parents, Guardians and Members of the School Community,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to provide you information about the 2017-18 New Jersey School Performance Reports, which were recently released and are available on the NJ School Performance Reports web-page at www.njschooldata.org.
Use, Share and Improve the New Jersey School Performance Summary Reports
The School Performance Reports reflect the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) extensive efforts to engage with parents, students and school communities, and share the information that is most valuable in providing a picture of overall school performance. We encourage you to use these reports to:
- Learn more about your school and district
- Start conversations with school community members and ask questions
- Engage with school communities to identify what schools are doing well and where they can improve
Enhancements to the 2017-18 School Performance Reports
The 2017-18 reports include changes that respond to stakeholder feedback collected through a feedback survey, at parent round tables and workshops, and from stakeholder engagement throughout the year. These changes include:
- More informative, easier to understand one-page Summary Reports
- Additional navigation tools and an improved search page within the reports
- Emphasis on student growth with the growth section of the reports newly featured before the academic achievement section in the reports
- More information about Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, dual enrollment, graduation pathways, progress toward English language proficiency, staff demographics, and discipline
One-Page Summary Reports
Along with the full reports, one-page Summary Reports for each school and district are also available. The Summary Reports provide a high-level summary of how well a school or district is performing with data that address questions such as:
- How does our students’ growth compare to students’ growth in other districts?
- Are students at risk?
- Are students graduating?
- How did students perform on assessments?
- Are students college and career ready?
- Do they have access to high-level coursework and arts courses?
A Summary Report Guide is also available on the School Performance Reports web-page to explain the different data points on the Summary Reports.
The NJDOE continues to seek public input on ways to improve future reports. Please complete the feedback survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/VKNTTRC or email reportcard@doe.nj.gov with feedback and suggestions.
Respectfully,
Matthew Mazzoni, Ed.D.
Superintendent
April's character trait is....
Dates to Remember
- 3rd Spring Pictures
- 2nd Kindergarten Field Trip
- 4th Home & School Meeting 6:30 pm Library
- 6th Drama Rehearsal 9:00 am-3:00 pm Gym
- 9th Drama Production (School Assembly) 10:00 am
- 10th Student Council & Safety Patrol Field Trip
- 11th Drama Production 6:30 pm
- 12th Drama Production 6:30 pm
- 15th Kindergarten Round Up
- 16th Kindergarten Round Up
- 16th Big Brothers/Little Brothers Field Trip
- 17th Folsom Borough Hall Easter Egg Hunt (K, 1st, and 2nd grade)
- 17th 12:45 Dismissal Spring Recess begins
- 18th School Closed Spring Recess
- 19th School Closed Spring Recess
- 22nd School Closed Spring Recess
- 23rd School Closed Spring Recess
- 25th 6th Grade Field Trip
- 25th Take your daughter and son to work day
- 26th 3rd Trimester Progress Reports available on Parent Portal
- 26th School Dance (Grades 6-8) 6:30-8:30 pm
- 26th 8th Grade Lock in Dance 8:30-10:30 pm
- 29th PARCC Testing begins Grades 6-8
- 30th Board of Education Meeting 6:00 pm Library
Revised 2018-2019 Folsom District Calendar
- June 12th - changed to a full day of school.
- June 13th - Field day.
- June 18th - Last day of school.
- June 18th - 8th Grade Graduation 7:00 pm.
Yearbooks
Online orders can be made at Ybpay.lifetouch.com.
School code: 10868019
Order deadline: 4/5/2019
Yearbooks are $25
Curriculum News
We are excited about our new Math programs this year!
In grades K-5 Folsom School implemented Go Math, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
This program includes more inquiry-based lessons and offers extensive online resources and blended learning options. Teachers have received professional development for support. Students now can learn and perform math tasks on the computer as well as on paper.
In grades 6-8 we implemented The Big Ideas Math program, a research-based curriculum providing a rigorous, focused, and coherent curriculum for middle school students. Ron Larson and Laurie Boswell utilized their expertise as well as the body of knowledge collected by additional expert mathematicians and researchers to develop each course.
The Big Ideas Math program follows a balanced instructional approach. The program balances conceptual understanding with procedural fluency, as research shows that students benefit from equal exposure to discovery learning and direct instruction.
In January, Folsom School hosted “Meatballs and Math” night to showcase our new math programs. We were pleased to have over one hundred parents and students attend this event!
Michele L. Hetzel M.Ed.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Falcon Club Service Projects
Nurse Notes
Reminder:
No medication of any kind including over the counter drugs can be dispensed at the school without a Dr.'s prescription. All medication must be brought to school by a parent. Parents must sign a permission form before medicine can be dispensed.Flu symptoms: Sudden fever, feeling weak or overly tired, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, chills, body aches, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Drama Production
Counselor’s Corner
Humility, dictionary definitions say, is marked by modesty, meekness, diffidence, and an unassuming attitude. Humility is also a close associate of gratitude, and it’s an attribute that simply oozes class. Here are ways to teach humility to your kids.
