Robert Hunter Report
March 6, 2022
Robert Hunter Elementary School
Mrs. Jessica Braynor, Vice Principal
Website: https://www.frsd.k12.nj.us/Domain/381
Location: 8 Dayton Road Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 284-7620
Twitter: @RobertHunterES
March 6, 2022
Dear Robert Hunter families,
We loved seeing so many parent readers in the building for Read Across America! Thank you for helping us to celebrate reading. We look forward to more community engagement throughout the rest of this school year.
Thank you to Mrs. DiBetta and RH staff members who helped plan Read Across America activities and reading experiences for our students. The students enjoyed listening to diverse stories from different regions around the country. Some highlights from the week were a whole school “Drop Everything and Read” throughout the hallways of our school and reading with buddy classes with stuffies in pajamas.
We are proud of 2nd grade students in Mrs. Rainey’s and Ms. Whalen’s classes for leading our assembly this past week. We were able to get back outside and all gather together as the whole school. Our assembly was centered on our whole school book, Mae Among the Stars. This book tells the story of Mae Jemison, the first Black, female astronaut. This month, students will meet with their buddy classes and talk about the book further, focusing on what they can learn from Mae and how they can achieve their own dreams.
As a reminder, we do not have school on Monday, March 7th. Enjoy the weekend.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Glaab and Mrs. Braynor
Drop Everything and Read
2nd Graders lead the whole school assembly
Cozy up with a book and a buddy
This week's calendar:
March 7- No School
March 8- Day 6, CogAT Testing Grades 2-3
March 9- Day 1, CogAT Testing Grades 2-3
March 10- Day 2, CogAT Testing Grades 2-3
March 11- Day 3, CogAT Testing Grade 4 and Project Success, SEL Day (Wear spiritwear/school colors)
Masks
On March 8th, when students return, masks will be optional at Robert Hunter. Parents should discuss this at home to decide what is the best choice for them; we will not be able to enforce any parent requests for mask monitoring. The decision to wear a mask is a personal one, and it is important that students are respectful of one another’s decisions. Please have conversations with your child at home about showing respect for different choices. As shared in Dr. McGann’s newsletter, masks are now optional on buses as well.
Parent Visitors
Parent volunteers/visitors will no longer be required to submit proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to come into the building, but our expectation is that if a volunteer is feeling unwell they should remain at home and not enter the building. All visits must be pre-arranged with RH staff members.
Snacks
As you know, most classrooms offer snack time. This is always optional for the child. Please remember to pack your child a snack daily. If your family is experiencing food insecurity please contact the school nurse. Snacks at school are limited and not always available. Please contact your child’s classroom teacher for information regarding foods that are to be avoided due to classroom allergy concerns.
CogAT testing
CogAT testing will take place during the next two weeks. CogAT testing is the initial assessment used for the Gifted and Talented identification process. All 3rd grade students take the test, and 2nd and 4th grade students are eligible by recommendation. If you have any questions or concerns about testing, please reach out.
SEL Day
A goal at Robert Hunter is to support our students’ social-emotional learning (SEL). Research shows that social emotional learning improves achievement, as students are more able to focus on learning when they are calm, focused, and happy. It also increases prosocial behaviors, such as kindness, sharing, and empathy, which are skills necessary for future success. Social emotional learning also reduces risks of depression and stress, as students build resilience and positive connections.
On March 11th, we are recognizing International SEL Day! Students are encouraged to wear spirit wear/school colors, as we recognize SEL Day and celebrate all the social emotional learning we are doing this year.
If you are interested in learning more about social-emotional learning, please check out this link from CASEL (Collaborative or Social Emotional Learning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2d0da6BZWA
Classroom Happenings
Thank you to Ms. Flavin, our technology integration specialist, for working with RH teachers in planning several virtual experiences for our students this year. These experiences include meeting with Geologist Andrew Martin. Andrew is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and he was very impressed with the knowledge of our students. He emphasized the importance of geology and the different career paths available.
Our students also participated in three different programs for Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History:
Animal Adaptations- During this staff-led program, kindergarten students compared and contrasted animal specimens from the museum’s virtual collections. They discovered how different adaptations help animals survive in their habitat. Students also explored the different kinds of adaptations for animals who live on land, water, and in the air.
Discovering Dinosaurs -During this program, kindergarten students made observations of dinosaur characteristics, discovered how paleontologists learn about ancient animals by studying fossils, and practiced some of the same scientific skills used by museum scientists!
Insect Survival - 4th-grade students virtually explored what makes an insect an insect, and why they are so successful (insects have more species and live in more places than any other animal!). Students investigated and identified the survival techniques of the Carolina Sphinx Moth and the Tobacco Hornworm, exploring their adaptations using the scientific skills of observation and sketching.
Later this month 4th-grade students will meet with scientist Quincy Faber to discuss climate change. Quincy is a PhD candidate in Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida.
PTO Updates and Reminders
Robbie Raccoon's Summer Enrichment Camp - Sign up now for Summer fun!
Our Robert Hunter Summer Enrichment camp for students entering grades 1-5 is back! Sign up for 1 week or all 5! We even have a week of Afternoon Lunch Bunch and Literacy too! Registration is now open online through our Membership Toolkit Site:
https://roberthunterelem.membershiptoolkit.com/
View our full camp flyer with details about the program HERE!
Contact Allison Pelletier at atdpelletier@gmail.com with any questions!
Gertrude Hawk Chocolate Fundraiser - Orders Due March 10th!
Our spring Gertrude Hawk sale is running now, you should have received a packet home with your child! Return the brochure/order form with payment to school by next Thursday March 10th!
View our flyer with online ordering information HERE!
Contact Lauren Loftus at lmloftus79@gmail.com with any questions.
RH PTO Family Skate Night - Sunday April 3rd, 4:30-6:30pm
Join us for a fun evening of skating at the Frenchtown Roller Rink! Bring your friends and the whole family!
Discount admission available at the door, $7/person!
View our flyer HERE!
Save-The-Date - PTO Basket Auction
Friday, May 13th, 4:30-7:00pm Location: Robert Hunter School Blacktop **Please look out for an email from your homeroom parents about class basket donations** **Basket Auction tickets will go on sale in late April**
We need your support to make this event a success! If you are interested in sponsoring a basket from your family, making a donation of items, or own/work for a local business that would like to sponsor a basket we would love
to hear from you! Please complete our donation google form by Friday March 18th to donate:
https://forms.gle/DBgXdQ2wvgLR5EMN9
Order Your Yearbook
See the flyer below to order yearbooks!
Contact our Yearbook Committee at roberthunteryb@gmail.com with any questions!