1. Modeling-Never underestimate the power of teaching through example. Humility must be consistently modeled as a lifestyle, not an on-again, off-again example.
2. Build them up-This may sound counter intuitive, but it’s important to understand that humility always comes from a position of belief, strength, and self-assurance.
3. Encourage and help them to be the very best they can be—no matter what they do. Humility works best when your child has actually achieved something! Help your child achieve with confidence.
4. Make sure they understand where their real value comes from. It’s easier to side-step pride or arrogance when children understand that they are valued simply because they are your child, not because they win the race, have a prettier mom (and a smarter dad!), earn a higher income, or score the most points.
5. Never humiliate your kids. Humility cannot be imposed. It’s important not to confuse humiliation, bullying, and beating down with an education in humility.
6. Expose your child to the great teachers and their stories.
Jesus, Mother Teresa, Eric Liddell… are all wonderful role models. For Jesus, there are lots of great children’s books about him, as well as about Mother Teresa. Eric Liddell is the man who inspired the movie, Chariots of Fire, a great film for your whole family.
7. Teach them to serve-Serve the homeless. Serve the poor. Serve their family. Serve one another.
8. Coach them on how to respond. Kids need to be taught to say, “Please” and “Thank you” as much as they need to be taught to brush their teeth and to stay out of the street. So why expect them to know humility without guidance? Here’s an example: “Look, Jr., that’s a great job you did on your science-fair project. You deserved to win the prize. Now, this is how you handle it in class tomorrow…let’s practice saying, ‘Thanks!’ ‘I like the way my friend, Matt, did his project, too.’ ‘I don’t think I could have won without the help of my teacher.’ ” You get the idea.
9. Teach them how to apologize. The well-timed and sincere apology is a key component of humility. Sometimes they’re wrong; they need to acknowledge that. Sometimes they over-reach and it’s time to back up. Sometimes, they receive unintentional consequences they need to smooth over.
10. Teach them to give thanks. A genuinely grateful heart is a key building block for humility. Gratitude, practiced and eventually owned, enhances humility at every turn. The person saying “Thank you” affects a posture that is unassuming and modest. Try this: every time someone offers a compliment, simply say, “Thank you.” It’s the kind of response that eventually soaks in, grows roots, and blooms humility.
Folsom Educational Foundation Bingo
Technology Tip
The newest advice from security experts concerning password:
- Use long Passphrases - 20 characters or so long
- Include numbers, capital letters and symbols.
- Use multi-factor authentication
Check your online accounts such as Google for 3rd Party apps permissions
Mistakenly users give these 3rd party app rights to all of data on a Google account.
The link below provides a how-to guide to your 3rd party apps permissions.
https://beebom.com/how-check-google-account-permissions-third-party-apps/
Take your child to work day
Thursday, April 25th is national “Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day”. This annual event falls on the fourth Thursday of April each year and is considered an excused absence.
Physical Education and Athletic Department
"Physical Fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body. It is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."
~John F. Kennedy
Middle School:
Remember to check which day students have physical education for dressing out into uniform and succeed in 100% participation.
Physical education uniforms are available to 6th, 7th, and 8th grades $16.00 ($11 shorts/$5 t-shirt).
Uniforms need to be worn to participate in physical education class.
Elementary:
Reminder: check which day students have physical education.
For safety purposes:
Proper attire (no dresses) and sneakers are needed for physical education class.
*Students who are not prepared (w/o sneakers) will have to sit out, safety for themselves and others are a priority. (Students will receive a not prepared/no participation grade).
Athletic Department:
Congratulations to the Folsom Falcons Volleyball Team on a fantastic season! They finished the season with a record of 5-7.
Softball Team practices will begin the 1st week of April.
Please make sure all SPORT PHYSICALS are completed, forms can be found on the Folsom school website.
Have a wonderful April & Stay active.
Ms.N. DeSordi
Physical education teacher/Athletic director
Things to Remember
All personal items need to be labeled with your students name. Unidentified items not picked up will be donated.
A Driver License or Photo ID is needed when entering the school.
When sending payments in with your child, PLEASE send it in an envelope labeled with your child's name, homeroom teacher, and what the payment is for. CASH should never be sent in for Cafeteria payments. Visit the Parent Portal to make on line payments for lunch.
Anytime you are changing your child's dismissal routine, please send in a note.
Folsom Elementary School
Website: https://www.folsomschool.org
Location: 1357 Mays Landing Road, Hammonton, NJ, USA
Phone: 609-561-8666
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FolsomSchoolDistrictNJ/